[Author's Note:]
I'm going to drop one platform soon, so if you're reading this message, it's time to comment on this chapter! Say anything—I'm reading. Based on the response, I'll decide which platform to drop.
Platforms:đź“– Webnovel.comđź“– RoyalRoadđź“– Wattpadđź“– iReaderđź“– Inkitt
the platform with the least amount of comment will be dropped from next chapter]
I stood there, staring at the retreating figures of Alexander and Pia, my mind still stuck on her words.
"You don't belong here."
That line kept repeating in my head, over and over. What the hell did she mean by that?
I clenched my fists, but before I could get lost in my thoughts, Sofie placed a hand on my shoulder.
"Come on, Kathleen, let's go inside. The others need us right now."
I took a deep breath, nodding. Whatever Pia meant, I'd figure it out later. Right now, the village had just survived a bandit attack, and there were wounded to take care of.
The village chief, along with some of the other villagers, started rounding up the bandits who were still alive. They tied them up with rope and tossed them onto a cart.
"We'll be taking these guys to the capital," the chief explained. "They won't be bothering us again."
Milly let out a sigh of relief. "I still can't believe we actually fought off bandits…"
"Yeah," I said, looking at my hands. "But we did."
We had fought. We had won.
But for some reason… it didn't feel like a victory.
Because I still couldn't shake that one thought.
"I don't belong here?"
And then, the fateful day finally arrived—the day I had to leave the village for good.
Even now, I still miss those days… the laughter, the warmth of the orphanage, the faces of Sofie, Ronix, Rodrick, and Milly. They had become my family, but fate had other plans.
How much time had I spent in this dark room? I don't know. Ten hours? Fifteen? Maybe even longer.
Was it dawn? Dusk? Night? I had no idea. The air was thick, the silence suffocating. The only thing keeping me company was the faint sound of my own breathing.
Once, I had friends—Eddy, Theo, Barren, and Simon.
What were they doing now? Were they coming to save me?
…No.
I shook my head. I couldn't ask them to save me. Just three days ago, we didn't even know each other. Why would they risk their lives for me?
I let out a bitter chuckle. "Yeah… why would they?"
I curled my fingers into a fist, my nails digging into my palms. No matter how much I wished for it, I knew one thing for sure.
If I wanted to survive… I had to save myself.
......
Morning came, but the uneasiness in my chest never left.
I walked into the guild alongside Eddy, Barren, and Simon, my mind still stuck on Kathleen. Even after a full night of thinking, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.
We tried digging around for more information about the commission we had received yesterday, hoping to find some kind of lead, but no matter how much we searched, we came up empty.
Nothing. No records. No details. As if the commission never existed.
"Damn it," Simon muttered, slamming his fist onto the table.
Barren crossed his arms, his face tense. "The timing of it all... It wasn't normal. It was too perfectly placed for us to take it."
Eddy leaned back against the wall, letting out a long sigh. "It's like someone wanted us to take that commission you were write barren it seems it is a trap."
My hands curled into fists. Kathleen...
Then—
"Excuse me!"
A voice called from behind me.
I turned around, my heart immediately on edge.
A girl stood there. She had beautiful short white hair and wore a distinct golden hairband with a red gem embedded in it. She looked young—probably younger than us—and she carried a large staff, making it easy to tell she was a mage.
Her face was serious, her eyes sharp.
"Where is the girl I saw with you guys yesterday?"
Something in her tone sent a chill down my spine.
"Do you know her?" Eddy asked, his voice just as serious.
"Ah, yes... yes, I met her in a village a long time ago. I think in Ashfall Village," she replied, her gaze never leaving me.
"Where is she?" the girl asked again, this time more demanding.
"Oh, she got k—" I started, but before I could finish, Barren suddenly stepped in.
"She's not with us today," he said firmly, cutting me off.
The girl's expression darkened instantly.
"Lies," she said, her eyes narrowing. "I can sense lies from afar because I am a go—"
BAM!
Before she could finish, there was a loud smack.
She immediately clutched her head, dropping slightly from the pain.
A sigh followed, and another voice spoke up.
"Apologies for her rudeness."
A man stepped forward. He had a confident yet laid-back demeanor, carrying himself like someone who had seen his fair share of battles.
"Hi, I'm Alexander Roy, and this here is my partner, Pia. She tends to blab a lot, so just ignore her."
Pia groaned, still rubbing her head. "Did you really have to hit me again?"
Alexander ignored her, turning his attention back to us. "Now then… why don't we try this again?"
I kept my expression neutral, but my mind was racing. Who were these two? And why were they asking about Kathleen?
Alexander crossed his arms, glancing at Pia, who had finally stopped rubbing her head. "Look, we're not here to start trouble. We just want to know about the girl."
Pia huffed, clearly still annoyed, but she nodded. "Yeah, we met her a long time ago in Ashfall Village."
I felt something tighten in my chest. "Ashfall Village?"
"Yeah," Alexander said, his gaze studying us carefully. "It was… I think about one year—no, no, one and a half years ago. We took a commission from the village chief and had to stay there for a while. But one night, the village got raided by bandits. We managed to subdue them easily, but the village chief was worried."
He paused, his tone growing more serious. "There was an orphanage just outside the village, and he feared the bandits might have gone there too. So we rushed over… and that's where we found the kids of the orphanage—and your friend Kathleen. She and the orphans had already defeated the bandits that attacked them."
I felt my body tense at his words.
"She was the oldest of the kids there, actually," Alexander continued. "That's why we remember her."
"And also, I'm a G—"
BAM!
Once again, Alexander smacked Pia's head before she could finish.
"Ow!" Pia groaned, clutching her head. "Why are you always hitting me?!"
you know why I am hitting you we have talked about this
I was starting to feel bad for the poor girl now.
Still rubbing her head, Pia straightened up and looked directly at me, her previous annoyance replaced by something more serious.
"Of all the kids in that orphanage," she said firmly, "Kathleen was the one who caught my eye the most. I could tell she didn't belong there. She was… special."
"Special how?" Eddy asked, his voice calm, but I could tell he was just as suspicious as I was.
Pia crossed her arms. "It's hard to explain, but she wasn't like the other kids in the village. There was something different about her. She felt… out of place."
That phrase again. Out of place.
I clenched my fists but kept my face unreadable. "So, you two knew her back then, and now suddenly, after all this time, you show up looking for her?"
Alexander let out a small chuckle. "Not exactly. Yesterday, we saw her at the guild."
That caught all of us off guard, though we didn't show it.
"We were about to approach her," Pia added, "but before we could, you guys left. So we figured we'd wait and reach out today."
I exchanged quick glances with Eddy, Barren, and Simon. They're lying.
There was something off about them. Maybe they weren't lying outright, but they were definitely hiding something.
No, wait… it's not them. It's him.
Alexander.
He only hit Pia when she started saying too much. He's hiding something.
Just like we were.
"So?" Alexander pressed. "Where is she now?"
Barren stepped forward, arms crossed. "Like I said, she's not with us today." His voice was steady, giving nothing away.
Pia narrowed her eyes. "I don't buy it."
"Believe what you want," Eddy said, his tone sharp. "But why don't you be honest with us first? You're clearly not telling the whole truth either, Mr. Alexander."
That seemed to catch him off guard for a split second.
Then, Alexander smiled. "Heh. Guess we're both keeping secrets, huh?"
He turned slightly toward Pia. "Okay then, Pia… tell them the secret."
To be continued…