Louis stared at the bard, noticing the elf ears adorned with flowery earrings.
The flowers looked familiar, though he couldn't remember where he'd seen them before—purplish petals bleeding into red, arranged in ten delicate folds. Something about them stirred an ache deep inside him. But the swordsman shook it off. He refocused on the bard, who was now dancing with a group of children. Louis sighed, stepping back and slipping away from the crowd. He needed to find Arthur, get those clothes, and return to Mika.
Return...
Wait—had he taken a left or a right turn?
Huh. Louis could've sworn he'd passed this same street three times already.
How the hell did he end up at the ocean? Was there even an ocean here?
Ah. Louis wasn't in the city anymore.
"How...?" he muttered, sitting down on a lone boulder. Head in hands, he tried to make sense of it all. Sure, he'd been stuck underground for nearly twenty years, but getting lost on a simple straight road? Ridiculous.
"Where am I?"
"You're at Seaside Shell."
Louis tensed. His hand flew to his sword. He turned to his left—and his eyes widened.
It was the bard from earlier.
Now that he saw the man more clearly, Louis realized the bard was slightly shorter than him, with fiery orange hair braided and draped over his shoulders. He wore a white sleeveless crop top—a bold choice, revealing a lean, muscled stomach. Over it, a puffy jacket bunched at the elbows, blazing bright orange like a burning sunset. Louis's eyes drifted down to the bard's jeans—form-fitting and ripped at the knees. He sweatdropped.
'...Is that really how bards dress?' Louis asked himself, now fully registering just how bold this bard's outfit was.
"Wait, did you say I'm at Seaside Shell?" Louis looked up at the bard's face and caught him nodding cheerfully.
"Yup! You're, like, way outside the city now." The bard planted one hand on his hip and leaned in, pointing a finger at Louis. The swordsman noticed the bard's nails—painted in bright, rainbow colors.
"I remember you from the crowd earlier. It's impressive how you got here in just two hours. Usually takes five."
Louis blinked slowly as the distance sank in. He looked away, shoulders sagging.
"Ahaha, don't worry. I can show you the way back to the city," the bard offered. Louis turned to him, surprised.
"You will?"
The bard straightened with a grin. "Yup~ but there's a catch. Say, you're a swordsman, right?" He gestured toward the blade at Louis's side.
"Yes. Why?" Louis narrowed his eyes, suspicion flickering. If this bard tried to take his sword, he wouldn't hesitate to cut him down.
After all, the sword was the only thing he truly owned.
"Ah, nothing like that! I'm actually an adventurer, you know!" The bard raised both hands in defense, laughing nervously as he noticed Louis's hand inching toward the hilt. "I usually play support. I've got a teammate who handles DPS, but he's tied up today. I've got a mission I need to finish."
Placing a hand over his heart with theatrical flair, the bard added, "My name is Echo. Echo Lumia."
Louis let go of his sword and stood up. "Louis."
"So… what's the mission?"
Echo's smile brightened at the hint of curiosity in Louis's voice. He pulled a folded sheet from his pocket and handed it over. Louis unfolded it.
Mission: Class B — Eliminate the Rock Lizard.
"Rock Lizard at mission level B?" Louis look at the mission with a confused expression, he fought Rock Lizard once back in underground arena, that monster at least Class E.
"It's a standard classification for Eater-type monsters," Echo explained. But when he noticed the confusion on Louis's face, he chuckled. "Ah, right—guild regulations. I'm guessing you're not familiar with monster types?"
Louis shook his head. Echo's grin widened.
"Alright, listen up. There are five major classes of monsters: Eaters, Adapters, Absorbers, Hunters, and Ghostiers. Eaters consume elemental materials, and evolve based on what they digest. Think Slimes or Rock Lizards. This mission's labeled Class B because sometimes, an Eater can consume something that makes it resistant to magic or physical attacks."
Louis nodded slowly, eyes returning to the paper.
