Sami followed the girl in silence, then climbed into the front wagon with her.
The wagon was spacious, built from grey wood, and its floor appeared old and worn. When Sami looked around, he discovered the compartment was completely sealed against sunlight—there were no openings except for the door they had entered through.
The girl gestured with her hand for him to sit in a specific spot beside a pile of sacks, then closed the door behind them. Sami sat in pitch darkness, and it wasn't long before he heard the sound of horses moving. He didn't know what the eighth man in the back was doing, but the carriage started to move.
---
After a long time sitting, Sami felt pain in his back. The wooden planks weren't the ideal place to sit for such a duration. He directed his gaze to where the girl was sitting, but he couldn't see her in the utter darkness, even though he could sense her presence and hear the sound of her calm breathing. It seemed the notification the ordeal had given him earlier had indeed enhanced his senses.
Suddenly, the silence in the wagon was broken by the girl's voice saying mockingly:
"What are you looking at, you pervert?!"
Sami's face flushed with shame, but he soon showed anger in his eyes as he retorted:
"Who are you calling a pervert?! Besides, I can't see a thing in this darkness!"
She replied in a flippant tone:
"Nonsense! No one who lives in the Eternal Desert can't see in the dark... unless you're the legendary Knight or something! Which seems highly unlikely with that baby face of yours."
Sami looked at her in bewilderment but chose silence. Talking wasn't a good option in his current situation.
The girl waited for his response for a few moments, then sighed in annoyance:
"Oh, damn you! Don't you even know how to talk?"
Sami answered her in a calm, measured tone:
"I don't like chatterboxes very much."
The strange thing was that Sami himself was one of the most talkative people he had ever known in his life!
The girl let out a quiet huff, then said:
"Fine! It's not like I care about a wandering knight with a child's face!"
Sami chose to remain silent again.
---
In the darkness of the wagon, silence fell between them. The situation was anything but comfortable for Sami—finding himself locked in a closed compartment with a beautiful young girl, who seemed like one of the webtoon heroines he used to read about. But his instincts were saved from straying by his sense of danger, forcing himself to stay calm.
Some time passed before a knock came from outside the door. The girl jumped to her feet in a swift, unexpected movement, making Sami automatically assume a combat stance.
When the door opened, the unfamiliar man appeared, and it was clear the small caravan had stopped somewhere along the road.
The mercenary, Lam, informed both Sami and the girl that they needed to take a temporary break.
---
Sami finally stepped out of the dark room and began examining the surrounding area. The strange sun was still fixed in its position, like a permanent omen of doom.
There was a peculiar stone building in the middle of the desert, made of black agate—it looked like a mysterious piece of art amidst the endless sands.
Lam gestured for them to head towards it. When the iron door opened, it revealed an interior that was illogically spacious. The three of them entered the building, and the expressions on the girl's and Lam's faces showed clear discomfort, even anger.
Sami didn't understand the reason, so he sat in silence, thinking:
"Alright... it seems everything in this ordeal is strange and scattered in a foolish way. Why can't I understand anything?! I feel like I know this place, but the puzzle pieces are scattered in an absurd way... I'll wait and observe more. But wait! There's something really odd... why haven't we encountered any of the stone giants on our way?! Damn it, everything is confusing to the point of madness!"
The girl looked at Sami, sadness etched on her face, then said jokingly:
"Why do you look like someone trying to lift the Moonblade?!"
Then she started laughing.
"It seems to be some kind of joke..." Sami thought, but he ignored her and said seriously:
"Never mind that, but I have a simple question: Why are we suddenly hiding in this house? Why don't we just continue on our way? It doesn't seem like there's any danger threatening us!"
The girl replied in an irritated tone:
"Stop trying to tell jokes now! It's not funny. Have you forgotten how many people that damn sun has killed?! We have to rest in these rooms periodically, or it will mess with your mind!"
Sami answered her confidently:
"That's strange, because I walked under it for almost a full day before I met you, and nothing happened to me."
Then he added sarcastically:
"So, cut it out and let's continue our journey!"
Silence reigned for a moment.
Sami didn't hear any reply, so he lifted his eyes to look at them, but...
They were frozen in place, their features bearing a shock as if they had just heard the most terrifying thing in their lives.
The girl jumped from her spot with a speed Sami hadn't anticipated, and in a fleeting moment, she placed her hand on his neck, then screamed in his face:
"You better not be lying!!"
---