The girl stepped back. Her back faced against the wall as she stared towards the outside world.

Minhyun's brain exploded.

Fk... what am I supposed to say?

Hurriedly thinking of a solution, he pulled out his book and flipped to the page meant for introductions. After finding his words, he said.

"We har food. Frand. Frand."

The girl slowly took a step closer. Once she saw the insignia on his sword, she relaxed. Then she muttered.

"You shouldn't be here. It's not safe."

Minhyun tilted his head.

But before he could respond, a voice called out from behind him.

"What are you doing here."

The small lizard-man from before stood behind him. A glare was in his eyes as he kept his hand on the sword beside him. Yet once he saw the look on Minhyun's face, he calmed down and frowned.

Minhyun tossed his book in the air. It turned a couple of times before he caught it. Then, after finding the correct page, he said.

"You cute... kid."

The villager just stood there. His eyes widened in incomprehension. A bit of time passed, and once he understood, he nodded his head in agreement.

"Yes, she is a very cute kid."

After saying that, he pulled on Minhyun's shoulder. A large grin appeared on his face as he said.

"Now come, we have a very special banquet awaiting you."

The girl reached out to him, shaking her head in the process.

"Don't go."

Minhyun knelt down and ruffled her hair.

"No worry."

The girl then tugged on his shirt.

"You don't understand. I-I..."

Yet, without warning, her eyes widened and she covered her mouth. She took a couple steps back as shadows slowly enveloped her body.

Minhyun reached out to her, but a hand was placed on his shoulder.

Turning around, he saw the villager shaking his head.

"You shouldn't worry too much about her. Her family was killed when the Gryphos attacked."

The girl interjected.

"Tha-that's not..."

The man stopped her.

"When will you open your eyes! Your parents aren't here anymore!"

He then turned and said.

"We should go. There isn't much we can do here. We should give her some space."

Minhyun hesitantly followed. He looked back as the door slowly closed behind them. The girl's hand reached out, but by now, darkness had already engulfed her body. All that he could hear was the cries of a little girl.

A couple minutes passed, and while they walked back towards the village center, a thought entered Minhyun's mind.

Just what were they talking about? Why was she crying?

"You **** **********. I-I..."

"You ******** worry *** **** about her. Her ****** was ****** when the Gryphos ********."

"Tha-that's not..."

"When will you **** your ****! Your ******* aren't here anymore!"

Ugh.

He then grasped at his head while a tearing pain split his head in half.

"We're here."

A voice woke him up from his daze. After coming back to the village center, the man led him inside a large building. Inside, he saw Julius sitting there with a bored look on his face. A long wooden table was setup in the middle, and plates of food were varnished on top of it. Bottles of alcoholic beverages lined up the shelves, and cobwebs were scattered throughout.

However, his attention was focused on something else.

Where did Marus go? Also, wasn't there a bear?

"I apologize. It seems our colleague has other matters to attend to. He'll be back soon."

Minhyun paused before nodding his head.

"Oh... OK."

The lizard and the human smiled.

"How about we do a toast as a sign of prosperity to the new future ahead of us?"

Minhyun frowned. His eyes drooped as stutters ate away at his words.

"B-but I-I..."

I don't drink.

However, while he thought that, they clinked cups and shouted.

"Cheers!"

Minhyun clunkily joined in.

"Yeah... cheers."

Then they downed their cups.

Julius just gave Minhyun a scrutinized glance. His hand clenched and the light faded from his eyes when he saw Minhyun gratefully accept the toast. A century passed before he muttered.

"Idiot. I can't believe you really fell for that."

Hearing this, Minhyun didn't have time to comprehend Julius' words. All he could feel was his mind scatter as blankness intruded into his psyche. His legs lost their strength, and after falling onto the wooden floor, he lost any sense of direction. North felt like south, and east felt like up as nausea and delirium made him want to close his eyes.

And so he did, closing his eyes to escape from the madness of an unperceived world. Darkness encroached on his vision, and with his consciousness turned off, his mind couldn't handle the overload of sensory information.

The human male stood over the unconscious body. His hand was placed on his chin as he said.

"Wow, I can't believe he just fell into our hands like this."

The lizard stood by the side, rubbing his hands. With coin in his eyes, he exclaimed.

"A young human male with good looks. He'll fetch a good price on the black market."

The human spread his arms wide.

"Boss will be stunned when he hears this. A youthful male, some knights, and a baron with his young daughter. We've struck it rich. At the rate we're going, we'll make a name for ourselves in the Mad Dogs."

The lizard grabbed a small trinket from the table. After tapping on it, he ordered.

"Don't get too ahead of yourself. I'm gonna give the boss a call, go grab Ranch, and tell him to lock up our new prisoner."

...

"Oh, young master Minhyun. You're awake."

Opening his eyes, Minhyun found himself in a dark cave. He was locked up in a cage. Its metal was unknown, and from the voices he heard, there were others in here with him. Looking over, he saw the same little girl from the locked hut.

Her face was pale as she kept to herself in the corner of the cage.

"Even a knight from the second assembly was captured."

A hollow laugh escaped from her lips as she hugged the floor.

"We're doomed."

A stout man with a large gash on his chest sat beside her, comforting her with his large hand. Beside him were three wounded knights.

"So you're awake. It seems you've also been captured by them."

Marus translated for him.

What... No, that... That makes no sense. I thought they were just normal people who were dealt a bad hand in fate.

As he thought that, a spark of red flashed in the corner of his eye.

"You're pretty stupid, you know that."

Minhyun looked over.

