Epic Of The Demonic Sage

"So, we never actually got the chance to get your name. We only know Harold and his people." Finch addressed the second mercenary team leader.

"Well, we like to keep a little mystery." The second mercenary team leader chuckled. "Who knows what people might say if they realize who I am?"

"Now, now, it's not like everyone will know you from hearing your name." Harold grinned.

"My name's Carnus." The second mercenary leader narrowed his eyes at Harold, but true to what Harold said, Gellor and the other didn't recognize him.

"It's finally good to have a name to the face." Albus said. "I'm Albus, in case anyone forgot about me."

"Yes, a pleasure to meet you, Albus."

There was a little tension in the air, but it was something that everyone tried to address by speaking with one another.

"Oh, you guys should let Finch hold your food. She can warm them up real good." Ariana said. "I always make her heat my food up."

"Please don't make me a human food warmer, Ariana." Finch sighed.

"Well, we have someone here who also knows how to use a fireball." Carnus said and glanced in Lucius's direction.

"Ah, ah, making a fireball inside of a tent isn't a good idea." Gellor shook his head.

"Yes, I think I can warm up some drinks or meals for everyone. I can control the fire in my hands well." Finch said. "Here, let me do it for you, Carnus."

Lucius didn't even need to say a word because Gellor and his team were covering for him, which gave him the opportunity to observe from the sidelines.

There were exactly six members on the second team of mercenaries. Carnus was the mercenary leader accompanied by his five other members, Bram, Arne, Friedl, Weston and Calvert.

None of them exactly seemed spectacular or different than say Gellor or Harold's team, but Lucius didn't allowed their appearances to deceive him.

'Let us see what you people have.' Lucius thought to himself as he activated the Nexus and read everyone in Carnus' team's gifts.

Out of all the six, it was Carnus and Weston that had Rare gifts while the other four had Uncommon gifts but were especially suitable for combat.

In fact, there was a great synergy in Carnus's team that was even greater than Gellor's mercenary group if Lucius were to base it on gifts alone.

Not to mention, compared to how Gellor's and Harold's mercenary groups interacted with each of their teammates, there was some professional distance between each of the members as if they had been assigned to the team by someone else's choice and not out of their own personal preference.

"So what's the worst part of having each other as teammates? Barty here can snore up like he's using his gift and drawing in all the air for some reason." Albus shook his head.

"He moves and talks a lot in his sleep. Embarrassing stuff." Barty dryly said.

"Hey! Nothing too private!" Albus protested with a laugh as he turned to Bram and Arne. "Don't you sometimes just hate your teammates?"

"We don't really annoy each other at all." Bram shook his head and glanced at Arne.

"Yes, nor have I heard him snore. So we're good." Arne replied with a shrug.

"Oh, well, that's good…" Albus scratched his head.

Lucius knew that it might have appeared as if everything was merely coincidental, but that was an impossible matter with the information that he had in his head.

'These six are all members of Bergan's Band. Not exactly in the inner circle, but they're present and are even known by Biroy which is worth noting about.'

With all of the information that Lucius had extracted from the assassin through the Soul Scry spell, he was finally able to confirm his suspicions.

"Lucius, can you help me with something?" Kiana suddenly called out to him.

"Of course." Lucius raised a brow but approached her as they separated from the group. He made sure that nobody followed them, but luckily most of them were too caught up in their own conversations.

"How… how are you faring?" Kiana asked quietly once they were out of earshot. "Was joining these other groups a really good idea? They're asking rather too many questions, almost interrogative even."

"Everything's good from my side, the reason why I chose to accompany them was for that same issue that you had and so I was able to verify that the team of Carnus are actually from Bergan's Band." Lucius shared his discovery to her at last.

Kiana's eyes widened, but she calmed herself down and focused on Asher. "… So is it really a good idea to keep following them then? You've discovered this already, so maybe it's good to split up in the morning?"

"Not entirely. Going along with them will work entirely in our favor as long as we keep their suspicion away from us." Lucius said.

"How come?" Kiana asked, slightly confused.

At the moment, all Kiana could focus on about was the fact that Carnus and his team were too interrogative and even though she and Asher had rehearsed their stories and made documents as proof that they were mercenaries, it was almost a little stressful to keep up.

Kiana had to be careful and was watchful of her words, something she hadn't needed to do when she was in the Inanis household where mostly everyone listened to what she had to say.

"I think you're more than ready to discern what I have in mind." Lucius said and gave Kiana a chance to collect her thoughts.

He wasn't willing to give all his answers to a subordinate who was supposed to function as someone who'd inform him of any flaws in his plans or designs.

Kiana frowned slightly but then thought about the situation some more.

'The reason why we're here is to get revenge on the Bergan's Band for them trying to take Asher's life. Now that we're with some members of their group, it means that…'

"Oh." Kiana realized what Asher had in his thoughts and slowly nodded. "That makes perfect sense."

Lucius intended to use the people of Bergan's Band as their alibi.