Ascalon sat beside his two friends, the park scene before him overlapping with a barren battlefield in his memories. Smoke columns rose from scorched beasts, blasted by the mages’ firepower. A tower lay destroyed, and around the debris and corpses, a group of armored soldiers celebrated animatedly.

He reminisced about a specific conquest, a moment when his company of knights gathered around him, their faces full of joy and pride—quite the contrast with the ravaged land around them. Yet even if Ascalon could picture their smiles, the memories were blurry and their visages were a bit obscured. It had been such a long time.

One of them laughed loudly, patting him on the shoulder. “With this, the outer kingdoms won’t dare ignore us anymore, I say!” Said the man with effusiveness, a couple of the others nodding in agreement.

“Aye, I must agree! It is said that our company’s feats are traveling far and wide!” Added another voice, pumping a fist in the air. Then, a more nervous voice chimed in.

“W-we should ask for a coat of arms! I shall have the tailors embroider it on my flag!” His proposal was met with excitement, as everyone started to hum and agree.

“That’s a marvelous idea, Robetorick! The mere sight of our company’s emblem should instill fear in our enemies, as you raise your flag and tower over evil!” Everyone cheered, shoving Robetorick around as they ruffled his hair. He smiled in happiness.

Then, one of the figures stepped in. “I would like us to have an emblem we can carry around, too, like a token of our camaraderie. We can’t have Robetorick hogging all the glory!”

Once again, the group laughed and agreed. “A fine idea! But as for Ascalon, we should add it to his armor, so he can display it on the battlefield. That will engrave it in the memory of our foes and allies alike!” Ascalon chuckled, his smile a sad but gentle one.

Then, little by little, the images started to disappear, replacing them with Lilithra and Selorien, who were peeking at him. Ascalon brought up his inventory interface, and equipped his armor. “This is our coat of arms.” He said with resolution, as he put the emblem beside his chest, where the same symbol was engraved in his armor.

Lilithra and Selorien appraised it curiously, and the girl replied. “It looks cool!” Were her words, as she smiled, still leaning on the knight.

Selorien looked a bit pensive, and promptly spoke. “It’s unreal that you managed to find an item from your world… And it’s even related to you, what the hell?” He couldn’t help but voice his disbelief.

Ascalon himself thought the elf was right. It was too much of a coincidence—once again, the word fate came to mind. He appraised the emblem, and a strange feeling overcame him.

⌠ “C~~ ~ou h~~r ~~ ~o~~e…?” ⌡

He looked around, sensing a gaze upon him, but just like in the store, he couldn’t perceive anything unusual. Was he still shaken from the emblem’s discovery? Or was it an aftereffect of being thrown into a new world? Perhaps he hadn’t realized how taxing it was for his mind, all these events one after the other.

As he wondered, Lilithra poked his cheek with a finger, startling him. “You okay?” Her gentle voice dissipated his worrying thoughts, and he smiled at her.

“Yes… Sorry. I was reminiscing about the day we decided to create this emblem.” He resumed what he initially wanted to convey.

“Our flag-bearer had the idea. Now I look back, and recall. We really took our time before figuring out a symbol we all agreed on.” His smile turned a bit sad, and Lilithra felt her chest tighten.

Selorien let out a confident 'hmmph', and said with a bold smile. “It’s a simple symbol, but I’m with Lil, it looks cool.” Ascalon appreciated those words, as he nodded. Then, Lilithra tilted her head, a thoughtful visage taking over.

“Do you think one of your companions came here?” She wanted to know the answer to a question the knight had already asked himself.

“No… Well, I am not certain. It is a possibility—though none of my comrades would sell their emblem. I know they would rather die of hunger than do so…” No knight of his company would forsake the emblem; he could be sure of that. But still, he was certain they had perished in front of him—throughout their last crusade, and against that malevolent demon they fought.

But could one of his brothers-in-arms have survived their last fight? Had they come to New Lumingard, and lost the emblem? Or had something happened to them somehow? Maybe a completely unrelated party had picked up the symbol. There were many variables and mysteries still.

Seeing his conflicted expression, Lilithra took a moment to think, trying to find the right words to tell the knight.

“Well, no use stressing over it right now! We have to wait for Claude anyway. We’ll help you out, too! But at this rate, smoke is going to come out of your ears, hehe!” She spoke animatedly, but he didn’t quite fully grasp what she meant.

Still, seeing her smiling expression, he couldn’t help but agree with her. He had to remain patient. There would come a time to pursue these matters, but for now, he had no leads to follow.

He unequipped his armor, the jacket his friends bought him appearing over him again, and reclined on the bench. Lilithra beamed with delight, thinking of how much it suited him, and mimicked his actions. She then pondered for a moment, about the emblem and the harpy feather.

“Hmm. We really need an appraiser.” She spoke her thoughts out loud, and Selorien nodded in agreement, while Ascalon peered at them with curiosity.

