AN: After writing this chapter, I've come to realize I am absolute shit at writing and/or planning action scenes. Woe is me~

*****

The next day was hectic for various reasons. Mainly, that bitch housekeeper, Miss Pellot or whatever, showed up again. The fact she hadn't come by in almost two weeks showed that she truly had intended for her last delivery to kill Nik and Xander.

Fucking bitch.

Qin Rong listened in for a while when she arrived. She was visibly surprised when she saw that not only was Xander alive and well but bursting with energy.

Qin Rong, while not good with kids, was great at keeping himself alive. Adding two more mouths to his plans was nothing!

Her face nearly cracked as she tried to pretend she wasn't shocked by Xander's condition, talking to him much more reverently than before. Qin Rong was curious as to why but couldn't stick around, as he had to be a babysitter.

So he left.

What was said between the child and the adult would remain a mystery for years to come, despite how much of an effect it would have on his fate. At that time, how was he to know?

While that was happening, the mercenary had been tasked with watching over Nik, who refused to stay still. They had decided to keep Nik's sudden recovery a secret as there was no way to explain it without revealing Qin Rong's presence.

Xander had wanted to, sure his father would be happy to hear the news but Qin Rong shot the idea down fast.

"Oi, haven't you been paying any attention?" He snapped, staring down at the child. "That bi-lady wanted you and Xiao Ni dead. I doubt it was something she decided on her own. That means you have unseen enemies."

Xander wilted, knowing Qin Rong was right but disliking it. He knew things were... chaotic back home yet he couldn't help but want to tell his father the good news.

"What should we do then?"

"Obviously, get stronger but hide your talents." Qin Rong stood up, looking over the two boys. "That way, they will stop being concerned about you."

"So it's like a game?" Nik asked, raising his head from his book. He'd only been half-listening, not very interested in this kind of grownup talk. Yet this part sounded fun.

"Yep, the rules are simple. Amass strength while not letting anyone know what you have."

When Qin Rong had said it, he hadn't expected they'd take to it so well. Nik was an easy one. He was a child so there was no way anyone would suspect this kid of being a genius. While his speech still slurred like any child his age, his skills were not to be underestimated.

Not far behind, Xander excelled at most things it seemed. Put a book in front of him once and he could recite it back word for word. It was crazy how smart he was. He'd even taken to copying Qin Rong's morning exercises, jogging in the morning, and properly stretching like he'd done it all his life.

It was crazy!

What the hell was up with these kids?! Weren't they only just hitting the double digits? They should be playing with blocks and struggling to count, not expertly translating books like it was nothing.

Was it just him? Was he the idiot? Or maybe he'd just found himself saddled with two unreasonably genius children?

Ah, what a disastrous fate this poor man was facing.

But at the very least, this meant he didn't have to hold back with them. He had been worried he wouldn't be able to deal with treating kids gently, as he wasn't the type to coddle anyone. If these kids were truly as smart as they seemed, he might not have to baby them.

He was no good at doing that kind of thing anyway.

Yet here he was, watching over a five year old running about the yard, calling out to him. How annoyingly cute this all was.

"Rong-Ge!? Rong-Ge, come play with me!"

"Didn't I tell you not to make so much noise?" He chided, looking fierce as he spoke. Nik barely batted an eye as he ran past. "You're supposed to be in bed, remember?"

Nik was supposed to be pretending to still be in a coma but trying to keep a small child stationary when he wanted to play was impossible, no matter who it was trying to do it. Whether it was a hardened mercenary with hundreds of kills under his belt or a tired parent, there was no stopping this kid.

It's only at times like this that he acts his age. He thought, watching the kid run over to the tree swing he'd made a few days prior. Nik absolutely loved it, demanding to be pushed at all hours of the day.

Time for breakfast? No, push me!

Need to study? No, push me!

Time to go to bed? No, push me!!

The damn kid was obsessed with the thing. Had he not melted when he saw how much fun the two boys had with the swing, Qin Rong would have burnt the damn thing.

Still, seeing the two boys play together, Qin Rong had felt a bit envious, wishing he had someone like that when he was a child. Or even in his adult life. Someone to call a friend. He'd been alone for such a long time, perhaps it was just wishful thinking.

For now, he'd have to settle for these two brats.

Well, since he was on the swing now, perhaps he could get his examination done rather than later. Qin Rong was no doctor but he could at least do a basic check-up. While Nik showed no signs of being affected by the poison, Qin Rong wasn't about to allow himself to get lazy.

So every once in a while, he gave Nik and Xander a check-up. As he was very familiar with how poisons worked, he was good at spotting the signs of ailments.

Xander was easy, as he was very obedient and quiet. The drawback was that he fidgeted a lot when touched and was always flushed in the face. It was annoying when he had to take the child's temperature.

