Chapter 217 – A Scene of Carnage

Chapter 217

A Scene of Carnage

Date : Day 21 of Frostfall 1024 Aethellgard Concord Year.

Hyoren watched Jackey and the woman who had just entered with a curious expression.

Killa...

He looked at her carefully.

This was the first time he had ever seen someone like her. She was clearly a beastkin, but unlike any beastkin he had encountered in Akela so far.

The first thing that caught his attention was the pair of horns on top of her head. They were smooth and polished, small horns that curved slightly inward.

Then there were her ears. They were positioned more like human ears rather than the upright ears of the cat, fox, or lion-clan beastkin Hyoren was accustomed to seeing. They were wide and horizontally teardrop-shaped, mounted on the sides of her head and drooping slightly downward. Soft inner fluff surrounded their dark outer fur.

A slender, rope-like tail extended from her lower back, ending in a distinct, fluffy tuft.

Her hair was equally striking. The base color was milky white, but black highlights formed chunky patches and streaks around her bangs, framing her face.

Is she a Cow-clan Beastkin...? 

Judging from the animal traits she displayed, she certainly looked like one.

Or was it a Bovine-clan? Ox-clan?

He self-corrected—'cow' technically refers only to females of the species.

This was the first time Hyoren had seen a cow-clan beastkin. Until now, he had only encountered cat, lion, fox, and wolf-clan beastkin in Akela.

So there are other kinds of beastkin too…

He mentally corrected his own assumption.

I shouldn't have assumed there were only four based on such a small sample size…

He looked over at her again.

She was actually shorter than Ina. Ina was only around 155 centimeters, which was already considered short compared to many people Hyoren had met. But this woman looked even shorter. 150 centimeters at most.

Her proportions were also rather striking. Despite her short stature and slender waist, she had a notably curvy figure, with her bust and hips appearing almost comically large compared to her height.

But there was another thing that immediately caught Hyoren's attention.

The weapon strapped to her back. A pitch-black scythe. Not a farming scythe, but the kind of oversized weapon Hyoren would normally expect to see in a game.

It was enormous compared to her, it was almost comical. The weapon was even taller than she was, forcing her to sheath it at a slanted angle. Even then, the end occasionally came close to scraping against the floor.

Hyoren finally broke the silence.

He looked at Killa, then at Jackey, before turning toward Jigor.

“So, Jigor... is she the new party member you were talking about?”

Jigor nodded.

“Y-yeah...”

He still looked somewhat surprised.

“This is Killa. Though... I had no idea she actually knew Jackey.”

Jackey finally seemed to snap out of his stupor.

Hyoren turned toward him.

“Jackey. You know her?”

Before Jackey could answer, Killa suddenly pouted dramatically. She pointed at Jackey again.

“Of course he knows me! We lost our virginity to each other! Hmph!”

Her black eyes flared with indignation.

“And then you just disappeared without telling me!”

For a moment, nobody moved.

Then—with a clanking sound—Arianna's tankard slipped from her fingers and hit the floor. Beer spilled across the wooden boards.

Arianna blinked.

She looked down at the fallen tankard as if it had somehow betrayed her. Only then did she seem to realize what had happened.

“...Ah.”

She quickly bent down, retrieved it, and placed it back on the table.

“I apologize.”

Her voice was unusually quiet. She lowered her gaze, and her expression became difficult to read.

Across the table, Elise stared at her.

Hyoren did the same.

Neither of them said anything. But they were thinking the exact same thing.

Arianna... did she truly...?

Jackey and Killa, however, seemed completely oblivious to the small commotion around them.

At another table, one adventurer had frozen halfway through raising his beer. His companion slowly leaned toward him and whispered something. The first adventurer shook his head quickly.

“Don't look.”

“I wasn't looking.”

“You're looking right now.”

“...Oh.”

At another table, someone quietly coughed into his fist. A woman beside him had already turned away, apparently deciding that whatever happened next was none of her business.

Behind the counter, Diana had also stopped wiping glass and plates. Her black cat ears stood straight up. She stared at Jackey and Killa for several seconds. Then one ear twitched. Her face turned into a wry smile like she was used to this kind of commotion. Apparently, this wasn't the strangest thing she had ever seen in her tavern.

Hyoren decided it was probably better not to think too deeply about that.

His attention returned to Jackey and Killa.

This is... Shuraba… Right…?

He almost wanted to laugh. Of all people, he never would have guessed Jackey would be the one to create the kind of chaotic romantic situation that appeared so often in the romance novels he had read.

Meanwhile, Jackey and Killa had already resumed their argument.

Jackey shrugged.

“I'm not disappeared! I already told you I was called by my Big Sis!”

