Chapter 141
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 141
Chapter Title: The Call of the Flames (3)
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Lot scratched his head, averting his gaze as all his earlier bravado vanished.
"It's not exactly something to brag about. You guys really new around here? Never heard of the Scorching Band?"
"We just crossed over from the Lesion Kingdom. What's the Scorching Band?"
Only after the Silver Guard Knight asked again did Lot sigh and answer.
"The Scorching Band was a pretty infamous bandit crew around these parts. We were part of it."
"Bandits...!"
Shuren sucked in a sharp breath, his shoulders tensing, while the mercenaries who'd been chatting fell silent for a moment.
Ilenia's face showed clear surprise too. She seemed to be hearing this story for the first time.
"No, wait, not anymore!" Lot waved his hands frantically.
"Don't get the wrong idea! The Scorching Band disbanded a few months back. Got utterly crushed by Captain Silas and the Gray Mercenaries."
Lot spoke as if recounting some ancient tale from long ago.
"How did former bandits like you end up joining a mercenary band?"
The Silver Guard Knight was just as shocked.
Lot's expression turned bitter as he began recounting the old days.
"We just needed somewhere to go. To eat, to survive. Joining the Scorching Band was our mistake."
"But Captain Silas... after he burned their boss Kargo to a crisp, instead of wiping out the remnants like us... he took us into his mercenary band and gave us a chance at a new life."
"He even equipped us with these weapons."
One of the other mercenaries, who'd been listening quietly, drew his sword and spoke up.
Axes, greatswords, spears... all fitted with unique metal devices on the hilts and blades. That's what the mercenaries had used to summon flames.
"He gave us a shot at atoning for the crimes we committed as bandits. Said he couldn't just abandon our kin walking the wrong path."
"He's an amazing guy. No one else saw what we were capable of like Captain Silas did."
The mercenaries' words carried genuine respect and admiration for Silas.
Shuren kept his wary eyes sharp, refusing to relax, but Ilenia looked moved, clearly taking their story to heart.
"Uncle Silas has always been like that. We Fire Arbats get misunderstood based on our looks all the time, so he always said we have to be extra careful."
"Exactly. We realized that after joining the mercenaries. We'd heard the rumors about Captain Silas before, but meeting him in person? He's even greater."
"Truly worthy of inheriting the blood of our great hero, Cowan Cortis, the Flame of Legend!"
The mercenaries cheered in agreement, clinking their mugs together. Someone even shouted a toast to Silas.
Ilenia jumped right in, clinking her mug with theirs.
The glasses emptied cleanly one after another.
Tania refilled them, and Lot swirled his brimming mug of clear liquor.
"But those Peira cheapskates don't get it. We're the Gray Mercenaries, under the great hero Captain Silas himself, and they won't even let us into the city? Can you believe that?"
"They won't let you in?"
Ilenia asked in surprise, and Lot shook his head with exaggerated sorrow.
"Yeah, Ilenia. We flashed our mercenary tags all proud-like, but they didn't buy it. Said we must be Scorching Band remnants and chased us off."
"How could they...?"
Ilenia frowned and patted Lot's shoulder sympathetically.
"That's truly unfortunate."
The Silver Guard Knight peered into his still-half-full mug with a thoughtful hum.
"One thing I'm curious about, though... How'd you get this booze if they won't let you into Peira?"
"Hahaha!"
Lot, who'd been playing up his gloom, burst into loud laughter and slapped the Silver Guard Knight's shoulder.
The knight took the first hit but calmly caught his arm on the second.
"Sharp knight, eh? It's simple. We just got some from the Water Arbats. They live plenty comfortably, so sharing a barrel of booze doesn't hurt 'em much."
Lot refilled his mug and downed it with gusto, chuckling to himself.
"Don't misunderstand, you knights of justice. We barely even remember our Scorching Band days. It was like our blood was boiling over, like we had to let it erupt somewhere or explode. You know that feeling?"
Lot looked at each of us in turn. None of us could meet those blazing eyes and nod along easily.
Finally, his gaze landed on Ilenia.
"What about you, Ilenia? Fellow Fire Arbat—you get it, right?"
"Hmm, kinda. Like your body heats up and power surges through you?"
"Yes! Exactly! Knew you'd understand."
Lot and Ilenia's mugs clinked once more.
Every time Ilenia drank, Shuren's face grew more uneasy.
Lot thumped his chest emphatically.
"That feeling like your body ignites and you could do anything. That's the source of power for us Fire Arbats, Ilenia. No other race would get it no matter how long you explained."
Ilenia nodded repeatedly at him.
