Stepping out of the church this early felt so surreal to him. He wasn't sure why, but a part of him had gotten accustomed to living with his best friend, so to return to the home he's lived in for his entire childhood felt more than a little strange.

But not something he disliked.

Unlike the other children, he'd gotten up a little earlier. Took his bath and gotten dressed like he always did, expecting everyone else to have been asleep. So it was to his surprise to find Sister Azalia already up and about, making breakfast.

"So early? The other kids won't be up for at least another hour."

"True, though Sulinea had told me beforehand that you had a tendency to rise early as of late," she replied without looking his way, though he could sense the smile through her voice. "So I thought I might as well, if only to make you something to eat."

"You didn't have to."

"Perhaps, though there is a stark difference between needing to and wanting to," she finally turned her head towards him, nodding. "Take a seat. It'll be ready in a moment."

A stew made from tomatoes and meat, coupled with buttery bread, made for a tasty meal. Only courtesy (and fear of getting called out for being sloppy by Sister Azalia) stayed him from going at it like a madman, instead going through it slowly. That just gave him even more time to appreciate the taste, making sure to vocalize his opinion of her food.

"Thank you, Kirito. It isn't much, but it should you last you well into the afternoon."

"You kidding? This is delicious!" He responded, making her smile grow just a little. "Seriously, you've always been good at cooking since the very beginning."

"Well, you children would complain if you either ate the same things thrice or the food just isn't good. I have my own pride, you know."

"Fair enough. But hey, if anyone ever says they're bored of your cooking, you tell me. I'll help finish it all up."

"Always so helpful when it comes to food," despite herself, there was no masking the amusement twinkling in her eyes. The crease in her face grew as she smiled, and he couldn't help but return the gesture.

"Yeah. And obviously, I'll help with so many more things besides just that. I'm not good at a lot of things, but just ask, okay?"

"I will be sure to remember that."

The rest of the meal was spent with some light chatter between the two, Sulinea pouring him a mug of hot tea before she had to excuse herself to wake the other children up. She'd waved off his offer to help her—both to clean the dishes and get all the kids up—saying that he could go for his calling already.

When he was done, he called out a farewell to Azalia before properly leaving the church (and leaving the dishes in the kitchen, at the very least). Just the barest amount of light peeked through the mountains, where the light of Solus was beginning to rise, leaving streaks of gold across the otherwise dark canvas overhead. Stars were fading away, clouds slowly revealing themselves and carried by the cold northern winds.

Kirito, the young hero of Rulid Village, stopped to breathe in, before letting it out.

"Kirito! Good morning!"

"Yeah. Morning to you too."

One step, then another, before the blond stopped right before him. Those green eyes of them reflected renewed energy and enthusiasm, which was enough to rouse him all the same.

"So…" Eugeo began. His eyes watched him, trying to find something he was uncertain of. "You ready for another day?"

"I sure am. Wouldn't be otherwise, considering how I'm out here and all," he nodded back. "Let's get going."

"Yeah."

"And Eugeo?"

"Hmm?"

A million thoughts ran through his head. So many things that he wished to have said to his friend, but for a single one that came to mind which felt most suitable to express his feelings, he'd ended up saying that instead. "Thank you."

There was a hum, a calm voice coming through that erases any lingering doubts. "I meant everything that I said last night. You shouldn't've had to feel like everything was your doing. What happened to Alice… It was tragic, it really was. But it was something that the both of us allowed because we'd been so helpless at the time."

"Perhaps…"

"And I never said this last night, but I'm sorry too. For never noticing before."

This time, it was his turn to shake his head. "Don't. I… never wanted you, or anyone for that matter, to worry."

"And you bottled all that up for five months. Almost the entirety of half of a year. That… That wasn't fair to you."

"I don't know. I just didn't want to forget."

Eugeo looked uneasy by that. Revealing that he had nightmares of that day every night since she'd been taken away had been a disturbing revelation for both Eugeo and Selka. Even Charlotte had looked displeased with that, unable to offer words of comfort.

Then again, that wouldn't have been what he wanted. He'd practically accepted the burden of falling asleep, only to relive that damning moment, every single night—if only to never forget.

Because at this point, he was afraid of forgetting her voice. Her face. Her name. His memories of them together. So if that nightmare could serve to remind him always, then he would bear it, no matter how much it hurt.

Will you be okay? He remembered Charlotte asking him after he'd explained that.

It's something I hope will stay with me. She didn't know what to say to that.

"Alice would be sad if she knew about that."

"She would. Guess it's a good thing she doesn't," he sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "She'd be so upset. The idea of her crying would be so wrong."

