“Yo, captain! Look what we found lying around~”

“We already knew Pierre’s the man we’re chasing, Leva. And did you really need to injure him that much?”

“Come on, what’s to hurt with prostheses?”

“Our pockets!”

Fein and Leva argued outside the Beaver, with Pierre staring blankly between them. He sat on a wooden crate, all hunched over, wrapped in clothing. His eyes seemed to stay at his now-gone left foot.

“Hm. Even if you ‘dispatched’ only half of our Recon Team… Tell me one reason I should turn a blind eye to you mercs.” Dusting off the dirt from his jacket, Fein crossed his arms, facing both Leva and Shear as Sora passed by, entering the vehicle.

The two did not answer immediately.

“…I’m waiting.”

Realizing they have nowhere to go to with this conversation, Shear admitted responsibility.

“Not to be blunt, captain, but aren’t you too familiar with casualties? Does Vassal United take grudges upon others that deep?”

Fein opened his mouth to speak, but Shear interjected.

“We are not supposed to take deaths on a personal level. That is the way we were taught in this world, through mouth or action. We are, after all, mercenaries. I’m afraid you’ll only take our apologies, captain.”

“…”

“Granted, there will be more repercussions if we take this to a more… personal level, as you said. However, I will see to it that your cuts will be deducted to reimburse the late people’s families.”

“I cannot argue with that. Agreed.”

“Now~ It’s becoming too gloomy. Can we stop talking about this?” Leva moaned.

“Alright then. Feel free to do as you please. We’ll call you when the convoy’s ready.”

“Convoy?”

“Relief groups headed to Henwales will be going out shortly. They’re be packing up to leave as we speak, and we’ll join their convoy.”

“Hmm. We’ll get ready, then.” Shear waved and ushered Leva to follow him.

“Captain. Are you all right?” Someone called from Fein’s back. Turning, he saw Sora.

“Oh, Sora. I’m fine. How are the others?”

“Still recovering, especially Mido. The things he did last night… obviously had major drawbacks to his body. We’ll let him heal for the rest of the trip back home.”

“Good…” Sighing, Fein walked and entered a broken-down, two-floor building. Luckily, much of it was still intact for the two to be able to reach its rooftop. From their view lies almost half of Reiss, filled with people waking up from a confusing hang-over as one by one, their senses were regaining and realized that they had been awoken to a grueling scene. Blocks of houses were toppled down on the two districts, its residents cried, with no one to blame but…

“*sigh* …And people will still blame it to us Vassals. Of course, it’s obvious, but I pity the others who are still willing to live in this city. Vivace, Peram, and their company.” Sora laid back, stretching his arms out wide.

Fein only stood there, stoic. “Heh. It’s just another day… right?”

“We’ve never operated on an investigation with such a large scale. And we still only caught one of the culprits, and not the main one, at that. The interrogation will come to him eventually, but who knows? Is his mind still intact by then?”

He sighed, then looked at Sora.

“That girl… Leva. You know her, right? I overheard her referring to you as his ‘big brother.’

“Nuh—” exclaimed Sora, taken aback by his captain’s observation. Sighing, he agreed. “…Yeah. We lived together in an orphanage once, before Vassal United took me in. I omitted this from my registration back then, to… separate ties. Still, to see her as part of a mercenary group now… surprises me.”

“She’s now stronger, huh. I know you’re thinking about that.”

Sora nodded.

“Sora. You stole to survive, right? Tell me, why did you leave her in that orphanage? Was it for your own interests?”

“It was to protect her.” Huffed Sora. “I had to break ties from Leva because there were people that chased me. Whether it was to exploit my ability or to punish me because I stole from them, for the people I despise but had no choice, it didn’t matter. All that mattered that time was for everyone to stay out of my way as far as possible, even if it means running away, and continuing my habits.”

“So, you sacrificed your own interests for her. You forcefully steered yourself away from everyone, all to take the burden yourself.”

“Hmm… Now that you put it that way...”

