Chapter 12

"So what squad did you join?" Katherine asked as soon as Nash walked into their room. Katherine was sitting on their bed, facing the door. She was waiting for Nash the whole time.

Katherine was able to become a member of the magical knights. Their entrance test concluded half an hour earlier than the squad knights' because they just demonstrated their magical abilities, and a group leader chose them based on their abilities.

"Squad 15."

Nash started getting her bag and retrieving her items while she answered all of Katherine's questions.

"What!? That was rumored to be the worst squad! The remaining members of the squad are all ferocious." Katherine exclaimed.

'Ferocious? I only saw an understanding mad-looking leader, a lovely purple-haired guy who looks like he is skilled at calligraphy, and a carefree person who acts like a child.'

"They look nice." Nash began to pack her belongings.

"Wait! You're staying with them?" Nash gave her a nod. "However, I heard that—"

"They're not like what you think they are, I guess."

"You guess!?" Katherine stopped Nash from packing. "No. Stay here"

"I don't want to be a bother to them. And it will simply be difficult for me to travel here and there." Nash moved Katherine's hand, which was obstructing her luggage. "If something horrible happens, I'll come back here."

Katherine let out a sigh. She eventually assisted Nash in packing her belongings.

"Let's eat first," Nash nodded and lifted her luggage down to the diner.

"Oh, here you are! Nash, your friends are here! I'm glad you made some new friends!" Duke Barcley spoke proudly, as if Nash were her own child. "Put down your luggage and eat first. Sit with them, Katherine!"

Nash arched her brows at the table in the corner where the other three new members of squad 15 sat. Aidan was grinning and waving his hands towards her.

'That was quick.'

Nash set her luggage down, and the Duke handed her a note before she went to her friends. "It comes from your family."

Nash looked at his uncle in shock. "You met?!"

The Duke smiled, "Yes, we converse for a bit before the commencement of the examination."

"That's a relief..." Nash whispered, she felt as if a piece of fishbone had been extracted from her throat.

"So, what will happen? Will you be returning to your house?" Duke Barcley shook his head.

"Katherine will be staying here for a while so I need to stay here too. I told them that I'll follow your plan. The coming-of-age." Nash nodded.

"I promise to take back what's yours, uncle." The duke patted her head.

"Now, sit with your friends. I'll prepare you some foods and desserts." he pushed Nash over to her friend's table. She tucked the letter inside her pocket.

After she sat down, she looked around to look for Katherine but she was nowhere to be found. She simple shrugged and looked at her friends. 'She must be shy.'

"I didn't know you'd be here?" Nash seated next to Aidan.

"Well, surprise, I guess?" Nash laughed.

"Is that even funny?" Kane asked Jaxael, who sat alongside him. Jaxael shrugged.

Nash rolled her eyes at Kane.

They converse while eating the curry made by the Duke. For dessert, they serve a fruit pie.

"We'll get going! Tell Katherine that I'll just visit once a week!"

"Take care!"

They were carrying bags as they walked out of the diner. They did not take a carriage and simply walked towards their inn. While walking, they came across a carriage belonging to the Imperial Palace. Nash spotted her sister Celeste and winked at her.

"Did you receive the letter?"

Nash flinched after being startled by her father's voice. Roven was able to communicate with Nash through their minds thanks to Celeste's ability.

"Yes, Father."

Roven remained silent after that. They arrive at the inn, where the other three members are resting at the lounge. They're the only squad at the old moldy wooden inn, thus it appears like they own the inn.

Unlike their inn, there were other fancy inns where two groups of a squad and a few magical knights stayed.

"I bought fruit pies, would you like some?" Nash asked, and Aeries came up to her, grabbed the box, and sat back down on the couch.

'He likes sweets, huh?'

"Put your bags in your room then return back here. We'll go through some regulations," Yjhan said as he read a piece of paper.

...

"First, all the rumors about us old members are true," Yjhan started.

Nash's forehead creased, 'Are those regulations?'

"Are you ferocious, then?" They all looked at Nash who had a question mark above her head.

"Maybe?" Idris said as he made a paper airplane made of the paper Yjhan was holding earlier.

Yjhan immediately noticed it and smacked Idris's back. He took it away and unfolded it leaving Idris in pain.

"That's all you've heard?" Aeris asked, Nash nodded. "That's surprising. Yjhan, continue."

"Squad 15 is the worst, yes. Squad 15 are all lazy, sometimes. The squad 15 are poor, extremely yes."

"Just talk about the rules," Aeries said, busy eating the fruit pies.

"First, I don't want any of you destroying this inn. If you break even one piece of furniture, the entire squad will be held accountable. Second, don't expect a lot of work; as Aeries mentioned before, the administrators rarely assign us missions. We mainly do cleaning jobs; we act as stand-ins for failed missions."

Nash furrowed her brows, 'That's harsh.'

"Well, you may find it harsh, but we typically do challenging tasks that other squads have failed to do." Aeries said.

"But that doesn't happen very often, so... we're poor." Idris stated.

"Now, you understand that our squad's purpose is to produce money? We need to complete objectives so that we can gamble!" Aeries toss a book to Yjhan.

"Tsk. I mean, so we can get out of this disgusting old inn."

Aeries glared at Yjhan, 'I doubt that will happen.'

"Also, never engage in a fight with the other squad. Lastly, just follow me. That's all. You can do your things now. The mission will begin next week."

After the leader's rule announcement, Nash went to her room to clean it. She unpacked her clothes that took almost an hour. She sat on her bed and read the letter from her family.

//

Nash,

If you're staying at an inn with your members, tell me the name of the inn and the address. Also, go to Francis' diner once a week, and I'll leave you an allowance. Don't be a thorn in anyone's side.

I requested Lawrence to keep an eye on you, and if you need anything, contact Francis. Your mother said you should come once a month, and if you don't, she'll compel you to come back.

Take care, as your mother advises.

//

She destroyed the letter after reading it. It will be dangerous if the other members of the squad discover her identity.

It's 5 p.m., and the skies are all orange. Nash grinned as she laid in her single bed.

"I'm ecstatic."

She dozed off after exhausting herself by cleaning her room.