FIRST NIGHT - AKI POV

The campfire flames flicker, creating a stark contrast with the moon's somber light and giving the whole scene a somewhat melancholic vibe. Here sits our trio, indulging in the delicious scent of roasted pork, courtesy of Aki. Their armors and satchel placed in a safe location. Yumi and Landale engage in lively banter, their voices echoing through the night air, while Aki's mind wanders, burdened by unfulfilled expectations.

This isn't at all how I imagined our first night together, Aki thinks silently, a pang of disappoint hitting him. I had envisioned laughter and shared memories of our thrilling adventures.

He gazes up to the night sky, It's a romantic night too, maybe we could have gotten our first kiss.

His gaze shifts to Landale, who regales Yumi with exaggerated tales of his own exploits. Aki's eyes narrow, suspicion brewing within him. What grand adventures could he truly have experienced? We had supposedly graduated together. What was that idiotic title Landale bestowed upon himself? The Migh-

Landale interrupts his thoughts. "Say, Aki," he interjects, diverting Aki's attention. "What made you embark on this journey?"

Aki's eyes lingers on Yumi's radiant smile before he answers, Aki responds simply, in tones almost monotonic, a practiced answer. "To spend time with Yumi and secure our future wealth, so we can live in comfort in our later years."

After answering, Aki's mental defenses tingle, alerting him to a subtle intrusion in his mind. He instinctively shuts his eyes, fortifying his mental defenses. As he opens them, Yumi's smile remains unchanged, while Landale looks at him with a puzzled expression.

What just happened? I can't quite recall... Did Landale exhibit that reaction before or after someone combed through my mind? Aki wonders, suspicion clouding his gaze as he regards Landale. He has countless questions about the mental intrusion but, before he can voice his concerns, Yumi interrupts, offering him the piece of pork she has been savoring. Aki accepts it, and as his fingers grasp the morsel, Landale chuckles at him.

"What an incredibly simple dream you have, Aki," Landale teases, his eyes gleaming with playfulness.

Aki glares at him momentarily before taking a deep breath. I won't allow this to dampen my spirits further. I did promise I won't let anyone mess with the first day of our adventure. I'll make the most of it, he resolves silently.

Landale bursts into laughter, shifting his attention to Yumi. "And what about you?"

"Well, I think Aki's dream is sweet," Yumi says, smiling at Aki, before turning to Landale. "We share the same dream, of course, but before we achieve that, I would like to save the Goddess. Someone as pure as her should not be kept in a cage."

Landale raises his roasted pork in a toast to her. "A gallant endeavor. I am also a believer of that legend!"

A few moments pass before Yumi playfully accepts the toast with a salute. "Well, what about you, Landale?"

"Glory, of course! The lands will echo my story! The common folk, both poor and rich, will sing my praises when I defeat the Warrior King in single combat!" Landale declares, raising his hands and pretending to wipe away a tear from his eye, imagining his triumphant future. "Rest assured, Yumi, I will also free the Goddess from her castle once the Warrior King lies defeated!"

Yumi claps and cheers for Landale, urging Aki to do the same. After much prompting, Aki reluctantly joins in - halfheartedly clapping.

"Ah, yes!" Landale's voice grows louder, empowered by the applause. "Women will finally see me as someone worthy of their time. I can already imagine them—beautiful, fierce maidens, accepting my love for the first time! They'll all scream my name, The Migh-"

"You're a virgin?" Aki blurts out, unable to contain himself. Landale's reaction provides an immediate answer, his shoulders slumping, his gaze shifting downward, his passion deflating, and his mouth closing like that of a pouting child.

Despite himself, Aki feels a twinge of guilt. He mutters quickly, "Sorry, it's just... the way you've been speaking, it was surprising to hear, that's all."

Aki steals a glance at Yumi, hoping for some help. However, Yumi's face is frozen in shock - her mouth agape and her eyebrows furrowed with incredulity.

"No matter!" Landale exclaims, attempting to regain his composure. "I shall lose it soon!"

As the evening wears on, Aki assumes the responsibility of the first watch despite his exhaustion. While his companions sleep, he summons the last vestiges of his energy to cast a potent magical defense around them.

Although drained, Aki finds that the size of the defense area isn't as expansive as he had hoped. Consequently, he remains vigilant, scanning their surroundings for any signs of a potential goblin incursion. The planned four-hour watch shifts offer him a brief respite to calm his mind before sleep, yet he can't help but feel irritated by Landale's disregard for bringing his own camp bed and blanket. Aki lends him his own camp bed but, in a childish act of defiance, Aki keeps the blanket, leaving Landale to sleep without one.

