Chapter 230: Infiltrators? meeting (1/2)

The face that was revealed when the figure entered the thin moonlight caused Aiden not a small amount of shock, to say the least. The figure in front of him was a female, with shoulder-length, disheveled fiery red hair, which due to the mud and grease hanged from the top of the girl's dirty head in separate, thumb-wide locks.

Still, despite the grease, the mud, the dirt, it was unmistakable: The girl in front of him was Scarlet, the princess they rescued just a while ago. How did she get here? Where's her brother, the annoying but skilled prince, Drake then?

”You? You look similar to someone I met before… but at the same time, I'm sure I never met you…” The girl looked at the familiar-looking goblin with confusion. His voice was familiar, and most of his facial features, but she was certain she never met such a goblin before, and even if she did, she wouldn't have entered a friendly discourse. Goblins and Orcs weren't known for their friendliness towards the other races.

”Me? You don't recognize me?” Aiden asked with a troubled look, however, a moment later he realized the root of the problem, his face changing he continued with a friendly smile. ”Ah, right! I'm currently in this goblin form, so it's hard to recognize me. I'm Aiden, we met a while ago, back in the city of Higrove were your brother, Drake and I rescued you and my sister from the underground slave traders.”

As if remembering something, he looked thoughtfully above as he continued.

”Although, we haven't talked for that long, so I guess, I can understand if you wouldn't recognize me, but st--”

Before he could finish his monologue, Scarlet raised his right hand to silence him and interjected with an annoyed look on his face.

”Yes, yes, okay, I got it! You are Aiden, that long, black-haired wild-looking boy who was with my brother! Sheesh!”

Not sure what he did that caused the girl to act in such a rash way, he looked at the girl confusedly. It was Sarah who connected the dots the fastest, and when the realization hit her that who this disheveled girl in front of her actually was, her eyes went wide and mouth agape.

”P-p-princess??” She stuttered with an incredulous look on her face. ”W-w-what are you doing here? W-w-what happened?”

”Yeah, please, tell us if something bad had happened. What did you guys do for you to end up a slave again?” Aiden asked as his usual, friendly, calm smile resurfaced on his face.

”Well…” Scarlet sighed, taking her time to scrutinize Aiden's new unfamiliar form carefully. ”This is not what it looks like! But before that… H-how are you a goblin?! Is it an illusion?”

”Yeah, something like that.” Deciding not to dwell on the topic too much, Aiden waved his hand in a casual manner as he responded nonchalantly.

”I see…” Scarlet nodded approaching the wooden panel separating the trio from the 'stabled' slave. ”So, it's something similar to what my brother is using.” She added as she thought about it for a bit longer, surprising Aiden once again.

”Wait… Your brother, Drake is here as well and is using some sort of disguise? Just what are you two doing here?!”

”I…” Although Scarlet wasn't someone who was easily startled, the long years of her younger years taught her about the brutal reality of the world, now, she still found herself unable to respond to Aiden's simple question or to match the boy's golden gaze. Some unknown force, or maybe emotion caused her to avert her eyes in embarrassment, and just grumble non-coherent words under her breath.

Seeing that their discourse wouldn't go forward if she wouldn't intervene and handle the matter, Sarah stepped forward once again, and while placing her right hand on Aiden's left shoulder signaling him to remain silent and step back, she stepped forth.

With a kind, a gentle smile on her face, the purple-haired girl slowly reached out for the princess behind the stall.

”Princess, no, sorry, Scarlet, please tell us what happened that made you and your dear brother try to infiltrate this dangerous place. We have the same mission, so we could actually help each other if you would let us!”

Her words carried a warm, soothing trait, causing the grumbling, embarrassed fiery Scarlet to raise her head once again, focusing on the purple girl instead.