Questions.

I raised the palm sized paper at an angle in front and above my eyes, setting it--in my viewpoint--beside a tavern's sign.

"That's it," I mumble to myself, finding a match between the doodle and sign.

I walk through the mana-lit streets, reaching the front of the tavern. The escaping noise overwhelmed the calm paved roads of the city, workers and city guards indulging a well-earned night rest.

Stepping into the tavern, the noise only grew louder. Though, that had naught to do with me, I could see my goal, at the end of the tavern, tending to the late night customers he worked a busy aged body.

I take slow purposeful steps towards the bar at the end, collecting myself. I'm now an adventurer, no longer the person I used to be, no longer could I be the person I was supposed to be. Unlike him, I was different, I changed.

Was it due to my own accord, or had I allowed the world to control me... It was something I could never decide on. I could justify it to myself as much as I wanted, whispering to myself my fabricated thoughts as I slept. In the end, whenever reality showcased itself, as all my last years' efforts kept crashing into dead-ends, I couldn't help but doubt my motives.

I could never put it behind me. That day, it would never leave me. It was true that I had long lost my anger, I no longer held the burning ember that once fueled my desires. But it had not meant that I could forget what it was that I lost. 

I lay hand over the rough wooden bar top, then tapping my index in call to the turned bartender. I collect myself once more. There was no need for excitement, it would only cause me disappointment as my unrealistic expectations were denied.

"Hm?" The man jumped from behind the bar. 

The man gave me a glance, then quickly went back to working. A person whom once been a daily occurrence in my life, now a unrequited reunion. Of course, I couldn't blame him. While he had only grown a stubble in the last years, I had become a particularly different person. 

"And?" The man hurried me. "A drink, or perhaps a meal?"

I laugh inwardly at the foolish self that had believed in miracles. Of course not even he would recognize me. I was no longer myself... I believed I had convinced myself of that.

"A meat stew," I said, "And, a moment of your time."

"A moment of my time?" The man snorted, resting an arm as he faced me properly. "My time isn't on t--"

The man stopped himself, a sudden shot of revelation. 

It can't be... I find myself in a similar sense of surprise.

"You..." The man spoke, his jaw shaken, forced to face a part of his life he had buried. "Are you...?"

It couldn't be. It just couldn't. It's been so long, I have went through so much. I changed myself. I forcefully forgot myself. Adapted to the world around me, denying everything that I had been.

Yet...

"Kouko?" The man said, continuing to gaze at me in disbelief.

I find myself smiling. All this time, collecting myself as to not be disappointed, yet all it had done was send out all my bubbling excitement into one giddy burst of happiness.

I smile, for the first time in years, I truly smile. Not in an act, nor for goal. I smile, for myself.

"Uncle Klen," I say, finding it hard to move my wide up-arching lips. "It's been so long."

"I still can't believe it," Uncle Klen said, sharing a table within the empty tavern. "I was sure I had checked and talked with everyone! I-... I had even... Damn it." He trailed off, eyes straying away, remembering something.

Uncle Klen, had been more than hospitable once he had known it was me. Offering me a meal on the house, he had eagerly asked me to wait until the further night, for when we could share his little establishment in silence. 

It was amusing watching him check back on whether I was truly there every now and then.

"I believe I was the first escorted off the grounds back then," I said. "Not only that, but I had been held in a separate tent from the others back then. Apparently my situation was a bit more critical, both mentally and physically. I was a bit closer to the main tent if I remember correctly."

"Still," Uncle Klen said in guilt. "To think you were alone this entire time... I'm sorry, Kouko. Your father must've cursed me this entire time."

"No, please, Uncle, this isn't why I had come, I do not want it to be how you view my decision to meet with you."

"No, Kouko, please. It's clear that you had went through much, we all had! So do not speak as if you hold no contempt towards me, towards us of the village who lived. We abandoned you Kouko, perhaps unknowingly, but we did."

"Uncle Klen... With the time that had passed, your move to the city, and the maturing stubble, I had thought you had changed. But, you still are the same as ever."

"Hey," Uncle Klen frowned, then smiled brows still wrinkled. "Just what do you mean by that young lady!"

"Oh, Come on! Dad never hid anything, I know all about how much you blamed yourself, even when it had clearly had nothing to do with you."

"I could swear I had asked him to keep my guilt between us, though it does not surprise me that he would open to his two princess." Uncle klen chuckled.

"Yeah, I swear it was as if he was a storage full of stories and tales. Once he had started, he would go on and on, from the local villagers to the beasts within the woods. His words were never organized, but just as much never ending."

