"Wh-what's wrong?" Aria stammered, still half-asleep.
"Emmm, it's not a big deal," Cipher replied, "but... the owner of the house we're staying in... she seems to be trying to kill herself."
"???" Aria froze for a moment, stunned. After a two- or three-second delay, she jolted upright, trusting Cipher implicitly. She leaped out of bed and burst into the living room, where she found a young girl holding a small knife to her throat.
"Wait!" Without hesitation, Aria rushed forward and snatched the weapon from her hand. "You... what are you doing?!"
The young girl stood motionless, as if she hadn't fully registered what had just happened.
Cassie—a perfectly ordinary name for a perfectly ordinary person born into a perfectly ordinary family. She had never complained about her ordinariness. But one night a year ago, she had woken up thirsty and gone to get a drink of water, only to stumble upon the brutal murder of her parents.
A man dressed entirely in black had stormed into their home and beheaded them right before her eyes.
Cassie was so terrified that she collapsed to the floor, making a noise. Her small house offered no hiding places, so the murderer inevitably discovered her. Strangely, the killer merely glanced at her and left without killing her.
Regardless, that night became a living nightmare for the young girl. Every night, she relived the same scene in her dreams, forced to witness her parents' brutal murder over and over again. This recurring vision tormented her mind and gradually eroded her spirit.
The room where Cipher and Aria were staying had once belonged to Cassie's parents. She meticulously cleaned it every day, which explained its spotless condition.
This was also why the village elder had recommended Cipher and Aria stay there. Cassie had a spare room, and it would allow the young girl to earn some extra money.
As for why Cassie initially refused payment, it was because she had long contemplated suicide and saw no point in earning money if she wouldn't be alive to use it.
Faced with Aria's questioning, the young girl's gaze turned vacant. In a flat, calm voice, she said, "I... I just don't have the courage to keep living..."
In truth, Cassie's decision to end her life that night was partly Aria's fault. Cassie had already been tormented by nightmares, and Aria proved to be the final straw.
When Aria insisted on giving her money, the radiant smile she flashed seemed as dazzling as the sun to Cassie. But for someone who had lived in darkness for so long, such sudden brilliance could be blinding.
To Cassie, Aria—this stranger who had suddenly appeared before her—was breathtakingly beautiful, kind-hearted, and a powerful adventurer. (In the eyes of ordinary people, all adventurers seemed mysterious and formidable.)
Compared to Aria's radiance, Cassie's own life felt utterly bleak. This overwhelming sense of inferiority ignited all the pain she had been suppressing for so long. After repeatedly waking from her nightmares, she had reached her breaking point.
Aria, unaware of Cassie's suffering, pleaded, "No matter what, you can't give up on life! Once you're gone, there's nothing left!"
Cassie replied calmly, "But I already have nothing..."
"Then you should fight even harder to live," Aria insisted. "Go find something else worth living for!"
The two immediately erupted into a heated argument about suicide. Aria racked her brain, desperately trying to persuade Cassie to reconsider, but Cassie seemed deaf to her pleas, even attempting to snatch the knife from Aria's hand—a futile gesture.
"It's pointless," Cassie declared. "Even if you stop me now, I'll just kill myself as soon as you leave. My mind is made up..."
Aria's resolve hardened. "Then I won't leave," she countered. "I'll stay right here and watch over you until you abandon this suicide plan!"
Cipher, already dressed and entering the living room, couldn't help but roll her eyes. She desperately wanted to ask Aria, "Are you sure about this? What about our escort quest?"
But the question hung unspoken, pointless. Cipher could sense Aria's unwavering sincerity. This wasn't surprising; after all, Aria was a Holy Warrior.
A year ago, under the watchful eyes of her parents, a golden-haired young girl had proclaimed her oath and drawn the Sword in the Stone from its ancient resting place in the village square.
"I will always be honest with everyone, never lying or deceiving!"
"I will aid all the weak and vulnerable who need my help, offering my hand whenever they require it!"
"I will bravely confront all evil forces, never retreating, never surrendering!"
From that moment on, Aria became a Holy Warrior, blessed with the magical abilities Healing Light and Supreme Holy Slash.
Therefore, if Aria deliberately refused to help a vulnerable person in need, she would break her sacred oath and lose her divine power.
Conversely, Holy Warriors who draw strength from their oaths possess unwavering resolve, making it virtually impossible for them to betray their sworn word.
In essence, now that Aria had encountered Cassie, she would inevitably help, throwing herself into the task with every fiber of her being.
It must be said, Aria's words at that moment—"I'll stay here until I convince you to abandon suicide"—were incredibly cool. Cassie's lips trembled slightly, and tears welled in the corners of her eyes.
But the reality was far from heroic: a disheveled young girl, freshly awakened, stood in her pink pajamas, bare feet planted firmly on the floor, hands on her hips as she delivered this solemn declaration.
Aww, how adorable.
For the first time, Cassie's voice wavered. Trembling, she said, "But... but... you have no idea what I've been through..."
Aria stepped forward and placed her hands on Cassie's shoulders. "Then tell me! If something's bothering you, it might help to talk about it."
After a moment of silence, Cassie slowly began to recount the events of that night—the entire horrifying ordeal of her parents being murdered before her eyes.
Hearing this, even Aria, who had been so resolute moments before, couldn't help but falter. Still, she insisted, "Even so, you should try even harder to live! Your parents wouldn't want you to give up like this, would they? Go out more, meet new people, experience more interesting things!"
At that moment, Cipher interjected for the first time. "Well, how about this? Everyone needs something to look forward to. Did the murderer who killed your parents have any distinguishing features? We'll help you get revenge. You just focus on living, and we'll deliver your enemy's corpse to you."