We all set out, Lea, Marcus, and everyone from Aegis also traveled with us. I was on the leading carriage and beside me was Albert, he was holding the reins.

"...o?"

"...no?"

"Sir Zeno?" I heard Albert's voice so I turned my head

"I'm sorry, were you saying something?" I asked

"I was asking if we could set up lunch here, it's already 12" He replied

I looked around, I noticed that we were surrounded by patches of grass, Albert was pointing at a large tree which provided a nice cover from the sun

"Yeah, why don't you guys go ahead, I feel kinda under the weather right now" I replied

"If you say so" Albert left the carriage and notified everyone

They all took out the necessary stuff for preparing lunch while I went inside the carriage, it was empty since they were cooking food outside. I laid down and just shut my eyes

♦♦♦

"Hey, Sir Zeno has been a bit unresponsive" Albert spoke to Brunhilde

"Hm? what do you mean?" Brunhilde asked

"I kept talking to him the entire trip but he was just looking at the road, I thought he was being vigilant but I just found out that it wasn't the case"

"I see, I would also think so since that guy is practically the most cautious person I know... but what would trouble him to the point that he's letting his guard down" Brunhilde stated as she started thinking

"Aren't you overthinking it? maybe he's just sick or something" Melphis butted in

"I hope that's the case" Lea also spoke out

"Oh! wait here" Brunhilde ran off to the back of the carriage, she opened her bag and took out the Nexus helm. She hid where no one could see her and connected the radio to Alissa

She tried calling but after a few calls, there was no reply so Brunhilde decided to call Cynthia instead

'Hey there Brunhilde' Cynthia replied to her call

'Oh good, Zeno has been a bit out of it during our trip back to Arcadia castle, I've tried calling Alissa but she hasn't responded'

'What do you mean out of it? is he sick or something?'

'I don't know, I'll try asking'

'I'll be waiting'

Brunhilde removed the helmet and peeked inside the carriage, she saw Zeno laying on the seats, asleep.

'He seems to be sleeping, maybe he really is sick'

'Okay, please let him rest, I'll go and ask Alissa later'

'Alright, wait a minute, aren't you busy?'

'I'm currently taking a break in my room, it's a good thing I saw the Nexus armor blinking'

'I see... wait, Zeno stood up' Brunhilde quickly moved outside the carriage and observed as Zeno walked out, he dashed forward and without warning, hacked his sword down at an empty spot near the tree

"Sir Zeno, what are you doing?!" Albert was first to react as he moved in to stop Zeno

"You'll see" Zeno replied as he grabbed something and smashed it to the ground, the ground seemed to have caved in and little by little, a form of a creature was seen.

It was seen a manaleon, everyone was surprised. The manaleon spewed out blood from his mouth

"Will you be more cooperative than your other friends?" Zeno asked, there was a coldness in his tone that none of the people who knew him ever heard

"To hell with you" The manaleon chuckled

"I can say the same to you" Zeno aimed his palm at the manaleon before his palm discharged a bluish light that disintegrated the head of the manaleon

"I'm a bit out of it today, sorry to have shown you guys a disgusting sight during your break time" Zeno apologized before returning to the carriage

Everyone was stunned and could only recover when the door to the carriage was closed

'Cynthia... There is something definitely up with Zeno today'

But there was no reply, Brunhilde called out a few more times until Cynthia replied

'I'm sorry, I tried to talk with Alissa but the door to her room was locked, also Guardian said that Alissa seems to be a bit tired and wants to be left alone' Cynthia explained

'*sigh* why don't you try talking to Zeno himself, aren't you guys close?'

'I will do that'

Brunhilde took off her helmet and returned it before going back to the group who was discussing something

"Well? what happened?" Albert was first to ask

"I have no idea but someone is going to talk to him soon, I just hope that Zeno will open up to her" Brunhilde replied

"Tch, Zeno is a bit down! it's my job to go relieve him!" Astarotia quickly moved and ran inside the carriage

Shinku tried to stop her but Brunhilde grabbed her

"I'm a bit interested in what she can do" Brunhilde stated with a smile

"But master is..." Shinku kept pointing at the carriage with a saddened face

"Ah..." Brunhilde came to a realization before apologizing "I'm sorry, I thought you were going to stop Astarotia, my bad!"

It's been seconds since Astarotia entered the carriage but she wasn't kicked out which was weird for the group

Brunhilde moved in and peeked, to her surprise, she saw Zeno's head resting on top of Astarotia's lap. Brunhilde perked her ears up and listened to their conversation

"What are you doing?" Zeno asked

"I'm comforting you, what else" Astarotia replied with a smile

"I-" Zeno paused for a bit "Was my gloominess that obvious?"

"Most of us here have never seen you so gloomy before so we were sure something was up"

"I see, I apologize for worrying you" Zeno stated

"You don't have to be, in fact, it's kind of a relief you know? seeing someone as strong as you actually having worries"

"That's just rude, I'm a human being too you know"

Astarotia chuckled before continuing "Didn't seem like that in the past"

"*Sigh* I don't even have the energy to deal with you" Zeno for the first time, resigned to his fate

"If you could only be like this, it would be so much more easier on me" Astarotia chuckled as she patted Zeno's head which was still wearing his helmet