50. DOUBT

It's been four days since they left off from Perunagaram. Their journey continued to move at a steady pace for two days until they reached a hurdle. They would have reached Hithigasa mountain on the seventh day. If they didn't face the difficulty of facing the sky ogres which in turn made their journey into a complex one.

Eshwar questioned Cinzia.

"So, how are we gonna travel from here on?"

Cinzia and the others grew anxious as they stood before a riverside.

The river was certainly long and wide. It extended to a long and far distance.

The vast river water felt chilly but the atmosphere was odd and neutral because they were feeling cold but at the same time it was quite warm.

A magnificent sight feasted their eyes as they drifted their eyes to the other side of the river. The clean glassy river reflected the scenery of a towering snowy mountain that reached the sky. The thick fog and clouds hid its peak and it was snowing and the climate was in contrast to the riverside they stood.

It was two different seasons at the same place as the sky was divided into two while effectively characterizing two different atmospheres and characters. The place they are in is moderately cold while the other side is too foggy and freezing.

At that moment the waveless river rippled and wavered slowly and a sound of something piercing through the surface of the water and wind entered their ears from a distance.

"Swish Swish"

Slowly a silhouette of a boat entered their vision and it continued to commence towards the shore they were in.

Cinzia turned towards Eshwar with an evil smile.

"You asked me how we are going to reach there right?"

Eshwar nodded his head with a smile. Cinzia turned towards the others and commanded.

"Everyone pull your weapons and get ready for the battle. We are abducting that boat!"

Nix furrowed his brows as it was practically a job that a bandit would do nevertheless he kept his mouth shut and accepted since this is the way of survival in this world and It is made to be like this. Who is he to question its tendencies and customs? It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he is starting to get accustomed to this world's rules and ways.

Varde denied her order.

"Cinzia I don't think this is a good idea...I mean they didn't harm us in any way or hinder our business."

Dalia began speaking along with Varde in agreement.

"Yes, big sis!"

Cinzia clicked her tongue.

"Tsk, Our schedule has already been hindered. If we need to uprise our clan. We need to do this. Do you have any other suggestions? If so tell me..."

Cinzia's words showed her resolve to kill them, no matter who they were since all she needed was that boat.

While they were about to end the conversation the boat reached the shore. The boat was painted in red color with a pair of white wings resembling the wings of the angel he saw in survival academy on the sides of the boat. It contained five riders in it.

Cinzia rushed towards the boat to attack but to her surprise, they were all injured inside the boat.

The woman who drove the boat with her mana using the oars dropped it into the water and fell on the boat's rim. They were all tattered and terribly injured while some appeared to be on the edge of losing their lives.

Cinzia didn't give much thought to it. She just ripped the throats of the passengers in the boat without asking any questions.

Varde's grey pupils dilated and he began sweating. He grew anxious for some reason. But he kept quiet. Nix noticed his behavioral changes for the past two days and he continued to keep a watch on him.

Dalia enquired Cinzia.

"Sis, why didn't you ask any questions from them?"

Cinzia smiled at her and began speaking.

"Because... Firstly they were Regulars as you can see the symbol on their boat."

And added.

"Secondly they were terribly injured and it is practically useless to help them and thirdly we need this boat. Do you wanna need more reasons? I have a handful of reason of why I did it though"

Dalia apologized.

"I am sorry sis. It is just that... I felt like we are killing almost everyone after we turned Outlaws."

Cinzia sighed.

"Hah, Why are you caring about those things?... It has already been two years since we joined Outlaws."

'Hmm, Interesting...'

Nix's ears perked as he heard her words.

Dalia gave a wry smile.

"It's true."

Nix drifted his eyes and found Varde holding a black communication crystal in his hand with his hands at the back hiding it. He didn't give much thought to it though. He couldn't understand him but he was quite sure. That his actions contain a hidden meaning. The only thing that kept disturbing is one question and that question is. Are all the others in the crew are dumb? or they are just ignoring his actions?

He was able to guess who proposed the idea of not revealing important and basic things about the quest. In fact, he was still in the dark about the mission.

A quiet person will always be the one to observe and notice everything so obviously, Nix was able to notice simple things. As he is quite skilled at observing things.

'I ain't believing this guy for sure!'

Yes, He was friendly with him. But, He is not someone who trusts others blindly after merely knowing them for a few days, just like how Cinzia and the others acted towards him. Even though he cleared up the trust issues they had on him. They didn't clear up his.

Cinzia turned her attention back to the group and announced.

"Alright hop in!"

Everyone entered the boat. Varde and Eshwar began rowing the boat with two pairs of oars that they found inside it. They rowed fast but, they were not able to make it move at full speed like that woman who drove the boat to the shore.

Cinzia snatched the oar and yelled at Eshwar.

"Give 'em to me! If we continue to move like this then reaching the other side will be dumb slow."

She inserted her mana inside the oars and it began to extort air from the end of the oar. As she began rowing the boat commenced faster like a motorboat.

Nix suddenly asked a question towards Eshwar.

" How did they carry this boat here?"

"Ah, there is a city of regulars where the river ends. So they could have traveled from there."

"I see."

Cinzia interjected.

"In fact, I had a plan of traveling from there but taking the Regulars in the account. I changed the direction of the route."

Nix nodded his head.

