“You're leaving this town?”

“Yes, mother.”

Belied her calm voice, Sinthia made a worrisome expression.

“It is the will of our goddess. Please do not worry.” Darwyn tried to calm her down with his words but the way he delivered them worsen the mood of Sinthia.

Why would she not? Darwyn always pushed himself outside his boundaries, he always kept all the troubles for himself.

He will suffer and yet no one will know...

How could a mother just stand and watch her child be a burden with such fate?

“Darwyn, dear, do you really have to do this?” She closed her distance to Darwyn with her old and ragged body.

12 years ago, it was Darwyn who was looking up to her, but now, she cannot even stretch her neck enough just to see at him in the eyes.

Shrugging his helmet here and there, Darwyn grunted with his low voice. “I have to. I will go back as soon as I'm finished.”

“And when will that be?”

“...I don't know.”

I thought so. He might be rough around the edges but he was a good kid. She still remembered the day when he became the first A-ranked adventurer of this town.

Oh! How happy was she, and yet, her heart almost splits in two. Someday he will face a quest that he cannot finish alone.

“Are you sure that Liliana will help you to your quest?”

“Even if she didn't want to, I'll still go.”

“So you're not sure then...”

She blinked and sighed in resignation. It's no use, he's not backing down. O Aversia, please guide my child... I don't know what I'll do if something bad happens to him.

She recited a small prayer from the bottom of her heart, she knew for sure, that somewhere in the realms of gods, Aversia was listening.

“I'll be leaving mother,” Darwyn said. She didn't answer but she saw him off with a nod.

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From her eyes, she can see the figure of the still child Darwyn. That child was silent and awkward, he was scared of insects and such.

The sight of Darwyn became clouded with her tears, she wept silently while thinking of how great it would be if Darwyn would come back safe.

***

Tracing down the road that he was so familiar with, Darwyn walked as his armor made clamor.

His huge appearance and the sound of him rattling gathered gazes from all directions.

Some greeted him with a smile, some looked at him in awe, after all, he was the hero of this town.

Stumbling upon playing children with their wooden swords and wooden shield, Darwyn glanced them with their eyes.

They are playing pretend, the tallest kid was the king and the average one was the knights. The four girls laughed as they are the princess of their own country.

From his left, a traveling merchant shouted as he brandished the fine goods he picked up during his travel.

The familiar faces of townies surrounded the merchant with great interest, browsing through his sea of merchandise.

His feet didn't stop walking, slowly, but steadily, he arrived at the Adventurer's Guild.

His heavy steps made a loud thud at the wooden floor of the guild. The smell of alcohol wafted in his nose, wasted adventurers laid on the table early in the morning.

He searched for the place, ignoring all the rumbling and the chaos, in one particular table, one girl was sitting with a bored expression.

Holding her wooden staff, she sips from the juice from her mug. Soon enough, her eyes noticed Darwyn as it widens in joy.

She made a gesture with her hand as if saying “Come here come here!” excitedly.

Darwyn headed to the cheerful Liliana, then sat down on the old yet strong chair of the guild. The chair complained at the weight of Darwyn with a loud squeak.

“So what happened.”

“Hey, you should greet me first.” Liliana frowned at the stone-cold attitude of Darwyn. Every adventurer should start their morning with a greeting from their friend.

“...Good morning.”

“Hehehe! That's it!” Liliana slapped his armor coated shoulder Clang!

“Ouch...” After hitting the metal, she retracted her hand with a pained expression. “That hurts...” She has no idea that his armor was this sturdy. That's embarrassing. She thought with a red face.

“So what happened.” Darwyn didn't mind her antics as she repeated his words earlier.

Hearing his question, Liliana smiled smugly while gulping down her drinks.

“Curious? Are you nervous huh?” Liliana said as she rested her face to her hand.

“Not really.” Short blunt answer. A completely characteristic answer for him, which made Liliana grin even more.

“I will tell you then! After a long and compelling argument, my party decided to let their leader go!”

But the reality was her party was fine with it. The arguments were a lie and were just her making it a tad bit cooler.

“Now that I have no party anymore, who would take care of the sweet and innocent me?” She leaned on the table and peered into Darwyn.

Her soft pink hair shivered with her sudden movement. Despite this, Darwyn didn't back down and stay still from his position.

“Erk... Would you like to party with me?” She was so close that she could hear his armor vibrating from his voice. She realized this and backed away, blushing.

“I-it's not like I don't have a choice do I?” Liliana crossed her arms with only one of her eyes open. I looked like a tsundere now don't I? As always, silly thoughts relevant to the topic filled her head.

“Then, we shall leave now.” Violently, he stood up. The surprised Liliana was quick to follow with her wooden staff to her still-developing chest.

“Already!” She exclaimed as she desperately catching up to his steps.

“Yes, there's no time to waste.” He almost punched through the door of the guild just to open it. The carriage was already waiting for them, the sooner they leave, the sooner they can come back.

He glanced at Liliana, she was almost running just to catch up to him. Then, he slowed down his pace.

Liliana regained her breathing silently, still wearing the same smile she has during their first meeting.

“Is something matter?” Slowly, she gazed at him, tilting her head in curiosity.

She came with him without question, the trust she was giving to Darwyn made him, somehow, happy.

“Thank you.” He said, before looking back at the road. The sound of clattering crowd enveloped the two of them, then after three seconds of lull, his words finally registered in her mind.

“Wha...What! What did you say! Did you just thanked me!? Did I just triggered some sort of event!?” Panicking, Liliana inquired the silent Darwyn, but the man in question remained silent.

Incomprehensible as always. From his vision that was hindered by his helmet, a faint smile, ever so slightly, formed on his face.