"Well..." Azikh looked at Kyran thoughtfully. "If you put it that way..."
Gidan scowled, "You just ran off your mouth as you please, don't you?"
"Please," Kyran snorted. "I only repeated what you said. Besides, who else here can fight a beast as effortlessly as I do?"
Azikh and Gidan's brow twitched. What he said was true, but did he have to say it like that? He was not only rubbing salt in their wounds but also generating hatred in them for sounding like an arrogant prick.
"Is that right?" Gidan snarled, a vein about to pop on his forehead. "Alright. Since you say so, then I'll work you to the bone. I'll have you hunt for supplies until our warehouse is full." He then looked at Cyneah and said, "Since he said it himself, you don't have any problem with this, right Lady Saint?"
"H-Huh?" Cyneah looked at them in shock.
Judging from her reaction, it seemed she was not listening to their conversation.
Azikh looked at her in concern, "Lady Saint? You looked flushed. Are you alright? If you're fatigued over healing our injured fighters, please say so. We can't have you falling ill."
Kyran also looked at Cyneah. He felt bad for not noticing she was feeling unwell. He had to find a way to relieve some of her burdens so she could have time for herself.
Cyneah blushed even further as she shook her head and said, "N-No, I-I am alright. J-Just... R-Right, since N-Nar volunteered to hunt himself, there is no problem. Ahahaha..."
Unbeknownst to them, her face had turned red because of what Kyran had said about helping them only because she was there. Once again, the things she had kept hidden for almost seven years threatened to overwhelm her.
Kyran frowned slightly. From how she stuttered, he knew she was flustered about something. Was she that worried about hiding her condition? He made a mental note to talk about that with her. Now that he was here, she did not have to stress over things alone. She could rely on him to handle the logistics and military side of things at the border. Gidan probably had his good side, but his grumpiness was something that she could be worried about.
Though Azikh and Kyran did not realize Cyneah's inner turmoil, Gidan knew better. He had been with her for four years, and this was not the first time he saw her flustered like this.
During Cyneah's last year in the Abbey, there was a time where every Eidum could only talk about her 'ideal partner.' The reason for such discussion was due to the Abbot's announcement.
Cyneah had been mum during the whole thing. However, there was one time where a group of female healers with her started to guess her ideal. Gidan was present at that time and he noticed her turning bright red after one of them said something. He could not remember what it was but remembered it because Cyneah started to stutter in her reply.
Cyneah was not flustered by anything Azikh had said. That much Gidan was sure of. Which meant it was Kyran who said something. And Gidan already guessed what it was.
Frankly, Gidan had feared Cyneah had been too scarred to even think of her own happiness. He was further distraught about it when the Abbot made the announcement, yet she did not react to it. Seeing her flustered about something actually made Gidan a little happy. It showed her 'maiden heart.' He started to believe it was not that she was too scarred, but that her position as the Saint did not allow her to show much of her vulnerable side.
But Gidan was not happy now because he started remembering what that healer had said.
That female healer remarked that maybe Cyneah already had someone important to her, which was why she was unaffected by the announcement.
Was the healer's remark on point? Could that person be Kyran?
No. Gidan would not approve of him. Even if he was her benefactor, everything about him was too shady. Cyneah would never have a peaceful life if she chose him.
"He can go right now," Gidan suggested at once. He would not let Kyran have a chance to be around Cyneah. He would give him a lot of tasks to the point he would not have a chance to even see her shadow!
Azikh shook his head, "No. He is new in this place. He needs to get familiar with it first, and we need to assign a healer that could go with him, just in case."
"Yes," Cyneah agreed. "A guide, a healer, and at least three abled fighters."
"There is no need," Kyran started to protest. To be honest, if others were with him, they would only become dead weight. Besides, when Hilam and Soria negotiated with Gidan to let him in, he took that chance to scout the whole area. That was how he knew there was a nearby forest with rich resources.
Although he said it was nearby, it would still take at least half a day if he was with a group of people. If he worked alone, however, he could use warp anytime.
"Humor me, Nar," Cyneah pleaded. "You say my potion worked wonders, but I think only the adrenaline rush kept you going. At least there are others with you, If anything happens, they can get you home."
Kyran sighed. Cyneah avoided mentioning him being exposed to magical beast blood. Thus, Azikh and Gidan did not react much to it. They probably only think that he was too exhausted and the potion she gave him was meant to help recover his fatigue.
In any case, he could not argue with her without saying too much. Gidan might not be able to catch on their exchange but not Azikh. Kyran felt the latter was better at reading between the lines.
"A guide should be enough," Kyran bargained.
"Bring a healer too."
"With the condition of your fighters, you can't spare even one of your healers. It's okay, really."
"Bring a healer, please," Cyneah repeated pleadingly.
Kyran sighed inwardly. If she asked like that, how could he refuse?
"Fine, I'll borrow Hilam and Oded then."
"Hilam is the leader of the new recruits. He needed to finish his orientation. As for Oded, he is the Lady Saint's assistant. You can't have them," Gidan growled. "Soria and Yalen can accompany you."
Azikh looked at him with one brow twitching. He could already guess what Gidan was planning.
Cyneah frowned, "Yalen is also my assistant, Gidan."
"She had studied with you before you left the Abbey, right? Unlike Oded, she is already knowledgeable about how you do things. You'd want the best to assist your friend, right? I believe she is the best fit."
"Y-Yes," Cyneah replied. Gidan's argument was sound, which was why she was even more reluctant to agree. However, she could not think of a reason to reject his suggestion. "But... they are new in this place. Soria... I don't think she can be a good guide—."
"She can, Lady Saint," Azikh interjected. "Among the new recruits, her knowledge of the border's terrain has been one of the reasons she was appointed vice leader in their team. Apart from this, her knowledge of the Great Divide far exceeded her generation's. Maybe even the generation ahead of hers."
"Hm," Kyran crossed his arms as he recalled Soria mentioned wanting to guide him in 'seeing' the whole Great Divide. "She did offer to show me around, but it can't be realized because of the current situation."
"There!" Gidan declared at once, "Even your friend agrees."
"I didn't—."
"Come with me," Gidan ignored his attempt to correct his statement and gestured for him to follow.
"W-Wait," Cyneah started.
However, her protest had gone to deaf ears as Gidan forced Kyran to follow him.
Azikh let out a small laugh. He had guessed what Gidan was after. He wanted to sway Kyran by letting him stay around young women his age.
Alas, Gidan's overprotectiveness of the Saint had bared its fangs.
"We can also discuss your suggestion in strengthening the defensive line while we meet with your new teammates," Gidan said as he grabbed Kyran by the arm and pulled him toward the array formation.
Kyran no longer argued and went along with Gidan. Since he was finally being cooperative, he did not mind playing along with his 'plan.'
Obviously, Kyran knew what Gidan was thinking. But it did not matter because he only found Soria and Yalen as good kids he could train. They had potential, along with Hilam and the others.
Besides, Gidan was now willing to listen to his suggestion. Why should he argue?
With that in mind, the two went to find Soria and Yalen. At the same time, Kyran told Gidan his idea about strengthening their defensive line.
In any case, Kyran expected to return before the enemies started on their follow-up attack.
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