The long trek through the woodlands was quiet and unsettling.

Shifting her focus from the bright, morning horizon to her quiet male escort walking ahead of her, Estelle couldn't help but tighten her grip on both of her gloved hands.

Since their grand escape by climbing down her balcony, the next course of action was to simply depart for the metropolitan city, Heliord.

And as the thought of stepping foot outside the manor for the very first time settled in, she knew that now was not the most appropriate time to openly express her joy.

Especially since she had barely made it out alive of what one might describe as a massacre.

And what's more, her loved ones—Ioder, Uncle, Master Drake…how their fates remained uncertain as they are currently missing in action.

Bringing her joined hands close to her lips, she closed her eyes and muttered a silent prayer. "Please be safe…"

While chanting the same words over and over, she failed to take notice of Yuri who had abruptly stopped midway in his tracks. As a result, she found herself bumping into him in the process, face-first against his lean back.

Regaining her balance, she quickly resorted to bowing her head in respect. "My apologies!" She immediately cried out of habit. "I didn't see you there."

Yuri gazed at her in confusion.

"You don't need to keep saying sorry all the time," He advised her, resting his hand on his hip and sighing. "Anyway," Lifting his arm high, he darted a finger toward the skyscrapers and nearby infrastructures a few distances away from where they stood. "Look, we're already here."

Estelle followed his line of vision and blinked. "…We are?" And looked up.

Without bothering to wait for her, Yuri strode forward.

Taking note of his absence beside her, she exclaimed, "Oh, wait!" And chased after him.

A few minutes passed until they finally made their way inside the downtown area of Heliord.

Looking around, Estelle smiled, her seafoam eyes twinkling as she took in every single moving and flashing image, person, bulletin board, sculpture, and colossal gothic structures all around her.

Such a hustle and bustle, overcrowded area—the smell of air pollution and gasoline by the passing vehicles over the highway, the many multi-spectrum of colors dazzling the public venues and the long, winding streets beyond her reach and as far as one can see—was truly a sight to behold.

Through the course of her childhood, Estelle had heard of personal accounts by the manor staff whom would often visit the urban environment. And now, the tall tales which she absorbed long ago have finally manifested into fruition before her.

"This is Heliord…" She spoke softly to herself, completely in awe by the refreshing scenery. Too distracted with her surroundings, she didn't realize that she had mindlessly wandered into the crosswalk when the flashing red sign prohibited any individual from doing so. Before she knew it—

A screeching noise erupted on her right. Before she could comprehend what was going on, an unknown force suddenly pulled her back, causing her to stumble backward. The second she was forcedly moved out of the way, a large truck zoomed pass by, blasting its muffled roar like a maniac.

Estelle's eyes widened twice its size, her heart pounding fast as she tried to process what just occurred.

"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?"

Blinking, Estelle turned to face an agitated looking Yuri. "I…"

"Don't look at me like that!" He spat out, shooting her a glare. "What the hell were you thinking walking right into a busy street like that? You almost got yourself killed!"

Estelle bit her lower lip.

She had only stepped foot into the outside world for about a few hours and she was already making a mess of things. If not for Yuri, her life as she knew it would've been gone in a blink of an eye. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she once again uttered a soft-spoken apology.

Taking note of her trembling figure, Yuri brought his hand upwards to nurse his throbbing forehead. "Look," He spoke up, looking elsewhere. "Why don't you stay close to me, alright?"

No response.

"Hey, you still with me?"

Estelle slowly nodded her head in agreement.

Yuri frowned.

Seizing her wrist, he gently pulled her along to a nearby area where it was less overcrowded. When he was certain that they were alone, he leaned a bit closer to her ear.

"I'm guessing this is your first time in a big city, huh?" He asked her, making sure to lower his voice to prevent others from eavesdropping on them. Gaining a nod, he mustered a smile. "Then don't worry about it. People make mistakes, especially when they get exposed to something that's new for them."

Again, she nodded.

"It's terrifying but once you get the hang of it, you won't be as afraid as you were just now," Yuri advised, crossing his arms over his chest. "And next time, make sure to look out for the sign."

Finally, Estelle peered up to face him. Her lips crinkled to form a tiny smile. "Thank you, Yuri," She expressed, blinking away the tears that were threatening to spill from the corner of her eyes.

