The sun of the following morning rises over the horizon, and I crack open my eyes to face the new day. I realized that I had fallen asleep after the emotional trauma last night, same with Lynn and Raphtalia, and none of us had moved an inch from our original sitting position. They were both still asleep, and I didn't feel like getting up at the moment, so I just drifted back to sleep.

…

I felt a commotion to the side of me, rousing me from sleep. I felt someone carefully lay me down in the sand. I tried to open my eyes, but they refused to focus on anything. I was forced to ignore it and once again fell back asleep.

…

Another rustling, this time to the other side, and after a bit of time, I finally managed to wake up. I noticed that the sun had already begun to set, which I found strange, as I thought that I had seen the sun rise just moments ago. Maybe I had dreamt it. I saw the fire blazing brightly in front of me, and fish already roasting over the open flame.

"Raphtalia? Lynn?"

My voice was hoarse, and my mouth was parched. Nobody came to greet me, so I decided to get up and look around. Body aching and joints cracking, I stumbled to my feet and walked out from under the rock. Right outside, Lynn was sitting there, standing guard.

I gently tapped her shoulder, and she quickly turned to face me. She opened her arms for a hug, and I very gently embraced her.

"H-Hey. Everything's fine. I'll be alright." She pulled back and nodded. "Where's Raphtalia?"

Lynn pointed towards the woods, and I thought I could see a small figure on its border, picking up sticks.

"I guess we'll just wait." I told Lynn. I sat down, and Lynn did the same. I looked all around the field we were in, trying my best to admire the beauty. However, it didn't feel quite the same.

Maybe it was because of the episode I had just been through, but the conversation with the figure really unnerved me. I could remember it clearly, not like a dream that is usually fleeting when you wake up. I remembered the sluggishness I felt during the dream. I could still feel a remnant of it now.

I got lost in my head a bit, and I didn't notice Raphtalia running back to me until she was standing over me. "Mr. Maddox, are you alright?" She asked, concerned.

I tried to smile. "Well, 'all right' isn't really a term associated with me, even if I'm in a good mood. However, I'll try to make do." Raphtalia frowned at me. "Anyway, I want to have a conversation with you guys. Would you mind hearing me out?"

Lynn nodded. Raphtalia said, "Of course, I'm always willing to listen."

I tried to smile again, and this time it was a bit easier to do so. "Thank you. Would you mind sharing your catch with me? I'm pretty hungry right now." Raphtalia nodded, and so we sat back and ate dinner around the fire.

After a few fish, I started the conversation. "Okay. I know what happened in the tavern, but I kind of lost it after that. Would you mind explaining to me what happened?" Raphtalia and Lynn looked at each other.

"Well…" Raphtalia began. "When you had your… episode… in the tavern, we didn't know exactly what to do. We managed to walk you down the street, and you screamed and cried all the way to where we are now. When we arrived, you just… collapsed. It was like… you died. You would go minutes without breathing, then when you would, it was so faint that I… I felt I was going to lose you…"

Raphtalia and Lynn both avoided eye contact with me, and Raphtalia looked on the verge of tears again. I… didn't know how to feel. I couldn't say anything. I couldn't tell them not to worry or that it would be all right when I didn't know myself. But it was more than just me seeming to die. This figure in my dream… he knows something I don't.

I got up and walked over to Raphtalia where I embraced her in my arms. She didn't cry, but she seemed reassured, like the hug was more meaningful than anything words could describe.

I let go and walked over to Lynn, who was still looking away. I took her hand and held it. Her hand twitched a bit, but it slowly settled. I made sure Lynn realized her feelings were being recognized, then I stood back up and sat down in my original spot.

"Listen. I'm sorry for making you worry. You saw that my sudden emotions were abnormal, right?" Lynn nodded and Raphtalia still looked worried. "I did, Mr. Maddox. But your aura during that time… your core had spread throughout your entire body. All I could see was a giant ball of despair. You didn't look anything like you usually do."

I winced. Thinking rationally, that would be a logical conclusion to come to, especially if what the figure in my dream said was right. "Yeah… I've actually got some information to share with you guys." Lynn looked curious, and Raphtalia looked confused.

"When did you have time to learn anything during that… episode?" I shrugged. "I had a dream. But… something was off about it. It's more like… a vision."

Raphtalia leaned in a bit closer. "What was it about?" I tried to get my thoughts in order, then I began recounting my tale.

