Thanks to the arrival of the promised troops, the defense line had finally stabilized.
It was now late morning, following a night that had been consumed by nonstop fighting. Kuon and Humarc, having just finished their meeting with the knight representatives, finally left the command tent.
The moment he stepped outside, Humarc let out a long breath, his face awash with relief. "Ahhh, we're finally free.... Kuon, do you have any plans after this mission?"
Kuon's fingers felt stiff as he repeatedly clenched his fist. He'd only just noticed it, but somehow, he could still feel the sensation of Glans attached to his hand.
"There's still something I need to discuss with my team members. Depending on their decision, I might disband our team after this."
Kuon was fairly satisfied with the teamwork his team had built. Though it only consisted of four people, each of them was more than enough to fill an essential role. In fact, it would be difficult to find replacements for them later.
Of course, what Kuon meant was Vierra and Felix. Though he was reluctant to phrase it that way, Kanon could be considered an 'asset' of tremendous value to him—not only in terms of combat strength, but also for their future together.
Of course, Kanon could leave whenever she wanted, but Kuon doubted she'd ever make that choice. Because no matter how he looked at it, the two of them were already bound together.
'A disgustingly pragmatic thought.'
Kuon made a displeased face at his own thought, while Humarc scratched his chin with an expression that seemed to say 'what a shame.'
"I think the four of you should probably stay together, at least for now. Your teamwork and coordination are excellent, and your abilities complement each other well. Especially that Strigim, Vierra—I doubt you'll easily find another all-rounder fighter like her. Ahh, and Felix too, you won't often come across a Karanta, and he's got a huge amount of potential. My sniper says he's still a bit rough around the edges, but if he's polished further, he'll become a terrifyingly good sniper."
Kuon nodded in agreement. He'd already been thinking about it for a while, and his own conclusions matched what Humarc had just said.
"I'll respect whatever decision they make, so I won't force anything. What about you, Humarc? Aren't you and your team members leaving Narc't soon?"
With a bitter smile on his face, Humarc nodded. "I hate to admit it, but there's nothing I can do to help Milia. Trying to hide her condition and keep her happy is the only thing I can fight for right now. The others agree too, and they want to come along on our journey, so in the end, we'll be staying together for now."
'Apocrypt, huh....'
Kuon had no right to say anything, so all he could do was stay silent and turn his gaze back forward.
He knew for a fact that the 'Infected' tended to face harsh rejection, but he'd never witnessed it firsthand, so it was hard for him to truly grasp what they were going through.
If he could, Kuon wanted to see it and understand it for himself. That way, he could finally feel like he'd genuinely grasped the real situation. Because either way, this was one of the paths he'd eventually have to face on his way toward that ambition.
Kuon closed his eyes and clenched his fist. The moment his eyes opened again, his gaze immediately fixed on the path leading toward the exit.
" ... The others are already waiting. Let's head back."
***
The journey from their camp in Notarn village to the city center of Narc't only took a few hours on horseback, just like when they'd first set out.
It was now late afternoon—the sun painting the sky in a dazzling reddish-orange—and Kanon, along with Vierra and Felix, had been asked to wait in the inn's cafeteria, while Kuon still had to head to the UAA office to settle the administrative matters with Humarc.
"We've received direct testimony from the reinforcement unit's command and the knights, and we've also confirmed that the situation in the field was indeed far more difficult than the report we were given. For that, we apologize for all the trouble caused, and we'll be calculating your total contribution over the course of the mission, along with a bonus as a form of compensation and appreciation. With that, the total payment for each team, after certain deductions, comes to 2,400,000 CRD (Creda). We'll take into consideration anything you'd like to add, but please confirm before we process the payment."
Once the staff member finished speaking, Kuon glanced over to gauge Humarc's reaction, but his face looked calm, not shaken in the slightest—if anything, a small smile had formed there.
That reaction was enough to confirm the calculations Kuon had already run through in his head.
"That sounds sufficient for us. But just to confirm, do you truly have no information at all on the two people I mentioned earlier?"
During the report, Kuon had also brought up Reinette and Quantine—hoping to get even a scrap of information from the UAA. But the UAA employee simply shook her head, an apologetic look on her face.
"I'm sorry, but at least within the archives we have access to, there's no information on the two people you mentioned. But I'll try to pass this along to my superiors, since we also have testimony from the military personnel who were with you at the scene."
'That means there's a chance they're in an archive we don't have access to, huh?'
Kuon's face soured, his eyes narrowing as the thought crossed his mind—and Humarc seemed to be thinking the same thing.
Kuon wanted to try thinking positively, but everything he'd witnessed for so long back on Earth kept him from doing so.
After thanking the employee, the two of them left the UAA office with their payment in hand.
Humarc turned and said, "Well then, I suppose this is where we part ways, Kuon."
"Are you leaving today?"
At the question, Humarc gave a bitter smile and shook his head. "No, we'll head out tomorrow morning. But all my team members are already waiting somewhere else, and we still have preparations to finish."
