Chapter 103: Bota’s Liner Camp
At first, Hari hadn’t wanted to sell the house. But his money was nearly gone, spent on medicine for his sickly granddaughter, whose health had never recovered since drinking the tainted water.
She had survived, but barely. Her frail body not much different from one who had already lost life.
Inside one of the bedroom, Gara lay on the bed, a milk pump pressed against his chest. His body had hardly rested straight since the long journey here.
We worked so hard to reach this place. I only hope we can live quietly here.
His breath left him in a heavy sigh.
His thoughts scattered when Madha suddenly entered without knocking, only to freeze at the sight of Gara’s bare torso with the pump still attached.
Both young men flushed at once. Memories of an embarrassing yet feverish incident resurfaced in their minds.
"W-what is it, Madha?" Gara quickly asked, trying to dispel the awkwardness.
"I want to take you to the Liner camp. You need to register there first before you can officially begin your mission." Madha’s answer was directed at the wooden wall, not at Gara himself.
"Alright. Just one more jar and I’ll be done."
Madha gave a short nod and left.
...
For months, villagers had watched Liners from towns and counties come and go. Compared to themselves, those outsiders always looked dazzling, almost sparkling. But after seeing the same polished faces again and again, even Liners eventually seemed ordinary.
This time, however, the villagers couldn’t help but stare in awe at the three young men walking down the gravel path.
Two of them were tall, with well-balanced builds, each carrying a charm above the average, though in different ways. One of them, however, stood out even more, for he was an elf.
Elves were famous for their ageless beauty, and the one before them was living proof of the stories they had heard.
Between the two tall figures walked a shorter young man. His face, however, was no less striking. If anything, it leaned closer to beautiful than handsome. He smiled and greeted the villagers warmly as they passed, dazzling them with a brightness that felt almost blinding.
Before long, the three arrived at a long wooden building, clearly designed as a dormitory.
Several Liners sitting on a wooden bench built around a large tree in front of the dormitory, which is commonly called the Liner Camp.
"Madha!... Gara?" A familiar voice called out, one of the Liners waving his hand.
"Orman, you’re here? I thought you already got a job in the county," Madha said as he approached. The young man who called them stood to greet him.
"I’m assisting my boss’s kid in here," Orman replied, glancing at a young boy out of the corner of his eye.
His gaze then shifted to Gara. "Long time no see, Gara. Back then I thought you two were inseparable, and I’d have to go through my initial mission alone."
He wiped away imaginary tears. "But luckily I got to do it with Madha. He’s really strong. He protected me a lot. And I’m also grateful for your herbal medicine. Honestly, it saved my life more than once. Thank you, Gara. You’re amazing."
Never in his life had Gara expected to hear such genuine words of appreciation from chatterbox Orman.
A faint smile slipped onto his lips. "I’m glad my medicine helped you."
The three new arrivals had already drawn attention, but the moment Gara smiled, the Liners around them felt their hearts skip a beat.
Whether men or women.
The one responsible for those racing hearts didn’t even notice that the little heart icon above everyone ticked upward, including Orman’s, who was usually immune to Gara’s charms. His number went up too, even if only by one percent.
"Orman, these your friends?" A ginger-haired boy swaggered toward them with a smug look.
"They’re Liners from my batch. Seniors compared to you. Watch yourself, Kevio, if I catch you acting cocky like that again..." Orman scolded.
The boy’s arrogant expression faltered instantly.
Orman turned back to his long-lost friends. "He’s the newbie Liner I’m assisting."
Figures. No wonder he acted so full of himself—boss’s kid. At least he showed a shred of respect in front of senior Liners. Not that it included me... I haven’t even finished my initial mission.
"Oh, and who’s this?" True to his nosy nature, Orman immediately pointed a question at Fian.
"He’s our friend, here for the mission too. His name’s Fian," Gara answered for him.
Orman nodded a few times.
"We’ll head inside, Orman," Madha reminded him of their purpose here.
"Of course, of course. Go right ahead."
Stepping into the Liner camp, they felt countless eyes trailing after them, as if every Liner was silently watching.
They stopped in front of a door with a neat sign: "Investigation Team Office. Unauthorized personnel forbidden."
"The leader of the Liners handling this village’s mission is also the head of Investigation Team from County," Madha explained briefly before they entered.
Once permitted inside, the three of them found four others already waiting.
Behind the heavy wooden desk sat a man with ash-gray hair, sharp jaw, and strikingly handsome features radiating authority. He was unmistakably the leader.
Beside the desk stood a tall man with broad, heavy muscles straining under his fitted linen shirt. His face seemed close in age to the leader’s, though the sheer build of his body made him look a little older.
Lounging on the sofa was a younger man with tousled brown hair and clear emerald eyes, half-hidden behind his glasses. His frame was tall and lean, his features not as sharp as the first two men and not as delicate as Gara’s. His charm was the perfect balance between both.
And lastly, the only woman in the room: a girl perched gracefully on the window ledge. The wind outside teased her straight blonde hair, making it flutter like silk. With clear blue eyes, small pink lips, and a dainty nose, she looked radiant, almost dazzling.
Taking in these four unusual figures, Gara couldn’t stop the thought that slipped through his mind:
Why do they look like a party of main characters straight out of a story?
...