"It started off in my room, back in my old world. There was a figure talking to me. I don't really know how to describe him. It was like he had all the features and none of them at the same time."

Raphtalia's brow furrowed. "Okay. What did he say?" I tried to think again.

"There were three major things that really stuck out to me. Firstly, he said something about me having the ability to 'rewrite the already written.' Second, he gave me some advice. Something about how all these feelings are not just mine, but only mine. Third, he told me I had two things in common with someone, one being unimportant to him, as well as a major difference."

Raphtalia looked thoughtful. "What were those things, Mr. Maddox?"

I was quiet. I knew what the figure had said, but I didn't want to share that with Raphtalia.

"Mr. Maddox?" Raphtalia asked.

"I don't remember. One of the things he never told me, and the one he did I can't recall. However, he did say that the major difference was one of the things in common, which is counterintuitive at best."

Raphtalia sat back and looked up into the sky. "I wonder who he was. He seemed to know a lot of things about you." I thought about that. "He really does, doesn't he?"

I shook my head, clearing my mind. "Anyways, I've told you what I know. We can figure it out later, but I would like to talk to Lynn about something."

Her ears perked up, as if she was 'listening.' I found that a bit amusing.

"Lynn, will you come over here for a moment?" She nodded and walked over to sit in front of me. I took her hand in mine, and yet again I could feel it spasm a bit while I gently held it.

"Lynn… do you often feel uncomfortable when someone touches you, especially when it is unexpected or without permission?" She nodded.

Raphtalia looked curious. "Where are you going with this, Mr. Maddox?"

I started to gently squeeze Lynn's hand, not enough to hurt or anything, but just a bit harder to test the waters. Lynn winced, and she tried to tug back, but failed to leave my gentle grip. I quickly let go.

"Lynn, I don't know if you are aware, or even if the concept even exists in this world, but I think you have some level of autism." Lynn didn't seem surprised at all, but Raphtalia had no clue what that meant.

"What is 'autism,' Mr. Maddox?" I let go of Lynn and cracked my neck.

"It's kind of hard to explain, as it was never fully understood by anyone in my world. I think the best way to explain it would be hypersensitivity to certain things. In Lynn's case, it seems to be physical touch, and perhaps sunlight. There are cases like that in my world, as well as sensitivity to sound or smell."

Raphtalia frowned at Lynn, but Lynn didn't seem to care all too much. "That's…" Raphtalia tried to search for an appropriate phrase.

"Not unfortunate, just different. " I finished for Raphtalia.

Lynn walked over to Raphtalia and took her hand. Raphtalia attempted to pull back, as if afraid of disrupting Lynn even though she was the one who made contact. Lynn held on, and she held Raphtalia's hand close to her chest. Looking up at Raphtalia, Lynn tried to soundlessly convey a message. Raphtalia turned her head to me for answers, but I didn't have any. Lynn looked a bit disappointed, then went back to sit next to me.

"Thing is, it may actually be a good thing. Some of the greatest minds in history in my world had some level of autism. Though it's unproven, I think autism is a key to the brain most are lacking, and it unlocks a lot of possibilities while sealing some behind you. Heck, even I'm on the spectrum, which is a kinder way to call people who are autistic."

Raphtalia stared at me. "But you and Lynn are so different. How can it be the same condition if there is almost nothing alike?"

I shrugged. "That's just the thing. Some people are more affected by it than others. I just happen to be one of the milder cases. A lot of autism isn't actually a physical condition though. It can come out as something you can feel or the sort, but it isn't your body itself trembling or your ears hurting. It's your brain perceiving those motions differently than you and I. I happen to be more on the mental side of it than the physical, as my emotions and thought process are a lot more… direct… than most people would agree with or find normal."

Raphtalia nodded thoughtfully. "I see. Does that have to do with those strange motions you do sometimes? I think you called them Tourettes, right?"

Again, I shrugged. "I have no clue. Both are so unresearched cause they aren't life pressing matters. My world's technology was either focused on medical research to save those who were almost already lost and weapons of mass destruction. There was no in-between."

Raphtalia put her hand in front of her mouth. "That's horrible. Why are weapons being prioritized over understanding the sentient mind?."

I shrugged. "I don't know. In my world, these weapons didn't have to be big or guarded all that well. Guns exist in this world, right?"

