> Kelly PoV

I don’t like it. It’s too quiet. Huh, since when did I get used to things being noisy? No it’s not that, anybody would dislike the deafening silence right now.

That one peeping bastard has stopped responding. Nano always said he’s part of Ellie, so did something happen to her? What about Red? No matter how much I try calling out, there’s no response.

Nano told me I’d be in the way so I got out of there, but I regret doing it. What sort of “Shield on legs” am I? I can’t even defend two happy-go-lucky wives.

Well, one happy-go-lucky and one happy-go-snappy wife. Even if she’s wearing a mask, that girl is obviously making a wide grin whenever she’s breaking people. That’s not normal!

I’m no different though. When my blood starts pumping I get a bit crazy too. Like just a while ago, when that 2 meter tall box with legs on the side started spitting metal at me.

It was similar to the weapons the bandits had outside, but much heavier. Like comparing a summer drizzle to fist-sized hail. Almost exactly like that, actually. Nano was still around to lend a hand. Even though Nano doesn’t have any hands.

Go under it and hit it in the back with all you got!

That was the strategy he and Ellie had used to beat these so-called war golems before. It sounded silly, but it worked. I slid under the thing and used Scrappy’s [Fire Step] to launch myself straight into its back at full force. It tipped forward and fell flat on its (metaphorical) face.

The problem was that I went a bit wild and started pummeling it with my maces until it broke. And then it exploded. With me on top of it. I’m okay, Scrappy can take a little fire and shrapnel. The cave walls however - not so much.

I look at the cave tunnel ahead of me. There’s light-enchanted stones lined up on one side, so there’s plenty of light.

I really want to go back. But Nano told me to save or beat down anyone still in here, depending on their level of banditry. My brain is also telling me to focus on the thing I can do, and trust those two with the thing I can’t do.

Ah, but I really really want to go back, so I turn around. Wall of rocks. Yep, nothing I can do about that. Nothing that won’t cause another cave in anyway. Red should be able to clear it up with her magic though.

Well. No way around it, so I might as well go in deeper. I take a final sip from my Slightly Shady hip flask, emptying it. I put it away inside the armor, next to the Trusty and Sort-of-Trusty flasks I already emptied after Ellie’s pep talk in the village.

*CLUNK CLUNK*

My heavy footsteps echo in the cave. Well, not like I had delusions of being stealthy in the first place. Scrappy moves with all the grace and agility of a minotaur in a pottery store. Which is to say, none.

A little further ahead I see the tunnel bend to the left. There’s light spilling over from the other side.

It opens up into a sort of common room, this must be the bandits’ home. There’s bed-like, chair-like and table-like furniture strewn about. Some animal furs cover the floor and more lighting stones are scattered around the walls. No people though.

I look around the room and I see a passage on one end. It’s pretty wide! You could fit a carriage through here if it wasn’t blocked off by iron bars. Walking up to it, I see there’s a big iron gate too. Locked, obviously.

Alright, time for Scrappy to demonstrate its lockpicking skills!

*SMASH* *GROAN* *CRUNCH*

There! Flawless! I toss the iron-ball-that-used-to-be-a-gate aside and enter the room.

Hmm, this is where they keep the good stuff huh? Bags of goods and coins are piled up here and there. I can also see some weapon racks next to the wall. There’s four of Nano’s boxes in a corner, looks like they’re open.

This… this is a proper treasury it is! How did those no-good bandits get this much loot?

No, let’s leave that for later, I’m here for a different reason. They kidnapped at least 8 women and children, but I’ve not seen any part of them so far. Either they’re keeping them elsewhere or they’ve already been sold.

Hmm? I hear some noises behind Nano’s boxes. I ready my mace and take a few steps.

“Hiiiii!” (Tiny voice)

A quiet squeal comes out.

“Who’s there!? Come out and I won’t hurt you!” (Kelly)

There’s some faint whimpering from around the box. That doesn't sound like a bandit.

But I sure did, didn’t I? Alright, let’s try that one again.

“I’m here with [Black Flame], a Rank B adventurer team! Me and my comrades are here to take care of the bandits and help their victims!” (Kelly)

“Adventurer?” (Tiny voice)

A tiny, brown-haired head peeked carefully from behind the metal cube. It’s a little human girl, about five or six years old. She’s covered in grime and looks malnourished. She must’ve squeezed through the iron bars and hid here.

“That’s right, I’m here to save you.” (Kelly)

I crouch down so I can be less threatening, but she pulls back instead.

“Mister adventurer is scary…” (Tiny girl)

Right, I almost forgot Scrappy looks a bit intimidating. Especially since I’m covered in soot, courtesy of that legged box.

*Tak tak tak tak tak Shuuu Tak*

I fold the maces back into the arms. There’s no bandits in here and the girl is probably scared of them.

“See? I’m not here to hurt you.” (Kelly)

“Woooow!” (Tiny girl)

She puts her entire head out from behind the box with sparkling eyes. As expected, Scrappy instantly earns the admiration of the pure-hearted.

*Tak tak tak tak*

The helmet parts in the middle and folds to the left and right, revealing my face. I crouch down again so she can clearly look at me.

“I’m just a dwarf wearing a fancy suit. I didn’t mean to scare you, sweetie.” (Kelly)

“... are the bad people gone?” (Tiny girl)

“Don’t you worry about them, I beat them up real good! They won’t be hurting anyone ever again.” (Kelly)

“Amazing! Mister adventurer is amazing!” (Tiny girl)

Geh! Come on, my mask is off! At least stop calling me mister! Ahh I really shouldn’t take what a child says too seriously.

