"See you later, lady!" the boy called, waving cheerfully from the back of the carriage as it rolled away down the dusty road.
Odessa smiled faintly and waved back, her fingers still raised as the carriage disappeared into the distance. Then she turned toward the towering stone gates before her.
"Velmor City," she whispered, eyes wide with excitement. "The home of the legendary Dragon Fang Guild!"
Her sandals clicked against the cobblestone as she approached the main entrance. A line had formed, and when it was finally her turn, a stern soldier stepped forward.
"ID," he said flatly.
Odessa quickly handed over her card, trying to keep her smile steady. The soldier inspected it—and frowned.
"The Ministry of Magic?" he muttered, loud enough for others to hear. "What brings you lot to our humble city?"
His tone was icy. He didn't bother hiding his glare.
'They really do hate us, huh?' Odessa thought nervously, clutching the strap of her satchel tighter. She felt a pang of guilt churn in her stomach.
"I-I'm just a new recruit," she stammered. "Assigned to monitor the Dragon Fang Guild for a few months. That's all."
The soldier's lip curled slightly, but he handed the ID back. "Go ahead."
Odessa nodded awkwardly and scurried inside. She stepped into the bustling streets and paused in awe. The entire city was buzzing with activity. Colorful banners fluttered in the wind, and the smell of roasted meat and spices filled the air. Food stalls lined the streets, and decorations were being hung from every window.
"Excuse me," Odessa said, stepping up to a woman roasting meat on a stick over a sizzling grill. "May I ask what all the preparations are for?"
The woman raised an eyebrow. "You don't know?"
"I'm new here, actually," Odessa said with a sheepish laugh.
The woman's eyes lit up. "Well, no wonder. The twins are coming back!"
"Twins?" Odessa echoed, puzzled.
"Yes! After completing that impossible S-class mission the Ministry forced on them two years ago—they're finally returning alive!" the woman beamed. "Of course we're throwing them a celebration."
"The Ministry of Magic sent them?" Odessa asked, her expression faltering. 'Wait… I thought they volunteered…'
"No, child," the woman said darkly, flipping the meat. "Those ministry rats kept harassing us common folks until they had no choice but to agree. And now that they're back, I bet the ministry will take all the credit again. Just like they always do."
Odessa blinked. "Wait—what?!"
"You didn't know?" The woman scoffed. "You really think all those glorious 'ministry victories' were theirs? Please. They use guilds like Dragon Fang to do the dirty work, then stamp their logo on it. No one dares speak against them."
"I… I never knew," Odessa murmured, eyes cast down.
"Best open your eyes, girl," the woman said, handing a skewer to a waiting customer. "Those bastards don't care about anyone but their own power."
"I'll heed your words," Odessa said with a forced smile, then quickly walked off. Once she was out of earshot, her smile vanished.
"So I've been lied to…" she muttered under her breath.
Just then, the mood of the street shifted. The crowd began to stir, people scrambling to line up along the sides of the road. Odessa found herself pushed and jostled until she finally squeezed her way to the front.
And then she heard it—
"Lucius! Anisia!!" a young child cried out, rushing from the crowd.
Two figures strode confidently down the cobbled street. The boy ran straight into Anisia's arms, and she knelt to pat his head, as his eyes watered with emotion.
"S-Class adventurers… Lucius and Anisia," Odessa breathed.
There they stood—taller, older than the children from the stories, but unmistakable. Lucius wore polished silver armor, a dark cape fluttering behind him. His spiky purple hair glinted in the sun, and his golden eyes scanned the crowd. Beside him stood Anisia, vibrant and radiant, her long curly purple hair flowing freely. She wore a bold bikini-style outfit beneath a loose cloak.
"Well… that's certainly a choice," Odessa muttered, blinking at Anisia's outfit.
"Welcome back home!" the little boy said, hugging Anisia tightly.
"Aren't you just the most adorable thing?" Anisia said with a sniffle, pulling the child close.
