They didn't take another contract the next day.
Not because they were scared but because Lysa insisted on watching the board.
That alone told Owen everything Lysa had already figured it out. The guild was in on this.
By noon, Stonehaven felt tighter. Like the town itself was holding its breath. Riders came and went through the gates more frequently. Guild clerks whispered behind ledgers. Even the usual drunk mercs drank quieter.
Someone was asking questions.
Owen sat on the roof of the guild hall, legs dangling over the edge, watching the street below. Seishi rested across his lap, still wrapped, but he could feel it even through the cloth—steady, patient.
Lysa joined him, tossing a small apple his way. "Eat."
He caught it. "You're worried."
"Not worried," she said. "Alert."
Brunn's voice floated up from below. "That's worse."
She smirked despite herself.
"People don't hire mercenaries to test other mercenaries," she continued. "They send knights. Or mages. Or assassins."
Owen bit into the apple. "So why us?"
"Because you," she said plainly, "don't fit."
Owen sighed. "Never have."
She looked at him sideways. "You ever think about lying low?"
Owen shook his head. "I've tried and that only led me to you guys."
"Figures."
That evening, a sealed letter arrived at the guild.
Black wax. No crest.
It wasn't posted on the board.
It was handed directly to their party.
Brunn cracked his knuckles. "Oh I don't like that."
Lysa broke the seal and read silently. Her face didn't change, but her eyes hardened.
"…It's an invitation," she said.
"To where?" Owen asked.
"Somewhere neutral," she replied. "They want a meeting."
Brunn leaned over her shoulder. "Who's 'they'?"
She folded the letter. "Someone with resources. And patience."
Owen exhaled slowly. "And if we don't go?"
"They'll keep watching," Lysa said. "Maybe push harder next time."
Brunn snorted. "Hate people like that."
Owen looked at the letter. "Then we go."
Both of them turned to him.
"You sure?" Lysa asked.
He nodded. "I'd rather see what's hunting me than wait for it to bite."
Brunn grinned. "That's the spirit."
The meeting place was an old waystation two days out from Stonehaven.
Abandoned, but maintained.
Too clean.
They arrived at dusk.
Inside waited three figures.
One robed. One armored. One seated casually on the edge of a table, boots crossed, clapping slowly as they entered.
"Manaless S-Rank," the seated man said cheerfully. "You're shorter than I imagined."
Brunn stepped forward. "You're livelier than I hoped."
The man laughed. "I like him."
The robed figure spoke next. "We represent a coalition that rules from the shadow."
Owen tilted his head. "That's a weird way to say weird people."
The armored one shifted, annoyed.
The seated man waved him off. "Relax, relax the lord fourth said we should have him on our side at all costs. That means he has to be alive."
He then looked at Owen. "We don't want to attack you, we want you to join us."
Lysa's voice was cold. "That's not nicer especially when we don't know who you guys are."
The man shrugged. "Depends on perspective."
Owen met his gaze. "You've been testing me."
"Yes."
"Watching me."
"Yes."
"Hiring people to die."
The man's smile thinned. "Occupational hazard."
The air grew heavy.
Owen rested his hand on Seishi instinctively.
"I'm not interested," he said. "And I won't be joining the weird ass organization of yours."
Silence stretched.
Then the man stood.
"…Good," he said quietly. "That would've been disappointing."
" Hey," the robbed one spoke up suddenly. "commander specifically said to get him on our side though."
The man turned. "I guess we'll have to dispose of them then. If he doesn't want to cooperate."
"No..." The armored one replied "we'll await further instructions, acting out of line could have as killed off with them."
"Who are you guys?" Brunn asked.
"Oh us?" the man replied. "We are Garten Der Schatten."
Owen's chest tightened. "Garten der Schatten?"
The man smiled again-this time, not friendly as he walked passed Owen and his party.
"That wraps it up. See you around restricted one."
Owen turned around only for his eyes to meet nothing.
"They vanished?" Lysa muttered
" We should get going." Said Owen walking out.
Not another word was said.
The road back felt longer.
Lysa finally spoke. "You okay?"
Owen nodded slowly. "Yeah."
"You're lying to me."
"I'm not though" Owen replied
"You dumbass," Lysa responded "I can still sense hostility from you ever since we left."
Owen didn't respond
" Don't pressure him Lysa." Brunn finally spoke up, " You know it more than anyone that they could have killed us if they wanted to. The mana levels they had were at least sixth circle."
Lysa went silent.
Owen glanced at her.
He had never seen Lysa react like that.
He didn't have mana so he couldn't understand their feelings.
The feeling of uneasiness came over him again.