"Heh, I remember, back when we were still kids... Even then he had already collected his fair share of stories. He would always grin as he spouted his nonsensical fairy tales. I had always believed he would've been an adventurer given the chance."

"Yeah! Mama used to say that too; that if not for her, he would've most definitely spent his days experiencing the tales he held for himself."

"Haha, and to think I ended up behind a bar. Spending everyday eavesdropping on adventurers and travelers... It's like his stories never stopped."

Our idle chat could continue on for hours, I wanted them to. For the first time since that accursed day, a sense of happiness bubbled within me. 

However, I came here for a reason. And the reunion was not it. 

"Uncle Klen," I say, collecting myself. Turning my pure happiness into another of my acts. "Will you please answer me something?"

Uncle Klen faced me, he had noticed, I was no longer the sincere, innocent outskirts girl he knew. Somehow I could never fool him, yet i persisted with my act in a show of seriousness.

"Go ahead," He smiled warmly. "I will tell you all that I can, I owe you much more than this."

"Can you tell me, please, everything you know from back then... I want to find closure, Uncle, but the suddenness of everything, the unreasonable end our little village had met... I just can't accept it..."

Uncle Klen gazed at me. His expression changed. He had turned, melancholic.

"If only I had known, Kouko. If I had known back then, if I had found you earlier. Never would have I left you out there. Out in the world." Uncle Klen said, pity and regret filling his person. "How many nights had you spent sleepless. How many people did you unreasonably pushed away. Perhaps even blamed the inability of your parents--or by chance me as well--leaving you behind, alone. I should've been there. I should've returned sooner. I should've been the one care for you since then. However... It is too late now. You have already changed. You have allowed the world to form you, to motivate you within its dark cycle.

"I can tell, the mask you are attempting to wear. It is heavy. Heavier than any crown. Yet, it fits you, you had malformed it to... I still wish that you knew, Kouko. No matter how much you change, no matter how much you progress in your grand play. I will always see through that mask.

"I ask, Kouko, are you certain? Do you not wish to instead betray that path, to let go of the unnecessary burden. Why not join me, here, in this tavern! It isn't the greatest, but it is simple! Joyous even at times!"

"..." I gazed away, finding it hard to face him with my next few words. "...Sure, why not. Just not now, perhaps in a two to three years' time. Once I had settled all that I had to as an adventurer, then I will come back."

"An adventurer, huh?" Uncle Klen chuckled. "Alright, you win, stubborn head. Like mother, Like daughter. I will answer you, just don't take my words to any morbid grave."

I nodded appreciating my Uncle's acceptance. I had already some base knowledge myself. So long ago, I had overheard plenty of the adventurers' conversations. Though I had still missed some information. I had hunted down my Uncle for that purpose, hoping that he had dug out what I had needed. Or perhaps, being the tavern owner back in our village as well, had come by it naturally himself.

"Thank you again, Uncle Klen," I repeated with a smile.

"Ah, you know how weak I go when you say that," he said, chuckling. "It is unfair to use it now, my dear Niece."

9 Years Since Lena's Departure.

"Achoo!" Kouko sneezed, burying her head deeper into her scarf.

"Nena~!" came her muffled call from within the knitted prison, only her flushed cheeks and narrowed eyes peeking out between the scarf and hat.

"Nena?" Lena questioned the woman standing to her side. The deeply coated woman had chattered audibly as she rubbed her multi-layered covered shoulder on Lena.

"BWh-*Sniff!*-Bwhy ish it shoo~~ *Sniff!* cooovv~~~lt!" Kouko heartily complained  as she continued to rub her shoulder while tilting her buried head sideways towards Lena's shoulder.

"It isn't," Lena said matter-of-factly. Unlike the north-worn woman, Lena had wore her usual clothes. It was indeed the colder quarter of the year, but it wasn't as cold as Kouko had expressed. Rather, it never was.

"Sheeaaa~~~tiiiing~~~" The woman exasperated. "Chu~~~ Chuu~~~ you ah nevah kolt nena!" The woman complained her muffled voice barely escaping the confines of a knitted prison.

"Yeah, should've taught about that before jumping into a lake atop a mountain in January." Octan complained a couple steps ahead.

"But itsh wash shooo~~~ cleaaaa~~~r! It wash like it wash calling meee~~~" Kouko complained leaning forward, as if to make her voice reach further. Kouko quickly peeked her head out of the scarf and sneezed again, then buried it even deeper. "Okay, maybe not with clothes." She muffled her ears a deep red.

