~ Prologue ~

[ The Three Souls ]

20th day of the 9th Month – HEC, 372

Rulid Village, in Eugeo's house

His father's eyes bore down on him like a hawk, and yet, for the first time in his life, Eugeo wasn't particularly afraid. Unconcerned as to whether or not he was about to chastised for a grave mistake he'd committed, like breaking a vase or a window.

Funny, considering how all of those were technically things Kirito had actually done before, albeit on accident on all instances. Eugeo, on the other hand, had never done anything like such.

In all likelihood, he blamed his current lack of concern for the events that had transpired this night. After all, being in a life-or-death situation was a pretty good way of ripping out all the fear in someone. Or maybe it was the result of all the adrenaline draining out of his system, leaving him too exhausted to actually be afraid.

Still, that didn't mean he was entirely unaffected by the staring. The part of him that dreaded what his father intended to say to him jumped a little when the man finally spoke. "So… the two of you had the idea to check the forests after you spoke to Hotaru?"

"Sort of, yeah," he nodded back. "He said that he'd seen the girls near the pasture, so we went there first. Even asked Karim if he'd seen them, but when he didn't, we decided to try out the forests."

"Is that so..? Well, I suppose it's fortunate that you thought to go there. And it's a good stroke of luck that Charlotte was in the area at the time."

"True that. She was really strong," it was the truth, even if Kirito had done quite a lot to help. Still, they'd needed to keep that particular bit under wraps, if only to make it a little more plausible. "I'm afraid to imagine how things would have turned out without here there…"

"Hmm. To take on that many wolves on her own is pretty impressive," his father hummed back, stroking his beard. "A little late than I would have appreciated, but at least you children came out of it alright. I will have to thank her when I see her tomorrow."

"Sulinea already thanked her, though…"

"Perhaps, but she thanked her for saving her brother. I, too, feel it is only right that I thank her for saving my son."

Eugeo blushed a little from that, wanting to say that it was fine until a cough from beside him cut him off. "That's all well and good, uncle, and not to spoil the mood. But uhh… why am I here, by the way?"

Dressed in a set of fresh new clothes (his old clothes were all but caked in mud and some traces of blood, the latter of which Sulinea had immediately noticed and all but caused her to fret over his best friend) and hair wet and slick from a shower a few moments ago, the ravenette was looking from one head to the next with an awkward expression on his face.

Admittedly, even Eugeo felt that it was strange to see him here. Kirito had never stayed over the night in their home, the time he was unconscious notwithstanding. After all, they'd never actually hung out together save for their time during the day, so this one is new.

Not that he disliked it, though. It felt rather nice to have him over.

"Not like I'm against being here. I like your place a lot, but I'm kind of not injured or unconscious or whatever. I should technically be back in the church right about now. You don't need me here, do you?"

Before the father could respond, Sulinea had beaten him to the punch. "That's because we were hoping to ask you for your help."

"Hmm? Help with what?"

"Help with watching over Eugeo," her words drew a surprised expression from both boys. "I know what you're thinking. ' But he has you guys. Why are you asking me?' Well, it's just… for reassurance, really."

"Aye. We'd feel more at ease knowing that he has someone to watch over him at every moment that we are incapable of doing so," his father's words made him pout a little. "Besides, there will be many things you will not be able to do on your own, so it would be good if Kirito is there to assist you."

"That's…" Not wrong, per se, but still! "I can take care of myself just fine."

"Clothing yourself, bathing, perhaps eating and whatnot—can you tell me that you'd be able to do all of that on your own?" He found himself averting his gaze from his father. There was no denying the fact that he brought up good points. "Kirito, if you don't mind, could you help my son with all of that?"

"I…" The two of them made temporary eye contact before he looked back at the man, shrugging. "Sure? I guess it's the least I could do. You guys watched over me while I was unconscious, and I technically did drag him along, so…"

"Kirito, come on now…"

"Nah, don't worry about it. I'm fine with doing this. It'll be considered as me repaying my debt to you guys," he said back with a nod, his smile putting him at ease. "So yeah, I'll help out."

His father simply nodded, though his sister showed much more emotion, her features softening in gratitude. "Thank you, Kirito. You have no idea how much we appreciate this. We'll be sure to make it up to you, 'kay?"

"Hey now, there's nothing to make up for. It's technically me trying to repay you guys for your help back then. Leave it at that, yeah?" She rolled her eyes at that, though the smile was a clear indication of what she felt on the matter.

"Alright, alright. I'll let you have that one."

"And regarding your bedding arrangements," his father spoke up once more, earning everyone's attention. "You needn't concern yourself with using one of the twins' cot. I prepared in advance a few days after last time to prepare a new one, for any time we would be having you over."

The moment he said that, his father's eyes seemed to gaze over his direction. Eugeo promptly looked away towards a wall, not wanting to admit that he'd half-begged his father if they could have Kirito over for an actual sleepover another time in the future.

He'd never thought that his father would have immediately asked the village's carpenter to make a bed right away. Talk about immediate decision-making.

"Wha—Seriously?"

"Mmhm. Perhaps, in the future, when I've made more than enough, we could prepare on constructing an appropriate guest room, for whenever you or anyone intends to sleep over."

