Chapter 157: A solid plan

Corvus walked to the locked door and knocked back at the girl trying to get his attention.

"You also got the quest...?"

He put his arm against the door and asked with a smirk.

"...?"

The silence brimming with confusion made Corvus furrow his brows.

So that kid didn't come to him because she got the same type of quest that he did...?

"Corvus, I came to rescue you! We can elo-"

*smack*

"-AUGH...!"

Nonetheless, Mika quickly got over being taken aback and declared in an excited but hushed voice.

The odd thing was that her own words got interrupted by the end, right when she was going into dangerous territory.

And by something that sounded like a slap to the back of the head.

"...uuuugh... I... I mean, we can go and find lady Cranberry..."

Mika sniffled and ended up saying something completely different than what she originally intended.

"...if you will be the one to find her, that should improve our family's situation..."

The girl continued talking after that, but her tone suggested that she was complaining and not proposing a plan.

Under basically any different circumstances, Corvus would either refused with a straight face or laughed the proposition off - especially if it came from the young Mika.

Too much bother.

But after receiving a quest that basically told him to do that very same thing, Mika's proposition was more than welcomed.

"Ah! That's exactly what I've been thinking myself! Mika, you really do understand me!"

Corvus laughed making himself sound upbeat and excited.

"Eh?! You were...? I...! I mean, of course, you were!"

At first, even Mika was taken aback, and that let Corvus know that he overdid it a bit this time.

"Mika, this might sound unbelievable, but I just received a system quest about regaining the honor of the Wrath family. Your plan, it's not just wishful thinking, it will definitely work!"

The white-haired youth changed his approach on the fly.

"But the first step is for me to escape the mansion if you were so kind as to get the..."

*click*

Corvus got interrupted by the sound of the door lock opening.

"...key."

He gasped and took a step back.

The door slowly opened revealing the ashen-haired young girl wearing inconspicuous traveling clothes and a backpack, holding up what looked like a hairpin, with a big proud smile on her face.

"How did you...?"

Corvus shook his head and looked between Mika's face and the hairpin.

"Remember that special quest I received a month ago? I've finally completed it and received a secondary vocation! I'm now also a thief~!"

The young girl boasted, proudly puffing out her chest.

"O-oh..."

A thief? Seriously? That was hardly an appropriate secondary class for someone from the proud bodyguard family...

Corvus was a step from groaning and rolling his eyes but managed to stop himself in time.

"That's amazing! I'm so jealous!"

He instead smiled and praised the girl.

Even went for a head pat.

"Gah...!"

"?!"

Or he would have if Mika wasn't suddenly pulled back by someone right when Corvus's hand was about to touch her head.

"You...!"

Corvus gasped and clenched his fists under the indifferent gaze of the copper-colored eyes.

Without a doubt, it was the same woman who slapped him when he was down trying to get up!

"Ti! What are you doing?!"

Mika struggled but Ti had a good grip on her backpack and wasn't going to let go of her that easily.

"What is she doing here...?"

Corvus took another step back, ready to shut the door at any time if necessary, but that only earned him a mocking sneer from the platinum-haired woman.

"Master told me to keep an eye on you, miss Mika, and that is what I will do. If you have any objections we can go and see him right now."

Ti shrugged her shoulders let go of the girl.

"Wha...?! N-no! Ti! I'm sorry! It's okay, you don't have to go anywhere, please!"

Mika panicked and instead of jumping into Corvus's arms, she grabbed onto Ti's apron.

"..."

Corvus had to stop himself from clicking his tongue while glaring at the copper-eyed young woman.

"..."

She also looked as if she was holding something back.

A disappointed sigh.

She might have not figured Corvus's crooked personality, but she certainly realized how he wanted to manipulate Mika.

"Hey, Mika. What is that old woman doing here?"

Corvus asked rudely, observing Ti with Eyes squinted with suspicion.

"Corvus! Don't be rude to Ti!"

In the end, the only one to react to that childish insult was Mika.

As for Ti herself, she just raised her brow at him with a bored expression as if asking whether it was the best he got.

"I'm sorry. But you have to understand my suspicion. She did attack me. And what is she doing here in the first place, can I at least get an answer to that question?"

Corvus gave up and steered the conversation on to the topic that he was interested in.

"Oh! You see, Ti just..."

"Miss Mika made a compelling argument that you finding the missing lady Cranberry would help our situation... and even you yourself had confirmed that the system had bestowed you with a quest like that."

Mika was going to answer but the copper-eyed young woman talked over her.

"Being a part of the Wrath family, it is my pleasure and my duty to offer my help with seeing it through."

Ti's answer was clear and reasonable.

Her and her two companions lost the most when the Wraths' reputation got ruined so, of course, she would want to regain the family honor and her position the most.

"Then, does it mean that you will help me escape from here without even telling lord Pomegranate?"

Corvus raised his brows, crossed his arms, and whistled with a bit too much sass for keeping it in a good taste, but once again his action fell flat.

"Not only that. In fact, we are going to travel together."

Ti revealed while putting her hand on Mika's shoulder.

"Wait, what?! We?! You're including Mika?! You can't be serious! Everyone will think that we kidnapped her or something!"

Corvus shook his head in full denial.

"You thought I wouldn't go?! It's my plan!"

Mika complained and stomped her foot.

"You don't have to worry about anything."

Despite all the negativity, Ti simply shrugged her shoulders dismissively and smirked at the other two.

"Cri and Cal preparing a proper cover-up story, we just have to make sure that no one spots us during the escape, and then wait for them at the meeting point. Us, Critical, were doing a good job guarding the current queen, we will properly watch over miss Mika too while you will be focusing on the search."

She explained calmly.

"Cri and Cal?! Wait, so what, those guys are coming to?!"

Corvus growled through his teeth, glancing at the unsuspecting Mika.

"Yes. Or what? Were you expecting a lovely trip with just the two beauties?"

Ti laughed and waved her hand as if she was clearing up some smoke.

"You have two minutes to grab your things. Move it."

"...! Right..."

Ti's copper-colored eyes gleamed metallically and made Corvus flinch.