Chapter 45

Xain, Zee, Grace, and the angel stood over Jakel, who leaned back against a tree, his arms and legs still bound by the rope. "Could you not untie me?" Jakel asked, motioning at the rope that bound him. "And risk you using magic again? Fuck off. You're going to be in that rope until I say otherwise," the angel retorted firmly. Jakel shrugged his shoulders in resignation. "Whatever, I just wanted to be more comfortable," he muttered, shifting slightly against the tree.

Grace cut straight to the point. "Stop going on about nothing and tell us what we want to know," she demanded. Jakel looked up at her with annoyance in his eyes. "You keep going on about telling you what you want to know, but you haven't told either of us what you even want to know yet," he replied wearily, his voice betraying his exhaustion.

Xain, sensing the need to move things along, interjected, "Tell us about Verandez and why you were so close to Wolfdale." But before Jakel could respond, Mar, who had been silently observing from the sidelines, cautioned, "Do not say anything. If you do, you'll breach your contract."

Jakel scoffed at Mar's warning. "Man, shut up already. They sent us to die anyway, so who gives a shit about the contract?" he replied resignedly, his tone bitter. "What do you mean by that?" asked Zee, confused by his words.

Jakel hesitated for a moment before responding, "Verandez, our employer, called us back to his estate all of a sudden where..." Jakel's mind drifted back to the Rasanto estate gates, where he had stood among other mercenaries, some familiar, most not. "The hell does this coward want now? Is he going to chew me out for the break-in?" Jakel muttered to himself. Despite being paid a generous amount of coin, Jakel didn't really like his employer, finding him too much a coward and weakling to work for.

Jakel glanced between the gates, trying to see inside, only to be blocked by the two house guards.

"Why are you getting in the way?" Jakel demanded, his irritation evident in his tone. "We're just following orders, sir," one of the guards replied nervously, shifting uncomfortably under Jakel's gaze. Jakel let out an exasperated sigh, running his hand through his spiky hair in frustration. "Just move aside and let me see inside," he insisted, his patience wearing thin.

The other guard hesitated, clearly intimidated by Jakel's demeanor. "I-I'm sorry, but we can't allow you to see inside unless you're authorized," he stammered out, his voice trembling slightly. Jakel's eye twitched with anger, his hand instinctively reaching for the rifle slung over his shoulder. But before he could act, someone grabbed his hand firmly, halting his movement. "Do not do that," a voice commanded.

Jakel turned to see a man covered in scars, wearing leather armor, standing before him. "Why the hell should I listen to you, Mar?" Jakel challenged, his voice low and tense. Mar's grip on Jakel's hand tightened as he responded calmly, "You don't have to listen to me, but you should show some respect for those just doing their jobs." The tension in the air was palpable, the atmosphere charged with hostility as the mercenaries and guards alike watched the confrontation unfold.

Sensing the escalating tension, a woman stepped in between Jakel and Mar, her voice cutting through the tension like a knife. "Come on, guys, let's not escalate things. We're not here to fight each other," she urged, successfully diffusing the situation and separating the two men.

"Why are you getting involved, Mincs?" Jakel asked, though he did back off slightly. Mincs, slightly taller than Jakel but shorter than Mar, let out a sigh. "Because the two of you fighting each other in front of our employer's mansion is not only going to damage your reputations but also everyone else's," she explained, pointing between the two of them.

"I would not have fought him; there's no point," said Mar, crossing his scarred arms. Mincs raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Really? It sure didn't look like it," she retorted, prompting Mar to look away without a response.

"Seriously, this bastard calls us here all of a sudden and doesn't come out of his hole in the first ten minutes. How am I not supposed to be angry at that?" Jakel complained with a huff. Mincs gave him a deadpan look. "I don't know, maybe by being patient?" she suggested dryly.

"Says the woman who usually complains the most," Jakel muttered under his breath, barely audible. Mincs's sharp ears caught his words, and she turned to him, sounding annoyed. "What did you just say?" she demanded. Jakel quickly cleared his throat and shook his head. "Nothing, just how, uh, busty you are," he blurted out, hoping to divert her attention.

Mincs's annoyance turned into amusement as she smiled. "Really? I sure am, aren't I?" She replied, striking a pose in her scalemail armor. Jakel forced a grin, internally thinking, *Thank the goddess for giving her such a big ego.*

In the midst of her posing, Mar abruptly grabbed her shoulder, causing her to pause. "What is it?" Mincs asked, turning to Mar, who pointed at the gates—or, more accurately, behind them. They all saw Verandez, accompanied by Marcus Pax and an unfamiliar figure, approaching the gates. The guards, upon seeing them, quickly opened the gates, allowing them entry or exit, in this case.

All the mercenaries formed a neat line in front of the gates, with Jakel begrudgingly taking his place at the front, as customary for company leaders. Verandez scanned the assembled mercenaries, his worn brown suit standing out amidst the more rugged attire of the mercenaries. Jakel couldn't help but mutter to himself, "Is that his only set of clothes or something?"

Mincs, standing next to Jakel, couldn't suppress a chuckle. "He really doesn't look like someone with a lot of coin," she remarked quietly.

Mar shot them both a warning glance. "Both of you, stay quiet for a moment," he whispered sharply as Verandez prepared to speak.

"I'm sure you're all wondering why I've called you here," Verandez began, addressing the assembled mercenaries, who responded with murmurs of agreement. "It is because today marks the end of Wolfdale."