Kuon wanted to ask where they were actually headed, but held himself back and simply nodded, his expression not shifting in the slightest.
"It's been a pleasure working with you. Take care, and I hope we meet again sometime."
It was all said in a flat, unwavering tone, without the faintest change in expression. Watching that, Humarc could only huff and let out a small laugh at the Kuon standing before him. Still, Kuon didn't respond to that, simply offering his hand for a handshake.
Standing face to face, the difference in their height became even more obvious. Humarc was a man with a massive build, thick muscle packed optimally across his entire frame, while Kuon—slender and lithe as he looked—stood nearly as tall as him.
"Yeah, see you around," Humarc said, shaking the offered hand.
In the end, Kuon stayed exactly where he was as Humarc walked past him—heading toward where his team members were already waiting.
'What a shame.'
In that silence, the corner of Kuon's mouth lifted slightly—just slightly—twisting his expression into something more sour.
If circumstances hadn't gotten in the way, Kuon would have loved nothing more than to recruit Humarc and his team members to join him on his journey toward that ambition.
Each of them possessed more than enough quality, both in strength and in mind. At the very least, none of them fell into the category of 'trash to be discarded.'
But there was nothing he could do to stop Humarc. He had an important goal tied to his own team, and his team members followed him as both companions and subordinates; in that sense, he had the qualities of a true leader.
Watching his figure disappear into the distance, Kuon turned and headed toward where Kanon and the others were waiting.
***
At the inn's cafeteria, Vierra rested her chin on the table, lazily toying with a piece of cheese on her plate.
Felix, sitting beside her, could only wear a resigned expression as he cleaned up the mess Vierra had made on the table.
He'd given up trying to warn Vierra against playing around at the dinner table a while ago now.
Meanwhile, sitting directly across from Vierra, Kanon had been quietly sitting there with her eyes closed this whole time.
"When's Kuon coming back? He's been in there for over an hour now."
The same question had been repeated by Vierra several times already; and this time, Kanon opened her eyes.
"Wait just a little longer, he's close now."
" ... You sound so sure, but somehow, your guesses are always right. How do you even know?"
Vierra tilted her head, curious. Throughout their earlier mission in Notarn village, Kanon had somehow always managed to guess Kuon's location perfectly, and that happened far too often to be a coincidence.
Of course, neither Vierra nor Felix could possibly know or understand the truth—that all of that information came from their live broadcast system as Drifter.
Kanon didn't bother thinking through her answer before replying casually, "Just my intuition."
That answer didn't satisfy Vierra in the slightest, but she couldn't press any further. For now, Vierra chose to assume that Kanon had some specific method of detecting Kuon's presence, whatever it might be.
Just then, the figure they'd been waiting for finally drew near. Kuon walked toward their table the moment he spotted Kanon's back, sitting calmly in her seat.
"Sorry, I'm late. Did I keep you all waiting long?"
"Oh, it's Kuon. He really did show up right away...."
Vierra lifted her stunned face to look at Kuon, while Kanon turned and nodded at him with a faint smile. "Welcome back. Did the talk go smoothly?"
"More or less, yeah. I've also secured all of our pay," he answered, taking the empty seat beside Kanon.
Then, Kuon pulled out a sheet of paper that appeared to be a payment slip.
"I haven't cashed it out yet, since it's too risky to carry around that much money right now, but our total payment comes to 2,400,000 CRD. Based on our original agreement, we'll split it evenly. Any objections?"
Vierra, who'd been slumped over listlessly this whole time, immediately opened her eyes wide with a sparkle upon hearing the amount, while Felix beside her looked both pleased and worried at once.
"I don't mind, since it works in my favor. But ... it feels strange, getting the same share as you, Kuon. After all, your contribution was far greater than mine."
After composing her expression, Vierra cleared her throat briefly before finally speaking. Her right hand toyed with a coin between her fingers, while her left pointed at the payment slip listing the large sum.
Hearing all that, Kuon let out a faint sigh as he pressed against his temple. The headache from using Accel was still haunting him even now.
"Whether my contribution was greater or not, we already agreed the pay would be split evenly. The same applies even if your contribution turns out to be greater than mine."
"Heh, there it is again, that stubborn streak of yours. Not that I hate it, though. Alright, seems like there's no objection from Felix either, and Kanon's making a face like she has no idea how much money that actually is."
Kuon glanced sideways and had to admit Vierra had a point. Kanon had stopped talking, wearing an intrigued expression ever since the conversation about money had finally reached the table. Then again, Kuon had been the one handling all their expenses this whole time, and Kanon had genuinely never held a single coin herself.
Realizing that, Kuon leaned his lips close to Kanon's ear and whispered there. "With that much money, you could live comfortably for about a year without needing to work."
Kanon's eyes widened briefly, her body trembling, before she nodded, her head somehow looking heavy as she did.
Setting that reaction aside, Kuon tried running the numbers again in his mind.
The split came to 600,000 CRD per person. That was a large sum; and factoring in all their expenses so far, that money would last them for roughly a full year.
