"What do you think their decision will be?" A rough male voice asked.
The person in question is the female with ginger red head.
"They should be in a hurry to reach the capital city and after checking our 'information', there is a high chance that they will agree"
"Lets' hope so…if we can enter the city, this time, we cannot…." The man does not continue but his teammates understand his underlying word.
"We will not fail, we have been prepared for a long time now, we must believe"
"Believe in what?" Another male voice asked wryly.
Getting the question, silence descend among them.
The person who asked the question does not expect an answer either but the quietness could not help him but to chuckle ironically.
A group of wandering people with no faith.
In a world where they firmly believe in the existence of God, there is nothing more ironic than that.
The quiet night carry their gloomy heart.
...…
The next day, Yuna bring along Austin and co to meet the ginger head lady.
She was sitting inside the adventure guild, seemingly waiting for them.
Yuna walk forward and greet the woman "Good morning, before we agree, can we meet your other member as well as the family member?"
Austin is not the talkative type, Autn Mela is too...gentle?? Soft??? and then there is her grandfather who always done this kind of negotiation, but this time Yuna don't want to let his grandfather interact with the ginger head woman and her team much.
"As it should be, please follow me" The woman said and brought Yuna and her companion to an inn they settle down.
The woman calls them and brought all of them in one room.
As the woman said, there is two old couple as well as a middle age woman who looks the same age as Aunt Mela. Alongside them, there are three other, probably the adventure companion of the lady with a ginger red head. Eagle team conspire of two men and two women.
"We discussed at night, Aunt can act as my mother and grandpa and grandma as Austin Grandparents" Yuna said.
What can they do, they really cannot delay, a month has already passed and they have yet to reach the capital city. They will need a month time to completely settle down, another month to carefully study the bakery market and improvised innovation so that they will not fare too bad, her grandfather alone is not very good at market survey.
The next month will be admission and it was well known that in capital city, student cannot leave the academy but stay and live in dormitory. A boarding life. So, before enrolling, Yuna want to help out her grandfather as much as possible.
The lady with ginger red head nods her head and said "Naturally, the relationship will be how you decide. I assume you agreed to our proposal"
"Yes and I hope the price will be as is and that our safety being prioritised"
"Don't worry, we are professional" The woman said, patting her chest.
Stretching out her hand, she said "Happy cooperation, you can call me Aria"
Yuna shake the hands and introduced "Happy cooperation, you can call me Yuna"
…..
It takes three days to reach the first checkpoint of Horan City.
At the side, the Eagle team was thoroughly examined by the guards and as they state, they charge one gold coin higher to enter the city.
On the other side, Grandpa Orion and Austin show the family registration card to the guard confirming that they are family.
Naturally, the family registration card is fabricated, adventurer has their own means and Yuna does not pry too much into it as even in her own world, black marketing and illegal transaction is not uncommon.
Yuna sour in her heart pay for the high exorbitant entry fee, the second entrance procedure is the same as the first, finally, the group enter without much difficulty.
"You guys should find an inn first while we go report at the adventure guild, its' better to reach the capital city earlier, why don't we set off earlier? Around 5:30 am?" Aria suggest
"Alright"
"Since we are going to set early, its better if you guys buy necessary commodities today itself"
Yuna nod her head, expressing her understanding.
Yuna and Austin let the two adults rest while they both go out to buy things.
Many people are walking in the street and afraid of losing each other, Yuna held Austin hand tightly; there is no mobile phone after all. They look like a pair of sibling shopping together.
Yuna do come across a communication device when passing through a more prosperous city, but the device price was not something she can afford, excruciatingly costly.
Buying the essentials, Austin leads Yuna to rest on a chair place outside a cafeteria.
Austin seems to ponder something, frowning slightly.
Yuna seeing it press on his brows and said "Youngster should not frown or you will have wrinkles early"
Austin chuckle and teased "So you will not want me anymore if I have wrinkles?"
Yuna in return just give Austin a deadpan expression.