He looked genuinely confused by her reaction.

“And why do you even care? I thought we were just childhood friends.”

Killa immediately snapped back.

“Lies! I know Sister Ina! She wouldn't call you without a reason!”

She pointed accusingly at him.

“That was just your excuse, wasn't it? You just wanted to run away!”

Her expression became increasingly frustrated.

“I thought we were more than childhood friends!”

Jackey shrugged again.

“You could've asked my party members. Big Bro right there is my Big Sis's mate. He could've told you.”

His expression suggested that he was already getting tired of the argument.

“And Killa, we only did it once. We were curious about sex, so we did it. Then we went our separate ways.”

He scratched his head.

“I went to a lot of brothels afterward. You had multiple boyfriends and partners too. So why are you suddenly making such a big fuss about it?”

Arianna seemed to relax slightly at that explanation. Elise quietly kept a hand near her, still watching her reaction.

Hyoren turned his attention back to the two beastkin.

They're surprisingly similar in some ways…

It was almost enough to make him chuckle.

Killa gritted her teeth.

“W-well... that's true.”

Her voice became quieter.

“I enjoyed the company of many men...”

She hesitated.

“B-but I thought our bond was deeper than that!”

Her eyes narrowed.

“And you just disappeared without telling me!”

Jackey finally sat back down in his chair.

“Killa. My Big Sis wrote that there was an emergency. Of course I left right away.”

He looked at her.

“I even wrote you a letter, didn't I?”

The mention of the letter immediately reignited Killa's anger.

“What letter?! That piece of paper with the scribble saying, ‘I'm going’?”

She threw her hands up.

“You didn't explain anything! You didn't say where you were going or even why!”

Her expression trembled with frustration.

“I was wrong to think you might still remember our childhood promise.”

The mention of the childhood promise made Arianna wince again. Elise quietly reached over and touched her arm, gently calming her down.

Hyoren, Jigor, and Vani were all left speechless.

Even the nearby adventurers seemed to have collectively decided that their food was suddenly very interesting. None of them seemed quite sure when they were supposed to intervene.

Jackey, meanwhile, simply shrugged.

“That was a promise we made when we were five, Killa.”

He leaned back.

“People grow up. And I thought you grew up too after we went our separate ways.”

He tilted his head.

“Why are you so worked up about it anyway?”

Killa's face flushed red with anger.

“I see...”

Her voice became quieter.

“I see...”

She closed her eyes.

“I guess it really was futile in the end.”

She took a shaky breath.

“It seems my love was one-sided.”

Jackey stared at her. Then he smirked.

“What love, Killa?”

He sounded genuinely unconvinced.

“You're just pissed because I won't become one of those guys who falls head over heels for you, right?”

He laughed.

“Because I won't treat ‘Princess Killa’ the way she wants?”

Killa's face turned even redder.

“Nooo! Don't call me princess!”

She covered part of her face in embarrassment.

“It was their decision to call me that!”

Jackey laughed.

“But you always wanted to become a princess when we were kids!”

He pointed at her.

“You've always been like that, Killa! Hahaha!”

Killa trembled from embarrassment. Then her hand slowly moved toward the scythe strapped to her back.

“Noooo! Don't call me thaaaat!”

She grabbed the weapon and pulled it free. The enormous black scythe rose above her head, its dark metal gleaming beneath the tavern's magic lamps.

The tavern immediately erupted into nervous movement.

Chairs scraped against the floor. One adventurer hurriedly pulled his drink away from the edge of his table.

Another quietly muttered. 

“Not in the tavern...”

Diana's black cat ears flattened.

“Hey! Careful with that!”

Several patrons instinctively leaned away from Killa, while one particularly nervous adventurer looked toward the door as if considering an early departure.

Hyoren's expression immediately changed.

Beside him, Jigor stood up as well. He quickly grabbed his shield.

“Hey, Killa! Careful! We're in a tavern!”

Hyoren also reached into his storage bag and pulled out his Steel Kite Shield.

“I know Jackey can be pretty crass!”

He positioned himself cautiously.

“But please calm down first.” 

***

Jigor immediately tried to calm Killa down.

“Killa, calm down. You're making a ruckus! There are a lot of people here!”

Jackey, however, only laughed.

“See? This is why you're such a pain, Killa. The moment something doesn't go your way, you throw a tantrum like this.”

He crossed his arms, his tabby cat ears twitching.

“Truly a princess. A spoiled princess... Hahaha!”

Killa trembled even more.

Hyoren quickly turned toward Jackey.

“Jackey! Stop! Don't throw more fuel onto the fire!”

Jackey raised both hands in surrender.

“Okay, Big Bro. I'll stop. HAHA.”