Raphtalia slowly nodded. "Yes, I think I remember something about Faubrey having those." I didn't really want to get into this topic, but I felt like I needed to get it off my chest.

"I know that all weapons in this world do different damage depending on the user's level, and I assume guns are included. In my world, there were no levels."

Raphtalia looked shocked. "No… levels? Then how did people determine who was strong and who wasn't?"

I shrugged. "There wasn't really. Most people who were 'strong' ran big business and earned more money than entire countries of people. In terms of physical prowess… all you needed was a gun." My face grew somber.

"Mr. Maddox? If there were no levels… then… how do guns work?" She looked very afraid of what answer may come next.

"Imagine if every human was level one, with all the health and defense stats of one. However, when you put a gun in ones hand, imagine their attack stat went way beyond a level one hundred adventurer. If you shot someone in the arm or leg, they most likely couldn't move it and would be screaming on the floor in agony. If you shot someone in the body, they would likely bleed out within minutes, and sometimes you couldn't do anything about it other than pray for a good afterlife for them. If you were shot in the head…" I snapped my fingers. "There's no coming back from that."

Raphtalia looked like she didn't know what to say. Really, there was nothing to say. All there ever was is silence. "Heh. Now you see why I didn't like my world much, huh? Sorry for dumping that on you, I should've never told you anything about it."

Raphtalia tried to formulate some words. "Mr. Maddox… I…" She failed. I laid back and looked at the rock overhang in front of my face.

"I'm not going to tell you not to worry. Not after today, not after all my previous life in my world, and not after what I've just told you. Be at ease, and we'll get through it. Together."

Raphtalia looked frustrated. She hit the ground with her hand, quite hard. "Mr. Maddox, do I have permission to yell a word that you often use?"

I smiled. "Go right ahead." I turned Lynn away from her while Raphtalia said her thing. And no, I will not be recounting that here.

"Hey, that's a bad word." I told her playfully.

She took a deep breath and composed herself. "I'm sorry, Mr. Maddox. I just feel… frustrated. I know we have all been through hardship. Lynn, You, Myself… but it's frustrating to hear about your problems in particular. Your world doesn't just seem different. From what you've told me, it seems so much harder to appreciate life there, when life itself is being lost all around you. I… I don't like it, Mr. Maddox. It scares me, and now I have a better understanding of why you feel the way you do. When you started crying in the tavern, I thought it was just unexpected, out of nowhere. Knowing all this… it makes me realize that you have suffered as much as Lynn or I have, if not more. I've only seen your best side of you, aside from a moment of anger and another of sadness. But… knowing that anytime, someone you care about could die to one of those malefic weapons, even if the chances were minimal at best…"

I was silent. I didn't like that Raphtalia was saying I had suffered just as much as they have, when I was so far from it. I had so little hardship compared to what they have, it was nothing compared to what they have gone through. I hated every bit of it.

"I don't know if I should be saying this. These guns are mass produced in my world. Most countries allowed citizens to bear arms against people who would threaten them. The country I lived in even had a law saying all had the right to own a gun. That made them easy to access, and so that led the wrong people to have a gun. These people aren't fighting for someone they care for or something they care about. They shoot because they have suffered, and they shoot because they want to get back at life, to win the game they have lost since birth. They shoot up schools, churches, hospitals, grocery stores, anywhere they could find a lot of people. And they always, always shoot to kill."

I couldn't even describe the look on Raphtalia's face at the moment. I knew she was having trouble processing what I had just told her. I couldn't say anything more.

"M…Mr. Maddox…" She moved over to where I was laying and grabbed my arm. We laid there for a bit together. It felt good to be reassured like this, especially by her. Lynn had sidled up to me and laid down as well. She wasn't hugging me like Raphtalia was, but she seemed comfortable just holding my hand. I just kept staring at the rock above me. Tears started to trickle down the sides of my face, once again.

"Man, I'm so sick of crying."

Raphtalia hugged me closer, and she seemed so sad herself. I pulled my arm off of Raphtalia and put it around her back, hugging her close to me. She laid her head in the crook of my arm, and she snuggled in close.

I felt a little tug to my other side. Lynn was looking longingly at Raphtalia. "You want some of this too?" I asked her. She nodded. "Alright, get in here."