Maybe he was just naturally warm or something.

In truth, the main problem was with Nik. He was obedient and easy to work with so Qin Rong generally didn't mind looking over him. The only major inconvenience was that he was stuck with a very curious child. As Qin Rong did his checkup, a myriad of questions spewed from the toddler's mouth, one after another.

Why do you do that? What does that do? How come this thing does that but not this?

It never fucking ends!

The worse part was when they got stuck in a 'why' loop. It started out simple but after the fifth why, Qin Rong was getting to the end of his patience.

(AN: Anyone whose ever seen that Ed, Edd & Eddy episode with Johnny knows what I'm talking about)

"Oi, if you don't shut it soon, I'm going to knock you out so I can do this in silence." He snapped, wanting to scream. Any more why's and he'd have to explain the origin of the universe or the meaning of life and he was not drunk enough to open that can of worms.

"Can Rong-Ge really do a thing like that?" Nik's eyes gleamed as he thought about all the things Qin Rong had told him about herbs and their effects. His little legs kicked with excitement.

"Would I lie to you?"

Nik shook his head. Qin Rong was a lot of things: vulgar, loud, and maybe a little scary but he wasn't a liar.

"So if I wanted to put someone to sleep, I wouldn't need a spell for it?" He asked, after finishing up his examination. "How cool!"

A spell? Right, this was a world of magic so it stood to reason such a spell would exist. Qin Rong wasn't sure how to feel about that. Even without guns, this world still had a lot of things he had to watch out for.

"Oh yeah, you mentioned something about magic before." The mercenary turned to the toddler, his eyes sharp as they stared down at Nik. "You said I could talk to animals."

"You can."

"No, I can't." 

"Yes, you can."

"No, I tried and it didn't work." Just recalling how embarrassed he felt when he'd been yelling at some random bird like an idiot made him want to scream. Really, what was he thinking?

"It should." He pouted, not liking that he was being doubted. Maybe Rong-Ge just didn't do it right.

"Well, it didn't."

"Maybe you didn't try hard enough?"

"Oi, what makes you think I didn't?"

"Knowing Rong-Ge, you probably didn't." He huffed, staring the older boy down.

"Oi, when did you get so mouthy?" He snapped, to which to child blinked at him.

"When I woke up?"

The words, said with such bluntness yet zero sass, silenced the mercenary for a second. What could he say to that?

"...If I didn't admire the pair on you, I'd probably be madder about that." He grumbled, recalling that he was currently arguing with a toddler. A genius one but a five year nonetheless. "More to the point, I tried to call a bird and it just flew away."

Qin Rong decided to confess the tale, wanting to show this small child that he was, indeed, the wronged party. Yet Nik was having none of that.

"Call it."

Qin Rong frowned. "Now?"

"Yes!"

"How?"

"I don't know just command..." He looked around, spotting a bird on the tree nearby. It watched them impassively. "that one! Call it down to us."

Qin Rong followed his gaze, frowning as he could swear he recognized the thing. Wasn't that the same bird from the other day? No way. Surely most birds just looked alike.

"You want to call out to it?" He watched the child nod, his dark eyes gleaming with excitement. 

Qin Rong didn't share that enthusiasm.

Yet never let it be said he wasn't nice to children. With a heavy sigh, he turned to the tree.

"Oi, Tweety get down here now." He called out, tapping his finger on the table beside him. Watching the bird stare back at him, the mercenary turned to Nik, expecting some repentance for trying to fool him. Yet those dark eyes were aglow with glee, his gaze riveted on the table.

Following his gaze, he saw what captivated the child. The bird, just a bit bigger than his hands, stood right where his finger had been. It stared up at him, waiting for another order.

Qin Rong: ...

Nik: Told you so.

"Are... did you come because I called you?"

[Chirp]

"Bring me that cookie." He pointed to the plant of cookies a few inches away from them. Xander had insisted on trying to bake again. 

They turned out horrible but Nik seemed to like them just fine.

(AN: Nik is very supportive of his brother, even when he fails)

The bird stared at him for a second before flying over to the plate. At first, it tried using its beak but when it found the treat to be too heavy, it instead used it's feet to latch onto it and dragged it over.

As Nik looked on, the picture of smugness, Qin Rong was over the moon.

"Holy shit!" He cried, wanting to scream but holding it in. "I can actually command animals? That is so cool! Does that mean I could have an animal army at my beck and call? I could command bears! Tigers!! Maybe even a muthafucking lion!!!"

The image was painted in his mind: Him with bulging muscles and a half-naked lady by his side as he rode into town on a fucking lion. Maybe even some fire and lightening to show off how awesome he was? How badass would that be?!