He then glanced at Killa.

“But good luck calming that raging ox down.”

Hyoren gave him a tired look.

You're really not helping, Jackey…

He turned his attention back to Killa.

Her eyes were hidden beneath her bangs, making it difficult to tell what expression she was making.

Her arms were still trembling.

The massive black scythe remained raised above her.

Hyoren kept his Steel Kite Shield up, ready to react if she suddenly attacked.

Beside him, Vani was still speechless, while Elise remained close to Arianna, protecting her. The crimson-haired mage still hadn't fully recovered from the shock earlier.

Hyoren, meanwhile, had already activated his Magic Eyes in preparation for a possible fight. The appraisal result appeared before him.

Ox-clan Beastkin - Level 18

Weak Point : Brain (Head), Heart (Left Chest)

State : Healthy. Mind slightly distressed.

Hyoren nodded slightly.

So she's an Ox-clan Beastkin. Not Cow-clan...

His eyes moved to her level.

Level 18…

The same level as himself.

She's quite strong… No wonder Jigor had chosen her as a potential fifth member…

Hyoren briefly glanced toward Jigor. The look was enough. He was communicating with Jigor with his dark eyes.

Do something, Jigor…

Jigor understood immediately. He looked toward Vani. It was almost as though he was silently asking his wife for help.

Vani finally stood.

She calmly approached Killa, making sure not to move too quickly.

“Killa.”

Her voice was gentle.

“We've talked a lot before, haven't we?”

Killa remained still.

Vani smiled warmly.

“I know you're genuinely a good girl. So please... could we talk this out with Jackey instead of rushing to violence?”

She took another small step closer.

“Please. Let's make sure nobody gets hurt, okay?”

Her motherly warmth finally began to reach Killa. The trembling in Killa's arms slowly weakened.

After a moment, she raised her face. Her expression was still frustrated, but the anger in her eyes had begun to fade.

Slowly, she lowered the scythe.

“Okay... Okay… if you say so, Vani...”

Vani smiled.

“That's a good girl.”

She then raised one hand gently.

“Now, take a deep breath, okay?”

Killa nodded.

“In...”

Killa breathed in.

“...and out.”

She breathed out.

“Again. In... and out.”

Killa followed her instructions. With each breath, the trembling gradually subsided. Eventually, it stopped completely.

Killa straightened her posture. She was no longer standing in a battle stance. She looked down at the scythe in her hands before slowly putting it back onto her back.

“Okay... okay. I'm calm now.”

She looked toward Vani.

“Thank you... Vani.”

Vani gave her another warm smile.

“You're welcome.”

Hyoren and Jigor looked at each other.

Both men quietly let out a relieved sigh. They slowly lowered their shields.

Around them, the tavern patrons also began relaxing. A few chairs were carefully pushed back into place. Someone quietly picked up their drink again.

Diana, behind the counter, let out a small sigh of relief as her flattened cat ears finally returned to their normal position.

The carnage was over. At least for now.

***

Jigor took another deep breath before reaching over and grabbing a chair from a nearby table.

He pulled it toward their table.

“For now, please sit, Killa.”

He then raised his voice toward the counter.

“Diana! Please, one…”

Jigor stopped. His eyes landed on the spilled beer around Arianna's seat.

“...Never mind. Two more beers!”

Diana nodded from behind the counter.

“Coming!”

Killa carefully put her scythe away into the storage bag attached to her belt before sitting down. She had calmed down considerably. However, her black eyes were still drilling into Jackey.

Jackey, meanwhile, seemed completely unconcerned. He casually drank his beer while continuing to snack on roasted peanuts.

Hyoren could only shake his head.

That Jackey...

He had never seen Jackey like this before.

It was obvious that he and Killa had a complicated history. Jackey knew her very well. Yet something had clearly happened between them in the past that had caused them to separate so completely. And from the way Jackey talked, he seemed to hold at least a little grudge against Killa.

Meanwhile, Killa clearly didn't want to lose him. Either she still had feelings for Jackey. Or hoping their relationship could be mended.

Hyoren thought about it for a moment before eventually shrugging.

Well... it's not my place to meddle in my family's relationships….

Jackey was an adult. Unless he specifically asked for help, Hyoren would assume he could handle his own problems.

Diana soon arrived with two new tankards of beer and another plate of roasted peanuts. One beer was placed in front of Killa. The other replaced Arianna's spilled drink.

Diana also carefully wiped the remaining beer from the table and floor before returning to the counter.

Once everyone had settled down again, Jigor cleared his throat.

“Okay... let's forget what just happened.”

He gave Killa a sideways glance.

“And start over.”

