Morning came and hit me like a truck. The sun’s first rays seeped through the cracks in the shutters, stabbing at my eyes like needles. My entire body screamed in protest as I shifted on the cold, hard floor. Every muscle ached, my joints stiff from sleeping in the same awkward position all night. I groaned, dragging a hand across my face, trying to wipe away the fog of sleep.

There were a hundred reasons I could give to stay in bed, or rather on the floor, longer. But I had to move. There was no time for excuses, no time to wallow in regrets. The mission wasn’t going to wait for me to pull myself together.

I sat up slowly, the events of last night replaying in my mind like a broken record. Every detail, every mistake. I tried to piece them together, to make sense of what I had done. Hadeon had returned inside me at some point, when exactly, I wasn’t sure. He had been quiet, thankfully, though I knew it wouldn’t last. As for Slime, it was passed out by the bathroom door, still in its dog form, its now for some odd reason, translucent body sprawled out like a lazy mutt.

I regretted my actions deeply. The weight of my choices hung heavy over me, an invisible chain dragging me down. But regret was useless now.

I couldn’t take anything back, couldn’t undo what was done.

And truthfully, despite the gnawing guilt, I couldn’t say I regretted everything. That kiss, that stupid, impulsive kiss, lingered in my mind like a sweet, but idiotic memory. Was it a dumb thing to do? Absolutely. Was it one of the best moments I’d had in forever? Without a doubt.

I sighed, pushing the memory aside. I didn’t bother taking a shower or brushing my teeth. There were far more pressing concerns on my mind, and besides, bad hygiene was the least of my problems. Maybe it would even keep me out of trouble, no chance of another kiss happening if I smelled like I hadn’t seen soap in days. Not that I expected anything like that to happen again anyway.

With a half-hearted kick, I nudged Slime awake. It blinked up at me, or did something that resembled blinking, and I stood, feeling the weight of my sword heavy against my hip as I slid it into place. I slipped on my ring, its cool metal grounding me for a moment. And with that, my day began.

I stepped out of my room as quietly as possible, sneaking past the front desk in a half-baked attempt to avoid the innkeeper. He spotted me, of course, but he only offered a simple nod in acknowledgment. No questions thankfully. I gave a small nod back and stepped outside, feeling the cool morning air wash over me. It was refreshing, the kind of crispness that signals the change of seasons. A new time was fast approaching, and with it, the world around me felt like it was shifting too, as if the air itself held the promise of something new, something dangerous.

The streets were still empty, not yet filled with the bustling life of the day. I walked through them, thankful that I no longer donned the armor that drew so much attention. Some folks still gave me strange looks, probably noticing the sword at my side or perhaps the unusual creature following close behind me. But most paid me no mind. People had their own problems, and in this city, a lone man with a sword wasn’t anything to gawk at.

Slime followed in silence, its form shifting slightly as it played around with its form. I glanced at it every now and then, still not entirely used to its presence, but after showing the few ticks it was capable of, it had proven itself more than just a weird blob.

It would probably be a reliable companion, if nothing else. We walked in relative quiet for some time, the sounds of the city fading as we left the gates behind and ventured back into the forest from which our group had come.

The forest was calm, the canopy of trees overhead filtering the early morning light into soft beams that danced across the path. I could hear the distant rustling of leaves, the faint chirping of birds, and the soft crunch of dirt beneath my boots. It was a welcome change from the tension that had gripped me since the night before. The silence helped soothe my nerves, but only slightly. I was still too on edge, still too aware of what was coming.

I realized, with a start, that I had forgotten to ask where to meet the rest of the group. In the heat of the moment last night, that small but important detail had slipped my mind. But it wasn’t too hard to guess. If they hadn’t all left the area, someone would likely still be watching over the ship. They wouldn’t have left without a plan.

As I walked, the memories of last night continued to gnaw at me, eating away at whatever peace the forest offered. I kept replaying the conversation, the kiss, the plan I had hatched. It was all a mess. But now, standing on the precipice of whatever came next, I had no choice but to follow through.

When I finally reached the landing site, I was relieved to see that my memory hadn’t failed me. The ship, cloaked with some kind of advanced camouflage, shimmered into view as I approached. Its sleek, metallic form was a striking contrast to the natural surroundings, almost out of place in the serene forest. I looked up and spotted Artemis at the helm, watching me as I approached. The hangar doors opened with a soft hiss, and two figures emerged.

Thankfully, neither of them was Suiko.

As the two figures approached, I noted the familiar synchronized steps and the way they carried themselves, emotionless, robotic almost. They stopped a few feet in front of me, their faces impassive as ever.

“We don’t care or trust you, but currently, we have no choice but to follow you,” one of them said, their voice eerily flat.

“But if you mess this up—” the other began.

“You’ll kill me, yeah, I know,” I interrupted before they could finish their tired threat. “Get in line.” I pushed past them, not in the mood for their dramatics. The number of times I had heard that same threat in the past few days was enough to make it lose any sense of menace.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

Inside the ship, the atmosphere was tense. The soft hum of the engines vibrated beneath my feet, and the air smelled faintly of metal and oil. I glanced towards the cockpit, where I could just make out Suiko’s silhouette. She didn’t turn to acknowledge me, didn’t even glance my way.

Fair.

Artemis joined us moments later, her sharp eyes scanning the room as she gave a curt nod.

“Let’s hear it,” she said, clearly expecting me to get to the point.