Fein turned to Sora, grabbed him by the shoulder, and smiled.

“You also steered her path. Because of your actions, she must’ve realized she also needed to fend for herself. Look, Sora. You already have a hunch of what mercenaries have to go through, both physically and mentally, to qualify for the profession. They’re not that much different from us. Leva might not be the same girl you lived with when you were kids, but she still looks at you just the same…”

“Captain… what are you on to?” Sora nervously chuckled, slowly putting away Fein’s hand from his shoulders. “I’m not… I’m just glad that she’s fine…”

Fein turned back to the cityscape view. “Hmm… She and Shear will also come with us to Henwales… Alright, I guess it couldn’t hurt to take a break every once in a while!” He enthusiastically said, in a jolt of positive emotion, startling Sora in the process.

“Take a break!?”

“I’ll put us on leave for about a week. No stressful jobs on that period, not until our batteries are fully charged.”

“But a week? Wouldn’t that be too much time to waste!?”

“Aurelia and whoever is on her back won’t move, knowing that Vassal United are on their tails now. We’re a much larger force as a whole, and inciting us will surely provoke the others of their presence. That being said, the Secretary had already notified the Director of this threat; he will surely notify other branches about these Void Vassals.”

“Isn’t that a bit too far-fetched? I know that we are a huge organization, but they’re dangerous people, and sly at that. What if—”

“Slow down your brain for once, Sora. You, out of all our colleagues, need the most rest.”

Sora sighed and grabbed the stone ledge, or what was left of it.

“You’ve found her again after years. Don’t tell me you’re not yearning to spend time with her.”

“It would be an awkward experience.”

“We’ve all been blunt emotionally; even our morality is even confused about itself. But I think it’s time for us to cut our investigation streaks. D-7’s been doing so much; all work, and almost no rest. And the paper-works. Ah, the icing on the top.”

“You bet, captain. Even with me as your assistant sometimes, the documents are a wreck to handle.”

“That’s why we’ll lay low for a while. Recharge our minds, and recollect ourselves. Fatigue is the worst enemy we Vassals are faced with. After all of these works, I only realized that now. Besides, Mido needs the most rest physically. Wiz just said earlier that the black veins on his body were back.”

“You make a point…” Sora closed his eyes, and exhaled heavily, heaving his lungs to the point of him yelling.

“Ahh… I guess I can’t deny captain’s orders!” He faced Fein, then initiated a half-bow.

“Understood, captain.”

“Go tell the others. They may have mixed reactions about it, but fret not; they all share the same sentiment.”

Sora hurriedly descended the building, and Fein was left to himself. He saw relief personnel tending to the people who have lost themselves to the riots. They were handed goods and services. While they still need more time to recuperate and gather their senses, this was all they could do to help the people of Reiss.

As for Fein? He could only look at them from the distance, a slight tinge of regret floated in his thoughts. They could have stopped this level of destruction to a degree, but they could not. They could have notified Reserve Op B-5 of the dangers, but the lack of information was the flaw they possessed and was paid by sacrificing half of the team, with the rest who were still alive were left mentally scarred, unable to accept the fate of their comrades at the hands of Vassals.

All sorts of overthinking; what would have been done if they knew the information they hold at the present? Was there no other way than this result?

Swallowing his negative thoughts and wresting them deep inside his head, Fein sighed.

“There was not much I can do. Not a single investigation was done without consequence. I… I’ve got to live with the past, and let it flow through the present…”

As hard as it is, the decisions were done. There was not much left to do with it, but move forward. Dismissing the rooftop, Fein turned and went back to the Beaver.

“Is… Mido still asleep?”

“Yes, he is, Vivace. Sadly, you won’t see him for a while…”

“Oh… It’s okay though, Wizbette. At the very least, I’m glad he’s still fine.”

“Ahh, I’m happy you feel the same way!”

“Drink your chocolate, Vivace. It will get cold.”

Vivace sat, and grabbed the cup with both hands, lifting it to her mouth, and slowly dipping her lips unto the rim.