Yuri grinned. "That's what I'm here for," He replied, "Come on, we should get moving." And walked ahead.

Again, Estelle nodded, this time with a bright smile on her face.

As they wandered along the streets, Yuri's ears picked up a few mutterings here and there.

"Who do you think they are?"

"Are they cosplaying?"

"They look so pretty!"

While walking, he snuck a glance at Estelle's slightly tattered expensive teal dress, then at the knightly garb he was donning.

Yuri sighed heavily. Judging by their choice of outfits alone, it's no surprise that they were attracting unwanted attention from their unintended audience in the background.

From a bystander's perspective, the pair literally looked as if they had warped themselves from another world. What's more, the weapons in their possession further supported this notion. Looking around, he caught sight of a clothing store not too far away from them.

Angling his body to the right, Yuri quickened his pace with Estelle being pulled along for the ride.

Confused, Estelle asked, "Where are we going?"

Peeking over his shoulder, he smirked cheekily. "Shopping."

The bell situated on top of the entrance resonated throughout the entire store, signaling customers.

Forcing a grin on her face, the cashier cried out, "Welcome to the— "

Before she could finish her sentence, her words died in her throat as she saw the odd-looking duo enter. Unfortunately, she didn't have the chance to question them as she was suddenly drawn by a pair of narrowed ebony eyes staring back at her. At the sight of the tall handsome man approaching her, the cashier shuffled nervously in her spot.

"Do you have a spare of clothes we can use?" Yuri asked her. "It's an emergency."

The cashier gulped, her cheeks somewhat burning crimson. "Uhh…" She stammered, resisting the urge to melt right then and there upon hearing the sound of his deep, low voice. "Yes! Yes, we do!" She then stretched her arm to her right, "Over there, you will find apparels suitable for a gentleman," And directed to her opposing left. "And over here, clothes suitable for a lady."

Hearing this, Yuri smiled. "Thanks," Turning around, he called for his partner to come over.

The pink-haired female nearby quickly rushed over. Much to the cashier's dismay, she was as beautifully radiant as her male counterpart.

"Yes, Yuri?"

"Go find some clothes that you'd like."

Estelle quirked an eyebrow. "What about you?"

"Don't worry about me," He assured her, waving a dismissive hand. "I'll stay here and haggle."

Estelle tipped her head to the side, looking a bit saddened. "No, don't do that," Fixating her attention to the cashier behind the counter, she gave her a sincere smile. "Miss, please pardon him and let me handle all of our expenses."

"Estelle," Yuri stressed, "Didn't you hear what I say? I said that I'll handle— "

Estelle shook her head, refusing him to continue.

"I don't have much to offer but," She spoke up, brushing a strand of her pink hair over her ear as she proceeded to remove her large red earrings. Afterward, she settled with removing a golden necklace strapped around her exposed neck.

With the pieces of jewelry gathered together, she then placed them on the surface of the counter to present it to the cashier. "Here. And if that's isn't enough," She took a step back and twirled her teal dress around. "Though it's a bit dirty, with a few minor fixings, the dress could still be used." Looking up once more, she asked, "Please, take them as payment on behalf of the clothes we are about to purchase."

The cashier gazed downward at the jewelry, her expression indescribable as she attempted to speculate them. "How much value are they worth?"

"Enough to buy a house, I believe," Estelle stated without hesitation, earning baffled looks from the two.

And that was all it took for the cashier to immediately agree in return.

Smiling, Estelle turned to glance at Yuri who stared back at her in wonder.

"You don't really have to do this," He pointed out.

Estelle simply smiled. "I know," She affirmed, putting her hands behind her back, "But you've already done so much for me. I believe it's best that I return the favor." And just like that, she twisted her heel and walked away. "If you need me, I'll be in the women section."

As he watched her retreating form disappear into the sea of clothes, a smile materialized on Yuri's lips in regards to her recent feat.

Ignoring the cashier's lingering stare on him, he casually made his way over to the other section of the store and began browsing.

Outside Heliord was a different story.

Choosing not to enter the city in fear that they might be spotted, Ioder and Flynn made the decision to head further north. Keeping pace with each other, they spent their time conversing while strolling within the deep forest. With the golden sunrays filtering through the small patches of the trees looming over them, their seemingly long walk became much easier to bear.

