Chapter 409 Chapter409-An Interesting Woman
"But... if you find Red Eye, can you handle him?" Howard was skeptical of Greg's capabilities.
Although he had never seen Red Eye in action, the hefty bounty in gold coins undeniably indicated a significant danger.
The outcome of a fight isn't solely determined by the combatants' strengths, especially when almost nothing is known about the opponent's capabilities.
In any case, reporting to Antalya seemed like the more reliable approach.
With this thought, Howard voiced his opinion.
"You're doubting my strength?" Greg glared, swinging his fist in Howard's direction, his arm muscles bulging with effort.
"I've been a magus and an adventurer far longer than you. When I was facing death in the outside world, you probably didn't even know how to play in the mud."
Impatiently waving his hand, Greg quickened his pace.
"That's settled then. When the time comes, you can go report to Antalya. I can handle Red Eye by myself."
He even looked back at Howard, his gaze filled with a mix of contempt and disdain.
"Coward."
With those words, he left Howard with nothing but his back to stare at.
Disrespected?
Howard was a bit stunned, Greg's series of actions leaving him bewildered.
This did not align with the image Greg had always presented, which was that of a rather composed individual.
Although he had obsessions, he rarely lost control over them.
But now, it seemed not to be the case; Greg appeared to have lost his composure.
Was this his true character?
Or was there some other reason behind it?
Howard couldn't make a judgment, but one thing was clear: if Greg was allowed to proceed in this manner, the risk involved in their upcoming actions would undoubtedly increase significantly.
If Greg fails to defeat Red Eye on his own, finding another opportunity would become significantly more difficult.
Moreover, if he underestimates Red Eye's strength in a moment of impulsiveness, he could very well get injured, or even killed.
Choosing the life of an adventurer means accepting death as a constant shadow.
Antalya had made this clear when Howard and Ali decided to take on the commission.
Although Howard did not yet fully grasp the depth of this reality, he was aware of the dangers involved.
He was no sheltered greenhouse plant, living in perpetual peace.
His hands, too, had once been stained with blood.
If necessary, he would not hesitate to kill again.
Therefore, he could not allow Greg to act recklessly.
If Greg insisted on going it alone, Howard was prepared to intervene actively.
This was his first commission after making his stance known, and it would directly influence Antalya's opinion of him.
Failing now would require tenfold, even a hundredfold, more effort to redeem himself later.
That was not a desirable option.
By the time Howard collected his thoughts, Greg had already positioned himself at his stakeout spot, silently monitoring the flow of people entering and exiting Harry's building.
Not daring to delay, Howard found a suitable location and concealed himself as well.
Their primary task, before any sign of Red Eye, was to keep watch.
It was a tedious and patience-testing job that required them to remain vigilant for extended periods.
Nobody knew if Red Eye would strike before the transaction, so they had to be alert at all times.
Shortly after Greg and Howard took their positions, Antalya and Ali arrived at Harry's small building.
Dubbed a "small building," its size was not as grand as one might imagine, consisting of a few tall three-story buildings enclosing a courtyard, lacking the architectural complexity seen in some Eastern countries.
Harry, while being among the wealthier individuals in Lorinda and covertly controlling a significant portion of the town's industry and workforce, still fell short of the nobility in Breeze City in terms of wealth and influence.
This was evident in the security measures he had implemented for his home.
Without successfully hiring Antalya, his best effort would have been to employ several teams of seasoned adventurers and at most, a reserve magus.
Against ordinary people or a few reserve magi, such arrangements would suffice.
However, they were up against "Red Eye."
Even without external help, Red Eye alone could decimate these defenses.
In the living room of the main building's first floor, Antalya and Ali met Harry, who was preparing to leave.
"I'm heading out to discuss countermeasures against Red Eye with a few others. I'm counting on you today as well, Miss Antalya, Miss Ali."
Harry was visibly relieved to see Antalya and Ali.
