Conflict & Resolution

"What do you think, my Lady?" Vaan sought Linette's opinion.

"I concur," Linette nodded with approval and said, "This does seem like the fairest way to divide the Stalactite Milk Pool. No one can deny your contribution to finding—"

"Be careful, my Lady!"

As Linette spoke in Vaan's favor, one of the young warrior's eyes flashed with cruelty and impulsively launched a sneak attack on her back as if the devil possessed him to do it.

However, Vaan quickly caught onto the young warrior's act and pulled Linette towards him before twisting his body around to shield her from harm with his body.

It never crossed his vigilant mind that such a situation could happen at any time.

Shing!

Under his calculated steps, the young warrior's fast sword aiming for Linette's heart barely grazes his shoulder but draws his blood, nonetheless.

Some of the blood splattered on the side of Linette's cheek and hair, while some landed on Captain Rhys's face.

In that instance, Captain Rhys exploded at once.

"Ingrate!"

Captain Rhys decisively drew his sword and hacked off the young warrior's head before the young warrior could beg for forgiveness.

Puchi!

Blood sprayed from the young warrior's neck as his head flew before landing on the ground some distance away, stunning the rest of the young warriors in the cave.

They never expected their captain to be so ruthless, but the problem was so much greater than that.

"Captain, you… how could you kill Gerhardt in cold blood like that?!" one of the young warriors questioned him with shock and blame.

However, Captain Rhys glared at the young warrior before sweeping his sharp gaze across the rest of them, studying them with scrutiny.

"You dare question my action? It seems like you don't understand the severity of this matter," Captain Rhys spoke in a low and gloomy tone.

"Do you understand what it means for a man to stab a witch in this country, a witch of noble status, no less?"

"But captain, men stab witches with their 'swords' all the time," the young warrior argued in a joking manner.

However, Captain Rhys exploded even more furiously, seeing that the young warriors were making light of the situation.

"I don't have time for your jokes! The last time a man attacked a noble witch, the witch's noble household executed all the men and reduced the women to slaves in the mines, witches included!"

"What do you think will happen when the Delarosa Household finds out a member of the Steelguard Escort Group attacked one of their members? It won't just be Gerhardt's family, but all our families will be affected as well!"

"Then all the more reason why we should silence the two ladies and everyone associated with her before word gets out. Didn't someone powerful put a hit on her? So we can blame it on them."

Once the young warrior uttered those words, a deathly silence filled the cave before the young warrior noticed all eyes shifted to Lady Linette.

At the same time, Linette wiped her cheeks and noticed Vaan's blood before a gloomy air suffused her immediate surrounding.

Her mana might be low, but she was still a Mid-rank True Witch.

"Lady Linette… I didn't seriously mean what I—"

"Rock Bullets!"

Puchi!

Fist-size rocks immediately broke off from the ground and shot toward the young warrior at incredible speed, punching a hole right through his head, heart, and several other places, killing him on the spot.

After witnessing that, Vaan's eyes flickered.

The speed of Lady Linette's Rock Bullets was leagues above the speed she reduced the cave wall into sands.

It should have something to do with her specialized magic.

Nevertheless, neither Captain Rhys nor the rest of the escort group spoke up about the young warrior's death.

Seeing that, Linette shortly turned to Vaan and inspected his wound with concern in her eyes.

"Are you alright, Vaan? Does it hurt?" she asked.

"It's just a shallow wound," Vaan casually shook his head with a slight smile and said, "It'll heal on its own shortly."

The wound had already stopped bleeding.

Even so, Vaan had to give some credit to the dead warriors for helping him build an even stronger relationship with Lady Linette of the Delarosa Household due to the event.

Meanwhile, Lillias gave him the thumbs up while expressing her gratitude for saving her sister, oblivious to his thoughts.

Linette gave her a slight nudge after she finished confirming Vaan's recovery.

"About Vaan's suggestion on the division of the Stalactite Milk Pond, you haven't voiced your opinion, Captain Rhys," she brought up their previous discussion.

"This…" Captain Rhys smiles wryly.

"I didn't have any problem with Brother Vaan's share of the Stalactite Milk Pond, but after what just happened, I'm too embarrassed for our Steelguard Escort Group to continue receiving a share of the Stalactite Milk Pond, Lady Linette."

"You're saying you don't want any of the Stalactite Milk anymore?" Linette sought the captain's confirmation with a serious look. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, my Lady. You should divide it with Brother Vaan. The two of you were the ones who found the Stalactite Milk Pond. I don't have any doubts that you both deserve all of it."

"You're too generous, Captain Rhys." Vaan smiled.

Seeing how Captain Rhys spoke up for him, Vaan didn't waste his effort in building a good relationship with Captain Rhys.

"Not at all, Brother Vaan. I am just assuming responsibilities for the faults of my Steelguard Escort Group's new recruits."

"Nevertheless, I'm sure Captain Rhys didn't wish for such a thing to happen. How about this, we'll lower the Steelguard Escort Group's share so that everyone will at least get a mouthful," Vaan suggested before seeking Linette's opinion, "What do you think, my Lady?"

"If you're fine with it, Vaan, then so am I," Linette stated before turning to Captain Rhys, "But will you agree with this arrangement or continue to decline it?"

"Since Lady Linette has already decided, how can I continue to decline? I wouldn't dare," Captain Rhys replied before expressing his gratitude sincerely, "I thank Lady Linette for your understanding and kindness."

He bowed with a fist-palm salute.

"Well then, let's end the matter there," Linette said before urging Captain Rhys, "Take your men to get your mouthfuls first. I'll divide the remaining Stalactite Milk with Vaan after."

"Understood, Lady Linette."

Once again, Captain Rhys bowed gratefully to Linette with a fist-palm salute.

Shortly after, he took the remaining young warriors to the Stalactite Milk Pond and strictly monitored them, making sure they took one mouthful and one mouthful only.