“ah—Hot!”

Gen chuckled. “You don’t learn to wait, eh?”

“But you said to—”

“Captain!” Peram, who was positioned right at the door, called out. Everyone stood up, but Fein waved for them to be at ease the moment their bodies went erect.

“Good morning, everyone. If you excuse me: Is Pierre secured? We don’t want another break-out in this new chassis, now.”

Gris handed a thumbs-up. “No weird sigils on his body, cap! Although his health seems to worry me…”

“Mhmm…” Enna nodded, who sat on the table beside Vivace, who was busy waiting for her cup intently before attempting to sip again.

“Pierre’s a far cry from days ago. He became skinny, much like the bodies we saw back at that forest.”

“In other words, Aurelia probably made him fall under her influence before absorbing his ability.” Said Fein, who looked at Peram.

“I’m sorry. This was not the help that I promised you two, Peram.”

He was genuine. But Peram nudged him on the shoulder, as a means to lift his spirits.

“Don’t sweat it, captain. You’ve done so much to help us. We’ll pull through with the relief groups’ help, so don’t worry!”

“Ah, thank you so much.”

Peram just chuckled as Fein grabbed a seat.

“Now, before we put on our detective hats once more…” said Fein, “Did Sora tell you anything before I entered?”

“Yeah, cap,” Gris replied. “You’re willing to put the team on leave. For a week at that.”

“Mhmm… Really, Fein?” Gen moaned.

“You…” Enna snarled.

Wiz only nodded, innocently at that. Sora sat with her, mouth shut.

“Now, now. This is not the—” Before he could continue, Fein was rushed by Enna, embracing him without any hint of embarrassment.

“Of course, we’ll agree!! Ahh! I’ve been waiting for a week’s rest, captain! Thank you so much!” She squealed, but not before Gen peeled her off of Fein’s space.

“Oi, you’re overreacting so much!”

“I’m gettin’ tired of wooing people! I need a break, glutton!”

“So? What will it be? I’m getting mixed reactions over here…”

Fein asked worriedly, but he had already expected this to happen. He looked at Sora, who then smiled.

“Captain’s orders,” Gris emphasized. “If Fein wants us to rest for a week, then I’d gladly welcome it!”

“Same here.” Gen waved. “I have some matters to tend to back at Henwales, so a week-long recharge is best. Shit, now that I realized it, we haven’t had such a rest in a long time!”

“I’m glad you’re all willing to. Well, once we get back to Henwales, I’ll strike a deal with the Secretary.”

“All right!” Everyone exclaimed. Peram chuckled happily, as well as Vivace. They never saw D-7 this lively before.

“Now that this place is secure… Gris? When until the move-out? I bet those two at the rover outside are itching to leave this place.” Fein asked.

“About an hour. They’re still distributing goods.” Replied Gris.

“That’s good to hear. How about a little walk through the place? I know it’s ironic, given the rubble and destruction, but we’ll help the people along the way, and try to build camaraderie among them.”

“Hm. Sounds like a plan!” Sora agreed, to which the others seconded.

“I have to say, the lingering smell of new materials suffocates me.” Gris groaned as he touched the inner chassis of the Beaver. “Let’s go out for a while.”

Judging from their reactions, everyone agreed and readied themselves to exit the vehicle. Each wore new suits and secured the Beaver before the exit one by one.

“Captain?” Wiz caught up to Fein. “What about Mido?”

“Let him rest for now. It’s okay, relief groups are everywhere. No one can touch the Beaver.”

“Mhmm…”

The sun’s rays loomed at them from an angle. From the looks of it, it’s the perfect time for a hearty breakfast back at Henwales. The group, now composed of D-7, Peram, Vivace, and the two Frostfall mercenaries Leva and Shear.

Leva hopped alongside Sora’s side like a child. She annoyingly pinched and pulled Sora’s clothing, which quickly caught his attention.

“What has got you smiling, Sora?”

