War meeting was held in Baron's house. Knights were assigned into small teams consist of 5 persons. Team leaders were assembled. Sora, Aura, Ripine, Lily and  Colette turned up.

Contrary to usual charismatic demeanor, Scarlet had been quiet.

"Our finding informed us that the Goldonia were broken into small groups to attack villages." Demia explained.

Demia instructed 10 groups or 50 persons to go to each village as there were 20 villages along the mountain pass, governed by 8 barons. Although each baron had personal troops, their numbers and strength varied while knights had standard strength. Sending equal number of knights to each village provide assurance. 

Adine and his girls were sent to the same place as princess and Demia.

After the war meeting finished, Demia confronted Scarlet.

"Your highness, what wrong with you? You are not yourself today."

"Don't talk about unnecessary things now. We must quickly go."

****

Dora was the most populous village at the border. We followed the princess' 50 persons to establish base there.

The usually confident princess was acting awkward around the dark elves. The yellow haired stuck up girl, Demia nonetheless remained bossy and talkative.

We set up camp just inside the village. 2 days passed without incidents so on the second day, we started patroling small river and forest nearby. 

One day, I was taking water from a river, an unknown cheerful voice called from behind.

"Found you! There you are, of all places." 

I turned to the source of that voice. A girl with striking orange hair were walking cheerfully towards me. Her orange hair were in bunches to her left and right, each was secured at the top with large orange ribbon. Another unique thing was her hair was long until reaching over her butt. Her eyes were orange and her attire was grey and orange.

Her dress had frills and looked like dress usually worn by noble ladies, but her skirt was very short, probably for easing her movement. The lean muscle on her exposed thighs hinted that she had done a lot of running.

On her left and right waist, there were two short swords. She wore orange gloves. Her face was cute and looked playful. Her breasts were not very large but still above average in size, gave off sexy vibe. Why there was such hot and classy girl here.

"I'm glad you're safe. Where have you been for the whole week?" She asked nonchalantly.

I was speechless, not only because her sudden appearance but of she was alluring. 

She approached me, bent a little, and she stared at my helmet.

"Mr Jeff?" She uttered an unknown name.

"Um. I think you have the wrong person." 

"I am Adine, a mercenary and..." She furrowed her eyebrows cutely like not believing my words.

She interrupted and pointed her finger index finger to me,

"Ooo..did you hit your head in a fight, and lose your memory or something?" 

I tried to say but she put her hands on both shoulders.

"Oh, I know you must have been tricked by a bad woman, and ran away from home. This happens all time."

"Who are you?" A gentle but stuck up female voice came from behind her. She was Scarlet.

"Oooooooo!" The orange girl yelled and ran girlishly to Scarlet. 

"It's the girl. She must have tricked you and ...."

Scarlet had a cute clueless expression on her face. 

"Eeee... She is so cute !" The orange girl yelled while putting her palms on her cheeks in girlish way.

Scarlet's mouth turned to cute 'O' shape.

Her face then went close to the princess, then looked back at me.

"I really understand how you feel."

She really got us into her pace.

"This silver hair beauty makes me feel like it's fine to let her trick me." 

"Princess, let's go." The yellow haired Demia arrived. The cheerful girl was surprised and seemed like to ponder about something.

After a while, she looked at me and asked,

"So, you are not Jeff?"

"That's what I have been trying to tell you." I answered.

She scratched her head and sticked out her tongue a little in a cute manner.

"So, I was mistaken. I am sorry. I tend to get carried away by my imagination." 

Her hands grabbed Scarlet's right hand.

"I am sorry I assume you a bad woman "

"Bad woman?" Demia was confused.

"I am Adine. This cute girl is Scarlet and this hot girl is Demia." My introduction caused the girls to stare at me weirdly. 

"I am Reina. I was hired by this village last week to find a missing guard stationed by baron."

She then looked at the Demia and Scarlet, "You called her princess, just now, right?"

Demia said, "Watch your mouth, she is Scarlet Treia, the ruler of this country." 

The usually playful Reina looked very surprised and knelt down in front of Scarlet.

"Please forgive your lowly subject for my ride be behaviour."

"It's fine, Demia. Please raise up. I am interested in your missing man issue "

Reina stood up.

"Princess, dodged!" Demia sensed a bloodlust from Reina but Reina's was too quick.

Reina threw a dagger past Scarlet.

"Damn, what do you..." Demia shouted and Scarlet was frozen like a statue.

Reina walked past them to a tree behind Scarlet. Her dagger stabbed a snake onto the tree. She pulled out her dagger.

"Please forgive me for my unwarned action."

Demia and Scarlet were impressed by Reina's agility.

"Who are you?" Demia interrogated her immediately.

Reina smiled.

"I am a mercenary. I work for money. I love treasures."

"Pay is the only thing concerns me. Of course, if you want to hire me, that would be fine too." Her eyes were glancing to Scarlet.

I quietly took out 20 gold coins from my dimension, walked to her. I showed the coins on my palm.

"Aaaaaa. Don't tell me... Such genuine. So much money..." She was breathing hard while checking the gold coins.

"Take this money and follow me." I told her and Demia stared at me furiously but Scarlet glanced at Demia, shook her head, hinting her to let me do whatever I want.

Reina hugged my armour covered body. My instinct told me she was still a virgin.

"You can count on me!" Reina then felt the gold on her cheek happily.

As we were walking Reina was telling story about missing troops. The lord who governed this village had troops protecting this area. But last 2 weeks, several of them had gone missing. 

"Reina!" Several small boys suddenly came out of the bush and ran towards her. They surrounded Reina, one of them even hugged her leg.

"What are you boys doing here? This place is dangerous!"

"No more playing. I am doing a job now!"

They ran away towards the village.