"And she would cry, because you're her best friend. Just as you're mine," he said that last bit suddenly, and not without emotion. The honesty behind his tone had him feeling a little emotional himself. "You're precious to me just as Alice is. If what happened to her happened to you…"

The two fell silent once more, simply taking in the moment. With only the earliest of risers up and about, Rulid was still quiet. But it would only be a matter of time before everything was alive once more, and by then, they wouldn't be there to see it. They'd be at the Gigas Cedar to work.

With a hum, he fixed his scarf around his neck, finding comfort in how soft and warm it felt. He'd have to thank Selka again later.

"…Thanks."

"Mm."

"Let's get going then."

And with a step forwards, another day began.

Chapter 19

[ Moving Onwards ]

11th day of the 12th Month – HEC, 372

The Blue Rose Sword felt light in his hands, and the duty of felling the Gigas Cedar felt like it lost its usual monotonousness. He'd likely stopped thinking of it as some boring, unachievable slog and an actual target that they could finish. That day looked closer and closer.

He remembered how excited he'd been at the start. How much he'd wanted that from when he first picked up the axe. After all, the chance to put an end to such a task when tens of other people failed to do sounded like fulfilling a legacy left behind. It was poetic.

But now, rather than blaze through it, Kirito felt hesitant. It was something that felt odd for him, but some realization on his part had him understanding the need for a concrete plan to help them go forwards. Otherwise, they were going to make absolutely no progress.

The feeling of the sword cleaving into the tree with minimal resistance felt incredible, cementing the fact that this sword could truly fell the demon tree. And that reminded him of the inevitability; that someday, they would cut it down.

The world beyond Rulid would await them by then, and nothing could possibly change that.

That single thought forced him to leave the sword lodged in the gash with his final swing. That drew Eugeo's attention from where he'd been sitting on a root and watching their surroundings. "Kirito?" He called. "Is everything alright? Want to switch?"

"No, no. It's nothing like that. Just realized something," he said, stepping over a root to take a seat on it. "It's time we talked. About our plans after Rulid."

This time, he had to be completely serious. Eugeo realized that too, nodding firmly. "Right. After we finish our calling. We'll be going to Centoria, won't we?"

"We would. Before that, though, I think it's better if we go call Charlotte. This is something that we need to discuss between the four of us," he made sure to nod towards Eugeo's hand, which was now aglow, referencing Selena. "No one else should know because we'll have to talk about some private stuff."

'You needn't leave your post to return to the village to call her. I can easily speak with her from this distance through long-distance telepathy.'

"That would be appreciated, yeah. Thanks, Selena."

'It is no issue. Give me a moment.'

As they waited for Charlotte's arrival, the two opted to take a small break. It was still well in the morning, more or less two hours before noon. It was incredibly chilly, which made the scarves Selka made for them all the more valuable. He honestly didn't know how he'd been doing work in the winter without wearing anything like this before.

Eugeo took out a packed box that Sulinea had made for him and Kirito to share (he'd have to thank her for that too, later). Inside was an assortment of steamed potatoes, still hot and delicious, fruits like apples, citrus and grapes, and… slices of ginger.

"Why," he said more than he asked. "Are there ginger?"

"Er. Good to keep you warm?"

"Yeah, eating that sure is gonna' heat you up quite a bit," he chewed on his lip. "I don't know if I want to eat it. Do you?"

"N-No, of course not."

"…I might give it a try."

"Really?!"

They ate a bit, more or less just a quarter of everything, before keeping the rest for the rest of the day. He'd just had breakfast, after all, and finishing everything too quickly would make them hungry for later. It would be too much hassle to go back to the village to get more food.

It took less than expected before they caught sight of a head of black hair approaching them from the distance. Charlotte, in her black dress, now wore a snug black scarf around her neck, this one interweaved with silver streaks.

"Charlotte, hey," he raised one hand towards her. "Were you busy?"

"Not at all," the woman shook her head. "I was simply helping around the village. Chief Gasupht did ask why I suddenly wanted to visit you two, though he didn't seem to mind allowing me to leave the village," she joined them on a root, sweeping her skirt to make herself comfortable.

"Even so, sorry that you had to come all the way out here. Would've been a lot easier to have this talk in the village, but this has got to stay a secret."

"From what Lady Selena said to me, I believe it has something to do in regards with what you intend to do after you are done with your calling. Your destination would be Centoria, correct?"

"That's the gist of it, but I've never exactly said why we have to go," he sighed, noticing the curiosity on both their faces. Even Charlotte's, despite her schooled expression, seemed to listen more closely. "I mean, it must seem strange, considering how big of a deal I keep making out of it. Like, why Centoria?"

"I would assume it has something to do with your decision to make swordsmanship your next calling," she mused. "After all, the four major swordsmanship academies of each kingdom are located in Centoria. Most people finish their training there, which would qualify them for the annual tournaments, where you can then earn a place in the order of the Integrity Knights."

