*************
Kira finally calmed herself—at least on the surface. The laughter died down, though a ghost of amusement still tugged at the corner of her lips as she resumed speaking.
"Most people who've worked with Scarlette—well, more accurately, people who've been assigned to the same subjugation mission as her—praise her reputation and skills. Stories spread fast in the guild."
Ryan lifted an eyebrow.
Something wasn't adding up.
"I thought you said she never worked with other adventurers," he said slowly, trying to piece together her earlier statements.
Everyone in the guild had said the same thing: Scarlette Overland never accepted a party invitation. She always turned people away, ignored them, or simply walked past them as if they didn't exist.
So why did it sound like Kira was contradicting herself?
Kira caught the suspicion in Ryan's eyes and sighed, waving a dismissive hand.
"Yes, yes. Scarlette never accepts party invitations—and she definitely prefers working alone. But that rule doesn't apply to subjugation missions."
Ryan blinked. "Subjugation… missions?"
Kira nodded and grabbed a snack from the plate between them. "Right. Let me explain."
She took a bite, chewed thoughtfully, then continued.
"In the Adventurers Guild, most missions come from clients—merchants, travelers, nobles, villagers. Anyone who needs help with something. You pick a job from the board, and whether you do it alone or with a party depends on the mission's difficulty and your rank. Simple."
Ryan nodded. He understood that much already.
"But subjugation missions," Kira said, lifting her index finger, "are different. These missions are issued directly by the guild itself. They're basically large-scale threats that need to be dealt with quickly and efficiently. And the rules for them are strict."
Ryan leaned forward slightly. "Strict how?"
"You HAVE to cooperate," Kira said firmly. "No exceptions. Solo or not, you MUST join a team. The guild enforces that because subjugation missions involve monsters that could wipe out entire villages if mishandled."
Ryan felt something click in his mind.
"So that means…"
Kira nodded sharply.
"Meaning, even someone like Scarlette Overland must abide by the rule. She can't do subjugation missions alone."
Ryan slowly exhaled.
He imagined Scarlette—cold, distant, terrifying—forced to work alongside others. The image felt so bizarre he couldn't stop the chuckle that escaped him.
Kira's eyebrow twitched. "What's funny?"
"I just… can't imagine her working with people," Ryan admitted sheepishly. "She barely tolerated me breathing next to her."
Kira burst out laughing. "Pfft—! You're not wrong, bro! Her presence screams like, 'I'd prefer to kill you than talk to you.', that kind of vibe though."
Ryan's face reddened. "Not helping!"
Kira grinned. "But seriously, Scarlette isn't unreasonable. She won't take someone with her if she's on a normal mission, but subjugation missions? She cooperates. And she leads when needed—especially when newcomers are involved."
Ryan stiffened. "L-Leads? She leads people?"
"Of course she does," Kira scoffed. "She's the strongest adventurer among us. Who else would lead?"
Scarlette—leading newcomers?
The thought alone made Ryan's brain short‑circuit.
But Kira wasn't done.
"She's cold, yes. Quiet? Definitely. But narrow‑minded? Absolutely not. Don't misunderstand her because she's not chatty."
Ryan winced and scratched his cheek, embarrassed. "Sorry. That wasn't my intention. I just… never expected her to have this kind of responsible side."
He paused, remembering something Scarlette had said—or more accurately, the lack of things she had said.
"But I thought her skills were unknown. So, the only time adventurers see them… is during these subjugation missions?"
Kira took another bite, nodded, and swallowed before answering.
"Yep. That's why people who've fought in the same subjugation mission as her have stories. Honestly, if it weren't for those missions, we wouldn't know ANYTHING about her abilities."
Ryan frowned. "What does she fight like?"
Kira stared at her plate for a moment, then looked up with a troubled expression.
"You won't understand unless you see it for yourself. Words don't do her justice."
Ryan blinked. "That vague?"
"Not vague—insufficient," Kira corrected. "You'll see someday."
Her tone had shifted—less teasing now, more serious—making Ryan feel a strange tightness in his chest.
Scarlette Overland…
How strong was she really?
He rubbed his forehead as a slight headache crept in.
Kira wasn't the only one drinking, but judging from her swaying posture and flushed cheeks, she had far exceeded her limit. Ryan decided not to drink anymore—he needed a clear head tomorrow morning when he met Scarlette again.
He glanced outside the tavern window. The sky had already darkened; the lamp-lit streets glowed softly in the night.
"Kira," he said gently, "it's getting late. We should head out. I need to wake up early to meet Scarlette."
Kira groaned but nodded, pushing herself up.
As Ryan reached for his pouch to pay—
"Stop," she said firmly, slapping his hand. "Don't worry about it, bro! I already paid earlier. This one's, my treat."
"O-Oh. Thanks."
"Don't mention it!"
Kira threw her arm around his shoulders again—but this time, she almost missed and stumbled forward.
Ryan caught her just in time. "Careful!"
"H‑hah! I… I can handle—hic!—myself," Kira declared proudly, swaying dangerously. "Just… hic! drop me off at the other side of the street and I'll be fine—hic!—on my own!"
Ryan stared at her in disbelief.
What kind of idiot would leave a drunk woman alone at night?!
He tightened his hold around her, guiding her properly toward the door.
"No. Absolutely not. I'm not leaving you alone like this."
"But I'm fiiiiine—hic!"
"No. You're not."
Kira giggled as though this was the funniest thing she'd heard all night.
"You're… such a gentleman, Ryan! hic! Scarlette must've—hic!—seen something in you!"
Ryan nearly tripped.
"KIRA—PLEASE—stop bringing her up—!"
Kira snorted. "Can't help it~~ You're soooo fun to tease~~"
Ryan sighed loudly.
But despite her teasing, despite her antics, he felt unexpectedly grateful.
Today had been overwhelming in ways he never imagined—but Kira's presence had steadied him… even if she was a chaotic hurricane of personality.
As he supported her out the tavern door and into the cool night air, Ryan couldn't shake the thought lingering in his mind:
Tomorrow, he would meet Scarlette Overland again.
And nothing Kira said—nothing anyone said—could prepare him for that.
************