The sound of creaking wheels and wood swaying filled the uncomfortable silence inside the carriage.
On one side, Ethan was lounging, one leg crossed over the other, his arm resting casually on the backrest like it was his temporary throne. His golden gaze shifted playfully between the two elves sitting across from him.
Aeris sat with her hands neatly folded in her lap, posture stiff, as if trying to maintain her composure at all costs. Next to her, Sylfie sat with her arms crossed and legs crossed as well, her gaze pointed away, clearly uncomfortable with the proximity but lacking the courage to actually complain.
Her turtle had been unsummoned as soon as they entered the carriage, partly for lack of space, partly for discretion.
The plan was simple: get to the nearest city and shamelessly lie to the adventurer's guild. Forest fires happen, right? No one needed to know that a fire hurricane had been responsible for turning half the forest into ashes.
Ethan was the first to break the silence, lazily spinning his dimensional ring around his finger.
"Well... since we're about to dress the truth up a bit... seems like a good time to catch up. Tell me... what are the biggest events happening lately?"
Aeris blinked, caught slightly off guard by the question. She glanced sideways at Sylfie but quickly answered, tucking a strand of her black hair behind her ear.
"Right now... the biggest topic among the kingdoms is the rise in monster activity near the borders of the Kingdom of Galvaris... and the civil war in the Empire of Svanholm."
"The Empire of Svanholm..." Ethan repeated, frowning, digging through his memory. "How long ago did that civil war start?"
Sylfie raised an eyebrow, glancing his way. "I'm surprised you don't know. The news spread pretty fast. It started about six months ago."
"Huh... interesting." Ethan rested his chin on his hand, thoughtful. "And the Hero? Any word on him?"
The two exchanged a brief glance.
"If you're talking about the Hero, he showed up on the central continent about a year ago," Aeris replied, a bit hesitant. "From what's known... he's training under the Church of the Creator God."
"Ah, of course. A rather problematic bunch," Ethan muttered, crossing his arms. "And what about the Great Crimson Ravine?"
Sylfie frowned. "No one goes near that place. It's suicide. The monsters are far too strong, and there's nothing worth the risk. It's just a pile of rocks."
Ethan's grin stretched wider. Perfect. So they hadn't discovered the barrier yet...
"Good. Excellent." He snapped his fingers, visibly pleased. "That means I've got time."
Sylfie crossed her arms tighter, looking out the small side window. "You're weird."
"Thanks. I work hard at it."
Sylfie narrowed her eyes at him, clearly suspicious. Crossing one leg over the other, she shifted her focus.
"Alright... then answer me this, Aeris." Her eyes slid toward the elf beside her. "Why exactly do you treat this guy like he's... I don't know... someone absurdly important? Up until now, you've always been arrogant, hard to please, and frankly... a pain to deal with. But with him? You're like a domesticated kitten."
Aeris froze. Her ears twitched, and her face instantly turned bright red. Her hands clenched in her lap, visibly flustered.
"H-he's... um..." she stammered, her gaze darting around for any excuse that sounded even remotely believable. "He's... a... a noble! Yes, a very... very powerful noble."
"Oh, really?" Sylfie arched an eyebrow, arms crossed. "From where exactly? Never heard of any human noble wandering around with two elves. Not without collars, anyway."
Aeris opened her mouth to reply again, but before a single sound came out, Ethan raised his hand casually, cutting her off.
"No need to strain yourself, Aeris." His voice was calm, but there was something heavier beneath it, something sharper. His gaze locked onto Sylfie's, and his golden eyes flashed with a tone that was almost threatening. "Seriously, Sylfie... there are questions you really don't want the answer to."
It wasn't an open threat. No yelling, no anger. Just... fact. Something about it made the air inside the carriage feel heavier, like the mana itself had thickened.
Sylfie held his gaze for several seconds, but slowly, her confident smirk gave way to something more serious, almost uncomfortable. She crossed her arms tighter, looking away, pretending to be uninterested.
"Fine... got it." She sighed. "But don't give me that mysterious act. You're way too weird to be just some random traveler."
"You're not wrong," Ethan replied, relaxing again, lacing his hands behind his head. "But you're not ready to understand. Not yet."
Aeris glanced at him, discreetly biting her lower lip. As much as she was used to the idea that Ethan was on a different level... every time he spoke like that, her heart raced. And it wasn't just respect or devotion.
Sylfie hugged her arms tighter, breathing deep, avoiding looking directly at either of them.
"Whoever you are... just don't drag me into trouble. I agreed to lie for you, but don't expect me to do anything beyond that."
Ethan glanced at her, smirking.
"Relax. If there's one thing I'm good at... it's turning problems into opportunities."
"You scare me more than any monster," Sylfie grumbled.
Aeris, unable to hold it in, gripped the hem of her dress and murmured softly, almost a whisper, "But that's exactly... why he's our Herald..."
Ethan pretended not to hear. But the corner of his mouth curled up just a little more.
