The next day I decide to take rest and skip dungeon diving. I spent most of the time rearranging the house, cleaning the blackened walls and went out in the afternoon to tavern to grab some lunch for everyone. Alexia and Kela volunteered to tag along.
As it was late afternoon, the most of the villagers were either napping or drinking which meant the tavern was full packed with men boasting about their stories and legends. "Shall we get chicken again?" Alexia asks me, she had Kela in her arms.
I read the wooden menu on the wall again and make my decision. "Let's take fish and chicken potato stew for night. I bet it stay fresh till then."
"Are you saying we should buy dinner right now?"
"Yes, we are going for dinner remember?"
Alexia nods and goes to place the order. I take a seat in the vacant table, I notice few stares directed at me but I decide to ignore them.
Few minutes later, Alexia calls me to help with the food. We reach home only to see everyone neatly sitting in formation, ready to devour the food. "Who wants to eat fish?"
"Me!!!"
After spending an hour with everyone, I step outside and stretch my arms. "Altaris, should I get ready? We need to reach the town in time."
I glance at the sunset in the distance and nod to Alexia. She immediately runs inside to get changed. 'Shouldn't you get dressed now?' Dora whispers while sitting on my shoulder.
"I should."
Alexia sent the children outside as she was changing, I gesture Lumi to fetch my coat. The little girl smiles and brings out the now washed coat. 'You are not going to wear a shirt inside?' Dora asks.
'No, it's hot tonight.' I refocus my mana field to locate Melsier's sword. 'Ugh, it in the corner. I have to grab it myself.'
While purposely avoiding looking at Alexia, I noticed a rather interesting thing. "Tarma? No way."
In the front yard, two carriages bearing the SilverTusks crest stop at our wooden fence. The children quickly gather behind me. The carriage door opens and Jerald walks out. He is wearing a proper suit instead of his regular armour. I couldn't help but smile after witnessing Jerald's zesty walk, he takes off his hat and greets me. "Nice hair." I compliment his styled hair.
"Thank you for your kind words, I am here to receive you on orders of my master, Tarma Van SilverTusk."
Dora makes a cringed expression. 'Looks like the master tossed some bone to this dog.'
Just then, Alexia walks out and surprised. "Hello miss." Jerald greets her while thoroughly examining her body. "You are dressed rather nicely."
I make my way to the first carriage and brush my shoulder on Jerald's stomach. "Leave it, she is with me."
Jerald heard my whisper, he turned his neck watch my back. "That's surprising."
The carriage from the inside looked as fancy it could, red sofa and cushions lying around, two fancy mana lamps on the celling powered by high quality mana stones and an enchanted flower which purified the air inside. "Yo." I wave at Tarma who was glaring at me.
"What's the meaning of this?"
"What? We are going for dinner, right?" The spoiled brat tightly closed his hand and sneered at me.
"WE! Agreed for a dinner. I don't recall any uninvited partner."
I take a seat on the lavish sofa and glance outside. "Chill, she is your stepsister… kind of."
Tarma smashes his hand on the high quality wooden wall and stands up. "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT I HAVE DONE TO SET THIS DINNER?" He screamed so loudly that the children got scared and held onto Alexia's dress. I had to get up and physically wave at them to calm them down.
"Dude, you are scaring the children and what do you mean by set up the dinner? Are we going to eat in the emperor's palace?"
Tarma sits down, still grunting. "I have set up a dinner with Markleon Van Silverblade."
My brain immediately recognized this name, after all Tarma himself told this before, Markleon Van Silverblade is one of five Silverblades I have to assassinate. "You mean this is planned murder?"
Tarma nods at my words. I grab his shoulders. "Why couldn't you mention this in the scroll?"
"I thought you were smart, since you caught my sign, I hoped that you anticipated this too."
I choke my urge to smash this impudent kid's head into the tainted glass. "Can we call off this dinner?"
"No chance. Markleon has to die tonight or the contract is off the table." I glance at Alexia who is giving instructions to the kids.
'Damn! I really need those gold coins. If I couldn't acquire those, helping Helen might remain a dream.'
Tarma stares at me with poker face which slowly transitions into a deep smile. "Come on Altaris. Dance for me."
Alexia looks at me and smiles. Jerald follows her closely, escorting her into the carriage. As soon as she steps into the carriage, her mood becomes foul. Both Tarma and Alexia glare at eachother. I grab Alexia's hand and made her seat beside me. 'I can't have you two arguing now.'
"Well, we are off to SilverBlade estate." Jerald announces with a bow and closes the carriage doors.
While the carriage is moving, I notice worry in Alexia's eyes, she probably has many questions in her mind. But for now, she was quiet and calm because of this warm sensation on her hands. I lightly squeeze her hand and make eye contact with her, she smiles at me.
Even though, I return her smile I felt the overwhelming weight of Alexia's trust on my back. Tarma silently watched all of this unfold with an interesting expression. 'I just pray that tonight passes swiftly and peacefully.'
After 4 hours of silence and intense glaring competition, the carriage came to a halt. Tarma gets off his sit. "We are there. Altaris, make sure she behaves." Jerald opens the doors for him, leaving me and Alexia all alone in the carriage.
Immediately, Alexia pulls my hand. "Tell me what's going on! This instant!"
I bit lip as I struggle to find the words. One part of me wants to tell her the entire truth that this an assassination and I am going to kill someone for a mere coin. But I know, I know that Alexia morale compass is completely biased on the right. She would baffle after hearing the truth and probably hate me if I told her that I am doing this for Helen.
The second of me wants to… Nevermind.
"Listen, closely." I place my hands on her cheeks. "We are going to negotiate with a noble today… for Helen."
Alexia's eyes burned bright. "For big sister?"
"Yes, for her."
I slowly turn her head to the tainted glass, her eyes falls on Tarma's silhouette. "He helped me a lot in this. To make sure the negotiations go well, you need to act like one… of his escorts."
Alexia's face immediately fills with disgust. "NO! Never!"
I gently pat her head. "Think of Helen. This is our chance. To free her. Just for tonight."
She looks deep in my eyes and sighs. "I just have to act like one, right?"
"Yes! Just walk close to him and laugh at his terrible joke."
She chuckles at my words. "You better not be."
I smile and open the door for her. With a stern face, she walks out of the carriage. 'Why did you even bring her in the first place?' I hear Dora's whispers.
I close the door and slowly fall to the ground. "I wanted her to see Helen."
'See her big sister? And now what? She is acting as an escort for the filthy nobles.'
"It… didn't have to be an escort. It didn't. Only if she looked bit uglier. Only if the dress was less pretty."
Dora pops out of my pocket and smiles widely after seeing my grim face. 'That's unfortunate.'