I cleared my throat, trying to push down the growing anxiety gnawing at my insides. “The plan hasn’t changed much from yesterday,” I began, crossing my arms as I spoke. “Slime will take the four of you inside of him. He’ll keep you concealed until I give the signal, at which point he’ll release you. There shouldn’t be any delay. But of course on the off chance that there is, I have a distraction ready.”I lied, hoping none of them would pick up on the uncertainty in my voice. Slime had assured me of no such thing, but I needed them to believe in the plan.

“And what’s the distraction?” the two in sync asked, their voices blending into one.

I grinned, spreading my arms wide. “We’re going to ram the ship into the castle.”

Silence. No applause. No reactions. Just blank, unimpressed faces.

Tough crowd.

Artemis was the first to speak up, her tone more concerned than dismissive. “And how exactly do you plan on doing that? We’ll all be inside Slime, right? So who’s going to fly the ship? These things aren’t autopilot, you know. They still need someone.”

I waved her concerns off with a shrug. “Look, I’ve got it all figured out. I would say just trust me, but since none of you do, I won’t bother. Just leave it in my hands. I can almost guarantee it’ll work out.”

The three of them exchanged glances. It was subtle, but the tension in the room thickened. I couldn’t tell if it was doubt or just general frustration. Suiko finally turned around from the cockpit to watch what was unfolding, though she didn’t meet my eyes. I didn’t sense any hostility from her, at least not outwardly. But there was something simmering beneath the surface, something I wasn’t sure how to handle.

“Fine,” Artemis said after a long pause. “Let’s go.”

She turned to the other two, giving them a nod. They moved forward, silent as ever. I watched as they approached Slime, who obligingly opened himself up, his gelatinous body parting to allow them in. They stepped inside one by one, their expressions unreadable, though I could tell none of them were exactly thrilled with the plan. Not that they had much of a choice.

I glanced at Suiko one more time before giving Slime the signal. She didn’t look back, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had messed up something beyond repair.

Once they were all safely inside Slime, the ship fell eerily quiet.

“I must say,” Slime began, its voice breaking the silence. “For a human, you’re very odd.”

“You said that the first time we met,” I replied dryly, heading for the cockpit.

“Yes, but I truly mean it this time. Your actions are... peculiar. You lack strength, like severely, yet you act as if no one can stop you. It’s strange how people follow you despite your obvious shortcomings.”

That was two parts insult, one part flattery? Maybe? But I wasn’t about to start arguing with a sentient blob of slime. Not today.

I shrugged it off. “Alright, Slime, finish up here. I’ll be outside.”

As I stepped outside, I couldn’t help but mutter to myself. “Why do they always use ‘severe’? Severe lack of talent, severe lack of strength. Gotta be more synonymous for serious.”

“Are you speaking to yourself?” Slime’s voice followed me, and I nearly jumped.

“Just thinking out loud.” I chuckled awkwardly, and we began our walk toward the castle. This time, in silence.

The city had woken up during our absence. Streets that had been quiet were now bustling with life. Merchants shouted their deals, and children weaved through the crowds laughing. It was almost peaceful. A shame, really. The city was nicequaint, even but someone important was about to die, and I was partially responsible.

With every step toward the castle, my stomach twisted tighter. What if my plans didn’t work? What if I ended up dead, nothing but a forgotten footnote in some dusty tome? And if they didn’t kill me, what would they do with my body? Chop it up? Feed it to the beasts? The worst part was the uncertainty.

The guards at the castle gate recognized me immediately. They waved me through without question, though I couldn’t help but smile like I wasn’t about to betray everything they stood for. If all went well, they’d be chasing me down in half an hour.

Back in the barracks, the Legion greeted me with warm smiles and pats on the back. They had no idea what was coming. Their kindness made the knot in my stomach twist tighter. Was I doing the right thing?

“There you are, newbie!” Vincent’s voice boomed, and his massive hand clapped against my back with the force of a battering ram. “How’s your mom?”

“She’s good. Took her to an Arimus last night. Said I should get back to work.” I forced a smile.

“Good to hear. Put on your armor. It’s time to meet the Baron.”

My heart lurched. With trembling hands, I strapped on each piece of armor. My fingers fumbled with the clasps, and my helmet wobbled as I slid it on, grateful at least that it hid the fear etched on my face. The armor felt heavier than usual. It was as if the weight of the world had decided to perch itself on my shoulders.

“You look good.” Vincent gave me a thumbs up, a gesture that was supposed to be reassuring. It wasn’t. “Let’s go.”

I shot a quick glance at Slime, but he only stared back, unimpressed. No help there. I took a deep breath and fell into step beside Vincent, my mind racing as we made our way toward the grand hall. There was no turning back now.

As we walked, Vincent explained the protocol. The Baron would greet me, I’d bow or kneel, and then they’d assign me my first solo mission. I’d be allowed a few moments to speak freely afterward. Simple enough, but where in the hell would I fit the distraction? The plan was feeling shakier by the second, and my doubts were creeping in like a bad cold.

Finally, we stood before the massive double doors of the Baron’s hall. My palms were sweating, and I wanted nothing more than to turn and run. But Vincent was there, looming beside me like a mountain. He smiled, oblivious to the storm raging inside me, and lifted a thumb in encouragement.

I nodded back, trying to muster some semblance of confidence. This was it. Do or die.

Vincent knocked on the door. “Vincent Sun, commander of the thirteenth legion, requesting an audience with the Baron!” His voice boomed through the hallway.

The silence that followed was suffocating. Then, slowly, the doors swung open.

“Enter.” The voice was dark, cold, and commanding. It sent a shiver down my spine.

I swallowed hard and stepped forward.

I am so screwed.