16 The Churchs Team (1/2)

”Arno. Are you sure?” Melissa asked Arno.

She was taken aback from hearing his report about someone is following them.

”Hmmm, their destination is aligned with us, which was towards the south gate. It may be a coincidence, though. But still, you can't be too careless right?” Arno said as he advises Melissa for a bit.

Arno genuinely didn't know the other party's intentions, but there is a higher chance they were indeed targetting the team.

Melissa is silently pondering for a while. She also didn't know the other group intention, or their identities are.

She feels Arno was right. The team cannot lower their guard. This is an important mission after all. There maybe exist some unknown elements trying to do harm against the team.

But another strange question appears on her mind. How did Arno know that someone was following them?

Could it be, because of one of his ability? She thought.

She didn't think of it further, though. Everyone got their own secret. But she couldn't help but sure, Arno is likely had an ability which can senses people from afar. She let out a sigh, thinking about the man who's walking beside her now is even becoming more and more mysterious.

Not long, she began to recover her mind.

She nods heavily ”Yes, you right. I will notify the members once we're inside the branch.” and replies with a urgent tone.

”Good. You do that.” Arno didn't speak further.

He didn't want to interfere much about the team business. That was Melissa's problem. She's the leader after all. He can always help a little and that's it.

”Hey, you!! Two birds.” Dina voice suddenly came from the front.

Melissa was surprised because of it, while Arno didn't express any reaction. They both saw Dina is stopping her track in front of them.

”What the hell are you two whispering about?” Dina interrogated them while gazing at them with scrutinizing looks.

Dina indeed already saw both of them walking closely since earlier, she thought it was bizarre because this is the first time for her seeing Melissa walking with a man and even comfortably chatting with him. In fact, Dina also had observed that these two were rather close with each other in the past few days.

Is the spring finally came for Melissa?

Dina is confused as she thought of that because she already associated with Melissa for years. She knows too well about Melissa disposition in which she will disregard any men who approached her romantically.

The more she thought about it, the weirder it became. From Dina observation, Arno did not actively try getting close to Melissa. It was Melissa herself who actually seems constantly approaching him.

But even if Melissa genuinely had a romantic interest on him, they'd barely met and known each other 2 days ago.

Isn't that speed is a bit too fast?

Dina didn't continue dwelling in the thought. It was her dear friend personal matters, after all, she shouldn't get involved too much on it. Beside, Arno is not bad at all if Melissa truly interested in him.

”You!! Is n..nothing really, it's just something we both discussed. I'll tell you later.” Melissa answered coyly and stammering.

Dina squinted her eyes while looking at both Melissa's and Arno's face respectively.

”Really?” She is asking in teasing manners.

Melissa didn't reply, instead, she's jittery glare at Dina.

Dina can see Melissa's face is turning crimson after hearing her, she is laughing inside her mind now.

Seeing that Melissa is unable to answer, Arno decides to help her.

”Hey miss, look. The other already far away in the front. We should get quicker too.”

Upon hearing Arno's word, Dina realized that they still in the middle of urgent matters. She practically forgot about it.

”Heh fine.” next Dina smirkingly leave.

Watching Dina walked, Melissa, shaking her head bitterly. While Arno merely lets out a smile.

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Several minutes after. The team is inside the branch as they were in the middle of procuring supplies from Fanctom and discussing their strategy.

Melissa also informed the rest of the member about some people following them. As a result, all of the members promptly raising up their vigilant.

Their discussion also proceeding satisfactorily, all the members are agreeing on several crucial points which essential to the mission.

Such as; the team tactical formation, whose handling the supplies, whose the leading attacker, whose the one in supporting roles, etc.

Just like they had been discussed last night. Fanctom would be staying in this city as the team main liaison. Melissa would be able to communicate periodically with him from the Deadlands through a magic device. And he will maintain contact with the Grand Commander Reizen. So that he can directly inform Reizen if something happens to the team.

Almost all the team members are ready for the mission as they were already prepared since before they departed from the capital, except for Luccio who are just joined a moment ago. But as expected from a legionnaire, he also already prepares everything from his gears, supplies, even weapons, and armors.

Luccio had changed his legion standard armor into a Normal class leather armor which could make it easier for him to move around. He also had a Unique grade exquisite bow hanging on his back. The other member is kind of surprised because of the fact Luccio possesses something really valuable like Unique grade weapon. He said the bow was a family heirloom originate from his grandfather, who serves in the Legion during Ostia Succession War and gained the bow as the reward for meritorious service.

His grandfather fathered several children after retiring and they were all male, but none of them followed their father's footsteps. Only Luccio, the only one in the family who became a legionnaire. Therefore, the bow was given to him.

When the team is still in the middle of a discussion. A soldier is entering the building.

