The next few days felt... strange.

After a long time of nothing but hunting and training, Teclos finally stood still. No tracking beasts through the woods. No returning drenched in blood and exhaustion. No pressure, no watchful eye of the old man pushing him forward, no urgency driving his every step.

Just—

Time.

Too much of it.

And with that time came thoughts he couldn’t push away, no matter how much he tried to ignore them.

Teclos walked slowly down the paved road of Kolma, his hands tucked into his coat as a cold but gentle breeze brushed against his face. Winter hadn’t fully left yet—patches of snow still clung stubbornly to rooftops and gathered along the edges of the road, while the ground beneath his boots remained damp from the melted snow.

But the air had changed.

It was softer and warmer during the day. Spring was coming, pushing its way through the remnants of winter, and the village felt livelier because of it.

People were out more often, the sound of chatter being carried through the streets as merchants called out their wares and children ran between carts, laughing freely as if the cold months had never existed.

He should’ve felt at peace.

And for a moment—

He almost did.

But his mind was a mess right now.

It kept drifting back, again and again, to that day... to that conversation... to the man sitting across from him.

Axel.

"...Damn old man."

The words came out quieter than intended, more of a mutter to himself than anything else.

On one side, he had everything here.

His home. His parents. His friends.

A place in the guild and a future that was stable—predictable in a way most people would have envied. He had already proven himself, stepping out of the shadow of being just a trainee. He was a hunter now, someone people trusted, someone they relied on.

It was a safe option.

And on the other hand—

There was the unknown.

The world beyond Kolma, far larger than anything he had seen so far. Bigger cities, stronger monsters, real challenges that would push him far beyond what he was now.

It was a great opportunity, but also uncertain territory.

His grip tightened slightly as his thoughts circled back to that.

The hunter’s badge at his waist felt heavier than usual. It was a key. Something that could open many doors far beyond this small village if he chose to use it that way.

"...I could become famous," he muttered under his breath, almost testing the words. "...Rich too."

A quiet, humorless huff followed.

"Yeah... or dead."

He stopped in front of the butcher’s stall, the sharp, familiar smell of fresh meat cutting through his thoughts instantly.

"Ah, Teclos!" the butcher greeted him with a grin. "Haven’t seen you around much lately."

"Been busy," Teclos replied simply.

"Ain’t that the truth these days," the man said, shaking his head as he reached for his knife.

Another voice chimed in nearby, casual but carrying just enough volume to catch his attention.

"You heard? They’re pulling more men again."

Teclos didn’t react outwardly, but his ears picked up every word.

"Frontier’s getting worse," someone else added. "Orcs aren’t backing down."

"Course they aren’t. It’s been a stalemate for months now."

"Even Count Bellagar sent more men to the king, I heard."

A quiet scoff followed.

"Won’t be long before it reaches us too."

Teclos stared at the cuts of meat in front of him, his gaze unfocused for just a second.

"...Half a kilo of the usual stuff," he said.

The butcher nodded, already slicing.

The conversation continued behind him.

War.

Frontlines.

Reinforcements.

Teclos took the wrapped meat and paid without another word.

"...Thanks."

"Stay safe out there, lad."

He walked off, his thoughts brushing briefly against what he had just heard before moving on again, overshadowed by something far more immediate in his mind.

By the time he returned home, the warmth from the hearth inside hit him immediately.

Cozy and comforting.

"Teclos, you’re back?" his mother called from the kitchen.

"Yeah," he replied, setting the meat down.

The smell of herbs and spices already filled the house, thick and inviting.

Saldia was in a good mood.

That much was obvious from her tone.

"Perfect timing," she said, turning slightly toward him with a smile. "We’re making a proper meal today."

Teclos raised a brow. "We?"

She pointed at him without even looking.

"You’re helping."

And so he did. There was no other choice, really.

The kitchen filled with quiet activity as they worked side by side—chopping turnips, carrots, onions, and garlic while smoked pork sizzled at the bottom of the iron pot. The soft crackle of fire filled the background as barley was stirred in, slowly thickening the stew into something warm and rich. Nearby, slices of dark bread rested by the hearth, ready to be dipped into the humble, comforting meal.

