Despite my attempts otherwise, it appeared that I was stuck with Andre Leone for the time being. After my companions and I agreed to work a job with him and Richard, the five of us searched the notice board for a suitable commission. This proved more difficult than expected.

There were five of us, so we decided to go after something more challenging than a single Tier Two monster. Like me, Andre didn't want anything too easy. However, we needed to find the right balance. We had three Second Star martial artists, a First Circle wizard, and a First Star martial artist. Finding something that would challenge the more powerful members of our group, without endangering the weaker ones, took some effort.

Of course, Cally and I could punch well above our weight class, thanks to the memories and experiences from our previous lives. However, by unspoken agreement, the two of us didn't want to stand out too much in front of Andre and Richard. This meant we had to pretend to be weaker than we actually were.

On top of that, we needed to find a monster located near the area where the demons were summoned, but not too close. Otherwise, we risked pissing off Guildmaster Charity.

In the end, the five of us settled on a commission to hunt down a pack of stone tusk boars. They were Tier Two monsters known for their aggression and territorial tendencies. Once they settled in an area, nothing could drive them out. In order to get rid of them, they needed to be exterminated. At least this made them easy to find.

The problem was that stone stuck boars were big, tough, and difficult to kill. Their hides resisted most weapons. On the plus side, this made armor made from stone tusk boar hide highly sought after by adventurers. In fact, I was tempted to get some myself. I mean, why not? We were already going to hunt the vicious bastards. Besides, Lord Icefall had commissioned a set of enchanted armor for Leroy. I figured I should get some myself.

Before heading out, the five of us made some preparations. In the midst of this, I took Cally aside and asked her for a favor. Our goal was to lure our enemies out so we could capture one of them and interrogate them for information. However, I wanted to have a contingency plan in place, just in case they proved more difficult to deal with than anticipated. Cally agreed to this idea, and searched for Anna to set things in motion.

Afterwards, the five of us set out. The stone tusk boars were located a few days out from Icefall City. At first I was worried that Andre and Richard would slow us down. Leroy, Cally, and I had plenty of experience with camping in the wilderness of the Icefall Region. We knew what to expect from one another. However, we didn't know what to expect from Andre and Richard.

We were worried for nothing. It turned out that Andre and Richard had some experience camping out in the wilderness. This surprised me. I assumed that Andre was a typical arrogant and pampered young master, someone who couldn't go without the comforts of civilization. It appeared that I needed to reevaluate my assessment of him.

On the first day of travel, we made good time. The five of us traveled over the Icefall region's rough terrain, before settling down for the night. We set up camp in an alcove located within one of the rocky hills that dotted the Icefall region. After eating dinner, we set up a watch rotation before everyone headed to bed. I took first watch, since I didn't want to have my sleep interrupted.

I found a perch with a good vantage point and settled in. The Icefall region was rather beautiful at night. We were far from any semblance of civilization, so light pollution was at a minimum. The stars above shone bright and brilliant. They illuminated the bleak, almost barren, landscape around me. Combined with the bitter cold, it almost felt like the Icefall region belonged to an alien world, one where every day was a bitter struggle to survive.

Observing it reminded me of Francis Marlowe, one of my teammates back on Earth. He was a wizard, one who liked to explore and study the various alien landscapes we encountered in the Gates. Sometimes, if he found a particular Gate interesting enough, he even tried to stop the rest of us from closing it, just so he could study it more.

I chuckled at the memory, before my mirth faded away.

Thinking about Francis filled me with a fierce longing. I wanted to see him again, as well as my other loved ones back on Earth. However, I knew I would never see them again. My heart ached at the thought. Fuck. This was why I avoided thinking of them whenever I could. It hurt too much otherwise.

I sensed movement nearby, which pulled me out of my thoughts. I tensed, expecting to see a monster. However, when I saw Andre leaving his tent and making his way towards me, I relaxed a little. After reaching my perch, he sat down next to me.

"I couldn't sleep," Andre explained in a quiet voice, "So I figured I'd keep you some company for a little while."

I nodded. As long as he didn't interfere with my duties, he could do whatever he wanted. Besides, keeping watching was often lonely and boring. Andre's company would alleviate that, even if he was a bit… Much at times. Besides, this gave me an opportunity to indulge my curiosity.

"Tell me, Young Master Andre," I said, "Where did someone like you learn to go camping?"

Andre raised an eyebrow at me.

"'Someone like me?'" He asked. "You mean a Clan scion?"

I nodded. Andre let out a quiet chuckle.

"Other Clans might spoil their scions, but Clan Leone expects a great deal from its members." He said. "We hold a high status within Murim, which comes with an equal amount of responsibility."