Both boys' eyes widened at that, wanting to voice out that it was a little overkill—"That's a good idea!" Until Sulinea jumped in to side with the man, getting them to gawk at him. "It would certainly mean less trouble if anyone wanted to sleep in our house, temporarily as they may want to! We should definitely do it!"

"In the future, Sulinea. For now, we don't have nearly enough to even consider the thought."

"Then I'll work twice as hard, father! You won't be upset!"

"…Don't overextend yourself. It was my suggestion, so the responsibility of seeing to it falls to me."

"Oh, don't be such a stinker, father! It's a family effort. Why, I'm thinking that if we're going to do it, I think we should—"

'And there they go at it again,' sweat-dropped Eugeo as his father and sister are absorbed into their conversation, practically forgetting that he and Kirito were still there at the table. Not an unusual occurrence, though a certainly impressive one; considering how his sister and father were both on opposite spectrums of the levels of chattiness, that they could somehow be so into it whenever they talked about anything was genuinely remarkable. "Guess we should just… go?"

"Uhh… Yeah, I guess so."

Bidding the two good night (though they were still caught up in their talk to really notice them leave), both boys headed upstairs, the sounds of their convo lively enough that they could still hear them from this distance.

Still, it likely had to do with how quiet the rest of the world felt like… or at least, that was probably the case considering how it's night time and everyone is already asleep. Everyone but them, really, though Eugeo wasn't even sure if he could go to sleep at this point.

Honestly, he was still trying to come to terms with the fact that what happened mere moments ago actually did happen.

It felt more like some sort of dream. A rather vivid one, but a dream nonetheless. And yet, none of it had been imagined; his arm in a cast was proof of that, as well as the lingering ache beneath his skin that never failed to remind him that he did get hurt and that tonight did happen.

Stepping into his room, he's presented with a little space with wooden floors, a sizable bed and a smaller cot to the side. There were other things there too, like a wardrobe, a small study and a wooden chair furnished with a cushion on the seat. The curtains permitted only a fair bit of moonlight into the room, though it was still relatively dim.

It was quiet. A lot more quiet than it was downstairs. And Eugeo had to take a moment to realize that he wasn't bleeding out in the middle of the woods where no one could hear him scream—he was back home, standing in his own room. Alive.

He swallowed down, heavily.

"Let me get the lights," Kirito said as he reached for the lantern, brightening up the room a tad bit. "Well… guess that sleepover's happening now, eh? And for a pretty long time, if I'm guessing correctly."

"Likely," Eugeo hummed, looking down at his arm. "We'll have to speak to Ivenda first thing tomorrow. See how long this'll take to heal."

"And in the meantime, it means you won't be able to work," the thought brings a pang of concern in him. Something that Kirito likely noticed. "Don't worry about it, though. I'll handle it."

"Wha—For how long?" He asked back, getting a shrug in return.

"How would I know? I'm not the doctor in the room. Besides, you did the same thing for me when I was out cold."

"But that was only for two days. This…"

"Then I'll keep working to cover the both of us," that he said it so easily as he did had him wanting to retort, but the sudden inflection of seriousness in his voice afterwards stopped him in his tracks. "Seriously, it's fine. If you work, you'll only end up injuring yourself worst. Go see Ivenda tomorrow, first thing in the morning. He opens early, so he'll be available to check on you."

"A-And you'll go alone?"

"I… should be fine," there was hesitation there, but Kirito quickly shook it off. "No, I will be fine. Last night was unfortunate, but it should be a one-time thing. In the morning, we'll be safe."

He wished that the both of them could believe in that wholeheartedly, yet with what transpired earlier tonight, they were a little reluctant to believe that they'd be completely safe. There was no knowing if there were any other threats that lurked in the woods, even in the day.

Still, not like it was any excuse for them to stop working. Not if it meant breaking the «Taboo Index».

…Somehow, that thought doesn't scare him as much as it did before.

"So that'll be our plan, alright? You'll go to Ivenda with your sis in the morning while I go to the Gigas Cedar. You can take it easy—"

"I'm coming with," the words made him frown, but Eugeo continued. "I'm not unconscious. Even if I can't help, that doesn't mean I'll just leave you to work alone. At the very least, you'll have company, right?"

"…Well, I won't say 'no' to some company. Goddesses know that being alone would just mean I'd be real bored," the words made him grin back in victory. "Fiiine. If you don't wanna' rest up in your house, guess you can come along. Now we just need to go to sleep. Although…"

"Not really feeling like it?" The look on his face was enough of an answer. "Same here, honestly. I'm not tense anymore, but I don't exactly feel like heading to bed… Any ideas?"

"On what we should be doing besides sleeping?" When he nodded, Kirito proceeded to sit on his cot, feeling the mattress sinking beneath his weight. "We talk. Because I've got loads of things I want to know about how it went on your end, and it's probably the same for you, right?"

Eugeo smiled back, sitting on his own bed. He made sure to be careful not to hurt himself. "True that. You and Charlotte were gone for a pretty long time, and she mentioned how you were fighting the goblins. Honestly… why do you end up doing all sorts of crazy things when I'm not looking?"

