I woke up feeling like crap. How many times did this make since I met Hilde?

I tried moving my limbs to check my condition. My body felt like lead. My right arm, wrapped in bandages, wouldn’t move at all.

My gaze rolled down from the ceiling to the shelves on the far wall. I was in my rented room in Harena. How did I get here?

I remembered losing consciousness because of the poison Felix gave me. I also recalled smelling something familiar, a sweet yet faintly sour scent, right before passing out. That fragrance wafted close by, tickling my nose.

I turned my head to the side and saw Hilde asleep on a chair beside the bed.

“Hilde?” I mumbled, finally noticing how parched my mouth was.

She didn’t respond. I tried shaking her thigh to no avail. Then I resorted to pulling her hand to put her off balance. That did the trick.

“Hilde. Hilde.” My lips felt even dryer than before.

Blinking her almond shaped eyes a few times, she yawned and tilted her head for a moment. “Oh yeah, that’s me.”

“At least remember your own alias.” I tried to force my heavy back off the bed.

A sharp pain ran through my flank, causing me to lose strength. Hilde caught my back with a hand and gently lay me back down on the sheets.

“Don’t push yourself. You’ve been asleep for two nights.”

“Two? I thought Felix’s poison was supposed to wear off after a day?”

“Felix underestimated how feeble you are. Violetta was worried, but I calmed her down by explaining to her how a complete weakling like you would take longer to regain consciousness.”

“Thanks for taking care of my reputation while I was out.”

“No problem.”

Sarcasm was lost on this girl.

After examining her more closely, I noticed dirt covering parts of her body. Since I could smell her sweat, she probably hadn’t taken a bath since coming back. That wasn’t praiseworthy for a lady, but what if she went through that for my sake?

“Did you stay beside me the whole time?”

“No. Felix and Violetta took turns watching you. I got here about five minutes ago because they’re both busy.”

And she fell fast asleep in those few minutes. I felt so loved!

“Then why are you so dirty?”

Hilde raised her arm slightly and gave it a sniff. “Is the smell bothering you?”

“Huh? No, I actually like, I mean, I don’t mind at all. I was just wondering why you didn’t wash up after getting back.”

“I did. This is from when I went with Felix to forage for herbs. He needed ingredients to make a balm for your cuts and scrapes.”

That made sense. She was wearing a different outfit from the one I bought her.

“You went with him? Why?”

“Like I said, for your wounds. How are you feeling? You looked pretty mangled when I carried you back to the city.”

Okay, I had to be dreaming.

Not only had she helped Felix get medicine for me, she had also carried me back to Harena herself. She was also a lot more talkative than usual. What was going on?

“I don’t get it, Hilde. Why are you treating me so nicely all of a sudden?”

“Do you want to be treated like a bug?” Her tone was genuinely curious.

I shook my head. “I just don’t get it. Didn’t you hate mages?”

“I still do... but you’re different. I was wary of of you because your motives made no sense and you deceived people so easily. But you risked your life to save Violetta from the scorpion. You couldn’t have known Felix would save you. If your goal is to trick me, you wouldn’t sacrifice yourself like that.”

“Does this mean you trust me now?”

“Not completely, but I’m not afraid of you anymore. Everyone has secrets. As long as you’re not my enemy, I won’t dig any deeper.” She straightened her back. “Thank you for helping me, Karius.”

My heart filled to the brim.Those few warm words made me forget the thorny treatment I’d received so far.

Embarrassed, I calmed myself down by joking around. “Now that you’re at it, can you apologize for the insults you threw at me too?”

“What insults? I’ve never insulted you. I only say what I think.”

Heartless demon. Complete weakling. The list went on. She had meant all of it. Shit.

Still, it was a big step in the right direction. I decided not to push my luck.

Instead, luck pushed me.

“Could you get me some water?” I asked.

Hilde nodded and picked up a ceramic pitcher from the bedside table. She sipped a mouthful of water and leaned over me. Her silver hair draped on my chest and cheek, tickling me.

I remembered something like this happening before. Back in the surface when I ran out of mana and couldn’t get up to drink…

Hilde lifted my back off the bed and pressed her lips on mine. Lukewarm water mixed with her saliva poured into my bone dry mouth. Surprised, I reflexively closed my lips, spilling a bit of water down my chin, but she pried them open with her tongue and forced me to guzzle the rest.

“Tarnation!!!”

I immediately pushed Hilde off me after hearing the familiar voice. Felix and Violetta stood motionlessly just past the open door.

“What are you doing?” asked Hilde. “It spilled on the covers.”

“No, what are YOU doing!?” I shouted.

Felix kneeled down and pressed his head on the floor. “A thousand apologies for our intrusion! I merely wanted to check on your condition, Master! I shall accept any punishment for disturbing your time of pleasure!”

Violetta covered her beet red face with trembling hands. “I knew it! Karius and Hilde are lovers!”

Hilde turned to the two visitors. “We’re not lovers. He made me do that.”

Violetta shrieked. “Karius is a beast! Forcing a lady to kiss! A beast!”

“I just asked for water! Not that I didn’t enjoy it, but there are issues!”

Hilde raised her left eyebrow ever so slightly. “What issues?”

“Issues! ...I’m a man, and you’re a woman. We shouldn’t kiss so casually. Like Violetta said, only lovers do that.”

“Then there’s no problem.”

Whoa! A confession!? Something like, ‘We can take our relationship to the next level.’ or ‘We’re lovers already, aren’t we?’

With a deadpan tone, Hilde said, “Because I’ve never thought of you as a man.”

I wanted to cry.

Seeing me shrivel up like a raisin, Violetta stepped forward, “It’s okay, Karius! Hilde warned me about getting close to you because you’d touch my unripe body in a lascivious way! That means she sees you as a man to some extent!”

I didn’t like how she said it, but I appreciated the effort.

“I did say that.” Hilde crossed her arms. “Let me reword what I said. I’ve never thought of myself as a woman.”

That was worse. Changing Hilde’s image of me was tough enough. How she saw herself was beyond my ability to fix.

“M-Master…” Felix dabbed away teardrops from the corners of his eyes.

Violetta pressed her fists on her chest. “It’s gonna be okay! I’m sure of it! I think… Maybe… Possibly...” Her shoulders drooped as her voice faded.

