"Another one who claims to work with the dragons have appeared in the city, Father."

  "As was to be expected," grumbled the duke. "The ploy is at least handy in that way. You know the drill."

  "Yes, of course." Teodor summoned a servant and issued the instructions. "Note down their details, then blacklist them. We do not do business with mercenaries who lie."

  "Understood, my lord."

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  Mordred let out a loud yawn and stretched while walking, audibly popping her joints. "We should've waited for another few days, it's still way too cold," she complained to her companion. "Why didn't we pack any warmer sleeping bags?"

  "Because it's really not that bad," Kuch responded. "Honestly, you're just way too sensitive to the cold."

  "And you can't even really feel it, can you?" the dragon grumbled. "So I'm feeling too cold, and you can't feel anything. That means it is cold!"

  "A bit chilly perhaps. But surely not enough to pack for winter gear, especially when it should warm up soon. The days will only grow brighter." They paused before proposing a compromise. "If it's really still too cold, we can always grab warmer clothes when we return to the manor. I'll even make some nice ones you can roll up and use with your sleeping bag then."

  Even she had to agree that was a sound arrangement. "It's not like a little extra weight's going to slow either of us down."

  "True, and we should also know what to take and leave after a visit to the city." Their brow furrowed and they lightly touched their sack full of various substandard crafts. "I hope they sell."

  "Of course they're going to, you made them! I've told you already, each of them is already way better than anything mother's ever showed me before."

  "Maybe, but I'm also worried about pricing-"

  A loud wolf howl ahead interrupted Kuch's musings, a common sound in these forests. But it was accompanied with a starkly unfamiliar noise for the area- somebody shouting a battle cry. Immediately, as they had discussed in case of such possibilities, Mordred shrugged her pack off and tossed it at the doll. "Going ahead! [Serpent Step]!"

  "I'll be right behind as soon as I can," Kuch promised, hefting the bag over their shoulder. The dragon was already off, using the initial burst of speed to accelerate to a sprint already. Training in the winter ensured that when the skill wore off, she was still able to maintain a good pace, leaping over fallen trees and ducking under low branches. Leaving the pack behind ensured she wasn't weighed down by anything aside from her armor and even then, that was barely felt thanks to its exquisite fit.

  She could hear them closer now, the angry snarls of wolves and people breathing heavily, perhaps exhausted. Some whimpering in pain. With a single roll of her shoulder, her hand pulled Heart Piercer from her back.

  Time to be an adventurer.

  When she was close enough, Mordred activated [Serpent Step] again to become a blur. The lance came down and she lunged forwards.

  Her attack came as a total surprise, blindsiding a wolf and skewering its heart in a single thrust. There was barely any resistance from the impact.

  Mordred disinterestedly flicked her polearm to dislodge the corpse, sending it flying like a projectile into another wolf. Her eyes darted about and took stock of the situation: a group of individuals had been surrounded by a pack of beasts, and they weren't looking well-off. Their attires were ripped and shredded, many clutching at bloody arms to remain standing with a naught but willpower. Some didn't even have chipped swords out, instead having rather dull looking knives. Shards of likely broken weapons explained where those tools had gone.

  A few bodies joined the shattered swords, hastily dragged back into the protective circle those who still could fight had made.

  Her lance spun and landed across her shoulders in an almost relaxed, laidback posture. "So then!" Mordred asked, bearing her teeth in a feral manner at the shocked wolves. "Do you think you'll taste better in a roast, or in a stew?'

  The wild beasts recovered at the provocation and most turned their attention from their wounded prey to the one who just taunted them. Perhaps they didn't understand the words but the challenge in them was undeniable, so they attacked. Somehow, the dragon's grin extended even wider and her lance swept around to instantly cut through two who leapt at her at the same time. "I think we'll have enough to test both out! [Vein Ripper]!"

  Empowered, Heart Piercer was turning them into mince with how easily each swipe cut through skin, flesh, and bone.

  There were still wolves though that remained focused on the trapped group. With reduced numbers they attacked, not letting the wounded rest for a single moment. But it was a now an equal fight at least- seeing unexpected help arrive, the survivors rallied under what looked to be their leader and began fighting a fierce defense. The beasts circled and prowled, waiting for the opportunity to break the stalemate.

  It came when an armored figure rose from their shadows and nonchalantly decapitated one of the wolves before they realized it.

  Kuch only had one blade out, the other hand was still carrying the bag that Mordred had tossed at them. Two wasn't needed anyhow as they casually broke the standstill with all the force of an idle chore. To be fair, it honestly had been- killing aggressive wild beasts that got too close to the manor had been the doll's job ever since they were first built in that ramshackle body of sticks.

  Having finally a perfect form just made it so much easier.

  Between the two fighters joining the battle, the tide was turned and the wolves were slaughtered to the last.

  "This forest's filled with an awful lot of angry animals, don't you think?" Mordred remarke as she used a wolf body to wipe the blood off her lance. "Guess since it's pretty untamed, they've gone unchecked."

  Kuch simply hummed while they opened their bag and began to pull out a few health potions. The dragon did have a point, that was a curious little detail. Did that mean that there was actually a lot more herbivores in the forest, if there were this many predators? At least at this rate, the manor's activities alone hopefully shouldn't disrupt the local ecosystem.

  "Here," they told the shocked leader of this party they came across, holding out the retrieved bottles. "Use these to-"

  "Stay back!" the leader barked and both adventurers blinked when they realized swords were pointed at them now. "Who are you! Where did you come from?!"

  "Huh?" Mordred blinked confusedly, giving a puzzled look to Kuch. Beneath their helmet, the doll's face was likely making the same expression. "We...just saved you? We're on your side, no need to be so touchy."