"Did you take the medicine?" Lena asked.

"Ehehehe~~ chu worrie' abou' me, Nena~~!" Kouko chimed rubbing herself back on Lena. "Ya', I ditch!"

Lena nodded.

She glanced at the woman for a second, remembering a thing the woman would occasionally do to her. She taught that perhaps this was she was supposed to replicate it...

Lena raised her right arm, the one to the side of Kouko, and, with a quick purposeful attack, placed it atop Kouko's shivering knitted hat.

Kouko jolted in place. Sneezed. Took a second to take in the action. Then submitted. She rose to her tips, rubbing the top of her head with Lena's palm.

Lena believed the woman was seconds away from purring...

How defenseless can a person get...? Lena questioned, tilting her head.

Kouko continue to sway her neck back and forth, allowing Lena's hand to dictate her head. She lowered her feet, standing normally as Lena raised her hand alongside. And then suddenly started forcefully using Lena's hand to pat herself. Eventually the hat slid out stuck to Lena's hand, exposing a wild disheveled delicate blonde.

Lena glanced the woman over, Kouko's face an absent expression. Her eyes gazed upwards, her lips parted as if preparing to sneeze, and soon turned prophetic.

Kouko sneezed, then shook once again burying her head deep into her scarlet red scarf, raising her shivering shoulders.

Lena circled the woman, standing in front of her. 

"Nenaa~~?" Kouko questioned tilting her head upwards absentminded to face Lena only to be forcefully forced back downwards.

Lena placed the hat back atop her carefully, making sure to cover her red ears once again.

"Ehehehee~~~" Kouko giggled. "Thank youuu~~~" She continued giggling to herself as Lena dragged her by her gloved sensitive hands. She followed dragging her feet giggling to the breeze.

"Ooo~~~Ctaaaa~~~~nnnn~~~" Kouko called as she was dragged. "Weren't you a doctor, or somethinggggg~~~~ Can't you do some magic stuff and fix me pleaaaseeee~~~~~"

Lena had found the elongated words purposeful for once. She had first-hand experienced Octan's skill long ago, and had even learnt what little she knows from him. Yet, Octan had said that she, Lena, would be the one nursing Kouko back to health. 

She was sure that with his rare expertise in both remedy magic and The Collection's medicine he would be able to make some kind of thing work better than the medicine Lena had picked up from the last town.

"Firstly, physicians don't deal with the magic and mana side of things, that's for Remediers. Or as adventurers call them, healers or supporters. Physicians, or doctors as you would know them, are based on medicine. Remedying using natural occurring phenomena, whether by exploiting reactions within your body to stable you back to health, or performing delicate acts such as surgeries. And before you say anything stupid, both are important. Remediers are quick, dealing with general issues physical issues, bruises, cuts, cracked bones, bleeding out, even severed limbs if they are quick enough. While Doctors are more applied to delicate side of health, illnesses and the such." Octan ranted ahead of the duo. "And secondly, no."

Kouko took in Octan words for a moment, continued to be dragged forcefully. Then retaliated with a loud and audible boo.

Lena walked the chilly market. Octan and Kouko some distance behind the town setting camp, letting Lena run her errands while Kouko rested and Octan prepared camp. Octan was adamant on not letting Kouko into any crowded area while she was still under her cold, and he was not willing to walk the market either, so he had for once offered to put up the tents and fire.

Lena had walked the crowded market, the ideal murmuring of the crowds supplied her empty thoughts of sufficient white noise. She was often rubbing shoulders with passersby, gladly she had left most of her usually carried luggage behind with Octan and Kouko, only her errand run loot in hand while the coin pouch hung from her waist belt.

She continued to face forward, pushing herself through the dozens of housewives, field men, children, and even passing carts.

She had faced a general direction, of which's horizon was wrapped with the heads of the market's roamers. It seemed that it was almost endless. She had spent some the time diving into the market, but had she traveled so deep? She wondered as she pushed forward.

She continued to face the direction, dozens of heads, all cladded and groomed in their own unique styles. Whether it was delicate raven hair of a young maiden, or the rough shaved scalp of a hunter. She had paid none a particular interest as she walked forward.

She continued to gaze before her, the ever changing heads, facing backwards and forwards, those approach her and those distancing from her. It was a scene she had grown to, perhaps not on this level, nevertheless a degree of it. She strolled forward.

