The return journey unfolded in a strange silence. Veil walked at a slow pace, while Kaela hesitated to speak to him, unsettled by the way he looked. Two hours had passed since they had left Valdorne, crossing a forest that now seemed dull and lifeless through Veil’s eyes.

  “Alright, we’re stopping here. Let’s take a break,” Kaela finally announced.

  She sat down on a nearby rock and looked at Veil—who kept walking, not having heard her at all.

  “Veil? VEIL, ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME?” she shouted to get his attention.

  Veil finally stopped and turned toward her, his gaze unfocused.

  “Sorry… what did you say?” he asked quietly.

  “I said we’re taking a break. My feet are starting to hurt, and seriously—look at you. You look like a walking corpse wandering around aimlessly,” she muttered. “Come sit down for a bit. It’ll do you some good.”

  He eventually joined her, sitting down on the rock as well, and pulled out his small flask. He took a long drink, then handed it to Kaela—his hands trembling slightly.

  “She’ll be fine. You don’t need to worry about her. And nothing says you have to go back to Aldelion, you know. You could stay by their side if that’s what you really want,” Kaela said calmly.

  “What I want…? What do I want?” Veil replied, staring at his hands without really seeing them. “I don’t even know what I’m doing, or where I’m going. As long as it’s monsters or people who aren’t exactly honest, I don’t ask questions—I just move forward. But this time… I can’t understand why.”

  Kaela took a sip in turn and handed the flask back. Veil drained the rest in one go, then slipped it back into his satchel with mechanical movements, as if his body were acting on its own.

  “Ever since what she said, this question’s been stuck in my head,” Veil continued, his gaze empty. “Do I have a family somewhere, looking for me—one I’ve completely forgotten? And even if they found me… they’d just be strangers to me.”

  Silence settled between them. Kaela didn’t know how to respond to Veil’s doubts.

  “I…” she began.

  But Veil stopped her with a raised hand.

  “Sorry. It’s not your place to answer that,” he said. “It’s just that ever since the day I woke up, everything’s been moving too fast. I haven’t really had any rest. When it’s not creatures to fight, it’s people looking down on you, and all that. I think I just need to breathe for a bit… or I’m going to break.”

  And that voice I heard in the dungeon… the one that said it needed me. Why is it silent now? Why won’t it tell me what it wants? Is it because of it that I forgot everything? he thought, closing his eyes.

  He stood up and looked at Kaela, offering a crooked smile meant to reassure her.

  “Come on, shall we get moving again? Once we’re back, I’ll take a day or two off. That wouldn’t hurt,” he said, holding out his hand.

  Kaela smiled back and nodded, taking his hand to stand up. They set off again. The rest of the journey was lighter, their conversation drifting back to more mundane topics. They took a few breaks near streams to refill the flask and cool off.

  The afternoon was already well underway when they finally caught sight of the city’s towering walls. Kaela let out a relieved sigh.

  “Finally. Next time we take a mission, gag me and don’t let me decide, got it?” she said with a laugh.

  They reached the gates and waited in line to enter, the queue shrinking quickly until it was their turn. As usual, the guards checked their papers before letting them through. They then made their way up the main street toward the guild.

  “It does feel good to be back,” Kaela said, stopping in front of a few shop windows. “It’s not that I didn’t like that little village, but the busy streets, those smells that make you hungry… I kind of missed it.”

  They eventually reached the guild, bustling with the voices of other adventurers—yet strangely calmer than usual. Kaela and Veil had their mission validated without mentioning the village’s lie, even though Esmeth had explained that the report had been altered.

  “The important thing is that you’re unharmed, but you should’ve withdrawn immediately. That creature is only assigned to B-rank parties and above. It’s pure luck you made it out alive,” Torven snapped as he folded the paper.

  “A child was in danger. By the time we went back and sent reinforcements, she would’ve been dead,” Kaela replied coldly.

  She took the reward money—higher than expected—and walked away without another word.

  “Seriously… I know he worries about me, but I’m an adventurer too. Even if I didn’t do much in the end, how can anyone recommend running away and letting others die?” Kaela muttered under her breath.

  She stayed tense for the rest of the walk, only relaxing once they reached the inn and sat down at a table. She placed the pouch on the table, took out a few coins to hand to the server who took their order, then pushed the rest toward Veil.

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  “What are you doing? We’re supposed to split it. I didn’t do much either, remember. That little fire creature is the one that saved everyone in the end by protecting its eggs. You need to take your share too,” Veil said, taking the coins and dividing them into two piles.

  Kaela didn’t reply, hesitating when Veil held out her share a few moments later. Seeing his serious expression, she eventually slipped the coins into her own pouch. They stayed there until nightfall, exhausted from the journey, eating while talking about lighter topics. By the end of the meal, Veil yawned and looked over at Kaela.

  “Tomorrow I’m resting. I don’t plan on taking any missions. What about you?” he asked, stretching.

  “I don’t know… but we could go out a bit if you want. No missions. We could visit some shops, or even go outside the city if you feel like it. Honestly, I don’t really feel like heading back out just yet either,” Kaela replied, her gaze heavy.

  “Then let’s meet up tomorrow morning and decide then. Depending on how tired we are, we’ll figure it out,” Veil said.

  Kaela nodded, and the two of them stood up, wishing each other a good night before heading to their rooms. Veil undressed and pulled the curtain aside, letting the moonlight spill into the room before lying down, the blankets pulled up to his neck.

