The Team is Formed!

“Who are you?” Leo asked, looking down at the green-haired girl.

She twirled her braids around. “I’m Saria Justine. I know you were the one who saved me, so I wanted to thank you!”

Leo raised his eyebrows at that. “What exactly are you talking about?”

“I was at the Litsuria Festival.” Saria ran her hands over the spots on her arms. “And before I got killed, those people…the ones with the hoods…came to rescue me. “I wanted to learn why, so I followed them to their base.”

Azalea’s eyes shot wide open at this, but she didn’t say a word. Yusato kept quiet and listened intently as well.

“While I was there, I heard the mayor read a letter that said you sent hired them. I ran away after that, but I just had to show my thanks!” She bowed forward. “Thank you so much, Sir!”

“Settle down, alright?” Leo ran a hand through his messy hair. “I wasn’t trying to help out anyone in particular you know. I just don’t like it when Obsoletes are being targeted.”

“Obsoletes?” Yusato pulled Mira away from the spoon she was still licking and it clattered onto the counter. He walked over to Leo and Saria.

“Hey! I wasn’t done!” Mira waved her arm around reaching out for the spoon, digging her heels into the floor.

“You say that like it’s something important,” Yusato said, ignoring Mira’s frantic behavior to the best of his ability. “What does that mean?”

“I suppose I never did tell you, did I?” Leo turned to face Yusato and then glanced at Saria out of the corner of his eye. “Come on in. It’ll be cold out there soon.”

Saria took his offer without hesitation and stepped inside.

“An Obsolete is a term that refers to all those who the kingdom denies,” Leo said. “Whether it be the Sirhix themselves. People who have too much magic power and already starting to transform. Or those who have too little and are thus regarded as useless. They are all branded under the label Obsolete.”

“I see.” Yusato sat down on one of the chairs and rested his hand on his forehead. He needed a break to be able to take this all in. “So, it’s a derogatory term?”

“In a way, yes. The people who look down on us certainly like to use it that way. However, plenty of Obsoletes have also taken up the idea of using it as a unifier. A way to take back from the elites and use it as a term of pride instead.” Leo looked out the window. “There’s a lot of history behind it.”

“You said us?” Azalea suddenly spoke up. “I take it you’re an Obsolete as well?”

Leo shrugged. “You got me. I’m part of the group who wants to use it to oppose those who would try to put us down. Now, that’s enough of that.” Clapping his hands, Leo turned to face Saria again. “Saria, was it? You said you’re grateful to me, correct?”

“Oh, Yes Sir!” She nodded her head a few too many times, but Leo just chuckled at that.

“In that case, I have a proposition for you.” Extending his arm, Leo motioned over to Yusato, Mira, and Azalea. “These three need one more teammate to go on on their Quest. Can you accompany them?”

“I could, but I’m not a particularly strong fighter.” Saria’s gaze lowered to the floor. “Since using too much magic puts me at risk. But if you guys don’t mind having me, then I’d love to come along to repay Leo.”

“Well, you three? What’s it going to be?”

Mira and Azalea both looked at Yusato. This didn’t surprise him. Of course it would be up to him. In the end, he had recruited both of them as well and this was all his idea to begin with.

Saria had a lot of magic power, but she was at constant risk of turning into a Sirhix. But he still needed one more member to even have a shot at this quest. Not having enough firepower might be a bit of a hindrance, but he didn’t want to spend any more time looking if he didn’t have to.

Tomoki and the others might be attempting the quest again as well. And them getting the reward before him would really rub him the wrong way.

As he studied Saria carefully, he was reminded of what happened earlier. She was almost killed for being at risk of becoming a Sirhix. If he denied her the opportunity of joining them, wouldn’t that be akin to discriminating against her just as Mayor Zagar had done?

That really didn’t sit right with him.

And so, he made his way towards the girl and held out his hand for her. “We’d be happy to have you, Saria. My name’s Yusato.”

Light filled Saria’s eyes as she shook his hands with both of hers and smiled brightly. “Thank you so much! I won’t let you down!”

Was she expecting to be refused? Yusato couldn’t help but think that with how excited she got about it. That only made him think about just how much people like her have gone through all the time in this kingdom.

And Tomoki and the others were originally summoned here to kill Sirhix. Creatures that started off like this innocent girl in front of him. His stomach twisted into knots and he started to feel lightheaded.

“Yusato?” Mira placed a hand on his back. “You’re shaking. Are you feeling okay?”

Mira’s sweet and gentle voiced calmed him down a little. He rubbed his forehead and steadied himself. “Yeah, I’m good, Mira.”

“You sure?” She looked up at him through glassy eyes.

Those eyes of hers struck his heart and made it all the more difficult. He couldn’t tell her about everything that was troubling her. It was probably too much for her a girl like her to take.

He didn’t want to worry her anymore than she already was. Accordingly, he nodded with a small warm smile. “Yep, no need to worry about me.”

A pen clicked.

Everyone’s face turned towards Leo as he spun the pen in his hands around. “Well, now that that’s all settled. Let’s get your four signed up.”

Yusato started to grin. “You mean…?”

“You have four party members now, after all. There’s no reason to waste any time.” He brought his pen down onto a paper and started scribbling furiously. “I know just what to write to get you guys into that quest right away.” As he finished writing, the pen rolled out of his hand and off the desk. He leaned back, resting his arms behind his head.

“Congratulations, you just got a new Quest Manager. My connections might not be like Dadilda’s, but I assure you, they’re just as effective. You should be good to go tomorrow. But before that…let’s have some cake.”