"Let me get this straight," Ioder began, his eyebrows furrowed. "The contract states that as a champion, you are sworn to protect those who awaken you. Is that correct?"

Flynn nodded. "To live, serve and swore an oath to our master—our undying loyalty is our true purpose, thus entitling us with the status of a champion." He joined in, directing his statement to the blonde noble walking beside him. "Under certain circumstances, we were made into Dolls, a phase which we call our 'sleep mode' while we wait to be summoned by our masters. Once awakened, we are to be eternally bound by our Master. We don't have the option to choose who we serve under nor do they have the power to willingly choose their servant as well. Unless a master and servant are predestined to meet, the assortment among them is random."

"Did you have a master before me?" Ioder pressed on, getting interested.

"Not that I'm aware of," Flynn answered without hesitation. "You might be my first."

Catching on to what he meant, Ioder blushed. "I see…" Clearing his throat, he proceeded to ask another question. "And what happens to a champion who betrays their master?"

"Good question," Flynn admitted, "I've personally never experienced it. All I know is that the consequences of betrayal are rather limited. However, that doesn't mean that they can easily be off the hook." A pause. "Anything else?"

Ioder nodded. "Do all champions possess weapons?"

"That, I can answer." Twisting his body slightly to the left, he placed his hand on the tilt of his decorative sword which was situated comfortingly on his right side. "Every champion is associated with a particular kind of weaponry. In my case, it is my White Knight Sword." On cue, he gestured his chin over to his respective weapon. "This sword as well as other weapons are special and are to be exclusively used by their wielder."

"Why is that?"

Flynn drew in a measured breath. "The weapons harness an ability known as a Mystic Arte," He began to explain, averting his main concentration on the road ahead. "They are hidden, powerful techniques that only champions can activate. Performed under specific conditions, once they are set off, they have the capability to decimate hundreds, even thousands of lives alone with a multitude of attacks." As he declared these words, he motioned his head to gaze at Ioder.

"However, there are ways to easily trigger it." He went on, "If a champion becomes overwhelmed with their emotions, he or she can unconsciously activate their Mystic Arte on a whim." His lips formed in a straight line. "In a sense, we champions are similar to that as a ticking bomb."

Ioder frowned. "You don't seem like one to me."

Hearing this, Flynn emitted a low chuckle. "So, it would seem…" He trailed off, his voice becoming soft. "Though I can't guarantee whether it may happen or not if I do end up activating my Mystic Arte," Once more, he looked at the latter dead in the eye. "Promise me that you'll run."

Sensing the desperation in his voice, Ioder firmly nodded.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to him.

"Master, I— "

"Address me by my first name," Ioder instructed him, "And I'll call you with yours as well."

Flattered by his words, Flynn smiled. "Certainly…Ioder."

Cracking a pleasant smile, Ioder urged him to continue.

"Yes," Flynn affirmed, "Forgive me, but I've failed to explain to you regarding our reasons."

"Reasons?"

Again, Flynn nodded. "In order to be a champion, we must have a desire to make a wish and have it be fulfilled."

Curious to know more, Ioder asked, "What's your reason?"

"This is…well, going to sound a bit ludicrous." Flynn mumbled, shifting his feet awkwardly. "But my wish is to reclaim my honor as a knight."

Surprised by his answer, Ioder muttered a low, "Oh?"

"It's ridiculous, I know," Flynn confessed, refusing to meet eye contact, "You know what? I think it's best if we don't talk about it." Laughing nervously, he stepped forth. "Anyway, let's focus on getting out of this forest, okay?" Before he could take another step, something held him back. Confused, he turned around. "Ioder?"

In return, the blonde noble gave him an assuring grin. "I don't think it's embarrassing. I personally find it admirable of you to want to reclaim what's yours." He replied, before adding under his breath, "That's something which I lack."

Concerned, Flynn called out his name.

"I'm fine, thank you," Ioder reassured him, forcing a grin.

Flynn silently nodded, the look on his face remains a bit uncertain. "Well? Any more questions?"

Ioder frowned, thinking it over. "Actually…yes, just one more." He confirmed, his expression filled with concern. "Are you familiar with the other champions?"

