As we walk side by side, Rodger points to the river not far from here.

"Let's take a break."

I nod, and both of us head to the river.

The elves who were diving are already gone, let alone be a couple of elves laying and relaxing by the river.

"What are you going to do after we make it to the capital?" he take a glance at me right after we found a spot to sit.

"I am not sure yet. Maybe I should just follow my friend around, not sure what to do."

Rodger shakes his head.

"Seriously, what are you? A man without a future?"

"Knock it off, dad..." I lower my head, "Yesterday's events overwhelmed me a lot. I don't think I can do anything else besides just lurking around and doing nothing as I did in the village."

"Suits you. But I don't think you will just be there and rot. As for myself, I will try to prove myself useful by doing some mercenary work, either for hunting or anything else in the capital. If you are interested, maybe you can join me for the hunt, huh?"

Hunting, eh?

Like what we did in the village?

Looks like not a terrible option to me.

The bow doesn't suit me well because I suck at aiming.

"I am thinking about something else," I say. "I think I will take swordsman training once I reach the capital. I will try to make myself useful. Maybe that way, I can fight side by side with my friends out there."

"That's something that I rarely hear from you. I am surprised."

"Not really..." I respond. "I am not getting used to new situations like this."

I then hug both of my legs and hide my face.

"I miss her, dad. I really wish this was a dream."

We are both silent for a while, leaving a sigh coming from Rodger.

...

"There you are, Rai!"

Not long after, Josh waves his hand at me in the distance and jumps towards us.

"Oh, and hi. You are the village hunter that Alpha mentioned, right? Nice to meet you!"

"Name's Rodger. And you are?"

"This village chief, Josh. Also, Rai's friend, we were in the same village."

"Oh, no wonder why you have a familiar face!"

"Likewise, teacher Rodger. I am glad you survived!"

Now hold on for a second.

Did Josh just call him 'Teacher'? Like he was teaching Josh in--

Oh, wait.

Maybe it's him, the one who taught him archery back then, years ago.

"I never thought you were close to each other. Is there something that I missed back then in the village before I left?" asks Josh.

"Not really," says Rodger, "Your friend here happened to fall in with my... daughter back in the village."

"Oh? Now, wait a second. Raiken got a girlfriend already? Now that's something you don't see every day!" Josh laughs while both of us make a pale face. "Now, would you mind introducing me to your girlfriend, Rai?"

"She's... dead."

Josh suddenly stops laughing and stares into my eyes with a bitter expression that he does not show often.

"By the divines, I don't know that! I am so sorry that happened!"

I shake my head.

"She was protecting me back then, and then she--"

I couldn't finish my sentence when Josh gives me a bump on my shoulder.

"Sorry for the losses, no wonder why both of you are close, huh," says Josh while rubbing his head, feeling guilty toward us.

"Don't worry about that. You should have known," Rodger shakes his head.

"It's fine. I'd rather not talk about it." I hold my legs close and bow my head.

"So," Josh settles between me and my father, "What's the plan now?"

"That's the same question I asked him earlier," Rodger chimes in. "I'm thinking of becoming a mercenary once we reach the capital. And your pal here is aiming to be a swordsman."

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"Swordsman, huh?" Josh turns his head toward me.

"Honestly, I am not so sure myself," I say. "I only want at least to become something useful. After Alpha taught me some sword techniques, I think I will just take the same path as him, so that I will just survive..."

...

I clench my fist.

"... And to get revenge on whoever did that to the village."

I raise my head with furious eyes.

Seeing my determination, Josh stretches his arms and rises to his feet.

"That's quite the decision, Rai. Alpha and I were a bit worried that you might not become someone dependable. Remember our oath?"

"How could I forget?" I reply.

"Exactly," Josh continues. "If you're truly set on seeking revenge, you'll start the moment you hit that damn capital. And you know what? Since we're back together now, I think I'll tag along with you and Alpha, see how you both progress."

I'm left stunned, my eyes wide as I stare at him in sudden.

"Aren't you supposed to be protecting and training the folks in this village?"

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that. I trained both Kimberly and Galvana in archery and rapiers myself. They are making substantial progress, so they will train the rest of the elves. They sure won't mind if I go missing for a month or two!" says Josh, with a grin.

