Alfred stumbled as he came out of the underground, his body weak and his steps unsteady. The investigator reached out quickly, catching his arm.
"Sir, are you—"
Alfred shoved him away with sudden force. "Don't touch me."
The words cut sharp, colder than steel. The investigator froze, unsure whether to follow or stay behind, but Alfred had already turned his back, walking away without another word.
He stepped outside. The sky was clear, painted in a serene blue, as though mocking the weight pressing against his chest. The fires left behind by the dragon had finally burned out, leaving only black scars across stone and ash hanging faint in the air. Alfred didn't notice. He didn't see the ruins, nor the people, nor the silence that had fallen over the kingdom. His mind was elsewhere—buried in the dark chamber where Alisha hung.
He walked, and he did not stop. His feet pressed against the earth heavily, sweat trailing down from his brow, dripping beneath his boots, leaving a faint trace of his passage. The path ahead was unknown, whether it led to safety, danger, or nothing at all didn't matter. He only walked, because to stop meant to think, and to think meant to drown.
The road stretched on, empty and lifeless. The sunlight bore down with relentless heat, so bright it forced even the animals to hide within the shadows of stone and brush. But Alfred didn't slow. The heat clung to his body, suffocating, yet his pace remained steady.
Soon, the trees rose up before him. A forest, tall and dark, waiting in silence. Without hesitation, without even a thought, Alfred stepped beneath the canopy. The shadows swallowed him whole. The forest was dense, tangled, and alive with unseen movements, but Alfred carried no sword, no shield. He didn't care. He held something greater now, something no blade could match.
Following the narrow path, he came upon a river, its waters clear and shallow, only deep enough to soak a man's legs. Alfred stopped. He crouched down and dipped his hands into the stream, bringing the cold water to his lips. The taste was raw and clean, a sharp contrast to the bitterness sitting in his chest.
He stayed there, drinking until his thirst eased, then lowered himself to the ground. His knees touched the damp earth. Slowly, he leaned back, letting the sound of the river wash over him. For the first time since he'd seen her, his body allowed itself to rest.
His eyes closed. Sleep dragged him under—not from peace, but from exhaustion heavy enough to break him.
He didn't know how long he had been lying there. Time slipped away in silence, the steady sound of the river the only reminder the world still moved.
Then voices broke through the haze.
"Is he dead?" A girl's voice, curious, cautious.
"No… I don't think so. He's still breathing. Probably unconscious." A man this time, his tone sharper, suspicious.
Alfred stirred. His eyelids felt heavy, but he forced them open. The world blurred, then sharpened, he found a girl crouched over him, her face close, her eyes wide with interest.
He jolted upright, snatching a rock from the ground in reflex. His voice was hoarse but firm.
"Who are you?"
The girl didn't flinch. Instead, she tilted her head slightly, as if amused.
"So, you're not dead. I'm Jocelyn."
Then, with disarming bluntness, she added, "Now let me ask you a question, mister, what's your name?"
Alfred blinked, still disoriented. "…I'm Alfred."
"Alfred," she repeated, as if testing the name on her tongue. Then her lips curved into a faint smile. "Are you lost? If you are, we can take you with us to the capital city."
A scoff cut through the air. A man stepped closer, his voice full of distrust.
"Jocelyn, are you stupid? We don't even know who he is. What if he's a demon?"
Jocelyn shot him a glare, folding her arms. "Krestar, he doesn't look like a demon. Look, he's human."
Alfred tried to speak, but the world tilted around him. His chest tightened, his vision swam.
'Oh man… I feel so… not good…'
"Hey, I'm feeling dizzy."
"Wait, what?" Jocelyn leaned closer.
'I'm gonna pass out…'
His grip on the rock loosened, slipping from his hand. Darkness pressed in, and before he could resist, his eyes closed and he collapsed back onto the ground.
The rattling sound of wheels over dirt reached Alfred's ears. Though unconscious, his mind stirred with the noise.
'Am I… riding on something?'
The carriage jolted over a rock. His head bumped against the wooden floor.
'Ouch… that hurts.'
His eyes fluttered open. The world swayed gently, the light filtering through the carriage cloth. In front of him sat the same face he'd seen by the river, Jocelyn.
Alfred slowly pushed himself up, his voice weak but wary.
"Where… are you taking me?"
Jocelyn leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand casually.
"Well, you were unconscious, so we couldn't exactly ask you where you were going. We decided to bring you along with us. After our adventure, we'll head to the capital city. Sound alright?"
Alfred gave a small nod. His head still ached, but arguing seemed pointless.
Then, from the other side, another voice chimed in, a girl's voice he hadn't heard before.
"You look sad. Did something happen to you?"
Alfred blinked, turning his head. Only now did he realize there was another passenger, another girl, seated near the back of the carriage, her gaze soft but curious.
