The escort job would begin tomorrow, and Lira had told her to meet Team Argent in one of the small briefing rooms. The guild used these rooms for strategy meetings, map reviews, and pre-mission coordination.
When Eis stepped inside, the room was already occupied.
- Ronan stood by the wall-length map, arms crossed.
- Kael sat on the table edge, idly spinning an arrow.
- Lira sorted through papers and a small bound notebook.
They all looked up when Eis entered.
Ronan gave a small nod.
Kael grinned.
Lira motioned her inside.
“Good. You’re early.”
Eis stepped in and closed the door behind her.
Lira tapped the map with the end of her quill.
“Tomorrow, we escort the Harven Caravan along Route 12, all the way to Korvelle.”
She pointed to a coastal town several days east.
“Seven days there, three to four days back.”
Eis nodded. “I’ve prepared supplies for ten days.”
Ronan made a faint approving noise.
Kael hopped off the table and stepped closer to the map, tapping three locations with his arrow.
“Major concerns are:
- Forest wolves — common, predictable.
- River raptors — less likely but possible near the wetlands.
- Bandits — only small groups in that region, but desperation makes people stupid.”
Lira pulled out a folded page labeled:
Escort Formation — Standard Defense Layout
“You’ll be on rear guard with Kael,” Lira said to Eis.
Eis blinked. “Rear guard?”
“Yes,” Lira said simply. “You’re fast, perceptive, and calm. Perfect for watching our backline.”
Kael nodded.
“I’ll cover long-range threats. You handle anything that gets close.”
Ronan added,
“Rear guard is often the most important role. It requires discipline.”
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Eis bowed her head slightly.
“I understand.”
Ronan finally stepped away from the wall.
“You will not be expected to take on anything alone,” he said plainly. “We move as a unit. We fight as a unit. If something is too large to handle, you call out.”
Eis nodded.
“Yes.”
“You’re strong,” Ronan continued, “but strength shouldn’t make you reckless.”
Kael snorted.
“She’s the opposite of reckless.”
Lira smirked.
“She thinks before she breathes.”
Eis felt heat rise to her cheeks.
Ronan’s expression softened just a fraction.
“Good. Then it’ll be easy.”
Lira flipped the notebook to another page.
“Rules of escort jobs:
- Caravan leader has final say on route changes.
- Do not leave sight of the wagons without permission.
- Stay polite with merchants — they hire us to feel safe.
- Do not show off.
- And—”
Kael jumped in.
“Don’t let them convince you to carry anything heavy. They try that with new adventurers.”
Lira shot him a look.
“Kael…”
“What? It’s true.”
Ronan added:
“Caravan guards often talk too much. Don’t reveal anything personal unless you want it repeated later.”
Eis nodded.
“Understood.”
Kael leaned toward Eis with a grin.
“And most importantly— enjoy the trip. Escort missions are half walking, half boredom, half unexpected chaos.”
“That is… three halves,” Eis pointed out.
Kael winked.
“Exactly how it feels.”
Lira groaned.
Ronan sighed quietly.
Eis actually smiled.
As the meeting wrapped up, Lira closed her notebook.
“Eis,” she said, tone softer, “we wouldn’t have asked you to join this job if we didn’t trust you.”
Kael added,
“You’re one of us for this mission.”
Ronan finished it simply:
“You’ll do fine.”
Something warm settled quietly in Eis’s chest.
“…Thank you.”
As they left the room, Kael stretched dramatically.
“Pack good food,” he told Eis. “Caravan rations taste like disappointment.”
Lira nodded.
“And sleep early.”
Ronan added,
“We leave at dawn.”
Eis bowed slightly.
“I’ll be ready.”
She stepped out into the hallway, clutching her pack strap and absorbing the last hour.
Tomorrow wasn’t just an escort job.
It was her first real step forward —
not alone,
not as an outsider,
but with a team.
Her team.