Yet here was Nik to burst his bubble.

"I doubt that." The child said, watching Qin Rong's bird fly back onto the high branch. "Faerie's have a limit on how many and what kind of Sodalis' they can command. I've never heard of a faerie with any lions or tigers or bears."

The image, once so clear, shattered as the reality of his situation dawned on him. Was he going to only be stuck with a bird as a companion?

"You seem to know a lot about the subject." He grumbled after a moment to mope. Nik shook his head.

"No, Xander told me about it." The child clarified, sitting beside the older child. "He knows a lot about magic." 

"Oh, that reminds me. You guys have magic too right?"

"Probably. I don't know my element yet."

"Element?" Was he really in some RPG or something?

"En." He nodded, his little legs kicking the air. "Most people have command over a single element. Kids learn what their element is when they turn 7."

So Xiao Ni wouldn't have discovered his own yet.

"What about Xiao Xan?" He asked, suddenly curious. "What's his element."

"I don't know." Nik shrugged.

"How old is he?" He felt a bit bad for not asking before this. There was so much he didn't know about these two despite living with them.

"11."

"He's 11?! Then shouldn't he know already?!"

Again, Nik shrugged. "I used to hear the servants whisper and call him an Asperos."

"Aspe-what?" While the word was simple, Qin Rong felt strange when he tried to say it. Like his body could sense the filth attached to the word.

Or like how one can tell that they are being insulted despite not know the meaning of the word.

"I dunno." Nik shrugged again, looking every part the unconcerned child. All he needed was a mobile phone in hand and he'd complete the picture of a bored child.

Qin Rong didn't press the matter, realizing at Nik had probably heard something he wasn't meant to hear. Considering how they were treated, the mercenary could fill in the blanks.

Xander and Nik were not well-liked by anyone in their household. Not by their father, his wives, or even the staff. They even openly mocked the elder.

If Qin Rong ever got the chance, he'd teach them how to treat others properly. If they lost a few teeth in the process, well who could say how that happened?

***

The bitc-lady didn't leave for a while, staying over a whopping hour longer than the last time. Any longer and she might have fulfilled a 5th of her full workday

The desire to just end her rose in the mercenary but he chose to stamp it down. While he was sure no one would miss her, her disappearance would definitely be noticed. Too bad.

The sun was still pretty high in the air by the time Xander wandered out. Qin Rong was glad that he didn't need to speak, as Nik was eager to regale his brother with the things they'd done in the hour he'd missed.

So many highlights! Truly~

Nik was about to mention the rumors mentioned by the maids but Qin Rong was quick to interject.

"I'm gonna head out." 

Two pairs of dark eyes turned to him, one looking him over quizzingly.

"To hunt?" The elder asked doubtfully. Xander knew the gear his faery took with him and it wasn't this. He only had two knives rather than his usual four.

Qin Rong inwardly gave him point for observation.

"Nope. I need some supplies and I'm planning on snatching them from the market."

"Snatching? You mean, you want to steal them?!"

"What else can I do?" He shot back. "I don't have any money."

"I'll buy it for you."

"Oh," An elegant brow rose, the mercenary now intrigued. "and you have money?"

"Yes, Father left some for us when we were dropped off." Xander proclaimed, running back to the house to retrieve the moment provided to them. It took only a few minutes but Nik, ever the loyal brother, made sure Qin Rong didn't sneak off when the elder was gone.

Damn siblings, looking out for each other. The mercenary inwardly grumbled.

Upon his return, Xander presented their allowance, dozens and dozens of coins that glimmered in the sunlight. Even Qin Rong's bird, which had been watching them indifferently, flew down to peck at the shiny coins.

To say Qin Rong was envious would be an understatement but he hid it well.

"How generous." He grumbled, the sarcasm thick and heavy. If these kids had money, why were they letting him go and hunt every other day? Sure, he suggested it and enjoyed doing it but that didn't mean it shouldn't be mentioned! "But I don't need it. I'm pretty fast on my feet."

He walked past the boys, intending to slip through town and collect some things. While he was fine with being given stuff, he drew the line at money. Debts were nefarious and murky, so he swore that in this life, he'd keep his nose clear of monetary debts.

Those always came with interest. 

"Rong, please!" Xander begged, grabbing Qin Rong's arm. "It's not safe in town and if you get caught, you'll surely die."

"Die?" He couldn't help but chuckle at that. "Isn't that a bit dramatic?"

"No, stealing is punished by the death penalty."

S-seriously?! He'd heard that some countries had draconian laws but to kill someone over theft was... If that was the punishment for stealing, who knew what the penalty was for anything else.

"I see..." He muttered, inwardly spitting blood at the harsh punishments this country doled out. How was he going to make a living if death was looming over him because he snatched a fruit once?