I held up my arm, and she slowly slid into the same position as Raphtalia. She shivered for but a moment, then quickly relaxed. She closed her eyes, then seemed to drift off to sleep. Raphtalia was still awake, hugging me as if she was too afraid to go to sleep.

"Sleep. It'll do you some good." I told her.

She looked up at me. "But… What if you don't awaken when I do? What if some monster comes along and attacks you while you sleep? What if…" Her voice grew quiet. "What if I dream of losing you?"

I hugged her closer. "You won't. I won't let you. If I see you have a nightmare, I'll wake you up. For now, sleep. I promise you I'll be here when you return to the conscious world. I promise." She nodded, and she started to fall asleep as well. I kissed the top of her head as she nodded off.

"Don't worry. I'll always be here to protect you."

She hummed a bit, then she finally went off into the dreaming world. I just hope it'll be pleasant for her rather than fearful.

…

The night wore on. As for me, I was much too energized to fall asleep again. Well, maybe 'energized' was the wrong word. I didn't feel like jumping around fighting monsters, but my brain was way too hyperactive to fall asleep for another 8 hours when I had just slept for almost 24.

I just laid there, thinking about life, my past one and the present, and maybe even the future.

I thought about how I'd like to settle down with Raphtalia after the waves were over, ideally with her village rebuilt and with people like Fohl, Sadeena, Shildina, everyone. Heck, I even want Atla to be there. I'm not losing her like in Naofumi's adventure. I won't allow that.

I remember the feeling after she passed in Naofumi's adventure, how I cried real tears about losing one of the characters I held so dear. Raphtalia may be the one I will and always have loved, but Atla was probably my favorite side character in Naofumi's adventure.

I used to see a lot of hate going around for Atla, about how that stands in the way of Raphfumi and she appears to be there just to put a roadblock in that goal. I disagree. Of course it was supposed to be a 'competitive' love interest, but after Atla didn't level up and age accordingly, it was obvious she wasn't ever meant for that role. Naofumi may love Raphtalia, but Atla was the one who taught him how to love again after being betrayed by Malty. I cherish Atla almost as close as I do Raphtalia, maybe in a different way compared to Raphtalia. But those were thoughts for another time.

Hours wore on, and yet I still found myself lacking the ability to sleep. Insomnia is not fun, I can tell you that much. But after a time, I felt a strange sensation in my right arm, where Raphtalia was sleeping. It seemed to be coming from Raphtalia, and it was a deep rumbling right in her chest.

"Is she… purring?"

I never thought that she could do that. However, I am ever-so-grateful for it, as it's another adorable thing that makes Raphtalia so endearing. I brushed her hair out of her face. "What are you dreaming about, I wonder?" I asked her with my mind. "Mind…"

Suddenly, a thought hit me. Being very careful, I slipped my hand into Raphtalia's pocket and pulled out the ring. "I really shouldn't be doing this…" I felt guilty about it, but whatever dream Raphtalia was having that made her so happy, I wanted to know so that maybe I could make that dream a reality for her.

I put on the ring, and viewed Raphtalia's mind, just at the basic surface level. I saw… Raphtalia, standing before someone. I couldn't see who it was, maybe because Raphtalia didn't know herself, but he was wearing a tuxedo, the type for weddings.

I realized that Raphtalia was wearing a gorgeous wedding dress, and it was certainly a sight to see. I hope she'll wear that dress for me one day. The dream shifted, and Raphtalia and the other person were dancing underneath a pavilion in a clearing of the woods.

This made me incredibly happy to see Raphtalia having such a graceful dream after so recently being plagued with awful nightmares, but the other figure felt… off to me. I honestly had no clue who it was. Almost like a black silhouette, it had no defining features other than an average sized build and a masculine face and body movement. I thought it could be me, based upon the size of the person, but… I could easily see it being Naofumi, as well. I was weirdly freaked out by this fact.

Suddenly, the dream shifted again. The figure crumbled to ash. The trees all caught fire, and the clearing became increasingly larger. The skies turned black with clouds, and the grass turned brown and seemed to be sucked into the ground. Raphtalia looked back and forth in astonishment, then chains erupted from the ground and caught her wrists. Retracting back into the earth from which they came, they pulled Raphtalia down, not only that, also rewinding time for herself until she was nothing but a ten year old girl again, bearing a tattered cloth rag for clothing.

