Baratuo outpost was extremely busy today. They had received a communique from the Adept camp near the target area that they would be attacking in full force.
The majority of the leaders of the notable factions had engaged in the battle, with a few exceptions. Some non-combatant faction leaders like merchants and Union groups had vacated the camp to arrive at the outpost, leaving the capable fighters among their men to handle the deed.
Surprisingly, two unexpected faction leaders had passed through here just a few hours earlier. The Thieves Guild's Vice-Guildmaster and the Assassin's Guildmaster had been deeply arguing as they had entered the camp.
The female thief had been talking nonstop about how she had had a terrible feeling and how it had been the wise choice to avoid the battlefield while the male half-elf assassin had expressed great dissatisfaction at leaving his other subordinates in charge of the assault.
After all, since they had left, not only were they likely to be punished or ostracized by their groups, any spoils that would be acquired from the redemption of rewards at the Mercenary Guild would no longer involve them personally.
The female had continually reminded him that her sixth sense had often gotten her out of sure death situation, and while the male briefly agreed to there being some truth to that, it hadn't stopped the fellow from cursing, grumbling, and swearing at her with anger.
Many fellows who had listened to this 'old couple's fight' within the camp had sighed, shaking their heads. How could you let yourself be led on the nose by a woman, brother? Now, she and her so-called 'gut feeling' will be the cause of your downfall.
Oh well, such fellows were always around though. Being henpecked and gullible to your partner was his own private business, yet sensing that both of them were Adept-stage experts, the various fellows had kept their mouths shut, quickly forgetting about the matter.
However, Overseer Garm clearly could not. When the communique had been sent, he had been incredibly confident and hopeful from the way the group had sounded like they had everything in control.
In truth, it didn't matter which faction would come out victorious. It would be an accolade for Andrato as a kingdom and those rewards would ensure great power for the next generation of the kingdom, if one looked at it objectively.
Overseer Garm was looking forward to it! How long had he wished that citizens of Andrato Kingdom could hold their heads up high on Fallon continent, not ashamed to report their place of origin no matter where they went!
Garm was confident that when the factions returned, the situation in Andrato would change from the very fundamentals! The kingdom's place in the hierarchy of the entire continent would shift strongly!
As he sat in his tent, he took out the Red Enchant that the young Baron Stone fellow had gifted him. It couldn't be helped, over the past week or so, Garm had often removed the gem to stare at it and rub it in his hands with an intoxicated expression.
At one point, he had even been shocked to find himself referring to the gem as his 'precious', wondering where such a notion had even come from. After that embarrassing event, he had actively started to limit the number of times he brought the gem out to once a day.
As he was currently free, he had designated this break time to be his gem inspection hour, as he caressed the Red Enchant and cooed at it like a baby.
The thought of imbuing it into a weapon had occurred to him, but Garm was not a frontliner, so he had little need for such a thing.
He had largely decided that after his post here came to an end, he would embed this gem on a ring, necklace, or brooch and gift it to his beloved daughter, Amelia.
Even though it pained the intoxicated and greedy part of him to part with this gem, the fatherly side of him could not be suppressed.
Just the thought of that wide, happy smile and that cute peck his baby girl would give him was enough to keep the fellow smiling and motivated!
However, Overseer Garm's happy time got ruined by rushed footsteps from outside. He frowned deeply and hid the Red Enchant quickly as one of his subordinates rushed into the tent with a pale face.
Garm smashed his table angrily as he roared. "What the hell do you take me for?! Report your bloody self before you intrude upon my tent! After this, you will dig latrines for 20 days as punishment!'
The fellow, who had already been pale, became even paler but knew fighting it would be pointless. Instead, he quickly reported what he came here for.
"Overseer, your presence is needed in the camp urgently!!! Something… unbelievable… has happened!"
Garm displayed a curious yet wary expression. "What is it?"
The fellow shook his head. "It's two young fellows who came from the Plains of Death. They are currently… walking… through the camp."
At first, he was about to blow when he heard what the fellow had to say, but his face changed when he heard the guard mention them being young.
A certain benefactor came to mind. Thinking that there might be some important news for him, he followed his subordinate and rushed out of his tent.
The moment Overseer Garm exited, he saw that almost the whole camp was lined up on each side of the main pathway which led to the center of the outpost.
The area was silent as death, and the faces of each man here displayed shock, worry, and awe. Now very curious as to what the hell was really going here, Garm took a look.
His expression changed greatly once he did.
Walking slowly, one unsteady step at a time like a toddler just learning to move upright, was a large fellow who Garm instantly recognized as the Adept servant of Baron Stone.
He was bloody all over and his hair was a mess, but most horrifying were his bloodshot eyes that looked like he had popped all the vessels within. On his back was a smaller figure of a lad that was in even worse condition, with his attire in tatters as well as his ears and nose leaking blood.
This solemn figure slowly crossed each person here, the crowd watching in a strange silence as he eventually came to the center of the outpost, where a huge signpost with the designation 'Baratuo outpost' was affixed, with various directions placed underneath.
The large figure seemed to stop before this signpost and raised his head up slowly to take in the magnanimity of it. As if something had been unlocked by reading the signpost, or rather as if something had been released, the fellow crashed to the ground, the quarry on his back splaying to the side.
Gunner had fulfilled his duty.