Jigor gestured toward the Ox-clan Beastkin beside him.

“Freedom Party, this is Killa. She's our potential fifth member.”

He paused.

“Despite what just happened, we've already talked quite a bit and trained together. We think she'd be a good addition to our party.”

Jigor scratched his beard.

“She has her shortcomings, sure...”

Killa's Ox ears twitched.

“But she's earnest, honest, and a hard worker.”

Killa gave a small bow.

“I'm Killa, from Golden Cat Plateau. Nice to meet you.”

Hyoren nodded.

“Nice to meet you, Killa. I'm Hyoren Enjo, leader of the Freedom Party.”

He smiled.

“Just call me Hyoren.”

He then gestured toward the silver-haired elf sitting beside him.

“This is Elise of the Silentwood. She's our ranger and scout. She also handles our physical ranged damage.”

Elise smiled and nodded.

“Nice to meet you, Killa. I'm Elise.”

Killa nodded back.

“Nice to meet you.”

Hyoren then turned toward the crimson-haired mage wearing a purple robe and wide-brimmed hat.

“And that's Arianna Akela. She's our main damage dealer. Her quad-elemental magic is devastating.”

He smiled.

“And if you didn't already know, she's the daughter of Baron Guts Akela and Guild Master Fiona Akela.”

Killa's eyes widened slightly.

“Eh?”

She quickly straightened herself.

“Err... I hope I don't cause any trouble with my words. I don't want to get punished by a noble.”

Hyoren smiled.

“Don't worry. She usually doesn't mind the way adventurers talk.”

Arianna stiffly nodded.

It seemed she still hadn't completely recovered from what had happened earlier.

Her voice was strangely mechanical.

“The leader is correct. Just call me Arianna. No need title.”

She paused.

“And... nice to meet you.”

Hyoren's eyebrows furrowed.

What happened to Arianna…? She sounded like a completely different person…

Still, Hyoren decided not to question it.

He moved on and gestured toward the Cat-clan Beastkin sitting beside Arianna. Jackey was still eating roasted peanuts as though Killa didn't even exist. He was focused on looking out the window like the winter sky suddenly became the most interesting thing to be focused on.

“And you seem to already know him, so there's no need for an introduction, right?”

Killa simply nodded.

“Yeah.”

Her black eyes immediately returned to Jackey.

Jackey continued drinking his beer while looking outside.

Hyoren quietly sighed.

Yeah… Definitely a complicated relationship…

***

Jigor released a weary sigh.

“Okay... let's just get to the point, all right?”

He gave a weak smile.

It was a noticeably different expression from his usual boisterous grin.

Even Jigor seemed exhausted from sitting across the table while Killa continued glaring at Jackey.

Across from him, Killa's black eyes were still fixed on Jackey with enough intensity to make it feel as though she was trying to drill a hole through his head. Jackey, on the other hand, seemed completely unaffected.

Jigor glanced between the two of them before sighing again. He looked back at Hyoren.

“I want you to see if there's a way for us to clear the Floor Two Guardian with our current strength.”

Hyoren nodded.

“I can help with that.”

He paused.

“But I've never actually seen you guys fight, so I can't really tell what your strengths and weaknesses are yet.”

Jigor waved his hand.

“Don't worry about that. I'll tell you our strengths and status after this.”

Hyoren raised his eyebrows.

“You're fine with that?”

He glanced around the table.

“I thought status and skills were closely guarded secrets among adventurers.”

Jigor laughed.

“Gyahaha! Well, normally, they are.”

He combed his braided beard, the metallic rings woven through it producing a soft clink.

“But I'm not going to tell you everything. Just the information that's relevant.”

His eyes moved toward Hyoren, Elise, and Arianna.

“I trust you guys enough to share it.”

Jigor grinned.

“It's not like you're going to run around blabbering about our status to everyone, right?”

Hyoren smiled.

“Well, if you trust us enough to tell us, then I promise we won't reveal it to anyone else.”

He then glanced toward Killa. She was still staring at Jackey.

“But if Killa can swing a scythe that big as easily as she just did, then she's definitely strong enough to handle a horde of goblins.”

Killa's ears twitched slightly at the compliment.

Jackey suddenly joined the conversation.

“Hahaha! Don't worry, Big Bro. She's stupid and spoiled, but that scythe of hers is the only good thing she's got.”

He paused.

“Other than her…”

Killa shot to her feet.

“JACKEY!”

Her chair scraped loudly against the floor.

Before she could do anything else, Vani immediately reached over and gently caught her arm.

“Killa.”

Her voice was calm but firm.

Killa's entire body was tense. Her ears were flattened, her tail stiff, and her face had turned bright red.

“He's doing it again...”