“Yeah, we grabbed that feather by chance… we need someone to look at our stuff while we’re still inside the dungeons.” Said the elf, who side-eyed Ascalon. Seeing his confusion, he decided to explain.

“Ah… Imagine someone like Claude that can see the value or effects of an item. Appraisers do just that. There’s many appraisal skills but neither Lil nor I have one.” Selorien shrugged, as Lilithra nodded. Seemed like having an appraiser companion would be quite handy.

Just when Ascalon began to consider the matter of the appraiser, Selorien got up and stretched his long limbs, prompting Lilthra to question him. “You leaving, Selly?” She asked curiously. Selorien shot her a bothered gaze, his expression one of anticipated exhaustion.

“Yeah, sorry guys. I have to dine with grandpa today… and he’s always a hassle about time and whatnot, so I’m going early.”

Lilithra looked a bit taken aback, and shrank slightly. “Oh… Okay, uhm, have fun!” She stated nervously, Ascalon picking up on her subtle demeanor.

Selorien sighed, clearly conflicted. “Yeah… I’m sure it will be 'fun'. Don’t do anything cool without me, I’ll catch up later, okay?” He turned around, his laid-back movements ever present. But before he started walking, he jumped slightly as he thought of something.

He looked back, a mischievous grin on his face. “And Lady Lil, even if you two are alone, try to show some restraint!” For a second, she didn’t really understand and tilted her head.

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Then, as realization hit her, her face reddened furiously. “Wha-?!” She exclaimed in protest, as the elf quickly rushed into invisibility.

He had even used a skill to avoid Lilithra’s outburst! Ascalon sat confused beside Lilithra, not understanding the hidden meaning behind the elf’s words. The girl shifted nervously, her shoulder grazing him. She immediately jumped up, standing tall with her back facing the knight, her baggy hoodie softly bouncing.

She fanned her face with both hands, trying to cool the warmth assailing her cheeks, suddenly feeling self-conscious. “Haha… I wonder what he was on about?!” She said nervously, in a more effusive way than she initially wanted. Ascalon gazed at her with curiosity, but his attention wandered elsewhere.

He noticed that one of the presences tailing him had approached closer than usual, but once they noticed their distance, they hurriedly retreated. What a blunder, thought the knight, but an idea surfaced in his mind.

“Ah… good timing.” He spoke softly, but Lilithra heard him and turned around in curiosity. Ascalon got up, and fixed his good eye on the presence’s direction, his gaze commanding them to come closer. He could feel the person tensing up in the distance.

After a few moments of what seemed deliberation, the unknown figure approached. Lilithra, following Ascalon’s gaze, peered at a seemingly ordinary businesswoman. She was tall, with black hair, and walked on long heels. She wore a black blazer over a white, buttoned shirt, and a black skirt that complemented her office look.

Her face had a nervous look on it, sweat glistening on her forehead, and her green eyes were focused solely on the knight, as if scared to look away. Lilithra got over her sheepish mood, and tilted her head in confusion as her eyes narrowed.

Ascalon approached the woman, who tensed up even more. “I apologize for my manners, but I need to relay a message to Sir Ron.” At his words, the woman seemed to ease up, her shoulders slumping in relief.

She took a moment to think, conflicted feelings appearing on her visage, and answered. “A-alright…” Lilithra’s gaze wandered from Ascalon to the lady, as she still felt out of the loop.

Then, the knight spoke once again. “I would like to request the funds he offered me.” He stated, realization washing over the woman’s face.

She nodded, and let a moment pass before speaking out again. “Anything else…?” She asked with reluctance, as if she wanted to limit the interaction as much as she could.

Ascalon let out a contemplative 'hmmm' and crossed his arms, recalling a very important detail that he needed to share with Ron. “Ah, yes. He may already know, but I am currently living at The Chalice tavern. Err, bar, I mean, in the… Southern district?” He asked, gazing at Lilithra, who nodded in response.

She had understood what was going on, but still didn’t quite get where the girl popped up from. It was as if Ascalon summoned her, somehow.

Ascalon’s next words answered some of her doubts. “And also, tell Sir Ron that I’m finding the… 'escorting', incredibly unpleasant.” Lilithra took a moment to dwell on those words, before she found a conclusion that made the most sense, taking into account Ascalon’s situation as a wanderer.

Were they being monitored by headquarters—spied on?! Her face reddened slightly as thoughts swirled in her head.

The woman nodded once again, her expression showing signs of agitation, and Ascalon bowed in gratitude. At his gesture, she understood she was allowed to go, and gained some distance in a rush. She seemed really shaken up, but Ascalon thought he was doing her a service. Now she would be more careful, maybe would even polish her skills.

What he didn’t consider is that she could have been traumatized, too. But he was indeed tired of being tailed.

Lilithra poked his side frantically and spoke to him with a worried expression. “Are we being followed? Since when?” She questioned the knight, who answered plainly.