Julius, noting his unconvinced look, shook his head and continued.

"Didn't you notice everything around you? The massacre without any of the blood, the Gryphos without any of the body, and the houses without any of the signs of life. Warnings were left all over the place, and you chose to ignore all of them... A pity, really. Two long months were spent teaching you how to survive, yet you still haven't learned a thing. Did you really think the world was that simple."

Minhyun grit his teeth.

"Let me out."

Julius just stared at him.

"Why should I?"

Minhyun grasped at the metal bars in front of him.

"Because this is your body... Also, why didn't you tell me? If you had just warned me, then none of this would've happened."

Julius glared.

"Are you trying to threaten me. As for why I didn't say anything, well, why should I tell you? This is something you should've caught onto, not me. I'm not the one training to get stronger."

Minhyun shook his head.

"That's not what I'm trying to say, and you know that. What happened? Did I do something wrong? I know I messed up a little, but aren't you overreacting a bit."

"A little. Do you not know the consequences of what would've happened if me or Marus wasn't here. You would've been sold as a slave."

Minhyun froze.

Julius looked away. After tossing him the key, he said.

"Come out. Let's return to the estate. It's clear that you're not cut out for this."

Marus stepped forward and declined.

"I can't do that. My absence here will lead to the death of many innocent lives."

Julius frowned.

"People die all the time. Your presence here is not necessary."

Marus closed his eyes and shook his head.

"These are all citizens of Enteim. It is my responsibility to protect those who cannot fend for themselves."

...

"Tch, do as you wish."

After snapping towards Minhyun, he scowled.

"What are you waiting for. Get yourself out. Marus will handle this. There's no need for you to get involved."

Minhyun entered the key and twisted it.

The little girl, seeing this, jumped up and ran towards him.

"You got the key. But how? Is there someone you're talking to outside?"

She then tugged on his clothes.

"I know it's a lot to ask, but could you please save my father."

Minhyun stopped.

Julius is right. I don't have to be here. Marus should be strong enough to defeat them. I'd probably just be a burden. It's better for me to just leave and not get in the way.

Although his hand loosened, a heavy weight dropped onto his head.

Why am I still thinking like this? Sitting back and watching everything that happens in the safety of an outsider's perspective. Isn't that just how I was before? Did nothing really change?

He scoffed.

Maybe I'm not cut out for this kind of stuff.

He then stepped forward.

In return, the girl's grip tightened harder than before.

"Please don't leave."

Minhyun froze.

"I don't want to lose my father."

A shout echoed from the back.

"Hush Juliana. Don't bother the man in front of you."

He smiled. Then said.

"If possible, could you please save my daughter."

Minhyun looked back and froze. He grasped at his head as a mind numbing pain crawled all over his brain. A fog encased the interior, and he found himself walking along an empty white path.

I don't understand. All these words you're trying to say to me. They're blank, missing and scrambled like pieces of a messed up puzzle. There's no solution. All that resides on the other side is an endless agony of unsolvable riddles.

"Please **** leave."

"I **** **** to lose my ******."

"Hush Juliana. **** ****** the man in ***** of you."

"If ********, ***** you please **** my ********."

Ugh, stop. I can't fucking understand any of you!

...

You think I wanted any of this. The first thing I opened my eyes to was a world I never understood. A far cry from the norm I was expecting. My dreams shattered as I found myself in a situation where no hope was found.

The only reason I managed to escape was due to luck. Luck in the fact that I was a parasite, leeching off from the life of someone else. Every single day I lived was a reminder. A reminder of how useless I truly am.

Then, just as I thought about making a change. A change to better myself and to stop running away. All of this happens. An unplanned event where my own naivety gets the best of me. Where my mistake would've led to the enslavement of myself and those around me... And just like before, when the dust blows, I hide behind those that are stronger than me.

What a fucking joke.

Hearing no response from the man, the girl just let go.

"It's fine, Mister Knight. You don't have to do any of this. If it's too much to ask, then I want to stay by my father's side.

The father shouted at the girl running back towards him. His body collapsed as his wound tore open. Blood streamed down, and his hand reached out towards the man in front of him.

"Juliana, no! Young man, don't listen to her words. Take her and leave while you still have the chance."

The knights swiftly helped him up.

"Sir, do not worry, we will ensure the safety of the young lady."

A knight with a crippled leg added on.

"Although I do not have the prowess to fight, I swear on my life that I will protect her."

Another young knight joined in.

"I may not have contributed much to the family, but I will fight to the death for the honor of our company."

Minhyun's heart shattered. Feelings of dissociation took hold of his mind as two opposing strands of reason pulled him towards opposite ends. A tearing pain slashed down the center and a hollow laugh escaped from his lips.

You don't have to sound like that. Can't you see that the old man beside you is stronger than you think. He's so powerful that almost nothing in the world can stop him... So please, stop asking me to save you. You're asking the wrong person.

Then, just as he was about to give up, the opposing strand glowed and a memory flashed in his head. One of a black haired youth sitting beside him, reading a book.

"You're thinking to much. I think all of those cliche superhero stories are stupid, In my opinion, you should just do what you think is right. After all, an unfulfilled life isn't a life worth living at all."

Minhyun looked up. Staring at the decrepit ceiling of the run down caverns, a glimmer of light returned in his eyes.

Right, when did I forget about this... I just wanted to live a life I could be proud of. So why do I keep defining my life by a single mistake I made.

He froze. His knees trembled as he stood up and faced Julius. With the palm of his right hand clenched onto his chest, a voice tore its way out of his heart.

"I-I want to stay."