She continued to stare forward. As she stared at the crowded distance, she had noticed an opening. She stood, amongst the unforgiving, unstoppable march of the crowd roamers, she stood in an opening. Lena looked around herself. People had, seemingly purposefully, avoided her, collectively missing her by almost an arm's length. What had happened? None of them glanced nor paid her any attention. The crowds simply moved, avoiding her. Lena stood in place, a distant presence attracting her.

She faced forward. There, beyond the sea of people before her, at what was once a horizon of market roamers, was another slight opening, within it the back of a head. Unlike her, the head moved forward. It's long black hair, a disheveled mess that ran down to the shoulders, distancing itself from Lena. Lena studied the person, she could barely make his upper torso. The strange person seemed to have been cladded in armor, a heavy ridden chest plate covering his back from his shoulders down.

Lena kept in place, studying the distant man, his opening growing ever further. It was a strange sensation, as if no matter what she did, no matter what she tried, her eyes were fixed, they begged to watch him. His presence was something large, great, demanding. Studying the man further, she had found his posture stooped forward. The man marched in heavy steps, a systematic pause in between every crowd splitting step he strode.

Lena eyed the man intently, studying him, observing him. His opening growing further away, had suddenly began closing. The arm-length distance between the man at the center and the crowd closing. The abnormality had shook the man, putting a stop to his march. He turned his head, his hair swaying to the left as he faced the right-side, crowds closed in on him, yet none paid him mind, the same to his left. As Lena continued to eyed the back of the swaying head, she had noticed it turning once more, this time it's arc accelerating as if to cross a longer distance. She could see the first of his features. Dark wrinkled partly shut eyes showcased themselves, then an aged dry pair of lips hidden behind a shaggy unkempt beard. the man's face was similar to an overgrown plant, as if he was left to age without growing elderly. However, late as she was, she had only now realized the purpose of his final action. To turn around.

Lena faced forward, watching The man, and he watched back. His partly shut eyes widened in a showcase of disbelief, screaming to know if he was truly in witness.

A sea of roamers, of white noise and white existence stood in between the two, yet their eyes met. Perfectly gazing at each other. Lena was unable to draw away, the man's authoritative presence had only grown. He had seemed to be in a similar position, stuck, gazing back at Lena. His lips parted, his questioning continuing to grow, the crowds around him closing in onto him, removing all signs of what was an opening. The two eyed one another.

Lena continued to eye the man, she had come to realize that she had not taken a breath since his witness, yet even with that clear in her head, she was yet unable to. She couldn't mindfully act in any form if it had not included the man. Right now, in the moment they had been in. She could do nothing but watch.

The man's baffled eyes changed, he frowned, purposeful. Then, in a moment unnoticeable to Lena, the man had rushed forward, pushing through the crowd, none paying him attention, yet perfectly splitting a path for his launch forward.

Lena had not known much of the dark eyed man, but even in her state of awe, she could feel danger. The moment the man frowned, she panicked, her eyes still aghast, watchful of the man. She knew she had to draw them away, that that was her only measure of defense against the armored, age ridden man. But his presence, ever dangerous, was simply dominant.

It would've taken only a moment for the man to cut the distance, that was what Lena had felt. That all she was, was a thought away from him. She had to do something, twitch, turn, spin, even blink. Something had to be done, whatever it is. She could see the man lean forward. 

Something. Anything. 

Then he launched, his path split in between the crowds, he approached her in a purposeful kick. 

Yet, she flinched.

Lena had flinched. Forcing her to close her eyes, to blink. To end the connection that had formed between her and the stranger. And seemingly, it was enough. There was no longer any sign of the man, the mysterious existence that was just moments ago so grand and mighty, had disappeared. And it was thanks to a...

"Kid," Lena said, her hands clutching the shoulder of a child amidst the crowd. Her waist belt now empty.

The crowds acknowledged her, giving her once again an opening, but this time in a rather watchful manner, witnessing her confrontation of the little thief.

"Give me the pouch," Lena commanded.

"T-This is mine!" The kid claimed, wavering before the crowd's witness.

The crowd murmured. Gossip of the kid's acts around town immediately circled the market roamers. Lena had clearly not been his first victim.

Lena eyed the kid and her surroundings. While indeed she was again in an opening, this time it felt natural. Normal. There was a reason behind it, and acknowledgement.

She looked over the kid again, he seemed to be in a sorry state, hole and patch ridden clothes worn during the chilly breeze of January. His action was a clear act of struggle.

On top of that, she felt a sense of gratitude towards the kid. If not for him attempting to steal Lena's pouch, she might have been caught by that eerie, strange man. She had no evidence or proof of the man's nature, but yet she fully believed him dangerous. 

