They traveled through the forest for a few hours as the warm sun rays broke through the leaves and warmed the air around them. The spring was coming to an end and the summer would start in a month or so.
It was Gerald's favorite time of the year, not too hot and not too cold. It was absolutely perfect for long walks in nature.
"Hey Elly…" he broke the serene silence.
"What?"
"Did you make any enemies back at the Fort?"
She looked at him in confusion, "No, why would you ask that?"
"Someone is following us for a few hours already… I just wanted to be sure," Gerald said casually. He observed the nature around him through the Magic Eyes and he detected someone sneaking behind them long ago.
He thought it was bandits at the beginning, but after an hour it was still just that one figure, making him think it was something much more personal.
"If that person decides to attack, are you ready to kill him?" he asked seriously.
"Eh, what?" Elly nervously looked around, searching for that person, "I- I have never killed a human before…"
Gerald laughed lightly, "Well, do you expect me to do it? Look at me, I'm not quite that threatening, don't you think?"
Elly looked at his simple clothes and the empty sleeve apologetically, "I… I'll do it! If it gets to it, I'll do it!"
Nodding with a big grin, Gerald cleared his throat and then turned around shouting, "Hey, buddy! You can stop sneaking around now, come out and show yourself!" They waited for a while as he stared at the dense tree leaves and shrubs.
"Are you sure there's someone there?" Elly asked, straining her eyes but still unable to see anyone.
"Oh yeah… Look, here he comes!"
Indeed, just as Gerald said so, the branches moved apart and a green figure stepped out on the forest path.
"Cot?!" Elly gasped after recognizing the familiar face.
Cot removed his camouflage and stared with a bitter and resentful face at Gerald while answering the girl, "That's right, it's me!"
"Are you guys a couple or something?" Gerald asked with a raised brow. He wanted to see how far he could push the situation.
"Eh? Of course not! We barely knew each other for a month, we are just friends!" Elly quickly said.
"Just…friends?" Hearing her words Cot's face scrunched up even further and the anger in his eyes intensified, but it was clearly directed at Gerald.
"Hmm, I think this fella here has some other ideas," Gerald smirked slightly, greatly enjoying the moment.
"Ah?" Elly only now noticed the peculiar look on Cot's face. It was a mixture of anger and embarrassment, as well as a tinge of lust whenever he glanced at her. "No way…"
"Shut up, you!" Cot shouted, pointing at Gerald. "Just shut up already! It's all your fault, coming here and fooling her into becoming your bitch! How dare you!"
"What?!" Elly opened her eyes wide and looked from Cot to Gerald in confusion.
"Ahahaha!" Gerald suddenly burst into laughter and tears started flowing from his eyes. He had to wipe them off constantly so he could keep a clear vision. "Oh, man! This is the most ridiculous accusation I have ever heard! Hohoho, hahaha…"
Seeing his 'rival' take his words as a joke, Cot's face became scarlet and he pulled out his dagger. "Laugh all you want, you will be just a corpse after today anyway!" he growled through gritted teeth.
He took a combat stance and started walking toward Gerald with bloodlust in his eyes.
"Cot, wait! Don't do it! There is nothing going on between us!" Elly shouted and tried to stop him.
"Nothing?! Then why did you suddenly leave the Mad Weasels just to follow this prick?! Why are you still trying to protect him even now?!" Cot shouted at her, his spit flying all over the place.
"I…"
"Let him be Elly. He is partially right, you know…" Gerald lazily interrupted.
"He is?"
"I am?"
Both Cot and Elly were surprised by what Gerald said.
"Yes," Gerald nodded seriously. "You shouldn't stick your nose in other people's problems, and you definitely shouldn't try and argue with mad dogs. They could bite you."
"You bastard!" Cot roared. The teasing was just too much for him, and he was ready to kill!
"Elly, it's time… Are you going to do it, or do I have to?" Gerald calmly asked, completely ignoring his shouts.
"Die you bastard!" Sprinting forward like a mad dog, proving Gerald correct, Cot swung his dagger and stabbed it at Gerald's neck. The man couldn't even react, such was the speed of the strike.
"Nooo!" Screaming at the top of her lungs, Elly covered her eyes, not wanting to see the horrors that were to come.
But then, just when she thought it was all over, Gerald's hysterical laugh sounded out through the forest once again.
Opening her eyes, she saw Cot's face drained of color and his dagger stabbing Gerald's neck. Only, the depth of the stab was...unusual.
"Wh- What is this?!" Cot shouted in horror and jumped back, with confusion and fear clearly written all over his face.
Laughing like mad, Gerald slowly calmed down and rubbed his neck where the blade cut him. "That was a good strike!" He wiped away the single drop of blood that came from the millimeter-deep wound and licked it.
"Oh, man! You should have seen your face! Priceless! My patience was totally worth it, hahaha…" Remembering the stunned and greatly confused Cot's expression that came after stabbing him, Gerald couldn't help but laugh some more.
"You! You are not weak?!"
"Haha, of course not, you idiot! Why would you think I'm weak?" Gerald laughed and mocked Cot with his gaze.
"But your actions… Your character… You were acting like a coward…" Cot stammered.
"All fake, of course!" Gerald grinned and took a step forward. "Why should I advertise my true strength?"
Cot nodded as his life depended on it, cold sweat pouring down his back like a waterfall, "I- I see… Then, let's forget about all this! I'm sorry th-" He started speaking with a trembling voice, but then his eyes suddenly enlarged and he lifted his hand while screaming, "Stone Javelin! Die!"
A meter-long stone javelin shot out of the ground, flying at Gerald at break-neck speeds.
"Watch out!" Elly shouted subconsciously.
"Haha! Futile!"
Boom!
Gerald simply slapped the incoming projectile and it exploded into pieces, leaving him completely unharmed.
Then, with a laugh that, to Cot sounded as if it was coming from the devil, Gerald slowly rose into the sky as a ball of flames formed at the tip of his hand.
"By the gods! Please, wait! It was all a mistake, a misunderstanding!" Cot shouted with tears and snot running down his face as the realization struck him. He pissed himself while falling to his knees and cried, "I was wrong! I'm going to leave you two alone, and never tell anyone about you, please forgive me, my Lord! Mercy!"