A new day dawned on the vegetative streets of Orchidia. It was a chill morning to say the least. Due was beginning to seep off the grass, fog was rolling in and a small breeze made it seem as though one would freeze if they stayed out too long. Everyone it seems except for Ren, who at this moment was gazing up at the large tree in Orchidia. Not wanting to be late to the mission again like the last time, the Rune Knight waited outside the house of their client, Nilan. Although Adelaide had said she was just extremely early the last day Ren did not want to risk it. Especially if she was only being modest. Granted their relationship had been improving gradually. For example they were now on a first name basis, although that could simply be contributed to the fact that Ren had no meaningful last name he had to be addressed by and Adelaide felt uncomfortable having him address her so formally while she did the opposite. That being said it seemed as though the Holy Knight was comfortable around Ren. During their last mission she did not hold back any punches when expressing her feelings or opinions on their last request, even if they were a tad rude. Ironically, despite how formal Ren acted, he enjoyed the witty and rambunctious behaviour of the Holy Knight. It was a breath of fresh air he didn’t know he needed. Continuing to think about how he could start pulling his weight in mending a poor relationship between their factions, Ren waited for Adelaide to show up or for Nilan to wake up so the mission could truly start.

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"Understood."

She saluted to the man who just spoke to her and turned her heel, Nathael's sword on her left hip as usual albeit she was wearing another set of armour now than before, but that was okay, it meant that she was working well again, that she could handle things like this. They slowly started to trust her again.

She had to go, another appointment, another job in the mending of bonds. She still found it utter bullshit but well it was not entirely unpleasant albeit she believed she did not need to be on a quest to mend the bonds. She did not see the Rune Knights as bad people. She would rather believe that some of the Holy Knights would be. She checked the clock on the wall before stepping out of the building and heading over to Nilan's home for the quest she had taken up with Ren again. This time she would only arrive five minutes before the time and look surprised at Ren, he must be early.

"Good morning, where you waiting long?"

She did not actually care for the answer, she believed that they did not need her, she felt uncomfortable in her armour, not because of the armour but because of the fancy look of it and she did not want to give Ren the wrong impression. She only had worn it to give an impression on the man of the Holy Knights that she had just met before. But she could not tell Ren that, it had nothing to do with him, nor with the whole bunch of Holy Knights for that matter. It was just... just very complicated and her mind wasn't exactly in it for a job like this.

"Yes actually I've been waiting here for quite a while. But it's only because I came about three hours early. Since our first mission I felt bad and I did not want you to wait around again for me again, Adelaide." Ren would reply to the Holy Knight as she drew near and asked her question. The Rune Knight felt improper calling the blonde by her first name yet did so at her request. He wondered why she preferred it rather than her official title. Ren presumed that it was down to their very mission in wanting to ease tensions between there two factions, yet another part of him said otherwise.

Today it seemed that she was glad in newer armor, however her stance and general posture suggested that she was not used to it just yet. Ren knew the feeling all to well back at his home town. He never seemed to fit in any light armor so for the time being he just wore his own clothes. Still Adelaide's looked like it could even suit him. "Your new armor and shields look very well." Admired Ren looking her up and down. It was well crafted gear to say the least not to mention the shield looked like it could do more than simply defend. Ren wondered if any other armor like that would still be on the market. His empty wallet on the other hand would probably hinder him on buying anything that expensive for a while.

"Anyway, I was waiting the client to wake up and come out." Ren explained looking over his shoulder at the house behind him. Almost as if on ques a light came on upstairs and soon after footsteps. The door swung open a moment later.

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She stared at Ren for a short while because the blonde had no idea what to say. Three hours? "I see." Normally she might have joked that someone was inspired or up for a quest but she was no longer that person. It did not feel comfortable to do so and that being the reason she did not.

She wasn't three hours early the quest before, just maybe 30? She did try to find a response but it was not coming and when she looked over her armour as she got sort of a compliment. "Work decided I needed new ones." Yet carrying the weight of this made it impossible to move freely and she would definitely need to train that. She wanted to sigh but refrain from that to not get any questions. She only nodded when Ren explained why he was here, she wanted to say something about inefficient time management but she did not want to thus do not. How has she ever been a mentor for someone?