"Yeah, you explained that before. But no, that's not actually my goal," hard to want to be one, considering he'd watched a knight take away his childhood friend. "It's… to fulfil a promise I made. To Gabura," when that name didn't ring a bell for Eugeo, he continued: "The leader of the goblins from that night. The one I killed."

"Huh?" The look of abject disbelief on his face was expected. Were he in Eugeo's shoes, he'd likely have thought he heard wrong. "You made a promise to him?"

"Yeah. It's basically like this…"

It had been hard, at the time, to make sense of just what in the world the dying goblin had been trying to say. They'd just been trying to kill each other for the past few minutes, after all, and Kirito had initially thought to simply dismiss his words and finish the blow. But he couldn't—not when he'd called him a warrior, and then ask for a final favour.

Apparently, he had a connection with a human woman; what it was or how it came to be, he never got to say. All that he did ask was for him to find her in Centoria and tell her of his fate.

Now that he spoke it out loud, it was unnervingly morbid. What person requested another to be a messenger for their companion, simply to deliver news of his death? It was messed up, that was what it was.

Still, with him making that plea literally at death's door, Kirito didn't have it in himself to deny his request. It felt… too personal. Too important. Like, if he didn't do it, then it would be a regret he would have to carry to the grave. He needed it to be known to this mysterious woman, no matter what.

And Kirito couldn't say 'no'. He made up his mind there and then to carry it out.

"And that's why I've been pretty tight-lipped about this," he said, frowning. "If word of this gets out, there's no doubt that we'll get into trouble. Worst scenario, Rulid would have to be evacuated to protect the villagers from any threat from the north."

"I see… Yes, I can see the issue that would bring about, should it ever reach the authorities' ears," hummed Charlotte. "And this person. What is her name?"

"Ophilia Grey."

"Ophilia Grey? Well, judging by the name, she is either commonfolk or the daughter of a low-ranking nobility house. And she lives in Centoria, which might dictate a level of wealth; the city is known to be a place where those who could afford to pay for some amounts of luxury would reside. Still, there are the eighth, ninth and tenth districts, where the ordinary citizens reside, so it's still fine."

Sheesh. Talk about pressuring. He'd never stopped foot in any fancy place beyond Rulid. Zakkaria, while certainly a lot bigger than his village, wasn't exactly the 'grand city' one would imagine in their head. It was relatively simple, almost similar to Rulid, save for the added facilities, larger size and bigger buildings. Centoria would be a different beast all on its own.

'So, what is the plan now? You make contact with her and simply inform her of Gabura's passing? '

"There was nothing else beyond that. That's all he ever asked me for."

"The only hard part would be finding this woman. Centoria is a rather large place."

"True that. We'd have to do a thorough search of the entire city and all its districts to locate her."

"Then again, I could simply ask my familiar to search for her."

Everyone perked up at that. "Familiar?"

"Indeed. If you recall from the first time we met, I had a messenger bird on me."

"Oh, I remember!" Nodded Eugeo. "The black one."

"Correct. That is my familiar."

"I'd always thought it strange, since I saw wings coming out of the sides of its head," wait, wings out of the side of its head? He didn't notice that detail. And now that he was trying to imagine it, he felt kind of creeped out. "Is he yours?"

"You could say that. Well, he and I operate under the same benefactor. In that essence, we are both of the same standing, though he works as my familiar now."

Huh. Now that he thought about it, he never exactly asked Charlotte about that mysterious benefactor of hers. The last time he'd heard anything about that was when they were preparing to leave the forest, and she'd been told that her 'mission had changed', which lead to her staying with them in the village.

He'd never been against it, of course. Charlotte was a good friend and a trusted ally at this point. It's just that there were a lot of things that they still don't know about her, and that which she hasn't exactly attempted to explain.

Why was she in Rulid at the time? Who was her benefactor? What was her reason for staying with them all this time?

Ultimately, however, Kirito opted to just ignore all of the questions nagging in the back of his mind. Charlotte had been utterly genuine in helping them this entire time, and he wasn't going to start doubting her now. She saved them before, and was helping them even now.

"That would be a lot easier, yeah," he nodded, smiling. "Thanks."

"Anything at all."

'Kirito, you mentioned before that you intended to make swordsmanship your calling, correct?' He nodded back at her question. 'Any particular reason why? '

"Honestly? I don't know," Kirito shrugged back. "That was the calling that came to mind when I thought of those that let you travel around, but I'm not exactly sure if I want to be that. If I choose swordsman, I'd have to become a knight, wouldn't I?"