"Absorbers," Echo continued, "soak up elemental energy and then use it. Mostly bug-type monsters, usually classified C or E. But the real threat? Adapters—Class S. They're dangerous because they adjust to anything you throw at them."
Louis let out a thoughtful hum. "Oh, right. I remember hearing about a Mithril Slime from two hundred years ago."
"Bingo~" Echo's eyes lit up. "Funny how a plain ol' slime turned into a mithril one. If it weren't for Master Lana, they would've needed twenty magicians just to put it down."
"Master Lana?" The name sparked something in Louis's mind, but he couldn't quite place it.
"He's the royal court magician," Echo said, nodding. "Oldest elf in the kingdom, too. Total legend."
"…Wait, that elf beside the king's throne?!" Louis stared at Echo, eyes widening as the memory returned—an elf who looked far too amused during his and Mika's visit to the castle. "He looked like he was in his late twenties!"
"Oh, you've seen him?" Echo laughed. "Elves age slowly, you know. But Master Lana's something else. I heard he ate a mermaid's heart to slow his aging even more."
He leaned in conspiratorially and lowered his voice. "Not just one, by the way. And get this—before the king found him, Master Lana was on the Wanted Death List."
"The what?" Louis leaned closer, intrigued. "The Wanted Death List?"
"Yup. Just a rumor, but about four hundred years ago, he was considered a war criminal."
"A war criminal? Then how the hell did he become the royal court magician?" Louis's brows furrowed in disbelief.
"What?! You don't know how that happened?" Echo grabbed his lute with flair, ready to burst into song—until Louis pushed it gently back down.
"It's a hit, I swear," Echo said, laughing. "So, the story goes like this: our King actually fought Master Lana."
"The King?" Louis blinked. "The same one who cries every time he loses at cards?"
"Mhm. No one but Head Butler Elain saw the fight," Echo said, practically beaming now. "But everyone remembers seeing the King drag a really grumpy Master Lana into the castle. And he's been our royal magician ever since."
Louis rested his chin in thought. He'd grown up hearing stories of the King's heroic past, but after meeting him yesterday, all he saw was a crybaby father doting endlessly on his lord.
"Anyway!" Echo suddenly clapped his hands together, eyes shining. "I answered your question, sooo… will you help me?"
"…Fine," Louis relented. He needed the training anyway—anything to prove his worth to Mika.
"Fantastic!! Let's go!!" Echo grabbed Louis's arm, tugging the taller man toward him.
Louis's eyes widened as flower petals began to swirl around them, forming a dome of color. As the petals drifted gently to the ground like a falling halo, the world around them shifted—suddenly, they were no longer outdoors.
They were inside a cave.
"…How?" Louis muttered, still blinking at the sudden change.
Echo grinned proudly and let go of him. "Bard secret~"
Without further explanation, he spun on his heel and began striding deeper into the cave. Louis followed, but paused for a moment when something caught his eye.
A single flower had sprouted from a crack between the rocks. Odd. It didn't belong in a cave. But before he could ponder it further, Echo called back, urging him to keep up.
Louis turned and continued after him—completely missing the flower's center, where a single eye opened… and watched him go.
"So, Rock Lizards are tough for me because I'm a support class," Echo began as he led Louis to the last known location of the creature. "I can buff you—that's my job. My partner usually handles this stuff with a hammer, but he ditched me today. Lucky you, I know its weakness."
Louis raised a skeptical brow. "Yeah?"
Echo grinned. "You just have to smack it real hard with your sword."
Louis sweatdropped. "That's not a weakness."
"It is if you defeat it!"
"You suck at planning."
"I'm good at other kinds of sucking." Echo winked.
Louis walked straight past him, deadpan. "No comment."
"Wait! I'm kidding!" Echo called out. "I don't even swing that way!!"