Laughing, Austin taps on Yuna nose and does not speak further.
"You seem to be worried about something, what is it?" Not letting go of the matter, Yuna inquired.
Austin shake his head, trying to pass his concern but Yuna does not give him a chance for it as she said "Don't hide things from me, I don't like, Austin"
Yuna grabs Austin hand, force herself to pout and act aggrieved. It is really hard on her but this concern their safety, her grandfather is with her.
You should know, when a main character have a faint concern about something, 9.5/10, it always come true.
Austin seeing the rare cute aggrieved look of Yuna remains stunned for a moment, his heart softens, he could not bring in himself to deny her request.
"The Eagle adventure group….seem suspicious" not wanting to further worried her Austin hastily said "Maybe it is my unfounded suspicion, don't worry about it"
Although his intuition strongly tells him that something seems to be suspicious, he has Yuna and his mother beside him, he don't want to worry them.
All he can do for the time being is to be on alert at all times.
Although Austin comforts her, Yuna was not comforted at all, alarm bell ring incessantly inside her head. If the main character who has perverse intuitions said something seem suspicious, it means it really is suspicious.
Yuna heart shake, wanting to freak out especially when she thought of her grandfather who travelled with her.
But she cannot afford to freak out lest she startle the snake and put her grandfather in harm. Not to mention she didn't know whether the Eagle team are dangerous individuals who harm others just because they seem off.
Yuna want to seek help with the guards but when she thinks of the corrupted guards, Yuna could not bring in herself to trust them either. Even just a moment ago, she saw them threatening money out of some shops and the uncomfortable eyes they cast on females.
She wants to get out of this place as soon as possible.
"What do you think of the city guards?" Yuna ask to confirm.
"We should stay away from them" He mumbles quietly "They reek of…" blood and sin
But Yuna was able to somehow fill in the unsaid word from his quiet mumble.
"Lets' get back at the inn first"
Austin pats Yuna head and brings her back to the inn. His expression reassuring.
He will not let any harm fall on her.
Yuna on the way back clench her hand.
If need be, she will not hesitate to use…..
Quietly, wind energy swirl around Yuna hand as if preparing for something.
Early the next morning, Yuna and co woken up by eagle team quickly pack up and went to check out at the gate, there are two of the eagle team missing, Aria and one other male.
The remaining member said that they will reach before the guards check them out and as they informed, they arrived right before being checked at the gate.
Aria and the male heartbeat were so loud that Yuna who pay special attention to them and is sensitive to sound heard it loud and clear. With such loud heartbeat, they should be panting and breathing hard, exhaustion from running but they do not.
They maintain a calm appearance and regulated their breathing normally.
"We have something to do at the adventure guild, sorry to keep you waiting"
Aria said, not even out of breath.
Although it raised Yuna suspicion highly, it does not deter her admiration for maintaining their act. She felt breathless for their sake.
Just after getting out of the gate and already travelling halfway, an alarm rang throughout the city and the guards who just let them out chase after them and surround them, one of the guards said coldly "Wait"
Yuna heart slightly drops.
The guards ignore Yuna and her companion along with her 'mother' and Austin 'Grandparent'. They started to thoroughly inspect the Eagle team, one of the guard walk and call someone through a communication device which was channelled with Mana.
Yuna strained her ears and secretly listen to the conversation.
"Yes, guild manager, are you sure two of the eagle team stay for half an hour at the adventure guild to exchange information?"
[Yes, the other member on the guild can testify it]
"I see, thank you for your cooperation"
The guard walk back, whisper at the ear of the person who seems to be the leader of the guard.
The person walk towards them and said "You guys can go, if you meet people trying to enter the city, tell them the city gate will be closed"
"Once out of a city gate, the guards do not have authority to detain people without evidence"
Yuna heard Aria whispering to her companion.
On hearing so, Yuna eyes narrowed, now, she can definitely confirm that the eagle team is suspicious and hiding something. Big.