I held back my tears. “Stop pitying me.”

Hilde looked at each of us in turn with a confused expression. “I don’t get it. What’s the big deal with me helping Karius drink? We’re companions.”

The rest of us brightened up.

“There’s still hope!” said Felix.

Violetta nodded repeatedly like an excited child. Well, she was an excited child.

“Thanks everyone. I’ll do my best!” I wiped my tears with my left palm.

Violetta approached the bed and placed a hand on my lap. “A-And if it doesn’t work out with Hilde, can I take her place?” Her blush made the golden mane around it more dazzling.

“What devil-like charm! Even young maidens are not exempt from your allure! I expected no less from my diabolical tutor!”

“Shut up for a bit, Felix.” I focused on Violetta. “I appreciate the thought, but my feelings for Hilde won’t change no matter what. Sorry.”

“Okay, I’ll give up then.” She smiled and let go of my hand as if nothing happened.

“It kinda hurts if you give up that easily.”

Felix grabbed a chair and took a seat across the bed from Hilde. After rummaging inside his bag, he took out a small cloth pouch. A pungent aroma permeated the entire room.

“What is that?” I asked, holding my nose.

“It’s an herbal balm for your injuries. It reduces muscle pain and swelling when applied to the skin.”

“And drives away bugs with this terrible smell, I bet.”

“Your insight is astounding! This herbal mix is actually an insecticide produced in one of the cities I visited years ago. Bugs the size of toddlers infested the area, so I coated my body with this balm to deter them. I found out later that this concoction wasn’t supposed to be applied directly to the skin. You’ll lose sensation in that area if you do.”

“So you’re using this on me for the side effect?”

“Yes.”

“Out of curiousity, are there any other side effects?”

“Yes, one more.”

“That doesn’t sound too bad. What is it?”

“Death.”

Forgetting the pain, I tried to flee from Felix, but he easily held me back by grabbing my collar. He took my shirt off in one motion and removed my bandages.

With no way to escape, I managed to calm down. After thinking about it, I realized he couldn’t be telling the truth.

“You got me going for a while there,” I said. “How do you even know this balm can kill people? Didn’t you use this on yourself?”

“I died. A kind stranger used magic to nullify the poison and revive me.”

“Then don’t use it on me!!!”

“No worries. I’ve learned the right dosage to achieve the best effect without causing death. Of course, the ideal dose might be different because of the gap in our physiques. But as they say, nothing ventured, nothing gained.”

“I’d rather not risk it, thank you.” I squirmed around, desperate to escape.

“Miss Hilde helped gather the herbs for this. This balm requires Hakuna moss, which only grows underneath large boulders. I didn’t have the strength to get it, so she collected it in my stead by smashing the boulder to pieces.”

I stopped struggling and fixed my posture. “Please go ahead.”

Felix chuckled while applying the stinky green paste on my rib area. Then he spread it thinly on my arm. The annoying smell didn’t bother me as much after he covered the green areas with fresh bandages.

Finished with my treatment, I asked everyone to take a seat. Violetta sat on the mattress, while the other two occupied the chairs on each side of the bed.

“I want to talk about our plans moving forward.” I took a moment to organize my thoughts. “Violetta has yet to find her companions. Even though the original request was to search the Nepa Caverns, I’d like to help her until the end. That said, my main goal is to stay with Hilde. If she doesn’t want to continue the request, then I’m sorry, Violetta, but we’ll have to part ways.”

Violetta shook her head calmly. “No need for an apology. I understand.”

Hilde shot me a brief glare. “I don’t like this side of you.”

“Sorry. But I really do think it’s a good idea. We need the money for the journey anyway.”

“Fine. Just don’t try to guilt me into anything next time.”

“Got it.” I turned to Felix. “What about you?”

“I go where Master goes.”

“That’s creepy, to be honest. Can you please stop?”

“Tarnation!”

“...Is that it? What does that even mean in this context?”

“Tarnation!!!”

“Saying it louder won’t… Whatever. Looks like we’re all in this together. That said, Hilde and I can’t go back to Arthas. We’re… in trouble with some people there. If that’s your next stop, we can’t join you.”

“I’m not going to Arthas,” said Violetta. “Claude and Jeanne wouldn’t head there without me. I still think they got lost on the way to the caves.”

“But there’s also the possibility that they wandered off to Arthas.”

“That’s fine too. At least they are safe there. However, I’d regret it forever if I wasted time visiting Arthas when I could be helping them in their time of need. I can just leave word at the inn in case they return to Harena.”

“True enough.”

“I asked around about nearby towns while you were asleep. According to the innkeeper, there’s a village called Portus a short distance from here. It’s very small, so few know about it. Claude and Jeanne might’ve run into trouble and ended up there. Could I ask you to accompany me?”

“We’d be happy to. Although a bonus wouldn’t hurt.”

“I’ll arrange for a handsome reward after the mission. You have my word. The town is half a day from here, assuming all of us go on horses.”

“I don’t need a horse,” said Felix. “If it’s only half a day away, I can keep up with most steeds on foot.”

“Don’t defy human limitations so casually,” I said.

“Hmph. I can do that too,” said Hilde.

“Then why did you force me to walk all the way to the cavern..?” I mumbled.

“I’ll rent two more horses for Hilde and Felix,” said Violetta. “I can just ride with Karius on Sabre.”

“I see you dropped the titles.”

“Pardon?”

“You called us by name, without mister or miss.”

“Oh, was that rude?”

I shook my head with a smile. “Not at all. I was just curious what brought that on.”

“I spoke with Felix and Hilde a lot while you were asleep.” She displayed a bright smile.

“Looks like I missed a lot.” I released a short sigh. “Felix, how long before I can move around?”

“If it’s just traveling by steed, two days.”

“Can’t you just heal yourself with magic, like when you healed my foot?” asked Hilde.

Considering her dislike for mages, her suggestion surprised me. As much as I’d like to do as she asked, I could only shake my head.

“I can’t use healing spells on myself. I’ve tried it many times before, but it just won’t work. No idea why.”

That wasn’t exactly true. I had my suspicions. Cura required genuine affection for the target to activate, which was why healing magic was extremely rare. Those who did master it were usually reserved to genuine saints who did it for free. Unfortunately, I didn’t exactly like myself, preventing me from self-healing. The only people I could use cura on were probably Annie and Hilde.