"Welcome home, you guys!!" the crowd roared, and the twins were swept up in a tidal wave of cheers and laughter.
"Sit over here, kiddo!" a middle-aged man said, leading the pair to a long table already loaded with food and drinks. The twins hesitated before sitting, overwhelmed by the attention.
"Ehhh… this is a bit unexpected," Lucius admitted, his face reddening.
"We haven't seen you in two years!" a woman laughed. "Of course we've been worried!"
From a nearby group, a cluster of stunning young women called out, "Lucius~! We hope to see you privately soon!"
Lucius gave a sheepish wave, trying to play it cool.
Anisia shot him a deadly glare.
Lucius flinched. "Why are you looking at me like that?" he whispered, leaning away from her gaze.
Anisia didn't answer. She just sipped from her drink, eyes still fixed on him.
Odessa, watching from the crowd, folded her arms. "So those are the twins," she whispered. "They don't look like ruffians."
_______
"Odessa, you'll be overseeing the Dragon Fang Guild," said the man in long, flowing robes, his hands folded behind his back.
Odessa blinked in surprise. "Pardon me, sir, but… isn't that outside our jurisdiction? We're meant to intervene only when guilds break the law—not meddle in their daily affairs."
Her words were met with a sharp glare.
But just as quickly, the man's expression softened. He stepped closer, folding his arms in a more casual stance.
"I understand your concern," he said smoothly. "But we've received an anonymous tip from a group of civilians. They claim the Dragon Fang Guild is involved in illegal activities. I want you to monitor them quietly… and report back anything suspicious."
"I see," Odessa said cautiously. "But… with all due respect, I'm new. I don't have any field experience with this sort of investigation. Why me?"
"Exactly because you're new," he said, smiling faintly. "They're known to be hostile to Ministry agents. But with you, they might lower their guard."
Odessa's shoulders tensed. That smile made her skin crawl.
"So go to administration," he added, already turning away. "Fill out the paperwork. I expect your first report soon."
As his robes disappeared around the corner, Odessa stood in silence.
"So basically… he wants me to spy on them," she thought, frowning. 'And I walked right into it.'
____
"You guys, I'm so full I can't eat another bite!" Anisia groaned, flopping back with her hands on her stomach. Lucius sat beside her, equally stuffed, groaning in agreement.
"You poor kids must've been starving!" a middle-aged man chuckled, patting Lucius hard on the back. "It's our job to feed you well after all that!"
"You're going to feed us to death," Anisia muttered, slumping over.
"We missed you both," an old lady said with teary eyes. "We… we thought you'd never come back."
"Those ten disaster golems destroyed entire countries. It's only natural we worried," a woman added.
Lucius chuckled gently. "We're grateful. But we're strong, y'know?"
"Stop trying to act tough," Anisia scoffed, nudging him. "We both got wrecked out there. Especially you, hiding it with that hunk of metal."
"Please, show us," a woman in the crowd begged. "We've heard stories but… we want to see with our own eyes."
With a quiet sigh, Anisia touched Lucius's chestplate.
The armor shattered into fragments, dissolving like dust in the wind—revealing the deep scars that ran across Lucius's torso and arms. The crowd gasped.
"I tried to heal us… but the magic wasn't enough," Anisia said quietly, her usual playful voice now solemn. "These scars are what's left."
"At least… at least we made it back in one piece," Lucius said, gripping his hand tightly. His gaze was distant. "Those golems were monsters. We're lucky to be alive."
Anisia gave him a soft look, then stood, brushing herself off. "Well, enough with the gloom. We better head back to the guild and say hi to the rest of our guildmates!"
She leaned down and lifted Lucius by the hand.
"You destroyed my armor! What am I supposed to wear now?!" Lucius protested, flailing as she dragged him. All he was wearing was trousers.
A hearty laugh came from the crowd. "Here, kid—stop by my shop later. I'll give you something to wear for free!" a friendly merchant called.
Lucius groaned, while Anisia just grinned.
"Here Lucius take my cloak!" A lady yelled, giving him her cloak.