Lena sighed, perplexed. She couldn't figure out what to do with the child. While she was grateful, she was still upset at the attempt. She had attempted to understand the child's situation, and in her mind justified him as a victim.

The kid eyed her with hostility, grasping the pouch dearly.

Lena reached a hand over the kid, taking hold his shirt at the nape of his neck, and stood up raising the kid with her.

"What are you doing?!" The kid attempted to retaliate, kicking around. Though his efforts fell short, literally. Lena's arm had of course proportionately grown with her, the towering human. He couldn't reach her. "Put me down!" He cried.

Lena reached her other empty hand, after putting down the cloth bags she had gathered from the market before hand, and pinched his arm.

"Aww!" The kid cried, still hung in the air, clutching the pouch even harder.

Lena studied the kid, then twisted her hand.

The kid cried out even louder, this time cursing as he his hand let of the of the pouch.

The pouch fell to the ground, crashing into the paved market path with a thud.

Lena then put down the kid, whom had stretched his pinched arm, and used the other to rub over where Lena had pinched him. The kid eyed her with contempt as she reached to quickly pick up her pouch and cloth bags. 

Lena gazed back at the kid, who glared at her with immense hostility.

She nodded her head upwards, gesturing him to leave, and he did, making sure to mumble something just loud enough for her to hear as he ran away into the crowds.

Lena eyed part of the crowds the kid had ran into for a moment, then turned leaving the village.

The crowds, having their show ended, eventually ate what used to be the opening, and continued on roaming.

Lena sat her back to a rough trunk. She passed time on a book she had picked up in town while the food slowly cooked. Lena had been quite fond of books. First introduced to her by Octan during the start of their travels--back when he had first taught her the basics of medicine, nursing, and first-aid. She had spent many nights flipping away through the printed or written paper. Kouko had once attempted to connect with Lena finding something in common, but Lena had not read a single book Kouko had mentioned. It was then that Lena had discovered fiction. Unlike the recreational tales Kouko had read, the books Lena had spent her times with were either encyclopedias or collections of studies, even history at times. 

The book was about medicine, an entry written by a member of The Collection of Medicine. An outsider. It wasn't her first time reading the book, but remembering its contents about seasonal illnesses, she had thought that maybe it would be useful now.

Lena flipped through the pages, taking quick peeks in between, reviewing the contents and refreshing her memories. 

"This won't help you," Octan said, squatting next to Lena, leaning his shoulder on the side of the trunk, peaking into the book from above. "While yes it does hold an entry on colds. This book is mostly a comparison between colds in our side and the outsiders'. Of course, it doesn't speak of 'sides' the outsiders try their best to keep that part of their history an insider secret. Rather, it delves into a hypothetical analysis on how different viruses, bacteria, and even bodily functions would work with and without mana.

"It's good as a reviewer; provides basic definitions and references common case studies. And the metaphors often used by the author are intuitive. Though, it's just that, a good reviewer." Octan said standing up.

"You won't find anything when it comes to how to deal with such illnesses on there," He added walking away, his white coat's tail end turned a rugged brown due to its collecting dirt.

Lena gazed at Octan's distancing back, then lowered her eyes back at the words. She believed she might as well go through the book anyway, as even Octan had called it a good reviewer. Slightly above her vision of the book, Lena could see Kouko, covered up, she sat eyeing Octan blankly. Lena continued looking at the covered watcher until she had noticed her. As soon as Kouko's eyes met Lena's, she smiled then gazed away at the crackling fire. Sneezing once as she did.

Having finished their meal, the trio were separated in camp in a triangle state. Kouko, cocooned with layers of cloth only her face exposed, sat opposite of Octan, the burning fire camp in between them. Lena rested some distance away to the right, her back to a trunk she was deep in thought, buried into her book.

Kouko sneezed by herself, her cloth cocoon shaking with her as she chattered her teeth. The morning was cold, yet she found the night unbearable.

And, in her drunken-ish state, she blamed one person, and decided to throw it out loudly.

"Octan!" Kouko suddenly cried, forcing the meditating man to open his eyes and face her. "You owe me!" She suddenly claimed, pouting. "Like, big!"

Octan raised an eyebrow, fixed his posture, and covered his mouth.

"For?" He asked, humoring the woman.

"Achew~!" Kouko sneezed, snorted, then cried her voice gurgling. "Thiiiii~~~s!"

"I do not remember asking, nor even suggesting, to dive into that water," Octan said.

"Yeah! And that's not why you owe me!" Kouko spoke in exaggerated mouth movements.