“Then we’ll wait,” said Violetta.

I met her gaze. “Are you sure? Two days is faster than a roundtrip to Arthas, but time is of the essence. You can go ahead with Hilde and Felix. I can catch up later.”

The risk of Hilde or Felix abandoning me at this point was negligible. With my anima, I could tell their concern for me was genuine. Letting them go ahead to save time wasn’t a bad plan.

“I do want to find my companions as quickly as possible…” Violetta played with her thumbs. “But, how do I say this… I’m not confident I’ll survive the trip without you.”

I glanced at the airheaded self-proclaimed thief and the clumsy feral war beast on both sides of the bed. “Can’t argue with that.”

***

We arrived at Portus just before sunset two days later. I had forced myself to travel a day after I woke up. Violetta had tried to convince me to stay put, but the adorable worried look on her face backfired, motivating me to work harder for her sake.

The entrance to the underground village was easy to find. Just like the innkeeper said, a small oasis served as an obvious landmark to the town below it. A few paces from the edge of the greenery, an old metal gate lay flat on top of a bed of rocks, covering the tunnel entrance. After a few knocks, a single lethargic guard invited our party inside without so much as a security check.

The first thing I noticed was a faint herbal smell permeating the cavern, but the wall torches illuminating the tunnel stole my attention soon after. Harena used magic for lighting because open flames were dangerous inside closed spaces.

I decided to ask the lone guard about it. “Excuse me, are these torches really on fire?”

The guard smiled kindly. “Are you daft or blind? They’re torches.” He laughed.

The hell? His face and words didn’t match at all. I couldn’t sense malice in him either.

“I was just wondering how the smoke goes out.”

“First time in Portus, huh. Then again, few travelers visit twice.” The guard shrugged. “Did you see the oasis on top? The plants growing there have roots extending all the way to the roof of the caverns below. The tendrils hanging from the ceiling absorb smoke like the desert sand sucks water. Poof! Gone!” He chuckled.

“Interesting.”

“You can see it for yourself once you reach the village. Just follow the tunnel.”

How odd. I could barely sense his emotions. It felt like trying to see through a thin veil. However, we didn’t come all the way here to investigate a bum like him.

No one else was around to escort us, so I assumed we were allowed to go ahead on our own. I bid farewell to the guard and led the party deeper into the tunnel.

The path consisted of a simple slope made of packed dirt. The passage was a lot narrower than Harena’s. Sabre could barely fit, and everyone else had to guide their horses in a line.

“That guard was a little, um, strange,” said Violetta.

“No need to sugarcoat it,” I said. “The guy’s a bum. This place would fall in a heartbeat if thieves find it.”

Felix rubbed his chin. “Could it be that they have a secret weapon of some sort?”

“That’s possible. Or maybe there’s just nothing worth stealing.”

Upon reaching the village proper, I realized I was right. The streets were deserted. The herbal aroma grew stronger as we approached the small houses. Hilde and Sabre seemed to be particularly bothered by it. I didn’t want either of these tomboys in a bad mood, but we came here on a job.

“Where to, Master?” asked Felix.

“First, information. Let’s find a place with people.”

“There doesn’t seem to be a guild house… How about that restaurant over there?”

I followed his gaze and saw a small plaque hanging on top of a door. A piece of bread and meat were etched on it.

“Good idea. Hilde, Violetta, any objections?”

The two girls shook their head.

“Then let’s-” A sharp tug from behind cut me off.

I turned my neck and saw a dissatisfied Sabre chewing on my shirt. She glanced at the other horses, telling me they were famished as well.

“Don’t be like that, Sabre. I didn’t forget you. I was planning to ask about a stable inside.”

“Liar,” said Hilde.

Sabre nodded with a booming neigh.

“I-I don’t think you should make a habit of lying,” said Violetta.

Felix stepped in front of me, blocking the painful stares with his body. “Ladies, please stop that.”

I knew I liked this guy. Men really should stick together.

“You must understand.” Felix spread his arms wide. “Master is great because he’s a deceptive bastard! If you take that away, what’s left?”

I wanted to hit him but held back in fear of hurting my hand.

Before I could say anything, Violetta spoke up on my behalf. “I-I think underneath his extremely deceptive and evil exterior, there’s a tiny shred of kindness inside Karius!”

I patted her head with a thin smile. “I think you should just keep quiet.”

I wasn’t seriously scolding her. I could tell they were just joking around even without my anima. Of course, I used it anyway just to be sure.

We continued our banter as we entered the restaurant. The place was surprisingly crowded. A few young folks could be spotted here and there, but most of the patrons were gray-haired. Lively conversations and laughter filled the small pub.

They all looked happy.

Very much so, at least to normal eyes.

However, my anima wasn’t so easy to fool. Just like the lone guard at the gate, these people also had a thin veil shrouding their emotions. That immediately put me on alert.

“Be careful,” I whispered to my companions. “These people aren’t normal.”

“Understood,” said Felix.

Violetta nodded and held onto Hilde’s shirt.

“Let’s take a seat for now.” I pulled out a chair from a nearby roundtable. “They don’t seem to be hostile. Rather, they didn’t even notice us coming in.”

“Is that what your special sense is telling you?” asked Hilde.

“Yeah.”

“Okay.” She sat down on the chair I pulled out.

I had been planning to sit on it myself, but being a gentleman, I didn’t complain. In fact, I felt glad she trusted my words enough to believe me without hesitation.

Following her lead, the rest of us took a seat on the table. The thick herbal smell, much stronger inside the shop, bothered even me now. How could people dine in such a situation?

A skinny waitress wearing a worn-out apron approached our table. She had a wide smile on her face, but every gesture she made seemed lethargic. She lazily recited the menu.

There were only a few meals to choose from, but they were unbelievably cheap. Hilde and I chose the meat option, while the others chose the vegetable one.

“Are there always so many people here?” I asked.

She raised an eyebrow at my question.

“Oh, we’re travelers. This is our first time in this village.”

“Hmm… I dunno. I guess it is?”

That was an oddly vague response considering how worn-out her apron was, which indicated her experience. Putting aside her lackadaisical attitude, she also seemed used to her job.

After the waitress left our table, I whispered, “I don’t think it’s a good idea to eat the food here.”

