After Serena handed me a meal, I joined their lunch, sitting at the very edge of the clearing. The silence pressed down heavier than the trees around us.
Every now and then, my eyes met one of them. Each time our gazes collided, I forced a small, polite smile—harmless, meant to ease the silence. Yet they only gave a curt nod and returned to their meals, clearly keeping their distance.
I wanted to talk, to ask about them, about this forest, about the world. Wanted to know more about this game and somehow finding clues of what reason I been transported here.
If what Darrian said was true that people rarely come to this forest, I must tried harder to ask them and not to waste chances to gather information from them. I don't know when again I came across other people in this forest.
I shoveled down the rest of my meal, heart thudding faster. With a strained smile, I forced the words out
"...Once again, Thank you for everything, for the food… And… for saving me."
For a moment, only the wind answered. Leaves rustled above as the others kept their eyes on their meals. I feel my cheeks burned hot from embarrassment.
"You don't need to thank us, we just couldn't leave you there." Darrian then answer briefly.
As expected from a hero's party, their sense of justice was overwhelming. They even went so far as to save me—a complete stranger they stumbled upon in the middle of nowhere.
"It is… truly an honor," I said, voice calm, measured trying to hide my anxious heart and embarrassment talking to them. "To be rescued by a hero's party such as yours."
'Heheh, I hope my gratitude not sounded awkward'
I tried to sound sincere, but the unease clung to me like a shadow. I had no idea what was wrong with my words, yet the party reaction feels strange.
They still not answer me, even the gaze feel more sharp, feels like glaring every inch of my body.
Berron the large intimidating man, his eyes glaring at me. His hand twitched at his knee, jaw tightening as if I offended him.
"You should be, especially to Lyra. She carried you on her back for all day." The armored man snorted.
"Berron!" Serena snapped, shooting him a glare.
Awkwardness tightened around the camp like a rope. Against my better judgment, I stole a glance toward Lyra,
Our gazes met. My heart fluttered nervously.
I turned away at once, my face felt burning from embarrassment. I had never been carried by a woman before let alone all day.
'Why wasn't it the shield-bearer who carried me? Why her?'
Then I see Darrian, his gaze lingered on me, calm yet sharp, following my movements as if every gesture carried hidden meaning. Serena shifted, uncertain, lips pressed together. Trying to look busy with her meal.
The tense atmosphere feel like choking me. My throat tightened. I swallowed hard and nodded, trying to calm my face who now hot with embarrassment. I forced myself to keep talking—anything to fill the silence.
Arleen kept forcing himself, he not a talkative person especially to people he just met. He just wanted to understand this world better to survive, to know his saviour better and befriend with them. But what he got was ice cold reaction, as if talking with wall.
Still smiling awkwardly, and still trying brokenly chat with the party. Unknowing that his words, his behavior, gestures got corrected by his Graceful Presence trait making his awkward and innocent intentions misunderstood as manipulative and calculating. He then continued.
"By the way, mister Darrian mentioned you're heroes out on a monster subjugation quest right?"
Across them, Berron's face twitched and his glare fixed on Arleen as if the boy had spat an insult.
'What's with that smile? Honor he said? Is he mocking us? Smug bastard… grinning like that, making a fool out of us. Even after we carried his weight and saved his ass.'
Serena, who listening the conversation trying to answer.
"Ah, well, actually we—"
But Darrian raised his hand, shaking his head to Serena quietly halting Serena before she could reveal anything to that guy. Her words died on her lips, and she averted her eyes to avoiding his gaze.
The leader's tone remained calm, but his gaze shifted from Serena to Arleen with a subtle weight—watchful eyes.
"Yes," Darrian said evenly. "This is our duty as a hero's party. To prove whether or not we are truly worthy of that title."
Arleen's eyes widened slightly, unsure of how to respond, but he quickly offered a polite nod and smile. "I see… it must be hard being a hero," he said softly, trying to sound composed and respectful.
