Village Hall Conference Room

11:01:11 AM

A large number of guards surrounded the hall, securing the place in caution. Inside of it, a large number of people took shelter and everyone were severely pressured right now. There were seven people inside the conference room. There was a black small chair in the center in front of everyone. In the right side, Rafel Uno, leader of the trade and ship guild and District 1 representative, he wore his decent styled light blue suit and a black cloth hanging in his head as his hat. He had a cigar in his mouth, as well. Next to him, Ylla Ereneus, District 2 representative, wore a pink gothic style, white sleeves, and short white skirt. Around her skirt, a tiny cute emoji of panda hanging in her right. Puffing her cheek in anger because of Rafel’s smoke, she endured his rude manner. The little girl was the leading team leader of the communication department of their village. And the last of the three guests beside her, a beautiful waitress kept herself calm her mind and maintain a good posture. Her name was Daliah, representing the vendors and her manager’s inn - Emorial Inn and District 3 representative. She wore her same outfit in her job. In the left side, a man in glasses staring seriously at the waitress - the name was Richarde - and three old folks wore a white cloak named Elder Damaso, Elder Wamo and the youngest among the elders, Elder Kilo.

“What’s the meaning of this? Why’d we need to meet each other in this room?” Rafel blew his smoke and put his hands in the top of the table.

“Mr. Uno, a group of men from the forbidden district started to initiate a surprise attack against our patrol guards. According to the reports I’ve read, eight of our villagers had been saved from their assault. We’re thankful that they were alive from that point.” Elder Kilo explained, showing the papers of the exact details delivered to him.

“They’re just bandits. C’mon everyone. It is a simple matter why we’d need to be summoned in this place anyway. We need to reinforce our rear before they breach the gate. Just as simple as that.” Rafel’s babbled.

“Huh? Are you stupid? Have even heard what the elder said. Clean your ears already. You don’t even know what exactly going on here. We only summon in this place if there is a big crisis happening in our village. Yes, of course, we don’t even know exactly what’s the purpose of their assault. see if they want our money, as well. There is no proper explanation of their surprise attack in our place. Now you tell me, how exactly can we deal with this kind of circumstances, Rafel.” Ylla replied.

“Huh? Your little piece of shit. What do you know too? You’re just walking in the street to check the wires in our street though. Look at me, little slut. I know exactly we can do about those morons. I can easily wipe them out by my powerful tier magic. I’m a 3rd-grade mage so I can just shoot them down by my flames. I hate the fact that they attack our own people without proper explanation. They are attacking us out of the blue!” he sighed. “God damn it. Bandits are bandits. They don’t even know how to cooperate with us. So we better fix this now. ”hammered the top of the table and faced her.

“What? You wanna fight them now? And hey” she fanned away the smoke in her face.” Would you mind to stop smoking inside this room? The smell will ruin my beautiful clothes and will destroy the aroma of my perfume.”

“Huh?” He turned his eyes to the little girl.” Who cares about your clothes? If I want to smoke, I'll do it. It’s my freedom to do it.”

“Huh?”

“Huh?”

There face faced each other closer than before and started to mock one another.

“Do you remember the last time we’ve met? I asked you favor to check my properties when you venture to the north while I’m at Naples to buy some raw materials trading our products to other towns. But when I arrived a message came in. It was written that you just sold my cabins without my consent to my rivaled merchants living in the Alps. You filthy bitch. You’d need to pay me 400 luzers for that!” Rafel said, looking down to Ylla.

“Hoho, do you mind me to recall you that you just gave away my ten boxes of gems to the sailors that sailed in the next island! You dumbass, you gave it to them for free. How dare you to do that to my precious things. How dare you, dumbass merchant!” she countered his words.

“What the heck? Those gems are yours? Haha, what a big mistake I made. The captain of the crew was a friend of mine. I didn’t even know it was yours. But if I just knew, I didn’t mind selling it to the other people at large price. I could earn a big profit from it.”

“How dare you? I saved those gems for future use. I planned to invest it to the orphanage in my district. Don’t you realize what you did?” she said. “You just sold something worth and priceless,.”

“Wowowoah, hold it right there. Don’t show to these people that I’m the wrong side here. As I said, you just sold my cargos. It was giving and take, lol.” he replied. “You still need to pay me the remaining money.”

“What the fuck? Don’t accuse me of that. I’d remind you that the person in charge you’ve to hire what the one who did that. I told you!”

