Chapter 297
After burning the wooden ship where Lyner's body was, the members of the Mercenary club gathered in a nearby restaurant . There were a lot of people inside the restaurant, most of them were people that came to Lyner's funeral .
Yet even in this kind of situation the Mercenary Club still drew attention . The people who were there during Lyner's funeral knew that the former students in the so called Mercenary Club were people who were close to the dead hero . They saw most of these kids near the stage, and couldn't forgot Niel who spoke with a lot of charisma .
They were supposedly Lyner's favorite students . So with their current reputation plus their looks everyone's attention was currently on them . Still the members of the club didn't mind the looks they were getting . Even Kei who was usually the most meek among them was unusually calm .
Niel seeing the changes in his companions smiled his usual smile . The usual radiant aura of Niel's hasn't changed even though he has been to the battlefield . In the face of his juniors he wish to remain the perfect senior that they knew .
"It's been a while everyone . I see that all of you are doing well . . . Also, what's wrong with you two?" Niel was talking about how Emily had Kei in a chokehold . She wasn't tightening the chokehold too much, but just enough so that Kei couldn't escape . Hearing Niel's question Emily started to pout .
"This fool has been avoiding me for a year now! He keeps on hiding from me . I'm getting sick of playing hide and seek! So this time I'm making sure he won't be able to escape . "
Kei kept on tapping on Emily's hand while he answered .
"I wasn't doing that because I was trying to run away from you . I was going around evading the surveillance of other people due to my radio show . Also I was gathering information and needed to move a lot . I promise I wasn't doing this to avoid you . " Kei tried to explain himself, even though everything he just said was only half truths .
'I hope she doesn't notice . ' Kei felt Emily's grip got lighter, which made him feel relieve for but a moment, then the chokehold on him got a even tighter than before .
"Who are you trying to fool! The way you avoided my detection, and the way you changed location the moment I found you makes it clear you were trying to hide from me!"
The others were watching the two and smiled . It would seem like even after a year the good relationship of the two remained the same . Rachel on the other hand was quite curious about their situation .
"Are you two dating?" When Emily and Kei heard Rachel's question they both tilted their heads .
" . . . " Kei started contemplating after hearing that question . He looked at the girl who stopped her chokehold and was now thinking as well . 'Now that I think about it, what exactly is our relationship? More than friends but less than lovers?'
" . . . " Emily was also thinking about the question Rachel asked . She looked at Kei and started to think . 'Do I actually like this guy? Well if someone asked if I like or hate him, then I would answer that I like him, but . . . Is that enough to date someone? True he doesn't have the look that I like . Still I am fond of him and his ways . . . Hmm . . . '
Seeing the two went silent and in deep thought made the others a bit confused . Kei was one thing, but Emily would usually answer without hesitation . After a few seconds of thinking Emily tapped on Kei's head .
"Hey, do you want to be my boyfriend?" Everyone was stunned by what Emily said all except for Kei who was still thinking about something .
"Well I guess that's the natural progression from where we are now . I guess that's fine . " Everyone was shocked in how easily Kei answered the question . It would seem that in the past year, Kei has blossomed out of his meek self and turned a bit . . . really confident .
"So does that mean we're girlfriend and boyfriend now?" Emily finally let go of Kei and pointed at herself then at him when she asked her question .
"Well, yeah I guess so . We're now officially dating, does that answer your question Rachel . " Niel, Rachel, and Evangeline were looking at the two who became an item and were stunned by the sudden event . Everything happened so fast that they it took them a moment to fully digest the event .
"What the hell!" Rachel suddenly screamed .
"Congratulations you two . " Niel simply showed his best smile and gave a thumbs up to his two juniors .
"Hahaha . " Evangeline on the other hand started laughing . It has been a long time since she last laughed . Being with these people truly made her feel that there was no war going on . It made her feel nostalgic, like they were all back in that clubroom of theirs . Even though she wasn't technically a part of the Mercenary Club, but to them to her she was already a part of it a long time ago .
"Why are you suddenly laughing Eva? Do you find this funny?" Rachel looked at Evangeline seeing this once cool beauty act like this made her feel a bit weird .
"It's nothing, its just that . . . We might have all changed over the past year, but for some reason we still remained the same . I don't know how to explain it properly, but that's what I feel . Seeing you guys here doing these kind of things as usual made me remember the old times . "
Hearing what Evangeline said the other four smiled as well .
"Yeah it's like we're back in that clubroom of ours . Where Sir Lyner is still sleeping, Sayaka is messing with Oliver while he is talking about our next event . Alex would stay beside me quietly watching . Niel would like he is now, be smiling at us . Kei would be taking down notes, while Emily would be messing around on her laptop . Then you would drop by to join in the fun . . . Yeah, those were the days . "
Rachel couldn't help but smile while tears flow down her face . The other who were listening to what she said also started to tear up .
"Yet now . . . Alex has been kidnapped by his grandfather . Oliver is gone and we have no idea where he is . I haven't heard anything from Sayaka either, but I did hear rumors that Sayaka's dad has died, and she would most probably take his position . . . . Also now . . . Now, Sir Lyner is gone . . . "
The group suddenly turned gloomy when they remember those events . While the group was now sinking into depression as their heads were lowered they suddenly heard a familiar voice . It was the voice of someone who shouldn't exist anymore .
"What the hell are you brats doing sulking like that . Your friends have been captured, are missing, and some might be heading towards their deaths, sulking wont help you there . So instead of feeling sorry for yourselves, how about you brats go out and find them yourselves . "
When the club members heard what the familiar voice said they all raised their heads . Was it possible, was there teacher actually alive . Was he able to actually fool everyone . It was surely possible if it was him . The group then started to look around trying to find where the voice came from . Yet they saw no one resembling Lyner, instead they saw Niel touching his throat .
"Where you the one who did that?" Rachel asked Niel, who responded by showing a vicious smile that was similar to Lyner and answered in his normal voice .
"Yeah I was the one who did that, I was the one who was talking in Sir Lyner's voice . Don't blame me for doing that, it's because you guys made faces the look like the end of the world was coming . If Sir Lyner was here I'm sure he would have said the same thing . "
Hearing what Niel said the others wiped the tears from their faces . Niel was right if Lyner was here, he would most probably say the same thing . Seeing the others finally perking up, Niel spoke to Rachel .
"Rachel now that Oliver and Alex aren't here, you are the only one left of the original starting members . I guess leadership should fall under you . So leader what should we do?"
Everyone was now looking at Rachel . Feeling everyone's gaze on her, Rachel closed her eyes and sighed . She then looked back at her fellow club members and smiled confidently as she announced .
"Isn't it obvious what we're going to do next . Of course we the Mercenary Club are going out, to save our friends!"