"I'm exhausted. Hopefully, the Goblin Boss takes a significant amount of time to heal his wounds. But those shamans of his are quite skilled. I wouldn't be surprised if he launches another attack on us tomorrow. I need to be prepared," Aki thinks to himself, stifling a yawn.

Once his four-hour watch is complete, Aki rouses Landale from his slumber. He can't help but feel a twinge of satisfaction as he notices Landale shivering from the cold.

"It's your turn, Landale," Aki says, shaking him awake.

After a few more shakes, Landale stirs. Uncharacteristically, he remains silent, devoid of his usual bravado, as he stands up to take Aki's place.

Despite wanting to inquire about Landale's well-being, Aki feels too fatigued to bother. The best he can do at that moment is to rest. Perhaps he will wake up an hour later to check if Landale is keeping up with his watch. Aki settles down on the bed.

With a deep sigh, Aki wraps the blanket tighter around himself as he tries to sleep, turning away from Landale and the campfire, facing the forest.

Hours pass, and Aki's eyelids flutter open, jolted by a loud noise. Instantly alert, he turns his attention towards the source of the disturbance.

"Ugh!" he hears someone groan, quickly stifled into silence.

Feeling a sense of unease, Aki turns around to investigate. He notices Yumi squatting with her back turned, facing the still-lying Landale. Something about the scene seems off.

As Aki stirs, Yumi slowly faces him, but only partially, revealing only her face. The dim light of the dying embers makes it difficult for him to discern her expression. However, he can't help but notice Landale swiftly turning away from him, as if trying to hide something.

"Hey, Aki," Yumi says, her voice slightly high-pitched. She adjusts something in front of her before quickly wiping her face with her left arm.

"What's happening?" Aki asks, attempting to get up.

"No need to get up," Yumi quickly responds. "Everything is fine. Landale just had a nightmare."

Aki pauses mid-movement, sensing something amiss. "How's the watch?"

"It's fine," Yumi replies, standing up. Aki can't help but notice her awkward posture, her right arm positioned as if she's hiding something, while her right hand moves swiftly behind her back.

"What's that?" he inquires, curiosity getting the better of him.

Yumi hesitates for a moment before slowly raising her right hand. Due to the angle of the dying flames, Aki can't clearly make out what it is, but he can see that it's liquid. "Well, Landale was screaming, and I thought it would wake you, so I covered his mouth with my hands. Some of his saliva got on them."

Aki feels a wave of disgust at the thought. "That's repulsive."

"Yeah, I'll wash it off," Yumi says. "Are you going back to sleep?"

Aki lies back down, raising his hand to the night sky to examine it and gauge his regained strength. "How long have I been asleep?"

"I took over from Landale a few minutes ago, so it's been about four hours," Yumi replies.

"I've regained most of my energy," Aki notes, his tone thoughtful. "It's peculiar, though. I used up almost all of it yesterday. This recovery feels too swift."

"Well, Landale is completely drained," Yumi says, her voice tinged with a hint of mischievousness.

Aki's mind churns with questions.

Almost eighty percent of my energy seems to be back. It doesn't feel foreign. Yumi's a holy knight, her energies comes as a boon for her devotion to the gods, which means this energy didn't come from her. Aki thinks to himself

He glances at Yumi, only to find her gazing at Landale with a mischievous grin as she moves towards the watch post. Her right hand is raised, palm up, and she presses it against her mouth.

"Wasn't that Landale's saliva?" Aki asks, perturbed by the peculiar scene.

Yumi blinks at him, a flicker of alarm crossing her face. She quickly composes herself, swallowing before offering him a smile. "Oh, I already washed it off. Didn't you hear?"

"No," Aki replies.

Yumi's voice turns reassuring. "You must still be tired, Aki. Go back to sleep."

Aki stares at her for a moment, his instincts telling him that something is off. Yet Yumi has already averted her gaze, fixated on the forest, watching for potential dangers.

With nothing else to say, Aki shifts his gaze to the night sky.

What a peculiar night, someone tried to venture into the depths of my mind and my energies have inexplicably been restored. These phenomena align with the abilities often associated with wizards - It has to Landale, right? However, his motives remain elusive. Aki takes a deep breath and closes his eyes.

I shall replenish my energies to their fullest tonight, and tomorrow, I shall closely observe his every move. After all, I doubt he will depart without us - not with the Goblin Boss still around. Aki contemplates, determined to uncover the truth.

In the morning, as Aki wakes up to the gentle rays of the rising sun, his gaze falls upon Yumi's blanket hanging from one of the nearby branches.

"You washed her blanket?" Aki asks, his voice filled with curiosity as he rises from his slumber.

"Yes," Landale responds, his attention fixed elsewhere, not meeting Aki's gaze. "I didn't want it to retain any unpleasant odors for her to endure later."