The bandits that were working as guards sitting near the door only gave us a look before ignoring us to start whispering amongst themselves.

“Why the hell is he here?”

“Probably to look for more slaves to take back to that employer of his. He has really weird tastes if you ask me.”

“What do you mean?”

“The slaves that he takes are always weird. Like there was one time we had this really hot girl and I thought for sure that they were going to take her. I’m talking about really massive tits and ass here… And I think she was even a daughter of a minor noble house too. Yet they took a really normal looking girl away.”

“Maybe they were looking for workers or something?”

“There were Mercenaries in that group as well which would have been better workers.”

“So what do you think he is here for?”

“That’s what I asked right? I would have thought he was looking for more slaves but they already took a few from the last batch so I don’t think that’s the reason. They usually don’t come back for a while after they have already taken a batch.”

“Maybe they just need more people this time? Actually, that girl… Isn’t she carrying the boss on her shoulder?”

“What?”

“Yeah… That cloak… I remember that belongs to the boss doesn’t it?”

“Why is she carrying him?”

I thought they would approach me like the other guards but they simply just stayed where they were and watched me enter the warehouse with that guy and their supposed unconscious boss still on my shoulder.

Entering the warehouse, I found the captured travellers were all kept in a large cage placed in the centre of the hall.

There was only one bandit watching them and he seemed to be having fun tormenting one particular person in the cage by prodding him with a stick from outside the cage.

“Heh, so what are you gonna do now, huh? Think you can still talk shit about me? Why don’t you try–“

The guy acting as my guide slapped the bandit across the back of his head, causing him to stumble and fall to the side.

“Who?! Wha– Ah… So… Sorry…” The bandit apologised, his mood quickly turning from rage to submission in less than a second the moment he saw the guy.

The well dressed guy merely patted his hands like he was dusting it off before shooing the bandit away.

The bandit hesitated for a moment before he saw me, his eyes darting towards the unconscious body on my shoulder before running off.

I didn’t really pay much attention to him because I was wondering where Katsuki was. I’m pretty sure she’s in here somewhere but I don’t see her anywhere at the moment.

The guy then gestured at the cage, “They are all yours. With this, our deal is concluded, yes?”

I nodded at him, “Of course. But I want to know something… Who are you?”

He placed a finger on his lips, “My apologies, but my identity is not something I can just give out. I’m sure you understand, right? Since you are also wearing a mask as well.”

Tch… I don’t really have any argument against that… Guess I’ll just have to find out for myself later.

I turned away from him, “Fine then. In that case, I’m taking them with me.”

“Please go ahead.”

That was an odd thing to say?

I went up to the cage and found the door still locked so I turned to the guy to ask for the key, only to see that he had completely disappeared.

The heck? Where the hell did he disappear to? The door is still closed so if he left through there, it would have at least made a sound.

That was when I heard someone from within the cage mutter, “That guy… He just disappeared?”

Ok, at least I know I wasn’t just imagining things right now.

I guess that might just be his skill or something…

I turned back to the cage and nodded at the captured travellers, “I’ve come to get you all out of here. Can all of you walk?”

The prisoners stayed where they were, obviously not trusting me.

I sighed before pulling out the compass that girl had given me, “I was tasked to retrieve you by the person who gave me this.”

Some of them seemed to recognise the compass and one of the female Mahuns quickly rushed forward to grab onto the bars of the cage.

“You! You didn’t steal that, did you?! Is she alright?!”

For her to react like that… Are they lovers or something? They are, aren’t they?

I guess now I know why the woman was so desperate in trying to rescue them…

“I already said that I was tasked by the person to rescue you. How else do you think I found this place?”

The woman frowned at me, “I don’t remember seeing you amongst the Mercs we hired. Right?”

She turned back to look at several of the rough looking prisoners who quickly shook their heads.

I’m guessing those guys were the Mercenaries that got captured as well, their weapons nowhere to be found.

She turned back to give me a questioning look and I had to suppress the urge to roll my eyes at her.

“I’m a Mercenary that was passing by when I saw your group being attacked and tried to help, but I got there right as the Sand Leviathan swallowed up you guys. Your friend then went around asking people to go fight the Sand Leviathan to rescue you guys and I was the one who took up the job.”

One of the Mercenaries snorted, “Really? You expect us to believe that you just decided to face a Sand Leviathan to rescue us? Alone? I’ve heard more believable lies than this.”

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I turned to the Mercenary, “Are you saying that I won’t be able to do it or something?”

“Of course. Unless you’re telling me that you have an entire army waiting somewhere.”

I tilted my head, “You do realise that I’m standing in front of you now in the middle of the bandit fort right? Would you be able to do the same thing?”

That shut him up pretty quickly.

Yeah, I didn’t think so.

The woman I was speaking to hesitated before turning back to me, “Are you really here to rescue us?”

“Yes. How many times do you want me to say it for you to believe me?”

She seemed to be unhappy about what I said but did not protest and just stepped away from the bars, “Fine. Get us out of here.”

Would it be ironic if I just crossed my arms and said “Well now I’m not doing it?”

Ok, ok, I’m not that petty.

Since I don’t have the key to the cage, I would most likely need to break this open.

Right as I took a step back and prepared myself to try and kick the door down, Katsuki suddenly appeared beside me.

Oh, there you are~

“Mistress,” She greeted me with her head bowed. “It seems like this was a trap after all.”

Eh?

Wait, you said ‘after all’? Does that mean she was already nearby and was watching my interaction with that guy since the start? I thought you were watching this place instead?

Wait, let’s put that aside for now because it sounds like we have bigger problems.

Seems like I was right about there being a trap somewhere.

I ignored the surprise looks from the people inside the cage and turned to Katsuki, “What’s the trap?”

She then gestured towards the side and I looked in that direction, prompting some of the others in the cage to do the same as well.

Smoke seemed to be billowing out from one of the windows and I realised quickly what they did.

“Did they… Set the place on fire?” I asked.

“Yes, Mistress. And they have gathered everyone capable of fighting to surround this building, no doubt they would immediately attack us if we were to try and leave.”

Well fuck, this is annoying.

I turned back to the cage and braced my foot before kicking the door with a resounding bang, the force of the kick enough to shake both the cage and the building we were standing in.

Yet, despite kicking it with all my might, the door stayed closed.

“Mistress, the cage is enchanted. You would need to use your full strength if you want to break it. But if you would allow me, I can unlock it.”

Oh? Why didn’t you say so earlier? Did you manage to pick up the key from somewhere?

I silently stepped aside and instead of bringing out a key, two small metal picks slid out from within her sleeves to appear in her hands before she started to pick the lock on the cage’s door.

It only took her a few seconds before there was an audible click and the door swing open.

I… Didn’t know she knew how to pick locks…

That’s so cool~

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