'I didn't even notice there was another girl here.'
As his eyes swept the carriage, his stomach tightened with disbelief.
'Wait… there are three girls in total? Why… why am I surrounded by these beautiful girls?'
His mouth opened before he could stop himself. Pointing to his chest, he asked in all seriousness,
"Am I… dead?"
For a heartbeat, silence filled the carriage, then all of them burst into laughter. Jocelyn almost doubled over, the other girls chuckled behind their hands, even the usually stern Krestar smirked from the driver's bench.
"Hey," Krestar called from outside, his voice carrying over the clatter of hooves. "We're here."
The carriage slowed to a halt.
'Oh well, it looks like I'm not the only guy here.' Alfred thought as he climbed down from the carriage.
The group gathered in the middle of the forest clearing. The air was heavy, sunlight breaking through the thick canopy in scattered beams.
"You don't need to come with us. Just rest," Jocelyn said, brushing dirt from her clothes.
Alfred shook his head. "I'm fine, just a little dizzy, that's all. Please don't stop me. Let me do what I can to help you."
Krestar glanced at him, his tone firm. "Fine. But don't drag us down."
Without wasting time, they all set off, moving deeper into the forest. The deeper they went, the denser the trees grew. This forest was known for its monsters and strange creatures. Adventurers often came here under guild contracts, some to hunt, some to steal, some to chase bounties. Survival and reward were the only rules.
This party too was on a quest.
As they pushed through the underbrush, one of the girls glanced at Alfred.
"So, where did you come from?"
Another girl chimed in. "And how did you end up wandering in this forest alone?"
Then a man from the group, not Krestar, spoke with suspicion.
"Why are you here at all? You don't even carry a sword to protect yourself."
Before Alfred could answer, Krestar snapped at them. "Guys, don't push him so hard. He's barely recovered. Tell them something, Jocelyn."
"What?" Jocelyn blinked, caught off guard.
"Are you zoning out again?" Krestar frowned.
She shook her head quickly. "No… I was just wondering why the whole forest feels this quiet."
Her words struck them all.
"Come to think of it," another muttered, "it is quieter than normal…"
A nervous girl whispered, "I don't like this. Let's go back."
"We've come this far. Turning back would be pointless," the other guy argued.
"Belami, shut up," Krestar growled.
"Okay, boss," Belami said with a grin, clearly not taking the warning seriously.
The forest remained unnervingly silent, the kind of silence that made every step sound too loud, every breath feel heavy.
Right then, a wolf, twice the size of a man, burst from the shadows. Its claws tore up the earth as it lunged straight for Belami.
"Belami—!"
No one had time to react. The beast clamped its massive jaws around his head and, with a sickening crack, tore it clean off. Blood sprayed across the ground, soaking the roots and leaves. The group froze in horror.
Krestar's scream broke the silence.
"Attack!"
The three girls stumbled backward, fear gripping their faces. Jocelyn raised her trembling hand and chanted. A burst of flame shot forward, striking the wolf's side. It wasn't strong enough to wound, but it distracted the creature for a heartbeat.
Krestar seized the moment, charging forward with his sword. He swung at its leg with all his strength...
clang!
The blade bounced back as if he'd struck steel. The wolf's hide was unnaturally strong, like forged metal. Krestar staggered back, gritting his teeth.
"Damn it… its body's too hard!"
But the beast didn't lunge again. It stood there, eyes gleaming red, as if daring them to try.
Then, from above, a golden blade of light tore through the air. It slammed down onto the wolf's skull with deadly precision. In one clean strike, the beast's head was severed, rolling across the ground before dissolving into dark smoke.
Everyone stared in disbelief.
"What… just happened?" Jocelyn whispered.
They turned and saw Alfred, his chest heaving, golden light blazing from his eyes. His hand trembled as though gripping a weapon that wasn't really there. Then his knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground.
"Alfred!" Jocelyn ran to his side, kneeling down. "Are you okay?"
"Yes… just tired," he muttered, forcing a faint smile.
"That's enough for today," Jocelyn said firmly, standing to face the group. "We're done. Let's head back."
No one argued. The shock of Belami's sudden death still hung over them. They wrapped the adventurer's remains as best they could, retrieving his adventurer's badge, a small metal emblem engraved with his name. Every badge was sacred; it was proof of an adventurer's life. To leave it behind was unthinkable.
They also carried the wolf's head, proof of their kill, though the victory felt hollow.
As they started their way out of the forest, Alfred walked in silence, his body heavy, his mind heavier.
"Where are we going again?" he finally asked, his voice faint.
For a moment, a memory stabbed through his thoughts—
'The last time I asked this… I was riding with a white-haired girl on a dragon. I hope everything doesn't end the same way…'
Jocelyn glanced back at him and answered softly,
"We're going to the Kingdom of Septon."