"That would be likely. Of course, you can choose to advance as a simple mercenary instead, but the pontifex has her eyes on you," yeah, that was another hassle to deal with. He didn't exactly plan on drawing the eyes of the important people, yet he'd gone ahead and done just that. Good job, Kirito. "She seems rather determined to add you as a knight."

He groaned back. "I really don't want to, if I can help it. I don't exactly have fond memories of the knights…"

"Same here," Eugeo nodded with a sheepish smile. "Not to say all of them are bad. Sir Fanatio was a good man, however."

"You won't find me arguing with you there. But also, both knights' presence were related with disasters, and that's not exactly a positive in my book," Alice's arrest and the Million-Eyed. No one needed to be a genius to understand what he was talking about. "Well, I don't have much talent for much else, so I guess I'll do just that. Besides that, I wanted to ask both of your opinion. Charlotte, Selena, what would be the best thing to do in that case?"

"But what matters here is what you two want, Kirito."

"I get that, but I just want your opinions regardless. Anything at all."

Both dragon and warrior fell silent as they pondered over his question. In the meantime, he took out his water canteen and offered it to the woman, who accepted it with a quiet 'thank you'. She sipped a little before capping it once more, setting it down.

"I think you should accept it," she quickly made to continue despite their looks of surprise. "I understand it would be rather suspicious on your part, considering your earlier hesitation. In that case, it's best to be honest about your intent to go to Centoria."

"Tell her about Gabura?!"

"You can mention the promise he made to you, though removing any mentions of Gabura would be preferred. Simply tell her that you seek to find this woman, whose name you cannot remember, hence why you chose to pick up this calling."

'And you would go without mentioning her name because if we do, the pontifex would summon her to the cathedral, right?'

"Indeed," she nodded. "And though the risk is fairly low, we wouldn't want them to run a background check on her, only to discover her connection to Gabura. So long as we keep her identity a secret, that should be fine."

Okay, those were relatively good points, he supposed. It both explained their reason to come to Centoria and would keep Ophilia safe from the authorities.

'Also, should they become Integrity Knights immediately?'

"That would be up to the boys, though I'd suggest not to. The moment one becomes an Integrity Knight—a proper one, I mean—they will be expected to carry out duties on a regular routine. Such will apply for you two. Though you may have your rest days, there is a good chance that you will be incredibly busy with your work. That would mean you won't have the time to look for Ophilia. Knights are regularly dispatched to all kingdoms at varying times, especially in the further lands," she raised a finger. "Think of Deusolbert. He was likely the knight tasked with overseeing the Northern Empire."

Crud. Well, that would be annoying. If that were the case, then he could kiss his promise goodbye since he'd have to be anywhere and everywhere. "So not right away. How does that work?"

"It means, after your calling, when you go to Centoria, do you wish to become official Integrity Knights right away or knights-in-training?"

"We wouldn't be as busy with the second option, so that's more preferable."

"Fair enough. So the plan will be as such; you will agree to join the order of the knights, although as knights-in-training. Until then, you'll need to figure out what to do, which we can discuss at a later time. Perhaps train, or something else."

'And you mentioned earlier that the boys would be travelling to Centoria on foot?'

"That one is unnecessary. We can choose to travel straight to Centoria if you'd like."

"Is there a reason why you suggested going on foot?" Eugeo asked.

"None in particular. I just thought you'd prefer that over going to Centoria right away."

Well, there was heading off straight for duty, and there was also exploring the wilds in the little time that they have together. He knew what his choice was. "Let's go on foot, then," Kirito said, grinning. "It would be fun to camp outdoors and stuff. Don't you think?"

"You do realize that we'll have to walk kilolu from here?" Eugeo pointed out.

"Sure, but we wouldn't have to be in a rush. It can be a leisurely trip. Come on! Where's the harm in that?"

'I, for one, am rather taken by the idea!' The dragoness chirped, sounding more excited than even him. 'I vote for Charlotte's suggestion!'

"Me too!"

"I am fine either way, though I too wouldn't mind the trip," everyone then turned to look at the remaining member of their little party. "And what about you, Eugeo? Would you be fine with this?"

The exasperation on his face couldn't have been made even more obvious than before. Still, the tug of the corner of his lips was too good of an indication of his true feelings, made fact only by his following statement. "Alright, alright. I get it," he sighed out loud, though not without any actual heat in it. "I'll admit… camping does sound fun…"

"And hopefully a lot less awkward than it had been back in Zakkaria," chuckled Kirito. "At that time, we'd just been borrowing land from Zakkaria to house all the Million-Eyed victims. This time, it would just be us and nature."

Of course, he hadn't forgotten that they'd be travelling to Centoria while they were at it to fulfil an important promise, but having some fun along the way couldn't possibly be bad. Heck, even Charlotte, who's the adult here, seemed to want the same.