“I’m Kelly, do you have a name, sweetie?” (Kelly)

“... Sophie.” (Sophie)

“Please to meet you, Sophie.” (Kelly)

I flash my best smile, trying to put her at ease.

{>}

{>}

Oh! Is that Nano? The voice sounds like Nano, but the words and monotone are weird.

{>}

{>}

{*KHHHT* Ah that was scary. Ellie? Ah she’s unconscious, but seems to be fine.}

{“Nano! Thank goodness. I just captured the Fishface guy who hurt Ellie. I’m dragging him back to where she is right now.”} (Kira)

Fishface? And someone actually hurt Ellie enough to knock her out!? Looks like a lot happened over there, but they’re fine so let’s leave that for later.

{Okay, I understand. Kelly, how are things on your end.}

“Welcome back, Nano. I’m inside the cave. It’s safe, but the walls collapsed in the fight.” (Kelly)

“Kelly who are you talking to??” (Sophie)

“I found a kid here, she looks hurt so dig us out fast.” (Kelly)

{“Nano, you can help Ellie get back on her feet, right?”}( Kira)

{Leave it to me! She’ll be up and about in no time!}

{“Then, we’ll head inside as soon as she’s awake.”} (Kira)

“Got it, I’ll be waiting.” (Kelly)

“...” (Sophie)

Ah, she’s back to hiding like a small animal. I forgot she can’t hear the other side of the conversation. Her big brown eyes stare intently at me.

“What’s the matter sweetie?” (Kelly)

“We can’t get out?” (Sophie)

“Don’t you worry, I just told my friends to come get us. They’ll get us out with magic so that-” (Kelly)

“Magic?!” (Kelly)

Ah, we’re back to sparkling eyes huh?

“That’s right. My boss is amazing. She’s the best mage you’ll ever see!” (Kelly)

It’s not a boast. Red easily triumphed even over another [Sage]. Well, the king’s [Court Wizard] might be different, but I’ve never even seen the guy. I find it hard to believe he can bury a castle though.

Wait, isn’t that actually incredibly terrifying!? Red’s mellowed out a bit, but let’s make extra sure she doesn’t sink the capital into the ground.

“Then, then, then, can she help my big sis!? She’s hurt!” (Sophie)

She comes out from behind the box. Her skinny rag-covered body is jumping slightly while she points to somewhere behind the big metal cube.

“What? Why didn’t you say so sooner!? Let me take a look!” (Kelly)

“Ah! Nooo!” (Sophie)

Sophie stands in my way with arms spread out and a worried look. I guess she’s conflicted? But Scrappy will hurt her if I try to move her out of the way by force. These hands can bend iron like it was paper. I don’t need to imagine what’ll happen to a little kid if I-

Oh.

*CLANK CLANK* *Tok tok tok tok tok* *Clackaclacka*

I order Scrappy to disarm. The armor on the back folds open and I quickly get out of it. There’s no bandits around here and this might be an emergency.

“It’s okay if I’m like this, right?” (Sophie)

The girl nods and lets me pass. I look around the corner and notice a girl curled up on the floor. She’s unquestionably her sister, they look almost identical, only this girl is a few years older. She’s also dressed in rags.

The kid’s unconscious. Her breathing is a bit shallow, but steady. I notice something on her ankle. She was probably bitten by something venomous.

“Nano, does the metal syringe thing I got from Ellie earlier work on poison?”

{It should. Why?}

“The kid’s sister was bitten by something, I want to help but I’m not sure if it’s goin-”

{“Kelly! Describe the bite to me!”} (Kira)

“Just a sec, it’s a bit dark in here...” (Kelly)

I move closer to the sick girl. Her sister is quietly staring from behind.

“Okay, I can see two small holes, like needle stabs. The skin around is purple, but not swollen.” (Kelly)

{“Where was she bitten? Also what shapes are the holes?”} (Kira)

“The bite is on her ankle. The right one. The holes are… square? Yeah now that I look closer they’re not round, but square.” (Kelly)

{“Try lightly pulling her ear.”} (Kira)

… huh?

No, this is Red we’re talking about, right? Rank B adventurer and all that? Surely there’s a reason for this. The girl already lying on her left side, so I reach over and gently tug her ear.

“Idiot!” (Sister)

What? Is she actually out of it?

“Um, Red? She just screamed ‘Idiot!’ at me…” (Kelly)

{“She’s not waking up, right? Try it a few more times.”} (Kira)

I don’t get it, but…

“Brick-face! Potato-head! Piss-drinker! Horse sniffer! Goblin herder!” (Sister)

“Red, she’s still not waking up, but she’s still shouting insults at me.” (Kelly)

{“Did you get a ‘Piss-drinker' out of her?”} (Kira)

“... yes.” (Kelly)

{“That settles it, she was bitten by a Devil Spider, a small monster. It’s placed a curse on her. She won’t wake up unless we bring her to a Church of Khamis, but her life isn’t in immediate danger.”} (Kira)

I see, so it was a type of monster attack.

“Good news, Sophie. Your sister is going to be fine. We just need to bring her to a church for healing.” (Kelly)

“Really?! I’m so glad!” (Sophie)

There wasn’t a church in the village we left the carriage in. There should be one in the next town, but it’ll take a day or so to get there. I just-

“Butts!” (Sister)

“Sophie! Stop that!” (Kelly)

“Sorry miss adventurer... It looked like fun so I wanted to try it..." (Sophie)