The moon hung high in the sky by the time we were far enough from the capital, the soft crunch of boots against dirt and gravel the only sound in the crisp night air. A gentle, chilly breeze brushed against us as we made camp in a clearing just off the main road leading toward the Azerlisia Mountains.
With the tents set up and a roaring fire built, the group relaxed. The fire cast dancing shadows on the trees, and the smell of cooking meat filled the air.
Solution handed me a plate, her usual smile in place. Clementine, meanwhile, was sprawled out lazily near the fire, casually tossing a knife up and down in one hand. Blue Rose sat on the other side, clustered close, with Gagaran being the loudest among them, naturally. Evileye sat slightly apart from her group, her masked face turned toward the flames in silent thought.
The food was good — simple, but filling. As we ate, a comfortable silence fell over the camp, broken only by the occasional crackle of the firewood.
Feeling a little curious, I looked toward Lakyus. "So," I began casually, "how did all of you end up forming a party together?"
They blinked at me, surprised by the question. In the anime, there was never much of an explanation about how Blue Rose had come to be. Now that I was traveling with them, it seemed like a good chance to find out.
Gagaran leaned back and laughed, the sound booming across the camp.
"Hah! You're the first guy to ask that in a long time," she said, grinning.
Lakyus smiled warmly, clearly remembering better days. "Well, I suppose it's not really a secret. It all started when Gagaran and I were both just Gold-ranked adventurers. We kept running into each other on different quests."
"Kept stealing jobs from each other, you mean," Gagaran interrupted with a grin.
Lakyus chuckled and nodded. "Yes, something like that. Eventually, we decided it was better to work together than to keep competing."
Tina spoke next. "We were a package deal."
Tia added, "You don't get one without the other."
The assassin twins had identical smirks, though Tina's was a touch softer.
"We were contacted through... mutual acquaintances," Tina said vaguely.
"People who thought our skills could help," Tia added.
I didn't press, but it wasn't hard to guess. Probably some noble or adventurer guild contact pulled strings.
"And Evileye?" I asked, though I already had a theory.
Lakyus glanced over at the masked figure, who hadn't said much since we left the capital. "She joined a little later. We were struggling against some powerful enemies, and a mutual acquaintance introduced us."
I nodded to myself. So it was Rigrit, then. That old witch probably saw the potential in Lakyus' group and nudged Evileye in their direction.
Rigrit's influence ran deeper than most people thought. She wasn't called the "Thousand-mile Astrologer" for nothing.
"And the name 'Blue Rose'?" I asked, genuinely curious.
This time it was Evileye who spoke, her voice soft but firm. "It symbolizes rarity... something unique, beautiful, and stronger that shouldn't exist."
A bit melodramatic, but fitting for them.
"I see," I said lightly, taking another bite of my food.
Across the fire,Tia snorted. "You say that like you're not impressed."
I shrugged with a slight smirk. "You're strong... for this world's standards."
That earned a few raised eyebrows.
Clementine laughed openly, tossing a piece of cooked meat toward her mouth. "He's not wrong, you know. Solution alone could wipe the floor with all of you."
The words hung heavily in the air.
Tina and Tia tensed slightly, while Lakyus frowned.
Even Gagaran paused before breaking into a grin.
"Oho? Big words!" she said, cracking her knuckles. "How about a little contest, then? Nothing serious. Just some friendly arm wrestling."
She was grinning like a kid offered free candy.
I chuckled, amused more than anything. "And who would you challenge?"
"You, of course," Gagaran said, pointing a thick finger at me. "No offense, but I wanna see if you're all talk."
Solution gave a small, amused hum, but said nothing.
I considered it. I wasn't worried about losing — if anything, it would be harder to make it look natural. After all, in terms of raw strength, Gagaran was strong for a human. But compared to me? It would be like an ant challenging a mountain.
Still, a little fun wouldn't hurt.
"Alright," I said, placing my plate down and standing up.
The others shifted around to make space, their faces lighting up with excitement.
We knelt opposite each other by the fire, clasping hands. Gagaran's grip was firm, calloused, strong — she was definitely a seasoned warrior.
"Ready?" she said, grinning wide.
"Go," I replied calmly.
She pushed immediately, putting all her strength into it.
I resisted just enough to make it look believable, letting my hand slowly drift downward, as if she was almost winning.
Gagaran gritted her teeth, muscles straining.
Then, with a light push, I forced her hand back up, and pinned it down gently but firmly.
The whole match took less than ten seconds.
The camp was silent for a moment before Gagaran threw her head back and laughed.
"Damn, you're strong," she said, shaking her hand out. "You weren't even trying, were you?"
I smiled faintly. "Maybe a little."
Clementine whistled. "Told you."
Lakyus looked thoughtful, while the twins muttered among themselves.
Evileye, silent until now, leaned forward slightly.
"You're hiding a lot more than you show," she said, her voice low.
I merely gave a small, knowing smile, letting her draw her own conclusions.
The night stretched on, the fire crackling, the stars twinkling above. It felt... peaceful.
~~~
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