The forest around them was still and silent, the darkness of the night broken only by the faint light of the moon filtering through the dense canopy.Edward lay in his makeshift bedroll, his mind a whirl of thoughts that refused to let him rest.

They had finally decided they would enter town at daybreak, and although Edward didn’t want to admit it, he was scared—scared of being caught, scared of dying. Whenever this thought crossed his mind, he tried to reassure himself: Who isn’t scared of death? It’s normal; just ignore it and focus on the task.

But that didn’t stop the fear from surfacing. It was apparent from the nightmares he’d been having recently—nightmares about his parents dying. Because of this, he had become somewhat of an insomniac. Sleep came to him with difficulty, and when it did, it was torture rather than rest. He was slowly reaching his limit.

He glanced around the camp, taking in the sight of the No-Names on guard duty, their silent vigilance a small comfort in the oppressive night. Edward knew he wouldn’t find sleep anytime soon, so he quietly rose and made his way to the edge of the camp.

When he reached the edge, he saw Rick sitting there, gazing at the moonlit trees.

“Trouble sleeping?” Edward asked as he sat down beside Rick.

“Yeah,” Rick replied, his voice a low murmur.

“Hey, Ed, I’ve been thinking… are we doing the right thing?”

Edward looked at him, puzzled. “What do you mean?”

“I mean saving Lizzie. Are we really sure she’ll be safe with us? Or are we even sure she’s alive? We might be walking into a trap for nothing.”

Edward fell silent, contemplating Rick’s words. It wasn’t as if the thought hadn’t crossed his mind before. But since he found no answers, he could only hope that Lizzie was still alive and well. As for her safety with them, well…

“I’ve had my doubts about her being alive, but there’s nothing we can do about that, is there? We can only hope. As for her being safe with us, she doesn’t have to stay with us. We can leave her somewhere safe after this.”

“Hope, huh,” Rick sighed softly.

“What brought this on?” Edward asked.

“I don’t think I can go on for much longer. All of this… it’s just too much, you know? I tried distracting myself by training fiercely and doing other tasks, but I can’t… I can’t stop thinking about them.”

Edward didn’t need to be told who Rick was referring to. He was the same—haunted by the death of their father and the possibility that their mother was also dead. It was a burden he found heavier with each passing day.

“So this made me think,” Rick continued, his voice hoarse, “are we even in the right here? Mom and Dad couldn’t do it, so what makes us think we can do better?”

Edward had no answer. If it weren’t for his father leaving him the throne, he wouldn’t even have fought for it when Edward III came for it. And if the red book weren’t a family heirloom tied to their lineage, he would have given the damn thing away. They were just two kids trying to survive in this world.

Is that so much to ask? Edward thought.

“Life forces choices on us,” someone said softly.

Looking to his right, Rick saw that it was his archery teacher, Elena, her gaze steady.

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“Some we make willingly; others are thrust upon us without our consent. It’s normal to feel overwhelmed by it all, but what matters is how we push through.”

Rick and Edward stared at her in silence.

“Sorry, I couldn’t help but overhear while I was on guard duty,” she said as she approached them. “You know, if it helps, you could always pray,” she added, showing them the cross necklace she was wearing. “It helps to know that no matter what, there’s someone greater than you watching your every step, ready to help.”

Edward smiled softly. “Haha, thank you, Elena. I guess I’ll try that and see if it can help.”

Rick also smiled. He knew that dwelling on their doubts wouldn’t help their situation, and giving up wasn’t the answer.

“We should get some rest,” Elena urged. “Tomorrow will be a long day.”

Reluctantly, the brothers agreed and returned to their bedrolls. But as Edward lay down, his thoughts continued to churn. He knew that their path forward would not be easy, but he was determined to see it through.

...

The next morning, the camp was abuzz with activity as the No-Names helped Edward and Rick prepare their disguises. They would enter the town posing as merchants, a plan they had devised to gather the necessary supplies without arousing suspicion.

Edward and Rick would be the sons of a wealthy merchant, with Hans—an experienced No-Name and their dagger skills teacher—posing as the merchant himself. Derrick would accompany them as a butler, and twenty-eight more No-Names would follow them as ordinary workers carrying supplies. The remaining sixty-three No-Names, including Elena, would stay outside the town on standby. If anything happened, they would rush in immediately.

Edward concentrated as he used his magic to alter the facial features of himself and Rick, since they were the ones known by sight. He knew the alterations wouldn’t last long; such magic required deep mastery and a vast mana pool—neither of which he possessed yet.

It was easy to throw out fireballs and firewalls; you just needed enough mana. But spells like alteration required a wizard with deep mastery.

Derrick nodded in approval as he adjusted Edward’s cloak. “It’ll do. Just remember, if anyone gets too close, try to avoid them. We can’t afford any slip-ups.”

Rick frowned as he examined his reflection in a small mirror. “This will hold up, right?”

“It’ll have to,” Edward replied, trying to sound more confident than he felt. “Otherwise, we’re screwed.”

With their disguises in place and their group ready, they set off for the town. The journey was uneventful, but tension hung in the air as they approached the gates. The guards at the checkpoint were gruff and suspicious, but after a tense exchange, they were allowed to pass without incident.

Once inside the town, they wasted no time finding an inn where they could stay for the week. The White Hart Inn was modest and affordable, the kind of place where they could blend in without drawing too much attention. After securing their rooms, Edward decided to explore the town.

The bustling streets were a stark contrast to the quiet solitude of the forest. Edward observed the townspeople going about their daily lives, their faces a mix of joy and struggle. He saw merchants haggling over prices, children playing in the dirt, and beggars huddled in the shadows. But he also saw the darker side of life—men being beaten for debts they couldn’t pay, thieves lurking in alleyways, and the desperate looks of those who had nothing left.

He felt sorry for them but knew better than to get involved. He couldn’t risk exposing himself or his brother. The world was harsh, and saving one person wouldn’t change that—it would only put them in more danger.

As night fell, Edward returned to the inn, noticing Hans and Derrick talking outside. As he approached, they noticed him too.

“Young master, you’re back,” Hans greeted.

“Yes.”

“Was the town entertaining?”

“Well, yes, it’s a nice town all things considered, but I have to ask: why are some parts of the town completely destroyed? They can’t have done it on purpose, right?”

Hans exchanged a glance with Derrick before answering. “The town’s been through a lot of turmoil. The wars between the Yorks and Lancasters left this place in ruins. It’s a miracle it’s even standing today.”

Edward went into deep thought. He had read about the long-standing enmity between his family and the Lancasters, the endless battles for control of the throne. It was a bitter history, one that had left scars on the land and its people.

At that moment, Rick came outside, looking at the group.

“Hey, come inside. Food is ready… what’s wrong with you?” he asked as he noticed Edward’s expression.

Derrick explained what had happened, which made Rick even more confused.

“What are you thinking, Ed?”

Edward suddenly smiled to himself. “It might not be as impossible as we thought.”

“What’s not impossible?” Rick asked, even more puzzled.

In response, Edward only smiled at him. “Let’s eat first. After all, the food is getting cold.”