“Poison?” asked Hilde.

“Happened before. Let’s gather information and get out.”

“But we already ordered,” said Violetta.

“About that… Sorry, but could you foot the bill? You can just take it out of our payment later.”

Violetta smiled. “No worries. I intended to treat everyone from the start. I’ve come to understand just how terribly poor you all are during our journey together. I just thought it’d be rude to leave without eating what we ordered.”

Before worrying about strangers, I wished she considered how rude it was to call her comrades paupers.

The waitress appeared from the backroom with a tray of plates. Service was quick, probably because preparation was limited to shoveling day old food onto dishes.

Plates filled up our small roundtable. Green and brown goop, the vegetable and meat options respectively, stared at us from below. No wonder the food was so cheap.

I called out to the waitress before she could scurry off. “Do a lot of travelers pass through here?”

She shook her head without losing her lackadaisical grin. “You’re the first travelers in about a month, I think.”

“A month? Are you sure?”

“Yeah, all travelers stop by this joint at least once. This is the only eatery in Portus. I haven’t heard anything from the other servers either. Are you looking for someone?”

I didn’t want to reveal too much information, but Violetta’s aides might drop by Portus later.

“Yes, we’re looking for our companions, a man and a woman named Claude and Jeanne. If you see them, could you please tell them their mistress is looking for them?”

“If I don’t forget, sure.”

I didn’t sense any sarcasm. This woman really believed she’d forget about my request. That made me doubt the reliability of her information about this town’s visitors. Maybe she simply forgot all about it.

“By the way, do you know where we can keep our horses for the night? We left them tied on a post in front of the shop. I hope you don’t mind.”

“No problem. You can just keep ‘em there while you’re in town.”

“Won’t they get stolen?” asked Felix.

“Stolen?” The waitress burst out laughing. “No one steals anything in this village.”

I tilted my head. “Really? The guard at the main gate didn’t give me a good impression of the town’s security.”

“You mean that bum Jeffrey? Course he didn’t. Portus doesn’t need capable guards. No one commits crimes here. Everyone is happy! Look around you.”

Indeed, the men and women in the pub looked like they were having a blast.

Her lazy smile showed a glint of pride. “In fact, a lot of travelers become residents after staying for just a day! That’s probably because of the food, though. Our dishes here are unmatched anywhere else.”

I looked down at the brown sludge on my plate. “Really…”

“Can I go now? I have other customers.”

“Oh, of course. Sorry for keeping you.”

The waitress nodded and sauntered to another table.

“This place is odd,” said Violetta.

Hilde nodded. “It’s downright creepy. Look at the food.” She pushed her plate away.

“Glad to see you actually have some common sense,” I said.

“What’re you talking about? I’m the paragon of common sense.”

“Sure, as long as you don’t eat this strange goop Felix what are you doing!?”

“I’m eating the strange goop.” He burped.

“It might be poisoned!”

“Rest assured, Master. My body is resistant to most poisons. The food we ordered releases the same herbal smell found throughout the town, only much stronger. I tasted it to investigate.”

“That’s actually pretty amazing. Is your poison resistance a result of training?”

“That is so. I usually poison myself by accident while preparing toxins for my weapons. I guess I grew resistant after almost dying many times.”

“That’s not called training! And be a bit more careful!”

“I shall heed Master’s words.”

“...Fine then. So, did you find out anything from tasting that goop?”

“It tastes like crap.”

“Not that! About the herbal smell! Is it a poison like suspected?”

“I have no idea. In the first place, I was certain I’ve never encountered this herb before because I didn’t recognize the aroma. I make sure to remember the distinct fragrance of all toxins I use by smelling them thoroughly.”

“Then why taste the damn thing!?”

“Tarnation!”

“Stop using that as your go to excuse! And quit inhaling lethal substances from now on!”

“I shall heed Master’s words.”

“Amazing,” said Violetta. “I always thought Hilde and Karius made a good comedy duo, but after seeing this show, I realized the comic talent belonged mostly to Karius.”

“No no no no! I’m completely normal! They’re the funny ones! In the head!” I tapped my temple with a finger.

Violetta laughed without restraint, a rare sight for the prim and proper young lady.

I felt glad she enjoyed our exchanges, even if they chipped away at my sanity. I thought I could watch Violetta’s adorable smile forever.

But that expression didn’t last long.

An old man burst into the restaurant. He walked towards the dining area while screaming like a madman. The waitress rushed to stop him.

“Get outta my way!” The old man tried to push her aside. “I hafta tell ‘em to stop eating that gunk! It poisons the mind, I tell ya! It poisons the mind!”

“Stop this, Father!” said the waitress. “You’re only making a fool of yourself.”

“You’re the fool! How can ya serve people the stuff that killed yer daughter!?”

“Please get out!” She forcefully dragged her rather weak father out of the restaurant.

“So much for no crimes,” said Hilde.

“Well, being an ass isn’t a crime,” I said, “no matter how much I wish it were.”

“But the old man confirmed your worries, Master.”

I responded to Felix with a curt nod. “Looks like we’ve found our info source.”

We left the payment on the table and chased the father and daughter, who continued arguing on the deserted street.

The waitress scratched her head. “How many times do I have to tell you? Leta isn’t poison.”

“Yer blinded by that evil plant, Lydia! That joy ya feel ain’t real!”

She noticed us watching and patted her chest to calm down. “Anyway, please don’t bother me at work. This job pays for your meals too. No one is forcing you to eat leta, so please, just let us be. Go home, I beg you.”

“Lydia…” Seeing his daughters forlorn expression, he lost the fire in his voice. With slumped shoulders, he silently watched her walk away.

After she disappeared through the door, he shifted his lonely gaze to us. “Are you one of ‘em too?”

“If you’re asking whether we ate the food, then no. We suspected it was poisonous because of the smell and the odd behavior of the locals.” I conveniently omitted Felix’s tasting session.

“Y-Ya understand!?” He rushed towards me and grabbed my shoulders with surprising strength.

Hilde approached to pry him off me, but I shook my head to stop her.

“You’re Lydia’s father?” I asked.

“Ya know her?”

“Yes. We met her earlier today. I found her behavior a little odd, like she wasn’t focused.”

