Chapter 96

Led finally reached the inn with the healer, but upon noticing that the entrance was unlocked, she wore a puzzled expression.

"Hey, Dixon, ... is everything okay?"

"Be quiet."

"O-Okay."

After confirming that Neksen had closed his mouth, she urged him to wait and quietly slipped into the inn. For a moment, she caught a faint whiff of blood.

"..."

The urge to call out the girls' names overwhelmed her, but she held back with all her might. She moved past the reception and headed towards the dining room where she sensed people. Soon, she found the ones she was looking for.

"Mina! Luna! Hilde! Riggs! Meilin!"

There, she saw Riggs lying on the floor, bleeding, and Meilin crying and clinging to him. Hildegarde was also on the floor, and Luna was standing with a knife, her face twisted in anger. Mina was being held by the hair by Jear, the leader of the "Pitch Black Wolves," the group Led used to belong to, tears in her eyes.

"Hey, Led, I've been waiting for you!"

---

A little earlier, Mina and the other two had safely reached the inn despite encountering bandits on the way. Thanks to Hildegarde shooting the bandits in the knees and Luna cutting them down, they had not sustained any serious injuries. At most, Mina was just out of breath.

"Uncle Riggs! Meilin!"

"Hey! It's the girls! I'm glad you're all safe!"

"Minaaaaa, I'm so glad!"

Mina smiled as she caught Meilin, who had thrown herself at her. Luna and Hildegarde also sighed in relief, seeing that the familiar guests were safe.

"I heard from a guest who was outside that the bandits are attacking."

"Yeah. I hope they're okay."

"Don't worry too much. This isn't the first time, even if it's on a larger scale this time."

"Still, being targeted by bandits is the worst."

"Well, it's a developing town, and it's far from other towns. It's an easy target."

Amrus is a remote village on the border. It's an easy target for bandits. Of course, the lords are not foolish and have properly deployed a vigilante group.

"There's a small warehouse in the back of the building. We have some supplies, so we'll hole up there."

"But Dad!"

"Don't worry about Led. The guild will likely call on him to help treat the injured. He might not be able to return until everything is over."

"---Then I'll go to Dad!"

"Wait, Luna."

Hildegarde stopped Luna, who was about to rush out to find her beloved.

"Don't get in the way!"

"I understand your feelings, but I can't let you go."

"Why! What if Dad is being attacked! I can handle those bandits!"

"I know you're strong, having fought alongside you."

"Then why not let me go!"

"But if something happens, it will be Led who will be devastated!"

"..."

Hildegarde's words calmed Luna's agitated emotions. Luna is indeed strong, perhaps even more so than Led in combat. However, there's no guarantee she would be safe against a large group of bandits. More importantly, if something happened to Luna, it wouldn't just be Led who would be devastated; Mina and Hildegarde would be devastated too.

"...Fine, I get it! I'll stay here, okay!"

"Led will be fine. It's a wife's duty to believe in her husband."

"I know that without you saying it! Besides, I'm the wife!"

Hildegarde was relieved to see Luna return to her usual self. She herself sometimes loses her composure when it comes to Led. In that sense, Mina, who was gently comforting the crying Meilin, might be the most mature of them all.

"Alright, if you're all set, let's head to the warehouse."

Riggs urged them on, and Meilin, wiping her tears, took Mina's hand and headed to the warehouse. Luna and Hildegarde were about to follow.

"Hey, where's that Led guy?"

One of the guests who had moved to the back warehouse reached out and grabbed Mina's soft hair roughly.

"Ah!"

"Mina!?"

"Mina!"

Meilin's hand slipped from Mina's, and Mina was pulled into the arms of an armored man.