In the dense forest, the only thing you could hear was the light wind as it gently waved around the leaves of nearby trees. A chirping sound broke this soft atmosphere, until even those disappeared with light flaps of wings when these singing birds left their branches, noticing and getting alert because of another presence.

A person was passing by. Its gender or race is unknown, and while the scorching sun was up, this person was in full armor, its face deeply hidden behind a helmet. Even if the shade of the trees helped a little with the warm, dry weather, the thick, red leather clothes and metal plates on him, including the very characteristic helmet with numerous horn-like appendages on it, which surely negated any positive effect of the shades.

The man has been walking like this through the forest for the last few hours. Usually people do the traveling in groups, so if any problem occurs, no one gets surprised by an attack or some natural trap. Maybe luck was on the knight’s side, because the biggest problem that had to be faced inside the forest so far was a few wolves. With a shield attached to its hand and a hand grabbing onto the hilt of the sword, the knight marched.

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Reaching some bush so thick you couldn’t see the other side, the knight pulled out the sword from the waist hilt and swung, cutting a path to the other side.

"Oy, oy, stop right there."

“Huh?"

The knight froze after reaching the other side, and a voice called out.

“Yeah, you. Take off that helmet; I won’t say it twice."

The voice belonged to a police officer on duty. Seeing the officer putting his hand on his waist gun, the knight took off the helmet, and under it, a young boy looked back.

“Sorry, sir. My name is Asano Ren; I’m from Deadman High School," the boy said with a shaky, cracking voice, handing over his identity card from his small satchel hanging behind the sword hilt.

“I see. What are you doing in the forest, if I may ask?”

“Um, c-cosplaying."

“In the forest?"

“...got a little too into my roleplay.”

The officer looked confused for a second, but handed back the card to the boy.

“Well, don’t forget to get home. I know it’s school break, but the forest is not a playground. I nearly shot you, thinking you were one of those otherworlders."

“Understood, sir. Thank you, sir."

The police officer, with a whispered “kids these days...” continued his patrol in the suburbs.

The knight, Asano Ren, looked down at his sword in his hand.

“This is kind of boring."

He went home.