The reason everyone welcomed Rick, despite him being just a child, was because of Andrew. The border town of Emu was small and far from the main cities. Few high-level quests came here, so most of the adventurers were locals. They lived alongside each other, respected one another, and treated newcomers with the same sense of camaraderie. That was why no one mocked Rick—they saw him as one of their own.
After a night of rest, Rick woke up refreshed. He bathed, ate breakfast, and then headed back to the guild. As he neared the building, he heard the voices of people shouting.
"Guardian Andrew! The Night Howler!" they called, mixed with laughter and jeering.
Rick entered just as he saw Andrew arguing with a man named Kai. Curious, he approached. "Can't you start your day without yelling?" Rick asked.
Andrew glanced back. "Who the hell are you to scold me?" But when his eyes fell on Rick, his scowl softened.
"Oh, it's you," he said.
May, a cheerful adventurer, spotted Rick and rushed over, hugging him. "Oh! Rick! It's great to see you again!"
Kai sneered. "How weak… Your guardian doesn't even treat you well. Just tell me, Rick—will he really take care of you?"
Andrew's jaw tightened. "You bastard. Every time you open your mouth, it's the same nonsense." His tone turned sharp. "Well what can i say atleast I can handle a lady. Can you say the same?"
Kai shot back, "At least I can joke. Unlike you, who can't even make new joke."
Andrew smirked. "Well, what can I say? I'm just like you—I can't create jokes. And you… you can't create a life with a lady."
The crowd burst into laughter, and the two men launched into another heated argument.
May sighed, resting one hand on her head. "There they go again," she muttered as Andrew and Kai continued their argument. After a while, though, both men calmed down, and soon Kai and his party left the guild to take on their quest.
Rick, still curious, turned to Andrew. "So… what are we doing today?"
"We're not taking any quests," Andrew replied. "We're going to get you some equipment."
Rick brightened. "Really? Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"
Andrew only grunted, "Yeah, yeah." Together, they left the guild and headed toward the blacksmith.
The town bustled with life as they walked. People greeted Andrew as they passed.
"Hello, Andrew! Long time no see!"
"I heard you became the guardian of a child. Is that him?"
Rick noticed Andrew didn't respond to most of them.
"Why aren't you answering?" Rick asked.
Andrew frowned. "Because it's a pain in the ass."
Rick studied him. "Looks like a lot of people know you."
Andrew shrugged. "Well, I live here. That's all."
They continued until the forge came into view. Rick pointed at the sign. "What the hell is wrong with this name?"
Andrew shot him a look. "Don't talk about that in front of the owner. Just keep quiet."
Rick nodded, and the two of them stepped inside.
The smithy was hot and loud, the clang of hammer on metal echoing through the room. Weapons, armor, and all kinds of equipment lined the walls. At the center of it all, a single figure was hard at work, sparks flying with every strike.
After a while, when the blacksmith finished his work, Andrew called out, "Hey, old man, how are you doing?"
The blacksmith looked up and frowned. "You again? What do you want? Don't tell me you already broke your sword."
Andrew shook his head. "That's not it. Today I want you to make some equipment for this child."
The blacksmith—Richard—raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. "Don't tell me the rumors are true. You actually became a guardian?"
Andrew sighed. "Well… I guess you could say it ended up that way."
Richard let out a low whistle. "Never thought I'd see the day you'd take on that kind of responsibility."
Andrew's face darkened, his voice low. "Yeah. Maybe you could say that."
Seeing his expression, Richard chuckled. "Don't kill the mood with that gloomy look."
He then turned to Rick, eyeing him carefully. "Kid, I don't know what pushed you into becoming an adventurer, but it's not an easy job. You never know when you'll die. Sometimes, you'll even have to kill another human being. Are you prepared for that? Because no matter how good your equipment is, without resolve, it's meaningless."
Rick met his gaze, steady and determined. "Don't worry. I'm not planning on dying without achieving anything."
Richard studied him for a moment, then smiled. "Good answer. Fine then—I'll make your equipment. Now, tell me what kind you need."
Rick listed what he wanted, and Richard nodded. "It'll take some time. Come back later."
