[ Eric ]

“I came back to prepare for Tae’s rescue and to leave Stella in a safe place.”

[ Stella ]

“But I want to go with you!”

[ Eric ]

“Maybe next time. This time around there might not be a safe place where I’m going.”

[ Stella ]

“But Dian is going with you…”

[ Eric ]

“That’s right. Because he is not as important as you.” I whispered to Stella’s ear.

[ Dian ]

“What did you say?”

[ Eric ]

“Nothing.”

Nothing changed in the village since I left. When I came back I had to check on everyone. Even Taliar. The shield fanatic. After the attack on the village, he changed a bit. He still loves shields but now she tries to sell everything. Weapons, tools, armor.

[ Taliar ]

“The hero has come. How can I help you.”

[ Eric ]

“I’ll be leaving again in a few days so I came to order something.”

[ Taliar ]

“What would it be?”

[ Eric ]

“Three tomahawks, three short swords, and two light wooden shields.”

[ Taliar ]

“You said… SHIELD…” Said Taliar in a trembling voice.

[ Eric ]

“Yes. Two of them.”

[ Taliar ]

“Shields… You want a shield… Two of them… Huh… WOHO!!!” Taliar ran to the back of his shop and then came back. “Everything should be ready by tomorrow before the sunset!” He said and ran away once again.

Next to visit was old man Whack and his wolf, Tail. Once I knocked on his door I recalled what happened last time so I hid behind the chair on the terrace. The door opened and out of them stepped a wolf. Tail knows how to open the doors. He immediately noticed me and barked at me.

[ Eric ]

“Someone is well trained.” I said as I patted the wolf.

Whack was sleeping on the chair with a crossbow in his hand for some reason. How do I wake him up without getting aimed at with that crossbow… As I was thinking, Tail approached Whack and lick his hands. The old man woke up without panic.

[ Whack ]

“You came back… Good dog. Here have a treat.” Whack gave some cookies to Tail.

[ Eric ]

“Yeah. I am walking around, checking how everybody is doing. I see that you trained Tail pretty well.”

[ Whack ]

“It wasn’t an easy task. This beast was stubborn in the beginning. When I gave him something to eat he started to behave.”

[ Eric ]

“It wasn’t easy? You tamed a wolf! Hakon only made them not aggressive toward people. Meanwhile, you made Tail your obedient pet.”

From what Whack told me, with Tail’s help he is able to hunt two times more animals than he was able alone and he does it faster. Thanks to that he doesn’t need to hunt all day. He hunts for a few hours and then rests for the rest of the day. Like he should. He looks like he is about to hit sixty years of age.

Before the night I was going to visit one last place. The inn. Since it’s Dian’s and Stella’s first day in Dalir you’ll be the one to pay for the food. I’m also wondering how does… um… How do I don’t remember her name… Wait. Did she ever tell me her name? I’m not sure anymore. But we know each other for almost a year now. I was a regular client at the inn!

[ Waitress ]

“Enjoi the meal.” She said as she placed our order on the table.

[ Eric ]

“Thanks. Eh…”

Why I’m so embarrassed to ask her name? Why is it so hard?! It’s because of those two! I live here for almost a year! Why wouldn’t I know her name? She is one of the first people I met here! And I’ve been here almost every day!

[ Dian ]

“Thank you, Erin.”

How does he know her name?! I gave him the deepest stare I ever did. He must have felt like my eyes were piercing through him, even grabbing his soul. He looked back at me and could see my face with some kind of emotions on it. It was hard to read what was behind that face but it definitely wasn’t something good.

[ Dian ]

“You… You okay, Eric?”

[ Eric ]

“Yeah. Yeah. So… How do you know her name? The waitress’s name…”

[ Dian ]

“Well… When you were checking on the people I came here to drink something and noticed that she couldn’t reach something on the shelf. So I helped her.”

[ Eric ]

“You helped her reach something? She is taller than you… Like seven centimeters!”

[ Dian ]

“I’m not tall but I’m nimble.”