The Laughing Swordsman

The guard looked at all of the dead bodies around him and the blood that covered his armor.

"Living in this city is not easy, so long as you are not one of the top few. When some guards find out about a rebellion, they desperately attempt to join it, such as me."

Apollo tilted his head to the side.

"But everyone seems fine."

The guard shrugged his shoulders.

"There is no problem with our livelihood, but just barely surviving is too little to justify the work that we do."

Hare sighed.

"Well, I wouldn't say that we are not given much. It's more so the prices set by the council are simply too unreasonable."

The guard rolled his eyes.

"Is there really a difference between the two?"

Hare laughed.

"I suppose not."

The guard took a deep breath.

"Regardless, the only reason our lives are somewhat nice is because of how much we work. It has been normalized through many of the council's announcements that it is normal to work for over half the day."

He shook his head.

"As a guard, because I have the position of a commander, I am given more compared to the other soldiers. Yet, I am required to patrol for eight hours a day to get enough rice for the sake of living. If I wish to have anything else, I need to spend another four hours."

Hare giggled.

"It really does make a person go crazy eventually."

The guard grumbled.

"Only those that were able to successfully establish a business of their own that gets popular have any sort of leeway. Yet, to be able to reach that point in the first place, you need to work hard and skimp in order to build it up in the first place."

Hare sheathed his sword and crossed his arms.

"As a person that created a business, I must say that it doesn't feel like anything has changed. In the end, you have to work yourself to the bone anyway."

Apollo tilted his head to the side.

"You have a business?"

Hare chuckled.

"Well... I make some wood carvings. Using that as a cover up, I can get away with making rabbit masks for all of our members to use."

Apollo rubbed his chin with his thumb and forefinger.

"I remember someone that does something very similar to you!"

Hare laughed.

"Ah, that's cool. I bet he's probably a respectable person."

The guard cleared his throat.

"I'm sorry to cut this chat short, but we have to move. I imagine there will be reinforcements coming soon."

"I second that. They are coming pretty soon."

The guard nodded at first, then froze.

"Wait, who said that?"

He looked towards Hare, who shook his head. Then at Apollo, who was looking somewhere else.

Or rather, someone else.

It was a man with long yellow hair.

Apollo waved his hand.

"Hi, Mark!"

Mark waved back.

"Nice to see you again Apollo."

There were three middle-aged men standing behind Mark. They all had arrogant expressions, like they were entitled to better treatment. Their clothing was bedazzled with various gems. However, the colors looked a little off.

Whoever created those clothes either didn't have an eye for fashion, or put them together haphazardly.

Regardless, they still stood proudly, clearly not afraid of showing off their luxurious clothes. It was as though they were afraid others would not notice that they had better clothes than the others.

It was quite the contrast to the rags that Mark was wearing.

The guard narrowed his eyes.

"The council."

Sure enough, these people were part of the various leading positions within the council. However, the guard was not intimidated. Instead, the corner of his lip turned up.

"You showed up without a single guard? Do you really think we'll let you escape now that you showed up?"

One of the council members with a beard scoffed and smirked confidently.

"We have the most powerful person protecting us right now! I'd like to see you try it."

Hare raised an eyebrow.

"Are you talking about the guy that looks like he stole from the trash bin?"

The council member chuckled.

"Hah! He is a true angel that stands on our side! Unlike this imposter you have brought."

Mark rolled his eyes.

"I told you I'd help you if you promised to help me. A simple exchange."

The corner of the council member's lip twitched.

"...That wasn't necessary to say."

Mark looked over his shoulder, towards the council member and narrowed his eyes.

"And your life isn't necessary to keep."

The council member flinched and remained silent. He still tried to keep an arrogant expression, but the squirming of his eyebrows made it clear his composure was shaken.

Mark turned back and sighed.

"Regardless, I have brought you to the escaped angel. Shouldn't you also be sincere and provide me with what I requested?"

Another council member with a thick mustache pointed towards Apollo.

"You haven't captured the fallen angel yet! We can talk after that."

Mark chuckled.

"I have essentially done half the work at this point. After you provide me with what I know, I will give the other half."

The council member with the mustache furrowed his brows.

"But how can we guarantee you hold up your side of the deal?"

Mark sighed.

"Whether I hold up my side of the deal is entirely up to me. If my mood is bad because someone keeps asking questions, then I may have to shut them up."

The council member fell silent.

The last council member, with no facial hair, slowly nodded.

"Very well, I shall tell you what you wish to know."

The guard, Hare, and Apollo were all getting a little confused. For whatever reason, the group that arrived seemed to forget about them entirely.

Though the council member did mumble it, so only Mark and the other council members could hear.

After some time, Hare frowned.

"Don't think you will be getting the angel so easily. I will defend him with my li-"

"That's it?"

A frown formed on Mark's face.