Mello and Jabal walked ahead, loudly conversing with each other and Tim, followed by Mark walked behind them, towards a less vibrant area of the town.

“What exactly are you planning, Leon?” asked Mark in a low voice, observing his surroundings. He knew Leon for the past five years and had trained under the same knight. They were kind of good friends; thus, he had a perfect idea of his doings.

Leon would never give someone that much respect if he was not getting something in return. He was up to something with all this drama.

“What? I am just trying to make friends.” Tim responded with a small chuckle. He trusted this squire, because of the memories he had, but was not sure if Mark could help him with his plan.

Mark was assigned by the duke, hence answering only to him. He would help Tim, but won’t do any dirty work for him. It was for him to handle.

“That surely did not look like making friends and what’s with those cringy words anyway? When did you even become the son of that baron? What’s with that fake name and why don't I have a fake name?” Mark had a million questions in his head and the answer was walking beside him.

“Well… It is part of a grand scheme of mine.” Tim winked, and a faint smile appeared on Mark’s face.

“I knew it. You are up to something.”

“Yeah… kind of.” Tim shrugged his shoulders and the curiosity of the squire grew even further.

“Tell me…”

“What?”

“Your grand scheme.”

Tailing Leon had always been Mark’s job and no matter how bad things were he always followed him, as a guard, as a friend. With Leon, his day would never pass insipidly. Something would definitely happen and it was fun to get out of the mess alive.

“You won’t like it.” Tim replied with a smug look in his face. He needed an ally and Mark was perfectly fit for the job but his loyalty lay elsewhere. And if Wilhelm knew about his unconventional plans, then he wouldn't be happy.

“I have seen the worst you know.”

“Yeah but, at the end of the day, you answer to my father and he won’t be happy knowing his son is strangling someone.”

“What?” Mark instantly focused on Leon with a puzzled expression on his face.

“I mean, he never likes my way of doing things and now too, my way is not that legal.” Tim knowingly slipped his tongue to pique Mark’s interest. “If I involve you in this, then it won’t take long for father to find out.”

“What exactly is your plan?” Mark got closer to Leon, as he asked in a more sluggish tone.

“Nothing much, just the usual. Some ruining, killing and saving.” Tim responded in a bored tone.

“Is it risky?”

“Obviously.”

“And how confident are you in your plan?”

“I can bet a thousand guldor.”

“Hmm…” Mark fell silent for a moment, calculating all the possible troubles he was accounting for, but in the end, gave the predetermined answer. “Count me in.”

“Really…” Tim asked with a toothy smirk plastered on his face. He already knew Mark’s response as he too was a man like Leon who risked his life for thrills. They had spent years together, doing batshit crazy things, where Mark always saved Leon’s ass. Thus, the trust was mutual. Tim knew this guy would have his back.

“Yes! And don’t you dare say no.”

“I won’t say no, but what about your vow.”

“Well, I am still a squire and have yet to take any vows.” Mark pulled his triumph card. “And if the duke asks then my answer is the same as usual.”

“I hit you in the face and you fell unconscious.” Tim added, rolling his eyes. “That’s the dumbest shit I have ever heard and you have used it like a million times by now.”

“Still, I have my job and you have that Marquis title. So…” Mark responded with a conceited look in his eyes and Tim chortled.

“Yeah, but why are you going so far for my stupid plan?”

“Life is boring and I have to chase you down the road anyway. So why not have some fun in the process. We live once you know.” Mark answered with a beaming smile. He would break many rules by helping Leon but it was not something new for him. And the duke was also used to it.

“Welcome to the club then.” Tim slowly extended his hand and Mark shook it with secrecy.

“Now, enlighten me with that stupid plan of yours and don’t beat around the bush. You know what I need.”

“Sure! You see that Mello guy.” Tim gestured through his eyes and Mark’s attention shifted. “I want to ruin his life. Give him a taste of his own medicine.”

“Why?”

“For Samuel.”

“Oh.” Mark was perfectly acquainted with the story of Sam as he had met him when he was a knight and now, as a carriage driver. His past described by Leon was always painful to hear and along the way Mark too felt sad for him. “So, what’s next?”

“This guy is acting too oblivious.” Tim just could not believe that the head of the merchant guild had no idea about him arriving. Either he was fooling around or genuinely did not know about their identities. “You know what let me check.”

“Wai--”

“Lord Mello.” Tim called from behind and the merchant turned around.

“Yes!”

“Do you know something about some high Lord, coming to your town?”

“Lord?” Mello looked confused as he looked at Jabal for answers. “Who is coming?”

