Chapter 42

John woke up in the guild’s guest room. In that room was a normal, wooden chair. It didn’t have the properties of the other chairs. It didn’t even look all that sturdy. It looked just like the chair that started their journey.

The one that broke apart when he sat on it.

I need to get Leyla back.

His mission wouldn’t be complete without her. He couldn’t return the chair to her if she wasn’t there.

He left the room, heading down to the first floor. Like usual, the guild room was empty, with the exception of Ellie.

“Where’s Isak?” John asked.

Ellie lifted his face. “He went away, remember? Only an idiot will camp up in their enemy’s territory.”

“I need to find him.”

Ellie tilted her head. “To get back your partner?”

“She’s not- Yes. I need to get Leyla back.”

Ellie smirked. “Well, I guess this is a cause I can get behind.”

Ellie rose from the desk and stretched her limbs. “Meet me here tonight. We’ll have some fun later.”

•••

When John returned to the guild’s reception room late at night, what he saw wasn’t Ellie. For the first time ever, he saw someone he didn’t know. They wore full metal armor, with two large spears by their side. It made them look tiny in comparison. Their imposing figure frightened John. He didn’t know what to say. Ellie herself was nowhere to be found.

“Umm… excuse me… Do you know where Ellie is?”

The person lifted the cover on their helmet. “I’m here?”

“H- Huh!?”

“It’s been a while since I last fought, though. I hope you’ll excuse my pathetic performance.”

John stared at her, wide-eyed. “Ellie, you…?”

“Me? I’m just a regular treasure hunter.”

She didn’t look all that regular.

“Wait, will it be alright? You’ll be going up against your own boss?”

“In case you didn’t notice, I’m not a big fan of him. And, once Isak got to work, my boss won’t really be my boss anymore. Come on, let's pack up. We're making a run for it.”

For some reason, Ellie seemed oddly excited. Considering her job, this might be the first action she's taken in a while.

“You're really going, huh?”

John heard a familiar voice come from the front door. It was the headmaster of the academy, Menela. She wasn't wearing her usual disguise. Instead, she had her natural look, the look of a young girl.

“Well, yeah. You want to join?”

She scoffed. “Of course not. I have my responsibilities. But, I'm willing to give you a warm welcome once you return.”

“We'll wait for Isak to do his thing, though.”

“I'll watch over the guild while you're gone.”

“You don’t have to watch over anything.” Ellie smiled. The guild never had visitors anyway.

“I’ll do it anyway. It’s my way to pay my respects to the place that used to be my home.”

“Home? You’re exaggerating.”

“Maybe I am. Come on, I’ll help you pick up.”

Outside, Ellie had already prepared their getaway vehicle. A carriage with two horses attached to it. Menela helped them load up their belongings into a carriage. Inside were Ellie’s belongings. She had come prepared.

“Isak prepared a hideout for us near the capital. We'll be heading for it after we free Leyla.”

“He really is powerful, huh?” John mused. He certainly didn’t look like it.

“Well, he is a duke,” Menela said. “Reminds you of the time we treasure hunt together, huh?”

“Up for some of that in the future? We can invite our two new friends here,” Ellie glanced at John. Unfortunately, Leyla wouldn’t be there. Kei did say that by taking the brown chair, she’s granting Leyla the right to come over. Maybe she wouldn’t mind hanging out with her former ally every once in a while.

“We’ll see. Unlike a certain someone, I and Isak are busy.”

“Isak doesn’t look all that busy in my eyes.”

I wonder if Isak really isn’t busy…

He did follow them wherever they went. Now that he knew about the circumstances, he doubted it was a coincidence. Maybe that transporting job was an excuse? So he didn’t seem too obvious?

“Another chair, huh?” Menela murmured once she saw the chair John put into the carriage.

“This one is a regular one,” John said.

“Don’t worry.” Menela laughed. “Well, anything else?”

All their belongings had been sorted out into the carriage. They were ready.

“Thanks, Menela.”

“Thank you very much.”

“No worries. I’ll be heading back now. Good luck.”

And with that, Menela left.

“Let’s go.”

They headed to the mansion. Ellie wasn’t there when they had discussed the building’s layout, but she had studied it. Not that it was needed. The prison section of the mansion was located outside the main building. John and Leyla had visited that place earlier, back when they worked for the furnishing company.

“Wait, what are our plans?” John asked. The mansion’s imposing structure grew larger as they approached. There were many more guards compared to usual. Maybe three times the usual. Breaking in wouldn’t be easy.

