Chapter 109: Visit your family often

“Hoo…”

Eleanor slowly let out a breath.

She opened her eyes, and the first thing she saw was the two people in front of her, huddled together and whispering.

“What are you two up to?”

“N-Nothing!”

Helos and Julius almost instinctively jumped apart, their heads shaking like rattles.

Eleanor looked at them suspiciously.

Helos hurriedly changed the topic:

“By the way, is there anything left we need to handle?”

“Handle? Hmm…”

The young lady folded her arms and thought seriously.

“Those Abyss Cultists have already been cleared out. This time, I can confirm there are no remnants left behind.”

As she finished, her gaze turned to Helos, her expression softening slightly:

“It’s all thanks to you that we were able to completely crush their scheme.”

“Oh~ So that means we can relax for a while now?”

Helos’ eyes lit up.

“Mm, that’s not a wrong way to put it.”

Eleanor nodded, then suddenly shifted her gaze to Julius, changing her tone.

“Since we’re on this topic, Julius, from now on, you’ll be serving as Helos’ personal bodyguard.”

“Okay—wait, huh?!”

Julius answered reflexively, then his eyes widened as he realized what was said.

“But wasn’t the mission the Church gave me supposed to be protecting you?!”

“I’ll handle that part. No need for you to worry.”

Eleanor’s expression was calm as she walked over to Helos, took her hand, and pulled out a thick scroll from her chest, solemnly pressing it into Helos’ hands:

“This is Julius’ Holy Knight Squire Assessment Form. From today on, I’ll entrust it to your care.”

Helos took the assessment form, staring in a daze at the equally shocked Julius, then lowered her head to look at the scroll in her hand.

She opened her mouth, but not a word came out.

Just as she was at a loss for how to react, Eleanor suddenly stopped, turned around, and gave her a faint smile.

“Oh, almost forgot.”

Her tone was natural, as if she was just mentioning it casually.

“The money we made a few days ago from selling Dawn Dew—I’ve saved it all for you. About three… ahem, a total of five hundred thousand Solis.”

Helos’ eyes instantly went wide:

“F-Five hundred thousand?!”

Eleanor nodded slightly and added:

“Julius and Kyle, the three of them, have shares as well—fifteen thousand Solis each. If you ever need to use any, you can come to me at any time.”

With that, she didn’t linger, turning and walking away.

The figure with golden hair quickly disappeared at the entrance of the workshop, leaving behind only a gust of wind sweeping across the doorway.

Helos and Julius looked at each other in perfect unison.

“Which one should we be shocked about first, do you think?”

Helos raised an eyebrow.

“Uh… maybe start with the money?”

Julius replied a little uncertainly.

“Look at you, so common.”

Helos rolled her eyes.

“Is fifteen thousand all it takes to buy you off? Where’s your dignity as a Holy Knight?”

“Then how about you share some with me?”

“Oh? How much do you want?”

“Five hundred thousand.”

Snort.

Helos suddenly tilted her head back, almost sending her nostrils pointing to the sky.

She proudly raised the assessment form in her hand, looking down her nose at the boy in front of her:

“You dare talk to me like that? Are you looking to ruin your promotion?”

“You really are as sly as a little schemer.”

Julius curled his lip with an unconcerned look.

“Whatever! If I don’t pass, I don’t pass! I’ll just quit!”

He suddenly smiled and added:

“Then I’ll just cling to you and make you take care of me.”

“Hey, do you even have any shame!”

Helos knocked on his head in dissatisfaction, glaring at him.

“What happened to your dignity?!”

“How much can dignity fetch in Solis?”

Julius lazily waggled his fingers, speaking in an uncharacteristically serious tone.

“Honestly, I think you’re totally right—money really is what matters.”

“This is too much. Who turned you into this, Julius?”

Helos stared at the black-haired boy in front of her with a look of horror.

“And you still have the nerve to ask?”

The morning sunlight spilled across the stone steps of the city gate.

Kyle carried an absurdly large travel bag, the strap slung carelessly over one shoulder, his whole demeanor as lazy as ever.

Selina, on the other hand, was dressed in casual clothes, her luggage unexpectedly light, carrying only a small leather pouch.

“Yo, you got here fast.”

Kyle squinted, looking at Helos and Julius who had snuck over, a familiar smile on his face.

“Well, since you two are leaving.”

Julius came to a steady stop, catching his breath a bit.

“If we don’t see you off, it just feels like something’s missing.”

“Hmph, you’re pretty good with words.”

Kyle snorted lightly and put a hand on Julius’ shoulder.

“But you’d better stay sharp, kid, or you’ll end up getting led around by the nose by a certain little brat.”

“Who are you calling a little brat?!”

Helos immediately bristled, lifting her foot to kick him, only for Julius to hold her back.

Selina couldn’t help but laugh, her voice gentle:

“That’s enough, Kyle, stop teasing her.”

Kyle shrugged and didn’t say more.

Helos pursed her lips and huffed, then muttered quietly:

“You guys are really leaving? I thought you wanted to be adventurers?”

“That won’t be a problem. There’s an Adventurer’s Guild over in the Western Diocese, too.”

Selina shook her head gently, her gaze falling on the distant horizon outside the city gate.

“Besides, our mission is complete. It’s time to go back.”

Kyle nodded, patting the pouch at his waist:

“We made quite a haul this time, enough to live it up for a while.”

“Really.”

Helos bit her lip, struggling to squeeze out a sentence after a long moment.

“Next time, let’s meet again if we get the chance.”

“Of course.”

Selina’s lips curved, showing a rare, soft smile.

Kyle waved, his tone light:

“Don’t worry, next time we meet, I might already be a legendary adventurer known far and wide—don’t forget to cheer me on then, little brat~”

“You!”

Helos gritted her teeth in anger, but in the end, she didn’t argue.

She just shook her fist fiercely.

Julius gently patted her shoulder, picking up the farewell for her:

“Safe travels.”

“Mm, take care.”

Selina nodded solemnly.

And so, the two of them turned their backs to the sunlight and stepped out through the gates of Olivias.

The wind stirred their figures, gradually blending them into the distant road.

Only when their backs completely disappeared in the distance did Julius look away, turning to Helos at his side.

He’d thought the girl would show a trace of sadness, but instead, what he saw was a face wearing an odd, mischievous smile.

Julius suddenly felt a chill in his heart.

Crap, this girl is definitely plotting something again.

Sure enough, before the thought had even faded from his mind, Helos’ eyes lit up and she spoke excitedly:

“Julius, how about we go apply to become adventurers too—”

“Rejected!”