"So we've decided, then?" He asked finally, having everyone's attention. "We'll accept the pontifex's invitation, but only with those three conditions. After Eugeo and I are done with our calling, we'll leave for Centoria on foot, and we'll search for Ophilia after we're settled down. Is that the plan?"

"That should be everything," replied Charlotte. Everyone nodded in understanding. "We'll need to contact her to notify her. I shall handle that part."

"You can do that?"

"I'll write a message and have him send it. We'll have to await a reply from the pontifex before we can do anything else."

"Guess that's the plan then," saying that, he then proceeded to stand back up, patting the back of his pants. "Welp, time to get back to our current job, eh, Eugeo?"

"No use escaping from it," chuckled the blond. "Thank you again, Charlotte, for coming all the way out here. Will you be returning to the village?"

The woman hummed, considering his question for a moment, before shaking her head with a smile. "I suppose I could, though I do enjoy spending time with you all the same. I'll be staying with you boys until you're done with your calling."

"Haha… Alright then."

The rest of the day goes by like a blur.

19th day of the 12th Month – HEC, 372

After the spectacle of a monster fight and witnessing a duel between one of their own and a knight, Rulid would see to many relaxed days for a very long time.

It was just a fact of life; everyone would come to forget one exciting or the other with time, and things would go back to the way they always were. People still stared at him from time to time, though he knew there was never any ill will. Just a little bit of respect.

And admiration, as much as he tries to tune it out. It sure gets embarrassing whenever Selena points out that fact to him. He did not need to know.

Living with the kids back in the church was simplistic fun, though there hadn't been a shortage of requests for demonstrations and the like. He'd had a few help from calmer minds like Eriana and Sana in quelling their demands, though even they hoped to see some action. Urgh.

Eugeo had told him that things in the house was as normal as always, though complained of how much food Sulinea would make. Fortunately, she does share some with the church and her neighbours, so there was never any fear of having to work hard to finish everything up. Goddesses know even he had trouble helping them to finish the entire table's worth of meals that she puts out whenever she had the ingredients to work with.

Their days now are just the same as they had always been; they get up early in the morning, walk to the Gigas Cedar, do their work, then return home. Rinse and repeat. Boring days, sure, but uneventful meant safe and sane, and Kirito came to appreciate that after all the craziness they'd had to deal with.

Today would be the same as always, too. He got up early, took his bath, helped Sister Azalia with a little bit of chores, helped wake the kids up, then had breakfast with them together. Nothing but the same old, same o—

The door to the church swung open. Everyone's heads turned in that direction, all eyes falling upon the panting girl, her brownish-red hair sticking out at odd angles here and there.

"Miss Cherise?" Sister Azalia quirked a brow at the huntress. "Is something wrong? If you're looking for Sir Reyes, he's not here—"

"N-Not Reyes..!" She breathed out, eyes snapping towards one person. Kirito flinched when he realized those brown orbs were staring at him. "K-Kirito..!"

"What did Kirito do?"

"Wha—No, wait! I didn't do anything!" Immediately, he paused to consider that question. "Did I?"

"N-No, it's something else. Not your doing or anything, just..."

"Please don't tell me it's something bad."

"Do… Do you want an honest answer… or the answer you want to hear?"

Goddesses damn it. Well, they had their moment of peace for long enough. Might as well face their next big issue with his head held high.

Assuring the children and Azalia, he joined Cherise outside of the church. He'd have thought her panicky disposition was a little off, but for the people beginning to group up at the village square (a sight that's becoming too common and an inkling of something bad or unexpected to come), he supposed she deserved some slack.

He remembered just how shocked he'd been the first time. Now, though, he was lamenting the fact that this was occurring a little more than he was comfortable with, even if he'd technically saw it coming. That was the only reason why he'd been able to mentally prepare himself for what he was seeing, and not simply throwing his arms up in the air in disdain.

Namely, the silhouette of two dragons flying right at them from the distance. Déjà vu all over again.

'Well, it's been a week and a bit, so I guess she'd have already received the message. But I didn't expect her to up and want to come to our village straight away.'

Sheesh. This would make it the second time the pontifex has visited their village. Their name is bound to get out there, though he hoped for the right reasons. None of them needed false news of them being some bad village, enough so that they'd warrant the higher ups' attention, circulating around the rumour mill.

Sighing, Kirito just stood back and waited for the two dragons to finally land. Everyone stepped back, wide-eyed but thankfully less wary than before. No one needed to be too high-strung. In fact, he could already see one or two losing interest and taking their leave to do their work.

