Page 14 of A Soul to Touch

Both Henry and Yoshida moved to the side when they heard the whirring of gears and the clink of chains.

“We’re not children anymore,” Mayumi answered sternly. “It doesn’t matter your post; every position has its importance. Just because there aren’t Demons throughout the day doesn’t mean there aren’t bandits.”

Henry lifted his gauntlet to push a finger under his helmet and scratch at his ear hole.

“We’re getting another ear pulling, and we already received one yesterday. You’ve never had jurisdiction to tell us what to do since we’re Colt Soldiers, and you lost any authority you had when you were expunged from the guild.”

“I’d listen to a Demonslayer Novice over you,” Yoshida chimed in. “Not that I would listen to one of them anyway.”

“Anyone who is exiled from the guild is considered a traitor.”

She lowered her eyelids to portray a lack of care.

“I was honourably discharged,” Mayumi stated with a careless tone, tilting her nose up in their directions. “And the Elder ranks informed all the nearby villages of that.”

Henry waved his hand up and down dismissively. “Yeah, yeah, so we’ve been told.”

Thankfully, saving her from this darkening conversation, the gate finished lowering between the two Colt Soldiers. The loud sounds of whirling gears and chains finally stopped when the gate bashed against the ground.

Before she could enter, Yoshida grasped her wrist in his gauntlet. “You never did tell us what happened for you to be expunged from the guild, Yumi.”

Yumi.She hadn’t heard that nickname since she was a teenager hanging out with the boys of this village. She’d trainedwith a few of them that became soldiers, like Yoshida and Henry, or Demonslayers, who were all dead now. Some went into different trades, like blacksmithing or carpentry.

She twisted as she wrenched her arm free. “I don’t have to tell you anything. What happened is my own personal business.”

“Only those who are incapable of fighting from an injury are honourably discharged. You, however, are stronger than ever.”

Mayumi didn’t look away, even when she felt the urge to avert her gaze. Instead, she bore it inside his helmet, making Yoshida narrow his eyes at her with suspicion.

“I’m under an oath that forbids me from speaking of it.” She rubbed her wrist in annoyance rather than pain. Her fur jacket prevented her from being abraded by his grasp. “Is that a good enough answer for you, Yoshi?”

“What he’s trying to say–” Henry butted in, giving Yoshida a glare from the side, almost shaking his head in disbelief at his behaviour. “-is that we care about you. We used to be friends.”

“We still are,” Mayumi conceded while rolling her eyes to the side. She couldn’t believe the strength of their friendship was so paper thin. “I’m fine. I don’t need anyone’s help.”

“Never have,” Henry added.

Then Yoshida chuckled, “Never will?”

Mayumi snorted a mild laugh, hearing her own stubborn chant from when she’d been a teenager repeated back to her.

That was no longer the case for Mayumi. Although she didn’t often need assistance, nor want it, only afoolwould reject an offer of help when needed.

As a Demonslayer, they had to work as a closely knit team within their regiments. A lack of teamwork caused death, and anyone who rejected help in these trying times was an arrogant moron.

“Yeah, something like that,” she grumbled.

Mayumi headed inside, but not before she heard Henry yell for her to buy them an apple each. Deciding to humour them both for putting up with her foul mood, she gave them each a middle finger without looking back.

She never heard their response, but she was sure there had been one.

Colt’s Outpost was odd in comparison to many other villages on Earth. It was broken up into four parts of human living, with an additional section at the very back that was a small farmland.

What used to be a military castle keep for training army soldiers in preparation of invading another human city, was now the centre point of this refuge.

The keep in the centre was where all the soldiers lived together and trained ferociously every day.

They also allowed civilians to enter during allocated times throughout the day for basic defence classes in order to protect themselves from bandits and Demons outside the walls. The latter was often a laughable attempt at just surviving for a longer period before being inevitably eaten.

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