Date- 1 April 2321
Time- 20:35
Location- Sky Blossom City, Guild Association Mall, Warehouse no.234.
“Great, then let us commence the operation,” Aba announced enthusiastically. Her long last dream of a mercenary mission was finally going to come true she couldn’t be giddier.
“Oye, hold your horses missy. Did you forget you’re my hostage? Why would you forget that? Was I being too nice?” Anna pulled Aba back to reality.
“Anna, this is my mercenary group’s first mission. I have to be there. Please let me go, after the mission is completed. I will return. Pretty please.” Aba pleaded to Anna. Nobody knew what she was thinking by pleading to Anna. Did she think pleading would work in this situation against Anna?
“Sure, while I am at it I will take pictures of you at the mission to make a montage of your first mission as the leader of the wolf fang mercenary group,” Anna spoke sarcastically.
“Thank you, that would be great. No offense but could you hire a professional for that.” Aba took Anna’s sarcasm literally. Excited for her mercenary group’s first mission she wasn’t thinking straight.
“Yes, I will hire a professional to engrave your tombstone which will read ‘too stupid to understand sarcasm.’ that should sum up the reason for your death,” said Anna sternly.
“…” Hearing Anna’s threat, Aba finally snapped out of her daydreams about the mission and returned to the harsh reality. It didn’t take long for the feeling of helplessness to dawn on Aba as she looked at Anna.
“That’s more like it.” Anna asserted, looking at the helpless Aba.
“Aba, I have sent the contact information of my people to your grimoire. They will fill your people on the location where the enemy is holding my cousin hostage. Don’t forget to remind your people to cooperate with the city police.” Though it was saddening to look at heartbroken Aba the world has to keep revolving.
“Okay” Aba replied with a lifeless voice. I felt pity for Aba. After all, this has been her dream since her childhood. Now because of some silly mistake, she had to miss out on it. It was impressive that Aba was not blaming Anna like most spoiled kids in her situation would do.
“…” Aba’s reply wasn’t detailed. ‘Okay, what?’ Girl, give me the details of the mission so I can have the city police ready to cooperate with your people. Just when I was contemplating how to get the heartbroken Aba to give me more details I received a text message to my grimoire and the sender was none other than Agatha.
[You have received a message from Agatha.
Read/Ignore/Delete/Reply]
‘Read’ I mentally read the text message.
[Master Wyatt, please convince her highness Anna to let Aba participate in the Mission. I promise that she and I will not try to escape and return to the southern emperor’s custody once the mission is completed. In return, I promise to kill all those that held your Cousin hostage.]
Reading the text message I couldn’t help but scoff thinking, ‘Righteous group my ass.’
Agatha offered to kill all the people holding Ronnie hostage in return for me convincing Anna to let Aba participate in the mercenary group mission. Now that was rich. These hypocrites.
But this wasn’t enough as Agatha would only be killing the card apprentice holding Ronnie hostage, not the Butcher Bob himself. While I will be convincing Anna to let Aba participate in the mission at the risk of her escaping. The stakes here weren’t equal. Therefore, I wrote back to Agatha.
[Ms. Agatha, you overestimate me. I am but an orphan high schoolboy. I can barely control where my own life is headed. The inflation in prices has made living very hard, I can barely survive let alone help others.]
‘And send,’ I hope this message successfully conveys my intentions to Agatha.
“Anna, what will it take for you to let me participate in the mission?” Though helpless, Aba didn’t give up she tried to negotiate with Anna. How do you negotiate with someone who has more wealth and power than you? Now that was tricky. Finding what the opposite party wants is the key. Whether Aba was smart enough to implement it was the million-dollar question.
“There is nothing you can offer to me, little girl. Hm…You can get your father to compensate for the loss early. That way you are free to do whatever you want.” Anna claimed compensation for Aba and Agatha’s stunt earlier but everyone here knew that she was holding them hostage for a ransom.
“What if I agree to wear those vulgar costumes of yours?” Aba bargained. She was willing to get embarrassed to participate in her dream.
“You, I am bored of your body. It isn’t curvy enough. It isn’t fun anymore.” Anna spoke, this could be considered as her body-shaming Aba.
“You!” Aba didn’t explode at Anna’s taunt, that was progress or Aba tolerating Anna’s remark for the sake of her dream.
“What?” Anna had no intention of negotiating with Aba. She was playing with her.
“…” I ignored Anna and Aba and read the second text message sent by Agatha.
[Master Wyatt, Name your price.]
Agatha’s text message was short but to the point. It was good to know that my message had reached her loud and clear.
[Butcher Bob’s head.]
I too kept my text message to Agatha short to ensure my intention was clear to her. I wanted Butcher Bob’s head, nothing less.
[Not possible. Butcher Bob is a high-profile figure in the southern region with numerous friends in high places. Killing him will alert the authorities of the southern region. And my involvement in Butcher Bob’s assassination will strain the relationship between the Demigod Windsor and the Southern Region. Ask something reasonable.]
I wasn’t satisfied with Agatha’s reply. But what she said was reasonable. Butcher Bob was a high-profile figure who was a huge source of tax revenue for the southern region. Assassinating him will only make me more enemies. But what do I ask of Agatha in return for my help, I didn’t lack money or resources. Anna took care of all that.
..