“Please, can you guys calm down? You’re in front of the elders. Show some dignity and respect in front of them.” (Daliah)

“Shut it, slut.” (Ylla)

“Excuse me? How dare you call me a slut?”

“Of course, you’re not a slut but a bitch as well.” (Rafel)

“Huh? You two. How dare you insult me in front of these honorable guest. Do you want me to give you a little lecture?”

“Alright, slut. Do it! Feel free to show me what you got.” On her palms, bright limelight appeared.

“What a waste of time. Alright you two, just don’t say sorry if I defeat you in this place.” Rafel mockingly said, showing his blue flames against them.

“Wait, please. Calm down. I don’t wanna fight you two. Please, I just want you to disregard your anger against each other. Please calm down.” Daliah begged and sobered when she felt the sense of inferiority between the two district leaders.

“Hmph, now we’re talking. Just admit, I’m the most powerful one in this village.” Ylla demanded.

“No fucking way, little slut. You think you’re superior to me. In your dreams, eh. No, forgive me for what I said earlier against you. I take back what I’ve called you. So in exchange, Miss Daliah, you should show your deepest respect towards to the mighty one. It is the only one, me, Rafel Uno. The mightiest among them all. Kneel before me now.”

“Eeeh?” Daliah was desperately wanted they're arguing and stopped each other but ended up to be mix with their demeanor whilst the elders were quietly watching the scene. They just laughed as they witnessed how arrogant the new generation of their village.

“C’ mon, please. Calm down you two.”

“Alright, please restrain your foolish act.” In one clap, the three district representative was forced to sit down in their chairs. “Now, now, now, we’re not here to listen to your grumble and useless accusations in each other.” The blue-eyed elder said, casting magic against them.

“But!” Rafel and Ylla’s mouth was sealed before they could explain.

“Silence” In one casted spell, their mouth had been sealed as well.

“Enough. Don’t you see we’re here? Show some respects to your elders.” the green-eyed elder hammered his hand in the table, shutting up the two arrogant representatives. “Do you two realize that because of your farce we lost to our main objective why we’ve been summoned here in the first place.”

“Now, now, now, Wamo, they’re just still kids.” the oranged eyed elder said, calming his second brother. He was the youngest among the elders.

“But, these fools. I can’t let it slide.”

“Alright, do you mind me to start to talk, Kilo?” he asked.

“Sure, elder brother.” Elder Wamo replied, giving him his blessing to let him start.

“Ho ho, do you three promised not to do anything foolish before I cast away my magic? Please reconcile. ” Elder Saro said, the eldest among the elders.

The three quickly nodded and surrendered. He then released them and showed him that they fixed their arguments to each other.

“Good, that’s good. Now sit tight and relax and wait for our chief’s return to this hall. Never ever try to fight within this domain or else… you don’t want to see your faces on that wall, right?”

The three nodded and sat down properly. They were shaking in fear against the elders. The mages were shut their mouth in an instant.

“Umm… ” the person beside the elders raised his hands. “Can we proceed to our main topic right now? We’re wasting a lot of time,” he said.

“I’m so sorry, Richarde. We need to wait for our leader. We won’t start the meeting without his presence.” Elder Saro explained.

“Goodness, gracious.” he fixed his glasses and shrugged. “We’d need to start. There is no time for us to wait. The enemies are breaching the gate of district 4. We don’t know how many of them are sieging the place.” Richarde sighed and turned his attention to Daliah. “Of course, I don’t mind to wait. There is someone I like to see while waiting for him. I don’t mind a slut in my bed.”

“Yuck, as I said, I’m not a slut.” Daliah averted her eyes. “Stop staring at me, you perv.”

“I don’t mind to be called a perv. I am true to my own feelings,” he said in pride.

“C’ mon, as I said, stop making a fuss. Nay, nay.” Elder Saro gently rubbed his white beard and gave in. “Nevermind.”

“Youth these days. They forgot to respect their elders.” Wamo murmured.

“It’s alright, Wamo. They promised not to do anything foolish for now. That they just need to be teaching a new lesson that must be intact inside their minds if they insist to do that.” Elder Saro said, giving them a heavy pressure

“We’re not going to do anything, elders. Please forgive us.” Daliah begged for her life. “Also, I don’t even wanna fight you all. You two, right?”