Although Antalya's reluctance to stay at his place made him somewhat uneasy, the fact that the new face, Ali, was also a magus significantly boosted his confidence in Antalya's team.
After all, Red Eye was just one person; he couldn't possibly take on two or even three magi of the same level, could he?
Nodding as a form of greeting, Ali looked towards Antalya.
"This time, I'll go, and you stay here on guard," Antalya instructed.
"Even though we have Greg and Howard on the outskirts helping, you absolutely cannot afford to be careless."
"I will heed your words with caution," Ali replied with a smile, "as you mentioned yesterday."
"Good that you remember." Antalya then turned to face Harry, "When are you planning to leave?"
"Now," Harry responded, "I don't want to spend more time outside than necessary."
The chaotic environment implied an increase in the difficulty of protection and also suggested a higher probability of the opponent making a move.
Although the likelihood of Red Eye acting now was slim, it was this very relaxation that might be exploited by the adversary.
They wouldn't get a second chance.
"Today, I will ensure your safety," Antalya declared.
"The safety of Lilianne will be the responsibility of my associates."
Lilianne was Harry's only daughter and his only family member now.
If Red Eye chose to strike, the chances of Lilianne being targeted were higher than Harry himself.
Therefore, Antalya had arranged for three people, one in the open and two concealed, to protect her.
"Lilianne hasn't woken up yet; she's in her room on the second floor," Harry informed them.
"You know the location."
After a pause, Harry seemed to want to say more, but a middle-
aged man came from the side, reminding Harry it was time to leave.
Harry retracted what he was about to say and left with his entourage and Antalya.
"Harry has come out, he's with Antalya," whispered Greg from his concealed position among the intersecting rooftops, a spot blind to the average person's vision, quietly communicating with Howard.
Through the use of simple mana spells, most magi are capable of communicating with their companions over long distances.
Though the spreading of mana imposes a limit on the range, it poses no issue for typical battlefield communications.
"I see them. Looks like Ali is responsible for the little girl's safety," Howard responded to Greg from another angle.
"This must be Ali's first time meeting the girl," Greg's voice carried a hint of amusement, " She hasn't taken care of kids before, has she?"
Howard paused, realizing he hadn't considered this.
During the first two days of the commission, Greg and Antalya were in charge of Lilianne's safety.
As veterans, they naturally had their methods.
But today, it was Ali's turn, a rookie who had just entered the field.
She wouldn't mess up, would he?
Recalling Ali's often expressionless face, Howard suddenly felt uneasy.
Even though she is really good-looking, she lacks common sense.
Could she really keep the little girl from crying?
On the streets, Harry, accompanied by a middle-aged man and Antalya, hurried along.
The last time Red Eye made an appearance, he didn't make a big show of it but directly targeted a few influential individuals in Lorinda.
To avoid causing panic, they didn't publicize this information but quietly organized a response.
Suddenly, Antalya stopped, her gaze drifting to one side of the street.
"What's wrong?"
Noticing Antalya's unusual behavior, Harry also halted.
"Nothing," Antalya shook her head with a smile, "I just saw an interesting person, that's all."
With that, Antalya moved on without further delay.
"An interesting person?"
Harry was momentarily puzzled, unsure of what Antalya meant.
Within the crowd, a young man suddenly stopped, looking around curiously.
"Boss, what's up?"
As the young man paused, a middle-aged man halted beside him, scratching the intimidating scar on his face while asking in a gruff voice.
"Nothing," the young man replied with a smile, shaking his head, "Just spotted an interesting woman, that's all."
"Interesting woman... interesting woman?"
The middle-aged man murmured under his breath, scratching the broad scar across his face.
Despite his squarely shaped, upright face exuding a sense of integrity, the fearsome scar slashing across his nose added a layer of severity to his appearance.
Even without making any expression, his mere presence seemed to clear the crowd around him.
Nobody wants to invite trouble, and often, having a subordinate with a somewhat intimidating face can be more effective than carrying a couple of knives.
This was a lesson the young man had learned from his own experiences.
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