Throughout the next days, Lilliandrei was nothing more than a royal pain in the rear. He was always hyperactive and obnoxious and he made us go to the stupidest places in Rune-Midgard. Whether we traveled to Glast Heim, the second level of the pyramid to the left of Morroc, wherever; we always ended up crawling out gasping for breath, bleeding from cuts too deep to imagine.

Aside from that, Lilliandrei wouldn't stop bothering me. He never disturbed Saku, and he never bothered any random passerby the same way he did me. He'd always sneak up behind me and whisper in my ear, usually something along the lines of "Hey, cutie" or "You look even cuter when you're fighting." It made me feel horrible and at the same time nostalgic, thinking of Korva and how he'd compliment me in the same way, but…not with the same words.

Nevertheless, he really was a useful member of the group. He was very fast and able to dodge harmful attacks (while I healed him, of course) and he'd always be up on the front line with Saku. If we hadn't been in a party I'd be up beating the crap out of the monsters as well, since I was definitely strong enough, but as t was I had to focus on healing and boosting my party members' strength with my magic.

After a while he began to grow on me. His attitude was even a little bit endearing, and he always had a way of motivating Saku and me. I don't know whether it was his willingness or his overtly overdone kindness that got me slowly liking Lilliandrei. Heck, maybe a little of him was rubbing off on Saku. I'd seen him begin to have a slyness about him and his style of battle changed, and yet Saku stayed the same old Saku I'd known. If Lilliandrei had any effect on Saku, it didn't really matter; and if that little change in attitude Saku'd gained let him remain the great person that I knew and loved, then Lilliandrei had some endearing qualities too.

We must be seeking something in people. That's what I've learned, I guess. That there has to be something about being with others that attracts us, that makes us want to be around those people. I suppose there were qualities about Lilliandrei that I admired, that I wished I had of my own. Maybe I was just jealous before, and that was why I resented him. Maybe he was too close to Saku. I guess it's not even all that important.

Anyway, we'd just been leaving Prontera a few days later, Sir Charles and Mini Satan being their usual annoying selves, when an older man approached me. He looked regal with his royal blue overcoat and well-combed snowy hair, his eyes sharp and perceptive. He was undoubtedly a Priest, and a high ranking one by the look of it.

"You are Raoul, yes?" he asked me. He was smiling and his eyes softened, leaning down and gesturing for me to do the same. He looked at me in a condescending way, and was still decently taller than me, even at his lowered height. "I have a message for you."

The Priest reached into his overcoat and pulled out a crumpled letter. I took it quickly, hoping it would be from either Ethros or Korva, possibly before they died. Maybe the letter would be of importance; maybe I would be granted Priesthood.

It read:

Dearest Raoul, Saku, and whoever may be reading this:

We are faring well. Our stay in Morroc has been going pleasantly, and Ethros has been getting so much stronger. We sincerely hope you're doing just as well.

I'm looking forward to seeing you again, Raoul. You looked so happy that day I left and so sad at the same time; happy for me that I was going on a true adventure for once, sad that I was leaving you. You were always such an emotional guy, you know?

After we go through the sphinx we'll be done here. We met a lively young fellow named Lilliandrei, and he's been following us around lately. He says the Assassin Academy told him he'd need a partner or two for his recent test.

Well, I hope you're all doing fine and I hope you become a wonderful troupe of Knight, Priest, and many more accompanying you,

Korva I Germaine

I smiled and handed the letter to Saku and stood up. "So you really did know my friends, didn't you Lilliandrei?"

"Of course I did!" he exclaimed proudly in a squealing tone. He giggled cheerfully and looked over Saku's shoulder, reading the letter with faked interest. "Oh, my. So he really did take notice of me. How lov-er-ly!"

The Priest gave me a friendly pat on the head and stood, gesturing for me to stand as well, in a half commanding way. "Most unfortunate, Raoul. I heard news of Korva's death, and I pity you. I hope to see you again."

He raised a hand into the air, whispered a spell, and vanished.

"Do you know how to play the grass whistle, Raoul?"

I was confused. Usually Lilliandrei didn't ask me such questions. He asked some stuff like if I noticed he was so incredibly strong or if he could get a heal. And since when did he call me by my name?

"No, Lil, I don't."

"Okay, watch this:" Lilliandrei picked a blade of grass from the ground easily and sat down beside me. I figured I may as well sit down as well, so I did, and he looked satisfied.

He put his hands together so there was a gap between his thubs and put the grass blade between the thumbs so it was stretched tightly. He then cupped his hands and blew hard at the area between his thumbs, making a shrill and deafening squeak.

I couldn't help but grin. Lilliandrei could be silly sometimes, and he was definitely being silly now. "Right, right. Let me try."

