"Do you know how long the way to the capital would be?" Felix asked, resting his back against the carriage seat.
Sylra, absentmindedly brushing a strand of hair from his face, replied, "The road is long—it takes two days and one night to reach there. Between here and the capital, there are no towns. Just two villages… and vast stretches of wilderness. We'll have to pass through the Forest of Fog."
"The Forest of Fog?" Felix raised a brow.
"It's not dangerous," Sylra explained, "It's just... thick with trees. So dense that the water in the air doesn't escape, and fog hangs like a veil over everything."
Felix leaned back, letting out a soft sigh. "So, a long road, huh... And Master said there'd be more fighters joining us. But all I see are a few soldiers... and Kaelan."
Sylra nodded. "Yeah. Seems like we're alone in this."
Felix opened the small window of the carriage and called out to a soldier riding beside them on horseback.
"Hey! Weren't the fighters supposed to accompany Sir Kaelan too?"
The soldier looked over. "No. We're scouting town to town for fighters to fight in that compitition, hoping to recruit along the way. We weren't assigned to follow them. Count yourselves lucky—Sir Darian personally asked Sir Kaelan to bring you two to the capital."
Felix gave a dry chuckle. "So we're getting the special treatment, huh? All thanks to Master Darian." He closed the window and turned to Sylra again.
Sylra was holding something in his hand, staring at it quietly. Felix didn't want to interrupt, so he looked outside instead, watching the landscape roll by—wild, untamed, the sky bleeding gold as evening settled into night.
Eventually, the carriages slowed. They had entered a small village.
The people stared as if they'd never seen a noble's carriage before. A few even ran off in fear. The carriage didn't stop in the center—it rolled further in until they reached a small manor near the edge. A traveler's rest built for passing nobles.
The carriage halted. Kaelan approached them as the doors opened.
"We'll stay here for the night," he said calmly. "Get comfortable. This is the last night before we reach the capital. If all goes smoothly, we'll arrive by sunset tomorrow."
They followed Kaelan inside.
Servants and maids greeted them in neat rows, bowing as Kaelan gave them orders. One of the maids stepped forward and said, "Please follow me to your rooms."
The group split up, each going their separate ways.
Felix followed quietly behind the maid through long hallways lined with old paintings. A grand staircase led to the upper levels. As they climbed, curiosity got the better of him.
"What's the name of this village?" he asked.
The maid hesitated slightly, then answered, "This is Clover, sir."
Felix smiled. "Clover, huh? Nice name for a quiet place like this."
They continued walking, and Felix couldn't help himself. "How long have you worked here?" he asked gently. "Don't worry—I'm not here to cause trouble."
The maid gave a small nod. "Two years."
"Is the work hard? Do they pay well?"
"It's enough," she replied simply, then stopped. "Your room, sir."
She turned and left without another word.
Felix watched her go, puzzled. "Odd girl," he muttered, then turned into the room.
He collapsed onto the bed with a satisfied groan. "So soft… I could just melt into this and never wake up."
Somewhere in the distance, he heard screaming in the village—but he didn't try to listen. Instead, he closed his eyes and let the exhaustion pull him under.
Morning came, the chirping of birds slipping through the window crack. A knock on the door followed.
"Sir, your breakfast," a voice said.
Felix opened the door. The same maid stepped inside, placed a tray down, and bowed slightly. "Please enjoy your meal. Sir Kaelan requests your presence downstairs once you're ready."
After eating, Felix washed, dressed, and after struggling to find the right hallways, finally made it down the staircase.
"Oh, we're going already?" Felix asked as he approached Kaelan.
Kaelan, quieter than usual, gave a faint smile. "Yes. Thankfully you woke up in time. If not, we might've had to leave you behind."
Felix noticed his voice lacked its usual weight. He didn't question it though.
"And Sylra?" Felix asked, looking around.
"He went to explore the village with some of the soldiers," Kaelan replied. "He should return soon."
Outside in the front yard, the carriages stood ready. A few minutes later, Sylra returned, waving.
"You ready, you lazy thing?" Sylra called out with a smirk.
Felix chuckled. "Yeah, yeah. I'm ready."
They each got into their respective carriages.
As the convoy began to move again, Felix leaned over. "So? How was the village?"
Sylra shrugged. "Nothing much. Like any other village. Though... they seemed a bit scared of strangers."
Just then, something caught their attention.
A middle-aged woman ran into the road, crying, banging on the side of a nearby door. Her cries echoed through the quiet village.
Felix's eyes widened.
Guards moved in to push her away, trying to keep the road clear.
But something in the woman's desperation struck Sylra. He reached out, knocking the side of the carriage.
"Stop," he said firmly.
The carriage halted. Sylra stepped out and approached the sobbing woman.
"Don't cry," he said gently. "Tell me what's wrong, madam."
Felix stood behind him, silently watching.
The woman tried to calm herself, gasping for air between sobs.
"My son... my son is missing. He went into the wild and never came back!"
From behind, a voice called out sharply.
"You again? Stop disturbing people!"
A shopkeeper approached angrily. "Don't listen to her, sir. She's not well. She's mentally unstable."
Felix turned to the shopkeeper. "Mentally unstable? She doesn't seem like it. What happened to her son? Doesn't she have a husband?"
The shopkeeper frowned. "Her husband died years ago—killed by beasts. Her son… he was taken by slavers. Tried to protect his friends. They made him their plaything… killed him the next day. When his body was found and brought back, she... she lost herself. Ever since, she's convinced he's still alive—still out there in the jungle."
As the guards tried to pull the woman away, her grip on Sylra's cloak tightened, fingers trembling.
Sylra didn't move. His brows furrowed deeply, heart aching at her desperation.
"She's lost everything," he whispered, more to himself than anyone else.
Felix's hands clenched, jaw tight. A faint glow shimmered in his eyes.
He muttered low, barely audible—"Slavers... always leave corpses behind.... But I like them alive when I start."
The wind seemed to pause for a second, as if even it listened. I like to be the judge and make an statement . *He smirkes*..