Reina teased, " That boy is my little lover. My big lover is ..." Reina hugged me again. I returned her embrace. Scarlet was blushing and Demia gave us a sharp gaze.

We were walking while Reina was hugging me and my left hand hugging her. As Reina was just half my height, her head leaned onto below my chest.

"5 soldiers were already missing. What's going on?" Reina said.

"Not even clue left behind?" Reina shook her head at Demia's question.

"Are the Goldonia behind this?" Scarlet pondered.

"Reina, any lead?" I asked.

"If I had any, I won't be so stuck."

Suddenly, my ears captured sound of wind blowing into cave tunnel. I had spent long time in that dungeon so I was very sure of this. 

"I heard something." I warned them.

I walked to the source of that sound. Demia walked past me quickly.

Suddenly, the ground beneath her feet collapsed. Scarlet managed to grab her hand in time but her weight was beyond Scarlet's arm strength. Both girls fell into a hole. I immediately carried Reina and jumped.

As I weight a lot more, I reached the ground faster. I covered the girls with body so they wouldn't hit the hard ground.

"Are you fine?" The girls held me.

I just showed hand signal hinting I was fine.

"I don't imagine the could be such a hole on there." Reina said while cleaning soil on her butt.

"If the sound of wind I heard came from here, there should be path deeper inside."

"We should stay put until our eyes get used to the darkness." Demia advised while her left hand was holding Scarlet's right hand.

I just walked confidently because my night vision was automatically activated. 

"Follow me. I can see." 

"What are you.." Demia asked but Reina stopped her.

"Don't nitpick the details. It's stupid to stay here until night."

I correctly guided the girls into the tunnels. 

"You had strong arm. Your body is fine even after falling from high place. You even can see in the darkness." Reina closed in to me.

"You have.... Secret power?" She grinned. This girl's instinct is something else.

"Tell me in details. Or..." Her hands moved to my neck.

"Oi... What are you doing?" Demia asked but I gave her hand signal to let Reina do as she pleased.

"Or I'll either strangle or kiss you..." 

"Let me warn you. I am a very dangerous man."

"Dangerous? Nice. I welcome that."

Her voice could be heard by the other two girls.

"I might not look like one but I was a Viscount's daughter. After my father died, my older brother inherited the title. My brothers kept me in their mansion. The expectation was that one day I'll marry another noble for political gain."

Her story caused the other girls frozen not knowing what to do.

"They forced into me that expectation every day. It was suffocating, and I suffered every day. But one day I realized there was more than one future." 

She actually kissed my helmet and continue,

"I got to decide. Although I am broke, now I live free, and I am happy everyday."

She then distanced herself from me and walked forward. 

"Tiiing.." Her feet hit something metallic. 

We inspected. There was a boot. 

"Let's go deeper."

"Yes."

After walking hundreds of meters, we reached place where there were mutilated corpses. 

"Those were the missing men." Reina checked.

Several door steps were heard. We looked around.

10 well equipped men were surrounding us. They drew weapons immediately.

"No way. The Empire." Demia muttered.

"But we did see men in Goldonian uniform before." Scarlet said and drew her longsword.

"Women. Nice."

"Never thought Goldonia would bring girls to invade another country."

"What should we do? Goldonia is Empire's enemy too. Should we kill them?"

"Don't be stupid. Kill the Goldonian man and keep the girls alive."

"Goldonia girls. Let us Empire show you how fun we can be."

"Idiot. Looks properly. That's no Goldonia. That yellow haired girl don knight legion armour."

"What? Treia?" 

"Treia is risky. This is their turf. More soldiers could be coming here!"

The girls and I looked at each other.

"So, it's true. They are actually from empire."

"Duke Cheney man actually engaged empire men last year at this territories."

I swung my giant sword to the attacking men with full power. 2 men were slashed and died. The remaining ones immediately understood my attack pattern. They distanced themselves from me and stood at four different directions from me.

They seemed to target me from the beginning. 

Sound of sword clashes echoed in the cave like structure. 

"Damn. These chicks are damn strong!" 

Two men were fighting each of the girls while Reina stood behind Scarlet.

"Sorry, princess. I am very bad at one on one duel." Reina said.

The men attacked me. I swung my sword but they easily evaded and hit me.

"Tang. Tang. Ting." 

They were faster and numerous than me but I still had my whole body covered by armour.

A man jumped and pushed me down. He sat on my chest and was looking for an opening on my helmet to stab.

As the view was dark, they couldn't see my action. I took this chance to take a dagger from my dimension and stabbed his neck.

"What! Where that thing came from?" 

As they were astonished, I swung my sword to cut leg of nearest enemy.

Two men were killed. Another two leaped backward.

I swung and swung my large sword. They easily evaded but as time passed, they were horrified as my attacks still maintain its speed and power.

"This monster doesn't get tired." A man complained. 

I noticed Reina's eyes were always locked on to me and she was in awe. 

A man jumped onto me but he was stabbed by a dagger thrown by Reina. I took the chance and slashed his body.

Ignoring the final man, I approached Scarlet were fighting evenly with two men. 

"I am coming over there!" Hearing my voice, the men's attention was distracted. Scarlet thrusted her sword into a man's chest. 

"Tang..." A loud sound as a sword hit my back. 

The man who I left behind attacked my back. He attacked again.

I ignored him and swinging my sword to her opponent. Scarlet thrusted into his neck.

The one behind me was flabbergasted before I made a 360 degree swing from from to back.

Demia killed an enemy. The last one flee. 

"Finally, all is settled." Reina said while doing a victory pose.

"Someone was observing us." I warned the girls as I  sensed a presence. 

The fleeing man stopped at the silhouette of 3 persons. 

There were 4 enemies.

"Wait. I feel bad about them, no about one of them." Reina for the first time since I met, said with trembled voice.