"I've been told your name is Bisha."
Agatha continued speaking to the Oni captive of hers.
"Welcome to Anfang, Bisha. As you can see, we are not particularly well known for our hospitality here in the Land of the Faithless. Nevertheless, we will do our best to accommodate you.
You'll soon learn about the man you and that priest were so interested in. Um… Let's hope he doesn't vent his frustrations from his current endeavors on you. He can be rather ruthless to his enemies, you see.
So I suggest you stop struggling and start cooperating. This is the best advice I can give you for your well being. Don't get me wrong. This is not a threat but merely a suggestion. You are free to follow or ignore it."
Agatha concluded her message before quickening her pace, signaling for her group to follow suit.
In her exchange with Bisha, there was a certain intensity in Miss Manager's eyes that instilled a sense of trust in the Oni woman.
After a brief moment of hesitation, Bisha ceased her resistance and began cooperating with her captors, evidently keen on avoiding the wrath of the man she had ventured here to investigate.
***
The next day was on the verge of breaking, with the sky already aglow in the burgeoning twilight. The rustling of the winds and the steady hum of a large group filled the surroundings, leaving an air of excitement and anticipation in its wake.
A vast assemblage of Rankers and Children of Echidna moved swiftly through a dense forest, their Movement Spells propelling them forward without pause. They were en route from Grim Pillar Town to the City of White Raven, aiming to reach their destination before daybreak.
However, Agatha's keen eye spotted another group of Rankers waiting for them, prompting her to approach them with a warm smile.
"Hehe, Agatha, I never thought I'd run into you out here," Marla chuckled as she saw Agatha drawing near. "I half expected you to be confined within the city walls forever," she teased, unfazed by the Rankers and monsters accompanying Agatha.
Agatha replied casually, her voice channeled directly to Marla, "Well, I had to step out. Some tasks can't be accomplished from behind a desk, you know."
Her next words were meant for Marla's ears alone, spoken in a grave tone through their private communication channel. 'Marla, we have S-Ranked monsters among us. Eren has invited them here.'
Understanding dawned upon Marla as she subconsciously used her Mana Sense to verify Agatha's words. She was already aware that Eren had the allegiance of the Children of Echidna, but the notion that he had also forged connections with Monster Sovereigns had not crossed her mind.
Marla hadn't come alone either. She had brought a contingent of Amazonians with her to fulfill their promise to Eren.
Among them, Almera stood with a casual smile, flanked by Amazonian Matriarchs including Valeria Vanlor, Seraphina Riversong, Isadora Frostborne, Evelina Green, as well as Callista Blackhorn, Galen Ironfist, and his loyal beast companion, Nova.
The Amazonian Matriarchs were taken aback by the sheer number of monsters and Rankers accompanying Agatha. It was astounding that a relatively new organization like the White Raven Guild had amassed such manpower.
Meanwhile, Seraphina's curiosity about Eren deepened as she observed the S-Ranked monsters trailing Agatha's group.
Isadora and the others remained silent, allowing Marla and the de facto group leader, Valeria, to handle the coordination with Agatha.
Marla and Almera had spent the past decade residing with the Amazonians. Their decision to stay in the Amazonian settlements had proven to be wise. It was a choice they had made voluntarily, driven by their ambition to further advance in their respective Ranking Journeys.
Judging by their progress, it was evident that their decision had paid off.
With abundant resources from the Amazonian settlements and Eren's support, including his Rank-up program, Marla had achieved the status of a Master Ranker. Almera's progress indicated that she was on the cusp of breaking into the B-Rank as well within a matter of months.
Marla and Almera had adeptly harnessed their advantages as Rankers while living among the Elementalists and utilizing the rare resources unique to the Amazonian territories. Having learned all they could from the Amazonians, they had now decided to officially join Eren's guild.
After all, it was these scarce resources, found exclusively within the Amazonian-restricted areas, that had led Marla's group to meet with Agatha.
Eren had informed the Amazonians of his need to purchase a significant quantity of Ranking Resources, even if it meant paying above-market prices. He was prepared to make a substantial upfront payment.
The Amazonian settlements had a good rapport with Eren and his White Raven Guild. They had emerged as trusted partners of each other. Eren had provided the Amazonians with a consistent supply of weapons and artifacts, supporting their resistance against the Asikha Empire.
In exchange, the Amazonians had paid Eren a substantial amount of resources, supporting the exceptional growth of his guild members.
Before approaching the Amazonian group, Agatha instructed Amory and Kaal to enter the city along with their captive, Bisha. She preferred not to reveal to the Amazonian Matriarchs that they had detained an unknown Oni woman for interrogation.
While she could explain the reasons behind Bisha's capture, she wanted to make a positive first impression on the Amazonian Matriarchs, considering their arrival. First impressions could be the only impressions that would matter to some people. This was one of the fundamental principles of business she had learned from Eren.
The two groups finally converged just outside the City of White Raven, where Marla took the lead in introducing Agatha to the Amazonian Matriarchs she had brought along.
Introductions and greetings extended for a while as Agatha, Sharog, Marla, and their respective groups engaged in conversation. In the midst of their discussion, the dawn broke, and along with it, the arrival of two S-Ranked Sages who had been living discreetly within the City of White Raven.
These two Sages were none other than Altair and Osha. They approached Agatha and conveyed their intention to depart from the city, explaining that her presence, along with four S-Ranked Monster Sovereigns, rendered their protection of the city unnecessary.
Altair and Osha had intentionally kept a low profile following their actions, including the unsanctioned elimination of Gregory Grant from the enemy kingdom. At that time, they were unaware of the chain of events their actions would set into motion, events even beyond the control of Sages.
"Where will you be heading now?"
Agatha inquired as soon as they revealed their departure plans. Altair exchanged a brief glance with Osha and let out a chuckle before responding.
"Well… Eren has informed us that today, something rather intriguing is set to unfold on the battlefield between two kingdoms," Altair replied with a hint of mystery.
Without further ado, he vanished from his position, followed swiftly by Osha, as they both seemed intent on participating in the upcoming battle or, at the very least, witnessing the enigmatic "old monster" that Eren had promised they would encounter.
AN: Marla and Almera decided to stay inside Amazonian settlements in chapter 1325. Eren reached out to the Matriarchs of the Amazonian tribes to secure vital Ranking resources in chapter 1517.
