Ashamed, Ailium and Kela both bowed their heads—an unspoken admission that Glenn’s deduction had struck the mark. Even the two na?ve little girls understood now that Glenn’s earlier words were the truth, and their disgust toward the two men deepened, while their admiration for Glenn rose yet again.

  “Speak, gentlemen. Where have you hidden the young lady?” Glenn asked.

  Completely defeated, Ailium muttered in dejection, “At the end of the road ahead… in a cave.”

  Hearing this, Glenn tore open the cage and sliced through their ropes with a flick of his nail. “Lead the way. You’ll rescue her yourselves.”

  “Glenn, why let them out? Isn’t it better to leave them to die here?” Little Leaf protested angrily.

  “You’ll understand soon enough,” Glenn replied.

  Moments later.

  The group arrived at the specially prepared cave. Glenn could already smell human presence inside—more than one, in fact. Under Glenn’s threatening gaze, Ailium and Kela reluctantly moved to either side of the cave entrance, manipulating some hidden mechanism.

  A deep grinding echoed from within—the cage inside had been opened.

  Glenn tugged the two girls back. “Stand farther away. There’s a good show coming.”

  “A… good show?” Little Leaf blinked in confusion.

  She had barely finished speaking when a furious woman’s roar exploded from within the cave:

  “AILIUM! You dare come back?!”

  A lithe figure burst forth. Her bright scarlet hair was tied in a high ponytail, gleaming like fire under the sun. With a single sweeping kick, she drove her iron-soled boot squarely toward Ailium’s face.

  Had he been in normal condition, Ailium could have avoided it. The woman had weakened during her days of captivity. But he and Kela had suffered far more.

  The iron sole smashed brutally into his gaunt face. Blood spurted from his nose as he flew backward.

  Several armored men charged out of the cave next—straight at Kela.

  The two who had just escaped the goblins’ clutches were immediately pinned to the ground and pummeled mercilessly.

  The savage spectacle made the two little girls cover their eyes—though they still peeked through their fingers. Glenn, on the other hand, watched with undisguised amusement.

  At last, the red-haired woman seemed tired. She planted one foot on Ailium’s swollen face, hands on her hips as she panted for breath.

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  She had a fierce beauty—bold features, a figure so striking it could make a man drool, even though grime smeared her face and armor.

  After catching her breath, she glanced toward the distant trio and called out boldly, “You taught these two bastards a lesson and made them rescue us, didn’t you? Much appreciated!”

  Glenn stepped forward a little and surveyed the men who had emerged. “I don’t recall these two mentioning anyone other than you.”

  A trembling hand rose from the ground—Ailium, who was still pinned under her foot. His voice squeezed painfully through flattened lips: “I never said… only her…”

  But he never finished. The woman stomped down hard, twisting her heel. “Who said you could speak?”

  Ailium groaned, his raised hand spasming before collapsing.

  That must have hurt… Glenn mourned for the poor fool for all of 0.1 seconds.

  The woman explained, “These are my attendants. Whenever I go adventuring, my family insists they accompany me.”

  Glenn nodded knowingly, glancing at the bruised Ailium. “The rest is your business. We’ve things to do, so we’ll take our leave.”

  He turned to leave with the two girls, but the woman called out:

  “Wait! Let’s introduce ourselves. You may call me Bloodfang. And you?”

  Bloodfang? Why so familiar…?

  Glenn pondered only a moment. Then he remembered—the tall, muscular woman he met at the tavern called herself Bloodaxe, and she too had red hair, though not as brilliantly colored as this woman’s.

  “You wouldn’t happen to know a woman named Bloodaxe, would you?” Glenn asked tentatively.

  Bloodfang blinked—then her expression burst into delight. “You know Bloodaxe? She’s my sister! I haven’t seen her in ages!”

  So they were related. Glenn smiled. “We only met once. I hired her for a beast hunt, and that was it.”

  Bloodfang didn’t seem disappointed. She suddenly slung an arm around Glenn’s shoulder like they were old comrades.

  “In that case, since you know my sister, then we’re friends too! You MUST come visit my home someday—I’ll make sure you never want to leave!”

  She was smaller than her sister, but her personality was even more fearless—completely ignoring Glenn’s gender as she clung to him. Her overly familiar manner left Glenn momentarily stunned.

  He casually placed his arm over her shoulder as well. “We’ll see. But I’ve noticed something—there’s one big difference between you and your sister.”

  “Oh? What difference?” Bloodfang asked curiously.

  “I’d say you appear born of a noble family, but your sister… gives the impression of someone raised among commoners. How’s that?”

  When Glenn had met the tall woman before, her equipment had seemed simple, not the kind nobles would use. And she’d been in a rather disheveled state—if she had even one or two attendants, she wouldn’t have looked like that.

  Bloodfang grimaced. “That’s… a family shame. I probably shouldn’t say…”

  “Lady Sharmolettiz!” her attendants warned sharply.

  But she smirked mischievously. “And now I want to say it.”

  Her attendants fell silent, already wondering whether they would have to silence witnesses.

  Glenn sensed their killing intent and turned toward them. “Don’t try anything foolish. My teacher is a Fifth-Tier Magus.”

  The attendants choked violently, nearly dropping to their knees in humiliation.

  A Fifth-Tier Magus was someone they might never meet in their entire lives. To strike at such a person’s apprentice was to court death itself.

  “No wonder you could deal with those scoundrels so easily! Your teacher must be incredible!” Bloodfang exclaimed.

  “Moderately, moderately.” Glenn wore a face that pretended humility while radiating shameless pride.

  Bloodfang burst into wheezing laughter. “Hahaha! You’re too amusing! I’ve never met anyone like you—hahaha!”

  Little Leaf tugged on Glenn’s sleeve, frowning. “She’s laughing at our teacher?”

  Glenn pinched the girl’s cheek gently. “No—she’s laughing at me.”

  “Why is she laughing at you?” Little Leaf was still indignant.

  “Because I just told a joke,” Glenn brushed it off casually, then patted Bloodfang’s back. “All right, enough laughing. Time to get to the serious part.”