Before it could get any worse, I quickly took both of my hands and buried Raphtalia into my chest, rapidly stroking her hair. I murmured reassurances into her ear, as well as humming a peaceful song my mom had always sang to me from back home.

Her sleeping expression turned from one of fear into one of stability, and the entire scenario I had just described vanished, changing into an inky black void. Raphtalia was alone in that void, crying, but I saw myself walk into the darkness, and I held out my hand for Raphtalia to take. She did. That's where the dream ended, and she eased into a deeper sleep.

"What the hell… what made her dream turn sour like that?"

Easing her back into a more relaxed position, I noticed Lynn had awoken when I had suddenly cradled Raphtalia. Rubbing her eyes, she looked at me in questioning. I smiled. "Don't worry Lynn, Raphtalia was just having a nightmare. Go back to sleep."

She looked over at Raphtalia, and she seemed to be gauging her current mood. Lynn reached over me and grabbed Raphtalia's hand. She held it as she fell back asleep.

"What strange little creatures they are. That's part of the reason I love them." Obviously I love Raphtalia, but I was starting to grow in affection towards Lynn too. Definitely not in a romantic sense, but maybe something along the lines of a guardian, a role that Raphtalia was quickly leaving for me.

"Raphtalia may be growing up, but perhaps Lynn is too old for the age growth due to leveling. Maybe I might prefer that, having someone to look after." Either way, I snuggled them both a bit closer, and I managed to doze for a bit until morning.

…

I awoke as the sun peeked over the hills, and I felt a strange sense of deja vu. It's been almost a week since being summoned to this world, despite it feeling so long ago, yet so near at the same time. I was still getting reads from Raphtalia and Lynn through the ring.

"I should probably put this back in Raphtalia's pocket…" Slipping off the ring, I eased it into her pocket. As I was taking my hand out, she stirred.

"Mr. Maddox? What are you…" She noticed my hand in her pocket.

"Oh shit." I thought nervously. "Er, I was, uh…"

Raphtalia looked pretty angry. "You were doing what, Mr. Maddox?" She uncurled from around me and sat a distance away. Her face calmed itself, but I knew that was her tell of being very, very upset.

"Y'know what? I don't see why I can't be honest around you. No point in telling you a lie." She raised her eyebrow in questioning. "I couldn't fall asleep last night, and I noticed you were having a nice dream. I wanted to know what it was about so I could… y'know… maybe make it a reality one day."

She studied my face long and hard. "Mr. Maddox. You understand that taking the ring without permission as well as looking into my mind is a huge break of trust, no matter your intentions, correct?"

I looked down at my lap. "Yeah. Yeah, I know. I'm sorry for breaking the trust we have built together. I honestly wasn't thinking the smartest."

Raphtalia nodded. "As long as you know. I don't see anymore reason to be upset, as long as we are clear that it should not happen again."

I nodded. "Yes, I understand. I promise I won't do it again." She nodded again in approval. "All right. I'll trust you, Mr. Maddox. Like I always have."

I smiled a bit. "Thanks for being understanding." She hmphed, but I think she was half-joking. I hoped she was at least. I started to get up, but realized that Lynn was still attached to my arm. She snored on, still asleep. "What should we do about this?" I jokingly asked Raphtalia, in reference to Lynn still sleeping.

"Well… if you were to ask me, I wouldn't really know. She seems rather attached to you, doesn't she? I wonder if that would be because you are the Shield Hero?" She looked a bit deeper into it than I expected, so I pondered it for a while.

"Maybe. She did seem a little surprised when I told her I was the Shield Hero, but she was still pretty clingy before that as well."

"Now that I'm thinking about it, she is more closely related to S'yne than Atla, in terms of personality." I stroked Lynn's short hair. "I wonder what your story is, little one." Raphtalia looked curiously at me.

"Mr. Maddox… if you don't mind me asking… What was your family like in your home world?"

I looked off into the sky. "Heh, that's somehow an easy and hard topic at the same time. Well, my mother was most similar to me in looks while my dad was most similar in personality, though I do share quite a few traits with my mom as well. My mother was very spiritual, not religious, but believing in the energy of the universe and those who did good received good, though not how most expect. She is easy to talk to about emotional and mental matters, though not so great with my interests and hobbies. That's to be expected of parents."

Raphtalia nodded. "I understand, though I never lived through that issue myself. Go on."