He scoffed back, though there was no mistaking the mirth in his tone. "Hey, man, I didn't ask for that."

"You literally ran at them, attacked one of their friends and proceeded to taunt them so much that of course they're try and kill you. You can't cheat your way out of that one."

"Yeah, yeah. I made my own bed and I had to lie in it. Came out with cramp muscles. I seriously feel like crap."

"Heh… Yep. That's what you get."

The next couple hours of the night, when even his father and sister had turned in for bed, were spent simply talking with his best friend. Mirthful topics, thought-provoking ones—much was discussed that night, and he welcomed the opportunity to simply just… forget things. To talk and distract themselves from the fact that they had just escaped death.

He wasn't even sure when the exhaustion had finally hit and Kirito had turned off the light, leaving them to slowly surrender themselves to sleep in the dead of night.

All that he knew in that moment, as he stared up at the ceiling of his room and was just a blink away before sleep finally claimed him, was how amazing it felt to be back home.

21st day of the 9th Month – HEC, 372

Rulid Village, in Eugeo's house

Today is going to be a quiet one.

It felt a little too early to decide that, considering how she'd woken up far earlier than the other people of the village—in fact, she could tell that the Zuberg's were still asleep, meaning that she was the only one truly awake in the house at the moment.

Still, she supposed that had a lot to do with the fact that she'd always been used to being up before the sun even rose whenever she was on a mission and whatnot. Times being out in the wilderness, where there is a need to always be vigilant of one's surroundings, can do that to a person.

Still, she recognized that she was no longer sleeping beneath a tree trunk or under a pebble like she always does, but instead on an actual bed. The incredibly soft mattress and the firm bedframe are not mere machinations of her mind.

Charlotte finds herself unable to return to sleep. Perhaps it had to do with the fact that she wasn't sleeping in situations she had been accustomed to, or the fact that she was living amongst humans once more. Either way, she most certainly wouldn't be going back to sleep.

'I'd prefer looking around the village right about now, but I've little doubt that everyone's still asleep,' she thought to herself, tapping the soles of her feet against the floor. 'And it would be rude to leave the house without informing the Zuberg's.'

So she opted to study the guest room she'd been granted; a rather comfortable one, albeit a bit more spacy than she would have expected. Complete with a small study and its own chair, an armoire and a sizable bed, there was no doubting the Zuberg's hospitality it seems.

Her feet padded against the cold wood, humming. Her voice carried to the air within the room, though contained within these four walls, it would reach no one but her own. Accompanied by her own voice and with much time to think, her mind couldn't help but recall the events from the night prior.

Goblins had crossed the territorial border and entered Norlangarth. It honestly shouldn't have been too impossible to think of; what with the dragons guarding each quadrant of the empire having been slain by the Axiom Church's ruler, there really was no protection from the outside forces. That gave them every opportunity and right to invade their enemies' lands.

Still, it wouldn't do to have them freely trespassing these grounds. Goddesses know the sheer mayhem and panic it would cause if the people were to find out.

'I suppose it was a good thing that I ended up upon the children at the right time,' she thought once more, remembering the five kids she'd protected from the goblins. The memory made her frown. 'Otherwise, things may have proved far worse…'

Although, to be fair, the child known as Kirito had proven himself rather well in fending off the goblins on his own. Such skill at a young age as his was certainly unseen (at least, in her case), so it was that he managed to surprise her by the fact that he'd bested Gabura.

The great goblin had not been an easy fight. Granted, both of them knew the sheer difference in their skills and power—and he'd recognized her having been the better one out of the two. But even still, he had not made things easy for her, giving it all to defeat her despite having watched his brothers picked off, one by one, in front of him.

Admittedly, it had been carelessness on her part that allowed him to catch her off-guard with that blowback. The impact behind his attack had effectively knocked her back far enough that she struggled to return to the fight.

And to come back to the sight of Kirito standing before him, the axe in his hand bloodied at its edge…

'Has he trained to fight before?' Such was the first thought that came to mind, before she promptly shook her head. 'No. Were that the case, he would have likely said so. And his movements were unpolished. He must be a tree cutter.'

Still, if that had been his first time fighting someone, then he'd proven himself incredibly well. Made her wonder if his talents truly lied in swordsmanship rather than tree felling.

Before she could think further on that, the door to her room slowly creaked open. Her eyes caught sight of a blue pair, attached to a serene-looking face framed by long blonde hair. "Ah… Forgive me, Charlotte-dono. Did I wake you?"

"Not at all. I was already up a few minutes ago," she shook her head, smiling a little. "And you needn't be formal with me, Sadina. I myself am not exactly one for formalities."

"Ahh… Then, if you don't mind, Charlotte-san," closing the door behind her, the mother joined her at her bed, tucking some loose strands behind her ear. "I'd wanted to check on you, see if there was anything that you'd needed. I hadn't expected you to be awake already."

"I… am an early riser. And thank you, but I am quite alright. Your hospitality is more than enough for me."

"Well, I can only hope it's enough," chuckled the blonde. "You saved my daughter and the other children last night. Words cannot express my gratitude to you, Charlotte-san."