“There are no plans.”

“... Huh?”

“They’ll counter whatever plan we have anyway.”

“Wa- Wait, are you serious? You can’t be, right?”

And John soon found out that she was, indeed, serious.

“Hey you- ACKH!” With a swing of her right spear, she sent two guards at the front of the mansion gate onto the wall. Her left spear followed suit, smacking another group of guards. With the wall cleared, she hopped onto the wall.

“John.” She extended her hand. John reached out to grab it. Ellie pulled him up. The two dropped into the gardens and ran for the small building. Guards were converging on their position.

“There are so many of them!”

“Leave it to me!”

Ellie shot forward. She danced in the midst of the attacks, dodging and parrying strikes. The guards, despite their superior numbers, were no match for her. She sent them spiraling toward the ground, the trees, and even the bushes.

John couldn’t believe what he was seeing. This was the strength of Ellie when she woke up.

“Are they going to be alright?” John asked, his worry shifting away from Ellie and to the fate of the guards.

“Don’t worry, I used the blunt side of my spear,” Ellie said casually.

They pushed through, reaching the building. With a single strike, Ellie pierced through the building’s door.

“You go get Leyla. I’ll guard out here.”

“Alright.”

John entered. Leyla was sitting behind one of the cells, her hands and legs chained. When she heard the running, she lifted her face.

“John?”

“We’re here to get you out.” He tried pulling at the bars, but his strength wasn’t enough.

“This is tough!”

“Well, they are metal bars.”

John thought of a way to rip them open. He couldn’t do it on his own, and Ellie was busy fighting the guards.

“Do you know where they put the keys?”

“If I know, I’m not a prisoner.”

“Yeah, right.”

John looked around. While he doubted the count would put the keys somewhere nearby, he wouldn’t throw them away. Or maybe, he had it on himself. If that were the case, things might be much more difficult.

Outside, the fighting could still be heard. He needed to move fast.

Leyla’s eyes widened, and she shouted, “John, behind you!”

John dodged to the side right as a spear passed by him. Two guards came from deeper in the building. There was no way John could fight them, not barehanded at least.

John looked around. He remembered seeing a magic wand somewhere.

Ah!

It was still at the table. The guards tried to stop him, but they were too far. John jumped onto the table and grabbed the wand.

Sorry Isak.

He recalled the sensation he felt when he used magic, back when he sat on the black chair. There was a pond nearby, perfect for a water spell. Without much trouble, he reached out for the water element and formed a ball of water, as large as his palm, then sent it flying at the two guards. They barely flinched. Since his water wasn’t strong enough, John created another waterball. Realizing that was all he could do, the two guards pushed through. The water acted as nothing more than a distraction.

But that distraction was all he needed.

Ellie came through, and with a swing of her spear, she sent the two guards into the walls.

“Huh!? Who are you!?” Leyla shouted in shock.

“Ellie! How about outside?”

“Ellie!?”

“I’ve taken care of them for now, but reinforcements will soon come.” Ellie turned toward the prison. “Why would the boss need a place like this?”

“For people like Leyla, I guess.”

“Hey.”

Ellie came to the prison cell and, with her bare hands, ripped the metal bars open. The bars were certainly not designed to be receptionist-proof. The opening was large enough for them to walk through.

Both Leyla’s legs and hands were cuffed, preventing her from moving much. Ellie managed to rip the chains that connected the cuffs to the walls, freeing her. They didn’t have time to unlock the cuffs themselves, though.

“John.”

“Right.”

John took her body in his arms and flung her over his shoulder.

“Hey! Don’t carry me like I’m a rice sack! At least carry me like a princess!”

“I’m not strong enough for that!”

They ran before reinforcements arrived. Ellie jumped onto the wall.

“He- Hey!” Leyla shouted as John threw her up. Ellie caught her and then extended her hand, pulling John past the wall.

“After them!” guards coming from the main building shouted. Some tried attacking with magic, others threw their weapons. The three of them managed to dodge the attacks and jump down to the road.

“Be careful!” Leyla shouted with a fearful expression. John didn’t know she could make that expression in the first place. Guards tried chasing after them, but the multiple locks to the mansion’s gate only made it difficult. They ran straight to the carriage. Once they arrived, John threw Leyla into the back and climbed into it, while Ellie took the reins. They fled from the town, going as fast as they could.