“Hurry, go get Leonard! I think he’s starting to wake up.” A voice that Kit didn’t recognise interrupted his thoughts. He slowly opened his eyes and saw a man in a white military uniform with a Spartan Fire flower symbol on his chest.

As memories flooded back into his mind, Kit sat up abruptly, heart racing. What happened? Are the others okay? He scanned his surroundings, recognising the familiar setting. “Spartan Fire?”

He peered down at the ground to see the respawn arch below him. He started to relax slightly; if something bad had happened, Mars and Peaches would have also respawned.

Kit stood alone on the stone platform, his only concern now being how to reunite with his friends.

"Welcome back, Lord Kit. You have returned to Spartan Fire," said the man in a military uniform as he helped Kit up from the ground. "Leonard will be here soon to escort you back to the mountain."

At the mention of Leonard's name, Kit's worries about navigating the treacherous terrain and finding Snickers lessened. Leonard was a skilled warrior and Kit had faith that he would be able to locate their missing friends.

As Kit waited, he observed the man in the uniform closely. It seemed that they were both sizing each other up. "Did Kettle already assign the guards?" Kit asked.

A wide grin on the man's face confirmed Kit's suspicions. "Yes, Lord Kit. We were officially assigned yesterday. My name is Jam." It finally dawned on Kit that he had respawned in Spartan Fire - he wouldn't have to waste any time traveling back from the Devouring ranges!

Before Kit could inquire further, he spotted an enraged Leonard sprinting towards him. Kit quickly raised his hands in defence. "Snickers is safe!" he shouted over Leonard's angry shouts.

Leonard's pace slowed, and the fire in his eyes began to dissipate. Kit placed a comforting hand on Leonard's chest, relieved that he was able to calm down the large man before he went on a rampage.

"Why did you die? Are you sure Snoo Snoo is okay?" Leonard demanded.

Kit didn't want to waste any more time and quickly explained everything that had happened, leaving nothing out. By the end of the tale, Leonard's brow was furrowed and his accusatory gaze was fixed on Kit.

"I should have been allowed to go from the start! I don't understand why Snickers made me your babysitter!" Leonard huffed.

Kit wasn't surprised by Leonard's reaction; he had expected him to protest when they first announced the trip. But now he understood that the others had made a contingency plan - and that was Leonard. As much as he wanted to be upset by their lack of faith in his survival abilities, Kit couldn't deny that he had also thought he would die at least once on this journey.

Leonard grumbled for a while longer as they made their way towards the entrance of the Devouring Ranges. "Snoo Snoo always leaves me behind or sends me away," he pouted.

Leonard had never opened up to him like this before. "I think it's because she trusts you the most," Kit reassured the giant man.

"Do you really believe that?" Leonard's eyes lit up at these words.

"Absolutely! She loves you more than anything," Kit emphasised.

Kit expected Leonard to beam with joy after hearing this, but instead he looked unsure. "Kit, I know our relationship isn't the best, but I need to ask you something and I need your honest answer." Leonard stopped walking and turned to face Kit.

"Go ahead, ask me anything," Kit replied.

"In your opinion, does Snickers truly love me?" The seriousness in Leonard's gaze caught Kit off guard.

"What?" Kit couldn't believe what he was hearing. As far as he could tell, Snickers and Leonard were deeply in love. Even though Snickers didn't want to marry him, Kit could see the love between them.

"Are you serious right now, Leonard?" Kit had to ask. How could he not know Snickers' feelings for him? He studied Leonard's face and realised he wasn't joking. "Why are you asking this?" Kit became curious.

Leonard let out a sigh. "I've asked Snickers to marry me countless times, but she always refuses without giving me a reason why." He paused, taking a deep breath. "The only time she said yes was when we made a bet and you were involved."

Kit's mind immediately flashed back to the events that led Snickers to work for him. She had been desperate to find employment with a human so that she wouldn't have to marry Leonard. Kit had always found this situation odd, especially since he later discovered that Snickers actually liked Leonard.

He had chosen not to interfere, thinking that Snickers would come to him for help if needed. But now, with Leonard seeking his assistance, Kit felt compelled to meddle in their affairs. He didn't want to see either of them heartbroken or their relationship suffer.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

After some contemplation, Kit spoke up. "Leonard, it's clear that Snickers loves you. There must be a reason behind her refusal and silence. I'll talk to her once I finish my current task, but I can't guarantee she'll open up to me if she hasn't told you anything."

Leonard's face lit up with hope upon hearing this offer of help from Kit. "Thank you, Kit. If you can find out the reason and help us overcome it, then I will pledge my loyalty as one of your knights!"

Ding!

[Wedding bells]

Two lovers cannot marry, help Leonard unravel the mystery behind his lover’s reluctance to tie the knot.

Bonus: A bounty of rewards awaits if player is successful in helping the pair marry.

Kit's eyebrows shot up in surprise when he saw the new quest. It appeared that the reason why Snickers hesitated to marry Leonard was going to be more complicated than he initially thought. Kit could read between the lines of this quest; although helping them get married was a bonus, it didn't guarantee a solution to their problem. Even if he did find out the reason for their inability to marry, it might not be something he could fix.