"But what about your wife? Is it okay to leave her like that?"

"No worries, it's not like I'm never coming back here again! What on earth are you thinking?"

"Oh, right, I guess..."

I manage a small smile, feeling relieved thanks to him.

The three of us sit there, swapping stories about Josh and Rodger from the days when Rodger was teaching Josh the basics of archery.

Both of them are having fun reminiscing the past, while I am sitting here, smiling at the view of their cheerful expressions.

Several hours later, we part ways. Rodger heads back to the survivors' area, while Josh and I return to his home.

…

"Took you long enough."

As we step into the house, Alpha greets us with a wave.

"Just a quick reunion. What's the rush?" Josh asks.

"Never mind then. If things are all good, we'll set out tomorrow. I'll make sure every village survivor safely reaches Orie. The elves don't seem too thrilled with them around."

"I'm with you on that," Josh agrees. "I'll make some preparations for tomorrow. You two can take it easy. Once I'm ready, I'll catch up with you on the journey."

"You what?" Alpha raises an eyebrow in disbelief.

"I'll be sticking with you guys for a bit! It's been a while since we had some quality time together, right?"

Alpha shoots me a curious look.

"He's not one to up and leave a place without reason. What did you do to him?"

"How should I know? I'm just happy we can travel as a trio again!" I give Alpha a shrug.

"I see."

Alpha heads toward the gate.

"I'm gonna go wander around. We've had enough of each other for tonight," he says before taking his leave.

With nothing else to do, I head to the backyard and practice with my Iron Sword.

…

The backyard presents a rather ordinary scene, surrounded by lush grass and trees. There's a collection of logs patiently waiting to be transformed into firewood, positioned beside a sturdy tree trunk sporting a trusty axe. Adjacent to this setup, an aged wooden bench adds a touch of rustic charm. Perched atop the bench are several tree trunks, with flat wooden boards, seemingly serving as the target for archery practice. Arrows are scattered around, evidence of previous attempts.

I decide to grab some of the logs, carefully placing them inside one of the tree trunks, arranging them in preparation for my target practice. With determination, I begin my training. However, my efforts to slash the wood don't seem to make much headway, leaving only minor scratches on the log. Frustration creeps in as I struggle to make progress.

Suddenly, I notice Galvana approaching, her silent steps betraying nothing on her bare feet. She steps right behind me and reaching for my sword with an air of authority.

"You've got it all wrong," she admonishes, her tone firm yet instructive. "Holding the sword like that, you might as well send it flying! Give me that thing."

I hand my sword over to Galvana. She grips it firmly, positioning it towards a nearby log.

"Watch."

With a swift motion, she slashes at the log.

"Gale Thrust!!"

BAM!!

The log splinters into pieces.

"If you take the right posture and apply some strength as you swing, the sword can be deadly. Let me teach you some basics. I have nothing to do besides boring guard duty."

Things turn from regular practice to lecturing because of my inability with my sword handling.

Galvana spend her time helping me maintain my posture and sometimes takes my sword to show me the postures and a few slashes.

But for some reason, she looks terribly embarrassed as she sometimes corrects my postures.

...

"That's all for today," Galvana says as she sheathes her rapier.

"Uh, thanks, I guess?"

"There's no need to thank me. I've trained a lot of newbies like you. It's not something to be thankful about," she says while folding her hands.

"Even so, thank you. I think I will be ready for the swordsman test later," I say while clenching my fist in determination.

With her pretty face in close proximity, Galvana reaches for something at her waist. My curiosity piqued, I feel a bit warm on my face as she deftly removes the feathered hat from my head, allowing my hair to cascade freely. In its place, she secures a dark green headband from her waist around my head, tying it in a way that feels both unexpected and oddly fitting.

"Make sure to take care of that long hair of yours. It's getting in your way for battle." Sighed, she pull the ties and glance into my face up close.

"You sure have a kind side to yourself. I am surprised."

"W-what's that supposed to mean!?" Galvana looks at me, blushing, "A-anyway, your hat is mine now! That's what you get for making fun of me, hmph!!"

She then rushes away in an instant.

…

I put my Iron Sword on the side of the house, then go inside to take a rest as I already feel the soreness of my shoulders again.

Just another day for me.

#

End of Chapter 8