Under the bright sun, a couple rode a horse together through a beautiful path inside a forest. Since it was spring, the trees were with small green leaflets while colourful flowers embraced them, the ultimate beauty of nature. With rays of light shining through the gaps between the new leaves, the path was like a road to heaven.

It was the Ronbask region neighbouring Donbask. While the Donbask region is mountainous with only one settlement called Camp Bora, at the middle plateau, Ronbask is full of plains and forests, villages and towns.

From the camp, they had to pass seven mountains. At the end of the mountains reached a forest. It is the start of the Ronbask region. From there they had to pass a mining village and a farming village to reach the town of Gambit, the capital of Rode dukedom.

Ethanial and Leila waited for the rest of the team at the cave of Mount Kaza for a day. It was pitch black during the night, however, when the light came, the view from Mount Kaza was spectacular.

From up there, they could see the forest, the fields, the villages and the most beautiful town, Gambit. They leaned on each other shoulders and comforted pain through the scenery until Ethanial decided it was safer to get away from the nest as soon as possible. They rode out from the cave on the second day.

"Do you know spring is regarded as the season of new life? The new leaves and small buds, it is like God is welcoming new lives into the world. Which is why some women think it is best to try an offspring during spring. They hate their spouses going long travel in this season."

"I see. ... Wait. Is there a third person with us now?"

Ethan was so surprised he suddenly touched Leila's belly and tried to sense a third person. She bursted out laughing at his reaction.

"No silly. I am just making conversation."

"Right. Then I will try not to accept any mission during spring in the future."

His answer made her blush. The two appreciated the beauty of nature together, chatting as they rode past. The serene beauty of the forest made their horrible night on the mountain forgotten.

"You know, I have a strange habit. Every time before I lie, I blink three times." Leila continued chatting.

Ethanial chuckled and replied, "I thought so."

"Hmm? When did I show it to you? I have not lied to you."

"You did. When you said you were fine. In the pond. You blinked thrice."

"You!! Of course, it is a lie. I was so embarrassed. ... Anyway how did you see me blink in that situation?"

"Because your eyes are so pretty. I saw your eyes only."

"Aww~ come on. There is no way you only watched my eyes. You are a smooth liar, Ethan. I am scared of you now."

"Hahaha. But it is the truth. That your eyes are beautiful."

Her face blushed for a second time as he complimented her. She was embarrassed so she switched the conversation.

"How did you become a warrior and serve in Temple? I heard soldiers in King's army live easier. Is it not better there?"

"To free the world of devil's monsters. Only the Temple can do that."

"Urg* you are boring."

"Haha. ... It is because of my mother. She was killed by a monster while searching mushrooms when my father could no longer provide for the family."

"I am sorry."

Leila felt sorry and apologetic for making fun of Ethanial's reason. She said sorry but Ethanial said that he was fine. It was long ago so he had made peace with it.

"I know how painful that is...to lose someone you hold dear. I lost mine when I was five. We knew it was coming for her and so she said that she wanted to lie down at her hometown in Indra."

Ethanial noticed that from the start her appearance was different from usual Midlanders who were blonds, but more like east landers with black hue eyes and dark hair. Part of his ancestry was from Indra too. Leila continued, "She did not make it and we had to bury her at a field near Portland."

"Is that the reason you visited Easton County alone?"

"Yes. Usually, I visited with my father but he had an important meeting this time. Anyway, it has been 15 years, yet I miss her whenever I need a hug. It is hard to make peace with it. She ..." Before she continued, she inhaled sharply to stop her runny nose. "She was the only one who gave m the warmest hug."

She sniffed again. She tried not to cry. "I am sorry. I don't know why I am saying sad things in this beautiful place."

"It is okay."

To change the mood again, Leila switched the conversation back to the beautiful environment.

"The air is nice here. It is so refreshing. The mixture of pleasant scents from all these flowers."

"You smell better."

"Oh. Don't be silly. There are so many flowers here that give you pleasure on a whiff."

"Truly. I won't lie. Your scent is enchanting."

Ethan hugged her tighter from the back and sniffed her silky hair. The sudden show of affection tickled her.

"Oh oh. Stop. You are tickling me. Hahaha. ... It is palm oil. The aroma on my hair. You like it?"

"Yes. It has sweat and a subtle greenish smell. Unique."

"My mother liked it too. It is the best inheritance I got from my mother. Father brought it from her homeland in the east continent, as an anniversary gift. I am glad you like it too. Most don't appreciate ..."

While the two were chatting their sweet time, a hoarse ugly voice abruptly interrupted their sweet moment.

"Oi lovebirds. Stop your blasphemy and get down from the horse."

Because of the gang of bandits, the lovely atmosphere became sullen. Even the beauty of Mother Nature could not blanket the ugliness of humans.

Ethan let out a big sigh. Among these lovely scenery, he did not want blood to be shed.

"Brothers, you may see that we don't possess any valuables. We are here for sightseeing. Let us pass peacefully, please."

"Right. Unless you want to roll your heads off, let us pass. This man behind me is with the Temple and I assure you, you don't want him as enemy." Leila weighed in.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

The bandits were contemplating letting them go before they heard the word 'Temple' from Leila. After that, things went south. Ethanial threw a big sigh for a second time and quickly got down from his mount.

"Gosh. Leila."