I rolled my shoulders. "My dad… well, I say my dad, as he was the one who lived with me my entire life. My biological father was a crackhead, and died of an overdose."

Raphtalia looked confused.

"Ah, you probably don't have crack in this world. It's like a medicine that didn't heal you, only hurt you, but it made you feel like you were in pure bliss while doing it."

Raphtalia put her hand in front of her mouth. "Oh, I'm sorry for your loss."

I shrugged. "Not my problem. He died before I was born, and I consider my dad right now to be my true father. My dad, I mean, my current father, is very… strict may be the wrong word, but he likes to be in control of life. He is a very hard worker, and he managed people who did construction in order to make sure they did things correctly. However, that led him to try to do the same at home, including his parenting techniques. Right down to the day I was summoned he tried to micro-manage everything I do, whether that was leaving the bathroom door open during summer or taking a piece of candy without permission."

Raphtalia slowly nodded. "I see. Did you have a good relationship with him outside of that flaw?"

I was at a loss for words. "I… I always say I do, like even though he likes telling me what to do, I want to think that we have a good family bond. But… speaking with you… I think it's about time to be honest with myself."

Raphtalia leaned forward, and she flicked her ears. "I'm listening." She said. I took a deep breath.

"Honestly, we really didn't. I would interact with him in basic conversation of everyday life, and I would try to go beyond that sometimes, just to try to do something together or share something I was excited about. He would always find some way to make it so that I said something wrong or something I should 'fix' about myself. Not a life lesson; it never felt that way. I stopped trying after a while, just because I was sick of hearing all his problems with me or his work situation or whatever, and he never made any contact with me on a personal level." I looked away with a regretful look on my face.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Mr. Maddox. I'm sure you wanted and tried to bond with him, but some people don't realize that they are missing out, and then when that person leaves their life, they are filled with regret and sorrow."

I gave a half laugh. "You understand me better than my dad did, but I wouldn't give anything to trade with the time I had with him. He helped mold me into a better person overall, despite me getting annoyed with him sometimes. He was a good father, just a matter of figuring out when to let me grow up."

Raphtalia nodded. "I think I can understand that. Did you have any siblings?"

This was getting into a harder topic. "Yeah. Yeah, I have two. Well, I used to have two."

Raphtalia frowned. "What do you mean by 'used to?' Did something happen?"

I shrugged, trying to push down the feelings a bit longer. "Well. I have a sister. She is such a joy to be around, always happy and excited about life, but also burdened with the anxiety of doing something wrong. She's only seven years old, and she worries more about following the rules than I ever did. I love her quite a bit." I smiled, maybe a little sadly.

Raphtalia studied my face. "That sounds fantastic. But… What about your other sibling?"

I inhaled some air. "Well… My brother… His name was Luca. My mom named him that because I believe it meant 'light' or something similar. He… he was… a joy. He added so much to my life, but also took so much away. He's part of the reason I love you so much, Raphtalia."

Raphtalia looked a bit surprised, but stayed silent.

"He… he was born with a skull deformity, or something like that. He was less than twelve hours old when he passed away." I started to tear up, once again.

"Mr. Maddox…" Raphtalia looked shocked. She reached over to hug me, but I shied away.

"Wait, I'm fine. I've gotten over it mostly, it isn't worth dredging up those feelings when I've already come to terms with them. I appreciate the thought though." Raphtalia still looked really concerned, which I wish she wouldn't be. It's not a big deal anymore, though I do still feel sad on occasion.

"Mr. Maddox… I'm so sorry you had to go through that. I understand that you think you have 'gotten over it,' but just know I'm here to talk if you ever feel like it."

I nodded, my breath a bit raggedy. "Yeah. Yeah, I know. Thanks for being there for me. I'm glad I got the opportunity to meet you, Raphtalia."

She smiled. "Well, I'm glad to have met you too, Mr. Maddox. After all, without you, I might not be here right now. So I thank you again for saving me and giving my life new purpose, Mr. Maddox."

I grinned. "Hey, there isn't anything I wouldn't do for you. I'm not about to let you die, even now."

She giggled. "This is turning a bit morbid, isn't it?"

I laughed. "Maybe. But finding humor in the dark is important for life, so I think we're well off."

Raphtalia looked at me funny. "If you say so, Mr. Maddox."

Looking back at Lynn, she seemed to still be asleep. For a moment, I thought I saw her eyes open, but maybe I was seeing things. I gently nudged her. "Wake up sleepyhead. We got some leveling to do."