"Ah… Thanks are unnecessary, really. I happened to be in the area at the time. It was more happenstance than anything else."

"I see… Actually, what do you work as, if you don't mind me asking?"

It was either the truthful answer or a white lie, and she wasn't sure Sadina would take 'I work for an immortal woman who seeks to destroy her counterpart' very well, so she went for the answer she'd already invented. "I am a huntress. I move from area to area making sure that the balance of the ecology is maintained well."

"Ehhh… I would have never expected that. You weren't exactly dressed in a way I would expect most huntresses to be."

That particular bit was enough to make her a little flustered. "That… is my preference."

"O-Oh, don't worry about it! I was just being silly, is all," the woman laughed once more, putting Charlotte at ease. "Honestly, I don't mind what you wear in your line of work. All that matters is that the children are safe and sound, and that's all that matters… I'll need to think Kirito and Eugeo as well."

The mention of their names has her perking her brow a little. "Oh? Why so?"

"W-Well, they were the ones who went out to go look for Selka and her friends. I hadn't exactly thanked them last night. I… was probably fretting over Selka a bit too much."

"I'm certain the boys don't mind."

"Perhaps they wouldn't, but it would still leave a bad taste in my tongue if I didn't properly thank them," responded Sadina. "I did put them in danger, after all. And poor Eugeo got hurt in the process… I'll see if I can make them something to make it up to them," right after she said that, she seemed to perk up as an idea struck her. "Oh! Of course! I could make them lunch as a thank-you."

"Lunch, you say?"

"Mmhm. Alice always used to—" She caught herself from saying anything more. It caught Charlotte's attention, noticing how the other woman seemed to have developed some amount of discomfort at mentioning that particular name, but she paid it no heed. "I-I mean… well, the boys only ever have breakfast, and their work lasts them well into the evening at times. At the very least, I could deliver them food for them to eat."

"Is that so? That's rather kind of you. What do they work as?"

"Kirito and Eugeo's «Sacred Task» is to cut down the Gigas Cedar," her answer made her raise her brow. Sadina nodded along. "I know… It's a rather cruel task to put on those boys' shoulders, but there was nothing that could be done. Either way, they usually head down south to work, and it would be impossible to miss it."

That's an understatement. With how massive it is, she dreaded to imagine what would happen if they successfully cut down that titan-sized tree. Certainly would be news to be spoken of for days, that was for sure.

And what a strange thing to consider. So Kirito and Eugeo are tree cutters—hard to but the ravenette had seemed rather capable of fighting off those goblins. Why is that so..?

"If you'd like," Charlotte found herself speaking before she realized it, gaining the other woman's attention. "I can deliver them their food for you."

"O-Oh! You can? I wouldn't want to bother you. You must be exhausted from yesterday, so—"

"That should be of no concern. I'm rather used to strenuous tasks, and during extensive durations of time, might I add. It would be of no trouble to me, Sadina. Consider it me repaying you for allowing me to live with you in the meantime."

The mother clearly looked reluctant. A clear sign of her own kindness and inability to generally be commanding in most situations. Eventually, however, she let out a sigh. "Alright…" She said, smiling at her. "Thank you, Charlotte-san. I appreciate that."

"Of course. I am happy to be of help."

"Mmhm. In any case!" She got up, clapping both hands together. "I'll be starting on breakfast in a fair bit. Do you have any preferences?"

She would have told her that she was fine with anything, though a particular craving had gotten the better of her. "Perhaps… anything bread-based? If you don't mind, of course."

"Oh, most certainly! Don't you worry, it'll be a good one, I can promise you."

"Haha… Very well, Sadina. I look forward to it."

Morning came slowly. The light of Solus breathed life into the area around the village; the forests turned a bright emerald and the snow-capped peaks eventually glistened from the rays. Bright blue overtook the initial inky black of the sky, which brought about a myriad of sounds from the world and its inhabitants.

In no time, Rulid Village and its people were awake once more, though with how early it still was, she doubted that the village would be truly bustling as it should be before midday approaches. Until then, it would remain tranquil for a little while longer.

Charlotte joined them at the dining table when she'd done enough sky-watching, finding only a little girl with hair the colour of honey seated on one side. With her back to the woman, she was simply staring at the table, humming gently as she waited for her mother to finish cooking.

'Selka Zuberg,' so this is Sadina's daughter. The little one had inherited more traits from her mother than her father, although it could be fair to say that she got her blue eyes from her father. Certainly a cute one.

A voice called out from the kitchen, snapping her out of her thoughts. " Selka, is your father at the table yet?"

"Not yet!" The little girl responded.

" Is that so? And how about Charlotte-san? Is she there yet?"

"I am, Sadina," her response caused the little girl to let out a yelp in surprise, prompting her to smile back. "Forgive me little one. I should have made my presence known earlier to avoid scaring you."

"I-It's okay," she stuttered back, blue eyes darting here and there before settling on her once more. "C-Charlotte-san. That's your name, right?"

"That is, indeed. We met last night, though under less than fortunate circumstances."

"R-Right. We did," she paused a little before speaking once more. "Thank you. F-For saving us, I mean. I… never properly thanked you last night."

