Chapter 47 - An Offer

These men and women intent on disrupting the peace were silent. Mila sat on the Obron’s residence’s roof, watching the intruders arrive through the underground passage.

They slowly entered the courtyard under Silinth’s watchful eye and left under Percy’s instructions. Dressed in simple clothes, carrying parcels and bags, they vanished over the walls and exited through the doors.

“Are you willing to tell me more about your plans?” Mila watched these simple-looking people carry the scent of death towards the streets.

“Not really,” Viola replied. “I will consider if you tell me about yours, though.” She suggested while dangling her legs over the edge of the roof.

“An interesting suggestion.” Mila hummed. “But I find it hard to believe you would tell the truth. Why aren’t you down there helping Percy anyway?”

“That would mean working.” Viola wiggled her finger at Mila. “I prefer spending time with you.”

“I suspect it is also work for you.” Mila reasoned, which made Viola scoff.

“Well, yes. You smell just like us. It would be foolish to leave you alone.” Viola waved to someone who had just arrived. “Never like the guy.” She whispered to Mila. “But it’s true I wanted to talk with you more.”

This attitude Viola had made it hard for Mila to evaluate the woman. She joked around, was fun and quirky and seemed like a free spirit.

And that was impossible for someone who got entrusted with infiltrating a city. Mila refused to believe that someone who could hunt her down was this flippant.

“Whatcha thinkin’ about?” Viola returned the middle finger to another arrival.

“Just trying to figure you out.” Mila didn’t hide it. “How you work and what your goals are.”

“Good luck with that. Tell me if you figure it out. I want to know, too.”

“Is there anything you can tell me?”

Viola pointed at one of the women jumping over the wall. “That harlot slept with my boss once.” She waited for Mila’s reaction. “Nothing? You were more fun earlier.”

“And I got into trouble for it.” Mila reminded.

“True.” Viola kept sending signals to most people heading into the city. “Well, I guess I can give you something. There will be war.”

“That is-” Mila considered Viola’s words. “A reasonable assumption if I am correctly understanding your goals.”

“It wouldn’t be because of us.” Viola shook her head. “That madman Oispio is planning to attack our homes. To destroy what we have once and for all.” She grimly explained. “He has been talking with the Pillar of Eternity. While we are not sure what their agreement entails, we know there was one. Tordgo had been accumulating troops and supplies for years now.”

Mila tried to recall what Silinth had taught them about politics and geography. “So you all are from Imeglenmo?”

“It’s not pronounced that way. The middle part is silent,” Viola frowned. “But yes. We could not let Tordgo gather their forces and prepare peacefully.”

“Why tell me this at all?”

Viola turned to Mila, her face finally showing seriousness. “Because we have the same enemy. Despite your status as Heretics, Silinth alone is enough for us to take an interest in you.”

“Then why not talk with him? I am just a girl.”

“Right. As am I. But Silinth- Would he listen?” Viola looked at the grim man looming over Percy’s shoulder. “I admit, I am a little scared of him. I heard he faced the ‘Torch’ and managed to get away. Is that true?”

“It’s not untrue.”

“See, that’s why my superiors decided to extend a helpful hand and see if we both can profit.”

“A very forceful approach. You did not leave our side a lot of choices.”

“Don’t be that dramatic. We even helped to misdirect the city’s guards.”

Mila paused. “Did you?” That was an interesting tidbit. It also meant they had moles among the peacekeepers. Which meant easier sabotage of any coordination the city’s defences might attempt.

“Well, the Obron lady did most of the work with her bribes, but yes.”

Mila left it at that. She observed a pair of bulky men carrying a large box towards the exit. From the effort they put in, it was heavy. Extremely so. She tried to sense the men, noting they had mana.

“Interested what’s in the box?” Viola noticed Mila’s attention linger on the package. “I can tell if you tell me what’s your goal.”

“Does it matter?” Mila didn’t take the bait.

“It matters. We wouldn’t want to step on each other toes. Well, I did hear it involved the temple.”

Mila pursed her lips. They had divulged that info to Percy with her approval. “It does,” She shifted her attention to Viola. “Any opinions on it?”

“Not my god.” Viola easily replied. “Now, if you were to desecrate the Sea Father’s home, we would have a problem.”

“I didn’t take you for a very pious person.” Mila saw several other large boxes moved towards the streets.

“And you would be right.” Viola’s voice lost some of the lustre. She let her fall on the back and looked up to the sky. “My upbringing didn’t leave much room to believe God's care for their subjects.”

A new group arrived. Several strong mana signatures greeted Percy and Silinth. They exchanged some words before leaving. Mila estimated them to be the strongest people she had stumbled upon besides Silinth and Kaldiro. Even Silinth looked wary.

“It makes me wonder what upbringing you had to go through.” Mila conversed. There was too much force here. It couldn’t be just a small-time operation meant to disrupt supply lines.

Viola was silent for a moment. “Mila, I’ll be honest with you.” She spoke, some hesitation still apparent in her voice. “I was raised to hunt down people. Bad people. By bad people.”