“Captain’s ordered for a week-long leave.”

“Oh, nice! Then—”

“Leva. I know it’s sudden, but are you too busy? We had not seen each other in years, so I thought spending the time together might be the best idea…”

“My, my~” She squealed, tugging into Sora’s suit harder by the second. “I want to! I want to! But Shear…”

“Agreed.” A stoic, yet affirmative voice loomed at them from their backs.

“Wah—”

“Oi—”

Shear walked behind them all this time, which means he had the gist of what’s happening between them.

“I’ll talk to the boss about it. Though he might not be happy, you will be, Leva.”

“Shear…”

“I’m surprised you had that personality in you all along. I thought you were just a callous, spunky mercenary, but this friend of yours proved otherwise. That makes me glad.”

“Heyy~” Leva chuckled, nudging Shear’s side with her small elbow. “Was that stoic, rigid attitude just for show?”

“It’s not.” He shrugged. “Like it or not, everyone has soft sides.”

Leva laughed hard as they walked. It was not the laughter and giggles that were comprised of her sarcastic attitude. Rather, it was genuine happiness. She had an infectious laugh that was caught by Sora, who also laughed at how happy Leva is.

“Really. You two are very much alike.” Shear sighed and looked at the rays of the sun that hit the crevices of what’s left of the buildings.

“An irony… I hear laugher amidst the sad rubble. Hm. It wouldn’t hurt.”

Meanwhile, the others saw both Leva and Sora’s energetic faces.

“Look at them. What a bizarre reunion, huh?” said Enna, who fiddled her hair.

“Finding someone after years of separation on a battlefield. How… poetic? Cheesy?” Gris pondered.

“At least someone’s laughing. We need all the boost we can get to help these poor people…” Gen ruffled his suit before continuing his long strides into the rubble-laden streets. At every block, the group saw dozens of crews cleaning up and assisting the confused residents. They did their best: If the group saw someone that needed help, they offered it gladly. In one instance, Leva even cheered up a child, whose father was lost in the riots according to her mother. She had a crude way of cheering up someone, but she did it nonetheless.

Eventually, they reached the town plaza. The center of it all. It was daytime, so the large, black patches of soot and incinerated walls were emphasized on the bleak background. Sure, it was bleak, but the warm rays of the sun gave the scenery a sense of hope. The shield obelisk that was the centerpiece of the plaza was obliterated to the point of it being unrecognizable. The town hall still stood, but much of it was laid in ash and scorched bricks, the crews that worked on preserving the documents within tried to avoid much of the potential hazards as possible.

“Still can’t believe Mido faced a Void Vassal… and made this.” Gris huffed, looking at the now-vivid scenery of destruction that took place that night.

“Yeah. He went all out for the first time. All that power, shunted inside his body. Something tells me he’s different.”

“Enough to keep a powerful Void Vassal at bay?”

“I have a hunch…” Sora walked in front of them. “That knight Mido fought yesterday… He might be our culprit in the town of Mido incident. Purple flames. It checks out.”

“It’s an analysis for another day. Vassal United officers are also looking into this incident as we speak. I told you, Sora. No need to work your brain for now.” Fein explained.

“Oh.” Sora chuckled as he scratched his hair. “I’m just getting pumped up, captain.”

“Ah, not to worry on my end.”

“But if that is true… We need to find something about those Vassals… after our break,” said Enna.

Fein glanced at Gris, who then nodded, signaling it was time for them to leave.

“Undoubtedly. Well then, the convoy is now prepared. All that’s left for us is to join.”

“Right! Let’s go back!” Everyone nodded, and they started to walk paces back to their vehicles.

“Ah, finally! Henwales… I wonder what it’s like?” Leva pondered, her head leaning to the clouds above.

“A city on a mountain. Not inside, or below. On a mountain.” Shear emphasized as if to allude to something.

“What!?” She was genuinely surprised, and her expression piqued Gris’s interest.

“I thought you always pass Henwales when routing from Migny.”

