Arthur stared out the window at the starry sky and threw the blanket that covered him to the side. He had talked with Paul, Cain, Mark and everyone else the entire day except for the Captain, Stella, and David. If anything, he figured he could find the Captain later. For now, he had to find David and see if there was something he could do to cheer him up. Maybe even patch David and Stella's relationship once more if needed. After all, he had invested too much time in their love life to watch it fall apart, so it wasn't necessarily being nosy. Instead, it was more of a just cause. Arthur smirked and nodded in agreement with his own reasoning. He flung the window by his bedside open with both hands as the wooden frame pushed open and slammed into the walls outside of the room. As the glass shattered, he blankly watched the fragments twirl in the air and fall on the ground below.

Ah…whoops, it's okay. Paul has probably broken worse.

He shrugged his shoulders while placing one foot over the ledge, his trusty leather pouch hanging from his waist. Looking back at the bedroom, Arthur saw countless flowers that were all identical. Some were placed in pots, while others nipped them from their stems and bundled them together. Yet, looking at them, Arthur couldn't help but feel a sense of regret. The flowers were pure white and pristine, with six petals gracefully curling backward from the center. Even though they were smooth and reflected the moonlight. The young boy couldn't help but feel like they didn't fit him one bit. Despite being grateful for receiving so many flowers from the citizens and other guards, something about them bothered him. Arthur pushed his thoughts to the back of his head and focused on finding David, but before he started searching, he needed to stop by David's office since there could be something there to help him.

Moving his other foot over the ledge, a white aura enveloped Arthur's body before he leaped off the windowsill. Unlike before, when he forcefully accelerated his body and tore his muscles, he slowed his descent toward the ground while being mindful of the force exerted on himself. With a soft thud, Arthur landed away from the broken glass shards and glanced around the western gate. There were hardly any guards patrolling the walls, and a sense of sadness grew within his chest.

Passing by the cobblestone walls etched with various blade marks made him think of the courageous guards who had bought time for David and Stella to escape with the children. What went through their minds as they battled against the demons who chased after the children, and why did they fight a battle that they knew would be their end?

Based on what Paul and the others had told him, Javic stormed the center of the training arena with several demons. Each was as strong as the cloaked demon, if not stronger. He wouldn't have been surprised if they ran, yet defying all expectations, the rookie guards clashed head-on with the monsters before them. Their camaraderie and bravery were praiseworthy, and the town would have been doomed without their sacrifice.

The thought of a group of rookie guards, considered third class at best, charging head-on against enemies they normally didn't stand a chance against left him speechless. If it hadn't been for their valiant efforts, Arthur's strike team wouldn't have been able to intercept Javic in the tunnels, and because of their efforts, the other high-class demons couldn't reinforce the cultists underground.

After leaving the ruined courtyard, Arthur opened the door to the guard tower and peered into the hallway. Blade and spear marks covered every inch of the interior, and the different wooden floorboard patterns showed that the flooring had recently been repaired. Slowly, he walked up the stairs and made his way to the second floor. Once the hall came into view, Arthur's eyes widened in astonishment. Not a single mark existed on the second floor as if it was an entirely separate world compared to the floor below.

"Unbelievable…"

Arthur couldn't help but be surprised at what he saw. At first glance, it was clear that a fierce battle had emerged on the first floor, one that had taken apart the hallway and destroyed the interior. However, it seemed as if the demons never managed to make it to the second floor.

Pushing open the office door, Arthur stared at the clean room before him. Everything seemed untouched since he last visited, and the picture frame remained on David's desk. He picked it up and turned it around, revealing several clips that were turned to lock the back of the cover in place. Since it was the only object in David's office, he figured it held some sentimental value.

Maybe I should just take this with me…

Arthur nodded his head and placed the frame into his leather pouch.

Yeah, I'll just take it with me. It's best not to overthink; it's the only thing of value here, anyway.

"I didn't picture you as someone who would steal Arthur."

The stern voice drew Arthur's attention. He turned towards the doorway and saw Carl standing there with a broad smile. His white long-sleeved shirt had both of his cuffs rolled back to his elbows, and black pants that blended with the night accompanied his outfit.

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Arthur slowly closed the leather pouch while making eye contact with Carl and said, "I can explain. I know it looks bad, but I'm actually trying to help David."