The soldiers which had escorted the team from the mansion currently are waiting and guarding outside the branch. Their task isn't finished yet, they still need to guide the team to the city gate later.

”I beg your pardon Lady Dreyfuss, for this lowly interruption.” the soldier who just entered speaks apologetically.

”It's fine, is there something you need, soldier?” Melissa asked.

”Affirmative milady, there are several people outside requesting an audience with you. Do you permit them, milady?” the soldier reports.

Melissa is frowning and puzzled about why some people are seeking her, even the other team member also clueless. Only Arno, who doesn't look surprised at all. He already identifies those people.

Those people are exactly the people who's following the team since they left the mansion. Their targets are indeed Melissa's team. But from the fact that they were requesting an audience directly instead of sneaking around, it seems they didn't have ill intentions.

Therefore, Arno decides to inform Melissa about those people identities.

He set his sight at Melissa ”Those people outside are the people who had followed us earlier.” he spoke to her in a flat tone.

After hearing Arno's word, Melissa and the team was alarmed. They completely didn't know who they were.

Melissa maintains her composure but still vigilant. She glanced at Arno for a while. She wanted his suggestion in handling this matter.

Sensing Melissa's gaze, he too knows that she wants his advice. But he only offers her a slight nod, before speaking ”It's your call, don't look for me.” and he smirks playfully.

Seeing Arno only smirking, Melissa is glaring at him and pursing her mouth.

You don't want to help huh, tch. She thought.

The only thing she can do is being cautious for now, so she decides to ask the soldier again.

”Who are they? What do they look like?” Melissa is asking their identities.

”There are four people, three men, and one woman. They didn't tell us who they are. We already warn them to leave, but they persistently keep asking for an audience. And there is an elderly powerful man among them. He gives us strong pressure. From their appearances i think they were from the Greysia Church, especially the woman, as she is wearing a robe which if i remember correctly, can only be worn by the church's priestess.” the soldier finished his narration.

The Church?

Melissa and the other members are even more confused. Why the people from the Church is looking for them? What do they want?

Arno is clueless too. He didn't know much about the Church, whether it's standing in the realm or their relations. He can only wait and see.

But it is said that the Greysia Church is always popular and well respected by ordinary peoples.

Melissa is racking her brain, trying to come up with a solution. Right now, because of the important mission, she didn't want to get distracted by any other unrelated matters. She wants to reject their request.

Suddenly, she recalls something from the meetings in the palace that took place a few days ago and her conversation with the SAD Leader. She remembers about the Greysia's Church also sending an investigation team to the Deadlands too.

Are those people being the team that was sent by the Church? she asked inside her mind.

In addition, during the conversation with her superior. The SAD Leader supplies her with a list of reports gathered by the SAD network of intelligence, which recorded several people's name that was part of the investigation team orchestrated by both the Greysia Church and the White Tower.

According to the list, the Greysia Church is dispatching a small team comprises of four members, and all of those four names were a prominent name.

Especially when Melissa found two shocking names on the list. Victor Assange and Ryson Garddas.

Ryson Garddas is a Radiant Knights which part of a knight order named, The Order of the Radiants.

The Order is one of the two Greysia's Church military arm. The other one is Holy Knights.

Holy Knights are the main and primary church forces which consist of tens of thousands knights under its banner. Most of the holy knights were deployed to protect the oversea chapels, churches, and cathedrals along with its members. They will also sometimes helping the foreign forces in fighting and eradicating the Demon Beasts stampede. That is why the knights are well liked by ordinary peoples.

For most people in the realm, becoming a holy knight are an honorable thing.

But the holy knights are pale in comparison to the radiant knights. Radiant knights are the ace card of the Church. Because every radiant knight belongs to the Order possess the strength of Grandmaster or Grand Mages rank.

Whether is accurate or not, according to the SAD intel, there are at least more than 25 radiant knights in the Order. Thus, making the Order one of the strongest forces in the realm.

The Order is seldom from being deployed. Most of the time they were being kept inside the Church Headquarters located in the Greysia's Domains, an independent state belongs to the Church near the eastern coast of the Dawn Continent.

The Church upper echelon will only move them in case something catastrophic happens to the Church or the realm is experiencing great turmoil.

In fact, the radiant knights are one of the key instruments of the forces that successfully defended the realm from the Devil Invasion 1000 years ago.

Ryson Garddas is not only a simple radiant knight, but he is also in fact, serves as the Vice Commander of the Order of the Radiants. He's one of the most influential people inside the Church inner circle.

But what makes Melissa shocked is the other name. Victor Assange.

Because Victor Assange name is resounding throughout the realm. He is a Saint rank expert belongs to the Church. The Church in total have 4 Saint rank experts in their rank, and Victor is one of them.