“From the moment we left headquarters, the other day.” These words did nothing to ease her agitation, as her eyes opened wide in realization.

“Since the other day?! And they’ve been following us around all this time?! Don't tell me… do they spy on us even at home, like, when I’m in the bath or something?!” He met her inquisitive gaze, her expression one of complete panic. But he put a hand on her shoulder, trying to reassure her.

“Do not worry, I can assure you their attention has been solely on me, Lady Lilithra.” At his words, she let out a big sigh, and calmed down a bit. She still felt a bit embarrassed, but it wasn’t as bad as it could have been.

She approached the bench and sat down again, seemingly exhausted after her moment of distress.

“I can’t believe Mr. Ron… wait… no, scratch that, I can actually believe it.” She spoke with an annoyed tone, her face reflecting the feeling. Ascalon smiled at her, agreeing with her distaste for the situation. He didn’t mind as much at first, but now he was cherishing the private moments he had with his friends, and didn’t want others to invade that privacy.

If Ron would take no heed of his words, he would bring the complaint in person, and Ascalon wasn’t one to be roundabout about things. As if answering to his thoughts, the presences tailing him dispersed at the same time. It seems Ron had been contacted, and complied with Ascalon’s subtle request.

He stood in front of the girl, who peeked at him from below, a cute sight to behold. “They are now gone. Seems Sir Ron is a reasonable man.” His voice was gentle but bold, relishing the freeing feeling.

Lilithra beamed and stood up in one jump, almost bumping her head on the knight’s chin. She giggled nervously and sidestepped him, as her phone suddenly started to ring.

“Huh, no way, is it Mr. Ron?!” She asked, suspicious of the timing of the call. But as soon as she fetched her device, her face turned sour. Ascalon knew immediately who the caller was, going by her expression.

She fiddled with the screen in reluctance, and an effusive voice could be heard coming from the speakers. “Heeeeeey Lil! How is my sweet red-haired bean today?!” Asked Lucio, Lilithra’s Guildmaster.

She didn’t really want to answer, and it showed on her face, but forced herself to do it anyway. “I’m fine, Guildmaster haha… Is something the matter?” She looked at Ascalon, who remained silently watching the smartphone.

“So cold! Ah, my poor heart! Anyway! I made the arrangements!” His voice showed a bit of excitement, and Lilithra half-closed her eyes in confusion.

As silence reigned over the call, Lucio spoke again. “Did you already forget, you silly girl?! Is Selly not there to make fun of you?!” Lilithra puffed her cheeks, and answered in irritation.

“He’s not here, no! Sorry I’m so dumb!” Ascalon smiled awkwardly, as the Guildmaster’s voice rang again.

“I’ll speak plainly, then! I traveled far and wide, many hurdles paved my path as-” But as he dramatically adorned his words, Lilithra burst out in annoyance.

“That’s not plainly, Guildmaster!” At her words, a smug laugh could be heard coming from the speakers. Even Ascalon was feeling a bit annoyed!

Lucio cleared his throat, and finally took things seriously. “Alright listen up. Three days from now, we’ll fight the Fists in the colosseum. You and Selly are on the roster, of course. Good luck!” And with these words, he hung up. Lilithra raised her hand high and was about to smash her phone to the ground, her body trembling in anger.

She took a few breaths, and slowly lowered her arm, calming herself and saving her phone, which disappeared into her hoodie’s pocket. Sighing with exhaustion, she fidgeted in place, her expression serious and anxious.

“The colosseum?” Asked Ascalon, who stood closer beside her. She looked up to meet his gaze, and then faced the distance.

“Yeah… when Guilds want to settle matters, uh, 'officially', they go to the colosseum…” She explained, and Ascalon showed a curious expression. She rested her gaze on him again.

“Usually it’s like matches between the Guilds members, and the Guild that wins more battles… Uhm, wins.” Ascalon nodded, getting the gist of it.

Then, Lilithra grabbed her head with both hands, and let out a conflicted grunt. “Agh I’m nervous! Tons of people go watch these, and bet, and stuff! And the winning Guild gets more fame and sponsors and whatnot, but the losing one… I’m feeling the pressure already!!!” She shouted, panicking. He found the sight a bit amusing, but decided to cheer her up.

“Then I guess it is my time to shine.” Lilithra looked at him, tilting her head in confusion. “Should we start training?” Asked the knight, a half smile on his face. As realization hit her, her eyes sparkled and her mouth widened into an excited grin.

It seemed it was finally time for her to train with the knight of knights! She nodded effusively, multiple times.

“I’ve been waiting for this! There’s no time to waste, let’s go!!!” She exclaimed with enthusiasm, suddenly bursting into a dash. Ascalon was a bit taken aback for a moment, then laughed at her eagerness and promptly ran after her. It was a good warm-up, after all.

With The Chalice as their destination, they trotted along the streets—they had three days for her to become even a little bit stronger.