Seeing his friend stop, Xander relaxed a little, slipping his hand into Qin Rong's. Ever the sly boy, the mercenary failed to notice.

"Rong, please let me go with you."

"Why?"

"I want to go with you." He spoke from his heart, wanting to do something with Qin Rong. It was too much to stay cooped up in the house for so long. "I've never been to town and it might be good for us."

"Us?"

"Nik would have to come with us." They obviously couldn't leave the child by himself. While Nik was mature in some ways, he was still five and bound to set the house ablaze if left alone too long.

"Of course, he would." Qin Rong sighed. Nik, this whole time, watched the two older boys, waiting for his turn. 

Yet why did Rong-Ge seem so reluctant?

"Does Rong-Ge no longer like me?" He cried, pouting as he angrily kicked his feet. He'd been good and behaved yet the faery wanted to leave him behind?

"No, I like you just fine." The mercenary was quick to reassure the child, not wanting to deal with a tantrum today. Making smart kids mad was by no means a good idea. Especially when you lived with them.

"And me too, right Rong?" Xander pleaded, clinging to the blunette's arm. 

A flash a pain raced through him but he hid it well, petting Xander's head as he slipped his arm free.

"Ugh, I like you both, okay?" He said, smiling even as the pain faded into a dull ache. "No need to get all sappy about it."

"Yay!" Nik cheering, giving his brother a high five. Neither noticed his flinch, instead celebrating the win against Qin Rong. "This is going to be so much fun!"

"Exactly, so we should get ready," Xander suggested, looking pleased with himself. "or else Rong will leave us behind."

"I won't-"

"He definitely will." Nik interjected, giving Qin Rong a distrustful look. "Rong-Ge is such a meanie at times like this."

The two shared a pout, looking very much their age. It was at times like this when Qin Rong remembered that these two, despite their smarts, were still kids. 

If not for the fact that he was the one watching over them, he might have found it cute. Now he had to go to town with these two in tow.

How troublesome.

***

The town was no different from the last time he slipped in. The streets were noisy and somewhat crowded, making it hard for the three children to walk. Harder still with a child who kept trying to run off every time he saw something interesting.

At his age, everything was interesting.

"Oi, Xiao-Ni!" He shouted for the nth time. "Hold Xiao-Xan's hand properly."

"But I wanna-"

"No buts." He snapped, pointing to Xander as he stared the child down. "Hand. Now"

With a deep pout, the toddler walked over, taking his brother's hand once again. Qianlong sighed, feeling a headache coming on. Over the last few days, he'd come to realize Xander and Nik's personalities fairly well. If Xander was the good boy, Nik was anything but. He was loud and energetic, running through the house like a caffeine addict on a binge. If not for Qin Rong's daily exercise, he'd never be able to keep up with the little guy.

Truly, the only thing that kept Nik stationary was learning new things but in town, that was everything.

Meanwhile, Xander remained where Qin Rong had left him, smiling as he waited for the blunette to come back. To keep them from getting separated, Qin Rong suggested the three of them hold hands, with Xander being their centerpiece.

Qin Rong originally wanted Nik to be in the center but Xander refused, wanting to hold Qin Rong's hand instead. Since the money they would ultimately be using was his, the merc had to allow it.

Yet it would all be worth it as long as his plan went as he hoped. He had all the pieces in place. He'd told the boys his plan, needing them to pull it off. As they approached the market place, he leaned down to whisper to the two boys.

"You remember what I taught you, Xiao-Ni?" He watched the child nod, a smiling blooming where a pout had been previously.

"Uh-huh. Be cute!" His smile turned a few heads, making a few adults fawn over the child as they walked by. Seeing this, Qin Rong felt his confidence grow.

"Exactly! Being cute opens a hell of a lot of doors." He stood, grinning from ear to ear as his plan came together. "It might even get us some discounts."

Ah, he might be able to even get some money for himself too~

Yet Xander chose to be the killjoy.

"Discounts?" He echoed, looking doubtful. "Isn't the prices fixed?"

"Puh-lease, those prices are ridiculous." He pointed to the nearby stall. He could smell the scam this guy was pulling, charging so much for so little. "Let me tell you, there is no such thing as a fixed price. It's an offer. At most, its a suggestion."

"I really feel that it isn't though." He mumbled, following after the two as they approached the stall.

Yet, much to his surprise, Qin Rong was proven right when he went to buy his items. Like some kind of old western, the two squared the lot, eyeing the other to find any weaknesses. 

The shopkeep simply saw a small child, surely someone he could wrangle just a bit more money out of. He had seen how heavy their coin purse was and knew they could afford his inflated prices. Not to mention he was a veteran merchant with over 30 years of experience under his belt.

