As we prepared to free the villagers trapped in the elder’s house, Harrison and Jose brought someone over.
The man was tightly bound with rope, and his mouth was stuffed with what looked like a sock. Ugh.
"He appears to be a Kint survivor. He was attempting to snipe us from a rooftop," Harrison explained, with Jose shrugging as he added,
"His sniping skills were awful. These days, it seems like any dog or cow thinks they can handle a sniper rifle. It’s such a delicate weapon, after all."
If anyone could make a comment like that, it was Jose. Aside from Ethan and Vanilla, everyone else here was an amateur when it came to firearms.
"Mmmpf! Mmmph!" The man gagged with the sock squirmed, his face pale and terrified. Ethan, watching him closely, struck the back of his neck in one swift motion, knocking him unconscious.
As a brief silence settled over us, everyone’s gaze turned to Ethan. He shrugged.
"He was noisy. We’ll interrogate him back at the mansion anyway, won’t we?"
Well, that was true.
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"Alright then, Ethan, Harrison, and I will head to the elder’s house. Can you guys handle moving this guy on your own?" I asked.
Jose pursed his lips in a pout, his expression showing mild irritation.
"I’m a man, you know."
"What kind of man is a shrimp like you?" Ethan retorted, ruffling Jose’s hair roughly, dismissing him with a smirk.
"Hey, cut it out! We’re not even close!" Jose protested, throwing a glance at me for support.
Amy stepped in, trying to reassure me.
"Jose may look a bit pretty, but he’s got a strong build."
It was true—while Jose wasn’t as tall as Ethan, he had a solid physique and the strength to wield various weapons effectively. I nodded in agreement and said to him,
"Alright, I’ll leave it to you."
Jose scratched the back of his head, looking a little embarrassed, and nodded back. Vanilla, as always uninterested in anything but practicality, holstered her shotgun without comment.
Amy narrowed her eyes playfully at the flustered Jose before turning to me and flashing a sweet smile.
"See you later, big sis."
With Amy’s wave, Jose and Vanilla also said their goodbyes. I watched as Jose easily hoisted the unconscious man over his shoulder. Satisfied, I turned away.
From where I stood, the devastated village stretched out before me—a ruin in every sense of the word. Harrison raised the lantern he had prepared and said,
"Shall we go, miss?"
"It’s so romantic how you keep calling me ‘miss,’" I teased.
Ethan, walking ahead of us with his hands clasped behind his head, whistled cheerfully. Harrison, meanwhile, exuded quiet disapproval, his demeanor clearly showing his distaste.
It was obvious that Ethan wasn’t the type of person Harrison enjoyed being around. He had often complained about uncultured individuals, recounting tales of his rude junior colleagues with thinly veiled disgust. Once, I had cheekily remarked,
"I’m uncultured and rude too."
To which Harrison had replied, with unwavering favoritism,
"That’s fine. You’re the exception, miss."
Looking back now, I couldn’t help but think that Harrison had played just as much of a role in spoiling me as my parents had.
As if reading my thoughts, Harrison suddenly spoke up.
"I know you’re fond of handsome faces, miss, but be careful."
"What? Where is this coming from?" I asked, startled.
"Also, if it’s about looks, I think I’m better."
"Excuse me?"
I stared at Harrison, utterly dumbfounded by his sudden, bold statement.
Of course, Harrison was handsome. Unlike Ethan’s rugged charm, Harrison exuded a more intellectual and refined handsomeness. It was undeniable.
After all, Harrison had been my first love.
When I was younger, realizing that he only saw me as a younger sibling had devastated me. I’d cried myself to sleep for days.
As they say, first loves rarely work out.