'Pardon? Did he just say home?'

Ann frowned, confused by Kalan's choice of words. Since people from Agrichia always had a hidden agenda behind their words. It was safe to say that Kalan was indirectly pointing to something else.

Take Elijah for an example. Without his expensive mouth, he would not have lived long enough to survive through the Sehra succession.

But before dwelling into the unknown meanings in Kalan's speech,

"No offense but.... You might wanna take that hand back Mr. Kalan."Ann said coldly, the professional smile on her face was replaced with a frosty one.

"That is. If you wanna keep it"

"....."

Kalan did not respond to Ann's threat but fixed his gaze on her red lips as his hand reluctantly slid down.

Kalan's calloused fingers grazed through Ann's cheek like a feather falling from the sky. Like a precious existence, that could shatter with the slightest touch.

"Hmm...."

As if mesmerized, Kalan stared into the wavering emerald eyes. Withholding the grin that crept up to his lips, he slowly expanded an enclosed fist in front of her face.

"What?" Ann took a glance at his extended fist and raised her brows in question.

Kalan opened his enclosed fist and revealed what was inside to a surprised Ann.

"Oh!"

Ann exclaimed and averted her eyes. She regretted reacting hostile to someone she had just met. And now she was unable to look Kalan in the face since there was an uncomfortable feeling hanging between them.

"Haha... It was just an eyelash."

Cutting between the two, Elijah tried to ease the tense atmosphere.

"You shouldn't jump to quick conclusions Ann"

"Where was it that you needed to be escorted?" Ann laughed awkwardly and changed the subject.

"Orion!"

Elijah answered with a blinding smile.

"What do you think Raeden?" Elijah said to Raeden, who had been standing behind Ann for some time.

"Although I suppose the guild master already informed you of this. I wanted to come in person and introduce the most professional mercenaries in the continent to Sir Fr....."

"To the Sir standing in front of you"

Elijah reintroduced Kalan to Raeden using his silver tongue.

'So it was you' Ann gritted her teeth, glaring at Elijah.

"Sir Kalan, this is Raeden Drusus. He is the leader of the Nero mercenaries. A very strong and capable gentleman"

Elijah pointed towards Raeden and shifted to Kalan.

"Raeden, this is Sir Kalan. He is a businessman affiliated with the Sehra merchants. They are in need of immediate transport of goods across the border and require the help of a reliable escort"

'Orion?' Ann's eyes widened at the mention of her home country. More than two years have passed since she crossed the borders. Suddenly she felt the urge to see her family, whom she missed dearly.

Distracted by her own train of thoughts Ann did not hear Elijah's words and as she contemplated on what to do.

"Five thousand gold coins" Elijah gestured with five fingers. His slender fingers were adorned with colorful jewels that seemed heavy.

"Half of the money will be paid upfront in advance and the other half after arriving at the destination"

'Five.. what?!'

The mention of money was enough to snap Ann back to her senses.

"Orion?"

Raeden cast a glance at Kalan, before answering in a stiff tone.

"I never said we'll take the job"

"Standing for a long time is tiring me out. Let's chat over a cup of coffee shall we. Come on"

Elijah put a friendly arm around Raeden and led him towards the breakfast house.

"The coffee in the breakfast house is always the best...."

Raeden stopped on his feet and gestured Ann to follow them with a single nod of his head. He then let Elijah lead him to the table Jade was waiting in.

'Just go. I'll be right behind you'

Ann mouthed and motioned him to go. Taking a deep breath she turned around and smiled at Kalan, not knowing the man had been staring at her the entire time they were talking.

"So..... Are you from Agrichia Mr.Kalan?"

"Orion is my birth place"

"Orion huh?" Ann nodded to herself.

"..."

"..."

Ann wracked her brain to say something to break the excruciating silence. But in the end, she could not think of a topic and sighed in defeat.

"Sorry about that"

Ann apologized feeling guilty for accusing Kalan when he was only removing the discarded eyelash from her face. It was because of the unsettling dream she had in the morning. Unlike her usual self, it made her act extra defensive to the point of threatening a potential client without analyzing the situation.

"It was rude of me to touch your cheek without consent. I have no right....." Kalan put his hand on his chest and apologized.

".....for now" Kalan whispered in an inaudible voice.

"Pardon? I didn't catch that"

"This is my subordinate Ezra"

Glossing over Ann's question, Kalan signaled the person behind him to step forward.

"It is a pleasure to meet you my lady" Ezra bowed.

"A pleasure to meet you too"

"Hmm... Are you perhaps a knight?" Ann asked, squinting her eyes in suspicion.

Having grown up surrounded by the Eagle Knights of House Ashford, she had a good grasp on the general mannerisms and body language of Knights. And the guys in front of her matched most of the checkpoints.

Ezra flinched at the mention of the word 'Knight'.

"What made you think that?"

Although Ezra had a passive expression on his face, he was panicking on the inside like a criminal cornered by detectives during an interrogation.

"A hunch" Ann folded her arms and examined Ezra from top to bottom.

"I assure you that I am not"

"Really?" Ann continued to question him, a little amused by seeing him sweat.

"I swear I'm telling the truth. For I am just a humble businessman"

"You better be" Ann shrugged, "Elsewise you'll be struck by lighting"

"..."

Ezra froze like a statue, alarmed by the seriousness of her words.

"Struck... struck by lightning?" He stuttered and looked above him.

The sky was a clear shade of blue, without any sign of clouds. But who knows how the weather will change? There were many cases of freak lightning strikes reported in Velven over the past few days.

Since the weather was unpredictable, it made Ezra's confusion spiral into fear.

"Hahaha" Ann's laughter brought Ezra's back from the world of panicking.

"Relax. I was just messing with you" Ann said in between laughs.

"Or was I?"

Ann winked playfully before turning around and walking towards the table the others were at, leaving the two men behind.

"Ann! Come before all the sandwiches are taken!" Noah called out to Ann and urged her to come.

"Hey! Wait for me you punks! That's mine" Ann glared back at the twins purposefully stuffing all the sandwiches she had ordered in their mouths.

"..."

Ezra's eyes widened at the sudden realization. He had been tricked by the clever fox.

Beside Ezra, stood a man completely entranced by the figure walking away.

"Are we going to do this My Lord?" Ezra asked Kalan, concerned about the route they were about to take.

"Yes"

Kalan answered in an instant.

"Why not just politely ask?"

"To lure a fox, you need to act the sheep" Kalan smiled wickedly and followed after Ann.

'A wolf in sheep's clothing'

Ezra sighed as he watched Kalan walk away.

'This is not going to end well'

Ezra had never seen his master so motivated about anything before. All he could do was shake his head and go along with his master's orders, ignoring the bad premonitions he was having.





One hour into the meeting with the Nero mercenaries.....

"No" Ann said to Elijah and stood up from her seat.

"Why?" Elijah asked, confused by the abrupt end of the deal.

"We are not taking this job and that's final" Ann said firmly and turned towards Kalan.

"You should go find someone else"