Chapter 56: Trying to Accept the Present

Alet felt strange.

Alet felt conflicted.

He had survived, hadn’t he?

On the boundary between life and death, he had received a helping hand from someone else.

Breaking away from everything he once knew, he had obtained a ticket sufficient to start a brand-new life.

It all sounded so wonderful, like a plot found only in fairy-tale books themed around redemption.

However, Alet was… not as happy as he had imagined.

Rather than looking forward to the future, he felt more confusion, numbness, and… fear.

While being swallowed by negative emotions, he had also been detached from his previous life. He had suddenly lost all his goals and could not find his direction.

Clearly, Vivian successfully sensed Alet’s hesitation and doubt.

After perceiving his abnormality, Vivian did not get angry or sternly rebuke him. She simply loosened her hand, stopping her intimate contact with him.

“Little Knight, if you don’t like this, you can just tell me. It’s fine.”

“I can understand, you know? To suddenly suffer something like that… even I probably wouldn’t be able to bear it.”

“…”

“Anyway, let’s not talk about those sad things anymore.”

“Leave all those troubling matters behind. Now, let me take you to get some proper rest, how about that?”

“Let’s go. I’ll take you to the town to commission a new set of armor. I guarantee it’ll be better than the one you used to wear.”

Having said that, Vivian put her hands behind her back and tilted her head slightly, revealing a soft smile.

That intimidatingly large Witch’s Hat of hers tilted a bit, letting the bright light from the sky dance across her beautiful eyelashes and face, making her gentle aura feel a few degrees warmer.

The moment this image entered his eyes, Alet felt a distinct twitch in his heart.

‘To be understood…’

It seemed like a very, very long time had passed since he last felt this way.

By the time Alet snapped back to his senses, Vivian had already walked a short distance away.

However, she did not continue forward on her own. Instead, noticing that Alet had not followed, she stopped and looked back, quietly waiting for him.

She did not rush him, scold him, or leave him behind.

Alet could not describe the feeling in his heart for a moment. He could only keep clenching and unclenching his fists, kneading the non-existent air in his palms before letting go.

The sun of a new day had just risen. The distant mountains blocked some of the direct light, leaving large patches of shadow on the ground.

Alet stood at the edge of the shadow. Vivian, who had taken a few steps first, stood in the golden sunlight, quietly waiting for him.

The light and shadow were like a blurry dividing line, separating the two of them.

His throat moved.

After a moment of hesitation, he chose to move his stiff body. He stepped out of the shadow and walked toward Vivian, who was waiting for him.

No matter how large the shadow was, it would eventually be completely driven away by the rising sun.

Even if he could not completely escape the past for now…

At least, let him first try—

To accept the present.

***

During the Dragon Slaying Contest, Alet had been highly conspicuous as a Heavy Knight.

But now that he had taken off his armor, naturally, no one could recognize him.

Of course, this was a good thing.

After all, if that “Heavy Knight Rookie” who had supposedly died in the Dragon Slaying Contest and caused a sensation suddenly appeared alive in the town, it would likely cause another uproar.

Dice Town was large. After the Dragon Slaying Contest ended, most people quickly returned to their respective busy lives.

The various shops within Dice Town naturally would not let this opportunity pass.

Soon, Vivian locked onto a blacksmith shop among the many stores.

The Owner of this shop was an old Dwarf, and for a blacksmith shop, a Dwarf Owner was an absolute guarantee of quality.

“Master, I want to commission a set of Heavy Knight armor and a matching sword and shield. Use the best materials. I will personally assist in constructing the magic patterns.”

Just as they stepped into the shop, Vivian stated her requirements and then grandly tossed a heavy pouch of coins onto the counter.

Seeing such a large order arrive all at once, the Dwarf Owner immediately agreed and began preparing for the work.

“Miss Vivian, spending so much money all at once, is this a bit…”

Alet knew that Vivian was not like Melro; she did not have such solid financial backing.

Furthermore, he had only just started following her. Letting her spend so much on him at once… it made Alet feel like he could not accept it with a clear conscience.

“It’s nothing. Your lady has plenty of savings.”

“What I can give you will absolutely not be worse than what that previous guy gave!”

“…Alright.”

Seeing that Vivian had made up her mind, Alet said no more.

Although he still appeared somewhat taciturn, it was much better than the worrying state he had been in just moments ago.

Seeing that there was light in Alet’s eyes again, Vivian felt a bit more relieved.

“By the way, are you hungry? Do you want me to take you to buy something to eat later?”

“Food… well, alright.”

Just as the two were discussing the topic of food, the Dwarf Owner, who was hammering iron nearby, suddenly spoke up.

“Hey, girl of the Human Race.”

“You must have seen that Heavy Knight in the Dragon Slaying Contest and wanted to forge a set of armor for your lover, right?”

The Dwarf Owner’s voice was quite thick and blended with the sound of the hammering, making it unexpectedly comfortable to hear.

At the mention of the word ‘lover,’ Alet was startled.

Just as he was about to deny it, Vivian smiled politely and took over the conversation first.

“Yes, I really like that Heavy Knight.”

“His combat ability was strong, and he understood Magic Beasts very well. His performance in the competition was absolutely wonderful!”

She did not deny the word ‘lover’ at all, but instead shifted the topic to another point of emphasis.

This roundabout praise made Alet feel somewhat embarrassed for a moment, and he did not know how he should react.

“Aye, I’ve lived a long time, but this is the first time I’ve seen such a strong Heavy Knight…”

“It’s just a pity that his captain was such a piece of trash. He might have achieved great things otherwise. Sigh…”

“Young man, you should work hard too.”

“Maybe the Heavy Knight class really does have some potential.”

“If you become successful in the future, you must come to this old man’s shop to forge a few pieces of equipment! Hahahaha!”

For a moment, the Dwarf Owner’s infectious, bold laughter filled the entire room, and Vivian could not help but be amused.

She gently nudged Alet with her elbow, leaned her mouth close to his ear, and breathed a soft whisper.

“See? You’re quite popular.”

“I didn’t expect the Heavy Knight class would end up riding your coattails. Well done.”

“Everyone acknowledges you.”

The encouraging words pierced through his perception and surged into his heart, bringing waves of warmth.

Looking at the young girl beside him who was watching him, Alet felt as if…

Something really was different now.

“…Yes.”

“Thank you.”