_ _ _

A few more minutes and another set of footsteps could be heard, and this time it was from my left side. I didn’t turn to look, nor put down what I was reading.

"…You really waited for me?" Clyde’s hesitant voice was what I heard ask.

"I—had nothing better to do, and it’s too early for sleep, so… might as well kill some time."

He sat down opposite to my seat, and somehow stayed silent. It’s been a few awkward seconds of no one saying anything. I got a little conscientious that I didn’t even dignify his return with my attention. I sighed and put down my notebook to get a good look of his face–

!

His eyes were irritated and misty. His face in general looked like a wreck. His iconic red headband seemed loosened as more stray bangs sprouted in front of his eyes. His iconic messy turned a little too messy to be something of a charm. It was very unsettling to see.

"D-Did something… happen?" I immediately closed my notebook and stowed it away into my bag.

He shook himself and wiped his face with his hands. "It’s… nothing. I’m fine. I’m fine…"

With how he looked, he was ready to burst into another bout of tears at the slightest push. It wasn’t any of my business, but seeing him feel this way jerked my concern. I barely knew him and I’ve only spent an entire day cycle with the guy, yet…

I don’t want him doing this in front of me. I don’t need any further details, but I just want him to stop feeling so terrible…

I hopped off my chair. The way I see it, he’s remained oblivious and has spaced out as his eyes still stayed misty. I stood by his right side.

Geez. Even while sitting my gaze couldn't even reach his eye level… B-But that's unimportant!

I took out a clean handkerchief from my bag and gently reached up all the way to the side of his face. Only then, he flinched.

"If you say it’s fine, then I'll say this is fine. Don’t move. Don’t even say anything. But if you want to cry, I’ll keep wiping your tears away for you." As I say, I wipe some more in slow, small circular motions. "That's it. I'll just be right here… Okay?"

I turn slightly to look at his hands on the table. At first they formed fists, but as I kept going, they eventually opened back into palms. All I could prominently hear is his deep breathing. This went on for a few moments until he finally spoke.

"Alright… Now I'm really fine. Ye can… get back te yer seat. Thanks fer bein’ patient with me, Lily. Really."

With half of his face turned at me to his right, he smiled.

I only brought myself to nod. Seeing him grin after the event might've made me smile as well, no matter how small it was. In hindsight, I was only able to do this because no one was around. Surely I'd die of embarrassment before I could ever do that to someone I barely knew.

I looked down on my lap after hopping back into my seat.

But…
Do I really want to abandon him, knowing that he's hurt? Maybe a little embarrassment isn’t so bad, anyway…

I also thought of the most out-of-the-blue idea ever, having seen what he can do and him looking like he wasn’t currently in any parties so–

"Clyde?" I spoke up.

"Aye, sunshine?" He asked as he turned to my attention.

B-Brrrr… You can do this. You’ve already failed to say ‘no’ the first time. Might as well go all-in on this opportunity!

"What do you think of… f-f-forming a party with me…?" I averted my gaze, smiling awkwardly elsewhere.

"Do… ye really mean ‘at??"

I could hear the genuine surprise the moment his sudden, boisterous tone of voice returned to him. I quietly nodded after facing back at him.

"I don’t know what te say, other than… I’ll take ye up on yer offer then!" He resorted to proud laughter.

I just realized the brown-haired waitress several minutes ago had returned with my order. Her face stayed disinterested, but I could notice the visible shaking from her tray. She walked up to my table and set down her items one-by-one, along with a giant mug of beer?

Uh, what's going on? I didn’t order that. I’m not even old enough for something like that. Just the smell and it’s… blegh… No thanks.

"Forgive the d-delay." She cleared her throat loudly, sneaking a glance at Clyde. "I’ll be in the area if you’d need… anything else."

Clyde perked up at the sound of this waitress’ voice. He looked pleasantly surprised. When she bowed, turned and left, he then stared at the foaming mug of beer near him. I took one meat leg, popped it into my mouth and glanced at the waitress that left the scene.

"Just so we’re clear, I didn’t order that one…" I turned back to him as soon as I chunked down a small bite from what I held.

He then closed his eyes, chuckled briefly and picked up the mug by its handle.

