The Mercenary Band

Kazuki opens the summoning system and selects the random character summon option. He watches as the system begins to glow, and a bright yellow-white light engulfs the room, radiating from the summoning system and blinding anyone in its path. It swirls and twists, illuminating the area before coming to a stop and then fading away. When the light fades, Kazuki finds himself face-to-face with a new character.

The young girl stands before Kazuki, illuminated by the summoning system's glow. She has a youthful appearance and a slender physique. Her skin was soft, her green eyes were full of innocence, and her fine blonde hair appeared to be dusted with gold. Her face shows signs of naivety but also elegance. She wears armour that shines brightly and an old-fashioned dress made of blue cloth beneath it.

"I ask you."

"Are you my master?"

Kazuki was caught off guard by the sudden appearance of the girl before him. He quickly regained his composure and responded, "Uh, I guess so? I mean, I did summon you using my system, right?"

The girl nodded and replied, "I see. I am Artoria Pendragon, the King of Knights, but you may call me Saber,... or anything you like. And yes, I am your servant."

Kazuki's mouth hung agape as he stared at the figure before him in awe and admiration. His eyes were wide with wonder, and his face was filled with surprise and excitement. "So it's true, I really summoned you!" he exclaimed.

Saber nodded, "Yes, you did. And I am bound to serve you as long as you hold the contract."

Kazuki then asked, "What do you mean by the contract?"

Saber explained, "When you summoned me, a contract was formed between us. I have been released from the grasp of Alaya by signing the contract. As a return, I must serve you, my new master."

"Oh, I see," Kazuki's expression changed from childlike awe to serious contemplation. His mouth hung open slightly as if about to speak, and his posture shifted from relaxed to tense. "What about your wish to obtain the Holy Grail to change your kingdom's past. Did you abandon it?"

Saber looked down for a moment before answering. "My wish to obtain the Holy Grail and change my kingdom's past was once my sole goal, but over time I realized that it was a wish that could never be granted. I have accepted my kingdom's fate and have found a new purpose in serving a worthy master and protecting those who cannot protect themselves."

Kazuki listened intently, impressed by Saber's resolve. "I see. I'm glad to hear that you have found a new purpose. And as your master, I will do my best to support you in that purpose."

Saber's face softened as a small, gentle smile emerged on her lips. Her eyes sparkled with joy and gratitude for Kazuki's understanding and support. "Thank you, master. I will do my best to serve you as well."

Kazuki looked at Saber and said, "Hey, Saber, I know you were the king of knights in your world, but here in Tevyat, things work differently. I'm not your master, and you're no longer the king of knights. We're just two people trying to survive in this world. Is that okay with you?"

Saber nodded at Kazuki's remarks.

Kazuki scratched his head awkwardly, "Hmm, calling you 'Saber' feels strange. Is there any other name you prefer?"

"You can call me however you want."

"Artoria it is then," said Kazuki with a smile. "I hope you don't mind the change. However, I must warn you that this world operates differently than the one you came from." He warned Artoria about this world rule. As he explained it to Artoria, he operated his system and bought an empty Vision. "Here, take it! This one here is VisionVision, this world power."

Artoria caught the Vision that Kazuki threw. He chose Vision with Mondstadt design as it would be a reasonable choice. Maybe later, Artoria can join the Knight of Favonius. He then explained to Artoria how to use it, "Just channel your power, or should I call it Mana, to it."

Artoria followed what Kazuki taught, and then the blank orb of the VisionVision began to change. The orb's colour changed to teal, and the wing design is embedded in the orb's centre. "It's Anemo, as expected."

"Anemo" Artoria asked

"Ah... It's elemental wind power. The Vision may be resonated with your sword and give you the power of the wind. For now, just wear it on your clothes."

Artoria nodded in understanding and placed the Vision on her chest, adjusting it slightly to ensure it was secure. She looked at Kazuki with a grateful expression, "Thank you for this, Kazuki. I am in your debt."

"No need to thank me. We're in this together now." Kazuki waved a hand dismissively and said, "You know, Artoria, I was thinking. We could create a mercenary band together. With your sword skills and my knowledge of these world events, we could easily take on any contract and earn some Mora."

He then continued on with his plan. "We need more members, though," he said as he looked around the area. "I saw some people just outside the city earlier today; they might be interested in joining us."

They both go outside the city as planned and spend the day soliciting their mercenary band. But to their dismay, no one was interested in joining the band. Finally, Kazuki said, "Let's just wait until I summon another companion."

Artoria nodded in agreement, "Summoning more members would be more reliable. But in the meantime, we should also focus on building up our reputation and completing smaller tasks to establish ourselves as a reliable mercenary band."

Kazuki agreed, "That's a good idea. We can start by taking on smaller contracts and completing them efficiently and professionally. This will spread the word about our group, and we might attract more high-end jobs."

Artoria nodded in agreement, "Yes, and it will also allow us to work together and get used to each other's abilities and tactics."