But that was only if he planned to maintain their current lifestyle. Either way, there were plans that still needed to move forward, so his expenses were bound to rise drastically compared to before.
He needed a permanent place to live, to serve as a base of operations, and to move on to the next stage of the plan he'd laid out, it was already certain that it would demand no small amount of money.
Without realizing it, Kuon tapped his right index finger against the table before finally letting out a sigh.
'This still isn't enough.'
Kuon pushed the thought aside for the moment and refocused on what was in front of him. He glanced back and forth between Vierra and Felix, then cleared his throat lightly.
"With this mission complete, our cooperation contract has also come to an end. It's been a pleasure working with the two of you these past fourteen days."
Felix looked startled for a moment before lowering his head. His expression showed clear disappointment, while Vierra beside him could only wear a bitter smile.
Vierra was about to speak up in response. But whether intentionally or not, Kuon cut her off and continued on his own. "Honestly, that was outstanding performance, and we managed to work together seamlessly in a lot of situations. That's exactly why I'd like to propose extending our team's partnership. The terms stay the same, and of course, you're free to decline if you feel it's not right for you."
The offer came as the very surprise Vierra and Felix had been hoping for. In an instant, their expressions, which had looked slightly disappointed a moment ago, shifted into satisfied smiles.
It would be a lie for Kuon to say he wasn't hoping for Vierra and Felix's agreement, but he couldn't think of any better candidates than them to work alongside him and Kanon.
Just as Humarc had said earlier, the two of them were far too valuable to simply let go. Besides, he needed a character like Vierra to act as a balancing presence within the group, especially since she was also capable of handling someone with as complicated a personality as Kanon, who could sometimes be blunt and toss out sarcastic remarks at those around her.
"From your reactions, I'll take it the two of you agree to this. If you have any objections, let me know anytime."
Vierra glanced over at Felix beside her, and immediately gave a wry smile after seeing the boy's reaction.
She'd already been thinking about it since yesterday, about what to do once this team's arrangement came to an end. And honestly, plenty of things would probably become quite a hassle.
Of course, there were their own personal goals to consider. But looking at it logically, Vierra judged that staying with this team was the best option for both her and Felix.
Right now, there weren't many missions that could be handled by just a two-person team. And even when there were, the pay wasn't satisfying or enough to cover their needs.
If they had to form a larger team to take on missions, it was better to build it with people they already knew. Vierra and Felix hadn't been Adepts for very long, and they tended to keep to themselves, so their circle of connections was fairly small.
But in the end, the biggest reason still came down to the fact that, somehow, working together with Kuon and Kanon meant even the toughest missions became something she could handle.
'I think I'm getting a little too comfortable here....'
There were plenty of worries swirling in her head, but she decided not to voice any of them, choosing instead to simply enjoy this moment.
On top of that, with Kuon around as a figure Felix admired, Vierra could finally rest easy, since Felix had been showing clear signs of growth compared to how he used to be.
'Besides ... I genuinely want to see more of these two and how they keep developing!!'
It was her own little secret, but Vierra truly enjoyed the free show that Kuon and Kanon so often put on right in front of her eyes.
Holding back a grin threatening to form on her face, Vierra let out a relieved sigh and kept listening to the conversation still going on at their table.
"But, Kuon, how long is this team going to last?"
Her eyes opened again the moment she heard that question come from Felix.
That was a fair point too. Both Kuon and Kanon, as well as herself and Felix, each had their own long-term goals. Considering that, it wasn't likely their partnership would last forever.
Kuon seemed to think for a moment, murmuring, "You're right. Kanon's and my goal in becoming Adepts is to gather funds and build a name for ourselves. There's no way we'll spend a long time as Adepts. In that case...."
While removing his monocle, Kuon put forward his idea. "If we only take on major missions that require a long time to complete—like the one before—we'll stay together as a team at least until we've finished five or six missions."
Kuon didn't want to waste his time taking on simple missions that wouldn't make much of an impact toward his goal. Instead, if he could focus solely on major missions, everything would become far more efficient.
" ... I think that's a good idea. Big missions won't show up every day, and we'll have to compete with other teams to grab them. But ... if we manage to land a mission like that, we won't just earn money—building our reputation will be an extra bonus," Vierra commented.
Building a name and reputation among Adepts and UAA officials was both important and advantageous. Because if an Adept became well-known enough—especially by successfully completing major missions—they'd be given priority in choosing the missions they wanted, or even get recommended by UAA representatives directly to the mission's client.
Vierra hadn't had the chance to visit the UAA office yet, but she was confident that with their previous mission now complete, this team's reputation was already solid, carrying fairly high credibility in the eyes of the UAA staff.
"If Vierra doesn't mind, then neither do I. Besides, being able to work with you again means I get to learn even more," Felix said with an awkward smile.
Kuon let out a relieved breath and put his monocle back on after hearing both answers. The result had turned out just as he'd hoped.
"In that case ... once again, I look forward to working with you."