"Rudeus… Rudeus… Turn back now. #% is going to die. Leave now…"

A voice echoed faintly in my mind, it was familiar. Yet felt so foreign and distant.

"Rudeus… Rudeus…"

I felt a sharp smack against my cheek, pulling me violently out of the haze. My eyes fluttered open, groaning as the blinding rays of sunlight poured through the trees. My head throbbed slightly, and I became vaguely aware of something no, someone pressed against me.

Eris..

Her head rested on my chest, and my arms were draped around her protectively.

"What the—"

"Wake up and let go of me!" she hissed, her voice snapping me back to reality.

I blinked rapidly, trying to make sense of the situation. Before I could fully process, Eris shoved me back with a forceful punch to the gut, knocking the air out of my lungs.

"Ugh!" I gasped, clutching my stomach as I collapsed against the tree.

She stood over me, her arms crossed, her shadow cast ominously over my crumpled form. Her crimson hair shimmered in the sunlight, though her expression was anything but warm. A slight blush dusted her cheeks, but her glare carried the promise of violence.

"Don't tell anyone about last night," she growled, her tone icy and razor-sharp. "Or I'll kill you."

Her words sent a shiver down my spine, sweat dripping down my back. Judging by her expression, she'd have no problem following through on that threat.

"Y-Yes, ma'am," I stammered, raising my hands in mock surrender.

Satisfied, she huffed, snatched up her sword, and turned to walk away. Then she stopped abruptly, freezing in place like she'd forgotten something.

"Hmph. Rudeus," she called out, her voice edged with defiance. "Which way is the carriage?

I blinked, taken aback. She stood facing entirely the wrong direction, her shoulders stiff as she avoided looking at me directly.

"Uh…" I rubbed the back of my head, a nervous laugh slipping out. "The thing is…I don't actually know."

Her head snapped toward me. I could feel her eyes looking into my soul.

"What do you mean, you don't know?" she growled, stomping back toward me. Before I could even react, she grabbed my collar and hoisted me off the ground, pinning me against the tree.

"Damn, when did you get so strong?" I muttered, half-impressed, half-annoyed.

Her glare intensified. "Are you telling me we're lost? Aren't you supposed to be the leader or something?"

"The reason I found you," I said, dangling awkwardly, "is because I couldn't find the carriage."

Her grip loosened, and she dropped me unceremoniously to the ground. I groaned, rubbing my neck as she stormed off in frustration.

"Wait up!" I called, grabbing my sword and jogging to catch up.

"I'll use my demon eye to find them," I offered, tapping my right eye.

Eris glanced at me, tilting her head. "What is that thing?"

"It's the same type of eye Ghislaine has under her eyepatch," I explained. "It lets me see mana."

Her eyebrows rose slightly in curiosity, though she masked it with a casual shrug. "Well, hurry up and use it already."

Pouring mana into the eye, I focused, expanding my vision to scan the surrounding area. A faint glimmer in the distance caught my attention, a cluster of mana signatures burning brightly.

"This way," I said, pointing in the direction.

We started walking, the forest eerily quiet around us. After a few moments, I glanced at Eris.

"Do you even know why we're on this mission?" I asked.

"Not really," she admitted with a shrug. "Ghislaine just said it was a training mission to get stronger."

I sighed. "We're here to deal with a noble who's been kidnapping young girls doing unspeakable things to them. Those kidnappers we fought before? They worked for him."

Her steps faltered slightly, though she quickly regained her composure.

"That could've been you," I added softly. My fists clenched as I thought about the kind of man who would do something so vile. "It could've been you if I wasn't there to stop them. I'm not going to let him get away with it not after what he's done to so many others.

Eris was silent for a moment. Then, out of nowhere, she punched me in the shoulder.

"Ow!" I yelped, rubbing the spot. "What was that for?"

"Because you're an idiot," she said turning her head the other direction and looking down.

"If I'm an idiot, that makes you a moron," I shot back, a grin tugging at my lips.

Her rage flared instantly, and I bolted, laughing as she chased after me. For a few minutes, the forest echoed with her shouts and my teasing remarks, a rare moment of joy breaking the tension.

Then, suddenly, a fireball shot into the sky, blazing like a beacon.

I stopped in my tracks, my eyes narrowing as I focused on the mana.

"That was Sylphie," I said. "I can tell by the signature."

"What?" Eris asked, confused.

"She's signaling us," I explained, grabbing her hand. "Let's go!"

We pushed through the final stretch of trees, and there it was—the carriage. Relief washed over me, but before I could take another step, I was blindsided. Something—or someone—slammed into me, knocking me to the ground.

"Ugh!" I groaned, my back hitting the dirt hard.

"Rudeus!" A trembling voice called out. I blinked up, dazed, only to see a familiar pair of teary red eyes staring back at me.

"Sylphie?" My voice softened in surprise.

Her arms wrapped around me tightly, her face buried in my chest as she sobbed. "Rudeus, you said you'd never leave me. You promised…" Her words were muffled, but the pain in her voice was clear.

I felt the wetness of her tears soaking into my shirt, her small frame trembling against mine. My initial shock faded, replaced by a pang of guilt. I sighed, placing a hand on the back of her head, gently stroking her soft hair in an attempt to calm her.

"I'm here now," I murmured softly. "I'm not going anywhere, Sylphie."

Her grip on me tightened, and I stayed like that, letting her cry as the world around us seemed to fade away.

POV: Eris

"Tch. She's such a crybaby." I crossed my arms, scowling as I watched Sylphie cling to Rudeus like her life depended on it. The sight annoyed me more than I cared to admit, though I wasn't entirely sure why.

"She's just worried about him," Ghislaine said, her tone calm as she sat down and began eating breakfast. Her expression was unreadable, as always, but there was a faint softness in her eyes.

I shot her a skeptical look. "Worried? He was gone for what, a few hours? That doesn't explain all… that." I gestured toward Sylphie, who was still wrapped around Rudeus like an overgrown vine. "It's pathetic."

Ghislaine chuckled quietly, tearing a piece of bread with her teeth. "You'll understand soon."

I blinked, caught off guard by her words. "Understand what? That doesn't make any sense." My confusion was plain on my face, and I didn't bother hiding it.

She smiled faintly, her expression almost amused. "It's only a matter of time," she said cryptically, taking another bite. "You're still young."

I huffed, frustrated. Why was everyone always speaking in riddles? "That still doesn't explain why she's acting like that," I muttered under my breath. "I'd never cry over something so dumb."

Ghislaine didn't answer this time. Instead, she waved a chunk of meat at me, her tone suddenly more practical. "You must be hungry. Come eat."

I hesitated, my irritation momentarily forgotten as my stomach growled loudly, betraying me. My mouth watered at the sight of the food, and I realized just how empty I felt.

"If you say so…" I mumbled, quickly closing the distance and grabbing a plate.