“We use alternate paths for easier access. However, their locations are known to only a select few.” Shear answered.

“Ah, I respect your secrets.” Gris chuckled.

Shear looked at the burly, middle-aged man, and saw familiarity on his face. The height of their heads made a small, yet distinct scarring on Gris’ side visible. It was concealed by his thick grey mullet, but it was seen by Shear nonetheless.

“Wait. Are you…?”

“Hm?” Gris raised an eyebrow.

“Escher… Gris?”

The two paused.

“Ah, I can’t expect a Frostfall agent to not know me.” He sighed, and crept into Shear’s side and whispered, “Yes, I’m Escher Gris. You noticed the scar?”

“Yes. Someone told me of your descriptions, and I can’t help but notice the similarities. Ironically, I did not even take into account your name…”

“Tsk. That guy could not keep his mouth shut. I retired from Frostfall to assist the captain, Shear. I won’t do business with your boss any longer.”

“I respect that, Sir Gris. Still, he could not stop talking about his collection of gems during our briefings.”

“That pretentious… Ah, you got me all riled up!” Gris sneered and did his habit of slapping one’s shoulder as a mode of gesture.

“You know what? Let’s talk about it once we find a good place to drink at Henwales.”

“You will, then?” Shear asked. “Certainly.”

“You drink, Shear?”

“Uhm, not so much…”

They had not realized it, but Shear and Gris talked and chuckled until they reached their destination, dismissing only after Fein acknowledged them.

“You’re leaving?” Vivace pouted against Enna and Gen. She had that face of a child wanting to go with them, but Vivace knew Peram would not let her.

“Yeah. But you know what?” Gen smiled and pulled out a bag full of the chocolate mix Vivace was so fond of drinking.

“Wha—” Enna blushed. Seeing Gen being generous for once made her happy and at the same time, cringe at the thought.

“It’s our entire stock, but I’ll be happy to give it to you. There are instructions on the pack…” As Gen proceeded to explain to Vivace, her mouth was agape, staring at it.

“Gen… I’m…”

“What… It’s just chocolate! Don’t cry on me now, Vivace!” Gen was utterly flustered as Vivace hugged him wholesomely.

“Thank you so much!”

“Ah, don’t mention it! (Enna! Help me here!)” He whispered behind him as he entertained Vivace. Instead, Enna gave two thumbs-up with both of her hands.

“Tch!”

“Well, I appreciate your kindness yet again!” Peram chuckled and nodded. “Vivace.” He called for her, as Vivace slowly wiped her tears and carried the bag.

“It’s heavy!”

“Ah, you’re welcome. Just a small gift for the kid.”

“I’m not a kid!” Vivace made a smug impression, both of her hands carrying the bag strongly.

“But… Thank you!” Smiling, she nodded gratefully before handing the bag to Peram.

“Everyone!” Gris yelled from a loudspeaker atop the Beaver that was rarely used. “Let’s go, the convoy’s waiting!”

“That’s us. Until next time, you two!” Enna and Gen waved, and both entered the Beaver as its engine’s revved up, glowing turquoise particles from its drive were emitted at the exhaust.

The huge vehicle let the smaller rover of Leva and Shear go before following. Once the dust has settled, Peram and Vivace ran outside the gates, past the remaining relief groups, and waved the convoy goodbye.

“Peram… This time. I’ll really miss them!” Vivace exclaimed, wildly waving. Remembering they still had the snowflake medallions that Fein gave to them, Peram touched it once more.

“We’ll help Reiss prosper once more… And we’ll invite our friends for a new city.”

“Do you think we could do that?” Vivace leaned.

“Of course, Vivace. I know that people will. This is our city.”

The two took in the morning sun. The prairie’s grass around them flowed gracefully in the wind as if nothing had happened to Reiss.

It is their city, now free of the shackles the nobles forcefully put them through. But at what drastic cost? The repair of the lone city of Reiss might come a long way in such a long time, but it is not a fleeting dream.