The hooded man stepped into the encampment.

  The monkeys stationed along the trees noticed him immediately.

  They did not chatter.

  They did not move recklessly.

  They simply watched.

  He walked past them without acknowledgment.

  Near the center of the clearing, the obese man sat comfortably on a wooden crate, watching two monkeys wrestle in the dirt.

  "Yeah, that's it!" he laughed. "Put some strength into it! No effort means no dinner! Hahaha!"

  The hooded man approached the wrestling area.

  The moment he did, the obese man's face lit up.

  He quickly stood and waddled forward.

  "Boss! You're finally here," he grinned. "I was getting bored."

  The hooded man's gaze swept across the clearing — the scattered wine bottles, the restless monkeys, the crude shelter.

  "It doesn't look like boredom,Brick" he said lightly.

  His eyes shifted to the obese man.

  "How was Ethan Greywhite?"

  Brick burst into laughter.

  "Too strong," he said bluntly. "We can't beat him head-on. Not without something unexpected. And even then… slim chance."

  Fritz remained silent for a moment.

  Then he smiled faintly.

  "It's been handled," he said calmly. "He won't be here by the end of today."

  Brick's grin widened, teeth showing.

  "So it begins?" he chuckled. "Ahahaha… I can't wait to fight that white-haired knight. I want to see his face when I cut his head off."

  Fritz's expression didn't change.

  "Don't be reckless," he said evenly. "Sir Oliver is not a man you approach carelessly."

  Brick scratched the back of his head.

  "Noted, boss."

  He leaned forward slightly.

  "So when do we move?"

  "Tonight," Fritz replied. "When Embrek sleeps."

  His voice was steady. Controlled.

  "Attack one of the outer soldier camps. Force Oliver to act."

  He turned slightly, already losing interest in the conversation.

  "I have other matters to attend to."

  Brick almost asked what those matters were.

  But he stopped himself.

  Instead, he bowed his head slightly.

  "Your command is our duty."

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  Fritz walked toward the darker side of the forest.

  The monkeys parted without a sound.

  ____________________________________________________________________________

  The sun was setting.

  A deep reddish glow spread across the sky, staining the clouds in warm light.

  Near the forest's edge, the three of them stepped out from the trail and collapsed onto the grass.

  For a moment, none of them spoke.

  Aleck exhaled heavily.

  "Pretty good journey," he said sarcastically.

  Amber turned sharply toward him.

  "You two really think all of this is a joke?" she snapped. "I can't believe you!"

  Aleck smiled lazily.

  Olric, surprisingly, had a faint smile as well.

  "It's a beautiful flower," Olric said calmly, glancing at the white lotus in Amber's hands. "In the end, the trip wasn't a waste."

  Amber hugged the lotus closer.

  After a pause, Aleck's expression shifted.

  "Who do you think that tattooed man was?" he asked. "He was strong enough to be a knight."

  Olric looked toward the darkening forest.

  Amber spoke first.

  "Does it even matter?" she said. "He saved us. If we're alive, it's because of him. That means he must be a good person."

  Olric didn't respond.

  There was something about the man that unsettled him.

  Aleck noticed the silence.

  "…Seems so," he muttered, though doubt lingered in his voice.

  Olric suddenly straightened.

  "We can't tell anyone about today," he said firmly. "Otherwise we'll be on probation for months."

  He glanced at Amber.

  "And whatever you plan to do with that flower… don't show it to Aunt. Then you'll be safe."

  Amber froze.

  "How did you—"

  She stopped herself.

  Aleck listened carefully, trying to piece together what she was hiding.

  But he couldn't fully grasp it.

  Moments later, Amber was walking ahead of them, skipping along the dirt path as if nothing had happened.

  Behind her, Aleck and Olric walked side by side.

  The silence stretched for a while.

  Aleck broke it first.

  "So… you don't like her?"

  Olric blinked.

  "What?"

  Aleck kept his eyes forward.

  "I mean, near the river. You were trying pretty hard to impress her when you beat me."

  Olric stopped walking for half a second.

  "What are you talking about? She's like a little sister to me."

  He sounded almost offended.

  Aleck glanced at him.

  "So you weren't trying to impress her?"

  Olric felt heat rise to his face.

  "That's none of your concern, you damned peasant."

  He turned his head away quickly.

  He couldn't explain it.

  He couldn't explain why he wanted the daughter of his idol to notice him.

  Aleck laughed lightly.

  The tension dissolved just enough.

  By the time they reached the church gates, the sky had darkened into violet.

  The day felt strangely distant.

  As they approached the church gate, they froze.

  Father Lucen stood there.

  Beside him—Sir Oliver.

  "My goodness," Lucen said the moment they stepped through the gate. "Where were you three? You're covered in dirt."

  Oliver's eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at the boys.

  "You weren't fighting again, were you?"

  Aleck answered quickly.

  "No. We weren't fighting. We were hunting hares, so we got a little dirty."

  Olric and Amber nodded at the same time.

  Oliver studied them for a second longer.

  Then he let it go.

  Aleck turned to Lucen.

  "Where's Sister Reyla?"

  Lucen adjusted his sleeves calmly.

  "Sir Ethan has left Embrek for the capital," he explained. "And we need funds to maintain the church. Reyla went to the Church of Light headquarters in Solvarin to secure monetary support for the rest of the year."

  Aleck blinked.

  "Don't we already receive funding from the Church?"

  Oliver burst into laughter.

  "That's because this old geezer gambles half of it away on rooster fights at the market."

  Lucen cleared his throat sharply.

  "It's not gambling if you know you're going to win."

  Aleck stared at him.

  Amber tilted her head.

  "…Do you win?"

  Lucen paused.

  Then quickly changed the subject.

  "Aleck," he said, "Sir Oliver has come to invite you to dinner at his mansion."

  Amber clapped her hands.

  "Yay! Aleck is coming with us!"

  Aleck hesitated.

  "What about you, Father?"

  "I'm fasting today," Lucen replied calmly. "It's the start of the week."

  Oliver stepped forward.

  "You heard him," he said. "And I won't take no for an answer."

  Aleck looked between them.

  "…Okay."

  Lucen stepped closer to Aleck.

  "May the Goddess watch over you all," he said gently.

  Then he looked directly at Aleck and smiled.

  "You won't have to eat bland bread tonight."

  Aleck blinked, unsure of what to say.

  He gave a small smile in return.

  It was awkward.

  But it came from the bottom of his heart.

  Lucen's expression softened.

  For a brief moment, something warm flickered in his eyes.

  Then he turned to Oliver.

  "Take care of him for me."

  Oliver placed his hand briefly against his chest in respect and gave a firm nod.

  "You have my word."

  He gestured for the children to follow.

  The four of them walked down the road toward the manor, their figures slowly fading into the evening light.

  Lucen remained at the gate.

  Silent.

  Watching.

  He stood there long after their figures disappeared into the fading light.