Vani gave her a reassuring smile.

“I know.”

She gently guided Killa back down.

“Just ignore him.”

Killa reluctantly sat.

She folded her arms tightly across her chest, still glaring at Jackey.

Jackey had already turned his attention toward the window. He took another sip of his beer. The winter sky outside suddenly seemed incredibly interesting for him.

Hyoren stared at him for a moment.

He really knows how to provoke people.

He sighed.

“Jackey, please...”

Jackey didn't even turn around.

“I'm quiet now, Big Bro.”

Hyoren shook his head before looking back toward Jigor.

“Okay, then. Let's see how you guys fight and what your status is.”

Jigor nodded. He reached into his belongings and pulled out a sheet of paper.

“Sorry, we can't disclose everything.”

He placed it on the table.

“But this is general information for everyone, including Killa.”

Hyoren leaned forward.

Jigor pointed toward the first entry.

“Me first.”

He tapped the paper.

“I'm Level 22. I mainly work as the main tank.”

Jigor shrugged.

“I can't really deal much damage. My hammer is mostly for staggering enemies rather than actually killing them.”

He pointed toward the information below.

“My Shield Mastery is Level 8. Mace Mastery is Level 7. And I have Indomitable Level 5. It makes me more resilient.”

Hyoren's eyes widened slightly.

Level 22...

His gaze lingered on the information.

He's strong.

Jigor was already several levels above him. And as a tank, his defensive skills were even more developed.

He's stronger than me as a tank. As expected from a veteran.

He nodded.

Jigor moved his finger to the next entry.

“Then there's Vani.”

Vani smiled slightly when her name was mentioned.

“She's Level 21. She's our dedicated healer.”

She gave a small wave.

Jigor continued.

“She can also use some offensive Light Magic. Her Light Magic is Level 9.”

Hyoren nodded.

His mind immediately began rearranging the pieces.

A dedicated healer...

Freedom Party didn't have one. Hyoren could use Healing Light, but he wasn't a dedicated healer.

A party with a proper healer could take more risks…

They could recover injuries during the battle rather than having to wait until the fighting was over.

Jigor continued.

“Next is Cathy. She's our scout.”

He pointed to the next entry.

“She is also Level 21. Her Bow Mastery reached the maximum level and evolved into Shortbow Mastery.”

Hyoren's eyes widened.

Evolved…? So when a weapon skill reaches its maximum level, it can evolve into a more specialized skill?

His thoughts immediately went to Elise. He glanced toward the silver-haired elf beside him.

Elise uses a bow too.

His gaze briefly moved back to the paper.

Cathy uses a shortbow... So if Elise continues developing her skill, could hers become Longbow Mastery?

Jigor continued explaining.

“Cathy's role is more of a harasser. In terms of raw damage, I think she's behind Elise.”

Elise's ears twitched at the comparison. She glanced at Hyoren briefly, then back toward the paper.

“But she makes up for it with her agility. She can fire multiple arrows in quick succession.”

Hyoren nodded.

“I see. Her role is similar to Elise's, then.”

Elise gave a small nod.

“Indeed.”

Jigor moved his finger to the next name.

“Then there's Dennis.”

His expression became slightly proud.

“Dennis used to be a court mage for a noble in a faraway territory. He eventually quit because he couldn't deal with the social side of being a court mage.”

He chuckled.

“Turns out being around nobles all day wasn't his thing.”

Vani smiled knowingly.

Jigor tapped the paper.

“He's actually the strongest one among us.”

Hyoren's attention immediately returned to the sheet.

“Level 25.”

Arianna's eyebrows rose slightly. She seemed interested now.

Jigor continued.

“His Fire Magic reached the maximum level. He's only unlocked Explosions Magic as its advanced form so far, but he has two spells from it.”

Hyoren nodded slowly.

The pieces in his mind began fitting together.

“So he's stronger than Arianna.”

Arianna's eyes immediately shifted toward Hyoren.

Hyoren continued before she could react.

“But Arianna has multiple elemental magic, so her repertoire is much more flexible. Dennis is a dedicated specialist.”

He tapped his finger lightly against the table.

“And Fire Magic has a lot of AOE potential. That could be extremely useful when fighting an army.”

Arianna quietly nodded.

“I agree. Fire magic is favored in military and adventuring contexts, as its destructive power is unmatched."

Jigor then moved his finger to the final entry.

“And finally... Killa.”

The Ox-clan beastkin straightened slightly.

Jigor pointed at the paper.

“She is Level 18. Her Axe Mastery is Level 7.”

Killa's expression became slightly proud. She subtly puffed out her chest.

Jackey noticed. He snorted.

Killa immediately shot him another glare.

