“What?” Norren said, almost reflexively, as his eye widened upon understanding what Fran meant. And it was not just him. All the Star Seekers were just as surprised. Even Alnea. He had expected his green robed teammate to react violently, even curse him and come at him baring his fists, but to withdraw from the team… Before Alnea could organise his thoughts, he saw that Norren had already walked over to Fran’s side and grabbed his collar.

  “What did you just say?”

  “…I said, stop being so naive,” Fran said, punching Norren in his stomach, forcing him to release his grip, before kicking him right back in the direction he had come from. Though, by then, the rest of the Star Seekers had also come to their senses. And when they saw their teammate being handled so roughly, they quickly stepped forward to help him. Especially Ralph.

  “Are you alright?” Ralph said, catching Norren with Zain and Arren’s help, receiving just a grunt in response. “You idiot. Who told you to go near him? Do you not know that he almost turned crazy just moments ago?”

  “…Is that not even more the reason why we should help him?” Norren said, suppressing the pain in his stomach, giving a reassuring smile to Ralph. “To talk some sense into him, and help him calm down.”

  “…That’s why you are such an idiot,” Ralph cursed Norren, before turning towards Fran. “And you. Don’t think that just because you almost went crazy it gives you the right to do anything you want.”

  “…Pathetic.”

  “What did you say?”

  “I said, you are still as pathetic as ever. Trying to impose your rules on others… Who do you think you are? The Lost City’s Council?”

  “You—

  Ralph paused, and turned back to see Norren, still supported by Zain and Arren, grabbing his hand and shaking his head.

  “…Don’t mind him. He is not in a good state right now…”

  “Do not act like we are friends just because we spent some time together as a team.”

  “…Are you even listening to what you are saying?” Ralph said to Fran, before turning back to Norren. “Do you still want to defend this traitor?”

  “…He is not a traitor. He is just a little confused… Let’s wait for him to calm down before discussing this any further.”

  “This bastard just punched and kicked you, he even said that the time we spent was worthless, and you are still taking his side?”

  “…That is not what he said. And I am not taking his side. I just don’t want to lose any companion.”

  “…Companion?” Fran mumbled, falling into a silence for a moment, before shaking his head. “I don’t have any companions.”

  “See, this is the bastard you are trying to defend. He doesn’t even consider us as his companion anymore.”

  “…That’s because—

  “Stop trying to make excuses for him,” Ralph said in a grumble. “Just wait for me to knock some sense into his head. Bastards like him tend to listen more to fists than to words.”

  “No matter what you do, my answer will still remain the same,” Fran said, glancing at the two Star Seekers with an apathetic gaze. “We are not companions, just fellow travellers who got together because we happened to be following the same path for a short while. And now that our paths have diverged, it is time for us to separate. Though, to be honest, I doubt that you will be knock anything into me.”

  “…You want to separate, right? Let me separate that stinky mouth from your face first, bastard.”

  “Wait, Ralph.”

  “What, do you want to stop me too, Zain?”

  “No, I just want to remind you that separating his mouth from his face would make it difficult for him to talk. It would be better if your separate his hands and legs instead.”

  “…That’s right, let’s just break his hands and feet first—

  “Though if you are planning to fight him with your fists, then you are the more likely one to get your limbs broken.”

  “…Whose side are you on, bastard?”

  “I am not on anyone’s side. Though if you had to pick, I would say that I am on the side of truth. In any case, your chances of winning against him are slim.”

  “Stop speaking. If you are not going to help me, then—

  “How about you ask Vestia and Cecilia for help? I think they would be very interested in breaking his legs.”

  “That, I am,” Cecilia said, cracking her knuckles. “Although the battle we had earlier was exciting, I did not get to finish it on my terms.”

  “…Neither did anyone else,” Vestia said, reaching out to stop Cecilia before she could rush out towards Fran. Ignoring the questioning look that Cecilia gave her, she glanced back at Alnea’s pale face first, before turning back towards Fran. “Things are already unnecessarily complicated as they are. Let us not make them any more difficult to handle.”

  “What’s difficult to handle about him? We just need to knock him down—

  Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  “That will not change anything,” Vestia said, narrowing her eyes at Fran’s apathetic face. “Maybe, when he had been unstable, we could have used that method, but not now.”

  “Why? What’s the difference?”

  “…The difference is that the decision he has made has already solidified in his Heart,” Aren said, answering for Yuri. “Isn’t that right, Fran?”

  “…Do you not have your answer already?” Fran said, still showing no expression on his face. “Besides, will you even believe what I say?”

  “…Not anymore.”

  “As I thought, we really do have too much in common, you and me.”

  “…Are you asking me to leave the team with you?”

  “And what if I am?”

  “Save your efforts. Unlike you, I treat my teammates as my friends and companions.”

  “…You know, I have always been a little jealous of you.”

  “You could have also made friends—

  “Oh, I am not talking about friends. Friends are for the weak. I am talking about how close you were to finding whom to seek your vengeance from. Though, I guess I do not have to be jealous of you anymore. After all, I already know who my enemies are. But you… You still need to pass the Final Trial, and then hope that Fate would guide you to your answers. So, I guess, now it should be your turn to be jealous of me.”