“Yes! I’m not. I’m just a man living in this village. Not a mightiest among them all.”

“R-Right." she shrugged. "Of course, I’m not as well. I’m just a little girl who just a worker of this place.”

Elder Saro gently rubbed his beard and sat down. “Good.” he smiled and let his brothers restrain themselves. Under the table, Elder Kilo was casting his ice magic while Elder Wamo was readied to cut their legs if they insisted to continue their argument. In the back, the door slowly had been opened. One person noticed his arrival, he then stood up and greeted him.

“Damn, chief. What took you so long?” Richarde said, making everyone turned their eyes to the person they had waited for. “Damn, you got a lot of bandage in your head. Did you just come to a battlefield to suffer like that? Are you alright, sir?”

“Good afternoon, everyone. I’m alright, thanks. Just ignore my injury.” he waved his hands. “Sorry for being late.”

“It’s alright, Chief. We just arrived as well. Right?” Elder Saro replied, looking at the young district representatives that were instantly nodded in unison.

“Oh, that’s good to hear.” He walked straight to his chair. As he sat down, his companions followed the same.

“Now, everyone, listen up. A new threat arrived in our village. We don’t know yet how many are they and how powerful they are. For now, I’m requesting every single one of you to lend me your knowledge, blessings, scrutiny, and strength to fight these fools.” he coughed and continued, “I would like to start the evacuation of the remaining villagers away from the battlefield as soon as possible.”

“Wait a minute, chief. If we don’t even know their numbers, why’d we need to evacuate everyone? I heard ‘bout the news that they are just the bandits from District 5. Why’d you needed to order something lame? They’re just bunch of assholes though. We can easily wipe their entire group at once.” Rafel’s asked.

“I apologize, Mr. Uno. But - ” he was interrupted when the little girl talk.

“Excuse me, chief. I respect your decision but it is just a simple matter to face. Like what happened last year, the mercenaries sent by the filthy brat was just defeated by our forces. We didn’t even try to evacuate everyone though. Why should we? Please give us enough explanation to do so.” Ylla asked.

“Umm… uh, eh. Please you two, listen first to our Chief.” Daliah begged to let the Chief continue. He thanked her for giving him time to explain.

“Right?” she shrugged and waited for his reply. “I’ll listen. Now talk, Chief.”

“I… I just can’t tell the exact reason. But we better do something before those men breakthrough to our defenses. They might possible to breach the other gates of another district. There is a big chance we’ll be defeated this time.” Chief said, grieving while saying those words with regret. “I’m so sorry everyone.”

“Huh? Chief, we’re stronger than the mercs now. You got me and the other villagers who surpass the limits of being a human being. We pledged to protect this place and took an oath of giving our lives for the better future of this place. Now looking at your face, expression, and eyes, you sound like a person who starts to give up his hope. Don’t give up easily, Chief.” Rafel said.

“Yeah, Chief. Why you look so gloomy? Your face looks someone who lost something.”

“Now, now, now, it looks like Chief Zamor has suffered from something. We’d better to break for the time being. Chief, we’ll take a short break after you finally recover. Let’s go, brothers.” Elder Saro asked. He and his brothers stood up and leave their chairs.

“But, Elder Saro. We haven’t even started the real meeting yet.”

“Yeah, even I don’t like this bastard, I agree to his statement.” Ylla seconded.

“Ho ho~, you kids should lower your temper. You’d better give our leader the time to ease his pain in his heart and erase the sorrow inside his mind.” Elder Kilo replied.

“Mr. Rafel and Miss Ylla, please,” Daliah tapped their shoulders. When they looked at their leader, his eyes had dry; a person who lost someone he cared for.

“I think I need to drink something too.” Rafel dropped his cigarette, stepped on it to kill the smoke and leave the place.

He draws out his pocket and took a glance. “I-I’m so sorry, darling. I’m so sorry.” he cried and grieved while looking at the photo of his wife together with their children. In his photo, he carried their twin babies while the young Zairena embracing her mother’s waist. Crying in despair, he repeatedly said, “I’m so sorry!”

"Do as you please," said Chief Zamor, showing a deadly fry fish looks. "Kill those bastards for me."

"Chief," muttered Ylla, staring at their leader's condition. She grabbed her chest tightly as she couldn't bear to see him like that.

"With pleasure," replied Ylla, lowering head before she left.

The waitress followed her lead, leaving the elders and Richarde alongside their leader.