Chapter 82: The Feeling of Parting

“Alright, Cheli and I will go back and take care of our families before starting to recruit new members. It will still be at the old place—just come there when you’re ready!” Seeing that Rod had something to attend to, Bit didn’t insist. After pondering for a moment, he said.

“It seems you all have your choices already. Well, the world now belongs to you young people. I won’t say much more. As I always say, if you need help, come to me—I’m sure I can find you a job!” Listening to their conversation, Okaz frowned and, after staying silent for a while, spoke slowly.

“This is the compensation we’ve prepared. I hope you won’t mind. It’s nothing special—just consider it a small token of our apology!” Lawrence stepped forward at the right moment, came to Rod’s side, and took out a money bag from his chest, handing it to Rod.

“This is one hundred Amethyst Coins. I believe it should be enough to take care of your families. If you encounter any difficulties, feel free to come to me at any time!” Lawrence said in a solemn voice as he placed the money in Rod’s hands.

One hundred Amethyst Coins? This amount exceeded everyone’s expectations. After all, one Amethyst Coin was equivalent to one hundred Gold Coins—so one hundred Amethyst Coins meant ten thousand Gold Coins! Each comrade’s family could probably get seven or eight hundred Gold Coins! Such a sum would indeed allow them to live comfortably for life.

Without hesitation, they really needed this money to settle down, and reorganizing the mercenary group also required funds. So they simply handed it to Bit, marking the end of this matter. By now, Rod also realized that the fate of mercenaries was inherently full of hardships and dangers. More separations and goodbyes among comrades would surely come, so despite his sadness, he didn’t react as intensely as before.

“You two plan to stay, right? Then why not stay here for a while? Lucia can show you around the capital!” Seeing that Rod hadn’t rejected his offer, a faint smile appeared on Okaz’s lips as he spoke slowly.

“Good idea. It’s a good chance to take a look around!” Before Rod could speak, Aida pulled at his leg and answered first. This action made Rod wonder inwardly—wasn’t Aida too hasty? Staying at someone else’s house wasn’t necessarily a good thing; there would be many restrictions, especially in such a wealthy household!

But since he said he had no other choice, he could only gratefully accept it. Being in an unfamiliar place, staying here temporarily seemed like a good plan. They could think about it later.

After some conversation, the atmosphere improved significantly. Marshal Okaz was not as serious as expected; he was quite approachable and easy to talk to, which was recognized by everyone. However, Rod felt that the way Okaz looked at him and the faint smile on his face were somewhat puzzling. If he had no use for Rod, he would surely think he had fallen for this guy’s trick.
…
After discussing everything, Bit and the others, filled with disappointment and sorrow over losing their teammate, decided to head back to Blue Ice City, where many tasks awaited them. There was nothing in the capital that made them want to stay any longer.
The next day, at dawn, the four of them gathered together. After some greetings and instructions, Bit and Chelly put on their small packs, glanced back deeply at the mansion they never thought would intersect with their paths, then turned resolutely toward the door.
“Are you leaving already? Can’t you stay a few more days?” Just as they stepped out of the room, they encountered Lawrence and Lucia approaching. Seeing Bit and Chelly’s expressions, Lawrence asked hesitantly.
“No, we have to go back. There are many things at home waiting for us to handle. If there’s a chance, we’ll meet again. Besides, Rod and Aida are staying here, right? Please take good care of them!” With a slight smile and a deep breath, Bit looked up at the early morning sky and spoke softly.
It seemed that Bit had changed greatly after this mission. Rod knew that the playful Bit of before was gone; now he was perhaps more steady and mature!
“I’m truly grateful to you, the Swift Wind Mercenaries. Please convey my sincerest apologies and best wishes to their families. If you encounter any difficulties, definitely come to us!” Biting her lip and pondering for a moment, Lucia stepped forward and said in a solemn voice, looking at Bit and Chelly with complex emotions.
It was because of her that those families were separated. This might be her greatest regret and pain.
“Sure! Without further ado, see you later!” Nodding to everyone and bowing slightly, the two turned toward the gate. Outside, horses were already ready for them, aside from the mansion.
Under everyone’s gaze, the two rode away. Their figures grew longer under the morning sun, gradually shrinking until they disappeared around the corner ahead.