“Don't start.”

Jackey raised his hands.

“I didn't say anything!”

Vani sighed quietly.

Jigor ignored the exchange. He crossed his arms and looked at Hyoren.

“So... what do you think?”

Hyoren didn't answer immediately. He tapped his chin. His eyes moved over the paper again.

He began arranging their roles in his mind. Tank. Healer. Scout and harasser. AOE mage. Frontline attacker.

His eyes narrowed slightly.

The party composition is actually quite solid.

The strategy was beginning to take shape in his head.

***

Hyoren took his notebook from his storage bag. He flipped through a few pages before stopping at a blank one. Then he took out his pen.

Jigor raised an eyebrow.

“You're drawing a battle plan?”

Hyoren nodded then placed the notebook on the table.

“Actually, Jigor... your current party is already stronger than ours was when we defeated the Floor Two Guardian.”

Jigor blinked.

“Stronger than your party was?”

Hyoren began drawing.

“Overall, yes.”

First, he sketched the raised platform where the Goblin Ruler stood. Then he drew the bridge leading toward it. Finally, he filled the area around the bridge with numerous small circles. The circles represented the 1,500 goblins waiting behind the Goblin Ruler.

Killa leaned slightly closer.

“What are those?”

Hyoren raised his head slightly.

“The goblins, Killa.”

Killa’s black eyes widened.

“That many?”

Hyoren nodded.

“About 1,500.”

Even though she already knew the number, seeing so many marks covering the page seemed to make the scale feel different.

Killa's ears lowered slightly.

“...That's a lot.”

Jackey snorted.

“Yeah. It's annoying.”

Killa looked at him.

“You say that like you've fought them before.”

Jackey casually continued eating his peanuts.

“I have. I whacked a lot of them.”

Killa stared at him for another moment before looking back at Hyoren's drawing.

Hyoren continued.

“Now, before Killa joined you, only Jigor could reliably hold the frontline.”

He drew four circles representing the members of Unbreakable Will. Then he pointed at Jigor's circle.

“You're the wall.”

Jigor nodded.

“That's my job.”

Hyoren moved his pen from one side of the bridge to the other.

“But you can't cover the entire bridge by yourself. If you stand in the middle, the goblins will eventually start pouring around you from both sides.”

He drew several more circles moving past Jigor.

“Once that happens, your three backliners become exposed.”

Vani's expression became more serious.

“Right...”

She looked at the drawing.

“That's exactly what happened during our training.”

Jigor grunted.

“We could stop some of them, but once the numbers increased, I couldn't cover everything.”

Hyoren nodded.

“That's the weakness of your party.”

He then shifted his drawing.

He moved Jigor's circle slightly toward one side of the bridge. Then he drew another circle beside him.

He tapped the new circle.

“But now you have Killa.”

Killa blinked.

“Me?”

Hyoren pointed at the new position.

“Yes. You don't need to replace Jigor. You just need to cover the area he can't.”

He drew more goblins coming toward the gap between them.

“Killa can help thin out the horde before they get past you. And judging from what she showed us earlier, that scythe should be pretty effective against groups of enemies.”

Killa's eyes brightened slightly.

“Of course it is!”

She looked almost proud again.

Jackey immediately muttered,

“Don't let her get carried away.”

Killa's ears twitched.

“I'm sitting right here, you know.”

Jackey already looked away.

“I know.”

Hyoren ignored their exchange and continued drawing.

“The goblins that slip past you two can then be handled by Cathy.”

He drew several smaller arrows behind the frontline.

“She doesn't have to stop the entire group. She just needs to pick off the ones that get through.”

Elise leaned closer to the notebook.

“So she becomes the second layer of defense, just like my role.”

Hyoren nodded.

“Exactly. That would reduce the pressure on the backline considerably.”

Hyoren moved his pen again.

“And that gives Dennis more freedom.”

He circled the position where Dennis would stand.

“Instead of worrying about goblins getting through, he can focus almost entirely on clearing the horde with his AOE spells.”

Arianna looked at the drawing.

"That would allow him to focus on forming higher-tier, more Aethell-efficient spells.”

Hyoren nodded.

“Arianna is right. Yes.”

He then tapped Vani's position.

“And there's another advantage.”

He looked at Jigor.

“You guys have Vani.”

Vani blinked.

“Me?”

Hyoren smiled.

“Yeah. Your party has a dedicated healer. We didn't.”

He pointed toward himself.

“I could use Healing Light, but I wasn't a dedicated healer. I could only really deal with injuries after we had finished the fight or during a safe moment.”

Vani nodded slowly.

“So we can take risks that your party couldn't.”

Hyoren pointed toward Jigor and Killa.