What could this kid do?

Little did he know the opponent before him wasn't just an ordinary child. He was a mercenary trained in countless fields to make him the most efficient killer in the business. His knowledge of trends rivaled those on Wallstreet or the like.

Moreover, he had lived as a miserly person almost all his life. If there was anyone to never underestimate when it came to angling for discounts, it was a man who never had a lot of money to spend.

Never underestimate a man who survived a week without pay (which was complete bull by the way) on nothing but $15 and an expired coupon.

After the showdown had ended with Qin Rong as the victor, the trio left with a money bag still heavy with coin but an arm full of supplies.

"You... you actually managed to haggle this much?" Xander was still in a state of shock, staring at their haul. "Are you a spirit of frugality rather than a faery?"

"Oi, don't go using big words like that at your age." He grumbled, feeling upset that it took him a minute to recall what that word meant. "I already have to settle with having two genius' showing off. I don't need this too."

"Well, I helped right?" Nik shouted, raising his hand as he jumped in place.

Qin Rong's mood improved instantly, petting the child on the head. "Yes, you did, Xiao-Ni. Good job!"

Seeing the blunette's happy praise of Nik, Xander looked heartbroken.

"E-eh? What about me?"

"Hah! I was useful to Rong -ge!" The younger boy boasted, looking smug. To be praised by Rong-ge, how could he not?

"I-is it because I'm not cute?"

"Short answer: Yeah"

"Eh?!"

For a moment, Nik felt a twinge of pity for his older brother. To be called not cute by someone you like must hurt.

But... he was being praised by the usually hard to impress Rong-ge so his sympathy lasted only a moment.

Qin Rong, ever the ruthless one, just shrugged.

"Facts are facts, dude. Cute sells." He explained, patting the older child on the shoulder. "Used properly, you can rule the world."

That caught Nik's attention.

"So I could rule the world by being cute?" He pressed, grabbing Qin Rong's sleeve. 

"Of course not!" Xander argued, pulling his brother away.

"He's right." The merc nodded, imparting his world knowledge onto these children. Best they learn now rather than later. "There are only two types of people who can pull off the cute act well into adulthood. Pets and women."

The unfortunate fact is that the only ones in life that could sell meng and get people to bow to their whims were those two groups. You had to be completely shameless about it but even the hardest heart will melt for big eyes and soft hair.

Look at Qin Rong. He was currently staring at two children who sold their cute sibling shtick like it was a freebie. Looking at the two boys, how could one's heart not melt at how adorable they were.

But Qin Rong stayed strong, determined not to yield under their power.

***

Their shopping trip was a resounding success, with them haggling their way to a bag full of herbs and oils. While the two boys were clueless about what they'd bought, seeing their faery looking over their spoils with such satisfaction made them content to stay.

"So is that everything?" Xander asked, watching Qin Rong circle their bounty for the nth time. He was very wary about their stuff being snatched and chose to check whenever he could.

"Let me check." He pulled out his list, letting Xander watch their stuff to keep pickpockets from snatching it.

Qin Rong knew that most of the stuff on his list was fairly common to find. While it was a hassle for one person to pick the items, as the areas in which they grew was filled with monsters, the market was practically flooded with the items.

Yet he couldn't find this one thing.

"I want to go find some Kulin Grass before we head back." He grumbled, knowing that none of the stalls they'd visited had any.

"Ah, one of the nice ladies mentioned spotting some on the other side of the market." Xander pointed out, taking Qin Rong's hand. "Should we go there now?"

The mercenary had long since grown used to holding hands, so he didn't react to the touch. This made Xander happy, even as the faery's mind went elsewhere.

"Probably," He nodded, looking back to their supplies. "but first, we need to secure our spoils."

"How about a cart?" 

"Can we afford that?" Qin Rong asked before recalling who had done the shopping. Of course, they could afford it. It had been him shopping. They might as well have not shopped at all with how much they saved. "I mean, could you even secure on at your age?"

"Don't worry." Xander assured, happy to be able to help at long last. "As long as you have money, they'll take anyone."

"Fine, you and Xiao-Ni get a carriage while I get the grass."

Xander frowned. "By yourself?"

"It'll be quicker this way and by the time you secure a cart, I'll be back." Qin Rong moved to walk away, his hand slipping from Xander's. With a panic, Xander gripped him tighter.

"But... Ah, what about Nik?"

"What about him?"

"He might try and run off if I turn my back on him." He pressed, frowning deeply. He worried that the faery would disappear if he went alone.

Perhaps it was just him being childish but he refused to let Qin Rong go alone.

"Just hold his hand." He countered.

"And hold the groceries?"