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  That answer seemed to just make the wounded individuals even more suspicious than anything. "Is that so? Isn't that a bit convenient?" the man leading them pointed out. "Look, just tell us who's paying you and how much, so we can resolve it quickly. Then each of us will be on our way as fellow mercenaries."

  "We're not mercenaries," Kuch muttered, annoyance flaring up at the label. "We're adventurers."

  "Whatever you call yourselves, either tell us what you want or get lost-!"

  "We want to help, get it through your thick skull!" The dragon roared forcefully with a little bit of her true nature bleeding through. The volume of her shout was enough to make many flinch and, with their concentration broken, drop their swords. "We're not here to kill you in your sleep, just accept the potion already! Argh, I can't stand it!" She turned away and stomped off, stopping to angrily kick at one of the wolves corpses. Maybe to work out her frustration.

  Maybe to tenderize it for later.

  Kuch sighed and set the bottles on the ground. "I'll leave it to you to decide whether or not to accept, but I swear, these are real and genuine. Have your injured all take a full dose." The armored puppet turned and followed their companion, stopping out of earshot of the watchful mercenaries when they picked up the health potion. They looked torn between trying it out, or hurling it into the forest to get rid of. "I suppose that we do come off as a little suspicious."

  "But we're just trying to help, really," Mordred sourly responded. "I didn't start trying to pick a fight when you saved me-"

  "You did, actually. Just a little bit afterwards."

  "Oh shush. It's not the same way." Her head glanced at the mercenaries, who seemed to have made their mind. "They're going to use it. Finally."

  "Let's give them a bit of room to process," Kuch suggested, even after hearing the shocked and awed shouts from the injured feeling their wounds close. "Shall we just camp and wait for them? Might as well make sure the meat here doesn't go to waste."

  "Now you're talking my language."

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  Though they could have pressed on and have already reached the city if they just left the mercenaries be, Kuch had to consider how it would look if Mordred and them did just appear at the walls one day. They couldn't exactly tell the truth to the wall guards, as that'd defeat Mord's entire purpose of going into disguise, so they needed a cover story. Something that unfortunately neither knew enough about the world to do so by themselves.

  However, these mercenaries could. Hence why Kuch would take the chance and see what cover they could fabricate using them as a springboard. The doll did have a vague idea of a story at least, but it wouldn't hurt to test it out someplace where any misunderstandings could be...addressed.

  There were two campfires in close proximity that night, but some distance away. It looked like despite confirming that the potions had worked, the people they'd saved were still pretty leery about things and setup their own camp. But given they hadn't demanded Kuch or Mordred vacate the premise, there might be a chance.

  The moment came when the leader of these mercenaries bridged the gap and walked over, studying them for a moment. Then his head came down in a clearly apologetic bow. "You saved us today, my lord and lady, and we treated you with suspicion. I profusely express my regrets about our behavior and beg your forgiveness."

  "Lawds and lahdies?" Mordred asked through a mouthful of wolf meat. She swallowed and clarified the misunderstanding. "We're not nobles. We're just from the west."

  "That's right," Kuch added, giving a slight head nod to the woman, who instantly went back into digging into her food. That was all she honestly would have to say, so as to make sure it wasn't just the oathbreaker talking for them both. But that was the reality of things. "Perhaps you have seen or heard of the people there?"

  "Ah, the fabled western kingdom. That explains much." He paused, then glanced in that direction. "Does that mean you trekked through the entire forests? You've had quite the journey! I can't imagine that was easy."

  "It was filled with plenty of trial and tribulations. We were barely able to weather the tide of monsters that came our way." Never mind that the dragon who broke said tide was stuffing her face with meat.

  "You've the luck of the Shadow then, by the Ten Divines. To survive that all and the perils of the forest while you're at it." The man gestured to their armors and weapons. "Then again, given your skill with arms is plain to see, it is a reasonable tale. Might I inquire though why you would make such a dangerous trip?"

  "One's homeland can become so far in a single moment," Kuch airily deflected, trying out to say something worldly like Ann-Li would have stated as a non-answer. "Similarly, is not one's homeland wherever they go?"

  "Ah, troubles back home? Can't say that's an unfamiliar story here too!" He chuckled and patted his chest, now fully relaxed. "Sorry for the late introduction, but I'm Gunther. I lead the Eber Marauders, this ragtag band of mercenaries you see here. Maybe you've heard- no, you surely wouldn't have heard of us if you come from the west."

  "Nor are we aware of your land's customs, so forgive us if our behavior earlier had offended you." To forestall Mordred from speaking up about her real thoughts on the rudeness, Kuch hurriedly delivered another server of dinner onto her bowl. She mumbled her thanks while the hidden doll turned back to the amused mercenary. "To avoid further misunderstandings, could we prevail on you to inform us on such things to watch out for? As well as maybe a quick brief to our new homeland?"

  "Hm." Gunther rubbed his hand against his chin, then glanced at the bags. "Do you have any more of those amazing potions? I never would've thought we could get something ordinarily reserved for nobles for my band of commoners. But I imagine you'd want to keep one between yourselves-"

  "Here," Kuch told while pressing a bottle into the man's hand. "Will this suffice?"

  "Wha-!" The mercenary nearly dropped the glass bottle, staring wide-eyed. "You had another? Ah, we should also give back the bottles! But I ask we keep this one-"

  "Just keep them all. I don't mind."

  Gunther stared, slightly slack-jawed at the indifference shown by these two individuals. With a shaky laugh, he pocketed the potion. "Just how rich is the western kingdom? Maybe I should drag these sorry bunch over, see if we can't get some contracts that pay well from wealthy nobles." He sucked in a deep breath, then nodded. "Right. It's a little belated, but well, welcome to the Kerezim Empire."

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