The village at dusk was quieter than Sylva expected it to be, with most of the elves already preparing for the feast. She walked half a step ahead of Van, pointing things out as they passed.
"That's the weaving hall it's one of the oldest buildings in the village. The patterns on the door frame are from before my mother's time." She glanced back at him.
Van looked at the door frame.
"...Hm."
'I don't really care.'
She kept walking.
"Over here is where we hold most of our ceremonies. It faces east. Something about the morning light and the Goddess. I never really paid attention during lessons." She laughed lightly.
Van looked at it.
"...I see."
'... Should I care?'
She pointed out the archive. The training grounds. The elder's hall. The bridge over the river that had been rebuilt three times and still leaned slightly to the left.
Van looked at each one.
Said approximately nothing.
'It feels kind of….' Van looked down.
'Just what am I supposed to say?'
She leaned against the bridge.
'You'd probably have known best, Kazuya.' Van thought as he looked at her. 'I guess I should've paid attention to how you talked to Rina instead of shutting my ears and eyes every time you passed by.'
Van blinked.
'I'd have been able to woo every woman I'd have wanted if I knew just how you took Rina from me.'
He looked down.
'Just as I knew how to break that elf's arms—'
"Your sword," she started. "Where's it now?"
Van tensed slightly.
"... Why do you ask?"
"Just… Uh… I-I heard from Vaelthir you had a sword… So… I was curious. Where did you get it?"
"... A dungeon. Called The Abyssal dungeon."
"What..!? The Abyssal Dungeon!? Surely you jest…?".
"Uh… Yeah. It's a joke."
'...'
"... Oh. Uhm," she cleared her throat, "That's uh… funny, haha."
'... Why did I try to make a joke just now?'
Nothing came.
They stood on the leaning bridge for a moment.
'It's not like she's here because she wants to.'
The river moved underneath them. Somewhere in the distance someone was laughing. The feast preparations are picking up.
'Despite that, I feel like I'm making mistakes constantly. I hate this.'
"Well," Sylva said, brushing her hair back.
"I think that's most of the main spots." She smiled at him, already half-turned,
"I-I'm actually kinda busy. I have to help mom and arrange some stuff for the feast. But I'll look for you then! Sounds good?"
Van looked at her.
"... Okay."
'Went about as I expected.' Van thought.
"Enjoy our village in the meantime!" She gave a small bow and walked back toward the noise and the light and the people who would talk back.
Van turned back to the river.
'Guess I'll look at some swords here.'
And soon enough…
Evening came down.
The feast was loud. Relieved voices carrying further than they needed to, laughter arriving before the jokes did. Lanterns strung between the trees. Long tables laid out across the grass, heavy with food Van didn't recognize.
He sat alone by a campfire nearby. Still wearing his helmet.
Several elves passed and bowed. One said something about the battle. Another about his strength. A third touched her chest and said something in elvish he didn't catch, but her expression looked heroic somewhat.
Van nodded at each of them.
They moved on.
He looked down at his bowl. Some kind of stew. Dark broth, soft root vegetables, shredded meat he couldn't immediately identify.
'...Hm.'
He took a spoon, raising his helmet just a bit to taste.
'I assumed they'd be herbivores.'
He took another.
'Not bad. Somehow that dwarf's beer was much tastier.'
Somewhere to his left, Sato had found himself a spot close to the queen.
She was saying something to him quietly. He was listening like it was the only sound in the world.
'... Wonder how that happened. Does he have a harem skill that controls her mind or something? Nah. That's from a different novel.'
Van looked away.
His eyes moved across the feast.
He found her near the far end of the tables.
Sylva.
She was laughing at something Vaelthir had said. Vaelthir, who looked quietly pleased with himself in the way people do when they've made someone light up without trying too hard.
Van looked at them for a moment.
Then back at his bowl.
'Busy, you said.' he thought. 'This is busy, then.'
He took another spoon of stew.
'... What's wrong with me. Again. I knew she wasn't really busy, and she just got tired of being next to me. She was forced by her mother, and yet…'
… But put it back inside the bowl, not eating it.
'You said you'll find me.'
Set the bowl down.
Then he listened closer to the whispers.
"... He's fucking scary, you go!"
"I don't wanna!"
"Well someone needs to…!"
Van looked down.
"What if he decides you're… Delicious? Like, how he said back then..!"
Took a deep breath.
"... No one wants to go near him. I won't be your sacrifice!"
Hands rested on his legs.
Looking at the dirt.
Van clenched his fist.
"If you saw how he tore through the generals… You'd throw up."
Tightly, now.
'Just…'
He took a deep breath.
'What was I expecting?' He wondered as he leaned against the tree, placing both of his palms against his helmet as he sighed.
'Get swarmed by pussy for saving them?' Van cracked his neck, 'The elves hate humans. Sato rolling a nat 20 on the queen is a nat 20.'
He forced a chuckle, shaking his head.
'... I should've just accepted that demon's offer.' He thought.
He then glared at Vaelthir.
Vaelthir jumped, despite nothing coming his way.
His skin went paler than it was.
"Vaelthir? You're alright?!" Sylva reached out.
"Y-Yes. I…" He gulped, breathing heavily as his eyes scanned around. Landing on the place Van was sitting…
'I… Haah. I… I felt like I just died. Who?!'
… Except he was gone.
"Where'd he go?!"
"... Who?" Sylva tilted her head.
Vaelthir narrowed his eyes.
Van walked away from the light of the fire and celebration.
'Oh well,' He inhaled, 'Fuck it all.'
He then walked away to the shadows, disappearing from sight.
'Guess I'll just do it anyway.'
Sato's eyes found Takeshi across the feast without meaning to.
He was sitting apart from the main tables. Plate in hand, eating alone, watching the elves the way someone watches a fire.
Sato started to rise. To go to him.
'I promised—'
"Sato."
The queen's voice. Quiet. Close.
He turned.
She was standing, one hand resting lightly on the back of his chair. Her face an inch away from him.
His face went red.
"I'll be retiring now." She said it simply. Then, after a breath…
"Come with me."
It wasn't a question.
Sato opened his mouth. Closed it.
His eyes went back to Takeshi.
Takeshi had already looked up. Already seen the whole thing. He gave a small shrug and lifted his chin once in Sato's direction.
'Go.'
Then he looked back at his plate.
"I— yeah." Sato exhaled as he looked back at the queen. "Yeah, okay."
He followed the queen into the dark between the lanterns.
Takeshi watched them go.
Took a bite.
'Good for you, man.' He chewed slowly. 'Don't sweat it. We're cool. Besides… I'm still a bitch, you know?'
He sat with that for another minute. Two.
Then he set his plate down and stood, moving away from the light and the noise without saying goodbye to anyone.
'I'll go back to the Capital.'
He stood right in front of the huge granite wall Van had built, about to climb… But then stopping himself.
Standing there.
The sounds of the feast carried through the trees. Laughter. Music. The clatter of cups.
'But… I wanted to talk to him.'
["Sir Maglodune is stupid right?"]
He turned around.
'I wanna tell you it ain't stupid again.'
Took one step.
'I wanna tell you you were so fucking cool standing up to Kazuya.'
'I wanna say thanks for rescuing my dumbass from the dungeon.'
'Screw it. I won't waste it. The life you gave me.' Another two.
Three.
Fou—
A figure stepped out of the shadows ahead of him.
Still wearing his helmet.
"..."
Stopping him.