"You needn't worry about thanks. It was understandable. All of you had gone through such a traumatic experience," quickly, she gazed over to the kitchen and over her shoulder before looking back at the girl, nodding. "All of you were very strong for holding out… Those goblins would not have gone back on their words to kill you, so it was rather fortunate."

"T-True that," she muttered, rubbing her arms. "Honestly, I'm more worried about Eugeo. He… got hurt trying to protect us," blue eyes peered at her in naked concern. "Will he be alright?"

"He… likely won't be able to use his arm for a good while, but it shouldn't be anything life-threatening. I'm certain all that he will need is plenty of rest and treatment."

It was an answer that Selka likely wasn't completely satisfied with, though she nodded back and opted to just wait quietly for her mother to finish cooking. Charlotte took a seat opposite of the girl, wondering if she should say anything else before the girl broke the silence once more. "Charlotte-san. Can I… come with you? Later today?"

"Hmm?"

"To… you know, deliver food to the boys," she shrugged. "I don't really know what to do. I guess I… just want to check on them, even for a little bit. I kind of owe them, after all…"

That certainly seemed to be the case, though she hadn't completely grasped the whole picture. Curiosity prompted her to resolve it. "Before that, I'd like to confirm something with you, Selka," the girl in question perked up. "Eugeo and Kirito. They were the ones who went into the forest to look for you three, were they not?"

"Ah. Yes, that's right."

"And might I ask why the three of you were in there to begin with?" Her question had the unexpected effect of making the girl look away from her, biting on her bottom lip and wrangling her hands together. She looked uncomfortable. "Selka?"

"I… can't tell you," she said in response. "Not yet, at least. I'm sorry, Charlotte-san…"

"Mm, it's not something to worry about. But I'm certain many people, your parents included, would want to know the reasons for your 'expedition'. At the very least, some amount of explanation would do well to placate them."

"I… It's just… I'll tell you later," she decided. "When I'm ready. Promise."

Charlotte simply nodded back. "Very well then. Take your time. And yes, if you'd like, you and I can go together. I'm not too familiar with the layout, so you can guide me."

"Alright. Thank you, Charlotte-san."

They sat in silence afterwards, simply waiting as Sadina brought out the food to the table. The patriarch of the house arrived a little later, chastised by his wife for his bedhead, which she later helped to smooth out. Afterwards, the family of three and their guest ate together, breakfast being a quiet ordeal.

Charlotte could attest to the woman's culinary skills, finding particular enjoyment in the variety of food she'd prepared. Years of relying on nature's bountiful gifts like berries and game hadn't exactly prepared her for a more human setting, though she'd be lying if she said she didn't enjoy it.

Once they were done, Sadina headed back into the kitchen before returning with a basket of food inside. Bottles clinked against one another inside, and there seemed to be a lot more inside than she'd expected.

"They're growing boys. They'll need to eat a lot," chuckled the woman, handing it to Charlotte. "Do give them my thanks, alright? I wish I could, but there's plenty of things I'll need to oversee with my husband."

"The duty of the village's chieftains is never-ending," she said back plainly, earning herself a giggle. "Alright then. I'll be off."

"Take care!"

Charlotte stepped out onto village grounds, greeted by a gentle breeze that felt far more refreshing than she'd expected. Selka, dressed in a simple beige cardigan and blue skirt, came out of the house a moment later.

"Sorry for holding you up. Did you wait long, Charlotte-san?"

"Not at all. Now then, shall we be off?"

"Mmhm."

Rulid Village was as small as she'd expected it to be. Being a village founded close to the empire's bordering mountains, it was rather underdeveloped in contrast to larger towns such as Zakkaria and Centoria itself. Still, it didn't make it any less busy, what with how everyone here had some role to play and were moving here and about.

Still, just as she'd expected earlier today, the village seemed a little quiet. Perhaps it's just one of those days.

Being an outsider made her a curious one, which drew eyes from the people in the area, wondering whom she was and why she was being accompanied by the chieftains' daughter. Not completely unexpected, though she simply ignored them, not too bothered by the attention she was getting.

"The Gigas Cedar is massive."

"H-Huh? Oh, yeah, that's true," Selka clasped her hands behind her back. "Our village has been tasked with cutting it down since six generations ago. Kirito and Eugeo are the seventh."

"Oh? Seems a little odd to rely only on two children to carry out the task."

"Y-Yeah, but there's nothing that can be done. Once someone's «Sacred Task» has been chosen for them, they have no other choice but do it. It's… a bit unfair, but that's just how it is."

Unfair certainly seemed the right word for it. Charlotte gazed towards the tree, eyes narrowed.

It would be close to impossible in trying to fell the massive tree. If six generations had tried and failed, this cycle would remain for many more; and perhaps this was what the ruler of the Axiom Church intended.

What worried her far more is how she'd been powerful enough to even erect the tree. What is the true extent of «System Control Authority»? To be able to create something as nigh indestructible as this tree…

They left the village grounds, the area on either side of the road they walked covered by a layer of gold. Wheat fields, it seems, and she supposed it was a pretty good choice. The lands here, while cold, aren't frigid like the northern section of the western empire, and the appropriate warmth made this place appropriate for the growth of wheat.

