Chapter 24 - Elf Shunned by Colleagues After She Starts Eating at
"What?" Lupus and Rubella’s eyes widened, glaring at the commander in disbelief.
The commander’s stern voice was firm. "It’s a direct order from Governor H5. The adventurer guild must mobilize all personnel and attack the Hungers again."
"We have no obligation to answer every order from the noble."
"Then, your guild will be disbanded due to insubordination during a national crisis, and your guild’s staff will be charged with treason."
"..."
"Get them mobilized in two days. Any attempt to escape will be regarded as desertion, punishable by the execution of three generations. You have been inford."
The commander walked away after dropping a bomb.
Lupus gnashed his teeth. A thousand thods of killing a nobleman stirred his mind.
Rubella clenched her fist and muttered. "Can I sneak into the mansion and kill the governor?"
"Tower mages and the academy are on their side. Those geezers read every object’s mory, and they will find you. Don’t do it."
Rubella was vexed. If thoughts could kill, she would have murdered H5N8 a thousand tis already. Because of the anguish and frustration, she cried.
Lupus patted her back. He had already co up with a solution.
"Call Sparrow’s team over. Call Neutrophils, too."
"The mortician?"
"That’s a senior paladin for you. Also, he’s been living for over 200 years and has lived through two outbreaks already. Oh, send a fast horse and contact the Eagle Clan. Their hidden town should be sowhere northeast of here. Ask Bald Eagle or her disciple to guide the way."
"...Are we asking the vampires for help? Do you believe they won’t ask us to sacrifice children?"
Lupus rolled his eyes. "Don’t confuse them with the vulture family. The Eagle Clan is an exception. Think of reverse vampires. They drink holy water instead of blood. Their primary diet is garlic. They walk around in the dayti and sleep when it’s dark, and they take baths twice a day. They use holy magic instead of blood magic, and they can transform into angels. Their blood has beco an immortality elixir, so the nobles are now dying to find them."
"..."
"You still have a lot to learn, I see."
Rubella’s complexion got better. She smiled faintly and saluted. "I’ll be checking on the elf team, then."
"Don’t forget the mortician."
"Yes, sir."
Rubella vanished into smoke.
* * *
All adventurers got stuck outside the city as the army barred them from entering at the mont. As night would soon arrive, Sparrow and others began setting up camp outside the wall.
Parita stared at the sentry on the castle walls and frowned. She asked Parrot.
"Why haven’t they let us enter the city yet?"
Parrot dully replied. "Quarantine."
"Quarantine? They have this system too?!" Parita was surprised that the isekai world knew about this process. "So, they suspect that we got bitten, huh?"
"More like an excuse to keep us out even for a few days. The governor hates adventurers more than his wife."
"Sounds legit."
Parita shrugged and helped Sparrow erect their tent. Other won also maintained watch, deterring soldiers and those deed suspicious from approaching their zone. Fortunately, A-rank and B-rank adventurer teams maintained a respectful distance from the all-girl teams, keeping it professional.
Sparrow’s team was not the only all-woman adventurer team in this town. A team consisting of four B-rankers, two C-rankers, and one A-rank adventurer approached them and asked Sparrow for permission.
Their leader, Haast, was a female Highlander. Her height was two ters. Despite having a feminine face, she possessed a sculpted physique, akin to a female bodybuilder. As a tanker of her party, her equipnt consisted of full plate armor and a giant tower shield. However, her gears had scratches all over and a trace of a cut on her shield, the result of the previous skirmish against a crab.
Sparrow had tead with Haast before. She glanced at her friend’s followers, counting their heads.
"Two of you are missing." Sparrow spotted an anomaly.
"If you talk about Harpy and Bald, they’re taking a dump sowhere. We have no casualties."
"Very rare for a big party. Are you all okay with the lower wage?"
Big parties ca with stability. Nevertheless, the mbers also received smaller paychecks, as more people shared the sa quest reward pool. Five years ago, Sparrow and Haast split up because Sparrow wasn’t happy with his salary and decided to form a small group with other elves to seek better compensation.
Still, Haast was a famous A-rank adventurer. Monsters were never a problem for her team mbers when she was present.
"Stability first before riches. Stable pay every day is better than a risky lifestyle."
Sparrow shrugged. She didn’t want to argue with Haast’s life choices since they had done it a hundred tis in the past already. Calmly, Sparrow pointed at the empty lot nearby.
"The area is empty."
"Thanks. Oh, do you girls need holy water?"
"We’re not holy vampires like you. Keep them for yourself."
Haast snickered and waved her hand. She turned around and gestured to her team to start setting up tents. Before walking away, Haast gave Parita a aningful look and tilted her head, looking confused.
