Chapter 27: Where Are Your Priorities?
The team continued their journey, only stopping for lunch and dinner. Once the sun had completely fallen, Lender pulled the carriage to the side of the road, and they set up camp. Allura offered to cook a meal as thanks for protecting her, and to everyone's surprise, she was a really good cook. Bob was fed the leftovers.
"I should have known that a beautiful woman like you would cook meals just as good!" Lender praised.
"I am surprised as well. This is pretty good," Raza agreed.
"Why thank you! When I am home, I cook all of the meals for my husband, especially since he is a walking hazard in the kitchen… Unfortunately, all of my meals directly affect one's libido…" She murmured that last part in shame.
"It sounds like you miss your husband," Lender said. "It must be lonely without him," He leaned towards Allura.
"I suggest you back off or I'll make you a woman," Allura threatened.
"R-right," Lender back off.
No matter how shameless he was, Lender still valued his manhood above everything else. Raza on the other hand didn't feel too much of a difference. It wasn't like he had much of a sex drive anyway, so he helped himself to seconds.
"Well, I need to take care of something," Lender stood up and stretched. "I'll be back in 5 minutes… or an hour. Whichever comes first," He yawned as he walked away.
Allura and Raza watched as his figure was swallowed by the darkness of the woods around them. Raza also stood up.
"I should also interrogate this man. I cannot provide an estimated time of return," He informed her.
"Oh my, leaving a helpless woman all on her own," Allura teased him.
"I will still be nearby. If anyone is coming this way, I will know," He promised.
"Someone can't read the room," She sighed. "I'll come with you. I can put a sound barrier around you so that no one will hear Bob's screams," She offered.
"Very well. Let us go then."
Raza threw Bob over his shoulders, and the two of them began their short walk. They didn't go too far away from camp, but they went far enough to be completely surrounded by woods. Raza started a small fire to use as a light source.
"Here is good," Raza said.
"Alright," Allura put her hands together. "Secrets untold. Hushed whispers. Let what's done here, stay here," She chanted.
A faint purple dome surrounded them. Allura smiled, proud of her work. Raza nodded and prepared for his interrogation. Bob sat in silence and mentally prepared himself.
"I will wait outside. I'm not very fond of screams," Allura said.
"Very well. I will inform you when I am finished," Raza didn't look up.
Raza lay down a thin, white sheet, and then began to set some tools on top of them. Some of the items were innocent things, like quills, feathers, and even some string. The other items were a bit more alarming like knives, pliers, and even a hammer. Allura thought it was best to simply leave Raza to his devices.
…
"Oh, there you guys are!" Lender waved to Allura.
Lender was away for about an hour, taking care of his business. We returned to camp, he saw that it was empty. He reasoned that Raza must have started his interrogation, so he followed the path that they left behind. Lender was wondering why the forest was so quiet, but he soon learned the reason once he saw Allura's sound barrier.
She was standing, watching Raza in horror. Her eyes were wide, and her jaw dropped. It took her a minute to realize that Lender was present.
"Hellooo," Lender waved his hand in front of Allura.
"Lender!" She turned to him in shock. "When did you return?"
"Just now. You looked like you just saw a ghost," He chuckled.
"I might have seen something worse. Raza started his interrogation maybe an hour ago, and Bob hasn't stopped screaming since. The worst part is… Raza seemed to be enjoying it," She was speechless.
"I figured that kid had a few screws loose. Welp, it's a good thing that he's on our side," Lender shrugged.
"That's all you have to say?" Allura looked at him."
"What else is there to say? Not everyone can avoid such nasty things and live inside a big, fancy house. For people like him and me, this is a reality we face," Lender sighed. "Oh look, it looks like the Kid is finished.
Raza was cleaning his tools. Bob's body was still there, but his head was missing. Raza took the brooch off of Bob's body and put it into his inventory. He also finished cleaning up and used his Black magic to dispose of the body. Allura lowered the barrier.
"Well?" She asked.
"I received some information, but I am not sure how useful it will be," Raza informed them.
"Tell us in the morning, Kid! We gotta get some rest since we are moving the moment the sun's up!" Lender yawned as he walked away.
In the morning, they broke camp and continued their journey. When they were all on the road, Raza began explaining the information that he had discovered.
"According to Bob, this wasn't a random attack. It was planned out and coordinated, and it started when they received information about the route we planned to take and what the cargo was," Raza explained.
"It's just us, can we not refer to me as the cargo, please?" Allura sighed.
"That doesn't mean much, Kid. With the man we are working for, any information is available for the right price," Lender spoke up.
"I had a similar thought, so I asked him where he received his information from. It wasn't from Ringman or the Ring, it was someone that they refer to as the Insider," Raza said. "Unfortunately, Bob was a low-ranking member of the Single Order, but he was able to provide one last detail."
"What is it, Kid? Don't build up suspense!" Lender was getting annoyed.
"The Single Order is trying to start a war between each kingdom," Raza shared.
"A world-scale war? Even at the worst parts of history, that is simply something unheard of!" Allura was alarmed.
"Everything is unheard of until it happens," Raza sighed. "This is also assuming I wasn't lied to."
"Only you could torture someone for an hour and still be skeptical that you're being lied to," Lender sighed.
"Agreed," Allura shook her head. "Regardless, this is alarming. I apologize, Raza, but I will need you to present this case once we reach Exilliania."
"Declined."
"WHAT!?" Both Lender and Allura said.
"This mission was already scheduled for two weeks, but if I stay with you, that will only increase my time working. I do not wish to stay away from my family longer than I originally intended to," Raza explained.
"Did you just prioritize seeing your family over potentially saving the world?" Allura gave him a blank stare.
"Again, that's assuming that I wasn't lied to," Raza corrected her.
"Stop it with the skepticism," She sighed.
"This is exactly why I didn't want to interrogate him!" Lender laughed. "I knew that it would mean working more hours! But hear me out, Kid. You work hard now, and your goal is would only move towards you," Lender advised him.
Allura didn't understand this, but Raza understood it completely. If he became known as the person who quote in quote, saved the world, then his reputation would skyrocket, and the throne would be within reach. Raza sighed to himself as he considered the idea of staying.
"Very well, I will stay to present my case," He agreed.
"My advice wasn't free," Lender chimed in.
"I only said I would present my case. I still intend to leave immediately afterward, therefore, I would still be on track to return home on time. You only altered what I would be doing while we are dropping off the cargo," Raza reasoned.
"You really are too serious for a kid. Fine, do what you want," Lender sighed. "I planned to stay the night anyway. There are places I want to visit."
There were no more words needed for the rest of the conversation. Both Raza and Allura had the same thought about Lender. Given the time they spent together traveling together, there knew what motivated Lender. He was only motivated by money and women. Since staying a day or two wouldn't affect how he was paid nor did he get paid until returning home, there was one thing that he was looking forward to.
Lender on the other hand, ws getting impatient. He wanted some form of sexual release, and the meal that Allura cooked didn't help at all. He inwardly cursed at his luck that Allura was the succubus he came across. He put money aside just for one thing, and that was for succubus women. He smiled at his own fantasies.
'Pervert.' Raza and Allura thought.
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