Chapter 238 – People Meet Syrus, That Always Goes Well

Nothing happened with the driver, and they all

woke up with a quick sleep and not a single potion was broken. Syrus was once again trying to make bets on whether the driver would try to sabotage them. Luna and Eva both refused to even attempt. Though all agreed to kick the driver off the carriage if she tried anything. 

The morning sun was still rising by the time they reached the area. 

Arriving at the site, the rumours they heard about the trouble here were sure to be valid. This was the first time Anlesa, in any form, had visited the mining area of Cancole. There was a large open hole they had been slowly digging out, but that wasn’t the main part of the operation. 

What must’ve been originally a small hill had multiple entrances dug into it. These entrances and tunnels were reinforced with wood after many long years, each tunnel having been dug further and deeper. 

However, the hill in question had collapsed inwards, the centre destroyed and sunk into the ground. Syrus predicted there were nine entrances based on positioning and the rumble, scraps of wood on the ground, and the other remaining entrances. The middle five entrances had all been damaged and, well, were no longer entrances. 

There were plenty with shovels and wheelbarrows trying to dig open the collapsed entrances, and there were rescue efforts being performed by entering from the other intersecting tunnels. Though the tensions in the air tasted of urgency and worry made it clear that not everything had been sorted yet. 

[...I hope everyone is okay…] (Eva)

[I just hope they don’t try to drag us into the support effort.] (Syrus)

[We were told there is no expectation for us, and any attempt by Cancole authorities should be ignored.] (Luna)

[That is a cruel way to say it.] (Eva)

[I am not against the act of helping, but we have our own duty here today.] (Luna)

The situation was a little strange for Luna. She had never been in a mining accident before, but there were a few moments when she was brought to a location for healing to heal a group of people hurt in an incident. It was all for propaganda reasons, but it was at least a few moments she didn’t mind participating in the church’s scheme. Healing people… it was a nice feeling.

Funny in hindsight that now that she had her own freedom, she couldn’t just heal people willy-nilly because that would result in trouble for them. 

The carriage reached the parking lot. There was already a small crowd of exhausted people forming a little bit of distance away. Clearly not wanting to be close enough for them to accidentally cause an issue with the unloading process. Syrus could see their expressions, and there was genuine fear on their faces.

[...] Luna held back a long, weary sigh as she felt the situation was going to be worse than expected. 

[Please tell me something didn’t go wrong…] (Eva)

[The fear. Something must have happened to one of the previous supplies.] (Syrus)

[...Likely…] Eva really wanted to say it was just because of the mine collapse, but she noticed where Syrus’s eyes moved. How the crowd carefully shifted, putting arms in front of each other to stop people from moving forward, the fear of coming close to them in case something went wrong.

The hunters who had been on guard duty looked around, a little confused. Technically, by their job description, they had completed the work. The guards had been picked at the last moment to ensure the carriage made it to its destination, and they had other things they needed to do. They were the last option for a reason. 

They chose to stay for the moment, just so the cargo could be unloaded. 

“HAVE THESE POTIONS SHATTERED!!!” A very friendly introduction, Syrus thought as the fuming man came stomping towards the carriage. 

“Do you want to break them?” Syrus scoffed. She was already pulling out the potions. The top box, which was in their hands, had Eva’s clean potions. Eva quickly examined them visually and nodded. Everything looked good.

“PUT THOSE DOWN AND LET SOMEONE WHO KNOWS THE VALUE AND EFFORT THOSE POTIONS REQUIRE TAKE THE REINS!!!” 

In Syrus’s mind. He indirectly insulted Eva. So with a quick step forward, Syrus spun and sent a roundhouse kick directly to the bastard's face. All while holding the first box of potions in the other hand. 

The crowd watched on in horror at the whole exchange. 

[Sigh… please, I hope this doesn’t drag us into trouble.] (Luna)

[He deserved it.] (Syrus)

[I’m not saying he didn’t—] (Luna)

[Good, we agree.] (Syrus)

[—Syrus!] Luna felt her sister was going to be the death of her. 

“You.” Syrus pointed at a member of the crowd that looked dirty. Someone had been working to help clear the debris. “Where are the potions supposed to be stored or spread out?” 