Her eyes slowly cracked open, then she sat up and yawned. I thought she was faking it though, and that made me wonder. "Was she watching our conversation?" I watched her while she 'woke up' and she pretended not to notice my glance. Or maybe she really was unaware. Whatever the case, it was time to get started on our day. I stood up.

"Alright. Leveling time!" We picked up camp and headed upstream. The forest from before was downstream, and I had no intention of going back there at our current level. We traveled for a while, cutting down balloons in our path. Lynn used her magic to make herself hidden each fight.

After a particularly large group of monsters attacked, Raphtalia decided to make her voice heard. "Mr. Maddox, don't you find it strange that none of the monsters have any interest in Lynn?"

Looking over at Lynn, she glanced at me unsurely. "Well… Lynn has a special ability she's been using." Lynn put her hands over her head in a cross motion with a panicked look on her face.

"Special ability?" Raphtalia asked.

Turning to Lynn, I told her, "We'll have to tell her at some point Lynn." She frowned and looked down. She seemed to be shivering, though I'm not sure if that was because of her autism or because she was scared of the outcome.

"Lynn has the ability to hide herself."

Raphtalia flicked her ears. "Like illusion magic?"

I shook my head. "No, I don't think so. Not only can she hide herself from people's sight, she can also hide herself from their minds. It's as if she never existed at all."

Raphtalia looked pleasantly surprised. "That… is actually quite useful." Lynn looked away, not making eye contact with either of us.

I ruffled her hair. "Hey, she needed to know. I think you trust her enough to keep a secret. Don't you agree?"

Reluctantly, Lynn nodded, though she still had a nervous look on her face. Raphtalia looked at her curiously, but ended up shrugging and continued searching for enemies.

We traveled for a while, killing monsters along the way, when Raphtalia called to me. "Mr. Maddox! I see a village over there!"

I climbed to the top of the hill she was on, and sure enough there was a village only about a mile or two away. "Let's head towards it. It's starting to get late, and I'm sure we're all hungry."

I heard three simultaneous growls, and we all hunched over. "Come to think of it… we haven't eaten all day, have we?" Our stomachs growled again in response. Lynn immediately started walking at a fast pace to the village. "H-Hey! Wait up!" I followed suit, and Raphtalia quickly after.

Lynn picked up the pace, and soon we were running through the fields. She was surprisingly very fast, despite her small stature. Like a small dog, which I suppose she kind of was. As we reached the village, Lynn still didn't slow down and ran straight through the town.

"Lynn! Where the hell are you going?" She weaved through the streets and stopped right in front of a tavern. Raphtalia and I finally caught up, and she quickly grabbed our hands and led the way into the tavern.

A female waiter greeted us. "Ah, what can I do for you guys today?"

Lynn held up three fingers, then pointed at each of us, including herself.

"A table for three! Come this way."

Raphtalia and I looked at each other in amazement. "?" I mimed.

Raphtalia shrugged and followed Lynn, who was sticking as close to the waiter as she could. They led us to a booth, where Lynn quickly slid in. She patted the seat next to me.

"Alright, alright, I'm coming." I followed suit. Raphtalia sat across from us. Lynn snuggled against my arm, though I noticed something strange about it.

"Here are your menus! Let me know when you guys are ready to order." Lynn quickly snatched a menu, but after a quick glance she sat it back down, a bit angrily. She quickly fixed her expression and looked up at me kindly.

"You're trying to suck up, aren't you?" Her eyes froze. Then, she started to tear up. "H-Hey! I'm not trying to be mean! I know we're all hungry, so I'll get us a feast, alright?"

She looked up at me hopefully, then openly started to bawl, giving out small wheezes. She lunged over to me and hugged me tightly.

"Okay, okay, I get it. Want me to pick out a couple of things?" She sat back and nodded, and I picked up a menu myself. Raphtalia was carefully studying the menu during this entire interaction. She seemed close to drooling.

"Y'know what? I'll get this show on the road! Waiter! We're ready to order!" The waitress rushed over to us with a notepad.

"Yes, what can I get for you?"

I glanced at the menu in my hand, and I noticed it was relatively limited. I set it down delicately.

"One of everything on the menu, omit the drinks."

