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Glenn Peoff sits surrounded by a quiet formidable collection of individuals, all of whom have one very important thing in common.
They have all been left behind to wait for Cale Henituse to finish his conversation.
The situation feels almost unreal to Glenn, who is all too aware of just how powerful these people left behind actually are. How could he not be? Glenn had been the one tasked with recording the information Bud gathered on them, back when his friend was acting as Cale Henituse “secretary”.
Yet when Cale had stepped away from his companions, everyone had just made themselves comfortable and settled in to wait. No one even batted an eye at being left out of what was obliviously an important strategic discussion. They all just accepted the dismissal and patiently waited.
Even Glenn’s long time friend, Bud Ilis, had just pulled out a bottle of wine and sat down after they had greeted everyone.
That had been almost thirty minutes ago and now sort of board silence had descended on the patiently waiting group.
Whatever Glenn had been expecting when Bud suddenly announced that they would be helping Cale Henituse with something again, this isn’t it.
It wouldn’t actually be so strange if Glenn didn’t know who all these people were. If he didn’t realize that he was waiting with a group of people who can and have toppled actual kingdoms.
There is the Archmage Rosalyn, the undisputed future master of the new magic tower. From what Glenn has heard the woman had actually learned magic from dragons. After seeing her in action, he doesn’t doubt the truth of that report.
Yet here is that same Rosalyn content to wait after being unceremoniously dismissed.
She’s just sitting cross legged on the ground with various tools and magic stones scattered across her lap. Apparently content to fill the time by working on creating a magic device, though Glenn can’t tell exactly what kind as it’s still in the early stages of construction.
Glenn has to fight the urge to stare at the woman as she works because around her neck is a literal fortune in high grade magic stones. Several fortunes if you want to get technical. He can actually feel the mana from where he is sitting. Honestly, it amazing she is able to focus on her task at all while waring the things.
Rosalyn isn’t alone either. The young wolf king, Lock, is lounging next to her. It’s the first time Glenn has seen the boy without that massive shield of his. Looking at him in his human form like this, a casual observer would never expected the boy to possess such strength. Glenn know better though. So the contrast between what he knows to be true and Locks gangly relaxed appearance is honestly disconcerting.
For his part the young wolf king, seems content to passes the time by watching the two cat tribe children and the Dragon Raon Miru who are playing quietly off to the side.
It’s hard to understand their game at a glance, but it seem to involve them taking turns at making shapes in a small cloud of multi colored fog.
The swordsman Beacrox Molan, the only son of returned Molan family, also seems to be watching the children’s game. Admittedly he is not as obvious about it as Lock. That is because, like Rosalyn, Beacrox Molan has found a task that can keep his hands busy as they wait.
The steady shhk shhk sound as he sharpened his great sword fills the silence
Nearby a handful of men watching Beacrox warily sit together in a neat row. Glenn recognizes them as the leader of the bandits that uses to rule the roads outside the city of Leeb and his strongest subordinates.
The ridged posture of the former bandits is a stark contrast with that of the two tiger tribe members who seem to have elected spend the wait napping.
Then there is the Swordmaster Choi Han, a man who has come to be widely acknowledged as Cale Henituse right hand and his most trusted knight. Yet regardless of that position of trust, he too has also been left behind to wait. The young man seems to be relaxed, despite having been excluded from the conversation.
From where they are seated they can easily see Cale Henituse speaking with with a small group of people in the distance. A group that notably includes the presence of yet another dragon as well as the leader of the tiger tribe.
Choi Han has been keeping a careful watch on the distant figures from his position near Rosalyn and Lock.
It hasn’t escaped Glenn’s notice that the young man Is not alone in keeping his attention on the conversation between Cale Henituse and the others either. Bud has been watching too.
However, unlike the obviously calm Choi Han, Bud has been fidgeting nervously for the last fifteen minutes or so. His friend is clearly starting to regret having agreed to Cale’s request no questions asked.
For Glenn that only makes the experience all the more surreal. It’s odd seeing these people just waiting for patiently for orders. However, for Glenn, seeing Bud getting twitchy like this is stranger still.
A few more minutes pass as Glenn watches his friend fidget with growing amusement, until
“Should we be worried? They have been talking like that for half an hour now.” Bud Ilis finally voices the question that has obviously been plaguing him.
Rosalyn glances towards Cale for a moment. She can’t see Cale face from where she is sitting, but she can see that his body language is relaxed and he seems to be enjoying himself.
“Probably.” she answers casually.
Then looking back towards her companions, she follows up by asking “Choi Han, Lock? Can either of you hear what they’re saying?”
Choi Han just shakes his head while Lock answers apologetically. “Sorry Noona. He had Eurhaben-nim cast a silencing spell earlier. I can’t hear anything.”
Bud sighs and takes a swig from the bottle he is holding “I was afraid you would say that”
The group descends back into silence again. This time with everyone paying more attention to the distant conversation.
