Chapter 10: Reunion

Night has come, and we rested at a small village called Serdtowns. My father and the others are still speaking with local villagers to determine whether they have encountered any problems. I take a look at the request help form on the wooden board inside our inn.

“Those are just eradicating monster quests. No one reported a bandit sighting.” I said to my father.

“Are any adventurers here taking this quest?” I talk to the inn master.

“Yes, they are still outside doing the quest. Don't worry, Miss Knight. If there’s a dangerous thing, we’ll call the knight to deal with it.” The inn master answered.

The morning we were about to depart, a villager came to us in a hurry. “My lord! A group of bandits is coming toward here! Please help us!”

The villager's warning bells rang. My father ordered us to make two groups; I’m going with Henry, while my father is with Ralph. We’re using our mechanized armor and standing guard at the mouth of the village.

I count with my own eyes. 20+ bandits are coming here. They are mixed and highly irregular troops. I see a cavalry, a light infantry, a heavy infantry, and some crossbowmen.

“So my lady, are you in front or back?” Henry asked.

“I’ll go in front,” I said, equipping my mace and round shield.

They’re charging at us, Henry equipping his javelins and throwing and hitting a bullseye on the human light cavalry that is charging at me. The rider got thrown from the horse; I picked up my mace and crushed his head with my mace.

Henry took his remaining javelins and threw them toward enemy archers and crossbowmen. His strength in using projectile weapons is unmatched. He’s mastered using javelins.

“Hey, you woman! Let’s duel with me!” The bandit leader shows up. He is still using the Eturuk's Army uniform with the rank of captain.

“Are you not ashamed of asking a woman to a duel?” I replied and taunted him.

He took my insults personally; he and his retinue charged at me. Asking for a duel but coming to attack me with his retinue. A javelin from Henry thrust into one of his retinue's armor and chest. The bandit leader throws a heavy attack at me; I evade it and counter it with a strong blow to his shoulders.

He fell towards the ground, and I smashed his head. This is fun, his retinue trying to attack me, but their attack damage is zero when they hit my armor. Their attack power must be very low if my armor, which is classified as light armor, absorbs it.

Henry takes his time to finish the bandit leader's retinue. “Are you okay, my lady? They surround you there.”

“It’s zero damage,” I answered. “The leaders are gone, and they are still fighting? They must be very desperate.”

“They have nowhere to go. If they go back to their family, they will be labeled as a disgrace. The only thing they have now is trust with each other as comrades in desperate moments.” Henry replied.

We quickly defeated the rest of it and captured them. My father and Ralph are finished rounding up on their side, too. My father came to us. “Ralph, Henry, can I trust you with overseeing this prisoner? I’ll let the Eturuks' Ambassadors take them home when we arrive at Kerak.”

“So the federation meeting this time is about Eturuks again, Grandmasters? Those empires are trying hard to integrate us into them. But we like our freedom and the ways we live today.” Ralph said.

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“That’s a part of the meeting. But far more dangerous are rumors about the three big empires on our continent teaming up to capture smaller countries like us.” Father answered.

“It’s all because religions in here have the same prophecy. There will be a great saint who is born with powerful supporting abilities. The rumored saint will be an elf. That’s why they are trying their best to conquer smaller elf countries like us, the Duchy of Laburtia, the Kasnakia Federation of Merchants, Kehu, and Kaula,” Father explained.

“The meeting will take place in our capital two days from now, and we are discussing this as the main problem. Ambassadors from the Hayida Caliphate, the Mishtar Empire, and the Holy Eturuks Empire are coming, trying to negotiate with us.” Father continued. “Also, the smaller problems, like the dwindling population from our nomadic elf tribes. Like from the Magro tribes, the famous tribe that has a great healer, and the Kanghastan tribes, the very excellent nomadic warriors, that face almost extinction due to them being captured by those big three empires.”

“We are the only Elf country that has the power to deter them from doing so,” Henry said. “I’m proud to serve under the Nekalma Federation.”

“Well, let’s defend it with the best we can. I'm afraid that those three will ally with each other and start attacking us from three sides. And we don't have enough force to defend against an all-out attack from three sides of our border.” Father replied. “Let’s go continue our way to Kerak.”

The deserters-turned-bandits are forced to march with us to Kerak. With this delay, my father told us to keep going until we reached Kerak without taking a rest. Some prisoners die on the way; we don’t care about the body and just march forward.

At dawn, we arrived at Kerak. My father told me to go to his residence here and gave me the key. Ralph and Henry will go with him first. Happily, I go toward my father's residence and his office here in a district called Old Kerak.

It was dusty, maybe because my father spends more of his time in our town, not here. And my father is always coming back quickly and not sleeping here. I decided to clean it a bit alone. It was a two-story house made from stone and looked old.

After cleaning it, I finished by noon. A familiar voice called me from outside when I was cleaning my father's room. I opened the windows and saw what I wanted to see. Taka is in front of the home gate. He was with his carriage and a girl who may be his friend.

Without wasting my time, I jumped from the window and landed perfectly at the front gate. Taka launches himself at me, and I catch him. “Miyuki! Long time no see! I miss you!”

“How did you find me here?” I asked. “I miss you, too.”

“I just passed this road on the way to the inn with my assistants, Noa. I saw your figure at the house's windows and called you!” Taka said.

“Pleased to meet you, my name is Noa. I’m his apprentice and assistant.” The girl named Noa bowed.

“Nice to meet you, too. My name is Miyuki Scarlett Karasuma. Thank you for assisting my boyfriends.” I said.

I see my father running towards me with Ralph and Henry following in his tail. “Miyuki! Who is this boy? Are you being harassed?”

“My boyfriends?” I answered. “Taka, meet my father.”

“Please to meet you, I’m Taka the Wandering Healer from the Magro tribe,” Taka said and bowed. “And these are my apprentices or assistants.”

“Ma-magro tribe? Are you here to attend the meeting too?” Father asked. “My name is Asakawa. You can call me Uncle Asakawa.”

“The meeting? This letter invitation?” Taka opened her bag and showed a letter. “A strange bird dropped this letter for me while I was on the way here.”

“If the bird reaches you. That means you’re the only one left in your tribe. Oh my God, the Magro tribe is in line of extinction now.” Father answered. “Let’s go inside to talk. Miyuki, will you go shopping and stock up our shelf here?”

“Yeah, I’ll do it. Don't do anything strange to him, Father.” I replied.

“I’ll help you!” Noa said. “I’m good at shopping!”

My father gives me some money and directions to the market square. Maybe I’ll use this chance to get to know Noa and what she already does with him. Two of us are going to the market square on walking.

“Whoa, Taka’s girlfriend is such a beauty. I wonder why he is madly in love with you.” Noa said to try to open a conversation.

“Thanks, Noa. I think you are attractive too.” I replied. “Where are you from, Noa?”

“A small village near the border called Tabou,” Noa replied. “My dreams come true; here to visit other civilizations' capitals!”

“Congrats then. You speak quite well of our language. Did Taka teach you?” I asked.

“Kinda, but in my village, there’s a forest where the Orthodox Elf Tribe lives, and they do trade with our village,” Noa answered.

“So, where did you meet Taka?” I asked again, and we stopped near a meat shop. “Two kg of cow meat, please.”

“I met Taka when my friends and I were going home and got attacked by monsters in the forest,” Noa answered. We continued our shopping, having these conversations for a long time.