"...Fine." The blunette grumbled, conceding. "I'll take him, you take the groceries."

Xander beamed, nodding happily. 

"Deal." Xander pushed Nik into Qin Rong's arms, his nerves settling as he watched the two walk away. He called out. "Don't get into any trouble, okay?"

"Eh?" Qin Rong turned to protest boy but found that Xander had already left. Boy was fast when he wanted to be. This left him to grumble to himself. "Who's the kid here?" 

"Who isn't?" Nik retorted, confused by the question.

"...Whatever." He grumbled, taking Nik's hand as he ran. 

***

Navigating the city with two children was hard but doing it with only one was somehow harder. Especially when said child had such short legs and couldn't keep up.

Yet bless him, the little bun tried his best.

"I'm not tired." He panted, his response the same after the fifth time Qin Rong offered to take a break. He was all for determination but a child is still a child. It was only after he offered to carry the boy on his back that they managed to get moving.

Nik was a heavy kid, with five years worth of fat in him but Qin Rong just thought of it as training, his main goal forefront in his mind. He told them he wanted to buy stuff for them but that was only half true. While he liked Nik and Xander, his main goal had been to look into something on his own. He'd been putting it off for days now and it was getting harder to manage.

Since he escaped from that dungeon, his body had felt strange. It wasn't malnutrition or even some form of poison. From what he'd read up on, it wasn't anything natural. It started with a pain in his neck, like a noose tightening around his neck every once in a while. Like a leash.

Then black spots began to form all over his body. It wasn't painful unless touched by another person or himself. He'd been lucky he could hide it from the boys but it was starting to travel down his arms and he wasn't sure he could let it get any further.

The pain got worse as the marks spread and if he didn't do something, he might not be able to push past the pain and move. He had been hoping to see if there was anyone who knew anything about it but had been forced to take the boys with him.

Even now, he felt the marks creep over his skin, scratching against his muscles leaving him restless.

"Rong-Ge?" Nik brought him out of his thoughts, surprising Qin Rong. The child was staring up at him, frowning.

"It's nothing." Qin Rong assured, smiling as he stroked the child's head. "Let get going, kay?

Yet just as they were about to leave, someone blocked their path. Qin Rong felt his neck itch even before he looked up.

It couldn't be. His luck wasn't that bad.

"See, I told ya he had wandered back into town." An unfamiliar man said, turning to his companion. "So how about my pay, your lordship?"

The first man, dirty and aging badly, was a stranger to Qin Rong yet his body shuddered at the sight of him. While he might not know this person, the original's body sure did and was terrified. The mercenary was stuck, his body refusing to move even as he struggled to do so.

His body felt like stone, his blood cemented in place. Yet the spell was broken by the words spoke by the second man.

"You will get your pay when the fae is in my custody." Smooth even tones radiated from that man, easing some deep part of his body. The man - no, elf- turned to Qin Rong with a strange look. "Not a moment sooner."

Yet that voice, he definitely knew it.

He'd run from it when he'd first arrived, hearing it echoing in his dreams. The dirty man was one of his captors. From the looks of him, things weren't going well for him. Yet why was he with this weird elf guy?

If he wasn't wrong, this was that Fenral guy who'd chased after him when he was in town before. What was the connection between these two? Were they partners? If so, why were they fixated on him?

"Rong-Ge?"

Qin Rong flinched, having forgotten Nik was there with him. If it was just him, he might have tried to get some information from the two but with Nik here, it wasn't an option. Darn.

He'd interrogate these guys later.

"On three, we run. So hold on tight" He muttered to Nik in mandarin, hoping he understood. The child said nothing, though his hand clenched his shoulder in what might have been understanding.

The elf noticed this yet seemed to misunderstand. "There's no need for any incantations now, little one." He assured, taking a step forward. Qin Rong took a step back.

"One."

"I know things seem strange but I assure you, there's no need to be worried." The elf continued on.

"Two."

"If you would just stop running away, I wouldn't have to go-"

"Three!" The mercenary turned and ran, leaving the two men in shock for a moment. The captor reacted much faster than the elf, shouting after him as he followed in pursuit.

On one hand, Qin Rong was short and carrying a child on his back, making him slower than a full-grown adult. On the other, Qin Rong had been training his body and knew how to take advantage of what little strengths he had.

Like how small he was.

While he hadn't been in the city for a while, the mercenary had familiarized himself with the area enough to know just where he could fit where others couldn't. Nik, being the obedient child he was, followed his commands when he told him to go ahead of him.

"R-Rong-Ge, what about-"

"I'll be right behind you. So hurry up." He ordered, turning his back to the small opening he'd pushed the child through. He waited a second, considering using this opportunity to interrogate that man alone. If he hid and did a surprise attack, it wouldn't matter how small a body he had.