Raphtalia looked up at me in surprise, the waiter looked shocked, but recovered and wrote it down, and Lynn looked at me with stars in her eyes.

"A-Alright then, we'll get that out as soon as possible." The waiter replied, daunted by the task ahead of her.

Soon enough, we had piles of food on our table, and they even had to move another one over to put all the goods on. "And now we feast!" I declared as I tore into a meat leg. Raphtalia and Lynn followed suit, devouring every single scrap of food in sight.

The taverners had gathered around our booth, watching in amazement as the giant mounds of delicious, scrumptious, delectable food disappeared before their very eyes. They even started placing bets, seeing who could eat the most.

"My bet's on the manly fellow right here!" A buff farmer said as he clapped me on the shoulder.

"Nah, this young woman is going ham on that ham! She can really pack it away!"

Raphtalia was easily keeping pace. What nobody noticed was that Lynn was the one eating on the far half of the table, silently but ever so efficiently.

"Whoa! Look at this kid over here!"

They all turned to Lynn as she attempted to down an entire bowl of stew in just a few gulps. They all stared for a moment. Then, a taverner called out.

"Chug! Chug! Chug!"

Soon enough the entire tavern was shouting. "CHUG! CHUG! CHUG!"

Lynn slammed down the bowl, and wiped her face.

"WOOOOOOO!" They all screamed at the top of their lungs.

We all had a good laugh, and as the skies grew dark, the tavern slowly dwindled into a more relaxed atmosphere.

"Ahhh… That was great." I sighed as I sat back.

Raphtalia nodded as well, gently wiping off her face with a napkin as if she wasn't eating like a starved man just moments ago. Lynn had fallen asleep in the booth, her head on my lap. I gently rubbed her head.

I yawned. "It's about time we find a place to sleep. I wonder if there's an inn somewhere in town." Raphtalia nodded again, though I think she was starting to drift off as well. "We'd better hurry, else we'll be sleeping here tonight."

I took a small pouch of money out of my shield and set it on the table, containing about 50 or 60 silver.

I pulled Lynn off of me and got her to stumble to her feet. "C'mon Lynn, we gotta find somewhere to sleep." She refused to wake up and decided to sleepwalk while leaning heavily on me. Raphtalia herself was still sitting in the booth. "C'mon Raphtalia, not you too!"

She sat there with her eyes closed, gently breathing. I sighed. I hoisted Lynn onto my back and pulled Raphtalia to her feet. She stirred enough to open her eyes, then she grabbed my arm and stumbled against me while we walked.

Waving to the waiter before we left the tavern, I said, "Whatever's left over in my payment, take as a tip. I'm sure you've earned it."

She nodded quizzically, but continued to wipe down tables. "Thank you. Come again soon…"

I smiled, just as tired. "I promise I'll go easier on the order next time. Take care!"

I stumbled out of the tavern with my crew in tow. At this point I was practically carrying Raphtalia as well.

The moon was completely obscured by the clouds, and the lights in people's houses have been out for hours. The streets were dark, aside from the occasional sparse lantern and the glimpse of occasional moonlight through the endless blanket of clouds. I was starting to fall asleep as well.

"I can't just lie down in the middle of the road! That'd look super weird when people find me." My eyes grew heavier, but I still continued to search for an inn or the sort. After a while, I noticed a sign hanging on the side of a building. It was the tavern from before, but taking a closer look, I realized it said…

"You gotta be shitting me. This place is an inn as well?!" I sighed, then walked back inside the doors.

The waitress from before had just finished the last bit of cleaning, and she noticed us come back in. "You just realized we have housing too, didn't you?" She seemed tired, but she was smiling in good humor.

"One room, two beds please." I stumbled to the floor, falling on my knees but refusing to stop carrying Raphtalia and Lynn.

"H-Here, let me help you." The waiter walked over and picked Lynn off of my back, and I picked up Raphtalia and carried her like a child.

We made our way upstairs and emerged into a bedroom. It wasn't anything like the castle's furnished, refined polish, but I think I preferred something a lot more modest anyway.

The waitress laid Lynn down, and I did the same with Raphtalia on the same bed. I pulled off the covers and tucked them in. Nodding to the waitress, she left the room quietly.

I immediately flopped down on the other bed, not even bothering to put the covers on myself. "Yeah, they can share a bed tonight. I'm about to get the best sleep of my life." My eyes closed, and the start of a new day awaits me.