"I'm back." He said before walking inside Elias's office.
He just returned from a mission.
"Good work as usual Nein." She said, pausing her doing to see him.
It's been two weeks already. His days going on with no problem and taking most of the time for exploration.
"I hope you're not tired, we have new one for you." She said while handing him a sheet of paper.
"Why me?" He ask curiously before taking the paper.
"It's coming from the Elven kingdom, a place known for its hostility toward human." She explain briefly.
"And they want me to come there." He remark suspiciously.
He read through the content and frown slightly before looking at her again, wondering if she know something about it.
"As you can see, looks like your reputation already spreading wide. Even the elves want to hire you despite their relationship with human." She said teasingly.
He simply sigh and lower the paper to his side.
"I'll go tomorrow then. Thank you for telling me boss." He said before tucking the paper inside his coat.
"No prob, oh and please take this also." She gave him another mission.
"What's this for?" He ask suspiciously.
"You need a decoy, use this mission as an excuse to pass the border guard. You can do this one since it doesn't have due time limit. So it'll be perfect." She suggested.
"That's so thoughtful of you boss, thanks." He accepts the mission and nod in gratitude.
She return the nod and finally letting him leave her office. He went to the library to learn more about the east where his destination at.
"Time for history lesson, let's see..." He mumble to himself while searching for information.
Eastern side of Ostera geology were mostly filled with lowlands and much warmer weather than the others. Having a sub-tropic climate makes it develope much more resources unlike the west.
"Huh... it's basically Asia. Let's see..." He said before continue reading.
Qasira, a place where the emperor of the east stays. A place despite being in the middle of desert, developed faster than it's neighbors. All because their rich of plants called sand leaf.
"Sandleaf is a flower used to produce high quality product such as high-ressistant glass and known to only grow on sand making it hard to cultivate freely." He read to himself.
He then shift his attention to various nations and take his sweet time to learn about it before landing on the Elven kingdom and immediately shocked at what he witnessing.
"Huh? Why so little. Is this all?" He said, confused by the amount of reading regarding this region.
He sigh and decided to end his study for now since the library about to close. He left with disappointed look on his face as he make his way back.
It's bothering him at how few information regarding the Elven kingdom despite its long history, as if they're intentionally hiding themselves.
He return home and begin packing for a long travel.
"Let's see, I'll need a week to reach the eastern border by horses, including rest... so I'll need at least two days in full speed." He make a quick math to see what should he brings.
He leave the town in early morning. Not bothering to say goodbye and begin swinging forward, cutting through the cold air.
He takes a straight line path, moving above river and forest, avoiding attention from other people. He swings nonstop for ten hours and rest at night before continuing at dawn.
And after traveling for almost a hundred and half kilometers, he come to a stop by the forest after seeing something catching his attention.
"Is this supposed to be here?" He wonder to himself at the object he found.
He found a remain of a carriage along with some trace of violence surrounding it. He takes a quick analysis before coming into a conclusion.
"A kidnapping, I did saw a town few kilometers away but should I concern myself with it?" He's considering whether to help or not.
"AHH!!!" A scream.
He follows the source of the voice and saw a girl protected by her knight fending against a bunch of bandits. The knight is badly injured after fighting some of the bandit.
"You'll pay for hurting my men!" Said one bandit before sending an attack.
"Ugh..." The knight manage to deflect it with his sword and counterattack, making his injured legs to bleed even more.
"Hiks...sir Lucas...I'm scared..." The girl's trembling behind him, looking at the horror around her with body lying lifelessly.
"Stay behind me young lady...I'll make an opening for you." He reassured her, thinking about sacrificing himself.
"Haha! Look at this one, he really think he can win against four!" Said one bandit arrogantly.
"Ugh...I don't care even if there's five of you against me! I'll fullfil my duty!" Said the knight with pride.
"Wait. Five?" The knight statement make the bandit confused.
Then realization hit as they turn around to see Nein standing between them the whole time.
"Ah, I got caught." He said dryly.
"Hyah!!" The bandit immediately strikes him.
He simply weave the incoming blade with his palm and land a clean punch at the bandit abdomen, making him faint instantly.
"You bastard! Stay away from th-" Nein slap his face with the back of his hand with enough force to sent him flying.
The other two simply watching in terror at how easily he taken care of the two and unable to move their body from fear.
"Scram." He said toward the cowering bandits.
"Hiek!! Argh!!" The bandits finally move again and ran away from the scene.
He sigh and return to the victim.
"S-stay back..." The knight, despite witnessing everything, still holding his ground while the little princess grabbing his armor tightly.
Nein keep his distance while raising his arms indicating he won't do anything to them.
"It's fine, I'm not with them, instead I'm here after hearing someone screaming and decided to help. You can lower your sword now." He tried to calm him down.
"Don't lie to me, there's no way someone like you doing this for free. Stop pretending and akh-" Nein suddenly appear beside him and knock him out before catching him.
"It's not my fault born like this okay? Besides, how rude of you to simply see me from my face. Right girl?" He give the little princess a wink, making her faint from fear.
The scene makes him sigh deeply and takes the two unconscious victim outside the forest, dragging the knight while carrying the princess.
"HALT!" A heavy voice suddenly called after he stepping out the forest floor.
He stopped and saw a bunch of knights wearing the same crest as this one and immediately drop the knight to the ground before setting the princess down gently beside him.
"Who are you? Are you the one doing all this?" Said a man furiously.
Yet Nein only shrugged and vanishing slowly into the air. Leaving like ghost without bothering to explain anything.
He returned to his mission, swinging around after wasting his time to that sudden event. His eyes widen as he realized he dropped his pen.