However, the moment the two individuals finally got off their dragons, Kirito couldn't help the gasp, nor the way his feet carried him hurriedly their way. Several adults cried out in surprise, some even beckoning him to show some restraint, but he couldn't care. He was here. "Sir Fanatio!" He yelled, almost laughing.

"Kirito," he nodded curtly. And yet, was that a hint of joy in his tone? That fact alone made him smile brighter. "It's been a while."

"No kidding. It's good to see that you're okay."

"That should be my line for you, and I'm glad that my worries were unfounded," he could hear the quiet mutters behind them. Probably surprised by how close they seemed. Well, they did fight a catastrophic-sized monster together. Not much else could really build bonds than that. Plus, that little talk they had in Zakkaria had been... well, it put their initial hostility towards one another aside to rest, and he'd grown fond of the knight in the short time since. "How has everyone else been? Eugeo, Charlotte…"

"They're just as fine. Eugeo and I have our calling, and Charlotte helps around the village. The peace has been amazing."

"I sense displeasure."

"Only just that I'm afraid that, every time we think our days are going to be peaceful like always, something big happens," he sighed loudly, getting the knight to chuckle. "Seriously, is it so much to ask? If another Million-Eyed shows up, I'm gonna' have to ask you and the other knights to handle it. I ain't lifting a finger."

"And the heroes of Rulid would choose to sit back and watch? My, how cruel," he teased, making Kirito stick his tongue back at him.

A soft giggle cut their conversation short. They turned to look at the pontifex, amusement glimmering in her silver eyes. "Well, aren't you two getting along well?"

"Ah—Forgive me, milady," Fanatio saluted with a fist to his breastplate, professional once more. "I allowed myself a moment of leniency. I shan't allow such to happen again."

"Not at all, not at all. I can tell how much this means to you," shrugged the woman, still smiling. "After all, you'd been wanting to visit this village for some time now, haven't you? You were concerned."

He did? Kirito glanced at Fanatio, who promptly turned his head away, all but refusing to look at him. That just made him grin wider. Well, he didn't expect the Sir Fanatio to be shy!

"Nevertheless, as you are aware, we're here to smoothen out the details regarding your decision," call him crazy, but she sounded pretty interested in that. Guess she's happy that he isn't flat-out rejecting her invitation. "Shall we take this conversation elsewhere?"

Uncle Gasupht stepped forwards. "You may speak in my abode, if you so wish," he offered.

"Very well. Let us be off."

The crowd dispersed once they knew nothing serious was happening. He followed the chieftain to his house, wanting to ask Fanatio a bunch of other questions. However, he had a feeling the knight would rather keep quiet for the time being, if only because he was still feeling a little embarrassed over their previous display.

They met up with Eugeo and Charlotte halfway, both of whom were then asked to join the meeting as well, since it would involve them. They obliged, joining the group.

And when they arrived at the door, Gasupht reached for the door—"Hmm?"

Only for it to swing inwards on its own. A head of soft orange hair poked out from the side, though she eventually stepped aside to let the door open wide. "Hello, father."

"Thank you, Selka. We'll be having guests for a moment."

"Okay, I'll go tell mother."

Her eyes glanced away from her father's, and for just a brief moment, she and Kirito were staring at one another. Wordless communication ensued between the two, black staring back at blue.

And then, Kirito nodded, a little smile. She, in turn, smiled a wider one before rushing back into the house to find her mother.

'You're doing much better, Kirito,' Selena whispered in his mind. He nodded back.

'Yeah. We've greeted each other whenever we see each other. We even started talking,' it sounded like such a miniscule thing, but for him—who had always tried avoiding her out of fear and deep-seated guilt—it was a big step forward.

'So long as you take it slow, I am certain that everything will go fine. You needn't push yourself, alright?'

'I will. Thanks.'

They sat at the table, seated quietly while Sadina worked in the back to prepare tea for them. Charlotte moved to her side to help her, and eventually each person had a cup of tea before them. Jasmine, if the smell was any indication.

He took a sip, if only to calm down his nerves, before he let out: "So…"

What a good starter to any conversation. He can feel his ancestors shaking their heads in disappointment.

"I've already received the letter from Charlotte's little friend. I could've sent a letter back, but I feel that it would have been much easier to simply talk about this face-to-face."

"You didn't notify the chieftain of your arrival?"

"If I did so, I've a feeling your village would have prepared some feast of sorts," she rolled her eyes at that. "I'd much prefer going without that hassle, so showing up unannounced was the only way."

Both Kirito and Eugeo sweat-dropped at that explanation. Did she even realize just how much anxiety she causes with her appearance? Probably not.

"Before we speak of anything else, I'd like to know what made you change your mind," she said, sipping her tea. "The both of you were initially against it, after all. I'd thought that would be the end of it. Make no mistake, I am pleased to hear that you are reconsidering it, though I am curious why."