Kazuki smiled, "Exactly. We must be all at our best when we take on more difficult contracts. We can also use this time to train and hone our skills. We might accumulate large amounts of points to summon our future companions."

With their plan in place, the two of them set out to find some more minor contracts to complete. They spent the day talking to people in the city and eventually found a few jobs that needed to be done. They worked together to complete the tasks quickly and efficiently, impressing the clients with their professionalism and skill.

===

Five months Later

A man with Inazuma clothing sat in Angel's Share; he took a sip of his drink and glanced around the bar. Angel's Share had become one of his favourite spots in Mondstadt. The cosy atmosphere, the smell of alcohol, and the sound of the live music playing in the background all helped him relax after a long day.

Lost in thought, he noticed a group of adventurers sitting at a nearby table. He couldn't help but overhear their conversation about a challenging mission they had trouble completing. Kazuki felt excited at the opportunity to help them and further establish their reputation.

He turned to a Lady sitting next to him and said, "Hey, I think we might have found our next contract."

"Wot?"

"Are you sure you are a king? how come you talk with your mouth full like that?!" Asked the man

"*gulp* ... Sorry, that's unbecoming of me. What are you talking about, Kazuki?" Said the girl.

"I said we might have found our next contract."

"What about the Knight? Do I still need to find the acting leader?"

"Oh, you are right. Then you go to the Knight Headquarters and find Jean. I will have 'him' accompany me to take the mission." Said Kazuki. He pondered momentarily before asking Artoria, "By the way, where is 'him' now?"

"I think you should ask a nearby guard for him."

"That's...is... true. *sigh* Then you go to Knight Headquarters."

"Wait... let me finish my meal first!"

Kazuki was annoyed at Artoria's antic. He also remembered how her meal budget took much of the mercenary band's monthly budget. He took the plate forcibly and glared at Artoria, "Now."

"You... you... heartless demon!" Said Artoria, pointing her hand at the demon who took her meal away.

"Go, go, go."

"Fine!"

After he saw Artoria exit the tavern, Kazuki swirled the drink inside his glass. He muttered by himself, "Are you here?"

Then the sound of footsteps padded on the tavern's roof, too soft for any average person to hear, yet Kazuki could discern it from above the swaying of the trees and the hushed whispers of his men. Without anyone knowing, someone just talked to him in a voice that only he could hear.

Without anyone at the tavern knowing, someone just talked to Kazuki in a voice that only he could hear, "I am here, Captain."

"How the things I asked you?"

"There is still no information about 'them'; we do not even know which one is which yet. As for the Stormterror, it still roaming the area near its nest."

Kazuki gave a tiny movement of his head towards the voice, and then he ordered, "Continue your investigation, Souei."

"As you wish" The voice fades away with a gentle whisper, like a gust of wind on a starless night, as if it had never existed in the first place. It leaves behind only a hint of a presence that lingers in the air, leaving Kazuki alone with his thoughts.

Kazuki finished his drink and exited the tavern, "Now, let's fetch the troublesome one."

As Kazuki walked the road, he heard someone argue with the guard, "What's the problem with not wearing a shirt? It's not like I'm naked!"

The guards insisted that walking around shirtless in public was indecent and inappropriate. But the man wouldn't back down and continued to argue with them. The argument grew louder and drew the attention of other passersby, who gathered around to see what was happening.

Curious, Kazuki decided to investigate the commotion and walked towards the source of the argument. As he approached, he saw a tall, muscular man with spiky black hair arguing with the city guards. It was Gray Fullbuster, a famous ice mage known for stripping down to his shorts, now one of his mercenary band members.

He seemed upset that the guards prevented him from removing his shirt, claiming that it was a hot day and he needed to cool off. Kazuki couldn't help but be annoyed at his mercenary member's antics.

He approached Gray and the guards and cleared his throat to get their attention. "Excuse me, what seems to be the problem here?" he asked, looking at Gray and the guards.

The guards explained that public indecency was prohibited in Mondstadt and that Gray needed to keep his clothes on. Gray argued that he needed to cool off and that it was his habit to strip down his shorts. Kazuki was annoyed that this man argued, and then he just kicked his ass to shut him up.

"Gray, I understand it's hot, but please keep your shirt on."

Kazuki walked up to the guards and apologized for Gray's behaviour, "I'm sorry for my companion's actions. He can be a bit of a troublemaker sometimes."

The guards looked at Kazuki sceptically, not entirely convinced by his apology. "We've dealt with him before," one of them said. "He's caused trouble in the city before, and we won't let him do it again."

Kazuki sighed, "I understand your concerns, but I assure you we are here for a reason. My companion and I are part of a mercenary band, and we are currently taking on contracts to help the people of Mondstadt. We're not here to cause trouble."

The guards exchanged a glance before nodding, "Very well, we'll keep an eye on your group. But if we catch anyone causing trouble, there will be consequences."

Kazuki nodded in agreement, "Understood. We'll make sure to conduct ourselves with professionalism and integrity."

"Wait, before you go, what is your mercenary band name?" one of the guards asked.

"It called 'The Peaceful Tree'"