A day later, in the office of Atlas.

Elaina was doing some paperwork and stamping documents.

Stacks of reports covered most of her desk by now. Supply requests, payroll sheets, training schedules, ammunition inventories, and construction expenses were all mixed together in organized piles that only she fully understood.

THUNK.

She pressed another Atlas seal onto a document before placing it neatly to the side.

Honestly, administrative work had become endless ever since Atlas started growing rapidly over the last six months.

Between training the new infantry recruits, expanding the compound, maintaining vehicles, managing supplies, and handling incoming requests from merchants and adventurers, the workload increased almost weekly.

Sometimes Elaina still found it strange.

Not too long ago, she worked behind the reception desk of the Adventurer’s Guild in Berm.

Now?

Now she was helping manage what was slowly becoming a private military company.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in," Elaina called.

A former receptionist from the Adventurer’s Guild of Berm entered.

"Ma’am Elaina..."

"Just call me Elaina, Rose. We were colleagues," Elaina reminded as she smiled.

"Elaina..." Rose said. "There is a potential client."

Elaina paused slightly at that before setting down the stamp in her hand.

Another client.

Honestly, that was becoming more common lately.

Ever since the Forest of No Return mission became public knowledge, Atlas started attracting increasing attention from merchants, nobles, and caravan groups.

Word spread fast in this world.

Especially stories involving impossible deliveries and mysterious military firepower.

Elaina leaned back slightly in her chair.

"What kind of client?"

Rose stepped further inside the office before answering.

"He looks wealthy."

That narrowed it down very little.

Still, Elaina noticed Rose looked slightly nervous.

Interesting.

"Merchant?" Elaina asked.

"I think so," Rose replied. "He arrived with a carriage and two escorts."

Professional escorts.

Not random adventurers.

Probably someone important enough to travel carefully.

Elaina stood from her chair and adjusted the sleeves of her outfit slightly.

"Where is he now?"

"In the front waiting room."

Elaina nodded once.

"I’ll handle it."

Rose looked visibly relieved after hearing that.

Honestly, Elaina understood why.

Most visitors entering Atlas headquarters nowadays became intimidated almost immediately.

And frankly—

The place looked intimidating now.

As Elaina stepped out of the office with Rose following behind her, the sounds of training echoed faintly throughout the compound.

Boots striking dirt.

Instructors shouting corrections.

Occasional rifle fire from the range outside.

Atlas no longer resembled a simple mercenary camp.

It looked military.

The two women walked through the hallway toward the front section of the building. Along the way, several Atlas personnel passed by carrying rifles slung across their tactical vests.

Even after months of seeing it daily, Rose still looked slightly unsettled around the weapons.

Her eyes briefly shifted toward one of the windows overlooking the training grounds outside.

Several Atlas infantry recruits were currently conducting formation drills under Tomas Vale’s supervision.

Twenty men moved together across the field carrying M4 Carbines instead of swords or bows.

Commands echoed sharply through the air.

"Move!"

The squad repositioned immediately.

Rolf Aster nearly collided with another recruit during the drill.

Tomas immediately shouted at him.

"Spacing, idiot!"

"Sorry!"

Rose blinked while watching the exercise outside.

"...They really became soldiers."

Elaina glanced outside too.

The transformation was obvious.

Six months earlier, most of those men were ordinary adventurers wandering Berm looking for monster contracts and guild work.

Now they looked disciplined.

Structured.

Dangerous.

Marcus changed them completely.

"He trained them hard," Elaina said quietly.

Rose nodded slowly.

"I heard stories from the guild."

"That bad?"

Rose looked at her.

"Someone said they had to march carrying heavy packs until midnight."

Elaina smiled faintly.

"That actually happened."

Rose looked horrified.

"And people willingly stayed?"

"Most almost quit during the first month."

That part was true.

Marcus modeled Atlas training heavily after modern military basic training. Physical conditioning, live-fire drills, formation movement, squad coordination, weapons handling, field exercises, and discipline training pushed the recruits harder than anything they experienced before.

But the results spoke for themselves.

The two women eventually reached the waiting area near the front entrance of the building.

Before entering, Elaina glanced through the partially opened doorway.

And immediately spotted the client.

Short.

Bald.

Middle-aged.

Wearing a fine dark-colored medieval-style suit lined with silver embroidery along the sleeves and collar. Several rings rested across his fingers while polished leather boots clicked lightly against the floor as he shifted in his chair.

Merchant.

Definitely.

And probably wealthy.

Two armed escorts stood outside near the entrance corridor, both carrying swords while quietly observing the Atlas guards nearby.

The difference between them was obvious.

The escorts carried traditional weapons.

Atlas guards carried M4 Carbines.

Even the atmosphere around them felt different.

The merchant himself, however, looked more curious than afraid.

His eyes constantly moved around the waiting room, studying everything carefully.

Experienced merchants always observed things like that.

Elaina stepped inside the room.

The merchant immediately stood politely.

"Good afternoon," he greeted.

Elaina nodded professionally.

"Good afternoon. I’m Elaina. I was told you wished to discuss Atlas services."

The man gave a small respectful bow of his head.

"My name is Cedric Valehurst."

Elaina recognized the surname immediately.

