Episode 10
Baberi barely restrained herself from cursing when she realized her lie had almost been exposed.
“I mean… we’re the only family we have left.”
She tapped Kur’s leg under the table. Kur, who had been about to take a bite of his pie, froze and gave her a sharp glance. Unlike Baberi, who regained her energy from the pie, Koor’s face grew even darker.
“Why?”
Kur asked, his hollow eyes betraying no tact.
Play along with me. Don’t make her suspicious, Baberi thought, glancing at Sharon to punctuate her expression.
Kur let out a heavy sigh, clearly annoyed, then set his pie down and looked at Sharon.
“Jay… is our cousin. On our father’s side.”
Baberi noticed that he had momentarily forgotten Jacob’s name, but the hesitation somehow made it sound more affectionate.
That should do it… she bought it.
Kur gave her a sideways glance before reaching for the pie again.
“All the other cousins… they were eaten by a dragon.”
Leaning slightly toward Sharon, Baberi whispered conspiratorially:
“Dragons act all innocent to others, but they’re greedy themselves.”
Kur, perhaps having overheard her muttering, glanced at her. She smiled at him, feigning sisterly warmth:
“Eat well, little brother. It’s good to see you enjoying it.”
Kur clearly disliked her pretense, which amused Baberi further. She pressed her advantage by placing her right hand over Kur’s left hand on the table.
“We came to Rondar hoping to find out if Jay is alive or not.”
There was no need to check his expression—he was frozen, unable to resist, and she felt the satisfaction of stealing the last piece of pie in silent revenge.
“We’ll be staying in Rondar for a while.”
Feeling slightly relieved, Baberi stood.
“If you hear anything about Jacob, let us know.”
Handing the pie money to Sharon, Baberi asked earnestly. Sharon, after a moment of contemplation, nodded.
Outside, Baberi surveyed the surroundings before slipping into an alley.
“That woman… she definitely knows something about the mercenary group.”
Kur nodded.
“But she probably won’t reveal it easily.”
He nodded again. Baberi’s glared at him—he was still eating pie.
“Swallow it faster.”
This time, Kur ignored her words, instead chewing more vigorously. Silence stretched between them, broken only by the audible gulp of Kur swallowing pie.
“Hang her upside down, and she’ll talk whether she wants to or not.”
Baberi scowled at the suggestion.
“Such barbaric thoughts?”
She shivered at the cruelty. Kur chuckled, incredulous. Barbaric? The same girl had once suggested plundering fleeing villagers after a dragon attack.
“Anyway, let’s keep watch.”
They would need a discreet vantage point to monitor Sharon. Fortunately, a sign shaped like a key caught Baberi’s eye.
She rented a room on the second floor of the inn—a small chamber with two beds.
“This will do. We’ll take turns keeping watch.”
Baberi looked out the window at Sharon’s shop, but Kur remained silent.
“Arrogant… a subject ignores the king’s command?”
Baberi huffed and turned. Kur lay on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling, his long legs dangling outside the bedframe.
“Again?”
Baberi clicked her tongue. Throughout their journey to Rondar, he had been like this—walking a bit, then collapsing to the floor claiming he needed a rest.
“I’m dizzy from lack of mana,” Kur muttered, breathing heavily.
“You were eating pie just fine earlier.”
Baberi peered at the bedridden dragon.
“Such a frail creature…”
She couldn’t help but marvel at the absurdity—this dragon, feared across the continent, now lying in a tiny bed, groaning.
“I thought I could make it to Rondar…”
Kur muttered through clenched teeth, evidently frustrated.
“I’ll kill anyone who stole my mana stones,” he added, as if they were all his by right.
Baberi crossed her arms, thinking. They hadn’t detected any scent during their reconnaissance.
“They must be hiding somewhere… probably outside the castle.”
“Then we have no choice but to trust Sharon is connected and watch her closely.”
Her gaze returned to the window. Sharon had remained idle until deep into the night.
Draped in a black robe, she stepped out quickly, moving under the moonlight. Baberi spotted her and called Kur.
“She’s going somewhere. Let’s follow.”
Despite rest, Kur looked pale and distant.
“Hey.”
Baberi shook him awake.
“You okay?”
“…Yeah.”
He took a deep breath and rose. Baberi, puzzled by his staggering, followed him out.
They quietly tailed Sharon, who navigated the alleys cautiously, stopping suddenly to glance back. Baberi stayed in the shadows, holding her breath.
“Paranoid little thing,” she muttered.
Sharon turned a corner, then stopped at a dead-end wall. She pressed it, revealing a rotating passageway that swallowed her silhouette. Baberi followed, uncovering a stairway.
“Seems to lead underground.”
Without torches, they descended slowly. Ahead, Sharon carried a lit candle and turned right at a fork.
“Baberi,” Kur whispered.
She nodded, signaling to proceed quietly.
“I faintly smell mana stones.”
Kur went left at the fork, disappearing into darkness.
“Hey!”
Baberi panicked but tried to call him in a hushed voice. Only the echoing wind answered. Alone, she readied her knife and cautiously took the right path. Soon, voices and lights appeared.
“How long must we stay in this underground hole?”
“Our captain must have a plan. He always does.”
“Right. We follow the captain’s plan—that’s how we survive.”
Three men sat drinking by candlelight. Baberi confirmed she had found them. She began considering how to silently neutralize them.
“Where’s the guy who went to pee? Why is he so late?”
Baberi felt a deadly presence behind her. Instinctively, she ducked and kicked the enemy’s legs, toppling him. The others sprang to their feet, swords drawn. Baberi leveled her sword at the fallen man.
“Who’s there?”
The men demanded answers. The man feigned surrender, then shouted:
“Intruder!”
“Damn it.”
Baberi rushed, intending to escape through the entrance, but the underground maze disoriented her. Water suddenly gushed underfoot, adding to her panic, as the sound of multiple footsteps closed in behind.
“Margaret?”
A familiar female voice called—it was Sharon.
“You’re here!”
Apparently unaware of the surveillance, she pointed at Baberi:
“That’s the one! Jay’s cousin!”
A dark-haired man beside Sharon spoke calmly:
“Sharon, there’s no Jacob in our mercenary group.”
Medo, the captain, continued gently:
“Then this person must be after the bounty Rob placed on my head.”
“10,000 gold would be tempting, but 100,000… exhausting for the caught.”
“Wait!”
Baberi shouted.
“What did you just say?”
Ten thousand? Twenty thousand? No—it was 100,000 gold. Her heart pounded. She hadn’t known a bounty existed.
“Exactly. I’m here for your head.”
Greed took over; she forgot fleeing and raised her sword. Right arm injured? No matter—she could fight with her left.
Baberi charged at Medo, aiming for his neck. Medo intercepted with precision.
“Many bounty hunters have tried to get me,” he said, deflecting her strike and countering.
The force startled her; she used both hands, wincing as her right arm throbbed painfully.
She realized attacking blindly had been a mistake—but it was too late.
“How they fared? My survival will prove it,” Medo pressed the attack.
Baberi struggled to defend. Defeat seemed imminent, perhaps fatal. She knew she had to flee. But surrounding enemies blocked every escape.
In desperation, she saw someone in her peripheral vision. She grabbed Sharon’s arm, holding a sword to her neck.
“Don’t move if you don’t want her hurt!”
Baberi smiled cruelly at Medo, eyes glinting with malice.