  A good night’s sleep without a sore back will do me good. Never sleeping in an armchair again, he thought with a faint smile. I hope she’s doing well… only three days, and it already feels like an eternity.

  The next morning, Veil woke at the first light of dawn and went downstairs for breakfast. Kaela was already there, but her outfit made him stop beside her for a few seconds. She was wearing a long yellow dress cinched at the waist with a white ribbon, her hair tied up short, held neatly in place by her rose-shaped hair clip .

  “So, is staring at people like that one of your habits? Or is it just me?” Kaela asked with a laugh.

  “Oh—uh… sorry. I guess it’s just… different. You surprised me. It suits you,” Veil replied as he sat down.

  “Thanks, but I see you’re still wearing the same outfit. I thought you weren’t planning on taking a mission today?” Kaela said, surprised.

  “Oh, it’s just that I don’t have any other clothes. It’s about time I buy some, actually—I’m starting to stink,” Veil explained, wrinkling his nose. “I’d like to go shopping today.”

  Kaela laughed and agreed with Veil’s suggestion, and they finished their meal in a relaxed mood. For the rest of the day, they wandered through the various shops, Veil letting Kaela guide him. He ended up buying three new outfits, as well as an extra set of clothes specifically for missions.

  As evening fell, they returned to the inn, exhausted from the day. Veil realized that following Kaela around during a “normal” day was just as tiring as going on a mission. After dinner, they shared one last drink before heading to bed.

  The next day, Veil met up with Kaela again, this time deciding to take a mission from the guild. They ate together as usual, though Veil noticed Kaela seemed distant compared to the day before, her gaze drifting off from time to time.

  They went to the guild in a heavy silence, Kaela heading to the counter and speaking as if nothing were wrong. Veil kept wondering about her behavior, asking himself whether he had done something wrong. But every time he tried to bring it up, she steered the conversation elsewhere.

  They left the city to complete their mission, their goal being to reduce the number of slimes in the forest. Veil didn’t let himself be swayed by the small blue blobs this time, cutting them down without hesitation. During their midday break, as they ate their packed lunch, Kaela continued to avoid Veil’s gaze while replying to him.

  When evening came, they returned to the city to report their mission, then headed back to the inn without a word. They sat down, Veil clenching his fists.

  “Kaela… did I do something wrong? All day you’ve been avoiding me, and whenever I ask what’s wrong, you change the subject,” Veil asked.

  “No, it’s not you, Veil. I’m sorry. I don’t really have much of a choice anymore, anyway. I received a letter yesterday—I read it before going to sleep. And…” Kaela replied, lowering her eyes once more.

  “And? I haven’t let you down once these past three days. You know you can tell me anything,” Veil said gently.

  A long silence hung between them as Kaela searched for the right words.

  “It’s my family. They’ve run into trouble, and they’re asking me to come back,” Kaela finally said, her voice heavy. “But… I don’t want to leave our party. This is the first time I’ve felt this good. But I can’t abandon them either.”

  Veil stood up and moved to sit beside Kaela, placing a hand on her shoulder as she finally looked up at him.

  “Your family comes first, Kaela. If they need you, you have to go,” Veil said softly. “As for our party… you know I don’t plan on leaving this place. Once everything’s settled and you come back, we can team up again.”

  “Yeah, I know… but that’s not what really bothers me,” Kaela replied quietly. “I… I was hoping you’d come with me. They live pretty far away, but I want to stay with you too. So… would you come with me?” she asked, hope flickering in her eyes.

  Only silence answered her. Veil hadn’t been expecting such a request. These past few days had been genuinely pleasant in her company—but he hadn’t forgotten the promise he had made.

  “I… uh… Kaela, I can’t come,” Veil said awkwardly, trying not to hurt her. “I’ve… how should I put this… I’m already waiting for someone’s return. I promised her I’d raise my adventurer rank, and I still haven’t made any real progress. I can’t go with you.”

  “You mean Alynia, right?” Kaela whispered. “I should’ve guessed, considering how you talk about her. I understand—don’t worry. My request was stupid. I’m sorry.”

  Her gaze fell once more, sadness returning to her eyes.

  “Yes. She’s complicated, gets angry easily, and sometimes she even scares me,” Veil admitted. “But… I’ve grown attached to the way she is. I can’t see myself leaving without saying anything to her, not after everything she’s done for me.”

  Deep down, he knew those words wouldn’t comfort her. But he didn’t want to lie to her—she didn’t deserve that.

  “I see… I’ll be leaving very early tomorrow morning, so I doubt we’ll see each other again,” Kaela said, offering him an awkward smile. “But if you’re still here when I come back, promise you won’t forget me? Even if Alynia’s with you, I’d be happy to accompany you again.”

  “Of course. We’ll find more missions that end up being about something else entirely,” Veil replied with a laugh. “I think you’ve got a knack for finding those.”

  After that, the weight of their conversation eased, and they finished their meal more lightly. Even so, deep inside, both of them carried a heaviness they tried to hide beneath their words. Eventually, the evening came to an end. Kaela pulled Veil into a hug, whispering one last goodbye before heading up the stairs.

  Veil returned to his own room, lying down in bed and pulling the covers over himself, his thoughts drifting back over the past few days.

  It’s not all that bleak, in the end… some encounters are worth holding on for. Eleanor, Kaela… When I tell Alynia about all this, she’s going to think I spent my time flirting instead of working, Veil thought with a faint smile as he closed his eyes.