Rustle... rustle...
The sound of swaying grass echoed as Nicolle and the others emerged from the large bushes. Nicolle spotted a cave that looked suitable for a temporary resting place.
"We can take shelter in this cave for a while," she said.
Then, Riel asked nervously, "Nicolle, are you sure this cave isn't a monster's den?"
Nicolle took Riel's hand. "I checked it briefly earlier; there are no monster tracks or anything strange. Calm down, Riel."
Riel nodded.
"Everyone, stay alert," Rock added.
Before they knew it, the sky had lost its light. Night monsters began to stir, and the howling of wolves echoed in the distance. The sound of a beetle creaking made Riel gasp in fear, hugging Nicolle tightly.
"Huaaa, Nicolle! ><"
"Stay calm, Riel. It's just a small beetle. It probably got pulled in through a dimensional rift."
Nox looked at the beetle with a pitying gaze. "It's trapped here by accident, just like us."
He then placed the beetle on the back of his hand and gently stroked it. Rock started a fire using the gear he brought.
TACK... TACK... the sound of the igniter echoed. WHOOSH! The fire roared to life.
"It's warmer now. For now, it's best if we sleep in shifts. Two people stay awake for two hours at a time, okay?" Nicolle suggested.
Everyone agreed. Then Areta raised her hand. "Um... so who wants to go first?"
They all looked at Areta. Nox interjected, "How about hom-pim-pa? It... might be fairer, right?"
Rock stood up. "You guys play your game. I'll take the first watch."
Rock walked away after saying that. As he left, Nicolle watched him with a worried expression. "Rock..."
She eventually looked away and started the game. The rounds finished with Nicolle paired with Riel, and Nox with Areta. The order was set: Rock first, followed by Nox's team, and finally Nicolle's team.
"Okay everyone, let's get some sleep. Sweet dreams, guys," Nicolle said.
They fell into a deep sleep until it was Nox's turn. Rock walked over to Nox and Areta to wake them up, leaning close to their ears.
"Nox... Areta... it's time..."
"GAH!!"
Nox and Areta were startled awake by the whisper. Rock immediately signaled them to be quiet.
"Oh my god, you scared me," Areta whispered.
"Just be quiet, you two! I'm going to sleep," Rock said, and shortly after, he was fast asleep.
"He falls asleep so fast," Nox remarked, amazed.
Areta grumbled, "Hmph, he's always like that!"
Nox and Areta began their watch at the cave entrance. From there, they could see the silhouette of a massive black castle.
"Is that the boss's location? That wasn't there before, was it?" Nox asked.
Areta replied, "It seems so." She let out a heavy sigh. "I think fate really hates us."
Nox looked at Areta then back at the night sky. A moment later, the little beetle scurried to Nox's side.
"EH?!" Nox carefully picked it up.
Areta suggested, "Why don't we give it a name?"
"So..." Nox thought for a moment. "A metallic green stag beetle... um... how about Luca? It's from the name Lucanus cervus."
Areta was impressed. "Wow, you actually know its scientific name?"
Nox felt a bit happy. "To be honest, I prefer studying nature over people. I used to have major trust issues with others."
"EHHH... does that include us?!"
Nox answered nervously, "Well... at first. But it seems you guys aren't bad people. You're the kind of people I can actually talk to. So, slowly, I've started... opening my mind to you."
Areta approached Nox slowly and patted his shoulder. "That's good. Gaining trust from someone like you is hard, you know. Thank you for trusting us." She gave him a wide smile.
Nox's face instantly turned red. He turned his head away. "N-no... I'm the one who should be thanking you."
"Thank you for being my friend."
Areta looked at him and giggled. "Hehe, no problem."
Suddenly, the stag beetle ran to the opposite side. Areta, startled, chased after it. "Ah, Luca!"
She slipped on a slick rock near the cave, but luckily, Nox was quick enough to catch her. At that moment, a small dirt slide shifted toward Nox, surprising them both.
"Ah, we're really lucky, I guess? The wind is so strong; it must have caused the soil above the cave to slide down," Areta said.
Kreeekk, the beetle made a happy sound.
"Luca, you really saved us! Thank you, my cute beetle!" Areta rubbed her face gently against the beetle.
"Areta..." Nox said. She looked at him. "Could you help me hunt to level up?"
"If it's just around here, that's fine," Areta replied.
They went out to hunt some small monsters near the cave. Soon, they spotted their target: Giant Earthworms. The worms had slimy, soft skin and wriggled around, making them look quite disgusting.
"I guess insects really shouldn't be that big," Areta said with a look of revulsion.
"Aren't you a Spider? What kind of spider is afraid of its prey?" Nox teased. Then, he saw the description board again. That board...
"Eh, board? What board?" Areta asked, confused by Nox's mumbling.
"Eh?! Nothing, I might just be hallucinating." Nox quickly changed the subject. "Areta, can you tell me some of your skills?"
"Okay. I have Poison Thread and Black Widow Bite. These two should be useful."
Nox whispered their strategy against the worms.
"I get it! So, when do we start?" Areta asked enthusiastically.
Nox smiled. "How about now? Remember, we have to be quiet."
