The night came in the village and everyone started to prepare for tomorrow.

Some decided to sleep early and some were sitting near the campfire.

Two campfires were lit to heat up the night for the people of the caravan. One for the guards and one for the merchants who are separated by the villagers of the village they are in.

Although separated, the distance between the two fires is not really that far from each other so people from both camps changed places from time to time and communicate amongst each other.

White, Isa, and Black on the other hand although near the fire of the guards is close enough to their wagon unlike the others around it. At this distance, they could talk normally without being heard by the people around them.

"So they plan to watch us."

"So it seems."

"That's normal. I wouldn't trust even one person suddenly wanting to sleep on my turf."

What they are talking about is the villagers who are in the vicinity of their camp.

There are those who just watch atop their wooden towers and some who also joined them and are even drinking with them.

From what they see, it seems that the villagers are being on guard of them for some reason. But because they aren't really going to do something anyway, they decided to just let them do what they want.

'it might be because of the number of our fighters.'

Is what Black is thinking.

"Let's leave that. Kid, start talking."

What Black is currently asking is the information Isa has gathered.

As they were busy fighting, Isa on the other hand moved on her own to collect some information about the Caravan and the conversation in itself between their leader and the village.

How she got it is unclear even for the two but what's important currently for them is the information that she got.

"Yes. It seems that they plan to stay for two days in this village."

"I guess this mountain is going to be hard to climb then."

Mountains generally take time of preparation before being crossed, all to more if it is harder than what most are.

This is due to the dangers most mountain possesses. Just the terrain itself poses a big problem to the ones crossing it, but there are others more that need considering and the more there are, the longer preparation it will generally take.

One example of that is the things living inside it. Wild animals, Monsters, other sentient beings that are living in it, even humans themselves.

"Negative."

Though all that consideration is gone with a simple answer from Isa.

"The mountain itself is easy to cross, they said. With that time, they said that we could just circle around the mountain with 1 day of difference in time and is safer."

With the revelation that Isa just said, White again tried to make some sense to it.

"They did say to us before we entered this village that we're only staying for a day in this village so I guess there are some changes in their plan?"

Black understanding what White said instantly asks Isa, who has gathered the information.

"Why is that, kid. Why two days?"

"I wasn't able to."

"I reckon they wanted to go to the next city as fast as possible."

The City White is talking about is the city beyond the mountain they would be crossing. The city can be found within a day of traveling after exiting the mountain.

"Do you know something about that City kid? You worked for the Kingdom right?"

"Well, I did but I mostly concentrated on the border so not much, If I'm not wrong, it was being run by a Count."

"Isn't it being a city a reasonable reason why they want to go there?"

"Kid, while you have a point. That's not why we're secretly gathering information about them right?"

"Yes..."

They don't really have good knowledge about the city they are going so they just decided to proceed with the next information Isa has gathered.

"The last one that I found out. It seems that our leader with his family is going to stay in one of the houses."

"That should be the reason why they talked to the villagers like that. And all that is the reason why that villager is acting suspiciously."

He directly looks at the spying villager all around them.

Isa and Black also look at what he's looking at then look back at White with a convinced-like face.

White didn't even need to explain and they already understand just by seeing.

Solving the mystery behind the suspicious action they saw early on, they weren't able to find a connection towards the problem they have with the Caravan.

Because of this, Black was left unsatisfied so he tried to look at what they had on the table again. Then suddenly, not even a minute have passed, Black was finally able to connect some of the information.

Suddenly out of nowhere, Black got angry and raised his tone as he talk to Isa about what he thought is happening.

"Wait.. So you're telling me, we're going to wait here for two days just for a single-family?"

Seeing what Black just did, White also wasn't able to control himself and also got angry at Black.

"Hey don't talk to Isa like that you old shit!"

With the sudden anger coming from White, Black noticed what he suddenly just did but instead of apologizing, he only look at the other way.

Cooled down, he look back and saw something that he felt the need to retort.

"Stop the grinning kid."

Hearing that, Isa didn't even reply and just proceed to answer the question of Black.

"Ehem. I'm not sure, the one who I was able to ask is the villager they talked to. Not someone from our caravan."

"They are the one paying us anyway so it's not like we have a say."

"Aren't you the one who wants to leave this country as fast as possible?"

"Well, I did think now that it's almost impossible for them to track me."

After discovering the reason why they are going to stay in the village for two days, they decided to surrender to the darkness and prepared to sleep until suddenly, White thought of something.

"Isn't that it?"

"Ha? What's that kid."

Black and Isa, already readying themselves to sleep immediately look at White who is suddenly talking to nowhere.

"The family! It's the family!"

"What's with the family Mr. Drey?"

"Remember the connection between Orene and the Caravan?"

"Oh, I do remember... Is that what you mean?"

Because of the sudden, enthusiasm shown by White. Black and Isa were also affected by it and their sleepy attitude was gone.

