They walked for almost thirty minutes already and yet the hero hasn't said any word to the mayor. He started to get nervous and decided to just ask the hero. "Excuse me Sir Aracaine, I can't help but notice that you really didn't want my assistance, yes?"
Aracaine stopped walking but he did not face the mayor who was getting nervous. "You are quite a sharp person mayor but I really do need your help but now for the reason I give those people. It is for something else." He finally turned around and looked straight at the mayor's eyes which startled the man.
The mayor thought that the hero's matter was a bit private because he was called out alone. He breathed a sigh of relief because he thought that Arcaine would do something that might harm him.
"What is it? I'll try my best to assist you to the best of my ability." It doesn't matter what the hero wants from him, as long as he could build a relationship with the hero, he could restore his prestige and what he lost in Alfonso.
"I'm going back to the capital and I wanted an eye witness to testify for me that I defeated a dragon. If the Council of Heroes believed that I had slain a dragon, I can become one of the top heroes in our kingdom. If that happens, I'm sure that you will greatly benefit from it." He did not hesitate to throw out the bait he had for the man.
From their first meeting alone, he could already tell that the man was greedy that was why he was buttering up to him before the banquet. The temptation of a top hero and benefits from it would certainly attract the greedy man.
It was a good deal and looking at the man with his mouth wide open, he immediately knew that he was considering it. He was salivating like a dog which was a good sign and with just a little bit of push he would surely give in.
"If you help me, you can use my influence to start another business in the capital and I'm sure that customers will flock to you. You can become richer, richer than what you have been in this little town." This statement made the mayor more excited so without thinking about its pros and cons as he should have done, the mayor agreed to help Arcaine.
And just like that, they went on their way leaving the people who were hoping for help and assistance from them. Cygnus watched all of this play out with a satisfied grin on his face. Everything was playing out to what he wanted, now every character was going to the stage. All he needed to do now was prepare that stage for them.
This time he appeared a few meters away from where the people were and he prepared himself to rescue them. He took his time to walk and slowly parted the foliage that was blocking his view. When he saw the people, he showed an expression of surprise.
"Oh, I finally found you guys!" He excitedly ran towards them and immediately asked for their well-being. He also dutifully checked if any of them were wounded but luckily everyone was safe.
"Are you sent by Sir Arcaine to help us?" One of them curiously asked because she saw that this man and the hero had a conversation during the banquet.
Cygnus shook his head, "No, Major Linius Ginehart told me and my companions that there were people who were escorted out of the town so he asked us to go and look for you." He was smiling while explaining to them the circumstances. "And besides, the hero already left Alfonso after he defeated the dragon."
"But we met him almost an hour ago and he told us that they will go and ask for help for us. He was with the mayor," the same person spoke once again. This time there was a frown on her face.
"Hmmm, I didn't see them anywhere and besides Sir Arcaine is not really a good hero. Half of the town's destruction was by him and when the major asked him to take responsibility he just sneered and left. If we return, I'm sure that they will tell you what really happened." Cygnus explained so innocently which got the people's trust a little bit.
"Then will your comrades come?" Another one of them asked. Though the young man seemed reliable and was telling the truth, they can't just believe him that easily.
If Cygnus was not acting right now, he would have laughed at how ridiculous these people's thoughts are. Just because he was not a hero, his words were doubted. If he appeared as a villain, would they believe his words? It was a sudden thought but it was worth trying in the future.
"Yes, wait let me send out a signal so that they'll know that I found you," he grinned at them. He lifted his hand and shot out a ball of blue mana that exploded in the sky and scattered like fireworks. "Now, we wait."
An hour has not yet passed but Astrophos, Mr. C and Nina came from different directions. Without questions, they did the same as what Cygnus had done when he first saw them. After that, they escorted them out of the forest towards the direction of the town. Thankfully they were not a large group so it was easier to help and assist them.
"May I ask who escorted you out of the town? I saw no soldiers nor mages with you so I got a bit curious," Astrophos asked while they were walking back. It was not a strange question and yet the most of the adults on the group had a sour face on their faces after they heard what he asked.
"Don't even mention it. That woman was terrible, she was indeed with the military but she didn't know how to do her job. She and her group indeed escorted us out of the town but she also abandoned us," one of the older women spat. She was so angry that time that she even cursed Captain Cazal but the woman only gave them a cold shoulder before she turned her back and left.
"That must be the major's captain. I heard that she disappeared during the chaos and even the amiable lieutenant was in a bad mood because of what the woman had done. According to the latest information they had, the captain is already miles away from this town," Mr. C informed them.
"A person with that kind of attitude should not have become a captain or even a soldier if she could abandon us and their comrades in the midst of the battle," another person from the back spoke up. Grunts of confirmation came from the other members of the group.
"You shouldn't worry though, Major Ginehart, already commanded his men to use the military ration to help the survivors. Oh, and one more thing, I hope you won't be too shocked once we return to the town." Cygnus looked back at them from where he was looking. The look of sympathy in his eyes did not escape their observation.
"Why? What happened? We heard several explosions last night but it wasn't that serious right? I mean the town must have survived since Alfonso is not that small…" One of them looked at the group hopefully but they avoided their gazes.
"It was not that serious but when the hero went all out, everything became messy and many lives were lost. You'll see it once we reach the town." Cygnus also avoided their gazes and instead looked at the side. The atmosphere turned a bit depressing because of the topic and it persisted until they finally reached the town.
The walls that were proudly surrounding it once were nowhere to be found as everything turned to dust. But what's more depressing was that the whole town was razed to the ground. No building was left standing but the most heartbreaking part of it all was that the dead bodies lined on a spacious spot.