There were seven of them. Three on the left, another three on the right, one at the front. They were carrying all sorts of weapons_from machetes to hunting spears and chopping axes and pitchforks. He descended to the left side which he thought would be easier.

Soon after Ethanial landed on the ground, a bandit struck him from behind which Ethanial blocked with his sword by swinging to his back while his left hand threw a dagger at the bandit blocking the left front. He then turned to his back and cut the enemy while he patted the horse twice, signalling it to run.

Rings understood him immediately and broke through the gap Ethanial created, carrying Leila. Since everything happened so fast in an instant, the one blocking the front could not catch them.

Ethanial swiftly turned to his right swiping up from the ground, parrying the enemy's attack.

"Divination."

His enhanced sword broke the enemy's blade. A piece of broken blade pierced through the bandit's shoulder.

He had cleared the entire left side instantly. There were only four bandits left including the leader at the right front. The one at the front was confused, about whether to chase Leila or stay to fight Ethanial.

"You fu*king donkey! Why did you let the girl go? ... Hey don't think about chasing them now, idiot. Focus here."

His leader cursed at him and put some sense back into him. Right now the two who would be most challenging for Ethanial were the one with a pitchfork at the right-back and the leader. The right middle was carrying a chopping axe and the front one is an idiot. He could not understand why the most important role was given to an idiot. But he was thankful because their incompetency saved him.

"It seems you are out of leverage. My woman is free and half of your friends are bleeding out. Say you let me go and take your men to a healer, they might see another day."

"Hahaha. I see. He must be exhausted now. Kill that bastard."

"*Sigh* I try."

The inexperience of the bandits showed a lot in this fight, especially the pitchfork. He failed to coordinate with his teammates and failed to restrict Ethanial movement. He was even scared to move up and fight while being a person with a long-reach weapon. His cowardice left an opening for Ethanial to attack his team.

It did not take long for Ethanial to end the fight. After he had beaten the leader, he asked why they did not choose to save his wounded friends. Ethanial knew they were not real bandits but some desperate villagers who went broke by gambling.

"How can we afford a healer without money?" The captain replied in deep sorrow.

Ethanial sighed and nodded him back. He stabbed the captain after carefully directed to his heart and ended his misery.

It was as if Rings had this superb sixth sense, it came back for Ethanial immediately after the fight, with Leila unharmed.

"You are finished? I thought you might need a hand."

She said while holding a very big sturdy stick in her hand, readying to fight. Ethanial chuckled and looked at her with pleasing eyes.

Then he picked up a chopping axe and started chopping a tree.

"Erm... Ethan. Are you all right? What are you doing?"

"Leila, let's take a rest for a while."

"But you are not resting."

"I am making a carrier for them. We will drop them off by the village."

"...but they are already dead. Why would you?"

"To give their bodies back to their family. They at least deserve that."

"And you do this for everyone. Everyone, you fought?"

"No. But these men, they are not real bandits. They are probably villagers from nearby. They would have let us pass if ... if I had my team. Then they wouldn't..."

"Ethan. I understand. You keep blaming yourself for what happened to your team. But you did what you had to do. It is not your fault. And this? Definitely not yours. They choose to be bandits. They know they wouldn't go unscratched. They had a choice. They attacked us and this is the result of their choices. They are not your responsibilities."

Ethanial dropped the axe and sat down on the ground. He seemed better but it showed clearly that he still blamed himself.

Seeing him like this it broke her heart. Leila hugged him softly from above and kissed him on the crown. She then picked up the axe and gave him back.

"Let's make a fence. The horse can't drag seven of them anyway. So let's make a fence. It will, at least, stop the animals from reaching their bodies. I am sure someone from the village will come by and notify their families."

Ethanial looked at Leila, his eyes teary but they were full of happiness. He hugged her back tightly.

He chopped a tree while Leila searched for vines to use as ropes. It took them some time but they built a decent fence. They put the bodies inside carefully so that no animals could reach them.

Ethanial stood in front of them for the last time to pay his respect. As he looked at their lifeless bodies, his mind swam in the ocean of thoughts.

Whose fault was it?

Theirs for they decided to take his head_ He told himself.

No. It was their fate which led them to him.

No. It started with their luck to lose in a game.

No. It was to ever let them gamble in the first place. Why? Why does the Temple allow the gambling of all things?

It was the only thing he could never understand with the Temple or Lord Mordu'. Ethanial believed, followed and served the Temple. Never he questioned. However, this one, he questioned why. His father was one among the very people who lost everything in gambling. His father stole gambers from temple donations just to play another game and the temple caught his father in the act. They punished him by cutting his hand which was theft.

Ethanial himself believed it was justice and he was the one who did the punishment. After that he served in the army of the temple, enforcing justice. Back then he was young and never traced to the origin of the problem. Now that he travelled and gotten old, he wondered why the Temple allowed it when it corrupted people their souls and doomed them.

The late king denounced it and banned all gambling across the kingdom but the Temple declared that gambling was the epitome of faith in God, throwing a die, putting the fate of man, into the hand of God. So the Temple re-established it.

After that, the victims of gambling rose again in the kingdom and these lifeless bodies in front of him were just another number to add.

"May you be reborn as someone who put fate in your own hand." He murmured.

The two paid their respects and then continued their journey.