  “…You know, now that I think about it, knocking him down might really be the better option.”

  “Why? Are you really jealous of me?”

  “That’s enough,” Alnea said, pushing himself off the ground with Yuri’s help, and facing Fran with a solemn face. “Do you want to think about it again?”

  “…Even if I do, can you still trust me?”

  “…It does not matter whether or not I can trust you. As long as we are within the jurisdiction of the Lost City, we can still be a team.”

  “…Team, is it?” Fran said, and paused for a moment, as if recalling something. “I remember the first time we got together as a team, you said something along the lines of having an idea that can make us give up all our differences and come together for a common goal. We never got to finding that idea, did we?”

  “…Let’s stop going around in circles, and just come to the point. What do you want to do, Fran?”

  “I already told you what I want to do.”

  “…How about we—

  “That’s enough, Norren,” Yuri said, interrupting Norren before he could finish his words, while glaring at him with such a cold gaze that it made him flinch. “I understand your concern, but this is not a matter of just a disgruntled companion trying to leave our team in a moment of anger. This is a matter between our Captain and a companion who has perceived enmity with him.”

  “…He did not mean those words. He just said them because of his overflowing emotions.”

  “Does it look like he is being overwhelmed by his emotions right now?”

  “…But he is still our companion.”

  “That is not for you and me to decide. Now, you can either stand with him, or shut up and let our Captain decide how to deal with him.”

  Norren did not protest anymore. Neither did any of the other Star Seekers. They just stood in silence, as she had demanded. Not because they were afraid of her, of course. Or maybe they were. But it was mostly because of her majestic presence. She just had a certain charm about her, that made everyone bow in obedience. Especially when she was dealing with official matters. Or whenever she was being serious.

  In short, whenever Yuri declared her dominance, no one dared to question her words. Though that worked in his favour most of the time, so Alnea did not complain. Instead, he turned towards Fran, who, despite having made up his mind to leave their team, was still affected by Yuri’s presence. Maybe, he should have asked Yuri to deal with him from the very beginning. That should have—

  No, Alnea said to himself. He was their Captain. The decision was his to make. Even if it was troublesome, and a decision he did not like, he still had to take it. Both, for the sake of their team, and…

  “…You do understand that if I let you leave our team, I will also have to ask you to give up the Final Trial.”

  “…You have become much more decisive than before.”

  “That’s generally what happens when you learn how to take on responsibilities.”

  “…You really did take your responsibilities seriously,” Fran said, and paused for a moment, before continuing. “You were a great Captain, much better than what I expected you to be when I first joined the team.”

  “You were also a good teammate, Fran. And a splendid Star Seeker.”

  “…Maybe, if we had met in different circumstances…”

  “…Maybe.”

  “…Thank you for you care over the past few months, Captain.”

  “…Thank you for what you have done for the team, Fran.”

  “This is the last time I will be calling you Captain. From now on, we will be enemies.”

  “Then I hope that we never meet.”

  “…This is it, then.”

  “This is it,” Alnea said, and paused for a moment, before adding, “Do you have anything to say to the rest?”

  “…Stupid people,” Fran said, glancing over the rest of the Star Seekers, pausing a bit longer on Aren and Norren. “I hope you won’t be so naive the next time we meet.”

  “…You better pray that you don’t mee me again, or I beat that mouth out of your face,” Ralph grumbled, earning a glare from Norren. “What?”

  “…Take care of yourself, Fran,” Norren said, ignoring Ralph’s confused face. “And goodbye to you too.”

  “…If someone in your clan bullies you, then just tell them that you are a friend of the White Arcanist. I am sure that they will not mess with you again.”

  “…Or they might beat him even more than before.”

  “…Ignore them,” Aren said. “I hope to hear your name once I leave the Lost City.”

  “Don’t start chasing after the Heterodox Wanderers right after leaving the Lost City. Break through to the True Rank first. And you also need to improve your fighting skills. If you want, I can even recommend you to some of my elders. It is not far from my home anyway.”

  “…Do not get blinded by your thirst for vengeance. Make ample preparations. And gather information before taking any action. In short, do your best to live.”

  “Speaking of living, how about starting a new family? If you want, I can even introduce a Weina to you.”

  “…Are you sure you are not just trying to kidnap him back to the Erwein Forest?”

  “…I am thinking about giving him a new hope for living.”

  “Right…”

  “…Ignore these people,” Yuri said at last. “Just do what your Heart tells you to. That is the only advice I will give you.”

  “…What if my Heart tells me to seek vengeance on Alnea?”

  “Then I will kill you with my own hands.”

  “…As expected, you are the only one of us who is not naive.”

  “I will take that as a complement.”

  “…Take care of him. He is naivest of us all.”

  “…That, I cannot argue with.”

  “Hey!”

  “…It is time then,” Fran said, taking out his Blood Card from the fold his robe, and glancing at his former teammates for one last time, before choosing to exit the Final Trial. “Goodbye, Star Seekers.”