Again, I found myself surprised by Andrew. He was more mature than I expected. Perhaps he wasn't just an arrogant young master. There were hidden depths to him.

"However, to answer your question," Andre continued, "My father taught me. He brought me on several camping trips, in all sorts of different environments." His tone became wistful. "Those were some of my happiest childhood memories."

My curiosity turned towards Clan Lone. I knew a bit about them but not a lot. This was my chance to change that.

"Tell me about him." I said. "Your father, I mean."

"He is the greatest man I know." Andrew said, a smile in his voice. "However, as his son, I am biased."

I nodded. Fair enough. I held my own father in high esteem.

"My father taught me the importance of responsibility and duty towards one's family." Andre said, staring off into the distance. "The Clan as a whole is far more important than any individual within it. There is only so much a single martial artist can do, no matter how powerful they are. A Clan, however, can influence entire nations."

I almost snorted at that. I had met some powerful individuals in my previous life. They were more than capable of influencing entire nations all on their own. Hell, I could, back when I was an S-class hunter, though to a limited degree. Teacher would be a better example. As a martial artist with a Transcendent level of mastery, she could influence entire realms if she so chose.

"Sounds suffocating." I said.

Andre nodded.

"It can be." He admitted. "There are times when I want to rebel, but then I remember what happened with…" He trailed off, before shaking his head. "It's best if I don't go into that."

I tilted my head. What happened with who? Mother? That was possible. She defied her family in order to marry Father. Since they prioritized the needs of the Clan as a whole, Clan Leone must have considered Mother's actions a great betrayal. I considered pressing Andre to tell, but held back. I didn't want to destroy the rapport we had built up.

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"So, why is someone like you all the way up here?" I asked. "Given Clan Leone's emphasis on duty and responsibility, it's surprising that you're loitering around in this place."

Andre didn't respond right away. He took so long that I thought he wouldn't respond at all.

"A woman." Andre said after a while. "One you're familiar with, Brandon."

Ah.

"Anna?"

Andre nodded.

"My Clan wants us to marry." He said. "My efforts are futile, since she already made her feelings very clear on the matter. However, until I hear otherwise from my father, I need to keep trying." He shrugged. "Not that I mind. As long as I attempt to pursue Anna, even if I fail, I can do whatever I want with the rest of my time. It's rather liberating." He turned towards me. "That's why I don't hold a grudge against you."

I blinked at him.

"What do you mean?"

Andre snorted.

"I may not be the most intelligent person around, but I'm neither blind nor deaf. I've heard about your… Relationship with Anna."

My cheeks burned with embarrassment.

"We don't have a relationship." I said. "Not a romantic one. At least, not yet."

"What?!" Andre exclaimed, his voice ringing out.

I covered his mouth.

"Shh!"

Andre removed my hand from his mouth.

"What do you mean you and Anna aren't in a romantic relationship?" He said in a heated whisper. "While she has her faults, many of them in fact, she comes from a good family and her lineage is impeccable. Any man would kill to be with her, and that isn't an exaggeration."

"It's… Complicated." I shook my head. "No. It's simple. I'm the problem. I'm hesitating because… Well, I'm a complete novice when it comes to romance."

Andre stared at me for several seconds, before he covered his mouth and started snickering. I felt tempted to smack him upside the head. Brat. I was mentally older than him, which made me his elder. A part of me pointed out that I was the one who opened up to him first, but I ignored it.

"I'm sorry," Andre said after he regained his composure, "I never expected to hear that from you, considering the way you act. You seem so confident in everything else."

I rolled my eyes.

"Regardless," I said, "I appreciate that you don't hold a grudge against me for my relationship with Anna, not that it's any of your business."

Andre let out another snicker, before he sighed and gazed out towards the wilderness of the Icefall region.

"What about you?" He asked. "I've told you a bit about my family. Tell me about yours."

I considered whether or not to go along with his request. In the end, I decided to. Why not? Perhaps if we built a strong enough relationship, we could mend the rift between Mother and the rest of Clan Leone. Improbable, but possible.

"For the longest time, I had a strained relationship with my parents." I said. "I doubted their love for me, since I… Well, I was a disappointment to them. At least, I felt like one." I paused before I said this next part. "I come from a House, not a Clan."

"You do?" Andre asked, shocked.

I nodded.

"Yes." I said. "I was a terrible wizard, since I have no talent when it comes to magic."

"That explains a few things," Andre muttered. "In that case, how did you end up learning martial arts?"

I smiled.

"A hidden master taught me," I said. "While I had no talent for magic, I had great talent for martial arts. So, I gave up on being a wizard and became a martial artist." I snorted. "Ironically, that was when my relationship with my parents improved."