Nox and Areta prepared to strike. Areta ran fast in a zig-zag pattern, snagging the worms with her sticky poison threads. The worms began to slow down until they were limp and helpless. That was the moment Nox struck, reaping the worms quickly with his scythe. Their bodies fell.
However, it wasn't over. Earthworms are creatures that can split to multiply. Areta quickly released Black Widow venom from her fangs, and Nox spread the venom into the worms' wounds, killing them instantly.
"Huah, that was truly disgusting," Areta said, exhausted.
Nox looked at the carcasses. "These are low-level monsters. The EXP isn't enough to level up." He muttered to himself, "If only there were EXP items like in Genshin..."
"At least you got some new experience, right?" Areta said. Then, she was shocked to see blood flowing from Nox's nose. "Nox, are you okay?!"
Nox wiped the blood. "Ah, it's nothing. My body is just a bit weak, and the atmosphere has been tense for a while."
Areta guided Nox back to the cave. "You really should exercise more."
Nox smiled at her comment. When they reached the cave, Areta gave him a leaf known for stopping nosebleeds. "Here, use this."
Nox took the leaf. After plugging his nose for a moment, the bleeding miraculously stopped.
"How is it? Has it stopped?" Areta asked while handing him a wet wipe.
Nox nodded and took the wipe. "Thank you, Areta."
Areta leaned her head against the cave wall. "This really reminds me of when I was little," she said, beginning to tell her story.
It was a tale of children left in a derelict orphanage. The government hadn't actually abandoned it; the head of the orphanage was embezzling funds, forcing the children to find their own food.
"I was one of those kids," Areta said.
Children who reached the age of 13 would be sold to nobles for various purposes—mostly as outlets for their desires.
"I was 12 back then. My hair was long and matted—makes sense for an uncared-for child. I was running after stealing a loaf of bread from a shop."
"STOP, YOU LITTLE THIEF!!!!!" the angry shop owner had shouted.
Young Areta ran into a narrow alley and hid among the trash, clutching the bread.
"DAMN IT... WHERE IS THAT BRAT?!" The owner eventually gave up because of the stench of the garbage.
Once it was safe, Areta returned to the orphanage to share the bread. On her way, she met a beautiful little girl with blonde hair and blue gradients, crying in the alley. Her clothes were tattered, and she looked lost.
Is she a kidnapped noble? Or a lost celebrity's kid? young Areta wondered. She approached the girl, though she was self-conscious about her own smell.
"Hey, are you lost?" Areta asked.
"Th-there were some men... everything went dark. When I opened my eyes, I was in a scary place. I was scared, so when I saw light, I just ran..." the little girl stammered.
Growl~ The sound of the girl's hungry stomach was clear, making her blush.
Areta broke off a piece of the bread she had stolen and gave it to her. "Sorry it smells a bit, but this is all I have."
The little girl devoured the bread. "Th-thank you so much, big sister."
Areta asked where she lived. "The only thing I remember is a house in the middle of Pneyma City," the girl replied.
"Whoa, that's pretty far from here," young Areta said. The girl panicked. "Does that mean I can't go home?"
Areta quickly reassured her. "N-no, that's not it. I can take you there."
"So, we hurried and hid our way to the Pneyma Viscount's territory. I didn't even ask for her name until we finally arrived," Areta continued.
The girl's parents called out to her: "Riel!"
"Mama... Papa..." young Riel cried as she ran to them.
As they hugged, Riel's parents looked at young Areta. The Viscount walked toward her, making her wary.
"Child, I will give you a reward. Tell me what you want," the Viscount said firmly.
Areta looked back at him bravely. "Anything?"
The Viscount nodded.
"After that, I asked for an investigation into my orphanage and for it to be renovated so the children could have a proper home and future. The Viscount also hired me as his daughter's guard. At the time, many servants were uneasy about a poor orphan becoming Lady Riel's guard. But Riel and her family liked me, so they couldn't do anything. I never paid them any mind; as long as the Lady was smiling, I would protect that smile."
"However, a few years later when Riel and I were 17, the Viscount's family fell due to trade wars and betrayal. I took Riel to this party. I held her hand tight as I watched the fires around me. The traitors burned the estate and killed the Viscount and his wife. It was terrifying. But Riel encouraged me, and here I am, still protecting her."
"Quite a story, isn't it?" Areta finished.
"Ah, that explains why you're so agile," Nox replied.
"Ehe, you should train more and build up your stamina!" Areta rubbed her hand vigorously over Nox's head. She then leaned in and whispered, "Next time, it's your turn to tell your story."
Nox's cheeks flushed. He asked, "Why are you telling me this? We only met a few months ago."
Areta answered, "Maybe because we aren't sure if we'll make it out of here alive."
She smiled and then woke up Riel, who had been secretly listening. "Lady Riel, I know you're awake."
Riel asked, "Areta, what do you mean by that?" she held Areta's hands.
With a sad face, Areta explained, "My lady, this is an S-rank abnormal rift. Without a Hero, we are just a beginner party. My survival instinct tells me that only one of us will survive... and that's if we're lucky."
Riel fell silent. Areta then woke up Nicolle. "Sister Nicolle, it's your turn."
Nicolle woke up just as Nox was walking to his sleeping spot. Only one survivor? Nox thought to himself.
Nicolle gave them a warm "goodnight" and told Nox and Areta not to worry about those things.
~ To be continued ~