"Is your new mber really an elf?"
"What?"
"Just asking."
Parita, who stood nearby, got goosebumps. She coughed and tried to co up with excuses, but the mocap suit took over. It manipulated her voice.
"Ahem. Two Hungers licked . I haven’t taken a bath yet."
"I see." Haast chuckled and smirked. Her eyes glead briefly. "Sorry to call you out. Anyway, good job today, goddess."
"...You too." Parita nodded at Haast. The mocap suit guided her legs as she walked away.
Sparrow ignored their reactions and continued hamring a tent nail. Haast’s amused expression escaped her notice.
The two parties joined their camps together, sharing resources. Haast and Sparrow created their own bonfires for their party mbers. While Parita started preparing the evening al, Haast’s group quietly retrieved a pot of garlic from their bags and began to boil water infused with garlic. The sll spread throughout the open field.
Parita slled the odor and was overjoyed. She approached Haast and whispered.
"Umm, may I ask if you could share so garlic with ? I’ll buy them."
Haast laughed and shoved a peeled garlic into Parita’s mouth. A piece of gold garlic touched her tongue and spread the strong taste inside.
Haast raised an eyebrow and gave her another raw golden garlic. "Take this one."
Parita chewed the one in her mouth. She licked her lips, savoring the taste. "Thank you."
"By the way," Haast whispered back. "Why did you choose that form?"
"My form... what?"
Haast grinned. "I see that you’re not a bad person. Never mind the question."
"Huh?"
Parita was confused. She brought the free garlic to her camp and began peeling it. After Sparrow lit the campfire, she fetched a cooking pot from her inventory and poured water into it.
Sparrow noticed it and asked. "What are you doing?"
"Cooking?"
Parrot overheard it and chuckled. "You don’t have to do that. We’ve prepared our food."
"I see. Well, I’ll cook for myself, then."
"...Sure?"
Sparrow, Parrot, and the others paused and watched her cooking, curious about what she would make. Their expressions turned dark when Parita pulled out a stick of rabbit at.
"Ew, at?!" Parrot stuck out her tongue and walked away.
"Want so?" Parita raised the stick and pulled out three more.
"Nope! Nope! Just nope!"
"Suit yourself. You’re missing out."
"NOPE! JUST NOPE!"
* * *
Rubella arrived at Sparrow camp and found them gathering around a campfire, having dinner. Their faces seed pale for a reason. However, Parita’s expression was bright.
The rabbit and garlic soup in Parita’s pot slled delicious, and Rubella couldn’t help but peek into the pot. anwhile, the elf girls gnawed on carrots like rabbits, watching Parita eat the seasoned at.
Rubella suppressed her laughter and approached Sparrow. She stated her business.
"Sparrow, the guildmaster summons you."
Sparrow groaned. "Alright. Where?"
"In front of the gate. Also, he wants to consult with you about the Eagle Clan. It seems he wishes to invite their clan to help us."
"Don’t bother. Ask Haast over there."
"Haast? Oh, she’s from the clan?"
"Where have you been? Haast has always been an eagle."
Rubella slapped her forehead. She grumbled. "There are too many adventurers. I can’t possibly rember every person’s details."
"Fair, but this is none of my business. Ask her yourself."
"Fine."
Rubella left Sparrow’s campsite and walked over to Haast’s group. She was relieved to see that none of the nine party mbers were hurt.
"Miss Haast, are you from the Eagle Clan?" Rubella approached the party leader.
Haast was in the middle of chewing raw garlic. He turned toward Rubella and replied while eating. Her strong mouth odor stunned the receptionist.
"Yeah, so?"
Rubella endured the sll and stopped breathing through her nose. She continued. "I’ve been tasked to ask for your clan’s cooperation. Can you help connect with your clan so that I can ask for their reinforcent?"
Haast swallowed everything in her mouth in one gulp and turned to the two mbers, who had returned from their private business.
A lizard woman and a hooded girl sat together on the makeshift wooden log bench. They gazed at Rubella and tilted their heads in unison.
"I heard you wanted to talk to the clan leader?"
Rubella confird. "Yes."
The lizard woman smirked and pointed at the hooded girl next to her. "Ask her, not ."
"Huh?"
"She’s the daughter of the clan leader. She has the sa authority as Crowned Eagle."
"...Her?"
The girl lifted her hood, revealing a pair of elven pointy ears. However, she had a set of long vampire fangs. The reflection of the holy water in her cup brightened, highlighting her silver hair.
"I-I’m Harpy Eagle. N-Nice to et you. C-Can I help you?"
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