“Ahg—benches next to the medical tent!” He jumped but quickly calmed himself as he pointed towards the location. “If the table gets full, then the rest are supposed to go inside the medical tent.” 

“Thank you.” 

Syrus began immediately walking the first batch of potions over. Not before quickly turning her head back to the guards. “Stay for five minutes. I will unload everything in a moment. Just make sure no one touches the potions in the back.”

“Got it.” One hunter replied, and the rest agreed. Five minutes wasn’t too much time, and they figured it would be an easy way to get the good books of Syrus. Her reputation had been slowly growing. And it was one where people really didn’t want to be on the bad side of it. 

Anlesa speedily went back and forth between the carriage and the medical bench. With the third box placed on the table, the table now became full. Syrus picked up the last two boxes together and brought them straight to the medical tent.

“Who goes there—” 

“I got the damn potions. Calm down,” Syrus told off the doctor, who looked almost ready to stab the intruder. “Where did you want them?”

“...Corner, back left. Next to the other empty boxes.” The doctor sighed and immediately went back to the other side of the medical tent to support a heavily injured miner. Syrus could see multiple exposed wounds all over the man’s legs, torso, and arms. From the marks on the man’s neck, Syrus suspected that whatever helmet he was wearing protected the man’s face from matching the rest of the body.

Anlesa asked, “Do you want these other empty boxes outside?” 

“Yes, please…” The doctor looked back, his exhausted eyes looked thankful. 

She picked up all the empty boxes and brought them outside of the tent. There were plenty of spots to dump these without causing any issues. 

Walking back to the carriage, she checked in with everyone. Nothing happened in the quick few minutes. The hunters prepared to leave, without needing to defend the carriage, they would be able to make it back at a much faster pace. The driver was heading straight for other cities of Cancole to transport other supplies. 

[Everything is in place.] (Luna)

[Do we leave before we get in trouble because of Syrus’s kick?] (Eva)

[Probably.] (Syrus)

Everything had been sorted. There wasn’t a horse for them to take them back home, but Syrus was willing to walk the distance. Well, more accurately, jog the distance back to a Cancole city and then catch a ride to Arisea Station.

“Damm! Those bastards couldn’t even provide us with good quality potions!” Someone was at the benches next to the potions Anlesa had just placed down. Yelling about the supposed lack of quality. Which was more irritating than the first person Syrus kicked today. 

“Fucking hang the bastards who made this crap.” 

Indirectly insulting Eva was a thing.  

“I am the one who created that potion.” Syrus took a step closer, and the man turned around to face the voice. His grip on the bottle was almost cracking the potion. 

[Don’t waste the potion…] (Eva)

Directly insulting the little sister of the group? 

“And—” Syrus chose to send a message today. Her foot rose from the ground to the sky, smashing into the man’s chin, and his body was lifted off the ground from the impact. With a step forward, Syrus took the potion out of the man’s hand and then swung him onto the main road of the area before his body hit the ground. 

The ragdoll flopped around like a stone-skipping fish as he rolled all the way to the centre of attention. The crowd, the people of the area, and the hunters from before looked to see what on earth happened. Anlesa placed the potion back down in the box after examining that no glass had entered the liquid mix. 

Eva internally sighed in relief. 

[We are going to have to deal with so much trouble…] Luna was dreading whatever was coming for them in the form of universal karma.  

[Did you understand the sentiment this time?] (Syrus)

[Yes. And I approve of the action.] Luna did agree. The man should’ve kept his mouth closed. 

Syrus decided to stand next to the potions in case another curious inspector wanted to come around. 

Not even two minutes later, the doctor they met before came out from the medical tent screaming. “Who on earth is fighting! We told everyone that no conflict is permitted! WE HAVE PATIENTS WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF FIRST!” His voice caused the settlement's residents to shake. 

The man who had been beaten and rolled was moved to a bench next to a house. The doctor saw the injury and was enraged by the violence and this disobedience of simple orders. 

“Who did this?” He glared at the crowd. One brave soul pointed at Syrus. 

His left eye flinched. Not expecting the women who brought in potions to be the ones responsible for another injury to fix. No one denied the first person’s accusations, so he was forced to believe it. 

Anlesa shrugged, “To be fair. He was trying to destroy the potions.” The bomb was formally passed back to the unconscious man.