"So, you are saying that they are showing irregular actions? And according to the tests done on their blood and flesh, there might be something that was ingested by them to react that way?"
Spencer was kneeling in front of the king.
"Everything we found was written in the parchment I have given you, your majesty."
Harland looked at the batch of parchments he received from his attendant.
He flipped through it for a good while.
Spencer continued kneeling in front of him while waiting for him to say anything.
The attendant continued looking down at him while also glancing at his king.
Spencer showed no sign of irritation in his face, nor did he show any reaction, he remained poker-faced.
Minutes passed and it was the attendant who started frowning as he watched Spencer.
Finally, Harland raised his head.
"You had the chance to check on a great orc that suddenly appeared in the outer area of the Dark Forest."
"We are still lacking, your majesty. We don't have the strength to keep fighting if more of them were to come. We can only return and report what we found to you. We know the elite knights of the kingdom will be able to tackle this problem more than us, adventurers."
Spencer could tell what he meant with his single remark.
Because they only met one great orc, why did they return?
If he did not answer properly then they would be seen as not doing the mission properly.
His answer greatly pleased Harland.
"Very well, your reward shall be sent to you later today. You may return," he said.
"Thank you, your majesty."
Spencer stood up and walked away.
"Hmmph, they are way below the knights of the kingdom. At least they knew where they should stand," the attendant scoffed.
"They are but commoners yet they dare gain more popularity than the elite knights who are noble born?" he added with disdain.
"You know what to do with this," Harland asked him.
"I understand very well, your majesty."
The attendant smiled knowingly.
Spencer returned to their place, which is close to the gates of the kingdom.
"That took you long enough," Richard greeted him.
He was able to return close to sunset.
"You do understand just what is going on in that head of his. It is better not to say anything to end the conversation faster."
Richard scoffed while shaking his head.
It was very obvious that it was because of their fame that the king was acting this way towards them.
"Why are you up anyway?" Spencer asked.
He walked towards the kitchen, as the one who was in the best condition. He chose to cook for the others.
"The rest is enough. Sleeping won't help. It is better to keep on training," he replied.
"Go on then. I will call you once dinner is ready," Spencer allowed him to leave.
"…"
Richard looked at him.
Spencer waved his hand, "I am fine. I can rest after eating. I need more food than sleep."
Richard raised his brow at him.
"Fine, fine, I have slept more than enough. Right now, I just want more food. Why don't you just go and train already? Go now, shoo, shoo."
He shooed him away with his hand.
Richard finally left.
Everyone except for Luna woke up for some dinner.
"He acted the same way he did while giving us the mission, am I right?" Aaron commented while munching on his food.
"What else do you expect?" Spencer shrugged.
"We are commoners and the knights are nobles. It was so obvious," Preshea commented next.
The other three looked at her.
"What? That is the truth," she reacted.
"We did not say anything."
"Well, if they just trained more and did their jobs properly then wouldn't the people look at them in awe as well? Not that we wanted the attention, we are simply doing what we can right now," Aaron commented.
The others silently agreed.
It is just as they have shown to Kyle and the rest, they don't like the attention, and it was even close to hating it. Despite that, people still treat them like some kind of hero for how good they are with their work.
More like, because they took each work seriously that they can achieve more than what those knights are achieving.
And if they are to put it proudly, they are strong. That is for sure.
Two weeks passed without them stepping out of the house. It was better not to show their faces for people to gawk at and for the nobles to get jealous. They can just train on their own, especially since they need it the most at the moment.
They needed to improve faster to ensure the safety of their lives as they continue with their missions.
"Still not good?" Spencer asked Richard.
Richard shook his head.
"It seems that two weeks is still not enough," Spencer sighed.
Though if he is to admit it himself, he was still not in his top condition either.
"Indeed, the injury seems to be greater than we thought. My arm still has some lingering pain in it," Aaron added.
He tried stretching with the injured arm but he could still feel that dull pain.
"My healing ability has truly deteriorated a lot. Well, at the very least we know now. Even our limits, we already know to what extent it is."
In their past missions, they always ensure to finish it as soon as possible but without exerting too much.
This was the very first time they got delayed and even used more than necessary power.
"Let us just rest for one more week before taking up another mission," Spencer suggested.
"Can't we take another that is in another place?" Aaron sat down on the ground and complained
"You do understand why we take up missions around the Dark Forest and that mountain range, right?" Spencer asked.
Aaron raised both hands in the air, "I know. I know. Just that it is getting boring already."
"We are just talking about the injuries. Of course, it would get boring since we are fighting against beasts we are sure to win against," Preshea reproved.
Aaron rolled his eyes before standing up once again.
"Let's spar," he said to Richard.
Richard took him up to his offer and the two of them started sparring with one another.
Their movements were fast and precise, if one of the knights were to see their movements, they would think that they are even stricter in their movements than the knights of the kingdom.
As if trained as soldiers and not just some adventurers.
"He is injured yet he is still the one who wants to do more," Preshea shook her head.
"You know that guy, he loves moving around. Isn't that the reason why he was able to do something most of those wind-ability users couldn't do? It was even he who taught those who could."
Preshea shrugged, she knew of course. She could clearly remember everything.
Spencer glanced at her before looking back at the other two.
It was then that someone knocked at their door.
Spencer gestured for Preshea that he will look into it.
"May I help you?" he asked the attendant standing in front of him.
"A mission was issued to the adventurer group Astral," he answered neither cold nor warm.
"Can it be some other group? My team is-"
"It was from Duke Wakefield, for his nephew who will be going to Antlia Kingdom for some business. They will have to pass the Dark Forest for a faster route. Some other adventurers will join. You do understand the importance of the nephew."
Spencer's lips twitched, it was indeed well known that the nephew of Duke Wakefield was very smart and had a knack when it comes to business. Making him the best right-hand man for the son of Duke Wakefield.
But to see them being haughty when adventurers could reject the missions, it was a good thing that it was he who opened the door and not the others.
Preshea, with her current personality, would have slammed the door shut on this person the moment he interrupted him. Richard would be the same.
Aaron would insult them first before slamming the door.
'We stick out too much,' he thought.
With their desire to regain their strength, they received the ire of the kingdom.
"I understand, we shall prepare for it."
"The departure will be before the day ends."
With that, the attendant turned and left without waiting for his reply.
Spencer shook his head and returned to the rest.
"We have another mission," he informed them.
Everyone sharply turned to him.
"It is not like I could have rejected it. It was Duke Wakefield. You do know that family is one of the core of the kingdom. They are second only to the royal family," Spencer shrugged.
"All of us are not yet completely okay," Preshea furrowed her brows.
Spencer simply sighed.
They are still waiting for something before they can move differently.