"It totally makes sense. The need for many guards, the small number of people in the caravan, the two days that we have to wait, and all the weird things that are surrounding this caravan. It all makes sense if that guy and his family are connected to Orene."

"It does make sense now."

"But why keep the secret from us?

"Obviously, it's the same reason why they pose as a caravan."

"And the reason why they are covering their real identity is that the Noble of Orene has some enemy, am I right?"

"Yeah, Though not as bad as the Empire. Numero also has a problem with its nobles for a long time."

"Cheh, small fries going against each other. Lucky that they are still intact."

A country that has a lot of infighting many times leads a country to collapse on its own. Corruption, Civil wars, Assassination, Bloody Revolution. There are so many things that could happen when a country is not united.

As Black said, with the Kingdom also having a problem with its insides, it's lucky that it's still intact.

From his experience, he saw the almost destruction of his own country if not for a miracle miraculously enabling the unification of the Empire once again.

With the Empire being a highly militaristic country, one can just imagine how bloody the infighting that happened.

Maybe because it's a militaristic country is why it survives.

"I must say, the way the Kingdom is built is a really great way to counter that."

"That's true, having a national army helped the country to not have that much bloodshed, unlike the Empire."

"Ehem."

Isa who noticed the sudden change with the topic immediately signaled the two to come back.

"Oh yeah.. Okay. Let's get back to the topic. The plan still won't change."

"To protect the caravan is it?"

"Yeah, but we'll prioritize more about the family in case something happens."

"What if we can't win?"

"Is that a question?"

The counter-question of White made Black remember the days back in his memories. He remembered the moments he has when met White and decided to not go on with the topic anymore.

"I'm beat. Let's sleep."

...

"We need at least a number of that with all of you who can fight."

"Seriously? We're merchants you know?"

"Yah, that's why I want all of you to have protection."

"Yeah, we have swords and knives for that."

"What I'm saying is that that's not enough!"

When the morning came in the village, the leader of the Caravan Drey gathered the members of the caravan to make an announcement.

White and his gang knowing already the content of it though played it like a fool and also participated in asking questions.

Contrary to what they have expected though. Drey reasoned out the stay for the village for two days is because of the hardness of crossing the mountain. Other than that, everything happened as they expected.

After that, with the free time, they were given. White decided to play with the guards to make them more used to how they work.

With the help of Isa and Black, they trained the guards enough so that they can at least understand the basics of tactics there is.

Having so much fewer amount of troops though, White was only able to teach them group tactics designed for a small group of soldiers.

"Hmm, I'm unsatisfied with this."

"Yeah, I don't think this would work. Can't we also train those fake merchants?"

From the agreement, Black has made towards his statement. White was able to think of an idea.

"That's a great idea, old man."

"Ha? I was just joking kid. You're not serious aren't... You are serious!"

Looking at the perspective of Black, what he saw was a big smile on White's face.

'He's definitely planning something."

"Old, man. Continue the training. Isa come with me."

"Ha? Where are you going?"

"Yes, Sir White."

With White suddenly gone. Black was left alone with the guards of the caravan.

"What's he gonna do now?"

...

"Sup Dray."

"Oh White. Good morning. You too Ms. Isa."

"Yeah, morning. Also, you have a wife. Stop flirting."

"Eh, Wife? Flirting?"

"He's just joking Mr. Dray."

Isa trying to explain the sudden nonsense talk from White, White just dismissed it and let Isa talk.

"Ahh. So, you have something to say to me, White?"

Being ignored by White. Dray look at Isa with a helpless face.

With a single tap on the back from Isa. White suddenly became possessed that is easily brought back by an exorcist's legendary touch.

Being brought back from the realm of imagination, White continued on his request.

"My bad."

"You have a request for me? What is it?"

Given permission to state his business. White didn't even try to cover up anything and immediately go for the kill.

"I want to train all of the people in the caravan who can fight."

Hearing what White has said. Dray easily understood what he meant in an instant.

But instead of answering White directly, Dray can only scratch his head at the weird request from White.

From his standpoint, there's no benefit for White to do it. What he doesn't understand is why White wanted to do it.

"Why?"

"Well, you said that we're staying in here for two days right?"

'I did say that the mountain is going to be dangerous. Does he want to train them because of that?'

"I can't let you do it."

'I don't have enough money to pay someone like you to train them. If I could, I would have already done so. Who wouldn't want to be trained by a Sacred Army officer.'

When White was introduced to Drey by the Captain of Orene. One of the pieces of information he was given is the identity of White. A secret officer from the sacred army.

He didn't know their real mission, but being able to hire them for almost nothing is definitely a miracle.

'If he's going to give me that same price, I would have definitely agreed already even if most of them don't want to. But there's no way that's possible anyway.'

"They didn't join this caravan to train and I didn't pay you to train them. I hope you can understand."

He really wanted to say his real intention of why he can't accept but because he has the pride to keep. He wasn't able to do it.

Contrary to what he expected White to say though. The answer of White surprised him greatly.

"I'll do it for free."