I glanced at the title of the Hard mission:
[Escort a high-profile rchant through the Deadwood Pass while fending off possible bandit attacks.]
Deadwood Pass. That place was infamous for being crawling with dark rcenaries and rogue Awakeners. Escort missions were always tricky because it wasn't just about fighting—they required protection, strategy, and a sharp awareness of the environnt.
Failure ant the rchant or you could die, and worse, it was an unpredictable situation. Not many people liked escort missions, for good reason.
Ardel read out the title of the dium mission, his voice low:
[Investigate the haunted ruins near Vesper's Peak and eliminate the source of the disturbances.]
A haunted ruins. That would explain why no one wanted this one. It wasn't so much about the danger itself but the psychological toll. Facing the unknown—especially sothing scary—wasn't sothing most students were eager to handle. Even the bravest could falter when they couldn't predict what they'd be up against.
It wasn't a mission that relied purely on strength, which made it all the more unnerving.
"Well, that's quite the selection," Kairen muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "Both sound like a super hard mission."
Aria crossed her arms, her eyes scanning the descriptions. "We really don't have much of a choice, do we?"
Both missions were clearly ones that no one had wanted. Escort missions were tedious, and haunted ruins were unsettling, to say the least. Still, it was a surprise to see a Hard mission left at all. Perhaps that was part of Instructor Ardent's plan—making sure the final teams were left with only the most difficult or least desirable tasks.
"Which one do we choose?" Ardel asked his tone light but his eyes showing worry and doubt.
There was a mont of silence as we all exchanged glances. We were a strong team, but it wasn't lost on any of us that these were not ideal choices.
Well, the dium one might be suited thanks to my new power.
But I want to do sothing else.
I turned around and looked at Instructor Ardent.
"Mrs. Ardent, we can choose both of them, right?"
Instructor Ardent raised an eyebrow, her stern expression softening ever so slightly as her eyes locked on mine. For just a mont, I thought I saw a glimr of approval in her gaze. Maybe I'd lived up to her expectations—after all, no one else had even considered the possibility of taking on two missions.
But she didn't say anything.
Instead, she simply watched with that sa calm, knowing look, as though waiting to see what I'd do next.
I smiled and nodded, taking her silence as confirmation. "I'll take that as a yes."
Turning back to my teammates, I found them staring at with a mix of surprise and confusion. Aria's arms were still crossed, her brow furrowed, while Kairen blinked as if he hadn't heard right. Ardel just shook his head, though there was a hint of amusent in his eyes.
"We're going to do them both," I said with a small grin.
Aria uncrossed her arms, letting out a slow, exaggerated sigh. "Of course we are," she muttered, though her lips quirked up in a small smile. Gosh, she knows well.
"Wait, what?" Kairen blinked again, glancing between and the mission board. "Both?"
I nodded, my smile widening. "Both. Think about it—no one else has thought of this. Everyone's too busy scrambling to pick the 'right' mission, but the rules don't say we can't choose more than one. Plus, we'll earn double the points if we succeed."
"And, we are bound to pass near the Vesper's Peak when we are doing the escort mission. Why not knock out two missions at once?" I added, my eyes gleaming with determination or perhaps greed. Hehe.
Kairen scratched his head, still processing the idea. "I an... it sounds crazy, but it also makes sense."
"Crazy or not," Aria said, stepping forward, "it's ambitious. And if we pull it off, we'll definitely co out on top. Plus, if we pass near Vesper's Peak like Adrian said, it's certainly efficient."
"Sigh... I knew sothing like this would happen the mont you said to wait till the end." Ardel facepald himself in regret. "When are we going to leave?"
Aria and I chuckled at his words.
"Umm... Is that why you told us to buy those things the other day?" Lila asked curiously.
"Well, not entirely but yes." I replied. "Then, shall we go and find the rchant?"
Mrs. Ardent stood at the entrance of the Mission Hall, arms crossed and eyes narrowed slightly as she watched us leave. Her expression remained calm, but I could sense the wheels turning in her mind. It was as if she was quietly evaluating the bold decision we had made, perhaps even intrigued by the prospect of what might co next.
"Two missions... now that's a first," she murmured to herself, before turning back toward the hall. Her gaze lingered for just a mont longer, a faint smile tugging at her lips before she disappeared from view.
_____
The steady rhythm of the carriage wheels clattered against the dirt road as the sun began its slow descent, painting the sky in warm hues of orange and gold. The air had cooled considerably since we left the academy over three hours ago, and the sprawling city behind us had long vanished from sight. All that lay ahead was the dense, shadowy silhouette of Deadwood Pass, looming ever closer.
Inside the carriage, I sat across from the rchant, a middle-aged man with sharp eyes and a ticulously grood beard. His assistant, a young woman in her early twenties, sat beside him, her posture stiff and her eyes darting toward every so often with an uncertain gleam. The faint clinking of gold coins from a small pouch at her waist punctuated the otherwise quiet atmosphere.
The rchant's eyes lingered on , his expression one of mild distrust.
I didn't bla him. After all, I was the only one inside the carriage. The rest of my team—Aria, Kairen, Ardel, and Lila—were outside, guarding the periter of the carriage, while I sat here, seemingly enjoying a leisurely ride.
It probably looked bad. The 'leader' sitting comfortably while his teammates did all the work. I could almost hear what they were thinking:
What kind of leader is this?
But I had my reasons.
I gave the rchant a polite smile, though I could tell he wasn't convinced. His assistant glanced at once more, this ti with open skepticism, as if silently questioning my abilities.
"Is... is your team even capable of handling the threats of Deadwood Pass?"
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