"Our village is a primary exporter of wheat," Selka said when she noticed her staring. "We usually have them transported to Centoria before the wheat gets purchased by differing empires. With Zakkaria, we often trade our wheat for metal products and medicines."

"Medicine? But you are close to the forests, and there is much you can find in it. I would assume it would be much easier to procure materials and brew them yourself rather than attain them from another settlement."

"Oh, that's true. But the medicine we can brew are relatively traditional in comparison to Zakkaria's, which are made using high-end technology. Sometimes, we deliver them our harvests from the forest so that they can use those materials to brew medicine."

"I see. There's some amount of cooperation between both of these places, then."

Selka nodded back, smiling. "Yes, that's true. Since we're so near, we certainly do work with each other. It helps a lot."

Eventually, they reached a fork in the path. She spotted a lone wooden shed, which Selka told her is where the boys often keep their Dragon Bone Axe in. They then took the left path towards the Gigas Cedar, the forest around them alive with the sounds of birds, rustling bushes and… striking?

It was a palpable sound that rung out in a steady rhythm, sounding incredibly loud despite how deep into the forest it came from.

Charlotte and Selka trudged deeper into the forest, the land growing increasingly darker from the shade casted upon them by the Gigas Cedar. It towered over the forest, the area around it completely bare of any other life; such is its ability to drain resources from the ground and the sun, meaning no other plants could grow close to it.

And at the foot of the tree, with his back to them, was a short boy with black hair. In his hands was a familiar axe, with which he used to swing into a particular gash in the tree's bark repetitively, producing a loud clank every time. Leaning against the tree nearby was another boy, with straw-coloured hair and one arm wrapped up in a cast.

It was a pretty impressive sight, she had to admit; how a child no older than twelve could be saddled with such a task, yet his conviction to keep true to it deserved respect.

"Do they have to work every day?"

"Oh, no. I think their break is on every rest days," she said. "That's at the end of the week."

"Two days of rest, then? I see," humming, she approached the two boys with the little girl by her side. Eugeo was the first to notice them, prompting her to nod back. "Hello to the two of you."

"Hrgk..! Huh? Charlotte?" Blinking, the ravenette turned his head to regard the two of them. "And Selka? What're the two of you doing here?"

She raised the basket for them to see. "Selka's mother asked me to deliver this to you two."

"Eh? Wait, why though?"

"As a gesture of gratitude for saving Selka," the girl in question nodded timidly. "It would be prudent if you took a break to eat. The food's «Life» won't last forever."

"True that. And you need to stop for a little bit," Eugeo piped in with a huff. "You have been working nonstop. That's not good for you, you know."

"Yeah, well, I just need to do a thousand more swings, and then I'll be good," he snorted back, rolling his eyes. Even so, he set down the axe by the tree bark. "Welp, I'm not saying no to a meal. Wanna' eat together with us?"

"You would not mind?"

"Ehh, it'll be nice to have some more company. That is, if you aren't busy."

"N-No, I should be fine," Selka said. Charlotte nodded along.

The flaxen-haired boy smiled back. "Alright then. Let's set up everything then."

This felt… weird.

Kirito had gotten used to the idea that he wouldn't ever see Alice again. To have her join them while they're working on their «Sacred Task», often with homemade food for them to enjoy together—he'd gotten used to the idea that they won't ever have that ever again.

So for him and Eugeo to be accompanied by her sister and Charlotte… it was a strange sense of déjà vu that he wasn't certain what to think of.

'Still,' he thought to himself, feeling his mouth water when the scent of baked cheese struck his nostrils. 'I'm not saying no to a good meal. This smells amazing..!'

"Mother made this," Selka's voice drew his gaze towards her, eyes focused on her hands. "I… Thank you, Kirito. For, you know… saving us," then, she looked towards Eugeo. "And I'm sorry that you got hurt for us, Eugeo…"

"A-Ah, it's fine, really!" He waved his hand at her in a calming manner. "It hurts a lot, but I like to think that it's worth it. I'd prefer this than knowing you girls got hurt instead."

Exactly his sentiments. For as much as a cowards Eugeo often called himself, Kirito knew for a fact that he was just so much more than that. After all, he would have run away if he was a coward; that he'd gotten hurt protecting the girls was a clear contradiction to that.

"S-Still..! We could have done something…"

"I doubt there was anything you could have realistically done," Charlotte offered, patting the girl on the shoulder. "If anything, I believe we should just be grateful that the worst has come to pass," both boys nodded in agreement. "Now then, why don't we start eating? We don't want the food to get cold."

It was hard to choose what to eat, considering how Selka's mom had packed so much for their lunch. He settled for some bread and fruits, applying a thin layer of butter on his bread before he bit in. The flavours had him humming in contentment, and judging from everyone else's satisfied expressions, he wasn't the only one enjoying himself.

So it was that the four ate together beneath the Gigas Cedar. It felt weird that there were other people here, when it was technically the hangout spot for himself, Eugeo and Alice. Never had anyone else ever come here.

But it's not bad, that much he knows.

