258 Building Trust
Sofiya had agreed to become the third member of Eren’s mercenary unit.
As the night cloaked the world in its embrace, shrouding everything in darkness, the two engaged in a profound conversation. Their voices carried through the stillness, their words laden with determination and purpose.
Eren was grateful to have someone like Sofiya as a member of his mercenary unit, while Sofiya was glad for the opportunity to delve deeper into her path as a Ranker. The prospect of exploring the depths of her class by challenging stronger adversaries exhilarated her.
Mercenary missions carried a heightened level of risk, distinguishing them from ordinary assignments. Sofiya believed that only by undertaking such perilous ventures could she truly progress at a rapid pace on her ranking journey. Both in terms of earning potential and personal growth. Additionally, she had never truly fit in with most members of the Stardust Guild. So being part of a small group was tempting for her.
The commitment they were about to undertake held great weight, especially considering their current ties to the Stardust Guild. Severing those connections wouldn’t be an immediate possibility, adding a layer of complexity to their endeavor.
Renowned mercenary squads indeed enjoyed handsome compensation from diverse organizations, but they were often tasked with missions that official guilds deemed too challenging or morally ambiguous. It meant that Eren and Sofiya would have to navigate a delicate balance, juggling their obligations to the guild while upholding the unspoken principles and ethical code that defined the world of mercenaries.
Yet, for some inexplicable reason, Sofiya chose to trust Eren as they stood side by side. Playfully, she turned to him and posed an excited question, her tone brimming with anticipation. “So, what shall we name our mercenary unit?”
“I don’t know yet,” Eren replied nonchalantly, sighing as he addressed Sofiya’s inquiry further. “And before you ask anything else, let me tell you that you’re not the first member of the unit. Two other Rankers are already part of our team.” Curious, Sofiya inquired about their whereabouts.
Eren’s response came with a wry smile and a tinge of bitterness. “To be honest, I don’t know. Finding them is our first self-assigned mission as a unit. We need to locate two Awakened Rankers named Lagartha and Ariadne.” As he spoke, Eren’s thoughts harkened back to his conversation with the two girls just before his synthetic body was destroyed. He possessed a clue to their whereabouts, but he could only hope it would lead him to them. After all, he was in dire need of funds at that point.
Sofiya couldn’t contain her excitement any longer. “So what are we waiting for?” she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. “Let’s go and start searching for these two girls right away!” Her hands clapped together in a burst of enthusiasm.
Eren, however, hesitated before revealing a crucial piece of information. He pursed his lips, gathering his thoughts. “Finding them won’t be easy,” he began, his voice tinged with a touch of uncertainty. “They would have likely changed their identities by now, and it’s probable that they’re in a different kingdom, far away from Shaikai.”
“Why would they need to change their identities? What have they done?” Sofiya questioned, her suspicion growing as she observed Eren intently. She wondered if she had acted too hastily in joining his mercenary unit.
Eren’s smile faltered for a moment before he remembered to take precautions. Activating a semi-transparent isolation barrier, a feature provided by the inn room, he ensured their conversation would remain private. Only when he felt the room was secure did he disclose the truth. “Well, nobody knows this. But during the House of Spider incident, Lagartha and Ariadne were with me. I urged them to escape far from the Shaikai kingdom and assume new identities.”
Sofiya nodded, initially unfazed by Eren’s revelation. She was well aware of Eren’s true identity as the infamous Last Spider, a figure who had dominated the public’s attention for an entire decade, albeit for all the wrong reasons. The revelation didn’t come as a shock to her.
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Eren, satisfied that he had taken the necessary precautions, wore a cunning smile in response to Sofiya’s accusation. He remained silent, allowing the gravity of her words to settle. In the next moment, a bolt of lightning illuminated the room, revealing Eren lying peacefully on one side of the bed, seemingly asleep. “Rest for now, Sofiya,” he spoke calmly. “Finding them won’t be easy after all these years. We have many preparations to make before embarking on the search for Lagartha and Ariadne. We need to be at our best for what lies ahead.”
Sofiya was left speechless, unsure of how to respond to Eren’s dismissal as he closed his eyes, seemingly drifting into a serene slumber. She grappled with the realization that the wild theories surrounding the Last Spider were indeed true and that Eren had deceived everyone during the incident fourteen years ago.
Sighing heavily, she reluctantly accepted the fact that she had aligned herself with a dangerous man. Yet, there was a part of her that found Eren even more intriguing than before. If he had truly absconded with such a substantial amount of loot from the House of Spiders’ warehouse, then their aspirations of forming a mercenary unit and pursuing artifact forging didn’t seem as far-fetched anymore.
The prospect of wealth and resources from Eren’s hidden cache managed to assuage Sofiya’s concerns, and a newfound excitement began to bloom within her. She eagerly awaited Eren’s plans, now viewing them as attainable and filled with potential.
Sofiya’s heart swelled with gratitude as Eren entrusted her with this secret, a hidden shard of knowledge that no one else possessed. At that moment, she felt a profound sense of inclusion, as if she had been granted access to Eren’s innermost thoughts and aspirations.
The revelation forged a bond between them, kindling a spark of trust within her. After all, the act of sharing secrets had a unique way of bringing people closer together, fostering a connection built on mutual understanding and vulnerability.