What We Can't Forget

“Please state your business at Khunar.”

A total of seven templar knights stood at the entrance gate, blocking the entrance to every person and group who wished to enter the city. One of them, in particular, was awfully close to Vel, their eyes narrowing within the helmet.

Yuushin came in between them, with Johnny and Heidi staying in the cart beside Vel.

“I must ask you to take a few steps back. As of now, you are standing before our blessed Lady Renarys, so I would request you to mind your proximity.”

Even though he could hear his heart’s beat through his ears, Yuushin did his best not to let his voice hesitate or tremble.

They shouldn’t be able to recognize me, right…?

Kez and Vel had helped him change his hair color, and also gave him a lion’s ears and tail. If Veritux was searching for Yuushin as well, being a blond lion-like theryan instead was certainly a good call. He couldn’t actually feel the ears and tail, yet it was amusing to see his reflection whenever he caught a glance of it.

Though Heidi has been unable to look in his direction without blushing since then…

Huh, guess Johnny was right after all.

“Lady or not, you must state your business.” Not only did the templar knight not move a muscle, their harsh tone didn’t lessen even a little.

Yet as long as all the party had to worry about was Veritux’s knights' manners, Yuushin had zero complaints.

“Lady Renarys came to participate in the auction hosted by the Champion Stellar artisan, Yurik of the Yasmine Tree.”

The knight raised an eyebrow, looking at Vel as if in a different light.

“Is that so…? And what does your Lady seek from the Yasmine Tree?”

What a pain…will this guy give us a break or not?

“I see no reason to disclose this information to a third party.”

Yuushin met the templar’s gaze without flinching—without blinking.

“May I see your invitation, then?” The templar knight didn’t look away either, their eyes piercing Yuushin with no mercy or hesitation.

With a long, frustrated sigh, Vel nudged Heidi beside her, prompting the woman to get the pair of blue and golden envelopes—both sealed with wax, depicting a flower insignia. Shifting his attention to the invitations, the knight glared at them, their eyes glowing silver for a second.

Then they turned to Yuushin again.

“May Lady Renarys enjoy her stay at Khunar.”

As soon as they crossed the gates, Yuushin already back in the cart, Vel whispered next to him.

“That knight likely noticed we were using magic, yet couldn’t figure out how or for what purpose. They will have someone following and monitoring us until we leave the city.”

Johnny let out a soft chuckle, placing his hands behind his head. “Let those peeping Toms stalk us as much as they like. I’m gonna chill.”

Yet even if the man’s voice and smile seemed relaxed enough, Yuushin could still see it. The fear creeping into Johnny’s brown eyes, the faint trembling in his hands. Heidi was not that different, staring at her hands tightly clasped together, her body tense.

Around them, the air was heavy. Suffocating. Even from afar, Veritux’s towers could be seen with ease. Its white, wide pillars and golden crests, reflecting the sunlight as if to spread hope and warmth. And the mere sight of it made Yuushin’s stomach sick to its core.

Somewhere below them, Lyr was suffering. The priest who not only put himself at risk to help Kez, but who did his best to welcome Yuushin and his group. A priest that Veritux should nurture and protect, instead.

Clenching his fists, Yuushin looked away. Hang in there, Lyr. We’re almost there.

You’ll be out of this prison soon.

As they made their way to an inn, there were no more words exchanged between them.

Yuushin and Johnny took the stallion to the inn’s stable, while Kez and Heidi went with Vel to get a room. Then as soon as everything was taken care of, the party reunited at the room.

And the second the door closed behind him, Yuushin froze.

It’s the same…

At first, there were just too many things going over his head for Yuushin to notice. But the second he did, the man couldn’t think of anything else.

This room, it’s the same.

The exact layout of Jay’s room from that time, only a little bigger.

“I was right, after all… You’re truly a good person, Yuushin.”

“Though I have to do this, I really hope you’ll survive—even if he’s certain you won’t.”
“I’m truly sorry, Yuushin… I wish things had gone different.”

