Chapter 39

Alex was heading home after escorting Rachel back to her place . When he reached the mansion he noticed something was different, he smelled the familiar scent of gunpowder in the air, and sprinted inside . When he met the maids he asked what had happened .

The maids started explaining to Alex about the intruders and how they exploded upon capture . Alex immediately ran towards his dad's study . Their sitting in his chair as if nothing has happened Carlo Samarita was drinking something from a cup which looked like coffee .

"Oh Alex back from your outing? So how was it, was it fun?" Carlo asked Alex after sipping from his cup .

"Are you ok Dad? I heard that they used a stronger explosion against you . " Alex was worried for his dad, cause the once invincible father in his eyes has turned frail and weak, ever since he saw him make a mistake that cost him his leg .

"I may have gotten a bit rusty since I'm getting older, but that doesn't mean I'm a greenhorn . I noticed the smell of gunpowder on that thing, and was already prepared for it to explode . It was nothing that strong anyway . Hmph even a fledgling Rank E merc could've escaped almost unscathed much less me . "

Hearing his dad's calm answer, Alex was able to feel relief . "So who was the one who attacked?" Carlo started explaining to Alex what had happened, from the attack, to the exploding intruders, and the message from a very obvious deranged patriot .

"So what is our next move?" Alex eyes turned serious and the killing intent emitting from his body was growing sharper .

"Nothing . . . We do nothing . " Carlo answered with a shrug . Hearing his dad's answer Alex felt like he was splashed by cold water .

"Why? If this-" Alex was about to say if this was the old you, we would've never waited . But before he was able to say anything he stopped talking . Alex simply gritted his teeth and stayed mute .

Carlo already knew what his son was about to say, and lit a cigar . "We can't do anything but wait . The attack was a surprise . . . It was disguised as a simple break-in the people who entered were not that good, but they were professional thieves . So even with their subpar skills they were able to disable all the cameras for a brief moment, so we couldn't get anything from them . They even exploded and not even ashes remained . The object that sent the message also exploded, there are only a few clues, and with those clues we can't actually track the perp . . . So now that we know the existence of this enemy the only strategy we have at the moment is to wait for them to move and counter . "

Alex was not happy at what his dad was saying, but he could not defy his orders . "Very well then I will await for further instructions . For now I will continue the guarding mission . "

"Okay then do that, also the meeting between father and daughter will be moved on Wednesday . "

"Roger that . " After saying his piece and saluting Alex left the room .

. . .

Back in his room Alex was trying to sleep but couldn't . He just can't accept his dad who had trained him to be strong was actually using a defensive strategy . In his whole career Carlo Samarita had not use anything remotely resembling a defensive strategy, he was the kind of guy who believed the first to strike wins .

Yet now for some reason his dad was being passive . What was changing . . . Ever since coming back to the homeland, he as well as his dad was slowly changing . . . Had their fangs been pulled?

. . .

Carlo on his end was also thinking about the conversation he just had with his son . This was the first time the boy actually shown a face of hesitation and disapproval . Carlo smiled, 'I guess it really was the right decision to bring him here . He who was slowly slipping away from what it means to be human is now slowly getting his humanity back . . . For this mission no need to trouble yourself Alex, me and your uncles will deal with it, you just need to enjoy your school life . '

. . .

The next day Alex was able to control his emotions and got back to focusing on his current mission which was protecting Rachel . Alex once again stood in front of Rachel's house and as expected he saw Rachel and Saya coming out together .

"Heya Good morning Alex! Let's go and get ourselves an advisor!" Saya happily greeted Alex who responded with a nod .

Rachel on the other hand was looking at Alex's ever stoic face . Rachel hadn't been with Alex long, and she couldn't really discern much from the stoic emotionless face of his . . . But Rachel was feeling something was off with Alex .

"Hey are you alright?" Hearing Rachel ask him this, Alex was confused if he was actually showing his worry on his face .

"What do you mean? There doesn't seem to be any problem?" Alex answered trying to probe how much Rachel knows .

"Really you feel a bit off somehow? Are you sure you're alright?"Rachel asked this time with a bit of worry in her tone .

Looking at the worried expression Rachel was giving him, Alex smiled gently at her . This girl who he was protecting was worried about him the one who was suppose to protect her . "No really, I'm alright, thank you for worrying about me Rachel . "

When Rachel and Saya saw Alex's smile they looked at him dumbly, then they heard him actually say thank you which made them pinched themselves . This wasn't a dream? This was real? "Wow stoic Alex could actually smile! So you show your smile to Rachel and no one else is that how it is? . . . You can be cute sometimes, you know that stalker Alex . "

Rachel who was stunned by Alex's sudden smile, was reminded of the day Alex made Oliver his friend, at that time he also showed a smile similar to this . . . A smile straight from his heart . Rachel responded with her own smile, seeing the two smiling at each other made Saya feel a bit creeped out .

"Hey you two, can you flirt later? . . . We still need to go to school . " When Rachel heard Saya speak, she was released from the moment she was having with Alex and shouted . "WHO THE HELL WAS FLIRTING!? I was just helping a friend out of his troubles . " Rachel followed Saya trying to attack her .

Seeing this scene made Alex feel a tad warm inside . . . He started wondering if he was getting sick .

. . .

As the three proceeded walking they met Eva on the way . Of course this was planned since Eva knew the route Alex and Rachel take to school . The three greeted each other, and continued onwards to school, of course while Eva and Rachel were bickering .

The next to join them was Oliver who was immediately pounced by Saya . Oliver had seemingly given up on his fate to be hugged by Saya every time they meet . Saya seeing Oliver give up was both happy and disappointed .

Finally even the last member of the Mercenary Club, Niel was there on the way to school . Since his house was near he would usually leave a bit later but for some reason he felt like going to school earlier . He greeted his juniors with his perfect smile, and accompanied them while they walk .

Alex who looked at the group of people that has surrounded him, made him feel a bit weird . At the beginning it was only him and Rachel who at the beginning tried to get rid of him, then Oliver came into the picture followed by Evangeline, Saya, and then Niel . Their group was growing bigger and for some reason Alex was actually feeling . . . Happy? . . . He wasn't sure if this was happiness but it was a good feeling all the same .

"Hey Alex what are you dozing off for, where already near school we still need to discuss our strategy on how to convince Mr . Lyner to be our advisor . " Hearing the voice of the girl who started it all, Alex nodded his head and followed .