"I did warn you, you know. I really tried to talk you out of it. Sigh~" Elias gave Raven a long-suffering look.
She just wouldn't listen and insisted on chasing that ridiculous dream of an island villa. One day she'd regret it.
Still, since they were close now, when that island villa eventually sank, Elias would make sure to save her a spare room at House of the Hearth.
"Anyway, if there's ever a job that pays well or you can't handle solo, call me again."
"Got it, I'll remember that. Honestly, I didn't expect you to be this strong, Elias. Thanks to you, our mission completion rate has doubled these past weeks."
"Same here. If it weren't for you guiding me through this underworld stuff, I'd probably still be floundering and missing out on high-paying contracts."
"It's nothing. I really enjoy working with a partner like you. Oh, and hey—have you considered signing a lifetime contract with me? Opportunities like that don't come often, you know."
More like never.
Even now, despite being part of World Serpent, Raven only treated it as a means to earn money. She fully intended to retire and disappear once she saved enough for her island villa.
A lifetime contract—for a mercenary like her—was the highest level of recognition she could offer.
Because in Raven's eyes, Elias was just like her: a fellow victim of the Honkai, someone who had taken in children, someone risking their life as a mercenary to earn money for their sake and for the future.
And given how smoothly their partnership had gone, she was willing to make a rare exception.
"Yo, what an honor."
Elias didn't hesitate to accept her kind offer.
"So... that's a yes?"
"No reason to say no. Just send me the contract later—don't sneak in any traps though."
"Come on, would I do that? I'll look for it when I get back. From now on, we split the reward fifty-fifty."
Not only did Raven find working with Elias easy and comfortable, but the feeling was mutual.
After all, Raven was practically at an A-rank or near S-rank Valkyrie level in terms of strength.
More importantly, the mercenary world was filled with schemes and traps. Without Raven's help, Elias felt that even with his strength, he'd probably have been taken advantage of more than once.
Her way of negotiating fees with clients was seriously badass. And their payouts? Always way above market rates, thanks to her constant lines of: "That costs extra," "This isn't included," and "Premium service surcharge applies."
"Oh right, there's something I need to warn you about," Natasha said, her tone suddenly turning serious.
"Hmm? What's with the face?"
"Elias, have you heard of the Silver Wolf of the Urals?"
"..."
As if he hadn't. Wasn't that Bronya's codename during her mercenary period? Elias blinked—he suddenly realized this was the era where Bronya was active as a merc.
And he also clearly remembered that Bronya's ranking was even higher than his and Raven's.
There was a hint of concern in Raven's eyes.
"The Silver Wolf of the Urals—number one on the mercenary ranking list. Rumor has it she's set her sights on you. I shouldn't have given you that last job... I believe in your strength, Elias, but still—stay alert."
"Thanks. I'll keep that in mind."
"Alright, I've got other things to handle, so I'll head out. If you run into trouble, just call me. Even if it's the Silver Wolf of the Urals, I'm confident she wouldn't be a match for the two of us together."
Raven checked her next assignment while waving a hand behind her as she walked off without looking back.
Elias stood in the snowstorm, watching her disappear into the distance. Once her figure completely vanished, he muttered to himself:
"Thanks for the warning, Natasha... but the Silver Wolf of the Urals has already arrived, hasn't she?"
He smiled faintly and turned his gaze toward the distant snowy field.
Bang!
A single gunshot rang out.
A bullet whizzed past Elias' temple.
"!!!"
Bronya, hidden beneath the snow, was shocked when her shot missed. She immediately canceled her camouflage and attempted to retreat—but in the very next second, Elias appeared right in front of her.
(Impossible!)
(There was over 700 meters between us—how did he close that distance in an instant?!)
The Silver Wolf of the Urals had accepted the bounty on White Dove.
But Bronya knew that alone, she couldn't defeat both White Dove and Raven. That's why she'd set a trap—waiting for him to be alone so she could deliver a fatal blow.
Even the job Raven had just accepted was part of a diversion to lure her away.
One had to admit, she lived up to her reputation as the top mercenary. Not only did she have skills, but a sharp mind as well.
However... Bronya had misjudged one crucial thing.
Elias was far stronger than she had anticipated.
"Tch! Die, White Dove!"
Even though she didn't understand how Elias had gotten so close so fast, Bronya reacted instantly—abandoning her retreat and launching a close-range assassination attempt.
But the moment she drew the dagger strapped to her thigh, Elias had already subdued her.
"Too green. Take a little nap."
"You—"
Bronya had no chance to resist. Her consciousness faded into darkness.
In a rather cheerful mood, Elias hoisted the girl over his shoulder.
"Hehe~ Finally got you, Bronya. C'mon, let's go home!"
He could hardly wait to hear her call him Papa.
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