They'd already discussed that last week, so he simply told her of what happened. Rather than meeting a goblin, though, he changed the story to an encounter with a sickly old man, who was close on his death bed. With no one else to ask, he'd simply asked him to find a woman in Centoria and pass on the news of his death.

For some reason, he had a feeling that Gabura was rolling in his grave for being called 'old and sick'. It was all for a good reason, he told himself.

"I see," she seemed surprised by his answer, judging by her wide eyes. "That's surprising, coming from you."

"I genuinely don't know what else to become, so I thought I'd picked up swordsmanship. That job lets people travel, after all. Plus, I seem pretty good at it, so why not?"

"And your friend?"

The blond gulped, but spoke regardless. "I want to be something that lets me travel too and stay with Kirito. So… if I have to make becoming a swordsman my calling too, I'll do just that."

"You would?" She quirked a brow, eyeing his arm. "Even with that injury?"

Kirito tensed, though he refrained from saying anything. Eugeo seemed to have known what to say. "I know there are one-handed sword styles, like the Zakkarite style," he shrugged. "I'll have to learn them and use my left hand, then."

"Is your left hand your dominant hand?"

"Er, no. But I'll practise hard! I'll make it work."

She didn't seem to doubt him, though she certainly had the look of someone pondering the possibility of such. "Well, if you can make it happen, I'll allow that," she nodded. Eugeo sighed in relief, muttering a quiet 'thank you'. "So then, you two intend to become knights-in-training rather than fully-fledged knights, right?"

"That's exactly it."

"And why not be promoted to knights right away?"

"It would feel wrong for us to become Integrity Knights when we don't even qualify for it. It'd feel kind of unfair to all the other knights that we got promoted right away when we literally have no skills or strength for it."

"Again with your sentiment. You sure prefer that," despite her sigh, she didn't sound upset. "Well, that's fine. As for your training, how will that fare?"

"Ah, we thought about training ourselves in the meantime as we do our calling before we head to Centoria. We'd then travel there by walking."

She hummed at that, looking up at the ceiling as she pondered over something. There was a moment of... he didn't know what to call it. The way she stared at him, her strange focus almost as if she was trying to piece together a puzzle in her mind. What that puzzle was, he wasn't sure, but there seemed to be some kind of conflict going on inside of her, judging from the way her facial expression switched from furrowed brows to a thoughtful look, then back to a scrutinizing display.

Kirito met Eugeo's gaze, oddly nervous about what she was thinking of. Could she perhaps be against that? Was she insistent on having them join the Integrity Knights early regardless? If so, then maybe the plan would be a bust in the end.

Eventually, she refocused her gaze on them, nodding. "Very well. I see that there should be no issues with your proposed arrangement," wait, seriously? She was actually okay with it? He grew hopeful. "Although, I have a suggestion of my own, if you two don't mind. I don't see it as interfering with your original plans."

Everyone perked up at that. "Yes?"

"I was wondering if you'd like it if you studied swordsmanship under Fanatio here while you work on your calling."

…Wait, what?

"Wait, what?" Kirito vocalized.

"W-Wait, what?" Fanatio said with much more surprise, turning his head to stare at the pontifex. "Milady, w-what do you mean by that?"

"Exactly what I meant," she shrugged. "It's clear to me that the boys want to finish up their calling before they come to Centoria. And even then, they don't want to head there right away; they'll be travelling there, yes? There will be much time for them to train until them," a sigh came after. "Honestly, I'd prefer if they just came to Centoria immediately and receive their training there, but it seems as if they have their own plans. And I have a feeling the young boy would be a difficult one to change the mind of."

Urk. That's… well, not wrong. "Sorry about that."

"It's fine. But I do confess, I do wish to see just how far you can go. And I understand that those who are given the room to grow can become quite exceptional. You seem to have an idea—concrete or no—of how you intend to go at things, so I'll allow you to handle yourselves in any way you so desire," her lips curved into a sly grin. "After all, you could have had everything given to you in a quick and easy way, but you've decided otherwise. Perhaps that would be the best way to forge you into the best version of you."

"Err… That sure is some high level of confidence in us, milady."

"Considering how my faith is put upon two children who slaughtered the Million-Eyed, I think it isn't unfounded. Although," and her tone became a little dangerous, and her eyes narrowed. Kirito felt a shudder go down his spine. "You do intend to become Integrity Knights, correct? I'd be disappointed if you choose to go back on your word after this."

Why does this feel like signing a deal with a devil? Then again, he supposed he should have seen it coming. He gulped, nodding. "Sure…"

"Good. Then I will lend Fanatio to you to oversee your swordsmanship training. He is, after all, the second-ranking knight in the order; you will be hard-pressed to find anyone much stronger than him. He will stay in this village with you for as long as required."