Andre took a moment before responding.

"This hidden master of yours," he said, "Do you know what Clan she belongs to?"

I shook my head.

"As far as I know, she isn't associated with any Clan."

"Does this mean you intend to found your own?"

I frowned.

"What do you mean?"

Andre gestured to me.

"There is precedent for it," he said, "Where a House scion learns martial arts and founds a Clan by pretending to be a collateral family of their House. However, it is rare."

Huh.

"I don't know," I said, "I hadn't thought about it. To be honest, I don't know if I want to."

"I suggest you consider it." Andre said. "There is a reason why most martial artists join a Clan, even as retainers. A lone martial artist is like a flower without roots, adrift and subject to the whims of others."

I grinned.

"True. However, they're free, beholden to no one but themselves." I shrugged. "Besides, even if I don't found a Clan, I still have my House's backing."

Andre shook his head.

"In that case, you won't rise high in Murim. Many Clans despise the Houses and want nothing to do with them."

"Are they? From what I've seen, mainstream Luminian society and Murim are so intertwined, they might as well be two sides of the same coin."

"That's what makes conflicts between the two so messy. It's like a feud between family members."

That was an interesting way to put it. Huh. I never expected to have this sort of conversation with Andre. He was more insightful than I expected. Maybe he wasn't as big of an idiot as I thought. No wonder Mother told me not to underestimate him.

"Well," Andre said, "It's late and I hear my bedroll calling for me. I won't impose on you any further. Goodnight, Brandon."

"Goodnight, Young Master Andre."

He paused.

"Call me Andre." He said. "At this point, I think we're close enough for that."

I hesitated, before nodding.

"Very well. Have a good night, Andre."

He chuckled, before heading back into his tent. The rest of the night passed without issue.

A few days later, the five of us arrived at the location of the stone tusk boars. However, what we found there shocked us. The stone tusks boars settled down in a vale located between two large rocky hills. This was a problem since one of the hills contained a small iron vein, which one of the local settlements mined and sold for a neat profit. Ever since the stone tusk boars showed up, the locals hadn't been able to mine the iron.

After talking with the locals to get more information, we left our camping gear with them, before the five of us headed towards the vale. This took a little while, since the terrain was more rugged than usual. It was almost noon by the time we arrived, the sun hanging high in the cloudless sky.

When we neared the rocky hills, we climbed to the top of one so we could observe the stone tusk boars and come up with a plan to deal with them. However, we needn't have bothered. The stone tusk boars were already dead. Someone had killed them.

No. That was an understatement. Someone had torn the stone tusk boars to shreds and scattered their body parts all over the vale. When we saw this, the five of us stared at the carnage below in shock. A cold wind blew through, bringing with it the smell of blood and death.

"What is going on?" Andre asked. "Did another monster kill the stone tusk boars?"

I shared a glance with Leroy and Cally. From the look in their eyes, they suspected the same thing as me. Our enemies had done this. This entire situation screamed trap.

"Andre," I said, "You should leave. My companions and I can handle the rest." I gestured to the stone tusk boars, or what remained of them. "As you can see, they're already dead. Why don't you head back first? We'll join you later."

Andre eyed me with suspicion.

"There's something going on, isn't there?" He asked.

"Leave while you can, Andre." I nodded towards the vale. "There's no need for you to get involved in what happens next."

Andre clenched his jaw.

"No." He said. "I said that we would work a job, and I meant it. I don't know what you're caught up in. Nor do I care. We're in this together."

I sighed. Well, I tried.

"Young Master-" Richard started to say, but Andre silenced him with a look.

"Explain what is going on, Brandon." Andre said.

"The demons and their summoners." I said. "My companions and I killed a group of their hellhounds, and then we killed a group of their imps. They want to get rid of us, if only to save face." I gestured to the corpses of the stone tusk boars. "I suspect they set up a trap down there. A runic circle perhaps, one designed to kill us." I pitched my voice to carry. "Isn't that right?"

My voice echoed out. Nothing happened for the next several seconds, but I remained unflustered.

"You are a smart one." A voice called out. "A shame. If you had just taken a few more steps, you could've died a quick and painless death. Now we have to do this the hard way."

Another voice barked out a sharp laugh.

"Don't you mean the fun way?" The second voice said.

As soon as we heard the first voice, the five of us took up defensive stances. A moment later, the air in a spot not too far from us rippled and two men appeared. My blood ran cold when I realized that both were at Third Rank, meaning they were far stronger than the five of us.

Fuck.

We bit off more than we could chew. Coming here had been a mistake, perhaps a lethal one.

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