As he plucked a fruit from the basket, he looked over to Charlotte, who was cutting a cake into several small slices. There wasn't a clear smile on her face, though he could tell that she was enjoying the meal, what with the little sounds she made.

Eventually, she noticed his staring, swallowing her food before speaking up. "Yes, Kirito? Is there something you need?"

"Oh. Sorry. It's nothing that I—" He paused a little, shaking his head. "Actually, there's something I'm curious about. I'm sorry to bother you, but I sort of have a question I want to ask you. Is that alright?"

She nodded in response. "By all means."

"Right. So… The goblins from last night," the mention of them has Eugeo and Selka pausing, turning to look at him. "Do you have any idea why they came over from their place? I mean, it's never happened before. All this time we've explored the forests, they'd never really been spotted, so why last night?"

"Oh?"

"Yeah. I was thinking about it last night. Got curious, is all."

The woman let out a hum. "Well, I cannot say that I have a concrete idea as to why, but it is most likely because they were in need of resources ."

"Resources?" He asked, getting a nod.

"The Dark Territory, from what I heard, is sparse in resources. Unlike the Human Empire, which receives its fair share of blessings from the goddesses, the same cannot be said for the people of the Dark Territory. Per its namesake, the lands are covered in eternal darkness. The light of Solus influences life in a way not many things can; without it, you cannot grow crops. You lose access to many a nutrient that the light provides. Hence, the climate there is described as constantly cold, frigid and dark."

Azalia had told him about their situation before, so it made some amount of sense that they'd had to travel out of their homes to find resources. Despite the fact that they'd been raised to believe that the people there are all monsters, Kirito still felt some amount of sympathy well up in him. "Ouch. That sounds rough… But how come they don't get Solus' light too? I mean, it's not like…"

"That is something that I cannot answer. I have never been there myself, but it wouldn't be called the Land of Darkness otherwise."

Eugeo nodded, pulling out a bottle of milk from the basket. "That does make sense. But for them to have arrived here… Maybe the situation there has gotten worse?"

"That could be it."

"And why Norlangarth in particular?" Selka asked this time.

"Well, as you all know, there are four entry points leading into the Human Empire," she brought up four fingers to enumerate them. "The North Cave, West Gorge, South Corridor and East Gate. Out of these four, the East Gate is actually closed and the West Gorge and South Corridor are more guarded than the North Cave. There is no guarantee that they know this, although the people of the Dark Territory could then use the northern route to enter the Human Empire."

"Sheesh… And it was bad luck that we just ran into them like that, huh?"

"Indeed, you could say that."

Kirito frowned at that, crossing his arms as he mulled over that thought. In a way… he was sort of glad it wasn't anyone else that ended up meeting the goblins. Things could have gotten way worse if that was the case.

Still, that does make him wonder if it'll be too dangerous to stay here anymore. Now that he knows that others might come here as well, who could say that they'd be completely safe?

"In case any of you are worried, you needn't be," Charlotte's words had him looking at her. "Seeing that I will be staying here for a little longer, I will be patrolling the forests on a more regular basis. If anything comes up, I will handle it."

"W-Wait, seriously? You don't need to go to that extent for us, Charlotte."

"Consider it a repayment for your village's hospitality. Or, at the very least, a part of my duties here," she said with a nod. "My… benefactor has tasked me to remain here to watch for any other invaders, so I will do just that in the meantime."

"Charlotte…" Not knowing what other words to say, he lowered his head in a bowing motion. "Thank you, Charlotte."

"It is nothing to thank me for. To ensure that that incident never repeats itself, I am willing to work a little harder," then, she turned to look at Selka. "Truth be told, I was not expecting to see any of you in here. I am glad to know that all five of you are unharmed."

"Yeah, thank the goddesses. And you too," he quickly added. "If they really took Selka away… I don't know. I don't think neither one of us," he exchanged a knowing glance with Eugeo. "Would have been able to forgive ourselves."

The girl in question frowned at that, whereas the woman tilted her head. "Hmm? Why Selka in particular?"

"Kirito," his best friend stopped him, placing his good hand on his shoulder. "Should we…"

"It's alright, man. I mean, it's already happened. Talking about it will hurt," and it does hurt. Every single time they talked to each other about that day, about that knight and their friend, it never failed to bring a pang of shame and misery. And to speak of her in front of her sister felt even worse. "But like… I think it's fine. It's not like it's some big secret. Plus, I doubt Charlotte would turn it into some grandma's gossip," then, he looked to Selka. Only for a moment, before he broke his gaze away. "If… If you don't mind, Selka."

"Ah… S-Sure, I guess."

"…Alright. But let me at least tell you," Eugeo offered, sighing. "It's not exactly the best of stories, but… let's at least begin from the start. Selka has… had an older sister, who's the same age as me and Kirito. Her name is Alice."

The food was growing cold and the day felt like it was slowing down. Not a single sound around them, save for the rustling bushes and his own heartbeat in his ears as he sat there, forced to listen as his best friend recounted that fateful day.

He hated how the stories made him feel tired, upset and angry all over again. It never failed to do that, and though he'd done a good job of hiding his feelings on the matter whenever he was talking with other people, he'd never been able to do that with Eugeo. Instead, the both of them shouldered that pain together, able to rely on each other.

