Return to Jorgaldur

The road to the border was uneventful. The feline regretted that her sister couldn’t cook, as she didn’t want to stand out too much. It was enough to have a huge feline as her sister. However, she had more than enough food in storage, although it wasn’t always easy to give it to her without arousing suspicion.

The young elf didn’t bother her again. He only respectfully greeted her when they camped for the night. After all, he was a civilian, who thought he could feel the menacing gaze of what he had called a pet. However, in reality, she was just ignoring him.

Meanwhile, the tamers were largely engrossed in their own thoughts. Apparently, the elf’s words had given them much to think about.

They formed a circle with the ten wagons. Some of them were passengers wagons, and others merchants ones, with their cargo. They were being watched over by the almost twenty hired adventurers. Their levels were below 50, as they didn’t have to go to higher level areas.

It is true that there was always the risk of being attacked by high-level bandits, but the mana concentration was low, so it wouldn’t be easy for them to restore their mana and energy. In addition, the large caravans had emergency devices capable of stopping their attacks for a long time, which should be enough for reinforcements to arrive.

If the caravan was smaller, it wasn’t worth the effort. At high enough levels, there were much better ways to make a profit, without needing to have a bounty on one’s head.

For this reason, a caravan like that, which was strongly protected, and with exceptional defensive measures, wasn’t a target that could be easily attacked. That was what everyone believed.

“There’s something strange. The forest is silent, and I hear footsteps, which aren’t the usual ones,” revealed the lynx.

“I’m going for a walk,” the elf apologized, got up and left with her sister. Her suspicion couldn’t be taken lightly.

“Be carefully,” said Darigla, a pleasant young human merchant woman with whom she had sympathized.

Goldmi smiled and nodded, although the rest looked at her somewhat resigned. Perhaps that elf was accompanied by the most powerful being in the entire area.

Life Detection found nothing strange. The problem was in what it didn’t find when they reached a specific area. Some adventurers were missing.

She frowned. She put on the leather armor, the sword and the dagger, and went Camouflaged to that area, toward the only two presences that were still there. There should be four or five.

“Look at you. So arrogant that you were before with your ‘magic sword’, your ‘superior skills’ and your pretty face. And now? I think another cut here will look good on you.”

“Mmmmm! MMM!” he tried to protest with a barely audible voice, as he was gagged.

“Don’t worry. My companions will be here shortly. It’s going to be an easy job.”

They were two of the adventurers who were to escort the caravan. One was a young human named Leo. He was nearly 1.90 meters tall, blond, and wore heavy armor.

Goldmi had met him the night before. He had been a bit cocky to her. In fact, he had looked at her somewhat contemptuously, for he felt superior to the tamers, as they relied on the forces of their beasts instead of developing their own. So basically, she had decided to ignore him.

Now, he was tied up, with a black eye, and a cut on his cheek. Another perpendicular cut was forming just now under the edge of a knife.

The other adventurer was also human. In fact, he had seemed to get along with the former. However, it had all been a performance to make him lower his guard and disarm him. There were four bandits infiltrated in the escort, and the other three had gone out to inform those waiting outside.

Their objective was a surprise attack, after having broken through the defenses from within. That way, they would quickly overcome resistance, and take the loot. Their sources had informed them that it was more valuable than usual.

The bandit actually hated that adventurer born into a wealthy family, either because of the difference in character or out of envy, or maybe both. He had decided to torture him. He didn’t realize that something was approaching him from behind.

The elf used Hilt to stun him, after which he was immobilized by the feline. Meanwhile, the archer cut the ropes of a surprised adventurer.

“What’s the situation?” asked Goldmi.

He looked at her with wide eyes. Not only had she just freed and reduced the bandit, but she was clearly dressed as an adventurer, of a higher level than his. In addition, her attitude denoted experience.

She had been under Disguise to go unnoticed, but in that situation she could no longer afford it. Not standing out too much was no longer important.

“There’s a hole in the shield. There, between the two carts. We have to warn the rest!” he exclaimed.

“Warn them, in silence. I’ll take care to retain them if they appear. Let’s give them a surprise,” suggested the elf.

He looked at her for a moment, indecisive, but she simply began to tie the bandit. Meanwhile, the feline hid near the hole in the shield, so waiting for her preys.

He finally nodded and disappeared. Without realizing it herself, Goldmi’s tone had been authoritative and firm. Besides, she had shown herself capable of standing up for herself

After binding the unconscious bandit, she used Alarm outside the hole, verified that she could close it with a Nature Wall, and placed several Wind Abysses in front of it. She only needed to wait for someone to approach and fall into them.

The elf then created a Clone, to which she even put a lower level bow to make it more realistic. She didn’t know if it would do any good, but it could help her buy time.

She finally used Hover to climb the tree from which a couple of adventurers were supposed to be watching. However, they were bandits who had gone looking for their companions.

There, she remained, invisible to other eyes, while waiting.

Meanwhile, Leo raised the alarm. Several adventurers went in Goldmi’s direction, while others were awakened and prepared to repel the attack. Although, now, they looked at each other with some distrust. They couldn’t tell if there was another traitor among them.