Somehow Yuushin kept staring at that spot, waiting—fearing. The moment the tear would appear and drag him back to that place, forcing him to face all those monsters all over again. Thinking back, Yuushin considered Jay a friend then. Someone he could trust. And somehow, for more frustrating that it made him feel, Yuushin couldn’t find strength in him to loathe the man.

Much less to blame him.

"...sh..."

Even now, when it comes to Jay…some part of me wants to cheer for him.

"...ush..."

Because in the end of the day, the man was nothing but a desperate man trying to go back home.

"...uushi..."

How could Yuushin condemn that? When both of them had been forced into that situation?

“Yuushin?” Johnny called out to him, the memories of Jay and that night slowly fading from his mind. ”You doing okay, bro?”

Suddenly all eyes were on him, waiting for his answer. Analyzing him. Yuushin flashed a smile, hoping it was warm enough to bring some kind of comfort to the group.

“Yeah, all good here.” Then he pulled a chair, the metal dagger on his waist so warm, he could feel its heat through the armor. “So. How are we gonna do this?”

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“Kez will guide you to where the priest is, since she can use a cloak spell without alarming the towers.”

According to Vel, Veritux had sensors to detect wild magic. As soon as it passed the ‘acceptable threshold, they would be exposed in a matter of seconds. Yet since Kez used natural magic, the alarms wouldn’t trigger.

“I will break into their headquarters and make sure to have all of Decimus’ personal guard focused on me, still, you must be careful on your way down. Wait for my signal.”

“What signal?”

“You will know.”

And just like that, Vel flew into the night, leaving the rest of the group anxiously waiting in front of a sewer’s gate.

The most surprising thing, though, was how out of the four of them, the one who looked the most restless was Kez.

“So we just gotta do some sewer crawling, find the creepy dungeon, and then rescue our furry Zelda?” Somehow, Yuushin understood exactly what Johnny meant.

“That’s the plan.” As Yuushin replied, the blond man seemed more focused on his fake ears and tail, eying them with a pensive gaze.

“Y’know, I thought a fox would be more your style. But looking better now, that lion set is not bad at all. Yo, Heidi, what d’you think?”

The woman’s eyes glanced Yuushin’s way almost automatically before shifting back to Johnny.

“What I think about what?”

“I mean, you are the expert here. Though you would know what matches Yuushin best, next time we need to go all Bond style, y’know.”

“Well…” Heidi cleared her throat, her voice somewhat embarrassed. “You can never go wrong with big carnivores. But judging Yuushin’s personality, clearly he’s on the canine side, so—”

“What about me?” Johnny asked before the woman even finished her sentence, his gleeful smile echoing the expectancy in his eyes.

Heidi stared at him, definitely not sharing the glee. “A badger.”

As the duo started to argue again, Yuushin left them be, walking closer to Kez. Yet before he could ask or say anything, she spoke first.

“I had another dream with him.” Kez’s voice was low and reluctant, like a confession. “Wish I hadn’t. I already saw the things they are doing to him…felt them…I’m not stupid to need a reminder.”

Yuushin never asked what Kez had seen in those dreams—he had no intention to. Knowing Lyr needed saving was more than enough for him, and the fewer details he knew, the better. For that reason, he wondered what it felt like for Kez. To be forced to see and to know those things, again and again.

So instead of making her focus on those hellish dreams, Yuushin tried to ask about something else.

“Did you know Lyr before, uh, you got better from the knell plight?”

The female dragon grinned, some amusement echoing in her tone as she messed with his hair. “You mean when you busted your channels purging the plight out of me? Why, aren’t you adorable getting all shy like this.”

Though Yuushin did get annoyed in the first few seconds, soon enough a warmth began spreading across his chest.

I wonder if this is what would be like. Having an older sister.

*BOOOOM*

*CRAAASH*

Then the entire ground started to shake, the heat and sound of the explosion reaching them with its own voracity and anger—glass falling from one of Veritux’s towers alongside wood and rocks.

“Guess that’s our cue, huh?” Johnny appeared behind them, a nervous smile stretching on his face as he raised his sleeves. “Let’s make our Queen proud.”