The following morning, I find myself stirring in the same position where I had slumbered through the night. My outfit wraps me in its warmth, serving as blanket as I am still wearing nothing underneath. As my groggy gaze sweeps across the surroundings, I'm grateful that the elven folk don't tend to frequent this place at this early hour.

I look around me, and Galvana is nowhere to be seen. It strikes me that if she had lingered by my side until now, our actions from yesterday would have likely drawn the attention and suspicion of the other elves. Fortunately, elves aren’t visiting this ground very often, so I exhale a sigh of relief.

A trace of the sensation from our intimate embrace still lingers, a sweet reminder of what transpired between us. After a few more minutes of basking in that memory, I decide it's time to dress and make my way to Josh's residence, which conveniently is just at the front of the training ground.

…

I rap gently on the door of Josh's dwelling, the sound resonating through the morning air. In a matter of moments, the door swings open, accompanied by a sleepy yawn escaping from within.

"Good morning!" Josh's cheerful greeting carries through, although his still-swollen eyes and cheeks hint at a restless night.

"Morning," I respond, a smile gracing my lips.

"It seems you're feeling better now? We'll get back into the capital as soon as Kim finishes preparing our provisions."

I nod, taking a seat to await Kim's readiness. However, Josh's next question causes a rush of heat to color my cheeks as memories of last night with Galvana begin to resurface.

"By the way, where did you sleep last night? You weren't in your room."

My gaze drops to the ground, and my blush deepens as I grapple with the memory.

"Uh, I slept on the training grounds..." I mutter, my voice betraying my embarrassment.

Josh's brow furrows with suspicion, and I can't help but feel uneasy under his scrutiny.

"Huh..."

His scrutiny bores into my face, and I squirm uncomfortably under his gaze. Feeling utterly embarrassed, I resort to a playful attempt to divert his attention, shutting my eyes and gently pushing him away with both hands.

Startled by my unexpected response, Josh bursts himself into laughter. It starts as a chuckle but quickly escalates into a full-blown, hearty guffaw. His laughter echoes around us, filling the air with mirth, and his formerly drowsy trait vanishes entirely.

"Ugh," I grumble in mock annoyance.

"Seriously, you!? You startled me, damn it! Now, who's the lucky girl... Oh wait. I think I know!"

My expression reddens at his teasing, and I issue a stern warning, "I swear, if you tell anyone about this..."

But Josh, with his wide grin, already seems to have a pretty good idea of what happened between Galvana and me yesterday.

"Oh, right," I mutter begrudgingly to myself, "I almost forgot that he has experience, damn it."

"Haha, sorry, sorry...!! I just couldn't hold it in!" Josh's laughter continues to ripple through the air until Kimberly, his wife, approaches with a perplexed expression. Yet, having overheard our conversation earlier, she can't resist joining in the laughter.

Great. Now I think I just broke my promise with Galvana.

“It looks like somebody has just gotten a lover, hmm?” Kimberly flashes me a teasing smile, causing my face to redden entirely. In my thoughts, I desperately wish for a barrel to hide in until their laughter subsides.

… Little did they know, it’s no more just a one-night comfort. However, damn it, it doesn’t matter!!

Right after they are satisfied laughing, Kim then approach Josh with the Elder Bow on her hand.

"Here's your bow, bao. Make sure not to break it again next time."

"Thank you, hun!" Josh chimes in, giving Kim a quick kiss. He wipes away his tears of laughter and places his hand on my shoulder.

"Anyways, everything is ready. I think we should head out soon, before it turns to afternoon. Our lord over there needs the report, right?"

“Oh yeah, now that you mention it…” I sigh deeply, remembering the troublesome procedures that come with being a knight.

Josh heads toward the front door and pauses momentarily before spinning around to face me.

"Knowing Alpha, he's probably in the Capital by now, waiting for us."

I swallow hard, nodding in agreement, and follow him as we prepare to getting ourself back into the Capital, as I think I am ready to hear his answers.

…

We approach the village's front gate, our departure is momentarily halted by the presence of Galvana. She crosses her arms, avoiding direct eye contact.

"Elder, and… R-Raiken. Are you guys leaving now?"

Both Josh and I offer simultaneous nods, though Josh can't help but wear a mischievous smirk.