“I see…” Mila noncommittal noted. “And has anything changed?”

“I do it out of my free will now.” Viola paused. “Do you know why I am telling you this?”

When Mila didn’t answer, Viola continued. “Because you smell similar to me. How I was not that long ago.”

“That is a specific description.” Mila noted how the woman had mentioned ‘smell’ two times already. “But I hardly think we are that similar.”

Viola let out a braking laugh, her gaze growing dark. “You don't? Then tell me, are the deaths our plans will bring-” Her presence grew colder. “Will those bother you? Take away your sleep? No, don’t answer. I can see it won’t. And it’s the same for me.”

“I am not a monster.” Mila disagreed. “I am not going to slaughter innocent people.”

“Hah, but neither will you interfere.” Viola’s gaze remained without feelings. Empty and freezing. “And neither will I.”

“Is that a choice for you?” Mila stared back. She felt a knot form in her stomach but didn’t let it bother her.

“It is always a choice.”

“It is not what I meant.”

Viola kept staring. Her seemed to shift slightly - to something bitter and callous.

Mila did not know what she was showing to this woman, but it felt similar. Not a mirror, no. But there was something to what Viola had claimed.

Finally, Viola blinked, and the beast within her seemed to fall asleep. “At least you have someone.” She sadly noted. “I had someone like that as well. So long ago.” There was now only sorrow. “Don’t mess up, Mila. Don’t mess up like I did.”

“I don’t plan to.” Mila had confidence she would do fine. She always had. There was no need to worry. “But if you have an advice…” It was only prudent to ask.

At this point, most people had arrived. Percy instructed the last few agents on how to proceed. Their faces were resolute. They saluted and vanished like the rest.

“Don’t keep everything to yourself,” Viola whispered. “Even if you believe you can hide your pain, it always finds a way out. Also. Try to trust people sometimes.”

“How very specific.” Mila didn’t feel it applied to her but still committed the advice to her memory.

“Hah, well, it is. I don’t know what your problem is, but be careful.” Viola stood up and watched Percy talk with Silinth. “It looks like we are about done here.”

Mila caught Morn’s name mentioned. It appeared they were making the last arrangements. “So it would seem.” she agreed. Mila watched Percy look up and waved for Viola to come down.

Viola returned a rude gesture. “There is something else.” There was hesitation in her voice. “If you need help…”

“Why?” Mila was taken aback. She had not expected such an offer.

“I like you. It’s that simple.” Viola stood at the very edge of the roof. “Just give a message to the contact person we left near this place.

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Mila nodded. “In fact, I have something. Could none of you be near me and Isabel tomorrow? We have an outing planned. I would hate for it to be interrupted.”

Viola snorted. “I can probably arrange that. No promises, though. But it would trouble us if you didn’t manage your side of the operation. We can probably spare an agent or two.”

“I don’t think that will be necessary.” Mila didn’t outright deny the offer. “But I don’t trust them.”

“Then do you trust me?”

“No.” Mila was direct.

“That’s fair.” Viola laughed. “Trust isn’t earned that easily. But if you do ask, I’ll try to arrange myself to be the one to arrive.”

“Pepper!” Percy’s voice came from below. He sounded irritated and exhausted.

“That code name is so stupid,” Viola swore under the breath. “Anyway! Smell you later.” She looked back at Mila one last time and jumped down.

Mila looked as the pair left. It felt strange. She had such a long talk with someone who wasn’t Isabel.

It wasn’t unpleasant. But was that it? Viola didn’t seem malicious, but Mila knew better than to trust her. This woman was dangerous.

And it was the third time Viola had mentioned the ‘smell’. It felt too simple. Was that it? Was that how they tracked her?

Mila did have enough mana to modify the ‘Hide presence’ spell to include smell. It felt prudent to do so, not only because of Viola’s words but also because tamers often had beasts that could track by scent.

Only then did Mila notice a piece of paper left where Viola had been lying down. She grabbed it and studied.

It was an address. An address somewhere in Imeglenmo. A city and a street. Even a description of a house Mila should search for.

Mila did not undesrtant. What did Viola expect her to do?

With conflicted thoughts, Mila retired to her room. She checked her preparations once more. Everything seemed ready for tomorrow.

As Mila slowly undressed and took off her shirt, something came to her attention.

Something critical.

Mila had forgotten to get suitable underwear for the day. Of course, nothing sexual would happen, but the simple brown cloth she used to cover her privates would not do.

It wouldn’t work with the dress. It was too tight fitting.

And it was prudent to be ready. Mila would not go that far. She wouldn’t. They wouldn’t go further than slight touches. But just in case…

Yes. It was possible she would trip and tear the dress, making her undergarments visible. That was a possibility.

Or perhaps, Isabel would trip and her hands would land on Mila’s dress, pulling it down as their limbs entangled. Their bodies pressing closer…

Yes, that was not out of the reach of possibility.

Mila had to be ready.

At least Mila had something new to think about. She pushed the confounding woman out of her head and planned an early trip to the city to correct her mistake.