Flynn raised an eyebrow. "Yes, actually."

Without hesitation, Ioder spoke up, "Then do you, by any chance, heard of the name 'Yuri Lowell'?"

All of a sudden, the blonde knight stiffened in place, his shocked face looking as if he had seen a ghost. "How…do you know that name?"

"My cousin, Estellise, was given a Doll bearing the same name," Ioder explained, grazing the sharp tip of his rapier along the rim of his metallic shield. "As I recall, she happened to receive him on the same night as I received you." He sheepishly snickered. "I was wondering if you may know who he is."

Gulping, Flynn bobbed his head, his expression pensive.

"Unfortunately, I do." He admitted, lowering his head. "I do know that man." Turning to face the latter once more, he tightened his grip on the helm of his blade. "If what you say is true, about your cousin being the one to possess such a doll, then I'm afraid her safety is in jeopardy."

Hearing this, Ioder stared at him with widened eyes. "Why would you say such a thing?" He wondered, completely in shock. Angered by his words, Ioder proceeded to direct his rapier toward the other male. "Don't you dare imply that she's already dead!"

"Please, you misunderstood my words," Flynn assured with his facial features hardening. "There's no doubt in my mind that your cousin is still alive. It's of the matter on whether or not she managed to have awakened him." At the thought of his childhood friend, he clenched his teeth.

"Yuri Lowell…" He spat out the name as if it were poison to him. "is nothing but a lowly scum, a man who must be famed for the countless bodies he's already dealt with his bloodied hands."

His next set of words startled Ioder which only added more fuel to the existing fire.

"If your cousin isn't careful, she could be next on his hit list."

White clouds lazily drifted in the clear afternoon sky. Down below, the busy, lively façade of metropolitan Heliord was like of an illness—easily spread and contagious as its welcoming atmosphere beguiled the citizens and pedestrians swarming about.

Near the public square was a large train station.

Shortly after their brief exchange of clothes, it became rather apparent that they couldn't stay in the city for too long. Especially upon stumbling across a large building as they were crossing the street which showed a large screen depicting the massacre that occurred last night.

While thousands of eyes watched as the news of the Heurassein manor were described in full detail along with blurry pictures of the dead bodies, they took this as a sign that they needed to get out of here as fast as possible and away from prying eyes.

Now that the public is fully aware of the tragedy that happened, this meant that it would become more difficult to hide, especially when there are people out there searching for a certain pink-haired female with the intention to murder her right then and there.

Settling herself on her seat, Estelle lowered her hoodie further until it touched the tip of her nose. With that out of the way, she then took this opportunity to scout the area, drinking in the many sights, smells, and noises all around her.

Raising her chin upwards, she sniffed the open air—her nostrils flaring as she suddenly whiffed the smell of petroleum overhead. Realizing this, she immediately covered her nose with her now bare hands and squeaked.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you,"

Directing her focus to the male figure sitting next to her, she bit her lower lip. Despite not wearing the knightly tunic and putting up his hair in a ponytail, Yuri remained dashing as ever. She looked down at her attire which she exchanged from an expensive teal dress to a casual-looking wear—cotton candy sweater with a rather dull-looking gray sports jacket over it, a pink sailor skirt which stretched down to her knees and brown leathered boots.

From the corner of her eye, Estelle unconsciously glanced at her male companion and his change of attire. Half-zipped sweater over a gray plaid shirt, a dark long jacket, black pants, and gray leathered boots. Without his ponytail, Estelle was able to see just how long and beautiful his dark mane was.

Yuri caught her by the act and smirked. "Like what you see?"

Estelle blinked. "No!" She suddenly cried, her cheeks burning red. She shut her eyes closed as she mentally cursed herself to no end as she had once again, stuttered over her speech. "I mean…no, that's not what I— "

Luckily, her words got cut off by the shrieking noises of an incoming metro train parking its way next to their respective lane.

Craning his neck upwards, Yuri silently read the sign in search for their train. Above their heads read three words in bold capitalized letters—

NOW BOARDING: DAHNGREST

"That's us," Yuri spoke up, rising from his seat and fishing out the ticket they've purchased. "Come on, let's get going,"

Right away, Estelle rose as well and followed after him.