Seeing the expression on Bud’s face, Glenn barely suppress the urge to snort in amusement. He is not used to seeing Bud looking so resigned, or to watching his friend wait nervously for anything.
Normally this type of anxiety is the sort of thing that Bud inflicts on others rather than experiencing it for himself.
Glenn, as the person who is usually most effected by Bud Ilis’s particular brand of insanity, can’t help feeling a perverse satisfaction at seeing the tables turned this way.
That’s probably why he isn’t willing to let to topic drop yet. “So, what do you think they are talking about then?”
Bud shrugs as he finishes off the bottle of alcohol in his hands.
“If we knew that we would probably be preparing instead of just waiting here”
“Preparing for what?”
“Who knows, but it definitely looks like they’re planning something.”
Rosalyn hums agreement while several of the others nod.
It’s is only then that Glenn realizes that all of the others are paying attention to their conversation too. Even the tigers, who he had previously thought to be sleeping, are now watching with half lidded eyes.
Rosalyn looks thoughtful for a moment. “Raon? Did Young Master Cale say anything to you about what we might be doing next?”
The little dragon’s response is immediate. “Nothing! The human didn’t tell us anything! But he seemed really happy and said it shouldn’t be too hard!”
The two kittens mew in agreement.
“Shit” Beacrox curses. Bud nods agreement and opens a new bottle of wine. “That about sums it up”
Rosalyn seems amused by their reactions.
Choi Han carefully asks “Raon, you are certain that those were Cale-nims exact words?”
The black dragon nods enthusiastically “Yes! I am great and mighty! I remember what I am told very well! The human said ‘it shouldn’t be that hard to pull off. It might even go quickly if I drag in the mercenaries.’ He said that right before we called the Mercenary King!”
Glen hears someone groan quietly, he isn’t sure who, while Bud grumbles “I knew I shouldn’t have agreed to help Cale Henituse again without asking more questions”
Glen laughs at his friend saying “Cheer up Bud. Surely it can’t be that bad?”
Bud looks scandalized and starts to rant “Not that bad? Do you have any idea...” he sputters while Glenn continues to laugh at his friends reaction.
“Oh! Look! The human is smiling like that again!” Raon announcement prompts Bud and several others to look towards Cale’s distant figure in alarm.
“You just keep laughing Glenn, but remember, I spent months working for Cale Henituse and he only smiles like that when he is going to make trouble for someone.”
Bud sighs “I can’t imagine what they’re planning over there. But I can tell you two things. We won’t like it, and it won’t be legal.“
Bud takes a massive swig from his new bottle.
Glenn finally stops chuckling after hearing that, suddenly reminded that this time he will be working with Cale too. The realization saps away some of his enjoyment of the situation and he admits
“You know, I hate that you’re probably right.”
“No, I’m definitely right.”
“You really think he is planning some kind of crime?” Glenn asks.
He isn’t convinced. Cale Henituse is supposed to be the hero of both the eastern and western continents. Why would someone like him commit a crime?
“Yes” Bud answers flatly.
At which point Choi Han, who had been listening to the two mercenaries with amusement, speaks up again. In a friendly tone he advised them that “There’s no point in worrying over it now. We will find out Cale-nim’s plan soon enough.”
Bud and Glenn grow silent.
A few minutes later the children abandon their game in favor of continuing the discussion.
“What do you think it will be this time? Our human is smiling so he’s probably planning something fun!”
“We are probably looting someone!He always gets excited when we are going to take someone else’s money” the red kitten, Hong, guesses.
His older sister, the one called On, doesn’t seem convinced though.
“I don’t know. That looked more like his ‘breaking things’ smile. Besides he wouldn’t have brought so many of us if we were just robbing someone.”
“We could be looting lots of places at once again.” Hong observes but On stands her ground “I don’t think so. He wouldn’t have invited the mercenary king for that. He would have asked Grandpa Ron instead.”
Glenn feels a bit bewildered listening to the children’s chatter.
Hong seems to take a moment to consider his sister’s point.
“It’s been a while since the last time we destroyed an island right?”
Hearing that question gives Glenn the chills. He had gone to see the Island of Winds after Cale and his people had gotten through with it in the past. They had destroyed an entire restricted zone!
Bud, who had been present at the time, drains about a fourth of his wine bottle after hearing the question.
Glenn catches sight of the former bandits. They all have horrified expression on their faces and are now stareing at the children instead of watching Beacrox. Somehow seeing that reaction makes Glenn feel a bit better.
“He’s coming back!” Raon’s shout mercifully ends any further speculation from the kittens.
Glenn looks in the direction that the little dragon is gesturing. Sure enough, Cale Henituse is walking back over to them. Even from this distance Glenn can see that the usually stoic man’s eyes are bright with excitement.
He is also smiling like a villain.
As soon as Cale is within ear shot he claps his hands together and starts speaking “Okay everyone. New plan.”