"Then?" Octan crossed his legs and arms, raising both brows this time in bafflement.

"This!" Kouko claimed again. "This whole thing," she said wildly shaking her exposed face.

Octan replicated her action attempting to find the purpose of her action.

"Oh," he sounded, believing he had understood. "The camp? As in, this lifestyle? You blame it for your current illness, and so you blame me?"

Kouko nodded with enthusiasm, her cocoon nodding alongside her.

"Well," Octan shrugged. "You do have a point, I guess... This is probably terrible to someone who did experience better, huh?"

Kouko tilted her head questioning.

"I mean like, you must have had a house at some point, right?" Octan mused. "And, from how you've been carrying yourself, the carefree attitude you try for, and the lack of courtly mannerisms, it was one in the outskirts, perhaps a rural farming village?" He reasoned. "Ah, do your hands are quite delicate for a farm girl... Perhaps you had left before being sent into the field? Went out adventuring early on?"

Kouko's expression died, as if sobering up, her illness state taking a back state. She eyed Octan blanky, almost mimicking the expression he and Lena always held. She had an absentminded presence.

"No? Then by chance... Were you forced out? A dispute with your parents? Kicked out possibly?" Octan said, meeting Kouko's eyes.

Kouko's face twitched, slowly raising, escaping their meeting eyes.

"No. It wasn't that was it?" Octan said. "You were forced out, but not due to an argument. But, an accident. You lost it didn't you, your home?"

Kouko's face continued to twitch, then suddenly.

"Achew!" She sneezed like she had never before. He cocoon coming undone.

Octan's eyes widened, shook by the impact of a person's illness. 

"Ahaha~~~" Kouko chuckled, "Sorry, that was quite loud, hehe~~"

Octan clicked his tongue, then sighed in defeat.

"Now," Kouko said. "It's my turn!"

"In?"

"A~~~sking questions!" Kouko stated.

"Nena!" She called the distant observer. Noticing that Lena had put down her book and sat watching the two's exchange. "Come, next to me! It's time this wanna be cool fellow answered us!" She pouted, nodding her head at the ground beside her gesturing Lena over.

Lena nodded, then strolled over next to Kouko. She passed the luggage on her way, picking up a some firewood alongside her, swiftly tossing it towards the campfire. Sitting down her legs crossed, she first fixed Kouko's cloth sheets, then faced forward at Octan with Kouko.

"Thank you." Kouko said, as if a court lady. "Now you," She immediately switched back to her cold-ridden self. "you will be answering my questions!" She frowned at Octan exaggeratedly.

Octan's eyes widened, shook by the sudden turn. Just now he was the one asking, yet he was now to be asked? He sighed, the shrugged.

"Sure, go ahead." Octan said, stretched his arms behind him and used them as crutches to rest. "I did just try to take advantage of your current state." He said looking upwards at the dissipating smoke. "I do really owe you now."

"Eheheee~~~" Kouko mischievously grinned. "Time to finally put all my sleepless thoughts to sleep!"

"Now, to sta~~~rt! Who are you exactly, Octan?! Clearly you are not an adventurer, and you seem to know a lot more than you let on, sometimes it even seems like you know it all!" 

"Obviously that would be your first question..." Octan ruffled his hair. "No, I will not answer that. Ask me something else."

"Booo~~!!!" Kouko retaliated. "What happened with you owing me!"

"As I said, ask me something else. Not that." Octan shook his head.

"Unfair! You can't pick and choose! You just salty! You lost! My question was too good for you! Boo~~~! Child, Boo~~~!" Kouko cried.

"Yes I can, I started the questioning to begin with!" Octan replied almost childishly, his face twitching with anger. "How about this, I will place a condition on it. I will answer that question, If you can answer me one question of my own."

"Oo~~h!" Kouko sounded in excitement, even her lips and eyes curving into an O shape. Her face had turned circular. "Theee~~~n, let's leave it till the end! For now let us cross some off the list, and check your condition later."

"Y-you..." Octan seemed irritated, perhaps he had planned on applying the condition and ending the questioning early on? Caught off guard by an ill person, he heaved in defeat. "Just how bad is your cold..."

"Then, to actually start, I believe we should ask about our first adventu-- Achew!" Kouko sneezed.

Snot covered her face. Lena pulled out a cloth that she had held, and carefully treated Kouko's face, then put away the cloth.

"T-Tshank chu," Kouko sniffled, "Shell me about it, the camp..." Kouko tried to word out, her face turning red. "Explain the camp itself... Please." She said, attempting to look intimidating, with a deep, exaggerated, frown.

