Everyone is Busy

**Thanks to SnusDax, b_cobb and DaoistLZZAn4 for the powerstones! I truly appreciate it.

*Short chapter today. Thanks for reading!

Atlas POV

"What happened after Mars?"

"We spent a week locked up together. The bandits spent a week slowly traveling to the Nova Kingdom. Hiding in different locations for a day or two before moving again. Eventually the adventures here saved us and brought us here."

"Does that mean Pollux isn't with you three?"

Mars just shook his head. I could guess why the three seem so down. Even though they were finally safe, they didn't know what happened to Pollux. He could be safe, escaped when he had the chance or he could be still enslaved and suffering right now.

"I see," I think about what I could do to help them. I could have them live with us but I don't want to bring even more people to May's home. I reach into my money pouch and pull at 20 gold coins. "Take this Mars, go rent out a home and move your family from here."

He looks at me. Were his eyes filled with happiness? Was he grateful? I don't know but he took the money and I tell them to talk to Ior for help.

I left after talking to the family. May was still in a meeting with Ior so I decided to head to the library. I still needed to find a way to break the eternal slave mark.

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Third Person POV

May was finishing her meeting with Ior. Ior was standing up after finishing telling May about how his meeting with the King went.

"Is that bastard stupid?! He's giving the mercenary guild a pass!?" May couldn't believe it; the King was pardoning the mercenary guild.

When Darren asked for a favor from the mercenary guild, he asked them to station themselves by the gates and stop anyone from leaving. They were the ones wearing the red masks. Ior and May asked for the mercenary guild master to be replaced and for harsh punishments be pushed down on higher ups and other members who took part in the incident. The King however, ignored all these complaints and pardon the entire guild.

"It's fucken bullshit May! Even the King was corrupt? Do you think the general was corrupt because he was told to do so by the king?"

"Who knows Ior… this city is no longer what we once knew. The Hero would turn in their grave now if they knew how things are turning out now. All we can do now is make sure we have enough definite proof and go public with everything."

The two continued their meeting.

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In the mercenary guild:

"Sir! What do we do now?!"

"You shut the hell up!"

The guild master smacked the person asking him. He stood up from the table where they were having a meeting. Around the table were all the higher ups in the guild. From elders to mercenaries that made a name for themselves. They were all trying to understand why the King pardoned them all.

"Please sir. Explain why the king pardoned us!"

The guild master, was an old man in his 60s. He knew how ambitious the King was. He knew about his plans to expand the kingdom and how he has interest in buying more slaves as well. He turned to the others.

"Prepare for the worse. We now owe the king. I don't know what his plans are but I hope we survive it."

The group couldn't help but speculate among each other. What could be so bad that the guild master felt the need to warn them?

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6 months has passed and the summer season has finally arrived. Atlas and the others have been busy with their own things.

May continued working as the guild master but she worked with Ior to gather information on not just the mercenary guild but also on the king. They couldn't understand why he did what he did. Even though six months have passed, they couldn't find anything definite that the two had any shady relationship.

Lucy and Jennie continued their work as adventurers. When the adventures guild helped the captured workers from the Draco Kingdom, Lucy and Jennie were both asked by Ior to hunt down any bandits within the Nova Kingdom. Within the last 6 months alone, they both captured a total of 63 bandits. On top of the bandit hunts, they also continued accepting regular quests as well.

Olivia, Katherine and Noel spent most of their free time at the commoner's guild. With the help of May, Olivia was also able to go with Noel on quests when Atlas wasn't able to go. Katherine tagged along with every single quest too. Noel had completed 20 quests now. Gathering a total of 2 gold coins and 24 silver coins. Olivia and Katherine joined the guild too so they were also paid every time they returned. When they weren't questing, they were either working in the kitchen of the guild hall or training with Atlas.

Princess Eva and Zen had left the kingdom for the Beast Kingdom. Apparently, Ivory really wanted to see her so they both left after the Red Shanks business ended. They returned a month ago.

Mars and his family decided to stay in the Nova Kingdom for now. They rented out a home near Atlas and the others using the money he gave them. The last six months have been painful for them. They've been searching for Pollux the whole time. Atlas also helped when he could.

Atlas has kept himself busy too. He wakes up early to go to the library. He stays there until noon every day. Researching as much as he could about the eternal slave mark. He wants to keep his promise to Olivia and the others. When noon comes, he usually goes to the commoner's guild where he eats with Noel. After that he spends the rest of the day with her. They either go on quests, train or just hangout.

The group lived their lives. However, the didn't know that the worst thing to happen to this small kingdom will occur in only a few months, and it is due to one of their own.

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Author's Note

The next two chapters will consist of short stories from the end of the Red Shanks to a month after this chapter ends. After these two chapters, the final story of Arc 1 will begin.