The door opened and the detective stood before them, giving a short nod to Alice as they have met before and turned to Ren and introducing himself. Maybe she should just watch Ren and not take the lead, he was a page, only meant he needed to learn. Nilan explained at least why he asked the knights in general for help, a strange beanstalk had shown up and it was already higher than the clouds. Something about it looked fancy but people got mildly ill from being around it, so he rather have it gone but up till now, no one was strong enough to chop the beanstalk down.

"I see" is how the blonde replied. Ren was almost shocked that she did not offer any sympathy or commend him on his worth ethic. Granted he had experienced the Holy Knight to be somewhat rude but from their first meeting he got the impression that she was a well mannered woman. At least in the company of non-criminals. For all Ren knew it was all just an act, a facade she was putting on to joke with him a bit. Supposing she was not acting on their first meeting. Maybe she was not as similar to his sister's as he once thought.

As the thought lingered in the mage's mind, Adelaide once  again seemed a tad short with him once he complimented her on her armor, saying that the Holy Knights deemed it okay for her to get some new armor. To Ren this almost seemed as though the Holy Knights had Alice do what ever they say. Like she was their pawn. Deciding it best to leave these concerns unvoiced for the time being Nilan came out of the door.

The man beamed at the two looking from on to the other. Once again the Rune Knight assumed that Adelaide would be taking charge of this one, but a moment of awkward silence that followed said otherwise. Ren looked to Adelaide who seemed annoyed. The dark haired mage would then tuen back to Nilan who seemed to wonder what exactly was going on.

"So Nilan, you called for us in regards to that large tree?" Ren said prompting the man to speak. Nilan graciously took this as a sign to start talking and explain everything so the two could get to work. "Ah yes, well as you both know that tree is the biggest of it's kind! It's quite the sight to behold in our humble little town. It rakes in the tourists but..." Nilan's large smile turned to a grimace. "You see it's making people terribly sick and I cannot in good faith have something like that harming the townspeople or any travelers." His gaze then shifted to the two Knights. "That's where you two come in. From some research it's gathered that the tree saps away some of your mana while also causing some rashes which can become serious if not treated. I was hoping strong mage knight's such as yourselves could cut the tree quickly so you wouldn't be too effected by it. When you're done I'll give you the agreed upon reward. Now if you excuse me, I have some breakfast to prepare." And on that note he returned to his house. "Well then let's get started." Ren would say walking down the path to the large tree.

When they got to the tree the equipment was already there to be used to cut the tree. Ren would also go and make sure the warning zones were in place for when the tree fell. After what felt like hours of cutting and marking and warning the two were done and got their reward.

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She felt like she was here for nothing. She felt like everyone was pushing and pulling her in situations that she did not want to do. She had only one goal and maybe a second because that came with being a 'single' parent at this point. The only one to remember that's for sure. She did not do anything. She did not say anything. Ren could fix this all by himself and yet she had to be here.

Mend the bonds, which ones? What pride? What shit was going on while she was away? She had not ever hated on a Rune Knight because he was a Rune Knight. Their job was to protect people, no matter what the enemy was, albeit they focused on other enemies but that did not mean that the Holy Knights would stand and look on if it wasn't something like a werewolf gone mad. This tree was also part of her job.

By the Divine, why would she have to take this seriously?

Which was a bit of the point as she wasn't listening to Nilan and only got back into the here and now when Ren seemed to walk away. She gave a short nod to Nilan and followed the page to where the tree was. Maybe she should cut it down. Frustration, power, everything that seemed to matter to her right now would work well to cut it. She watched Ren first but as the tree was very big, even she knew she shouldn't try in one go or they would have to scoop her up later for lacking any more power. But when Ren suggested checking if the area was secured she grabbed the axe, felt it in her hands, the weight, the form of the handle and checked the blade. She had dropped her gear off next to her as well as the upper plate armour of her armour. It would be too heavy to swing her hands that way if she wanted to make quick progress.

She did not utter a word all that happened was the rhythm of her arms and shoulders swinging the axe back and forth while she hit the tree. A few blonde streaks of hair dropped out of the clip but she brushed them away without much attention and went on. It went on a steady process until she needed a break and went to sit down somewhere and put her hands in the little bits of snow. They were bright red and kind of burning, she had gone too long. She only needed a second round like this if Ren took a bit more first. She took a sip of a water bottle and waited to gather her strength before finishing it off in the second round.

With a thud, the tree fell on the ground and she watched Ren take a sample of the tree as Nilan had asked to bring to him and they headed back. This felt like a long day already.