"Milady… is that fine?" The knight asked, sounding uncertain.

"Well, consider it as me giving you your orders, so go for it," jeez, she sure is relaxed about all of this. "You are hereby exempt from any duties barring this one. You are to remain in Rulid for as long as necessary and train them in a way that will ensure their maximum growth. If you require anything, send a request to the cathedral, and someone will send them to you… probably."

Fanatio did not say anything at first, probably too shocked by this sudden responsibility, though he eventually nodded. "Understood! I will do my best."

"Good. I expect nothing less."

Today had gone… well, it hadn't been what she expected. At all.

Up in the sky and feeling the wind against her face, the Administrator let out a quiet breath, grasping the reins of her dragon. Her companion let out a shrill cry, akin to a woodwhistle, carried away into the air, and she stroked it gently on the back of its neck.

To be honest, she hadn't expected to receive that letter, much less so for the news that the boys decided to change their minds about joining the Integrity Knights. She'd been so confused that she actually spent the entire day trying to find any hidden meaning, be it some kind of dark conspiracy or intention to develop Rulid's clout.

The truth was a lot more underwhelming, but somehow fitting. They were honest through and through, and she found herself trusting them despite all the cynicism she'd built throughout the centuries she'd been alive.

'If they end up joining the knights… well, the more the better.'

The «Final Load Test». It would become the Human Empire's undoing, and building the strongest army in preparation for that was the only way to overcome it.

She'd also been conducting her own less-than-legal research into the creation of artificial soldiers, though that had seen something of a slow as of late. There weren't a lot of subjects that she could realistically 'borrow', and there'd been the whole issue with the Million-Eyed. Efforts to re-secure the road and clean up the area were still undergoing.

The woman sighed. Honestly, so much work and all on her own…

'Then again, it is only I who can save this world,' she thought to herself. 'Even if that brat Cardinal would call me monster for what I do.'

Not like she was any better. Her idea was to completely wipe out Underworld, which was no better outright destroying it. Her plan, on the other hand, would at least save the empire, even if it was at the cost of other lives.

"Ah well. No use stressing over it," she sighed loudly. With no one there to witness her, she could complain as much as she wanted to. Her words will be heard by none but her own dragon and the wind. "I will ensure it works out. That much, I know."

And she knew it could work. She was the Administrator, after all; the ruler of the Human Empire. It had thrived in an age of peace for years under her rule, and she would make sure that her plan would never fail.

Plus, it would be embarrassing if she were to fail where a young boy and his friend succeeded in killing a monster that she felt even the Integrity Knights would have failed to. She couldn't be outdone by a child.

"Ah. Speaking of them, I did lend them Fanatio. I wonder how she would fare."

A sense of amusement struck her when she recalled how each and every person there had assumed that Fanatio was a man. She wondered what their reactions would be once she actually revealed the truth of her identity to them. Ah, how she would have loved to see it for herself.

…Hmm. That certainly had been rather sudden of her. In fact, she hadn't even planned for that. She'd had to call a knight to escort her, and she'd just chosen Fanatio simply because. And to now give her the duty of teaching those children how to become swordsmen?

Chudelkin would have called it her generosity. Others would have called it a strategic thinking on her part. The truth, just as Kirito's and Eugeo's desire to go to Centoria, was a lot less impressive.

It had all been done on a whim. Nothing more than a decision made at the moment without proper thought.

'Just like…' She paused, remembering a person's voice, then shook her head. 'Well, it'll work out. I'm sure it will.'

Silver eyes stared off towards the horizon—and suddenly, the world looked a lot larger than it ever had.

Author's Notes:

And so it begins. We're nearing the end of this 'first arc', which I never exactly planned out in advance, but managed to figure out after some time trying to make an outline for this entire thing. And yeah, I feel like this is a pretty good place to call the end of the first arc. Seriously, it's five pre-prologues, a prologue and almost twenty plus chapters of just Rulid. It's bound to get old. It's finally time to spread our wings and fly away.

Alright. Q&A session time, baby.

To answer NerdyKingpin's first question over on the previous chapter; I cannot confirm whether this is purely Underworld-focused or does indeed include the real world. That is, unfortunately, something that I can only reveal much, much later down the road. Sorry, but that was a good question to bring up.

And as both NerdyKingpin and Cosmiz wondered, yeah! I wasn't exactly trying to hide it much, and I feel like a time skip is just appropriate. Good eye (or nose) on that, guys.

Finally, just to give a quick update out there; I will be posting the next chapter of this story tomorrow, Saturday, and will then be taking a break for two weeks. Got exams, so you know how it goes.