For once, there was no rush.

Just time.

Saldia talked as she worked, her voice light as she spoke about the shop, about her day, about small things that normally wouldn’t matter.

Then—

"...and I finally got someone to help me."

Teclos glanced at her. "You did?"

"Mhm," she nodded proudly. "A sweet girl. Very attentive. Works hard too."

A small pause followed before she added, almost casually—

"She’s about your age."

Teclos froze for half a second.

"...Mom."

"What?" she said innocently, though the slight curve of her lips gave her away.

"I’m just saying," she continued, stirring the pot. "You can’t spend your whole life hunting, you know."

"I can try."

She snorted.

The door opened not long after, heavy steps echoing faintly on the wooden floor.

"I’m back."

Talmir was back from a hunt.

Dinner followed soon after, the three of them sitting together—something that had become rare over the past year.

"I got promoted," his father said simply.

Teclos blinked. "Seriously?"

A small nod.

"I’m a senior hunter now. I’ll be leading a group of hunters."

"...Like a captain?" Teclos asked.

"Something like that," he replied. "Like I said, fewer beasts trying to kill me every day, more organizing, and better pay."

Saldia smiled, pulled him into a hug, and pressed a small kiss to his cheek. "And less coming home half-dead," she added.

He grunted.

"No promises on that, honey."

Teclos let out a quiet breath.

"That’s... good."

And it was.

It really was.

Saldia spoke again after that, talking about her helper, about how things were improving, how everything was slowly settling into place.

Everything felt—

Right.

Teclos hesitated for a moment before speaking again.

"The old man finally told me his name."

It caught their attention.

"Oh?" Saldia said. "And?"

"...His name is Axel."

A brief silence followed.

"Hm," his father muttered. "Took him long enough."

Teclos huffed lightly. "Yeah."

He couldn’t say more, as if the words clogged themselves in his throat.

He didn’t mention the offer or leaving the town.

Laughter followed soon after, light conversation filling the space once more, the warmth of the food and the familiarity of it all wrapping around him.

It should’ve made the decision easier for him, to stay and reject the offer.

But somehow—

It only made things harder.

After dinner, Teclos stepped back out into the village, the cooler night air brushing against him.

He made his way toward the tavern, the familiar building coming into view as lantern light flickered across its exterior.

He was meeting Ralph and Gillard for a round of beers.

It was Ralph’s idea.

They hadn’t properly spent time together in a while, only exchanging brief greetings in the mornings before heading out on their separate paths.

Tonight was different.

Tonight, there was time.

And as usual—

Teclos was late.

The warmth hit him the moment he stepped inside, along with the layered noise of laughter, clinking mugs, and overlapping voices.

And in the far corner—

He saw Gillard and Ralph.

Waiting.

"I swear, we have to do something about you always being late..." Ralph said the moment he approached.

"He’s right, you know? It’s a bad habit, man," Gillard added.

Teclos just smiled, something in his chest easing slightly at the familiarity of it.

"Sorry, guys."

It felt normal.

They ordered drinks and settled into their corner table. It was worn out with knife marks and dents, tucked just far enough from the noise to talk comfortably.

For a while, they just talked, catching up on everything that had happened over the past year.

Gillard spoke first, talking about his progress in forging, the pride in his voice clear as he described how shaping mana into metal was starting to feel natural to him.

"Hunting though..." he admitted, scratching the back of his head. "Not so much. My tracking’s still shit."

Ralph snorted immediately.

"It was shit before too."

"Yeah, yeah," Gillard waved him off. "And my mentor doesn’t really push me either. He’s too easygoing. I don’t know if that’s good or bad."

Then Ralph took over, as expected, his voice louder and more animated than Gillard’s.

"I’m telling you, this has been the best year of my life," he said, leaning back with a grin. "I’ve been learning all kinds of new wind techniques. You wouldn’t believe the stuff I can do now."

Teclos raised a brow. "Really?"

Ralph’s grin widened.

"I even took down a stone boar. Alone."

Both of them stopped drinking and looked at each other.