Octan continued to absent mindedly eye the smoke clouds escaping the firewood. 

Lena thought that this was as much as she had expected, Octan wasn't one to give much out, so she hadn't expected anything from the game Kouko had attempted to play. She sighed internally and prepared to head back to her book. Lena stretched a hand towards Kouko, fixing her heavy warm cocoon in preparation to leave, she wanted to do one final check on kouko befo--

"The camp was just a convenient means," Octan started, still eyeing upwards. "The Sage needed a lot of living things. Lots. And the camp was perfect, on the day of the attack it would not only hold the adventurer population, but a large amount of monsters as well. Of course, that is if he was only able to condense them into a singular area as well. I believe you could imagine how messy a war field could be, that wouldn't work. So, even putting the adventurers to sleep, allowing the demon lord's army into the camp, mixing and condensing both populations into a singular general, walled area was perfect for the The Sage. 

"That is what the camp was. A convenient mean that The Sage took over."

"Mmmm~~~..." Kouko sounded deep in thought. "Then what was his end? Was it that eerie thing we saw? Death?"

"Yes. By putting an end to so many lives under such a short-span of time, Death would appear. As for why he would want Death, perhaps a deal. It might be that he had planned to barter with it. Though, I doubt that whatever was discussed after Death's arrival would've been from The Sage. 

"I believe that The Sage's job was measly to call it, and the market talk would be left to the Royal Family of that land. That is how he had gained their support. By making such a grand promise, and perhaps a sample of his genius--possibly even making use of the convenient setting to rush a decision. The Sage had made use of both, the adventurer guild, and the Royal Family."

"Hmmm... You did explain sages to be that mad before," Kouko said. "But then, why was he afraid of us leaving?!" Kouko questioned suddenly as if that thought jumped her.

"Of you leaving," Octan emphasized. "As I said, he had made use of both, one of which forcefully. If you had been a real adventurer, you would've known how strict the guild is. Especially when it comes to adventurers' lives. If word got out that the death of hundreds of adventurers was due to that kingdom's selfish endeavors... Well, maybe not war, but definitely something not so fun."

"Ah! So you're saying they lied?! The sage had made it out all to be either an accident, or fault that had nothing to do with the kingdom, or at least not intentionally, right?!" Kouko said enthusiastically.

Octan nodded.

"Hehe~~ See, even I can figure secrets out." Kouko proudly claimed to Lena. Lena nodded.

"Ok then," Kouko said, jumping back to her questions. "What was it, Death? I still remember how it felt to be in its presence... Eeee~~" Kouko shivered, this time not out of cold.

"Death was just that, Death." Octan said. "While I do know of its existence, it and its kind, I do not understand them. Why they exist, what their goal is. All I know is that once certain conditions are met, Death and its fellows show up. Of course the conditions differ from one to other, some might even overlap. Might be why that interloper had appeared." Octan shrugged, taking a second to glance at Lena. The girl who had waved back at the interloper.

"Are you telling the truth... I don't know... But, sure... I will believe you..." Kouko attempted to sound doubtful. "Then, let me ask about those who tried to catch death! Who they?"

"The Royal Guard? That one's tricky. They aren't like adventurers; while they aren't a stable in every land, a similar kind of figure can still be found in every land. I know that in one land they call them Knights. A secret--No always too, some operate publicly--special operations force that acts only under the very head of the land, whether it be king or emperor--perhaps even a party eventually. For how strong they are... In adventurer term, I would say generally a special carving to ranked. Though it depends."

"That's it?" Kouko said, cocking her head.

"That's it. The Royal Guard, or Knights, are tools really. Just a weapon of the Ruler. There isn't much to say about them." Octan shrugged.

"Boring..." Kouko stooped forward out of her cocoon. 

Lena quickly fixed Kouko's posture.

"Ah, sorry, thank you..." Kouko sounded in a fluster.

"Then... hmmm... How about that thing you used! the mana weapon thingy!" Kouko said.

"The Tool? Well, that too is a mystery. How it was made, why that man carried it. I was able to understand its mechanisms, at least. It seemed to be some kind of amplifier. It would take a sample of your mana, and force surrounding mana into following that samples command. Practically amplifying it to a degree unmatched. Kind of similar to regular mana weapons and catalysts. But unlike mana weapons where they store up the mana, and boost your input. This has an infinite source of mana, the surroundings, the world itself.