"You don't need to explain. I'm just pulling your leg. I already know you're not the type of person to steal some photo frame." Carl chuckled upon seeing Arthur's anxious expression. "No need to get so worked up. I was looking for you to talk about something else. I figured you would be busy or resting since you've just woken up, but knowing you, you probably sneaked out in the middle of the night thinking no one would notice."

"Is it that obvious?" Arthur asked.

"Very. That and you have a hard time sleeping normally, from what I remember."

Arthur scratched the side of his chin in embarrassment. "So what did you want to talk about, then?"

"It's about your contribution against those cultist bastards. We want to reward you for resolving the town's latest crisis."

"Reward me?" Arthur tilted his head to the side. "How so?"

"Well, I believe the consensus was with money. Since you'll need to start saving money if you want to attend the academy in the future. Besides, you're considered a hero for defeating that elder demon."

"Ah…"

Now Arthur understood why he felt troubled when he saw the flowers in his room. It was because he didn't deserve them. He didn't deserve their gratitude because he didn't defeat Javic. He made a deal with the devil himself, one that he would take to his grave. The ones who deserved the reward were no longer with them.

Arthur made a weary smile and asked, "Could you do me a favor instead of giving me the money?"

"Well, depends on the favor," Carl replied.

"Could you give the money to the families of the deceased guards?"

Carl's smile faded as he stared at Arthur. He thought about it for a moment but then nodded. "It's possible, but they already received compensation."

"It wouldn't hurt to have a little more, right?"

"It wouldn't…but are you sure?" Carl stroked his beard and said, "You're still young, but you need to think about your future as well."

"It's fine. I'll figure it out later. Besides, I plan to go on a little adventure of my own soon."

A look of surprise fell on Carl once he heard this. "Soon? How soon?"

"Like tomorrow soon."

Carl immediately frowned upon hearing Arthur's words. "Are you insane? You still need to rest."

"I feel like I've rested long enough. Nearly two weeks in bed is a bit too much, even for me." Arthur let out a subtle laugh while scratching the back of his head. "That, and I figured since Claire and Raphael were leaving tomorrow or the day after, I should also head out around the same time."

"Just so we're clear, you're free to stay even if those two leave. I'm not the type of person to force someone out of my care."

"I know, but I want to see more of the world."

"By yourself? I can't let you leave with no one to care for you."

"It's alright. I spoke to Paul, and he said that he would tag along for a bit."

"That idiot?" Carl furrowed his brows. "Let me check with the other guards to see if anyone is willing to join you."

"I don't think that's necessary-"

"Not another word." Carl rubbed both of his eyes with his index finger and thumb. Before releasing a tired sigh. "As for what you want to do with the money, are you absolutely sure? It's a considerable sum. You don't need to feel obligated to forfeit your reward. No one would think badly of you for accepting it."

"I'm sure."

Carl shook his head and said, "I can't tell if you're naïve or just plain stubborn."

"Who knows, maybe a little bit of both."

"Very well, I'm guessing you plan to look for David?"

"How did you know?" Arthur tried to hide his expression, but his weak poker face made Carl laugh.

He tapped the nameplate on the door. "It's not exactly the hardest thing to figure out. You're also rather nosy as well."

"I wouldn't call it nosy. I just want to see how everything goes, you know?"

"Sure, you can call it that." Carl softly smiled while stepping to the side. "Do you know where he is?"

"Nope, but I'm sure I can find him," Arthur answered while slowly shuffling past Carl.

A slight grin surfaced on Carl's face after watching Arthur's determined strides towards the staircase. He couldn't help but be fond of the child's actions, even though it sometimes gave him a minor headache.

"Arthur, he's at a bar down the street. It's the first one on the left-hand side. You'll see it from a distance because it has a large barrel near the front of the building."

"Large barrel…down the street…left side of the store. Alright, got it!" Arthur nodded, but before he took a step down the stairs, he hurried back towards Carl and held out his fist. Seeing this, Carl smirked and tapped Arthur's fist with his own. "Thanks Captain; I'll never forget the help you've given me."

"No worries, though it probably pales in comparison to what you've done for the town."

"Don't say that. Besides, if you didn't give me the chance to work for you, then we wouldn't have gotten this far."

"Fair enough. Now get going, and good luck cheering up that drunken idiot."

"Leave it to me!" Arthur smiled and saluted Carl one final time before running towards the staircase.

Carl nodded and watched as Arthur ran down the staircase before letting out a short chuckle.

"It's going to be quite quiet when those kids leave."