“Exactly, boy! You got it right! It’s the leta! It’s all ‘cuz of that god forsaken plant!”

“Leta?”

“Oh right, yer new here. Didja see the oasis up top? There’s an herb called leta growin’ there. I hear someone tried adding it to food for flavor years ago. The stuff was disgusting, but it made people feel happy. This town is a dump, and we ain’t got enough food for everyone. Sumthin’ that’ll let us forget our problems was a godsend. It spread like wildfire. Now everyone uses it.”

“Even you?”

His creased face crumpled further. “Yeah. I used to. I only woke up after the damn thing killed my granddaughter Mila.”

“The herb is lethal..?”

“No… The townsfolk wouldn’t keep eatin’ it if it was. They ain’t that stupid. Mila died ‘cuz her family, includin’ me, didn’t notice her illness. She’d been sick for weeks before we realized it! All because we kept munchin’ on that stupid grass with dumb grins on our mugs. She was gone just like that.”

“I’m sorry for bringing up such a painful memory.”

“That’s not the end of it. I stopped eatin’ leta after Mila died. That’s when I noticed how strange everyone was. Lydia and her husband didn’t cry when Mila died. Or any day after. I live with ‘em, so I know. It’s inhuman. How can parents not cry over their child’s death!?”

Everything clicked into place inside my head. The muffled emotions. The creepy smiles. The lackadaisical attitude. The lack of crime. A child’s unreasonable death. All because of leta.

But was it really so bad?

“Disgusting,” said Violetta. “We should burn that oasis to the ground.”

That was a surprising remark coming from the usually reserved girl.

“I woulda done that if I could,” said the old man. “A good chunk of what we eat comes from that place. Burnin’ it down means the end of our village.”

“So that’s why you were trying to convince people at the eatery,” said Felix. “Sir, did you feel ill after you stopped eating that herb?”

“No. I felt fine.”

“Then it’s not addictive. The townsfolk are just mentally dependent on it.”

“Agreed,” I said, churning my mind to recall what I’d read on herbal potions.

Violetta looked at me. “We should help him get rid of leta.”

“What? Why?”

“Because living in a dream is the worst thing imaginable. All dreams end, and that fleeting joy isn’t worth the endless despair after waking up.”

Though unexpectedly grim for a girl her age, I could understand that outlook. The fear of waking up without Hilde by my side, being forced to pay for my crimes, and facing Annie still haunted me.

“These people are eating that plant with their own will,” said Hilde. “Who’re we to tell them what to do? People deserve the right to run away.”

I didn’t expect the stoic and strong Hilde to think like that. Was she running away from something too?

“There’s no happiness at the end of that!” Violetta raised her voice at Hilde for the first time.

I had to admit I enjoyed my dream-like adventure with Hilde, a journey unimaginable for me in my days enduring Mother’s control and my peers’ insults. I certainly wouldn’t take well to people trying to take that away from me, even if they did it for my sake.

I could relate to both Hilde and Violetta, but as the party’s de facto leader, I couldn’t let my indecisiveness show. “Violetta, this herb has nothing to do with your companions. You hired us, so we’re inclined to follow your orders, but is this really what you want? I think you should calm down and think it over carefully.”

Violetta fell silent and lowered her eyelids for a while. Then she took a deep breath. “I apologize for losing myself. You’re right. We don’t have the time for this right now. Finding Claude and Jeanne takes priority.”

“Sorry gramps. You heard her.”

The old man snorted loudly, but my anima told me he wasn’t really angry.

“I didn’t ask for your help, boy. So, what’re you here for? Maybe I can lend ya a hand.”

“Are you sure? Like I said, we can’t help you in return.”

“Just think of it as my thanks for reminding me I haven’t gone insane. Been months since I spoke to someone who took me seriously.”

“I’ll take you up on that offer then. As you heard, we’re looking for Claude and Jeanne, a man and a woman. They work for Violetta here.” I gestured towards the purple garbed girl. “They disappeared on the way to the Nepa Caverns.”

“So you figured they wandered over here, eh? Sorry to tell ya, but I ain’t seen no travelers here for weeks. No word ‘round town either. I keep an ear to the ground, so you can trust that.”

“I see. Thank you, um…”

“The name’s Elar.”

“I’m Leon. This here is Ada, Violetta, and Felix. Would you happen to know where we can stay for the night? I’d rather avoid traveling after dark.”

And my ribs were killing me.

“Ain’t no inns in town. Not anymore. But you can stay at my neighbor’s house.”

“Your neighbors? Not yours?”

“Yep. I live with Lydia and her husband. No way we’ll fit. My neighbor died from hunger last week. I tried givin’ him some food, but the dumbass wouldn’t eat anything but leta. You can stay at his place.”

I heard a tiny shriek from Violetta, who grabbed onto my injured arm. Before my bone cracked again, I hurriedly asked for an alternative. “Is there really no other lodging?”

“There are, but it’s the same story everywhere. People keep dyin’ with a smile on their faces. Fools. Wish they spent a minute thinkin’ ‘bout those left behind. We’re the ones stuck with cleanin’ up their mess.”

I gently placed a hand on Violetta’s head. “It’ll be fine. I’ll zap any ghosts with my magic, okay?”

She meekly nodded as her tense expression melted away.

“Mr. Elar, if it isn’t much trouble, could you guide us there?”

He snorted again, this time with a hint of affection. “Sure thing. Follow me.”

Elar probably enjoyed the company. I’d been ostracized in Arthas, but his case was far worse. I had Annie and her complete trust, while Elar’s own daughter didn’t believe him.

We untied the horses and followed Elar’s lead. After passing through the residential district, I realized how badly off Portus was. Most of the people we saw looked weak and sickly. I didn’t see any children. Despite these conditions, everyone was smiling. I couldn’t sense any real joy from them. My guess was that leta dulled their emotions to the point they felt satisfied with anything. Happiness was just a fancy word for satisfaction, after all.

Watching these people terrified me.

But who was I to judge?

I betrayed my country, abandoned my sister, and killed people for the sake of my warped love for Hilde. Yes, even I understood how strange it was. The feeling certainly didn’t resemble any crushes I’d had before. I felt compelled to be with her all the time. Just imagining losing her made me tremble in fear.

Rather than love, it felt like an addiction.

And despite the difficulties, I was strangely content with it.

