"You're going to take on the Guild Master of Blue Skull yourself?"
"Of course that's no problem!"
"I was planning to assign you that mission in the first place."
Weston looked at Zera, his expression certain.
"Still, I'm coming with you!"
"After all, I made a certain promise with someone seven years ago that night!"
That night seven years ago, Weston and Guild Master Zeeself had made a promise.
However, the promise wasn't to avenge him or the villagers, but… to protect Zera!
Geoffrey was Zera's first opponent and the Guild Master of Blue Skull; no matter how he looked at it, Weston had to watch her back.
"…Thank you, Weston."
Zera clenched her fists, eyelids drooping, face clouded with frustration, as though a searing flame were trapped in her chest, ready to erupt at any moment.
Seeing this, Mavis gently pressed her friend's head against her shoulder, rested her own head there as well, and took the trembling fist in her hand, offering comfort with her whole body.
"No matter what happens, we'll stay by your side."
…After leaving Hargeon, the six of them headed west.
In this era, outside the towns lay mostly wild countryside and untamed forest, rugged and almost pathless.
For the next three days they traveled by day and camped in the woods at night.
The forest at night was ink-black; only the blazing campfire tore an orange-red gash in the darkness.
Crackle, pop—
Dry twigs snapped softly in the flames, sparks leaping up for an instant before vanishing into the dark.
The six of them sat around the fire on thick mats of gathered leaves, their shadows stretched long behind them, swaying with the flames like six distorted monsters.
"…Just then, 'smack,' a hand landed on my shoulder."
"I thought it was Precht or Warrod playing a prank and told myself, 'You two really underestimate me. Did you think I'd fall for that?'"
"Without a word I spun around, locked the arm, and slammed the guy to the ground with my knee!"
A smug grin crossed Yuri's face as he spoke.
He paused, poking the fire with a stick.
"And then? And then…?"
"What happened next?"
Mavis pressed him eagerly, desperate to know the rest.
Her eyes sparkled like stars, so bright it was hard to tell which shone more—those eyes or the campfire.
Her toes curled tight with excitement, digging two little pits into the ground.
Beside her, Zera sat like a kitten, hugging her knees and leaning halfway against Weston.
"Really, Mavis, it's just a story, do you have to get so worked up?"
Traveling was tedious, so every night the group repeated the same routine, listening to Yuri's Treasure Hunter adventures.
This was the twentieth tale he'd told.
A man like him kept no diary, so to replay every exploit he had to rely on memory alone.
The result: these twenty stories were jumbled, full of gaps, and had just about emptied his brain.
"I-I'm not nervous…"
Mavis's body shook, her voice trembling.
"You're shaking like a leaf and still say you're not nervous?"
Blushing, Mavis whispered, "Th-that's because… I really need to go to the restroom, but I don't want to miss the story."
Everyone: "…"
Are you six or seven years old?
Yuri couldn't help laughing. "Actually I can't remember the rest right now, why don't you go relieve yourself while I try to recall it?"
"Eh?? You can't do this…"
"You're just tricking me into going to the toilet, aren't you?"
"Don't worry, I can hold it!"
The clever Mavis thought she'd seen through his ploy.
Yuri shook his head. "It's not that, I really forgot."
"No way, you recounted everything up to that point so clearly…"
"Can't be helped; it happened quite a while ago."
Just then Precht cut in: "It's not because of the time, is it?"
Everyone turned to look.
Leaning against a tree with arms crossed, Precht said flatly, "Back then Yuri spun and pinned the person, only to find a female corpse that had been dead for gods-know-how-long."
What?!
A corpse?!
Warrod nodded, grinning. "When Precht and I heard the noise and ran over, Yuri had fainted from fright and didn't wake till the next morning, so of course he can't remember what came after."
Pfft—
"So that's how it was…"
Weston and Zera burst out laughing.
"What?! That's what happened?!"
"Why didn't anyone tell me?!"
Yuri jumped up in shock, utterly incredulous.
"It was for your own good. After all, you were scared witless!"
"All right… Okay, story's over. Anyone who needs the toilet go now; the rest of us turn in."
"We've still got a long march tomorrow!"
"Got it!!"
When Weston saw Mavis stand up, he offered, "It's dangerous for a girl to go alone, how about I escort you?"
Smack—
A hand clamped over his mouth.
Zera glared daggers at Weston. "Quit scheming. I'll go with Mavis."
"What's that supposed to mean?!"
"What kind of scheme could I possibly hatch?"
"Why guard against me like I'm some thief? I'm a perfect gentleman!"
Weston raised his fists in loud protest.
"Hmph."
Without another word Zera led Mavis away like a protective mother cat.
Minutes later the two returned relaxed, hand-in-hand, and lay side by side on the leaf mattress, fast asleep in moments.
Weston watched, eyes reddened with envy.
Ever since they'd left Tenrou Island for the mainland, the girls had insisted on "separate beds" every night because outsiders were present.
So now he could no longer sleep cuddling those two adorable, soft little sisters.
"Sigh…"
"Once Blue Skull is dealt with, I'll rebuild our 'home'."
Weston sighed, tucked the two girls in, and lay down not far away.