"W-Well. I guess it’s free beer day!"

He chugged it down for three whole seconds before letting out a satisfied exhale and slamming the table with it, already emptied.

"Aa-haaugh—that hits the spot! Hopefully that didn't take too much outta yer wallet there, sunshine."

Emotional crisis averted. Now I should bring it up before he orders any more stuff…

"Again, I didn't. But on an unrelated note, um. Clyde? The surprise?"

"Oh right, right!" He immediately scrambled his hands to his many side pockets.

His right hand went to retrieve a crumpled wine-skin cloth and laid it on the table beside my basket of turkey legs.

"What’s this?" I finished my meat leg bone clean and set it aside before grabbing for whatever the cloth was.

"It's a recent quest given te me by my pal, a shopkeep I’d occasionally come across. Even when I had absolutely no use fer the rewards, he was adamant that I’d be the one te take it. The nifty part ‘ere’s there seems te be no expiration fer this quest. That part’s already rare on its own. But the next thing ‘s, take a guess on what the reward is. Real easy, ‘at one. It be somethin’ ye’re always usin’."

I opened the cloth and it had no words on it. It was a topographical map that starts from the Taverinn’s location to a dot that's pinpointed to the lower right region of the Pangaean lands.

Something he doesn't have a use for…
A surprise that he set aside just for me…
And something I'm always using…

"A… staff?"

"A’right! Ye got me there. It ‘s a staff! More on it, the reward’s the blazin’ quest objective itself! We just gotta go fetch it an’ take it."

I pulled the cloth map to me closely after connecting all the dots.

There's only one Kingdom that's on the furthest bottom-left side adjacent to Asparthens.
Hmm…

"I also did some pre-scouting. The place’s apparently oddly mob free. Part’s weird, I know, but trust me. Ye have my word when I say ‘at this quest would really be a piece ‘f cake!"

Setting aside the potential detail of the venue, there was something I wanted to make sure of.

"Will you be tagging along?" I asked.

"I may haven’t exactly covered the thinkin’ parts ‘f a venture but ye can rely on me with combat. If somehow this mission turns south, I'll protect ya with everythin’ I got!"

The implications of the things he's saying were different than when he first casually joined me on my most recent quest. He seemed like he was projecting. This time, he held a stance of persuasion–

…like I was going to need it.

"Sure. You can join us… if you’re fine with carrying all our luggage and keeping your business to yourself."

"Nothing else in your arsenal? What are you good for then!?"

"Get lost... We've got enough dead weights to carry in this damned party."

The memories of my numerous past attempts to join a party have flown back right into my mind.

"I’m really sorry, but we've decided that you're not fit for our party. I hope you can understand."

Even the most recent one jumped in to prove the point, all with one theme in common…

Does… he think I'm that useless too…?

I looked up at him with a dejected stare.

"If you say that it's such a piece of cake, surely you wouldn't mind… if I say I'd solo this one. Right?"

Clyde flinched. "Well, that's–"

"Or do you not believe I can do it? That I'd need you to do all the work, just like the first time I let you? Just like the second time I let you?!" My eyebrows creased slightly to a more angry stance. "Then let me prove it to you that I, alone, will go there, then back here, all in one piece!"

He shifted his concern and raised his hands slightly. "Lily, I didn't–"

"And with whatever staff waits for me there, surely I'd grow stronger than this one I already have. Right? Right?!" I raised my voice.

What more must I do so that I don't give the impression that people can just shove me aside, or treat me like some little kid who's waving a big, brittle stick? I myself know this is a bad idea, but it's also because of that, that I better do it! I better prove to everyone and myself so I’d get stronger!

He then let his hands rest on the table and stayed quiet this time. His face tensed like he had a lot else to say, but he held back. Not that I didn’t get what he was feeling, but he was definitely setting an expectation that I was fine with how things have been.

"…A-A’right then." He crossed his arms and bowed his head. "I wasn’t thinkin’ bout how ye’d feel fer this, but… I get it. I get it."

He raised his head and pointed a serious stare at me. "But before I leave ye be… Let’s spar."

Despite my stubbornness to go alone, that statement made my forehead break a sweat.