Wealthy trade family.

Not nobility.

But influential enough in regional commerce to matter.

Interesting.

Cedric folded his hands neatly in front of him.

"I originally came hoping to speak with Marcus Manfred personally."

Elaina remained calm.

"Commander Marcus is occupied at the moment."

That was technically true.

Marcus was currently near the operations section inspecting drone equipment again after spending nearly the entire morning discussing expansion plans with the pilot and co-pilot.

Cedric nodded slowly.

"I understand."

Then Elaina continued smoothly.

"However, I can handle business negotiations in his place."

Cedric looked at her carefully for a second.

Elaina held his gaze calmly.

"I’m his partner."

That clearly shifted his perspective slightly.

Not negatively.

More like realization.

Atlas was organized far beyond normal mercenary standards.

Cedric slowly nodded.

"I see."

Elaina motioned toward the chairs.

"Please sit."

Both of them sat across from each other while Rose quietly stepped out of the room and closed the door behind her.

For a moment, silence settled between them.

Cedric’s eyes briefly shifted toward the training yard visible through the nearby windows.

The sound of rifle fire echoed faintly again outside.

"...Your company has grown very quickly," he observed.

Elaina leaned slightly back in her chair.

"Yes."

"Faster than most mercenary companies."

"We’re not trying to become an ordinary mercenary company."

That answer immediately caught his attention.

Cedric looked back toward her carefully.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Elaina noticed the reaction immediately.

Good.

Let him think about that.

Cedric folded his hands together again before speaking.

"I wish to inquire for your services as the city that I am operating at is under the threat of being raided by brigands. The city’s name is Falmouth."

Elaina’s expression remained calm, though internally, her attention sharpened immediately.

Falmouth.

She recognized the name.

A trade city.

Not as large as Crentis, but important enough due to its position along several southern trade roads. Merchants moving goods between inland regions often stopped there before continuing toward the coastal territories.

If brigands were targeting it, then the problem was likely serious already.

Most merchants avoided openly hiring private military forces unless local guards were failing.

Elaina folded her hands neatly on the desk.

"What kind of brigands?"

Cedric exhaled quietly.

"That is the problem."

His tone had changed slightly now.

Less professional.

More concerned.

"We initially believed they were ordinary highway raiders. Small groups targeting caravans along the outer roads."

Elaina listened carefully.

Cedric continued.

"But over the last month, the attacks became larger. Organized."

Outside the building, another burst of rifle fire echoed faintly from the training range.

Cedric glanced briefly toward the sound again before continuing.

"They attack quickly. Burn supply wagons. Kill guards immediately. Then disappear into the forests surrounding the region before local forces can respond."

Military-style raids.

Or at least close enough.

Elaina noticed that immediately.

Ordinary bandits usually targeted profit first.

Not rapid destruction.

Not coordinated strikes.

"How many?" she asked calmly.

Cedric shook his head slightly.

"We don’t know exactly. Survivors estimate somewhere between fifty to eighty men."

That was already significant.

Enough to overwhelm ordinary caravan guards.

Enough to threaten small settlements too.

"And the local authorities?" Elaina asked.

Cedric let out a tired breath.

"Slow."

That answer honestly did not surprise her.

Most kingdoms in this world still relied on delayed military mobilization. Messages traveled slowly, local lords argued over responsibilities, and by the time troops responded, raiders were often long gone.

Atlas operated differently.

Cedric leaned slightly forward.

"We lost three caravans in the last two weeks alone."

That got her attention fully now.

Three caravans was not minor financial damage.

That was enough to destabilize regional trade confidence.

"And now?" Elaina asked.

Cedric’s face tightened slightly.

"Now they’re gathering near Falmouth itself."

Silence settled briefly inside the room.

Even from outside, the distant training noises suddenly felt quieter.

Cedric continued carefully.

"Scouts reported large fires two nights ago near the southern tree line. Villages outside the city walls have already started evacuating closer toward the inner district."

Elaina’s eyes narrowed slightly.

That meant panic had already begun.

Once civilians started abandoning outer settlements, economic disruption usually followed quickly afterward.

"Do local guards believe the city itself will be attacked?" she asked.

Cedric nodded slowly.

"Yes."

That explained why he came personally.

And why he looked tense despite trying to remain composed.

Elaina leaned back slightly in her chair while processing the situation.

This would not be a simple caravan escort mission.

This sounded closer to defensive operations.

Potential urban combat too depending on how large the brigand force actually was.

Cedric carefully watched her reaction.

"You understand now why I requested Marcus Manfred specifically."

Elaina nodded once.

"Yes."

Because Marcus’s reputation had already spread beyond Berm by now.

The wyvern extermination.

The Northwood operation.

The impossible delivery through the Forest of No Return.

And most importantly—

The stories about Atlas itself.

A disciplined force armed with mysterious weapons capable of killing monsters and armies alike.

Cedric folded his hands tighter.

"Frankly speaking, the city guards of Falmouth are not enough."

That admission clearly bothered him.

Probably because wealthy merchants normally preferred relying on official authorities.

But desperation changed priorities.

"How soon do you believe the attack will happen?" Elaina asked.

Cedric answered immediately.

"Within days."