I picked a blade of grass just as he did and cupped my hands. Something didn't seem right, though. Lilliandrei smirked, reaching over to me and touching one of my hands. "Here, let me help you with that…" He pulled off the glove easily, placing it to my side. He looked at me in a winning way, flashing me his typical I'm-petending-to-be-innocent-but-I'm-about-to-hit-on-you-shamelessly smile.

I sighed and removed the other glove, ignoring him entirely as I tried the trick as he had shown me. Instead of the clear sound Lilliandrei projected, a crackly sound came from the grass whistle in my hands. Lilliandrei laughed, but I could tell he was laughing with me, and not at me.

I suppose you could say that that evening was when I first realized that Lil really wasn't such a bad guy. He had his strange points and then there was always the fact he obviously liked me in…that way, but he had a good heart. I shouldn't have judged him before, but I guess it's irreversible now.

There was just something about the way he laughed that put me at ease. Like I was totally tranquil and carefree at that moment. Maybe I'm just imagining things, maybe it was just his charming side showing through.

I'll just suffice to say that I learned a lot about Lilliandrei that day.

The guy wouldn't leave me alone! He'd been following me through the darkest reaches of the Prontera Culvert for several hours now, and he never ceased to annoy me. "C'mon, man! You just gotta help me. I really want a Lunatic…"

"Too bad! Get your own and leave me the hell alone!"

I whirled angrily and glared at him in what I hoped was an intimidating way, but considering that he was a lot older and a lot taller than me, I probably didn't do much.

Nevertheless he backed off and raised his hands to ward me off. "Easy now. I know how you must feel about Sir Charles, but please, be generous! I'm about to get married and I need to give my fiancée what she wanted!"

I buried my hand in my hair and thought about it for a moment. Sir Charles was annoying for a Lunatic, but I hadn't owned him very long yet. He'd gone through only 40 of my carrot juice supply, and there was a lot more I could do with him than just feed him and watch him complain.

"Come on, man!"

"…Yeah. He's yours."

Using the spell Saku had taught me, I waved a hand and uttered the words I had memorized, and Sir Charles was enclosed in a large egg that soon contracted and enclosed him in an infant's prison.

I handed the egg to the warrior, and he smiled and gave me a quick hug. "Thanks, greeny. I needed this guy really bad…trust me, I'll take good care of him."

I continued on my way, my pack slung over my shoulders and my hair in my face. "Yeah, sure. Have fun, man."

The days to come were fairly uneventful. I had a bad cramp in my stomach, so I couldn't do much adventuring. Saku stopped by the Church every now and then to put some flowers by my bed, most with tacky "get well soon" ribbons binding the bouquets together.

Lilliandrei came by a couple times, and most of the time all it was for was to tell me of his recent exciting adventures, making me long even more to be freed of my current situation so that I could go back to my job as my clan's supporter.

Within the time I was sick, the head Priest came by and announced to me that I would not be allowed to become a Priest of the Church of Prontera. I was a bit disappointed and yet at the same time relieved. Maybe I would be a better Monk.

Basically, he told me that not only was I too cruel to monsters (AKA actually fighting and not just healing the crap out of people) but I also didn't look the part. He told me that having green hair wouldn't go over well with the rest of the populace, that it was too wild and unnecessarily unnatural. Of course, my hair was naturally green, but no one would believe that story.

He told me that becoming a Monk was a difficult journey but he believed in me. He stated that through courage and strength of heart I could persevere and become a true warrior. Like I said, hey, why not? Maybe he's right.

But I was still disappointed. I had been wanting to be a Priest for so long, and Korva had even encouraged me to be one. I could have been such a great healer, so great with magic. Not that Monks aren't. I think they're great at magic and attacking both. It's just that I had wanted to be a Priest. A lot. Nothing personal, really.

The next day I felt a little better. I was able to journey outside of Prontera and fight weak monsters without doubling over in pain, and I got a lot of encouraging looks. I guess it was like both a physical and mental boost. I still felt empty though, like my insides had been forcefully removed.

It was also that day that I met for the second time the same Priest that had delivered me the letter.

I had been sitting underneath a tree to get some shade and recharge my magic, and I saw the same familiar tall figure I'd remembered before. He had looked my way at exactly the same time, and when our eyes met it was unmistakable.

He raced over to me swiftly, a smile crossing his face. "Why, if it isn't Raoul, the little trooper!" He sat down by my side. "How've you been?"

I was hesitant at first, considering I didn't know him very well, but I opened up after he gave me an encouraging look. "A bit sick, but I'm okay now. You know, I never did get your name."

"My name is Chrow." The way he said his name was a bit awkward, as if he had been avoiding saying it. "You want to come training with me for a while?"