It should have been the three of them together. But it was his idiocy that broke that, and Alice had to pay for that mistake.

And it was made worse that, when he looked over to Selka, she was caught between being distressed and confused, what with her being too young to truly understand the weight of the incidence. Too young to realize it was his fault.

Those blue eyes of hers, though… They reminded him too much of her.

By the time Eugeo had finished recounting the entire story to her, Charlotte was quiet. The children were, too. No one really knew what to say, until she was the first to break that silence.

"I am sorry to hear that. None of you deserved that."

Despite everything, Eugeo smiled at her. It wasn't much, but his gratitude still shone through. "Thank you, Charlotte-san. Sorry that you had to listen to such a sad story. Not exactly what you were hoping for, huh?"

"Not at all. I am honoured that the two of you were willing to share this story with me in the first place."

Her expression gave nothing away, but the eyes said so much more. And he could see the genuine sympathy in her irises, something that mad him feel angry all over again—angry at himself.

That should have never happened. And if someone was going to be taken away, it should have been him. If only then, Selka wouldn't have lost her sister, Uncle Gasupht and Auntie Sadina would not have lost their daughter, and Eugeo would not have lost his childhood friend.

His hands balled into fists, nails pressed tightly against his palms. "…It's just not fair," the words came out in a weak hush. "You'd think that they'd at least consider how she'd only accidentally touched the Dark Territory's ground. Instead, they decide to arrest her right off the bat."

"That's just how the Axiom Church is, Kirito," Selka offered. "There's just no excuse to breaking the «Taboo Index»."

"No matter how light it is, huh..?"

"But that doesn't mean they have the right to just execute her for that!" Now he was shouting, catching everyone off-guard. Kirito shook his head. "Sorry… It's just, what she did shouldn't have even been a crime. It was an accident. Alice shouldn't have to be executed."

That was what he believed in. No amount of convincing could possibly change his mind on that.

He could accept the fact that the Axiom Church is responsible for the order within the Human Empire. After all, without it, he knew for a fact that criminals would be running amok. But it's because of them that the empires are peaceful.

Even… Even if it branded him a criminal for doubting the church, he could never forgive them for that.

Everyone were quiet for a rather long time, all wondering what to say. Kirito doubted he himself knew what to say anymore, a little guilty for having raised his voice at everyone. It especially felt like he'd done so towards Eugeo, whom he knew hadn't done anything wrong.

He had. He'd been the one to get Alice arrested and killed. And that's…

"…Hey Charlotte," weak as his voice may have been, the woman still responded in kind. "I… want to know something. Do you think we can ever complete our calling?"

"To cut down the Gigas Cedar?"

Green eyes were filled with much scepticism. A sentiment that he shared, despite how much he hated it. "You know that's impossible… I know I've always been hopeful, but no matter how much we do, it never changes anything, Kirito. We… It's useless."

"Do you think the first generation of cutters knew that? That they wouldn't be able to cut it down themselves, and that their children's children's children would be forced to continue that bloody process for them for generations to come?"

"Kirito…"

"…I'm sorry. I just… don't know what to think anymore…"

"You can," all three children looked over to Charlotte once more. And she, for once, held a serious expression they had never witnessed prior to this. "You asked if it's possible to fell the Gigas Cedar. I think you can."

Selka was the first to react, perking up in surprise. "T-They can?"

"It's not simply a matter of can, Selka. They have to."

"Huh?" Now Eugeo was the one confused, brows furrowing as she stared at her. "What do you mean by that?"

"Because Kirito here," it was just his name, but there was no hiding the fact that he flinched from being called out. "Now has a mission. He carries Gabura's wish," then, her attention shifted towards him. "You realize what that means, yes?"

"Gabura's wish?" Eugeo parroted, sounding confused. His best friend turned to look at him. "What is she talking about?"

Gabura… the goblin that he'd killed. The memory of that night weighs heavy on his mind, and it shines through in the way that his hands have grown clammy. "He made me promise him something. Something that Charlotte was there to hear," the woman in question nodded. "But I… don't know if it's possible. Not with the situation that we're in."

"Then would you pull back from your promise?"

That drew an immediate response from him. "Of course not. I… I promised him, after all. I killed him," he said it, a small twinge in his heart whilst his friends winced at his words. Damn that bastard. He had the gall to ask him a request even in his dying breaths "And that means… I've got to see it through, no matter what."

After all…

A dead man can no longer do anything once they're gone. It falls upon the living to carry out their wishes.

And he'd reached out to Kirito, of all people.

"Kirito… what's going on here?"

"Eugeo," he paused, looking to the other person. "Selka," both of them perked up, concern palpable on their expressions. "I… have decided—"

"—We are going to cut down the Gigas Cedar someday, and we're gonna' travel to Centoria. No matter what."

Author's Notes:

Happy New Year, peeps! Yes, it's already the fifth of January and this isn't a Saturday, but it's fiiine.

Alright, this chapter got a bit of re-editing near the end, as some of you can probably tell. Nothing too major, but just wanted to let y'all know.