Arad, Jack, and Aella headed toward Alcott’s bath after paying the debt. “I don’t feel right without washing after that fight,” Arad said, tucking the remaining 50 silver in his stomach.

“Shouldn’t we get some new clothes first?” Aella stared at him, pointing toward the market.

“You need clothes? I know a second-hand shop.” Jack said, pointing to the left side of the market.

“Second hand? That would be cheaper. We could spend the rest on weapons.” Arad smiled, following Jack with Aella.

“Clothes are one thing, but what weapons are you looking for?” Aella looked at Arad, “Beside the sword, of course.”

“Arrows for you, a long weapon for Jack, some armor, and probably a shield,” Arad replied.

Aella smiled but then heard something behind them, the faint sound of a blade coursing through the air.

“ARAD!” She shouted, turning around to see a hooded figure swinging a gripless blade at Arad.

Thud! With a quick step, she dashed forward, hitting the attacker’s wrist and deflecting the blow from Arad. CLENCH! Before Aella could unleash her second hit, the attack grabbed her by the neck.

“You’re fast,” A woman’s voice came from under the hood. CLING! She pulled her blade back and stabbed, but Aella deflected it with her dagger and swung a kick at the woman.

SLASH! The woman pulled a sword dagger from her pocket, swinging upward before she got kicked in the chest.

Aella couldn’t stand, falling on her knee as her right ankle tendon got sliced. “We’re in the middle of the city!” She shouted. Everyone screamed, running away as they saw the fight starting.

“Doesn’t matter.” The woman mumbled, lifting her blade.

KA-DON! Arad charged at her with his staff ablaze, swinging down with all his might.

CLANG! The woman swung her blade up, cutting his staff in half while aiming a second attack at his neck.

CRACK! Arad blocked the slash with his wrist, growling.

The woman froze for a second, unable to believe that the mere flesh of a human stopped her blade. “You’re tough,” She mumbled, leaping back and dodging the countless needles Jack threw at her face. “Did you never hear of assassination? At least they do a clean job!” Jack shouted at her.

Arad glared at her. She attempted to kill us in the middle of the city and the middle of the day. Who is she?

The woman lifted her blade, “Arad Orion, you will die here.” She lifted her sword, rushing toward him in the blink of an eye.

Aella pulled her bow, [Action surge]. Instantaneously, she released six arrows aimed at the woman’s torso.

SCRATCH! The woman slid on the ground, dodging the arrows and swinging at Arad’s legs with her overly long blade.

“Enough of this!” Arad shouted, swinging a kick toward her blade. CLANG! Again, the sword wasn’t able to cut him, and on the other hand, she got disarmed,

Thud! Thud! She leaped back, staring at them, “What are you?” She opened her palm, and the sword flew directly at her. “Are you a human?” She started to smell something. Arad wasn’t normal.

SNIFF! SNIFF! She looked back, and her coat was in flames. Arad smiled, flames gushing from his sharp, opal white teeth, “Let’s see who you are. Strangely, the inside of your hood is black.”

Aella pulled her bow, “Disguse magic, a simple one that blackens your face if you wear a hood.” She fired three arrows at the woman.

“I can’t take the three of you on without blowing my cover,” The woman swung her blade, cutting her coat up to her knees, and leaped into the sky. Aella’s arrow smacked into a faraway stall, “Be careful not to hit civilians,” Jack warned her.

BAM! Arad leaped up, [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt]

The woman slashed the spells and ran on top of the market stalls, eventually disappearing into the shadows.

“She ran away,” Arad growled, looking back. Jack had brought a long towel to help Aella stop the bleeding.

CLANG! CLACK! The guards rushed in fully armored, “What happened here?” One of them asked while looking around.

“A weird woman attacked us,” Arad replied.

“She wore a green coat and used disguise magic. She also is a sword master. Those moves belonged to a high-level fighter.” Aella added.

“Doubt those idiots will catch her. We need to act on our own.” Jack told Arad, and the guards sighed.

“Listen, Jack, we might not like each other, but we’re not going to chase you when you have done nothing.” One of the guards said, looking at them through his full-plate helmet.

Jack looked away, “I can’t trust you.”