Yet he chose to follow behind Nik instead, recalling that he was vulnerable and by himself. If they caught Nik, what could he do?

He absolutely couldn't risk the kid's life just for a few questions.

His decision turned out to be correct, as the captor entered the alleyway they'd slipped in with quite a few more people than before. Apparently, his captor had brought a few friends. That complicated things.

On the other side, Nik was near tears, a strange mix of fear and relief on his face when he saw Qin Rong emerge. 

"Rong-Ge!"

"We've got to get to the woods." The mercenary dragged the child behind him, half carrying him as they run. "It'll be easier to lose them and we can meet up with Xiao-Xan."

"But how will we find him?"

"Leave that to me." He assured, though he honestly had no clue how.

***

Xander had had quite a hard time getting a cart. While his money should have made things easy, the driver was reluctant to accept it after seeing his skin.

He had hoped having the money would make the man reluctant to speak his mind about his opinion on Luze people but no such luck. How untrustworthy and sneaky they were. 

How dirty they were.

Xander had heard this all before, whispers about it whenever he and his mother were walking around the palace. His mother had held her head high, ignoring the sneers and telling him not to let the barbed words stick to him.

That they were a proud and noble people that were just as worthy as anyone else.

He'd tried back then yet still found himself scrubbing at his skin for hours, hoping to get the 'filth' off. He had wanted to be like his mother and take pride in his features yet those words cut deep.

This time, however, when those words were said, the pain was so much less than before. He only had to think about Qin Rong and him complimenting their looks.

Hair like ebony and skin like caramel, he had said, petting the two. 

The faery, as lovely as a painting, thought they looked good. That their features were comforting and preferable to the standard Necronese look.

Perhaps this was what his mother had felt when she was facing those hurtful words. They stung still but she felt assured in her heart that she was beautiful. If not in her own eyes, then in the eyes of another.

Sometimes, that was enough.

Feeling a bit proud of himself, Xander packed up their supplies and took hold of the reins in front of him. The man ended up selling the cart and mount to him, not wanting anything touched by a Luze.

Had Qin Rong been there, choice words would have been said in response but Xander wasn't like that and could only mutter them in his heart. Instead, he directed the carriage out of town, lurking in the woods like they'd agreed to.

Yet to his surprise, there was no one around. His attempt at haggling had taken longer than expected, so he was sure the two would be back by now.

Where were they?

Just as he was considering heading back into town, he heard a loud chirping sound from above him. A small bird was flying overhead, making a lot of noise. Before he could even ponder the matter, he heard someone burst from the bushes.

"Nik?!" Xander jumped down, catching the exhausted child and carrying him to the cart. The chirping bird stopped, landing beside the child meekly. "Nik, what are you doing alone? Where's Rong?"

Yet the child was too tired, quickly falling asleep once he was off his feet. Frustrated but worried, Xander looked over his brother, finding no injuries or blood. So he wasn't injured but why was he alone?

"Rong..." Xander felt his chest tighten, fear that his friend might be in danger somewhere. But what could he-

[Chirp]

The child turned to the bird, frowning as it seemed to be waiting for something. Could it be? He had heard about Sodalis' yet it couldn't be, right?

"Did Rong send you here?"

[Chirp]

Perhaps it was naive to hope but Xander felt that the bird understood him at that moment.

"Can you lead me to Rong?"

[Chirp~] The bird lifted into the air, flying away. Xander covered Nik up, making sure he and the cart were generally hidden as he raced after the bird. He wasn't sure what he planned on doing when he got there but he absolutely refused to let Rong be alone. They had made a promise.

Elsewhere, Qin Rong was struggling to catch his breath. He had hoped sending Nik away would make losing his pursuers easier. It hadn't. Strangely, they kept finding him, even after falling for his misdirections. Somehow, they were tracking him yet he had no idea how.

To make matters worse, the marks were getting worse. They burned and clawed at his insides much more harshly than ever before. He had suspected the two matters were connected but he was too weakened to try and stage an ambush.

It was too bad though. These guys were idiots, splitting up and leaving their backs open. If Qin Rong was at full strength, he could have taken them out one by one even with this small body. It would have been great to get his blood pumping like that but now he was stuck as the prey.

The mercenary was hiding in a tree, watching the men search for him. There were a lot more men than before, all of them looking like they had seen better days.

He briefly wondered how these vagrants even met that high and might elf guy in the first place. From the whispers he heard, Fenral was some kind of nobleman, revered for whatever reason. Why would he associate with guys like this?

More questions to be added to his ever-growing list of 'wtf' matters. Yet they'd have to wait for when he wasn't in so much pain.