"Hey, Gal! How's it going?"

Galvana's puzzled expression invites further teasing from Josh.

"What do you mean, Elder?"

A sudden realization dawns on her, and her face reddens quickly. “W-wait wait! Did he tell you anything!?”

“N-No! Josh figured that out all by himself!!” I interject quickly, extending my hand in disagreement, my own face flushing with embarrassment once more.

Again, Josh burst into laughter after seeing both of our red faces.

"W-with all due respect, could you please shut up, Elder!?"

Josh's hearty laughter eventually subsides, and he offers a more heartfelt sentiment. "Okay, okay. I won't bother either of you anymore. But I'm grateful to have you here. You've managed to make Rai relax a lot and get back into his senses, and that's all that matters!"

Galvana releases a relieved sigh and attempts to maintain her composure, although her adorable, blushing face betrays her emotions. She approaches me and gently rests her forehead against my shoulder, a tension in the air as we both grapple with the desire to kiss each other.

"Rai, please stay safe and get stronger. Remember what I told you."

My hand tenderly caresses her cheek as I respond, "I will. Thank you for everything, Galvana..."

Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

“… I should be the one thanking you…” she mumbles, and we reluctantly release each other.

Around us, some of the elves and archers can't help but blush, discreetly placing their hands on their cheeks, though not daring to utter a word.

Shortly after this emotional reunion, Josh and I bid our farewells to the elves and proceed to exit the village, beginning our journey ahead.

"I hope the loggers won't slow us down," Josh remarks as we stand on the other side of the gate, his Elder Bow in hand.

“… I’ll try not to be a burden, Josh…” I respond, drawing my Bastard Sword and fixing my gaze upon the dark and eerie forest ahead.

Despite the morning light, Sylph Forest remains unchanged, cloaked in an impenetrable darkness as a foreboding mist shrouds its depths. We can sense the loggers lurking, ready to spring an ambush.

"What are you talking about, Pal? You've already shown remarkable improvement! Let's charge through them and make our way to the capital!"

I nod in agreement to Josh's words, and together, we dash into the heart of the forest, determined to reach the Capital of Orie. As we advance, we effortlessly dispatch the monsters that cross our path.

…

The journey to the capital stretches on for hours, and an uneasy feeling begins to creep into my mind as I travel alongside Josh. My thoughts keep drifting towards Alpha. Has he already reached the city ahead of us?

A deep sigh escapes my lips, prompting Josh to speak up, breaking the silence.

"Hey Rai, once we reach the capital, let's go straight to His Highness and file our report. He must be anxious to hear from us."

"Alright..." I respond with uncertainty.

"After that, I think we should part ways in the city. I have some other matters to attend to. As for you, you've grown skilled enough to handle tasks on your own. Feel free to take on quests at the guildhouse or pursue whatever interests you."

The realization that Josh will also be leaving me for a week weighs heavily on me. We've always been together, and the prospect of being alone fills me with unease. To be honest, I feel a bit helpless.

But, I reassure myself, maybe this is an opportunity to discover my own capabilities, at least for now.

…

After what seems like a considerable journey, we finally arrive at the grand Capital City of Orie. The city's imposing walls and gleaming steel-armored guards greet us as we approach the entrance. Six guards stand vigilant, their spears at the ready. One of them recognizes us and grants us passage.

"Before you proceed, please make sure to report to any of us if you spot any suspicious activity within the Capital. We've received word that a Wizard may be hiding among us," the guard cautions.

"Again?" I mutter, tilting my head to the side in mild annoyance. "What's the big deal about it, seriously."

Clearing his throat loudly, the soldier addresses me sternly, "AHEM. I heard you, young man. Maybe you should try to learn about our history sometime."

I stand up straight in shock, facing the soldier who spoke. "N-nevermind. I'll keep that in mind, thank you!"

"That's more like it. Open the gate!"

One of the other guards flips a switch on the left side of the gate, causing the massive iron doors to swing open wide, welcoming both Josh and me.

"Let's go," Josh says determined.

I nod, and we make our way straight to the castle located at the far end of the Capital City, noticing an increased presence of patrolling soldiers compared to our previous visits.

"It looks like they were serious about the wizard thing," Josh muses, placing his hand under his chin. "Honestly, they're doing this to prevent any of the incidents you've been through from happening again in the city. The citizens would have a tough time dealing with them."