No matter how I tried to convince myself otherwise, that was abnormal.

***

After cleaning up the empty house a little, we shared some of the food we brought from Harena with Elar. He happily ate the jerky and crackers and even asked if he could keep some for his family. I gave him a bag of food as thanks for escorting us.

We had left Sabre and the horses tied at the backyard. I had fed Sabre some jerky, while the other horses had to settle for the hay from another empty house’s bed.

Our party discussed our next steps and decided to head back to Harena at first light. Many days had passed since Hilde and I escaped Arthas. The search parties probably thought we were far away from Harena by now. The best hiding place was somewhere that had already been checked. Strangely enough, getting lost a ridiculous number of times allowed us to shake off our pursuers.

“Okay, there are only two rooms in this house,” I said.

“Then Master and Hilde shall share the bedroom,” said Felix, “and I shall stay with Violetta in the living room.”

“Okay. ...Wait, that doesn’t make sense! The groupings should be divided by sex!”

Hilde crossed her arms. “I’m fine with staying with you.”

“You are!?”

“I don’t see you as a man anyway.”

“I knew that was coming, but it still hurt as much as the first time.”

“I’m fine with that arrangement too,” said Violetta. “I’m sure Karius wants some time alone with Hilde… to do this and that.”

“I do enjoy spending time with her, but please don't say it in such a suggestive way. Weren’t you more innocent when we first met?”

“Suggestive? What ever do you mean, Karius?”

“Forget it. I’ll just look like a lecher if I explain. Anyway, Felix, we’re staying in the common room. The girls get the bedroom.”

“Eh? But I don’t want to stay with Master.”

“Wha... Why?”

“Because you reek from the herbal balm on your injuries.”

“You were the one who made it! You even put it on me yourself! Why get all sensitive now!?”

“You told me to stop inhaling lethal substances. I’m only heeding my master’s words.”

I snapped my fingers. “Gotcha. I forgot this balm was deadly. Sorry about that. Wait, isn’t there a bigger problem here!? Will I be okay leaving this on me!?”

“Are you feeling faint, like you’re about to die?”

“No, I can’t say that I am.”

“Then you’ll be fine?”

“I’d be more assured if you dropped the question mark.”

“I see.” He cleared his throat. “Then you’ll be fine.”

“Way too late.” I sighed and slumped my shoulders.

“Just wash it off if you don’t like it,” said Hilde with an exasperated tone.

“...Nah, I think I’ll leave it for now. Better safe than sorry.”

Putting aside its medicinal effects, it was useful for one other thing. I wasn't sure about it, so I didn’t mention my concern to the others. I was likely overthinking, but my experience with Rahf had taught me to err on the side of caution.

For that purpose, I had opted to leave the balm on. Felix wouldn’t use medicine that would harm me. I was completely sure of that.

...But I decided to leave a bucket of water and a towel nearby just in case.

In the end, I managed to convince Felix to stay with me in the common room. Sleeping beside Hilde was tempting, but not as tempting as staying alive. I wasn’t confident I could resist touching her perfect body for a whole night. I was even less confident I’d survive an attempt.

After preparing a makeshift bed made using old blankets, I decided to check on the girls. Hilde was already sound asleep in the bedroom, but Violetta wasn’t in the house. I took a peek out the open window and saw Violetta chatting with Elar in the front yard. They spoke while watching the dancing flame on top of a high pillar torch, one of many illuminating the underground town.

I was about to call out to her when she showed a painfully bitter smile.

“You’ve had it tough, Elar,” she said.

“As if a girl your age even knows what tough means.”

“I may not have many years under my belt, but I know the guilt of living inside a dream.”

“Guilt, eh? Yer probably right. I blame leta for Mila’s death, but it’s actually my fault. I noticed the signs.”

“Of her illness?”

“That too, but I’m talkin’ ‘bout leta. I knew we were getting high on it. Trickier than liquor ‘cuz there’s no headache or vomitin’ no matter how much you gulp down. But it’s not like I didn’t know the effects.” He pressed his lips together tightly, as if trying to hold back tears. “Even so, I didn’t do anything about it.”

“...I understand. I was raised in a rather peculiar way.”

“I can tell from yer fancy clothes and how you handle yerself. A noble?”

“Something like that. I had it all. Then one day I woke up and realized everything was a dream.”

“Did yer family go bankrupt?”

“...Yes, that’s right. I’m doing okay now, but there were some rough times.”

Sorrow.

Deep, rich sorrow.

I sensed Violetta’s emotions stronger than ever before. I used to think she was just a naive girl, but I realized everyone dragged their own chains.

Feeling guilty for accidentally eavesdropping, I went back to the common room and lay down. Felix slept like a mummy with his hands crossed on his chest. That pose wasn’t any stranger than his usual remarks, so I didn’t pay much attention to it.

An hour later, I was still tossing around in bed. Sleeping on the ground with only blankets for a cushion was hard on my injured body. My ribs still ached, and my splinted arm was hard to position comfortably. Tired of forcing myself to sleep, I got up and drank some water.

An explosion came from outside.

Felix shot up while keeping his entire body completely straight, just like the bloodsucking fiends I read about in old books.

“How the hell did you do that!?” I shouted on reflex. “Nevermind! Go wake the others!”

“Did they not wake up from that sound?”

“You don’t know Hilde’s sleeping habits. Please!”

“Yes, Master!” Felix rushed into the bedroom.

I crouched down and planted my back on the wall beneath the window. Carefully raising my head, I peeked to check the street in front of the house. Nothing. I got up and poked my head outside to check both directions. Left side had nothing. Right side-

A flash of light seared my eyes, followed by another explosion.

While rubbing my eyelids, I left the house to see the situation better. I could hear the horses panicking in the backyard. A terrifying battle unfolded a short distance away.

Flashes of magic and blades rained in the darkness like a meteor shower. Two warriors exchanged fierce attacks. I recognized one of them.

“Master Richter…”

No, I had no right to call him Master anymore.

A woman with long, wavy blonde hair jumped away from his blade with ease. Her breasts, almost imposing in size, energetically bounced as she landed. Her mauve dress fluttered as she struck a taunting pose. Richter didn’t fall for the provocation and calmly took a stance.

I closed my eyes and read them with my anima.

Quiet anger.