Louis suddenly stopped, holding up one finger to silence him. "I sense something." He gestured for Echo to follow, then cautiously peeked around a rocky ledge. His eyes widened.
"…Hey," Louis murmured, "have we ever seen a Mithril Wolf before?"
Echo blinked. "Don't joke. Wolves are carnivores—they don't eat crystal."
But when Echo peeked under Louis's arm, his jaw dropped. The cave glittered with huge clusters of mithril. At the far end, the Rock Lizard crouched nervously beside a beast—tall and sleek, but unlike any wolf Echo had seen. Its fur shimmered like woven silver, and it was eating the mithril crystals like candy.
Echo quickly shoved Louis back in panic. "What the hell is that?! Why is a Proud Wolf eating mithril?!"
"How should I know?"
"This is bad. This is an anomaly. We need to report—"
A sudden snarl cut him off. Louis shoved Echo aside, unsheathing his sword just in time to block the wolf's shimmering fangs.
"Back me up!" Louis barked at Echo as he shoved the Mithril Wolf back. But before he could catch his breath, the Rock Lizard lunged, snapping its jaws. Louis grunted, kicked the creature away, and jumped back to create distance.
"Tch. They're teaming up!" he growled, dodging a swipe from the wolf's claws. "Echo!!"
The bard snapped out of his daze and raised a finger skyward. "Alright, alright—light on me!"
A brilliant beam of light fell on him, and in its glow, a floating mic appeared before him. It wasn't like anything Louis had seen before—it looked vaguely like a church cross, but infused with arcane energy.
"Music, accompany me!"
With a snap of his fingers, a catchy beat echoed through the cave.
"One, two! Let the fight begin!"
🎵 "Darkness, lightness, my friend. It ain't fire when you fall..." Echo sang confidently.
Louis blinked at him, confused. That… was not what he expected. Still, Echo kept going, unfazed.
🎵 "You know you might fail—but I don't care. I rise, I fly, I leave you down there."
The bard's voice was different from the gentle melodies Louis had heard in the city. This had rhythm, grit—rap, if he remembered right.
🎵 "Ey, keep rising—ey, keep flying to the top!"
Louis turned away, swinging at the Rock Lizard. He meant to knock it aside—but his blow sent it crashing across the cave wall with a thunderous crack. His eyes widened as he realized how light and energized he felt.
"Just kidding!!" Echo cheered as the music kicked into an upbeat tempo.
🎵 "Come on, my friend~ Let the light guide your way to the end! To the end where your future begins!"
Louis smirked as he lunged at the Mithril Wolf, his movements now faster, stronger. He slashed at its gleaming coat, but clicked his tongue in frustration when his blade barely left a mark. Of course not—Mithril was notoriously resistant to both magic and steel.
🎵 "Don't worry, 'cause I'm here with you~ Take my hand, I'll show you a better future!"
Echo's vocals rang through the cave like an anthem, his buff magic coursing through Louis's veins. The swordsman could feel it—the power, the speed. He could win this. He had to win this.
Louis kept up the assault, slashing at the shimmering fur. He leapt back just in time as the Wolf lunged, trying to body-slam him against the rocks.
🎵 "Yeah, that's right! Hey, c'mon! Let the world know your name~ Let them laugh while you rise to the top! To the top, you aim— To the future, you run!"
With a burst of adrenaline, Louis launched himself into the air. He twisted mid-flight and slammed his fist down onto the Wolf's temple. Gritting his teeth, he felt the resistance of the Mithril fur—but didn't stop. Landing squarely on the beast's back, he slashed frantically, hunting for even the tiniest vulnerable patch in its armor.
"Ugh—!" he grunted, staggered as the Rock Lizard rammed into him from the side. The force knocked him off the Wolf's back, sending him skidding across the cave floor.
The Lizard landed directly atop the Mithril Wolf—then stayed there.
Instead of frustration, Louis smirked.
Because that meant the Wolf's weakness… was now under the Rock Lizard.