“Exactly. Your party can afford to take more punishment. If either of the frontliners gets injured, Vani can heal you and put you back into the fight.”

Jigor's eyes slowly widened as he looked over the drawing again.

“So instead of trying to avoid every injury… We can focus on keeping the goblins contained.”

Jigor's beard shifted as he nodded.

“I see...”

Hyoren finally put his pen down for a moment.

“Just one important thing.”

Jigor looked up.

“Dennis shouldn't waste his most devastating attack too early.”

He tapped the drawing where the mass of goblins was gathered.

“Save his strongest spell for the second phase, after you've already thinned out around sixty percent of the army. But you should already know that from my report, right?”

Jigor's eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

“Yes… Because the second phase of the battle is when the Goblin Ruler goes to buff the entire army. We should hold back during the first phase so we still have enough power to deal with the second phase.”

Hyoren smiled.

“Exactly.”

Jigor laughed softly.

“Yeah. We did.”

He looked down at the notebook again.

Then he slowly combed through his braided beard. The metallic rings clinked quietly.

“I see...”

His eyes moved from Jigor's position to Killa's, then to Cathy and Dennis.

“When you pointed everything out like this...”

He tapped the paper.

“...the whole thing suddenly clicked.”

He laughed.

“Gyahaha!”

Jigor leaned back in his chair.

“We adventurers never bother drawing battle plans like this.”

He waved his hand.

“We usually just charge in and hope for the best.”

Jackey nodded.

“That's basically what we do.”

Elise glanced at him.

“That's not something to be proud of.”

Jackey furrowed his eyebrows.

“Why not?”

Hyoren answered instead of Elise.

“Because you're supposed to think before charging.”

Jackey scratched his head. His tabby cat ears twitched.

“Big Bro does the thinking.”

Hyoren sighed.

“Don't make that sound like I'm your brain.”

The small exchange brought a little laughter from the others.

Even Killa, despite still looking annoyed whenever she glanced at Jackey, let out a small snort.

Jigor continued staring at the battle plan.

“When you explain it like this… Suddenly, I can actually see us winning.”

His voice was quieter this time. Not excitement. Not bravado. For the first time since the conversation began, there was genuine confidence in it.

Hyoren smiled.

“Your party level is higher than ours was. And you also have an extra member now.”

He looked at Killa.

“And from what I've seen, she's strong enough to fill the role you were missing.”

Then he looked back at Jigor.

“I know you can do it, Jigor.”

Jigor stared at Hyoren for a moment.

Then his expression softened. He reached over and carefully took the sheet of paper containing Hyoren's battle plan. He examined it one more time before folding it carefully and putting it among his belongings.

“Thank you.”

His voice was more serious now.

“I was still doubting whether we could really do it, even with Killa joining us.”

He glanced toward his companions.

“We've never fought a monster army on that scale before.”

His gaze returned to Hyoren.

“But if you believe we can do it...”

Jigor smiled.

“Then we'll do it.”

Killa quietly clenched her fist.

“Yeah.”

Vani smiled warmly.

“We'll do our best.”

Arianna nodded.

“If you follow the strategy properly, your chances should be quite good.”

Elise also gave a small nod.

“You have a very solid party composition.”

Jackey raised his tankard.

“And if it doesn't work, you can just whack them harder!”

Everyone stared at him.

Jackey grinned.

“What?”

Jigor burst out laughing.

“Gyahaha! That's the spirit!”

With satisfaction finally settling over his expression, the veteran dwarf leaned back into his chair.

“Lad, thanks again for this.”

Hyoren nodded.

“Glad to help a fellow adventurer, Jigor.”

***

Jigor stood from his chair. He looked around the table.

The Freedom Party was clearly tired. They had only recently returned from their long expedition into Akela Dungeon, and even though they had enjoyed the meal, the exhaustion still showed on their faces.

And then there was the other problem. Killa and Jackey were still glaring at each other.

Jigor let out another small sigh.

“I guess we won't take up any more of your time. You guys deserve some rest.”

Hyoren briefly glanced at his party.

Elise looked tired, Arianna was still recovering from everything that had happened during the conversation, and even Jackey seemed ready to leave.

Hyoren nodded and stood.

“We do need the rest. Haha.”

Jigor laughed.

“Gyahaha! Then go rest. Go rest.”

He extended his arms toward Hyoren.

“Thanks again for the help.”

Hyoren took his hands and shook them firmly.

“You're welcome, Jigor.”

Seeing that the discussion was over, Elise, Arianna, and Jackey also stood. They had all agreed that they needed to head home and rest.

Jackey stretched both arms high above his head.

“Finally! Rest!”

