Preparation for counterattack

For the past few days, you were hoping to catch a few words with Alice, which would've been simple if you were staying at her house, but since you're a recognized hero in the village now, the elder offered you a place at his admittedly better furnished place. As much as you would like to refuse the offer, there were also matters of propriety to consider, since these villagers were quite conservative and it didn't seem proper for a young man like you to stay in a house with 3 women. There were already rumors swirling around about how you and Alice met and the exact nature of your relationship, so you figure it's best to cool it for a bit before the poor girl straight up dies from embarrassment. Ever since that night, she could barely meet your eyes, and any attempt at a conversation that's not strictly business just results in her overheating and running away with a flimsy excuse.

Unfortunately, time is of the essence, so you've had no time to pursue her. There were slightly more important matters to attend to, such as the fact that a good portion of the village wants to come with you to fight against the Order which as oppressed them for so long. Naturally, they've had no formal combat training and their weapons consist of pitchforks, hammers, and axes, more tools than actual weapons. You suspect that the Order will notice their Messengers' absence soon enough, and you want to strike while the iron is hot, but you also need to ensure that these naïve soldier wannabes don't get themselves killed in the process. As such, you've been drilling them in basic discipline and practicing the ability to follow orders under pressure. You're under no delusion that you'll turn them into professionals in the span of three days, but you hope that they'll amount to more than just cannon fodder. To that end, you intend to cast some area of effect buffs before the fighting actually begins. Based on what you saw in the memories of the deceased, the member of the Order are all exclusively sorcerers of various skill level, so if you can nullify their magic, even these common villagers can probably overwhelm them. The real problem is their current leader, since if it really is Jervaya, you'll need to take precautions. The man's a lunatic, but a dangerous lunatic. Who knows what he could've achieved with a thousand years of free time.

"That's right, just like that!" You shout, encouraging the "Protectors", as the volunteer fighters have dubbed themselves, though you suspect you'll be the one doing most of the protecting. "Maintain your pace, regulate your breathing," you say as they began their run around the village. Due to how different their weapons are and their varying experience in fighting, it seems training stamina is the most efficient.

In the middle of training, you hear footsteps walking towards you. While you can't say you've recognized every single person's footfall, you can confidently say you recognize this particular sound, so you turn and smile: "Alice, what can I do for you?"

As you expected, she once again fails to your meet your eyes, and even when she speaks, it lacks her usual energy: "I finished looking through the map you gave me, the path seems pretty straightforward, and I've edited it to make it more clear." Ah yes, the map, which you crudely drew based on the memories of those that you interrogated earlier. Of all the skills you learned in your long life, cartography was not one of them. It's quite a miracle she managed to make sense of your scribbles.

"Perfect, I appreciate the help," you say, giving her a pat on the head, which only serves to make her blush even harder. How very cute. She looks anxious for a moment, like she has something to say but is conflicted on whether or not she should, so you just wait patiently for her to find her courage.

"I...uh...I was wondering if...I could go with you? I mean with everyone, of course, not just you alone", she says as quickly as she can, probably thinking it'll help her get over her anxiety. "I could guide you guys through the forest, show you safe plants to eat along the way, and maybe my skills with the bow might come in handy, right? Plus...I'm sorry for avoiding you recently, I wasn't trying to be rude or anything, I just didn't want to be presumptuous, since someone like you probably has a family back at home right? I wouldn't want to-"

Before she can finish her ramblings, you silence her with a kiss. In the past, you've only ever been with two types of women: those that wanted the honor of bedding the king of kings, and those who definitely did not, but you **** them to anyways. To have someone show genuine interest despite thinking you're a common man was a...refreshing experience. As soon as your lips made contact, her eyes widened comically, and you can see a vast range of emotions flooding through them, from shock to bewilderment to total confusion before slowly transitioning into joy as she closes her eyes and leans in, reciprocating the kiss. You only reluctantly broke apart at the sound of running footsteps, a sign that the Protectors are back from their lap.

It appears the experience of her first kiss was a little too intense for Alice, as she was panting to the point of hyperventilation when she first backed off, so you gave her a minute to catch her breathe before answering her earlier inquiry: "No family, and certainly no lovers. At least, not yet anyways." You can see her entire body relax slightly, as though a great weight as been lifted off her shoulders. "Also about you coming with me..." you pause, thinking this through carefully. "Objectively, I'd love for you to come. You're a great archer and tracker, don't sell yourself short there. Definitely best in the village," you say while ruffling her hair again. "On the other hand, I would personally much rather you stay here and remain safe. It's your call. Whatever you want to do, I'll support your decision." To think there could come a time where you truly cared about the well-being of another human being. Maybe a few more improvements and you won't even be a sociopathic monster anymore!

Alice takes a deep breathe, as she calms her nerves. "I'm coming with you." Not a request this time, but an assertion. "Who knows, wouldn't want you passing out in the woods again without me, right?" She says with a grin.

Indeed, that would be bad. If there ever was a person you'd want to catch your fall, it would be her.