I think sitting with him might ease it. I take a seat on a rock near the fire.
"What is it, son? Can't sleep?" he asks.
I shake my head slightly.
"Just a bad feeling. It makes the back of my neck feel heavy."
He turns to me and smiles.
"Same here," he says.
I'm quiet for a moment.
"Do you have a plan yet?" I ask.
Oliver tilts his head slightly.
"I think I do. But that plan will change if this feeling of ours becomes an obstacle," he says, ending with a soft laugh.
I give a faint smile and stand.
"Thank you, Oliver."
"Sleep well, son."
"You too, Oliver."
The weight at the back of my neck eases.
Sunlight brushes my face. Morning arrives. Along with the light, faint noise drifts in from outside the tent.
I slowly open my eyes.
"HIRO!" Rose shouts as she throws the tent flap open.
I jolt upright.
"Wake up. Everyone's waiting. Breakfast is already done, you know," she says.
I let out a long, heavy breath. Too heavy—because today means facing it all again.
I sit up slowly.
"Alright. I'll be there."
Rose starts to close the tent.
"Hey. Leave it open."
"Do it yourself."
When I step outside, the smell of roasted meat hits me immediately. Everyone is already sitting in a circle by the campfire—Santiago, Bartra, Grizz, Gruzz, the crew… but not Oliver.
Rose stands nearby, handing out skewers of grilled meat.
"Where's Oliver?" I ask.
"Hard to wake up," she replies. "Just like you."
I glance toward his tent. Come to think of it, what time did he even sleep last night?
"The Captain's always like that," Bartra says while eating beside me. "No problem starting without him. Besides, he likes his food cold, son."
I nod slightly. Rose hands me a skewer, and I take it. She sits beside me.
"Eat before it gets cold," she says.
"I like food when it's cold," I reply.
She snorts.
"You're just like my uncle."
Breakfast goes on as usual—noise, laughter, the crew in high spirits. Grizz and Gruzz joke around, Bartra joins in, Rose teases her uncle, drawing a thin smile from Santiago. Everything moves the way it should.
I glance toward Oliver's tent. For a moment, nothing happens. I'm about to turn away when the tent flap starts to open—Oliver.
Oliver steps out, walking slowly, lifting his shirt and scratching his stomach.
"Hey, hey, you lot. You're way too loud. Hooaam…" One hand covers his mouth as he yawns, the other scratching hair that doesn't itch.
"You haven't started yet, have you?" Oliver asks as he comes closer.
Everyone shakes their head—except Bartra, who raises his hand clutching meat and takes another bite.
Oliver freezes.
"YOU DID, DIDN'T YOU?!"
—
"Ugh, honestly. You people—I'm your captain, you know. Why do you always leave me behind instead of waiting?" he grumbles while eating his meat and drinking his champagne.
"That's your own fault, Uncle. Why did you wake up late? We were starving. Bleh," Rose shoots back.
Oliver scratches the same spot on his head again.
"Yeah, yeah. Fine."
I lift my gaze to the blue sky, white clouds drifting, birds circling above. Will this calm last? I don't know. I'm still confused by how fast everything has changed—what I thought were ominous signs turn out to be nothing worth worrying about. I look at Oliver's face. This is how it's supposed to be.
Breakfast finishes properly. Oliver stands and looks up at the sky.
"So, explain the plan, Captain," Bartra says.
"Alright, alright. Traveling by land isn't actually this tightly controlled when leaving Zepharia and heading toward Nimurelle."
"So?" Grizz asks.
"Hm?" Gruzz adds.
"Of course," Oliver raises his bottle of champagne. "LET'S GET MOVING!"
"YEAH!" everyone cheers.
Oliver turns back toward the tent. The others begin to stand—then someone appears from another direction, leaning on a staff as he walks. An old man?
"Moving on? Where to?" he says, approaching us. Everything goes silent. All eyes turn to him.
A distinctly noble appearance, with a single monocle over his left eye.—a young professor. Yet his expression is strikingly mature.
"Captain?" Santiago calls.
Oliver stops and turns. "Hm?"
"Do you recognize that man?" Santiago asks.
Every gaze shifts from the stranger back to Oliver.
"Who is he, Uncle?!" Rose asks.
Oliver is silent at first.
"One of the Vanguard—Albert. His presence has purpose and intent…" he replies.
"Who?!" Bartra asks.
"Hiro," Oliver says. "EVERYONE, PROTECT HIRO!"