I’ve seen it for myself: Swings that can cleave thick trees and shatter huge boulders in one go, with a knife-looking greatsword…!

"I’m… not offerin’ a battle te the death. I just want te see the extent ‘f what ye can do. Ye can at least have my word on ‘at…"

Maybe… that’s the exact type of match-up that I’d need to test myself with. I can’t expect myself to say ‘no’ now. I wanted to take this quest solo, and if he felt compelled to test me, I better comply with that too!

He stood up from his seat. His smile was erased from his face completely. He didn’t look angry, but that wasn’t guaranteeing that he really wasn’t.

"Right. If ye’d really wanna do this, then meet me outside at the back ‘f the Taverinn. Think ‘is through befer ye do… Won’t be sayin’ anymore than ‘at."

He walked to the exit without waiting for my response.

"O-Okay."

After taking a lengthy sip from my juice, I stood up, wiped my hands with another cloth, pulled out my staff from my bag, and left my unfinished food to head to the back of the Taverinn.

When I got there, there were still the back lights of the building. Dim lanterns put on posts. Then there I saw him. Clyde’s back was turned as he impaled his greatsword to the ground in front of him. There was a decent gap in between us. He turned back to me and crossed his arms. The contrasts of light and darkness on his face tensed me at the sight of him.

"…My terms fer this are simple. Hit me once. That’s it. Do ‘at, an’ I'll give ye my full trust fer ‘at quest I’m givin’ ye."

He let his arms go and raised his arched arms, fists forward. Seeing him so serious like this, made me gulp down my own anxiety.

"Just know. I won’t make it easy fer ya."

I can… I must do this. Just hit him once… A-Anyone can do that!

I gripped onto my staff tightly. The evening breeze blew under the few twinkling stars of the night sky.

…with beloved light as my companion, I call upon your holy protection!

"Light Barrier."

"So. Give me yer best shot!!" Clyde raised his voice, lunging forward and charging in at me.

…to light I call, its magic shall befall… From the reaches of the heavens, I summon thee!

…tripping and falling face first to the ground. He came so close to slide all the way to my feet. He wasn’t moving after that.

"Uh. Clyde? You… alive?"

I was startled when I heard him loudly snoring and hesitantly poked his head with the lower end of my staff.

"I already lost… someone, cuz ‘f me… Please… Don’t (groans) go… alone……" I heard him murmur while unconscious.

Did I… win?
Of course I didn’t…
In fact, I was so close to losing to his very simple terms.

I was then startled by an open door swinging from the back of the Taverinn. I’ve never noticed that that existed before. Someone appeared from the abundance of yellowish lights from inside. Upon getting a clearer view, it was the same waitress that served me that night.

"I’ll take care of him. Go and get some rest." She approached me and handed me a leather pack. "And please. Forget about that quest he tipped you on."

Skeptical of her warning, I simply nodded, turned tail and walked back to the left side of the Taverinn. When I checked the pack I was given, it contained all my leftovers from earlier.

But before I completely left, I looked back. I saw the waitress dragging Clyde like a sandbag in tow all the way inside the same backdoor. I shook my head and hurried along to the entrance and my usual set of stairs.

I reached my bed, tossed my bag of leftovers somewhere nearby, tossed my bag and my staff wherever, and threw myself onto bed, facing the ceiling.

Clyde was drunk, if that’s what it really was, and I still wasn't able to land a single hit on him? He’s in an entirely different league than what I can do… but I’m not going to let that stop me. Though, what’s up with the waitress’ sudden warning? Even strangers seem to have an obligation to tell me off whenever I make my own decisions…?

I cupped both of my cheeks.

Whatever the case and whatever anyone says, I’ll go first thing in the morning. I’ll see this quest for myself. If it really is something I can’t handle, I’ll just run and–

"…Then let me prove it to you that I, alone, will go there and back here, in one piece…!"

I flinched at myself.

No.

 Even if it really is something I can’t handle… I won’t give in. Not this time. I WILL handle it. I must. And when I get stronger…

 I’ll show them… what I can REALLY do…!

Reassured, my eyelids closed and I fell fast asleep.