Hearing that Darrian eyes twitched his eyes narrowing.
'Okay, just… ask something normal. Don't sound weird. Uh—what do people even talk about? Right. Monsters. Especially Hero their always fighting monster. That's will be a normal conversation, right? '
After a pause, he added carefully, keeping his tone gentle and calm.
"If I may… may I ask how your party handles such dangerous situations? Being in a heroes' party, you must be strong, right? Are mister Darrian and the party have special power? What most dangerous monster you have ever encountered?"
The air shifted.
Arleen's question cut through the clearing like a misplaced note.
Darrian's face hardened, his eyes locking sharply on Arleen. His hand began to grip the sword at his side. Meanwhile, Lyra and Berron remained silent, alert and perceptive, trying to anticipate the next move and ready to follow their leader's command.
Serena, ever gentle, tried to soften the tension. "That's… a rather personal question, isn't it?" she said carefully.
Arleen blinked, caught off guard by the sudden tension. ' Ahhh did I said something wrong? Why they keep glaring at me'
"Ah—I didn't mean to pry. I was just curious." His voice stumbled, thin and nervous, but he still feigning calm demeanor to hides his own embarrassment and awkwardness. The smile he plastered on only seemed to make it worse.
Darrian did not answer immediately. Instead, he studied Arleen in silence, his silver eyes narrowing ever so slightly. The weight of his stare was enough to make the forest around them feel colder, heavier.
'Why is he so curious about our powers? ' Darrian's thoughts edged sharp with suspicion.
'Is he gauging our strength, measuring if he can strike us by surprised? I need to keep close watch on him, and be ready if he choose to ambushed us.'
His expression was calm, but the weight behind his gaze pressed harder than any words.
"Curiosity can be dangerous," he said evenly. "Especially in a place like this."
For Arleen, the words landed like a warning. For the others, it only confirmed their suspicion: he wasn't just curious—he was probing.
"Then… the nearest village, which way is it?" Arleen asked, grasping for a safer topic. Outwardly, he appeared composed, almost haughty—as if the forest itself were beneath his concern. Inside, however, his chest tightened full of nervousness and embarrassment he tried desperately to hide.
Darrian's lips pressed together before answering. His tone stayed calm, but there was steel beneath it.
"The path out is not simple. This forest twists with miasma. Monsters lurk in every shadow. Without a scout's guidance and a priest's blessing, you'll be lost within the day."
His silver eyes lingered on Arleen a moment longer than necessary.
"I doubt you could last that long."
A nervous cough slipped from Arleen's throat. He scratched at his wrist, trying to hide his unease.
"Right… I guess that makes sense."
'I need to keep him close and watch him. It's better that he stays within my sight than where he could ambushed us out of nowhere'
Darrian then continue. Suggesting Arleen with softer and kinder tone "If you wish, you can travel with us. At least until our quest is done. After that… we'll be heading back to the village together."
Relief loosened the knot in Arleen's chest. His shoulders sagged slightly as he nodded quickly. While trying to hide his grinning Arleen said
"Alright, then… I'll join your party temporarily."
Berron's jaw tightened. He didn't say a word, but his glare spoke volumes—like a man forced to march beside a snake he couldn't kill yet.
Darrian inclined his head, though his eyes never left Arleen. "So it's decided. You'll accompany us until our task is complete." His tone was calm, but deliberate, as if binding Arleen to an unspoken contract.
"Yeah… please take care of me." Arleen said lips curved into smile bigger as before. The first most genuine real smile he has ever shown after transported here.
But that smile got misunderstood by Darrian. Seeing that smile Darrian became confused and dumbfounded. 'Why is he smiling like that? As I thoughts he plotting something. I need to be careful.'
The silence that followed was heavy, not hostile but not warm either. As they finished the last of their meal and packed their things, it was clear enough: Arleen had gained a place among them, but not their trust. He still outsider to their party.