"hmm, I agree... It could have ended up quite problematic."

Slowly as they continued to get close to the climate turned cold and everything turned whitish and a bit foggy, After thirty minutes they reached the other side.

The river water was frozen a bit out of the shore.

Nix began shivering.

"ahhh...ah This is damn cold!"

Cinzia opened her backpack and threw a grey cloak to Nix.

"Take it."

Nix took and wore it without refusing and the others were already wearing those and Cinzia wore one too.

Nix stared at Cinzia and questioned.

"Leader, could you please explain to me about this quest in Detail? It feels like I am still in the dark."

Cinzia gave a wry smile and said.

"Oi, Imma be honest with you now. I prepared everything before this ruin-seeking mission and the reason we added you to this quest is because of The Devil Marbax. I made a deal with him for the exchange of getting this map. He made several demands and one among them is using a minimum of five people in this quest."

She stared at him and continued.

"To be honest. We didn't get any additional members to join while taking the dangers into the account. we were on the edge of abandoning it until you came. From here on we will be in spontaneous dangerous circumstances."

Nix's eyebrows twitched.

"Why are you telling me these now? I don't care about that stuff... All I want is my share of the loot. But, If a dangerous situation arises don't expect me to help your people though, If a situation appears beyond my power I can't help it."

and added.

"I don't know who the fuck Marbax is and I don't care about that stuff but, I need to know about the detail of why the quest should contain a minimum of five people?"

Cinzia's face turned serious as she looked at Nix's deep emotionless eyes.

"Alright since we kinda didn't mention those things before you signed the deal. I will explain it now."

She continued to speak.

"Marbax is one of the upper devils and he is assigned for assisting my system just like how everybody has a Devil in charge of their system. I made a simple deal. I need to hand over the dark elixirs for the exchange of receiving the map. And basically, every clan should at least contain five or people to do a mission and it's considered the basic standard. I hope your doubts are clear now.."

'I know Outlaws do have certain rules but, I didn't know that there are many things with proper rules to this extent. What's a dark elixir? though... guess I will know about it later.'

" I understand, Thanks."

She turned towards the mountain and began approaching it. Dalia and the others were already walking, so Nix followed them.

Varde walked towards Nix and put his arm around Nix's neck and began speaking.

"Dude, Can I ask you something?"

"Yea"

"What happened between you and Cinzia? She is strangely showing interest in you than in the beginning."

Nix chuckled while waving his hand in denial.

"hahaha, it's nothing man! I don't know why you asked me this but, I can't see any difference in her."

"I see... You don't wanna share. huh? Alright, I ain't asking shit..."

Varde left him and walked away. What he asked was true though. Cinzia showed more interest in having a conversation with Nix than before but, It was all some random chatter without anything personal. The only information he got was that she is from the same country as him and Eshwar is her younger brother and Dalia is her younger sister leaving Varde and the other thing she revealed was about the devil that's assigned for her.

Everyone stood in a Stupor as they gazed up at the towering Hithigasa mountain. It was heavily snowing and extremely cold and the air was thick and foggy. They weren't able to see anything that's beyond twenty to thirty meters.

"Everyone listen up!"

Cinzia yelled.

"The Temple of Judas's entrance is somewhere inside the mountain. So we are splitting into two teams from here on."

and added.

"Me, Nix, and Dalia will be in one team while Eshwar and Varde in the other got it?"

"Yeah got it!" Nix and Eshwar replied in a chorus but Varde and Dalia had a grim expression on their faces.

"I can't," Varde disagreed with her order again. So did Dalia?

Cinzia frowned at Varde.

"Look, I ain't gonna agree with your proposals. If you don't want to follow me just leave Varde! I have been watching your actions from the start and I find it troubling."

She then drifted her attention to Dalia and continued her speech with a worried face.

"Dal...My dear, I have been watching you lately and I can't come up to understand what you are about to do. But, please drop any devious plot you have in mind. I am sure our clan will grow back or at least we will live a peaceful life after this quest. So please talk to me if you have any problem."

Nix was rather intrigued by the sight. Just as he expected she seems to be pretty observant but, she kind of turned a blind eye towards them. In the hopes of letting themselves understand what they were doing and to quit it. If they had at least a bit of affection or respect for her. They would have stopped their scheming by now.

As they didn't show any response or respect for her actions. She made a move now by separating the two of them.

"But, what did we do?" said Dalia with a nervous expression.

Her eyes wandered around here and there, unable to look into Cinzia's eyes. Her actions conveyed that she had something hidden.

Cinzia sighed.

"hah, you didn't do anything... I just merely reminded you that I am ready to listen to you whatever you want to talk about. Even if we are this close, I feel like you are further away from me."

Dalia began crying and came rushing towards her and hugged her. Cinzia smiled wryly and began caressing her head.

"Ahm...I am sowyy buth I am noth planinghh anythinhh," (I am sorry but I am not planning anything)Dalia said with her face buried inside her chest.

"It's alright, I am sorry for doubting you... We will search for the temple without splitting up alright?"

Dalia looked up at her and nodded her head with a smile. Varde stood in a corner while staring at the scene that unfolded quietly.

Nix was very much annoyed by this sentimental scene as he was unable to understand what this was about. Strangely he started to feel troubled and his insights began to warn him about something that's about to happen.