Suddenly, one of the guards who stood at the back pulled his sword and swung at Arad.

Arad lifted his arm and blocked the slash, swinging his fist at the soldier. “You bastard!” The guard leaped back, “I thought this would get you, shame.” The woman said, running again toward crowed.

“What are you waiting for? Chase her!” Jack shouted at the guards.

The guards rushed after the woman, leaving their healer behind to tend to Aella’s wound. This case got out of hand.

Arad kept looking around with his void eyes open, making sure to track any person approaching them, but the woman didn’t attack.

“Are you all right?” Arad asked, looking at Aella. She stood with a smile, “I’m fine, nothing healing magic couldn’t handle,”

Tapping her leg, she put her bow on her back and looked around, “Let’s stay vigilant for the day,”

The three of them walked toward the second-hand clothes shop, looking around for the woman if she attacked again.

“Say, chief, you don’t have bad blood with anyone, right?” Jack asked with a smile.

Arad shook his head, “I don’t. You can say I was born this weak.”

Aella looked at him with a strange glare, “That sounded real, don’t tell me it’s true?”

“We reached the shop. Let’s get inside.” Arad brushed the conversation. He didn’t know what kind of effect knowing his age will do, so he decided to emit that part for the time being.

As Arad pushed the wooden door open, a small bell rang above it. CHRING! CHRING!

“Welcome. Is there anything I can help you with?” A man in his late forties approached them with a smile, “We have a lot of clothes. Pick as you like. We also offer retailoring service.”

Arad looked at him, “New clothes for her and I. Do you have anything good?”

The man smiled, “For the lady as well? Merida!” He shouted once, and after a few seconds with no response, he shouted again, “Merida! Do you hear me?”

“I hear you, dad! Just give me a moment,” A voice came from the second floor.

“Merida?” Jack looked at him with a strange glare, “Didn’t you know?” The man smiled.

Jack immediately looked at Arad, “It’s Merida, the blade of whitehold!”

“Don’t get too close to me!” Arad sighed.

Jack didn’t listen, “I knew they are a merchant family, which climbed to nobility, but I never expected this to be their shop!”

The man smiled, “You came to our shops a few times in the past, right?” 𝙚𝙙𝙤𝒗𝒆𝒍．𝒄𝙤𝙢

Jack nodded, “But I never saw or heard of Merida’s name.”

“Of course, I only call her when I need someone to deal with a woman.” The man replied, “My name is Alex frostborn. Nice to meet you.” He smiled, extending his hand to Jack.

Jack took his hand firmly, “It’s my pleasure,”

“Didn’t know you have manners?” Arad stared at Jack with a grin, “I’m making some connections, so shut up!” Jack glared back at Arad.

Alex burst out laughing, “Let’s go get you something nice to wear,” He then grabbed Arad and dragged him to a pile of clothes.

Thud! Thud! Thud! Then, a girl walked downstairs with short black hair and green eyes, staring down at them with a sore face.

She looked around, and her eyes fixed on Arad in the back with her father, “What do you need?” She looked toward Aella.

“Some regular clothes. I prefer some green if possible.” Aella replied with a smile.

Merida nodded, “I see. We don’t have anything for you. Leave now.” she pointed toward the door.

Aella waved her hand, brushing it as a joke, “Come on, I know you have a thing or two.”

Merida glared at her and then at Arad, “Fine,” she quickly walked downstairs and reached into a pile of clothes.

From that, she pulled out a green robe, shorts, pants, a red leather jacket, and some brown shirts. “Here you go,” she gave them to Aella and turned to leave.

“Hold up!” Aella called her, “You didn’t even let me choose,”

Marida shook her head, “Then choose. I have other things to tend to,”

“Merida, I called you here to help.” Her father stared at her, “You know I hate being interrupted while training?” Merida replied with a sharp glare, “You know how much is at stack with the coming tournament?”

Her father sighed, “I know, I know. But I can’t deal with a woman alone. You know that.”

Merida scratched her head, “Fine, but I will go immediately.” She walked toward Aella, “Let’s make this quick,” She said, glaring at Arad with her father.

At that moment, Arad glared back at her, an itch tingling inside his stomach.