"Yeah, no, you didn’t," Teclos said flatly.

"Not a chance," Gillard added.

"Oi! I did!"

"You’d be dead in a second if you tried that."

"I’m serious!"

"We don’t believe you."

They caught him in the lie within seconds, and Ralph eventually huffed, crossing his arms.

"Fine. My mentor did most of the work... I only had to kill it with the final blow."

Still—

He wasn’t lying about enjoying his time there.

Eventually, their attention shifted to Teclos.

"So?" Ralph asked. "What about you?"

Teclos leaned back slightly.

"...Old man’s a pain in the ass."

And just like that, it started.

He told them everything—the insults, the constant pressure, the lack of explanations, the near-death situations Axel had thrown him into without hesitation.

"And then," Teclos added, taking a sip of his drink, "he finally acknowledged me."

He said it with a smile.

"We even shared a drink," he continued. "And he told me his name."

They stared at him blankly.

"Dude..." Ralph said slowly. "Do you have a fetish for suffering or what?"

Gillard just shook his head.

After that, they didn’t let it go, throwing jabs at him one after another. It ground his gears, but he could do nothing about it.

For a while, it stayed like that—laughter, noise, familiarity.

Until it didn’t.

The last drink sat in front of Teclos, half empty, the liquid inside barely moving as he stared into it.

He had decided.

Throughout the course of this conversation, he made up his mind.

"I’m gonna miss this... you know?"

The words slipped out of his mouth.

Both of them perked up at the choice of words from Teclos.

"Miss what?" Ralph asked, his lighthearted tone turning serious.

Teclos exhaled slowly.

"I decided..."

He paused.

"I’m going with old man Axel to Lupos. And from there... once I get enough money, I’m gonna travel. Be an adventurer for a few years..."

Suddenly, a heavy silence fell over the table.

"What?!" Ralph leaned forward after a second, shocked. "You can’t be serious, right?" 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Gillard didn’t react at first, but his expression shifted, the tension building slowly before it broke.

"Dude... we promised each other we’d do things together..."

"I know," Teclos said. "But I want to do this."

That didn’t lighten the mood at all. On the contrary, it made Gillard angrier.

"After one year, you forgot that promise?" Gillard’s voice sharpened. "When were you gonna tell us?"

"I just decided today," Teclos replied. "I’ve been thinking about it for a few days. It’s just too good of an opportunity to pass up. Axel can get me work. Guaranteed."

Gillard leaned back slightly, then shook his head.

"Man... if all it took was some words from that geezer to make you leave..."

He stood up.

"Then go."

"Gillard—" Teclos tried to stop him, to no avail.

"I’m out."

A few coins hit the table, and just like that, he was gone.

The space he left behind felt... awkward.

There was an awkward silence between Teclos and Ralph, uncomfortable and heavy.

"I guess he’s mad, huh?" Teclos said, trying to lighten the mood.

Ralph didn’t respond immediately.

"Yeah."

He paused for a second, brooding for a bit.

"Listen... I get it," Ralph said. "You want this. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have said it here."

He leaned forward slightly.

"And thanks for that. Knowing you, you could’ve just left without telling anyone."

Teclos stayed quiet, cold sweat pouring down his back, as he had indeed considered that.

"And I don’t blame you," Ralph continued. "You’re chasing your own path and dreams. It’s just... you know how Gillard is. He always dreamed of us doing this together."

"I know..." Teclos said quietly.

"It’s just..." he continued, his gaze drifting. "The idea of it... it pulls at me. Traveling. Fighting stronger monsters. Becoming something... more."

A small pause.

"Not being tied down to Kolma and being my own boss."

Ralph let out a short laugh.

"You almost sound like me."

Teclos huffed lightly.

Ralph continued.

"You’re already decided."

Teclos didn’t deny it.

"So here’s the deal," Ralph said. "Don’t forget us." A faint smirk formed on his lips.

"We’re still your friends."

Another pause.

"And make it up to Gillard before you go. That one’s gonna hold onto this for a loooong-ass time otherwise."

He leaned back into his chair, relaxed and smiling again.

"Those are my conditions. For my blessing."