"Ah, well damn. What a waste of good pen. Let's hope it fall before that." It's a pen he usually use just in case. He really like the design.
And after a long day, he finally arrived at the border. He stay in line of people, pulling his hood high to avoid drawing attention. It takes a good hours before he finally saw the guard inspecting each visitors.
"Halt. Show me your identity and the reason why you here. And if you have commendation, please show us." The border guard ask him for registration.
He pulled down the hood and taking out his identity card. The guard give him a suspicious gaze for a moment before skimming through his identity.
"You can enter. Sorry for the delay. Next!" The guard said after returning his card.
He make his way in and smell something familiar entering his nose. A smell remind him to home.
"Haa... smells nostalgic. I'm wondering if they have bamboo brew or not." He mutter excitingly before wandering around the streets.
He's currently in the border city, Fanis. And will need some time to reach the Elven kingdom after he figured out how to walking past the security at night.
Fanis is well known for its cultural beauty. With a huge border wall spreaded all the way from east to the west side of the whole eastern region, Fanis would be the first city outsider come across to, making it strives in economy.
"Mmm... taste like home. Not only they have alcohol but also sushi? Man... So this is how a place equivalent to Japan looks like." He mumbles after a bite and take his sweet time to enjoy the day.
Later that night, he start his plan. Taking advantage of the blindspot, he slip through the gap of the wall and slithering further from the town.
"Alright, this far will do. Next destination the Elven kingdom." He announced to himself before looking at the map and leap into the air.
It takes him three hours until he landed Infront the Jade forest entrance where the Elven kingdom at. He went by foot to avoid suspicion. He walk along the dark forest, using his smoke to find his way through the dark.
Shrek..
He come to a stop and immediately raise his arms in the air. Sensing presence surrounding him in the dark.
"You're not supposed to be here human. Turn around at once or we'll use force." A male voice coming from the darkness.
"I'm here because the call. I'm Nein Winter, the mercenary asked for help." He explain briefly before reaching for the request paper.
Upon seeing that, they immediately lower their bows and revealing themselves to him. Three elves slowly approaching him with caution.
"May I see the paper?" Asked one Infront of him.
He let the man take the permit and watching his every movement. His arms still in the air, just to show them he won't do anything stupid.
"How is it young lord?" Ask one of them suspiciously.
"It was father's signature. It's real." He confirmed.
Hearing his confirmation, he finally lower his hands and deleting his smoke, the movement so subtle that none of them suspicious of what he's hand doing.
"Sorry for that, I hope you can understand we're doing that due to duty. I'm Valix, the second son of the king." The elf introduce himself while taking the paper with him.
"I understand, I won't mind it then." He said with a friendly smile.
Nein response however, make them frowns and growing even suspicious.
"And I'm sorry but we need to cover your eyes first. It's a procedure for outsider visiting the kingdom." Valix said suddenly, watching every movement Nein's making.
That's new, but Nein doesn't mind it and simply nods at it.
"I see. I'll follow the procedure then. Please take me." He said casually.
"... Are you sure?. We can probably throw you away deeper in the woods or kill you halfway through." He tries to make it clear about the possibility.
"I'll trust your judgement." Nein reply with no doubt.
They share a hesitant looks at each other before finally moving to tied his arms up and covering his eyes.
"Now then, just follow out step." Valix said before pulling the rope tying Nein's arms.
He were taken like a prisoner through the woods. He agreed with this ridiculous procedure simply because he's confident it just a test him.
"I'm sorry for visiting at night. I'm actually planning on staying in the forest first then went to the kingdom tomorrow. But you find me first." Nein speak after a long awkward silence.
They simply ignoring him and just taking him to the kingdom. Which is making him curse in his mind at how often people ignoring his questions.
He feel the shift in the air. It's warmer now that he already entering the kingdom's road. The smell is nice, it's like a garden of flower all around and making him to sniff harder to filled his sense with it.
They simply ignore his antics and just focused on their duty by taking him to the king.
They enter the palace located in the heart of the kingdom and finally releasing his arms. He uncover his eyes and saw the king sitting on his throne along with his knights standing firm on either side of the place.
"Welcome to Elven kingdom, Nein winter." His voice carries easily despite the distance.
He rose up from his seat and approaching him deliberately. His robe dragged against the floor, yet the dirt doesn't stained it.
"Greetings to you, your majesty." He greets with a polite bow as the king standing infront of him.
The king simply smile at his courtesy while his guards ready to jump in if things goes south.
"How's your travel here? Do you enjoy our hospitality?" He start by mentioning the odd escort.
"You should use a pole and tied me up for a better experience, your majesty." His answer shocked them. The audacity of this man to joke with the king.
The room fall silence before the king laugh, amused by his blunt response. His answer alone were enough to him to see him with different way.
"You're talking to the king here, Nein winter." A familiar voice calling from the distance.
"Ellie?" He said curiously.
She stand beside the king with pride. She looks better now unlike when he meet her the first time. He look at her then the king before taking a note that she's someone important.
"Now. How should I address you?" The king ask.
"Nein's fine, your majesty." He answered politely.
Then Valix step in to hand the king the paper and nods approvingly before returning at him again.
"Now then, may us talk about business now or you want to rest first?" He offer kindly.
"Let's discuss about the matter first. I believe there's a lot to talk about it." Nein insist.
The king smile and nods before walking away, expecting him to follow.
"Nein winter." Ellie suddenly called him.
He turn around to meet her eyes and tilt his head curiously at what she have to say.
"... No, it's nothing you can go. Don't make father waiting for you." She said before walking away.
He blink twice at her before turning around and walking behind the king to their discussion.