Fate: Hero and Sword

"Elanor Hubert, did you hit your head on a rock to forget the importance of what we're doing here? If you care so much about your boots than use that magic you're so proud of."

Elanor huffed, crossing her arms before her eyes narrowed.

"This is why I say you have no class Marteo. It's precisely because of the importance of this mission that I can't waste my magical reserves on a cleansing magic."

Elanor was a talented Magic-Caster belonging to one of the top three Aristocratic households of the Southern Roble Kingdom. The other two before her were heirs of the other top Aristocratic households. Marteo Vandele, and Dillan Merdings each with their own talents.

Marteo was of the Knight-class, a high job class that required strict discipline and Noble status to acquire as most teachers of the profession were of greater standing than most. Similar to Elanor, he too was proficient in his field, reaching an esteemed job-level of six after a mere few years of his life.

Dillan Merdings was different from the two. If Elanor and Marteo could be considered talented in their own rights, then Dillan was a genius. He was proficient in not only one job-class, but three. Knight, Cleric, and most importantly Forest Stalker, a Ranger sub-class that allowed one to be entuned with nature itself. The Human race in the first place was perhaps the most numerous when it came to job classes and opportunity, but that didn't mean that humans were accomplished in all job-classes.

Take both Marteo and Elanor. Both Knight and Magic-Caster weren't their only job-classes, yet their other classes were at too low of a level to be of much repute. In this regard, Dillan who had mastered three to at least the ninth level was deserving of his reputation.

The Forest Stalker job-class was the reason why Dillan was the one in charge out of the current coalition of High-Nobles and several mid-class Nobles in the area. Everything that happened within a set distance of several hundred meters with him at the apex was known to him, making him the eyes and ears of the operation.

As Marteo and Elanor bickered, the frown growing on Dillan's face became more apparent.

"Jed's not back yet," Dillan suddenly spoke, causing Marteo and Elanor to frown before ceasing hostilities.

Jed was the bowman of the Merding's family with a high enough aptitude that he was already reaching the foremost peak of his Archer-class. Not many could deal with the accuracy and strength of a master Archer at a distance and it was knowing this that Dillan had approved Jed's departure.

When Vincent had ran from the initial ambush prior to the defensive perimeter currently set up around the forest, Vincent had been able to reach far enough to bypass the range of Dillan's Forest Stalking skills. However, Dillan didn't pursue, rather he couldn't even if he wanted to. From where he was, he had a clear grasp of anything attempting to escape the forest, and thus by changing his position, he would lose that advantage and give rise to variables he didn't want to deal with; say if Vincent was able to circle around him and escape. Ergo, the need to send others to search instead.

"Are you sure Jed's just not taking his time?" Elanor asked, cheeks raising.

Dillan glanced at Elanor, but didn't say anything. Marteo's response was more than enough.

"It's been five hours of us standing here," Marteo said.

Indeed. It had been exactly five hours, and Dillan knew that all Merdings Family men were trained to report back a failed mission after three, or at least send word of their location and findings. Jed had done neither of those two options, and he was a man that the Merdings family had invested a lot into. Meaning, that something must have had gone wrong.

Dillan released a breath. Jed was not someone he wished to have die under his command, more so when Jed had only been entrusted to him by his father to ensure the mission's success. However, at this point, there was nothing he could do but wait.

The majority of the men and women in the area were subordinates sent by the Lower-class Nobles vying for favour amongst the High-Nobles. With the fall of the Berferd Dutchy, the vast land in which it occupied at the buffer zone of Aristocratic conflict would be up for the taking.

Rather than a sole family having control of everything, it was agreed upon by the other High-Nobles that it was more suited to their interest if the land was controlled by smaller lords. In which case, it was unlikely that they would be able to put aside their differences and band together in the face of opposition or control enough men to organize a meaningful attack. For such a thing to occur however, the Berferd family still ultimately had to perish subtly. Otherwise, the residents of the duchy could revolt or defect to another land in outrage as the Kingdoms comprising Re-Estize didn't participate in the notion of fixed land workers. Serfs, by another term, didn't exist in the New World.

Which was why it was that much more important to eliminate the heir of the Berferd family.

Back to the point of the matter, it had been five hours like Marteo said.

"Jed must have just been sidetracked," Dillan decided to convince himself by telling others. "There's no way Vincent has the required skills to pressure Jed unless the range could be closed."

"Jed's a hunter by hobby. Maybe he spotted a new kind of wild game and decided to hunt it before returning?" Marteo reasoned.

"Yeah," Dillan said disbelievingly.

Hunting for a hobby was one thing, but Jed would never do so on a mission that was so important. Regardless, now wasn't the time to think on the matter. At best he could send someone out later when the mission was completed.

Noticing that Dillan didn't wish to speak anymore, Marteo and Elanor tacitly nodded to each other before falling quiet. Waiting.