"Thank you, Leonard, but I don't need you to be one of my knights. You already do so much for me, and I just want to see you and Snickers happy. That will be reward enough for me," Kit spoke sincerely to his large friend. He truly did want to see them both happy.

Leonard's response was unexpected; instead of feeling grateful or touched by Kit's words, his eyes narrowed and he slapped a heavy hand on Kit's shoulder. The weight of his hand almost caused Kit's knees to buckle in fear. What had he said wrong?

Kit nervously looked into Leonard's eyes, relieved to see that they were not red like before. He let out a relieved breath, realising that he had been worried about being killed for the second time that day.

"Kit," Leonard said, squeezing his shoulder. "I never realised how much my happiness meant to you. I've been misunderstanding you all this time."

Kit winced, afraid that Leonard's powerful grip would break his shoulder. He forced himself to speak through gritted teeth. "Your happiness is important to me, of course. You're family, Leonard." With a booming voice, Leonard declared, "When Snickers and I tie the knot, I want you to be my best man!"

Ding!

Reputation with Leonard has increased 90 points.

Congratulations player Kit, you and Leonard are now friends.

Kit's mouth fell open in disbelief. He wondered how little esteem Leonard had held for him before.

"I can see you're surprised by my proposal!" Leonard's eyes sparkled with amusement. Kit decided to let Leonard believe what he wanted, grateful that his reputation with the man had improved. Hopefully, this would thaw their normally chilly interactions.

"Um...yes, quite shocked." Kit scratched his head as Leonard continued to stand there. "I would be honoured to be your best man!" His response seemed to please Leonard, who grinned and gestured towards the entrance to the Devouring Ranges.

As they approached, Kit checked his level. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that he was still at level 100 Swordsman. Losing only one level after dying, he felt a nervous pulse thrumming through him. This would be his last chance at obtaining the treasure.

Following behind Leonard through the archway, they didn't bother fighting all the monsters like before. Leonard led them on a path that avoided conflict, so their climbing speed tripled compared to their initial ascent up the mountain.

After three days of traveling, they were almost at the meeting point where he had last seen his companions when disaster struck once again. “Kit, run! I'll hold it off,” Leonard urged, pushing Kit behind him. “Head towards that large rock formation over there, it's a safe zone.”

Without waiting to see if Kit followed his orders, Leonard drew his sword and charged towards an animal that resembled a honey badger.

The badger's eyes glowed a deep blue as Leonard approached, and its fur transformed into sharp crystals. Kit had seen this transformation before and fear pulsed through his body. This was a spiritual beast!

Realising he would only be a hindrance to Leonard, Kit took off in the direction that Leonard had pointed, hoping to find the safe zone without any trouble.

But luck was not on his side that day. Just as he had gotten a good distance from Leonard, another honey badger appeared. Kit came to a stuttering halt; this was not good. “I'm just passing through, I don't want any trouble,” Kit tried to reason with the creature.

But all he received was a loud rattling roar in response. Fear flooded his heart and Kit turned and ran like a rocket, shoving cookies into his mouth as he went. His feet pounded against the ground as he sped away, trying to navigate the treacherous terrain at full speed.

Kit frantically scanned his surroundings for a place to hide. Despite eating cookies and using energetic jumping techniques, the badger was still hot on his tail.

Panic consumed Kit as he realised that if he died, he wouldn't be able to return up the mountain. He could only hope that the badger would eventually lose interest in chasing him.

Three hours passed and Kit's body was drenched in sweat. Finally, he managed to shake off the persistent badger and collapsed onto the ground, exhausted.

As he caught his breath and replenished his stamina for what felt like the 24th time, Kit surveyed his unfamiliar surroundings. All he could see was sparse greenery, rocks, and a light dusting of snow.

He sighed in disappointment; getting lost was inevitable once the badger started chasing him. Now all he could do was stay put and wait for Leonard to find him. Kit decided to find some shelter before nightfall.

After a bit of searching, he stumbled upon a small crevice leading into the side of the mountain, just big enough for him to crawl into.

To his surprise, it opened up into a small cave. He retrieved some bedding from his pouch and took out some food to eat as night fell.

Exhausted, Kit drifted off to sleep but was soon awoken by a deafening roar that shook his whole body.

Kit wrestled with himself, torn between his desire to catch a glimpse of the creature and his fear of drawing its attention. In the end, curiosity won out and Kit cautiously stuck his head out.

But as soon as he saw what was outside, he regretted his decision. A massive black beast that resembled a werewolf loomed before him, its fangs dripping with saliva and its claws sharp enough to slice through steel. What made it even more terrifying was its immense size, easily five times larger than a human.

Kit's heart stopped when the beast's blood-red eyes locked onto his exact position. Time seemed to stand still as they stared at each other in silence. Their moment was broken by a howl that echoed through the air, causing the werewolf to snap its head towards the sound.