They both possessed the best emotional state for battle. Fury fueled their abilities but didn’t cloud their judgment.

A cloud of dust floated towards Richter. What was that? I scanned the battlefield. I saw ripped sacks of flour on a broken cart by the road. An unnatural wind carried the flour into the air. Richter ran away from the white cloud as if it were poison gas.

“Shit, he’s heading this way!” I hid myself inside the house.

I wanted to run away, but Felix hadn’t come back from waking Hilde yet. I decided to secretly observe the battle to get a better grasp on the situation. I peeked out from behind the door.

An explosion erupted from behind Richter.

That was a dust explosion. The woman had heated up the cloud of flour, causing it to ignite. From what I’d seen so far, the woman possibly possessed at least two types of magic: wind and fire. Though uncommon, mastering those two types was certainly possible for gifted mages. The emotional bases they required didn’t contradict each other.

The force of the blast hit Richter’s back, pushing him forward. He rolled on the ground and got up in an instant. His armor had protected him from serious damage.

While hovering about twenty feet in the air, the golden haired woman floated over to him. They were close enough for me to hear their conversation.

“You’ve done well, Ricky, but you’re literally a hundred years too young to fight me.”

“Fight? We were just exchanging greetings, Gromwell.”

Did he say Gromwell? The Lilac Gromwell?

I’d read books written about the immortal witch. Lamia, as many called her, wielded various powerful magic and possessed eternal youth. What was a legend like that doing in this forgotten town?

She brandished a menacing grin as she gently landed on the ground. “Not a bad comeback for the kid who used to hide behind my skirt.”

Richter pointed his sword at the witch. “I won’t ask again. Tell me where Karius is.”

“I don’t know.”

“Lies. You wouldn’t be here if you didn’t.”

“It’s true I’ve been tracking him, but I came here on a hunch. That’s the same for you, right?”

“Indeed. But you’re not the type that moves on instinct.”

“Then believe what you will. I have no reason to participate in this pointless spat.”

“Karius is a traitor who killed many of our countrymen. There’s also that Valmaz fugitive. This mission is far from pointless.”

“That’s not what I meant. I’m saying you can’t defeat me, Ricky. We are world’s apart. Therefore, fighting you is pointless.”

“Did your head grow so big it reached the clouds? No wonder you can’t see what’s going on just below it.”

Gromwell raised an eyebrow and glanced downward. A cut ran across the waist of her dress.

“I really liked this, Richter.” She tugged on the tear with a frown.

“I’ll pay you back in full after you tell me where Karius is.”

“You can’t buy this anymore. The tailor died thirty seven years ago.” Her eyes sharpened like a hawk’s. “I’ll take an arm for it instead. Simia.”

She held out her hand. The air in between them shimmered ever so slightly. The change was almost invisible in the dim lighting.

Richter jumped to the side. A second after he moved, the torch pillar behind him burst into flames.

That wasn’t typical fire magic. Ignis worked by creating flames, which in turn heated up the target. Her spell seemed to create heat directly without a visible fire. The mirage effect caused by the shimmering air suggested as much. That magic had also triggered the dust explosion earlier.

Judging from the effect, simia released more heat than ignis, and it was invisible to boot. A normal swordsman would have no chance against it.

Fortunately, Richter wasn’t anywhere near normal.

He tapped the tip of his right boot on the floor twice. Mana gathered on his sole, creating a sheet of glass ice. He skated towards Gromwell at an incredible speed. The witch failed to react in time. His longsword cleaved into her shoulder and passed through her torso. A geyser of blood sprayed on his face and armor. The immortal witch’s body, split into diagonal halves, fell to the ground. Without lowering his sword, Richter carefully observed his surroundings.

The blood and corpse vanished without a trace.

“Not bad, Ricky.” Gromwell sat on the roof of a nearby house, her legs crossed. “You didn’t let your guard down after killing me.”

“Stop the games. I’m familiar with your illusions.”

“This is why I hate old flames. They keep insisting they know everything about you.” She licked her lips. “I, for one, was surprised by those encantus boots. You’re certainly not the Ricky I remember.”

“It’s too early to be surprised.” Richter rushed toward Gromwell.

She flew away and grabbed onto a torch pillar, but Richter didn’t change direction. He swung his sword at the stone house.

The weapon smashed a large hole in the wall, an impossible feat. Black inscriptions glowed across the blade.

The sword was an encantus too, one that used-

“Gravity magic.” Gromwell frowned. “What a rare toy. Must be a legendary weapon. What’s it called?”

Diablos. I had read about a shadow-inscribed longsword that controlled invisible forces. That was probably it.

“A sword is just a tool. It needs no name.” Using his blade, Richter tossed a piece of debris in the air and then hit it with the flat of his sword. The rock hurtled towards Gromwell’s chest but disintegrated to small pebbles a foot away from her body. A few smoking fragments bounced off her bosom, slightly singing her skin.

“That hurt.” She dusted herself off.

Richter tossed up a few smaller rocks this time, hitting them towards her one by one. Gromwell jumped to the ground and ran sideways to avoid the barrage.

Richter’s sword not only manipulated its own weight, a trick which enabled him to smash a wall, but also the weight of the things it damaged. Judging from how he used it to bat rocks, the effect lasted only an instant. He lightened the sword as he swung, increased the weight on contact with the rock to maximize impact, and lightened the rock when it hit the blade. The projectile then returned to its original weight on its way to the target, gaining incredible destructive force.

That attack showcased his insane sword skill and battle experience, a technique fitting for one of the most powerful knights in Arthas.

Gromwell used a heat barrier to block the stones, but that probably used up a lot of concentration because she didn’t rely on it completely.

What I found strange was how she dodged the rocks by running around instead of flying. If she could use powerful wind magic, flight should be part of her arsenal. Was she saving mana? No, that wouldn’t make sense. Risking getting hit to save energy was beyond stupid.

“Unless she can’t use wind magic…” I mumbled.

Then how did she manipulate the flour cloud earlier?

In the first place, could she really wield three different magic types, illusion, heat, and wind, at the same time? Unlike myself, most mages could only use one or two at a high level. Was Gromwell another exception?

Could she have the same anima as I did?