Once the men moved on, Qin Rong began to descend the tree. Now that they were behind him, maybe he could finally get far enough away not to be tracked. Yet luck was not one his side as, less than a quarter of the way down, pain surged through him weakening his grip.

He fell.

In an effort to save himself, the mercenary spun himself around to catch himself. It would still hurt but slightly less so. Yet after waiting a moment, there was no pain. Peeking, he found himself hovering above the ground. Before he could even question it, he hit the ground, coughing up some dirt.

While his arms and chest hurt from the impact, there was a strange itchiness on his back. He felt some... flutter? Reaching back, his fingers brushed against something that sent shivers through his body.

Were those... wings?!

"What the fuck is going on!?" He muttered, marveling at the sight. Why did he have wings? Could he fly with them? Were they the reason he hadn't hurt himself when he fell?

All these questions would remain a mystery as the reality of his situation came crashing back. Those lovely pale blue wings were ruthlessly grabbed, sending waves of agony through Qin Rong.

"End of the line, kid." A gravely voice mocked, holding the mercenary in the air by his wings. One of the men chasing his had fallen behind and spotted him when he unfurled his wings. It a beautiful sight but greed overcame the man's awe as he saw his chance.

Just think of how valuable a pair of faery wings could be!

Qin Rong cursed, struggling to escape. Damn this tiny body. Even with all his training, his kicks amounted to a mere breeze when faced with an adult. Yet he refused to cry out, fearful he'd attract the others.

It was hard too, as he felt those delicate wings struggle to hold his weight. Fairy wings were sheer and light, meant to carry a fae through the air with the help of magic and training. They were never meant to be touched or grabbed so the mercenary felt them stretch with every kick he tried to deliver.

But he couldn't stop. If he stopped, he'd be imprisoned and probably never escape again. He wouldn't get a chance to do all the things he wanted to do in this life. To avenge his body's original owner and grant his wish.

He'd be damned if-

The wings tore and Qin Rong screamed.

The pain was all-consuming, leaving the fairy writhing on the floor as the remains of his wings faded like mist. 

The man scowled, wanting to beat the child for ruining his plans. Fae wings were something most nobles wanted for their collection yet all his fighting had made them tear. Not to mention the noise!

The mercenary felt his consciousness fade, his brain unable to handle the levels of pain it was receiving. Distantly, he thought he heard someone calling out to him but surely not. There weren't any people he knew who would come to his rescue.

He was a killer. He as antisocial at best. Why would they come back for him?

As his vision darkened, he imagined he could hear the heavy rain that had been drenching him to the bones before his death. Someone was... standing nearby? Whose feet were they? Who shot him in the back?

Why was there a kid calling out to him?

Everything went dark.

***

Ailred Fenral sighed, letting his carriage jostle him about as they rode along. Had it not been Salgut driving, he might have made some complaint about it.

"Dearest, have we arrived yet?" He called out for the nth time. He had chosen to leave the pursuit to the humans but it was taking much too long. Surely catching one faery wasn't that hard.

What one person can't do, surely a dozen should be able to, right?

"Not... really." Salgut replied, sounding annoyed as he came to a stop. Then again, he usually did but it was that trait that Ailred liked so much. "I don't think we'll be getting any further than this."

"How come-" He had been about to ask but upon peeking out the window, he found his answer.

Only a short distance from them, the once lush green forest had been frozen. Spires of ice and snow covered the area, bringing a subtle chill to the air.

They were definitely not getting any further.

"What the heck is all this?" The dwarf groused, rubbing his thick arms at the chill. The elf offered his cloak, which swallowed the dwarf in fabric.

"Ice magic, it would seem." Ailred walked close, reaching out to touch some of the icicles. It stung his skin with its chill. "A strong one too."

"But there shouldn't be any mages this powerful in the area." His companion argued. "Surely someone would have reported it." 

This area was as rural as could be. There was no reason for anyone high ranking to even sniff in this area, let alone show up. It was because of this that Fenral's arrival had been met with so much excitement.

"Perhaps it's an unregistered user."

"How troublesome." He grumbled back, looking even more annoyed. Fenral chuckled, stroking his partner's cheek.

"Indeed. I doubt our men are alive in there." If the chill was this heavy just outside the area, the epicenter might very well be a tundra.

"Pah, they were just some low lives." Salgut snorted. "No loss to the world."

"Indeed but I really wanted to get my hands on that faery." He sighed, turning back to his carriage. "If we don't, I'm worried it'll die on its own."

*****

Extra:

Qin Rong is actually very good at cooking. His life made it essential for him to know how to cook, purely just for survival. Yet as he grew older, he came to like cooking, finding fun, and cool means of making delicious food. He regrets he had no one to share his food with.

In another life, he would have gone on to become a chef.