When Marie and Krys were on their way to the forest, they got stopped by a group of unfamiliar men.
A man took out an insignia from his breast pocket and presented it to them.
The insignia was silver in colour and three swords with their tips together were engraved on it.
"We would like to question you regarding a recent case. Cooperation will be appreciated." said the man with a threatening tone.
Neither Krys nor Marie knew of the significance of that item, but they decided to cooperate after a brief exchange.
xxx
They were sitting in a room of an unfamiliar building with two more people.
They had been escorted to a corner of Ferries city by those men.
Two people sat in the same room. A man to their side and a woman opposite them with a table in between them.
The man sat on a sofa with his eyes closed. Two swords and a dagger were placed on the ground by his side.
The tall red-haired woman introduced herself and the man.
"I'm Selira Simone, a captain of The Silver Pact. That is my bodyguard, Jared."
Selira looked through Krys's and Marie's documents as she asked them normal questions.
"You left your village a week ago. Only 2 days before that, 'that' incident took place. Are these two events related?"
Marie gave a calm and practiced reply.
"Yes. I was one of the people who got hurt in that incident. After almost dying… I remembered my childhood dreams."
"I always wanted to leave the village. When I almost lost my life, my eyes were finally opened."
Selira nodded in approval.
"What was your relationship with Harold, the only casualty of that incident?"
Marie was a little shocked at one of those words. She recovered from her dazed state instantly to answer the question.
"We were friends when we were children. We didn't talk as much after growing up."
Selira seemed unsatisfied with the answer but moved on.
She inquired about Krys's identity next and he gave detailed descriptions to each question.
He gave an account of a fake life mixed with parts of his actual past. His story was convincing enough to not raise any suspicion.
Krys felt a stare directed at him. He turned around and faced Jared who was sizing him up.
He gave Jared a smile before turning back to Selira.
"Alright, that is enough for today. We might disturb you for further investigations. Please inform us before moving away."
After our main characters left, Selira faced Jared.
"What do you think about them?"
He thought for a moment before giving his reply.
"I don't buy their story. The man looks strong and his past is suspicious. The woman is also bad at acting."
"I looked into that man. The id is definitely fake. He might be the real Harold. The ashes and bones might be someone else's."
Selira thought to herself for a while. She called in an officer who waited outside.
"I will monitor them personally from here on out."
"Yes Ma'am."
After the officer left, Jared asked Selira, "Aren't you doing something dangerous."
Selira smiled slightly before giving a reply that made Jared chuckle.
"I walk with a Sword Saint. I'm allowed a little danger."
xxx
"What is Silver Pact?" Krys asked Thesia the guild receptionist after getting back.
"They are like special police. They were formed under the alliance of Valdren kingdom, Kaelaris kingdom and our Republic of Eirenthal."
"They handle matters that are related to these three territories."
As Thesia replied, her face got closer to Krys. I could see her eyes smiling as she talked to him.
For strange reasons, I felt a heavy urge to smack her across her face. Then I'd throw her off into a pit at night.
I controlled my murderous intent with an unknown source.
They probably got a hint of it too, they immediately put distance between them. This calmed me down for some reason.
"How are you today?" Gilbert appeared suddenly behind us.
"Pretty alright, how about you two?"
Gilbert and Basil were brothers we befriended recently. They were a little older than us but just as inexperienced.
Gilbert was rejected from the Kaelaris kingdom's army. He was a mage but with some talents but no respect for authority.
He angered the officials when he exposed the corruption in the recruitment process and was banished.
His brother left with him and became a bard. They had traveled around for a year and settled here.
During their journeys, they performed songs and magic tricks to earn pocket change.
Now they had become used to the easy life and booze of this place.
"Hello there." I greeted them.
"Good afternoon." They said in sync.
"Good afternoon my fair lady." Basil tried to woo Thesia.
"Keep trying, I might fall for it one day." Thesia replied.
Gilbert ignored those two and faced us after sitting down.
He said in a hushed voice.
"I have found a secret place in the forest. Are you interested in exploring with us?"