His tabby cat tail spiraled happily behind him. He then glanced toward Killa.

“Away from her!”

Killa's ears immediately twitched.

“Yeah! Let's go, Big Bro. Let's go home!”

Killa's mood visibly soured again. Her ears drooped slightly as her black eyes followed Jackey. But she didn't say anything. She remained seated.

Seeing that the hostility wasn't escalating again, everyone quietly relaxed.

Hyoren looked around at his party.

“Let's go, everyone.”

He turned back toward the others.

“Jigor. Vani... Killa. See you later.”

Jigor and Vani waved.

“See you!”

“Take care.”

Killa remained frozen in her chair.

Hyoren glanced at her for a moment before chuckling quietly.

Better not bother her.

He turned and followed the others across the tavern. Their footsteps made the wooden floor creak softly beneath them. Hyoren reached the wooden door.

His hand was just about to touch the handle when someone shouted.

“Jackey!”

Killa suddenly stood. Her chair scraped loudly against the floor.

Before anyone could react, she rushed toward Jackey. She caught his hand. Jackey stopped.

Killa's expression was difficult to read.

Her black eyes were hidden slightly beneath her bangs, but there was no anger in her voice this time.

“Jackey...”

He looked back at her.

“Did you really just want to leave like this?”

Her grip tightened.

“You haven't even asked how I've been these past few months.”

Her voice trembled.

“Do you really not care about me anymore?”

Jackey's expression immediately became annoyed. He tried to pull his hand free.

“Killa, please.”

He finally managed to turn toward her.

“You were the one who left me first to chase after all those boyfriends of yours.”

His expression hardened.

“And now you're suddenly making me out to be the bad guy?”

Killa's ears drooped. But she still didn't let go.

“Please, Jackey...”

She looked up at him.

“Don't I deserve a chance to redeem myself?”

Jackey snorted.

“I already forgave you once, Killa.”

His voice was quieter now.

“But then you did the same thing again.”

He pulled his arm slightly.

“That was when I decided to leave you completely.”

The words struck Killa hard. She bit her lip. For once, she couldn't immediately argue back. The accusation had landed too close to the truth. Her grip on Jackey's arm loosened slightly.

But she still couldn't bring herself to let go.

Hyoren, Elise, Jigor, and Vani all stood frozen. Nobody seemed to know what they were supposed to say.

Then—a hand slapped against Killa's wrist with a loud smack.

Killa's eyes widened.

“You.”

Arianna stood behind her. The crimson-haired mage's face was unusually furious. Her voice was pitched slightly higher than usual, and her noble composure was nowhere to be found.

“Stop bothering Jackey already!”

Hyoren's eyes widened slightly. Elise looked at him. He looked back at her. Neither of them had expected this.

Arianna normally called Jackey 'Sir Jackey.' But right now, that formal distance was nowhere to be seen.

“You...”

Arianna's voice was sharp.

“I have been watching you for a while now.”

She glared directly at Killa.

“Jackey is clearly bothered by you. Can't you read the mood already?”

Killa stared at her.

Jackey remained silent. He didn't interfere. It seemed he was leaving this conversation entirely to Arianna. He wasn't sure what to say without worsening the situation.

Killa slowly rubbed her wrist. But instead of backing down, something seemed to return to her expression.

“Lady Arianna...”

She took a breath.

“I know you are a noble, but you are only Jackey's party member.”

Her black eyes narrowed.

“Please do not intrude on his personal problems.”

Arianna's hands tightened around the fabric of her purple robe. For a moment, she said nothing. She took a deep breath.

Hyoren noticed the slight tremble in her fingers.

She's nervous…?

Arianna seemed to gather whatever courage she needed. Then she looked directly into Killa's eyes.

“You...”

Her voice was firm.

“This is my personal problem too.”

Everyone went quiet.

Arianna's expression tightened.

“You bothered my…”

She suddenly stopped. The words seemed to catch in her throat.

Hyoren, Elise, Jigor, Vani, Jackey, and even Killa all waited.

Nobody moved. Arianna took another breath.

Then—she raised her voice.

“You bothered my lover!”

Silence.

Arianna's face flushed. But she didn't stop.

“And this concerns me as well because I lost my virginity to him too!”

The words dropped into the tavern like a bomb.

Everyone's eyes widened.

Jigor froze. Vani's mouth fell slightly open. Elise stared at Arianna in complete disbelief. Killa's black eyes became enormous. Even Jackey, who had been acting completely nonchalant throughout the entire argument, finally went rigid.

Hyoren slowly looked upward. He stared at the ceiling. He had no idea what to say anymore.

After a moment, he could only quietly mutter.

“This is definitely... shuraba…”