I had no clue what that 'anything-is-possible' feeling really was, but there was no room for us to butt into their Fire Arbat bonding.
"Gonna wash my face."
Shuren, unable to stay any longer, muttered that to the air and stood up.
He didn't seem that drunk. I watched his back, then glanced at the Silver Guard Knight.
He read my look and nodded toward Shuren—go after him.
As I rose to follow, Ash, who'd been lounging lazily behind me, got up and trailed after me too.
It was already dark around us.
Too late to head to Peira now. Guess we'd have to impose on this camp a bit longer.
"Bro?"
Shuren was by the riverbank, not far from the campsite.
Even that short distance muffled the mercenaries' voices. The river's flow drowned out other sounds.
Shuren stood facing the water, the campfire light at his back. His shadow stretched long across the river.
I approached him. Ash, who'd followed me, plopped down on a nearby gravel patch.
"Bro, you okay?"
Shuren turned to me with a puzzled look.
"Of course. Why?"
"You seemed down."
"Ah... yeah."
Shuren sighed and shook out his hair.
Droplets scattered—he'd already splashed his face in the cool river water.
"Camp was too stuffy, I guess. Or maybe from hanging around that fire site too long earlier. I'm good now."
"Glad to hear it."
The Fire Arbats had been having some pretty heated chats, after all.
Shuren stared off across the river, then suddenly spoke up.
"Look over there, Lib."
He pointed toward the forest Minos had burned.
The darkened woods lay in eerie silence under the night sky, black smoke still rising here and there, but no embers remained.
"Fire's out, huh."
"No, not that. Above it."
"Above?"
I looked up at the burned forest.
The dim sky, with faint moonlight and stars, made it hard to make out anything.
I didn't get what Shuren meant at first, but as my eyes adjusted to the dark, I started to see something shimmering high above.
Something transparent rippled... and then raindrops began pattering down.
"Wh-what the...?"
I blinked wide-eyed.
Something hovering in the sky was sprinkling water over the burning forest.
Shuren stared at it in shock too.
Minutes later, the raindrops tapered off.
The thing in the sky contracted like it was gathering water, then expanded again, repeating the cycle.
"What the heck is that?"
"That's an 'Artificial Rainfall Device.' They set it up to put out the fire you guys started."
A woman's icy voice answered my question, sending chills down my spine.
"Who...!"
Shuren whipped around in alarm, hand flying to his sword hilt—but he couldn't draw.
A cold spear tip shot forward in an instant, halting right before his face.
I held my breath. Ash growled, pressing close to my side.
Strangers had surrounded us without a sound. Spears and swords drawn, radiating deadly intent.
The darkness hid their features, but I could barely make out at least six shadowy figures.
From behind Shuren, I tensed and quietly drew my staff.
"Don't move. Unless you want to get hurt."
The woman pressing the spear to Shuren had a youthful voice, but her aura was brutally menacing.
"Who are you people?"
"You asking 'cause you don't know? We're the Peira City Guard! We knew you Fire Arbat mercenaries would cause trouble eventually. I..."
A lamp one of them held swung our way, illuminating us. The woman stopped mid-sentence, face paling in surprise.
Now they could finally see us properly.
"W-wait, you're not Fire Arbats...?"
"Ah."
Shuren deflated with a sigh. I exhaled and answered for him.
"We're with Prius. Not Fire Arbats, not mercenaries."
Not Scorching Band bandits either, but maybe I didn't need to add that.
The woman flusteredly withdrew her spear and ordered the others to stand down.
"Oh, uh, right. Haven't seen those Fire Arbat thugs around? They're camping nearby."
Thugs... The word said it all about how they viewed the mercenaries.
"Camp's that way."
Shuren pointed toward it.
Not far—they'd have found it even without us.
"Thanks, and sorry for the mix-up!"
The thanks and apology came quick and crisp.
"Alright, let's move! This time we'll nab those thugs for sure!"
She led the city guard back toward the camp with renewed vigor.
What a mess.
I clicked my tongue inwardly and followed with Shuren and Ash back to camp.
The guards stormed in with ferocious momentum, thrusting spear tips under the mercenaries' chins in seconds.
The drunken mercenaries grabbed weapons belatedly, but too slow. One even raised his mug instead.
"Drop your weapons and don't resist if you don't wanna get hurt!"
The woman barked sharply, thrusting her spear at Lot.
In the firelight, she looked about my age and Wedin's—petite, with a youthful face matching her voice. Her blue ponytail was braided back. Her white-based guard uniform bore insignia of high rank.
"Well, didn't expect more guests."
Lot grinned shamelessly, even with the spear gleaming like it could pierce his jaw.