As they entered through the sliding doors of the train cart, they were greeted with a mass of people standing in all directions.

"Stay close," Yuri warned the latter before forcing himself through the crowd. After much pushing and shoving, the pair eventually made it inside…only to find themselves with little to no personal space. As they attempted to move, they were left with nowhere else to turn to.

Yuri groaned. "Anddd we're stuck…" Dipping his head downwards, he didn't seem at all surprised by how frightened Estelle looked. Hoping to ease her worry, he wriggled his right arm from his side and carefully snaked it behind her.

Alarmed by this sudden touch, Estelle stiffened, not knowing what to do. As she tried to inch her hand over to the helm of her rapier, she was immediately reassured by a familiar voice in her ear.

"Relax, it's just me," Yuri whispered softly.

Catching on to this, Estelle slowly eased her shoulders, though made sure to keep her guard on high alert for anyone else who would dare lay a hand on her.

Once more, there was a bump on the railing.

Squeaking, Estelle unknowingly buried her face deeper against Yuri's chest. Without realizing, she had unintentionally whiffed up his natural scent.

The smell of lavender and the steady beating of his heart was enough to make her head spin.

And slowly but surely, she could feel herself slipping away from unconsciousness…

After a few more stops, the once crowded train eventually dwindled and as a result, opened for more seats to be available to those who remained standing.

From the corner of his eye, Yuri spotted an empty section and proceeded to nudge Estelle.

No response.

"Estelle?"

Looking down, he was surprised to find her fast asleep.

Sighing, he wrapped his other arm over her back before lifting her up and settling her down on the empty seat. As he carefully placed her down, his eyes widened as her head naturally moved the other way and was instead, resting against a stranger's shoulder.

Yuri clicked his tongue.

"Oh, dear!"

The sound of a sultry, feminine voice caused him to blink twice. Turning around, he eyed the woman who Estelle was currently using as a pillow. Seating himself down next to his partner, he noticed the way how the woman was eerily staring at Estelle.

Sensing this, Yuri unconsciously slid his hand over to his scabbarded sword which hung along the side of his belt.

Looking back up, he was startled to discover that the suspicious woman was now staring at him. With a faint smile, she pressed a finger over to her lips. "If you do that, you'll wake her," She warned him, followed by a wink.

After consideration, Yuri sighed and removed his hand from his weapon. As he laid his back against the seat, the woman took this opportunity to gently poke the sleeping female on the cheek.

Crinkling her nose, Estelle moaned and shifted her head from right to left, successfully landing the side of her head next to Yuri's respective shoulder.

"You have a very cute girlfriend," The woman cooed, smiling pleasantly.

Yuri opened his mouth to protest, but before he could answer, the woman beat him to it.

"Better keep an eye on her," She interrupted him, her facial features softening as she delivered those words. "Before it's too late." Once she finished her sentence, the train gradually slowed down. Standing up, she brushed off the invisible dirt off of her blue jeans and strode off.

All Yuri could do was watch as the mysterious woman sauntered through the exit which leads to the next train cart, though not before turning back to emit another smile. Unlike the first, this one was rather melancholic.

Once she left the area, Yuri finally exhaled a deep breath which he held for too long.

Glancing over to his sleeping partner, he frowned deeply.

Unless she knew of his hidden agenda, time will only tell.

And chapter 4 is here! Yay!

Hello everyone! This is Kroissant!

I meant to publish this on the very last day of November (30th) but due to my scheduling, I ultimately resorted to publishing it today which is now December 1st!

This chapter was pretty good to write, especially since I had to squeeze in you-know-who near the end of the chapter. I also enjoyed writing Floder and a lot of Yustelle as well.

As of now, here marks a foreshadow of Yuri and Flynn-as for Yuri and his interactions in Heliord, there's a reason why he is casually used to it (but unfortunately, I cannot tell you because it's spoiling the story)

That said, what I CAN tell you is that the next chapter is definitely going to be another battle!

Thank you once again for your support and comments! (they grant me so much strength!)

As always, be sure to leave a comment/kudos if you can!

Updates are up in the air!

Stay tuned!

Until next time!

P.S. recommended songs

Wreck it ralph 2 ost - on the rooftop

Miraculous ladybug - in the rain

Great Gatsby - All Lit up