Why had they suddenly jumped from magic swords to magic books?
And couldn't they at least ask for something a little less expensive?
Wasn't a magic book even more valuable than a magic sword?
Unfortunately, his complaints fell on deaf ears.
As soon as Rakan mentioned the magic books, he made it clear that further discussion was not an option.
Standing beside him, Xayah played along with his stance, pressing the tip of her feathered weapon against Marius' neck.
The message was obvious—any sign of resistance, and his throat would be pierced.
There was no room for negotiation.
If she so much as twitched her hand the wrong way, Marius might be bidding farewell to this world.
And at that point, the loss would far outweigh any potential gains.
"Two magic books, right? Fine. I accept your terms," Marion said hastily, raising a hand to stop Xayah's movement. "But you should know—I don't carry something as valuable as a magic book on me."
For the Ares Familia, who controlled the entire Rakia Kingdom, obtaining a magic book was actually easier than it was for most people in Orario.
And they did have a few in reserve.
Originally, those books were meant as rewards for soldiers who demonstrated exceptional talent or military achievements.
But now, it seemed they would have to part with them.
"Then I'll wait here," Rakan said flatly. "If you're not back in half an hour, I'll have to extend my apologies."
"Half an hour? That's way too short!"
"That's your problem. If you're not back within the time limit, I'll take him to Orario, and you can negotiate with someone else."
Without a care in the world, Rakan casually found a place to sit, then reached out and pulled Xayah onto his lap.
Right in the middle of the camp, the two began openly kissing, showing no shame whatsoever.
They didn't even acknowledge the presence of Marius and Marion.
Are these two seriously giving us a live show right now?
And a thirty-minute deadline?
What did they expect him to do—conjure up two magic books out of thin air?!
But Rakan was clearly unwilling to entertain further discussion, and Marion's protests were ignored entirely.
Rather than waste time arguing, it would be more efficient to hurry back and secure the magic books.
If Rakan and Xayah took Marius to Orario, the Guild there would definitely demand an even steeper price for his return.
Given the circumstances, it seemed that Rakan and Xayah's offer was actually the lesser of two evils.
In fact, before coming here, Marion had already received permission from Ares.
As long as the demands weren't completely outrageous, he had the authority to make a decision on his own.
Even so, Marion still pretended to leave the camp. Under the overwhelming pressure of Xayah and Rakan's presence, the entire camp had already fallen.
As the final minutes of the deadline ticked away, he came running back to the tent, breathless, clutching two tightly wrapped Grimoire.
Just as Marion stepped inside, Xayah darted out from the left side of the entrance. In a swift motion, she snatched the books from his hands.
Before Marion could even react, she had already returned to Rakan's side.
"Wasn't that a little—"
The two magic books were quietly placed on the desk in front of Rakan.
He flipped through the pages, scanning them carefully. After confirming they were authentic, he closed the covers and casually handed them back to Xayah.
"Alright. I'll return this guy to you," Rakan said nonchalantly. "When you get back, don't forget to pass on Sol-sama's message to God Ares."
With that, Rakan easily saw through Marion's attempt to act confident and composed.
Standing up, he grabbed Marius by the collar and, with a flick of his wrist, tossed the captive straight into Marion's arms.
Marion barely had time to react before both of them tumbled to the ground.
By the time he managed to get back on his feet, Rakan and Xayah had already vanished.
"Come on, take me to Lord Ares," Marius muttered, pushing himself up on one knee.
Despite his battered state, he knew he had to return to his post immediately.
The overwhelming strength of the Sol family wasn't something they could afford to ignore.
The Ares Familia's forces couldn't afford to be reckless.
This was something he needed to discuss with Ares in person.
Meanwhile, whispers began circulating among the adventurers…
"Hey, did you hear? The Ares Familia is retreating!"
"What? No way. Didn't they just suffer a defeat near Orario not long ago?"
"Maybe you heard wrong. The Loki Familia hasn't even mobilized yet—why would Ares retreat so suddenly?"
"Ha! Maybe they got scared off by our overwhelming strength."
"You know… that actually makes some sense. It's not unthinkable for them to flee while they still can!"
Following the Sol Familia's devastating attack on Ares' forces, Marius had managed to intervene and persuade Ares to withdraw.
Before making any further moves, Ares wanted to first understand why members of the Sol Familia had appeared on the battlefield in the first place.
This retreat also presented a valuable opportunity—one they could use to transport supplies from the rear. The recent assault by the Sol Familia had left their frontline provisions nearly depleted.
Did Ares expect his soldiers to simply loot what they needed from the enemy?
Regardless, it was clear there would be no immediate conflict with the Sol Familia.
But Ares' uncharacteristically cautious behavior quickly caught the guild's attention.
The reason?
Silence.
Ares was not the type of god to sit quietly and bide his time.
Both sides, driven by their own motives, had already sent scouts to observe each other.
And as both factions took action, rumors—some wildly inaccurate—began spreading throughout Orario.
The guild, pressed for time, was unable to suppress the rapid flow of information.
Of course, these rumors were mostly confined to low-level adventurers.
The more powerful factions, like the Loki Familia and the Freya Familia, took a more calculated approach.
After all, the Sol Familia had been far too active lately.
First, they had completely wiped out the Ishtar Familia with shocking speed, leaving no room for negotiation or counterattack…
And now, this?
Something was definitely happening.