Gromwell extended her palms towards Richter and peppered him with heat blasts. Richter easily dodged her attacks with his ice boots. The stone walls hit by her attacks glowed red and melted to lava. While slipping past another wave, he swung at a large chunk of debris on the ground and launched it at Gromwell. This time, her heat barrier wasn’t enough to stop it. The rock hit her head, knocking her to the ground.

Richter braked to check on his opponent. Then his right foot sank into the ground.

“Another illusion..!” He struggled to pull his armored boot out of the melted floor.

That molten hole appeared out of thin air. No, Gromwell merely hid it with an illusion. Her flashy barrage baited him into that camouflaged lava pit. She had pretended to attack with both hands to trick Richter into thinking she was committed to a frontal attack.

If it weren’t for his ice-enchanted boots, Richter would’ve already lost a leg. Even so, it was only a matter of time before the molten earth ate away his armor and then his foot.

The match ended in a tie. Or so I thought.

High pitched laughter echoed from the unconscious Gromwell. Then she stood up without a scratch on her. Her wound had also been an illusion designed to make Richter stop at that exact spot.

She held out her right hand towards Richter. “I won’t kill you for old times sake. I’ll be taking that arm, though.” The immortal witch unleashed her magic.

Richter stomped on the ground with his free leg. A wall of crystal ice taller than he was erupted from his boot, blocking the heat wave. The ice froze the lava, hardening it to rock. He broke the rock with his sword and freed his foot. He dashed away from the line of fire before the ice barrier melted completely.

Despite the close calls, the match returned to square one. Neither of them had any serious injuries, and I was certain they hadn’t shown all their cards just yet.

Felix came up to me. Hilde stood beside him in disheveled clothing, lazily rubbing her eyes.

“Master, I’ve woken Hilde up. A thousand apologies for taking so long. She wasn’t in decent attire, so I had to cover my eyes as I roused her.”

Right, there was that.

“Where’s Violetta?” I asked.

“She wasn’t in the bedroom.”

“What!?”

I remembered her speaking with Elar the last time I saw her. She might be in his house.

“Felix, could you check-”

Wait.

I decided to leave Violetta behind.

“Untie the horses,” I said. “Leave one for Violetta.”

Hilde stared at me, sleepiness gone from her eyes. “What about the request?”

“The monsters outside are after us. It’s safer for Violetta if we go our separate ways. With those two prowling this area, we can’t continue searching for her companions anyway.”

Hilde thought for a moment and then nodded. Despite her occasional stubbornness, she was reasonable in times of crisis.

“Please grab our stuff and get the steeds ready. I’ll keep an eye on the fight outside until then.”

Hilde and Felix went to the backyard while I watched the battle. We might be facing off against one or both of these people in the future. I had to learn everything I could about their abilities.

Richter seemed to be at a disadvantage. Though Gromwell’s heat blasts had a low firing rate, she placed each shot perfectly, preventing Richter from getting close. Richter took cover behind a house. Gromwell simply continued her attack, melting the house completely, residents and all. Seeing this brutality, Richter stopped running around and held his blade towards his face. As Gromwell aimed her hand in his direction, he shallowly sliced his cheek with his black-etched weapon. What was he doing?

I remembered his sword’s ability.

Richter vanished and reappeared within sword’s reach of the immortal witch. The blade stabbed into her abdomen, but he didn’t stop there. He charged forward until the corpse skewered on his blade vanished. A fleck of blood appeared at the tip of Diablos. Gromwell flickered into existence on the ground a few feet away from the heaving knight. Her arm bled from a small gash. She seemed to be struggling under her own weight.

I felt the urge to rub my eyes to confirm I wasn’t dreaming. “Amazing…”

Richter had deduced her real position based on the destruction left by her attacks. He had even pretended to attack her illusion, only to go for her real body at the last moment. Then he applied temporary weight amplification on Gromwell to slam her body to the ground.

“Not the time to be impressed,” came Hilde’s voice from behind me. “Let’s go.” Her footsteps faded into the backyard.

I had to go, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the battle.

Richter swung his sword at the downed witch, but her body melted to the ground before his blade reached it. She reappeared a few paces away with a hand pressed on her arm wound.

Gromwell dodged Richter’s next three slashes and countered with a heat blast. The immortal witch didn’t cut off her magic and swept the wave like a giant sword to chase after him, forcing him to take distance. She had probably refrained from using that move earlier because it consumed much more mana than her normal shots.

Richter sprinted around her to escape it, but she predicted his path and launched another blast ahead of him with her other hand. He scratched his other cheek with Diablos and disappeared from the attack’s path.

The shimmering air barreled towards my general direction. I met Gromwell’s eyes just before her spell hit. She made a fist with her right hand, forcibly shifting the direction of the wave upwards. The beam of destruction harmlessly dissipated over the roof.

“She saw me.”

I was happy she redirected her magic to avoid frying me, but now I had to deal with pursuit.

Fortunately, Richter, ignorant of what she saw, wasn’t about to let her go. Despite the visible fatigue caused by his self-acceleration technique, he nicked his face a third time and unleashed a vicious assault against the witch.

I decided to skip the climax to save my skin. I dashed to the backyard and ran to Sabre, with Hilde on her back. Hilde grabbed my left hand and pulled me up to the front seat on the saddle. Sabre galloped away from the house while Felix trailed behind us by a horse’s length.

“Master, what if the path to the surface is blocked?” asked Felix.

“As long as Richter, I mean that knight, isn’t with them, we should be able to fight past a blockade.”

“Understood. I shall answer to your expectations.”

“Just… try not to kill anyone if you can. I don’t want any more blood on my hands.”

“I shall heed Master’s words.”

I turned my head sideways to check Hilde’s reaction. With her characteristic blank expression, she nodded and gently wrapped her arms around my waist, pressing herself tightly against my back. Her softness and warmth easily overcome the pain from my ribs. It wasn’t the time to enjoy her touch, but I couldn’t help but grin.

As if punishing me for my frivolous thoughts, an impossible sight flashed before my eyes.

Lucius. And Annie.

They dashed out from an alley, holding hands and out of breath. Time seemed to stop the moment our gazes crossed.

Shock dyed my mind pure white. With a dumb smile still stuck on my face, I forced my neck forward and tapped Sabre with my heel to speed up.

They had caught up with me.

Arthas.

Richter.

Lucius.

Annie.

The dream finally came crumbling down.