"Thank you, old man," Andrew said as they turned to leave. "We'll return later."
They stepped back into the street. After a few minutes of walking, Andrew spoke quietly. "For now, head back to the inn and rest. Tomorrow, we're taking a C-rank quest. Be prepared."
Hearing that, Rick exclaimed, "A C-rank quest? I can't believe it!"
Andrew smirked. "Yeah, C-rank. If you were alone, it would've taken you months before you could even qualify. But since I'm a B-rank adventurer, we can take it now. So go rest—we'll need all the strength we can get."
Rick nodded and returned to the inn, where he quickly fell asleep.
The next morning, he and Andrew went back to the blacksmith to pick up his equipment. Richard greeted them, holding out a set of armor. "Here. I reinforced it with weather-treated leather, so you can move freely. It'll give you solid protection. As for the sword, I used a mix of sturdy metals to keep it light but reliable."
Rick's eyes lit up as he held the gear in his hands. "Yeah! I like it very much!"
Richard chuckled. "I'm glad you do."
Rick hesitated for a moment before asking, "But… how much do I owe you for this?"
Richard waved the thought away. "Don't worry about it. Think of it as a gift."
Rick blinked, surprised. "I… I don't understand. Why are you being so kind to me?"
The blacksmith's expression softened. "Because I like you, kid. Don't think too hard about it."
Andrew cut in before Rick could say more. "That's enough, Rick. You've got your equipment, so let's not overstay our welcome. Head home and rest—we'll talk later."
Rick gave a small bow. "Thank you. For everything." He left the smithy with his new gear.
Once Rick was gone, Richard turned to Andrew. "So… you really became his guardian, huh? Was it because he remind you of her."
Andrew with gloomy face "I don't know what are you talking about. "
Richard's tone grew guarded. "Don't play dumb."
Richard's eyes narrowed. "The other day, Emy visited the smithy. She told me everything about your conversation with Rick. It was the same, wasn't it? The dream."
With that, Andrew's thoughts drifted, and a memory surfaced.
"Hey, Andrew… do you know what my dream is?" Lily's voice echoed in his mind, warm and full of hope. "I want to become stronger—strong enough to protect you."
The words cut deep. Tears streamed down Andrew's face as he clenched his fists.
"If only I had been stronger… If only…" His voice cracked. "I could have saved her. Instead, I failed her. All I did was run. I was weak. I'm still weak…"
Richard shook his head. "No, Andrew. You're wrong."
Andrew looked up, confused.
"Do you remember that girl Lily saved that day?" Richard asked softly. "She got married last week. She invited me to the ceremony. And in front of everyone there, she said Lily was the strongest person she had ever known."
Andrew's eyes widened.
"Do you know what that means?" Richard continued. "Even though Lily lost her life, to at least one person she was the strongest. Stronger than anyone else. She didn't need to chase her dream to prove it—she had already achieved it by saving someone's life."
Richard walked over, placed a hand on Andrew's shoulder, and pulled him into an embrace. "It wasn't your fault. It was never your fault. Lily made her choice that day. All you can do now is respect her sacrifice… and live your life so that she can finally rest in peace."
Andrew broke. His cries tore through the night, raw and unrestrained, echoing through the empty street.
Outside the smithy, Rick heard every sound. He lingered for a moment, then turned and walked away in silence. He left Andrew alone with his grief, for it was a grief he needed to release at last.
That night, Andrew went home and, for the first time in years, fell asleep—not without sorrow, but without regret.
It is strange how life works. Even when we already have a life to live, we still yearn to achieve something more. Some people are content with the life they have, while others search desperately for something that can give their existence meaning. And for each person, that meaning is different.Even when life changes, we still want something — some recognition, some proof that we were here. We want others to notice us, to see us and say, 'I exist.'
And maybe that's what this thing called life is… I don't know. It's strange, isn't it? Some people die without ever achieving anything, without ever being seen — and just imagining that makes my heart ache. How can someone live like this? How can they endure without making their existence known to the world?
Maybe it's foolish, but I believe every heart grows restless until it finds meaning, until it is recognized. Life is strange… but perhaps one day, I'll find the answer to it all."