"Though, to be able to even start it--the sample I had mentioned--I would say is impossible to fulfill... Other than for this body of course."

"You..." Kouko shook her head. "Why are you being so open..."

"Hm? Wait, was I expected to not answer?" Octan mocked.

"No! But, ehhh... I expected to be more interrogative! More oomphy! more mad! This is just too easy..." Kouko complained.

"There is still one question, right?" Octan said.

Kouko's eyes shone. 

"Yes! Yes there was! What are you, Octan?!" She shouted earnestly. Seemingly not interested in the answer, but rather the challenge.

"Ah, but my condition first." Octan leaned forward, resting his arm on his elbow, he supported her head.

"Yes! Of course!" Kouko excitedly shook within her cocoon.

"I will tell you my history," Octan said, smiling as he did. "if you tell me yours."

Kouko stopped. Her clutch at the cocoon let loose. The cloth around her gradually was undone, exposing the snail within.

Lena looked the still woman. Eyeing her, she could see below her torso, from beneath her slightly exposed jacket, tying her cloth together, a ribbon she had once gifted her.

"You ask me so many questions," Octan said. "I believe I'm entitled to as much at least, no? To me you're as much as a mystery--probably more--than I am to you. You remember, don't you? Back then. Shaken in fear, I told you what I had seen in you, what I had felt and sensed. But, at the time it simply hadn't concerned me. Just like everything in life then, I had planned to simply leave you behind. A problem to never face again. Yet, here we are. 2 years later, talking it out.

"So, wouldn't you tell me, Kouko, who are you? Why did you approach me? why did you lie about being an adventurer? Why did you, and still do, hold such malice towards me? Of course, I had never forgotten. Even when I had willingly took you under me because of The Sage, I had understood the malice I had brought close, the mystery that I had trusted in my sleep. You want to know why I did it? You wish to understand me? All you have to do is do the same for me.

"I believe it is fair, especially with the amount of information I'm willing to give in return. Telling you about myself would be much more than it seems, Kouko. I will not be simply fulfilling a goal of yours, I will be speaking of things that have not been uttered in years. I will be giving you secrets the consortium and historians have been chasing for years.

"Though I care not for all that, what I do care about is that I will be practically killing myself. Ending myself. The identity that is Octan, the person that you see, the persona that you speak to. That is what it means to tell you about myself, Kouko.

"So, answer me. Do you not believe it a fair trade?" Octan asked, smiling.

Kouko eyed Octan back. A blank expression. Replicating the face that Lena had always held, even now. 

Octan continued to smile back.

Lena reached out towards Kouko, carefully wrapping the cloth back around her. 

Kouko sneezed. Snot once again covered her face.

Lena swiftly took care of her patient.

Octan continued to smile at her.

Kouko gave a gentle quick smile to Lena, then faced Octan back killing the smile.

"I..." Kouko said, lowering her gaze towards the crackling fire. "No, I can't do that." Kouko said standing, still clutching the multi-layered cloth that wrapped her.

"Honest is good," Octan said falling onto his back to lie down. "If you had instead attempted to make a lie, Which I would've able to easily discern through. Then... I don't know. I could have shut down, again."

"That's who you are," Kouko said. "The kind of person you are."

"It's a fair trade, no?" Octan said. "You did just tell me about yourself after all, you are a liar. A walking act."

Kouko silently stepped away, then lied down some distance away.

"You are not sick. Not to that degree at least. The Kid's efforts towards your recovery were flawless, from the choice of medicine to the procedures taken at every moment. Such, doubting that you had yet to recover, I checked on your mana flow, and it had shown no abnormalities. At least nothing major enough for you to still be under the defenseless state a seasonal cold leaves you in.

"Of course, having been aware of that, you understood if you had acted just right, hoped for the leftovers of your illness to showcase themselves in your support, you could trick me into lowering my guard. 

"Yet... Even when I did... Your answer was nothing, just those... questions. So, in some way, had you won, had you lost, I do not understand. You will continue to be a mystery." 

Kouko didn't reply. Her face turned away from the two, she seemed to attempting to head to sleep.

"And, before you take my words wrongly. No, I'm not kicking anyone out. You are free to stick around. I do not care who you truly are, or what you are after. Just like how I had willingly chosen to let you follow me around after that The Camp, I'm willing now. As far as I'm concerned, nothing has changed." Octan said, turning away from the fire himself.

Lena was left in between the two, sat alone in dirt, the firewood flickering in her eyes. She yawned, stretched her arms, and stood up. As much as she wanted to head asleep, she still had some end of day errands to run quickly.