I find myself lost in thought, reflecting on the past. Indeed, during the trial with Duke, a mysterious female summoner in a purple cloak, her face barely visible, had summoned an orc that had given Duke and me a formidable challenge. It's thanks to Alpha and Josh that we managed to overcome the orc.

Shivers course down my spine as I recall that intense battle with the hulking beast.

Before I know it, we arrive in front of the castle, its grandeur accentuated by the large, round garden adorned with a multitude of colorful flowers. Without much hesitation, Josh exchanges greetings with one of the guards stationed there, and we make our way inside the great hall.

...

"Greetings!" Josh and I bow in unison as we stand before Horroundeous.

"I see you're both back. Where is General Alpha?" Horroundeous inquires, and from his words, it becomes apparent that Alpha has yet to return.

"I will handle the report," Josh whispers to me before straightening up. He proceeds to recount our encounter in Ezlea Village, detailing how the villagers had been transformed into ghouls and revealing that one of them, Amy, had been turned into a demon through an unknown spell.

"Our weapons have no effect on the ghouls. They regenerate as soon as we separate their bodies," Josh adds, providing additional information about the two individuals they encountered along with Alpha—the one with a pointed nose and another figure with dark-yellow hair seen peeking from beneath a cloak.

"I see," Horroundeous responds, his expression growing more serious. "Thank you for your service. Please report to me as soon as you find General Alpha. I would like to speak with him personally. For now, you're dismissed until further notice."

Josh and I place our hands over our chests in a salute and turn to leave the Great Hall.

...

"Ugh... I'll never get used to that," Josh remarks with a stretch of his arms as we pass through the garden in front of the castle. "All this formality makes me sick."

I let out a light chuckle for agreement, and he turns to face me.

"Anyways, Pal," he says, grasping both my shoulders, "I'm leaving you here now. I've got something else to take care of from this point, and I need to do it alone. So, I'll see you again in about a week!"

Curiosity tugs at me, and I inquire, "Where are you planning to go, Josh, if I may ask?"

Josh straightens up, scratching the back of his head as he replies, "It's about the elves. I want to try talking to someone I know in the capital and persuade them to either send guards to help the elves or have the elves stationed here for their safety. I'm really worried about my people, so I'll do everything I can to protect them."

His reasoning makes sense, and I offer him a brief nod.

"Alright, Josh. Please let me know the good news once you're done."

With a nod of his own, Josh begins to walk away, waving his hand as he goes.

…

With some time to spare and Josh on his own mission, I decide to follow his suggestion and head towards the Guildhouse.

"Welcome to the Guildhouse!" A friendly smile greets me as a sweet-looking girl with dark orange hair, clad in a green apron, takes notice of my arrival. "Are you alone today?"

I remember her as the girl who had shown interest in Josh during a previous encounter.

"Yes, my friends are on another mission, so I thought I'd take on some quests while I wait for their return."

"Hmm," the receptionist nods, her disappointment well concealed. "Alright! First, please choose the type of quest you'd like to undertake."

"I'd like to try a [C]-rank quest, please."

"Alright, a [C]-rank quest it is! Let's see..." She reaches for a book bearing a [C] on its cover and flips through its pages. "Aha! Here it is!"

With that, she retrieves a piece of paper from the book, ready to present me with my next challenge.

"This is a hunting mission. You'll encounter various creatures blocking your way. According to the information, you need to hunt down a magical creature lurking inside a sealed cave to the east, near the sea."

"Magical creature?"

"Yes, we really don't have many details at the moment because we've never encounter such things in centuries. We'd like you to hunt them and bring back their body parts, if there really are some, anything is fine. That way, we can analyze them and share the information with other adventurers."

"Okay..." I reply, rubbing my head.

"It's settled! Please sign here to begin your quest!"

I glance at the paper, realizing I don't really have a distinctive signature. With a playful shrug, I doodle something random, which elicits a giggle from the receptionist as she sees my improvised signature. She then proceeds to stamp the paper.

"The quest duration is eight days. Make sure to report back before the specified date to receive the full reward!"

Taking the quest paper from her, I begin to walk away slowly, waving in response to her goodbye.

#

End of Chapter 24.