“Let’s walk back!” With a sigh, he turned and headed back to his room. The departure of the two left Rod feeling a sense of emptiness, as if he had lost something or was held back by something.
…
“Why did you agree to stay here?” Only after returning to his room did Rod ask Ada about his confusion.
“Your reason for staying here must be, besides training and gaining experience, mainly to find the murderer, right? It seems you’re quite familiar with that Golden Eagle symbol?” Instead of answering Rod’s question, AdaFan (fan) asked.
“Staying here is only beneficial for you; it’s not harmful at all. I’ll be leaving for a while this afternoon to find someone who might know the origin and background of the Golden Eagle emblem! Stay here and keep learning. There’s definitely something in the Marshal’s residence that can help you. It seems the Marshal really appreciates you—don’t miss this opportunity. If you can get some guidance, it will be invaluable to you. Also, you can meet some people in the residence. I can tell your goal isn’t just to be a mercenary. Meeting those people will only benefit you. In such a situation, it would be foolish not to stay here. As for other benefits, I can’t say much—experience it for yourself!”
Before Rod could speak, Ada continued, her gaze firm as she looked at him.
“You’re leaving too?” Though Ada guessing his thoughts shocked Rod secretly, the news that she was leaving shocked him even more.
“Yeah, I’m going to see my teacher. He should know the origin of the Golden Eagle emblem. Well, I won’t keep you longer. I’m getting ready to leave too. This trip might take some time. Don’t worry, I’ll come back for you! We’ll go back together then!”
Patting Rod on the shoulder, Ada said with a smile, though her smile seemed forced, as if hiding some unspeakable burden.
Watching Ada leave, the sense of emptiness in his heart grew even stronger, making it hard to breathe.
Taking a few deep breaths, he stepped out of the room and looked at the outside sky, sighing silently. The feeling of loneliness returned once again—this time accompanied by a sense of desolation.
“Who’s there?” Suddenly, Rod frowned slightly and called out loudly.
“It’s me!” A clear voice came through, followed by footsteps getting closer.

“How did Miss Lucia find the time to come? Oh, I almost forgot—this is your house. Hehe, it seems I was rude!” Just by hearing the voice, without even turning around, he knew it was Lucia. Realizing he was in someone else’s residence, he smiled bitterly before sighing.

“It’s okay. Hehe, I’m glad you came. In fact, I’ve been saved by you three times—thank you so much! I’m going out this afternoon. Do you want to come with me? I’ll show you around!”

Walking over to Rod, Lucia smiled softly, with a hint of shyness.

“Sure, let’s go for a walk!” After pondering for a moment, feeling still troubled, Rod agreed.

“Really? That’s great! Hehe, Nicole, go get ready for us to leave!”

Hearing Rod’s words, Lucia’s face lit up with excitement as she happily spoke, then turned to her maid.

Soon, everything was ready. Perhaps because of this incident, Okaz and Lucia’s parents were too cautious, fearing those men in black might attack again. So even in the capital, they sent strong guards to protect them. Lawrence and two men in their forties accompanied them—of course, that was just the public face. As for how many more guards were hidden, it was unclear, but Rod knew there must be some.

A luxurious carriage stopped at the gate. At Lucia’s invitation, Rod reluctantly got into the carriage, ending up in a small space with the two women.

If the princes and nobles in the capital saw this, Rod would surely be killed with their gazes. Yet he wasn’t aware of it at all, instead complaining to himself about why he got in there.

……

“Young master, Miss Lucia is out. That mercenary is with her too; they’re in the same carriage! They’re heading toward Glory Avenue now!”

Not long after Rod and the others set off, inside a large mansion in the same residential area, Niels was the first to receive the news.

“That damned lowly mercenary still dares to stay here? Hmph, so reckless. Who does he think he is to be in the same carriage as Miss Lucia? Bastard, he must be tired of living. Keep an eye on him and report back immediately if anything happens!” Hearing his subordinate’s report, Niels’s face twisted with anger as he growled.

“Hmph, Rod, is that you? Wait and see, I’ll show you what it means to make a mistake. Lucia is mine, and no one can take her away!” A cruel smile appeared on his face as Nielsen muttered to himself in the room where he was alone.