Time passed quickly after that. The rest of the trip was quiet, filled only by the sound of wheels, horses, and wind slicing through the open plains. In the distance, the city slowly came into view, stone towers, reinforced walls, and the glow of torches at the guard posts. A medium-sized city with sturdy defenses, typical of a border region.
Inside the carriage, Sylfie finally broke the silence, letting out a long sigh, like someone resigning themselves to an annoying duty.
"Alright... listen up." She straightened her posture, crossed her arms, and stared directly at Ethan with that impatient tone of hers. "Judging by how you talk... I'd better explain the basics before you open that mouth of yours and ruin everything."
Ethan raised an eyebrow but said nothing, simply motioning for her to continue.
"When we get to the city, the first thing is heading to the Adventurer's Guild to file the report about... well..." She sighed. "About the accidental forest fire."
She shot him a sharp look.
"I'll take responsibility for the report. That's normal when a high-rank adventurer witnesses or survives something like this. The problem is..." She paused, squeezing her arms tighter. "They're probably not going to buy it just on my word. Forest fires happen, sure, but one like that... they'll want to investigate."
Aeris nodded quietly, glancing toward Ethan as if she was already anticipating how this would go.
"And when they send someone to check... they'll find the battlefield." Sylfie narrowed her eyes. "That massive crater, broken trees, arrow shards, spell residue... There's no way to hide it."
She thumbed over toward Aeris.
"Luckily, everyone in that guild knows that me and this one have hated each other for years." She shot Aeris a sideways glare, which was met with a timid but visibly uncomfortable glance. "So... our excuse is that we had a massive fight. Classic. And judging by the mess... it'll look exactly like that."
Ethan barely held in a laugh. Not even a lie, actually.
Sylfie turned her serious gaze back to him.
"You, on the other hand..." She pointed a finger at him, wagging it. "Your job? Stay quiet. Keep your mouth shut. You don't exist in this story. If you open that mouth and let anything slip... you'll screw everything."
Ethan laced his fingers, rested his chin on them, and gave her that relaxed, slightly mischievous smile. "And when exactly have I ever given you reason to think so little of me?"
"Ugh." She rolled her eyes, arms crossed. "Preferably... don't even breathe loud."
"Understood." He nodded, faking seriousness. "I'll be the most charming silent man that guild has ever seen."
Aeris brought a hand to her mouth, trying to stifle a giggle. "Try not to attract attention..."
Sylfie sighed, running a hand down her face, already mentally regretting getting involved in this.
"Right... to sum it up: you stay quiet. I file the report. Aeris backs it up if they need confirmation, after all, everyone in that city knows the priestess and I can't stand each other."
She paused and looked Ethan dead in the eyes.
"And if you open your mouth... I swear by the spirits, I will tie you up, throw you in a hay cart, and ship you to the other side of the continent."
Ethan's grin widened. "Duly noted."
Sylfie's personality was... very entertaining to Ethan. Almost cute, actually.
Aeris had that strange devotion ever since they met. She wasn't the first, and wouldn't be the last, to feel that way about him. But what bothered him was that the devotion was for the Herald of Aurelia, not for Ethan Blake.
That devotion reminded Ethan of the feeling of trust he had when he first met Aurelia. It made him wonder... was what Aeris felt truly real? Or just... a side effect of his class or something like that?
The carriage shook harder, slowing down as it crossed the bridge leading to the city gates.
"Finally." Sylfie sighed, rubbing her temples. "May the gods give me patience..."
The carriage came to a sudden stop with a jolt. Two city guards, equipped with spears and reinforced leather armor, approached from the side.
"Hold it right there! Identify yourselves," one of them ordered, eyeing the passengers with suspicion.
Sylfie was the first to lean out the carriage window, arms crossed, wearing an expression of sheer boredom. "Sylfie Gale. A-rank adventurer."
The guards exchanged glances, one of them quickly straightening his posture. "Ah... right! Welcome back, Miss Sylfie."
They didn't seem too concerned about her presence, but they clearly knew that an irritated high-ranking adventurer wasn't something they wanted to deal with.
Aeris, a little more serious than usual, brushed her hair back and spoke next. "Aeris Valen... priestess of Aurelia."
Both guards widened their eyes slightly, clearly surprised, but quickly nodded, lowering their spears a little. "L-Lady Aeris... understood."
Sylfie tried not to show it, but Ethan could clearly see the way her eye twitched. The fact that their reaction was bigger for Aeris than for her definitely bothered her. Old habits die hard.
Then Ethan smiled, casually resting one arm on the window frame, and said, in the most relaxed tone, as if commenting about the weather:
"And I'm Ethan... boyfriend of both."
Instant Silence.
The first guard's eyes went wide while the second's jaw dropped.
"W-WHAT?!"
Sylfie choked on air, coughing violently as her face exploded red. "ARE YOU INSANE?!"
Aeris practically sank into her seat, burying her face in both hands. "M-my lord... p-please... by the Goddess..."
The first guard just stared at Ethan like he was completely out of his mind.
The second guard glanced at Ethan, then at the two elves... then back at Ethan.
"...Damn... respect." he muttered, pounding his fist against his chest.