“You were on a voyage for the past month huh?” Jabal added, clarifying Tim’s every doubt.

“Yes, I just returned and met all of you.”

“Oh. Then you don’t know about that.” Tim flashed a gentle smile, relieving all his qualms.

“But who is coming?” Mello inquired again, getting no answer to his question.

“I heard it is, one of Duke Esper’s advisors.”

“Yeah, yeah!” Jabal pitched in to give more weight to Leon’s words. He perfectly knew both Mello and Leon were planning something. And the best he could do was support every party involved.

“Really. I will have to meet him then, when is he coming?” The merchant asked Jabal and soon they began conversing on that topic ignoring the two men behind them.

“Yeah, you should.” Tim whispered. “Now, the only thing left to do is…”

“Is nothing. You can’t do anything to him. He is one of the richest merchants in the entire empire. Main guild is not that dumb to give him an entire branch.”

Mark was warning Leon to not to be reckless like always. One mistake could ruin everything and if the duke knows, then this entire game would be over for Leon.

“I know that, I just need some…”

“Here we are.”

Mello’s loud words interrupted Tim’s thoughts as he now focused on his surroundings. They now stood in the outskirts of Nortion with a lot less crowd. There were many shops and buildings around them, but most were badly damaged.

And before one particular house, a couple of meters away from them stood four individuals, conversing with a woman.  She was probably in her early twenties and by the look on her face it did not seem like they were doing some normal chit chat.

The four men with weapons strapped on their faces, carried irritated expressions and the woman carried an expression full of fear. The more the men shouted the more she trembled. No words came out of her mouth and the group kept rambling.

“What the hell is this?” Jabal looked at Mello and the man smiled. “I asked, what the hell your people are doing?”

“Nothing!” The merchant’s lips quivered in excitement. “They are reciting the terms of the contract to her, which… she failed to comply.”

“What contract are you talking about?” The town Lord’s face turned even more annoyed. He perfectly understood what was going on here but could do nothing to intervene. But there was a bigger issue at hand.

“Come on. Don’t you remember those personal contracts?”

‘Personal Contract.’ It did not take long for Tim to piece the whole picture together. Personal contracts or rather personal loans were given by these bankers or rich merchants with an outrageous interest rate attached to it, in exchange for something valuable.

For people like that poor lady who had nothing valuable in her possession, selling herself was the only option. This empire allowed slaves and these rich people were just using the law.

She must have taken some loan from this guy and failed to pay back. Now these people were here to take her away as a slave and this moron was having her tonight.

A simple story, which was not liked by Tim at all.

“Nice work, Mello nice work.” Tim spoke in an eerie tone, face devoid of any emotions.

“Don’t you like it Lord, when a woman begs for her life. Don’t you find that exhilarating? Don’t you find that arousing…?” Mello spoke in an enthusiastic tone, licking his lips, without averting his gaze from the scene where one of the men was forcibly pulling the woman’s hair.

She screamed in pain but no one came to rescue. One man entered her home and came out instantly holding a little girl, probably ten years old, in his hands. He soon held her neck tightly and the lady cried again as droplets of tears escaped her eyes.

“No, please… don’t hurt my daughter…” Her voice held the tone of a mother’s desperation, fear, helplessness and the four men laughed as their grip tightened.

The little one cried in pain and that was enough for Mark. “I had enough of this shit!”

With a fierce look on his eyes, he walked towards the four men. Both Jabal and Mello shouted objecting to him but he couldn't care less.

“Hey, hey… where are you going?” The merchant shouted and in return, a villainous smirk appeared on Tim’s face.

“Cocky bastard” Tim shook his head as both Jabal and Mello looked at him. “Tell your men to beat some sense into my guard.”

“Of course!” The old merchant shouted again. “Kick this guy’s ass, you people.” If this was what the lord wanted then who was he to question?

Hearing the word of his employer, one man moved toward Mark, stretching his hands and neck. He felt awfully confident today, until the hell broke loose.

“Get out of my way.” Mark’s voice was cold, as his face was blank. His entirety was burning in rage, after recognizing who that woman was.

“Really?” The man sniggered in amusement. “Did you not learn to mind your own business kind sir?”

“What are you going to do with them?”

“Well… we are gonna fuck the lady hear and take her daughter to the mansion, to fuck her there. That woman really has a nice ass, you…”

Crack!

Before he could complete his words, a solid punch that came out of nowhere hit him, directly in the face. A bone cracking noise rang out, as the man was blasted thirty feet away by the sheer force of the impact.

“What the…”

Both Mello and Jabal blinked twice to confirm what they were seeing Infront of him and Mark stirred forward.