After packing up for their joueney to Acorn village, both of them passed by at Rondo's to ask rations.
"Hey Darius, you better pay me back once you become an adventurer. It'll be quiet once you join them."
"Hmmm..."
*Tap* *Tap*
"Aww, it's ok Sir Rondo. I will force Darius to come over here and visit you. Also I have to thank you for these rations someday right?"
With taps on Rondo's head, Adellene came to say her gratitude towards him. When suddenly she heard something that came from Rondo.
*sniff* *sniff*
"Umm Sir Rondo? Are you okay? Wait, wait are you crying?!"
"No, just some water spirit put water on my eye. Now go on take your leave! Also Adellene, be strong for him."
Putting her finger on her lips, confused to why she needs to be strong for him. She still smiled widely and gave Rondo a big nod.
"I will Sir Rondo."
"We will be back with the payments for the ration."
Clenching her fist, Adellene quickly pulled Darius and shouted at him.
"Idiot! He just needs us to visit him."
"Hmmm. I guess we will."
Few minutes have passed by and they finally reached the gates. Rain was waving wildly, waiting for their arrival at the end of the town.
"Hey old man. Thought you are gonna be with the royal's brigade right now."
"Nah, it won't hurt the royal family if I'm gone for a minute or two. Besides I had to say farewell to this young lady as well."
"Umm Sir Rain! Thank you for the past few days. Although we will be back here after few weeks, I still have to find a suitable place to stay soon."
"Old man, we must leave now. Time is running low for the people who requeste~"
"I know, I know. Aight, I won't hold both of you for long. Take good care of yourself, you too Miss Adellene."
They both bowed down and took their leave. Rain then turned back and ran to the town square.
An hour of walking down the dirt path, Adellene wanted to rest under the nearest tree they could find.
"Waaahh... This day is just tiring! For the love of gods in the sky, are we there yet?! Darius how far is~"
"I can still see the town post here. We are far. We might reach there at dawn."
"D-d-dawn?! Us alone in the wilds?! No no no no!"
"If you think I will do something to you, you are looking for the wrong guy."
"..."
Her cheeks blushed and she just turned away and left the conversation. They continued walking till they saw small group of small creatures.
"What are those? Never seen one be~"
"Shh... Goblins, they are greedy especially to women like you. You don't need details."
"Ehh? But I~mmhmmnnhh!!!"
"Shut up!"
*Groag*? *guuraaa*!
The goblins caught their voices. Both of them muffled their own breath as well to hide their presence. On wrong move on their part could be deadly.
"We need to fight. You can close your eyes if you want."
"I-I can manage to help. I'll just heal abd buff you up."
*shrub moves* *sling*
A dagger cut through one if the goblins cutting down their number. Darius quickly took the goblin's weapon as his offhand weapon.
"Hmm, let's... Let's get this done hehe."
Just like a doppelganger, Darius shifted himself into a wild beast to fight off multiple enemies. His quiet attitude turning to one that kills like a manticore. He then charged off to the one holding a large wooden cudgel.
"Not strong now are you? Die you filthy shit."
Another goblin went down on the puddle of blood. Adellene just stood still at the back, frightened of what has occured in front of her.
"What... is this...?"
As soon as Darius had cut the head off from the last goblin, he looked at Adellene with a glare of a hungry serpent.
-If I run away from him, he might just attack me... No! He's Darius, he is just messing around right?-
At a blink of an eye, Darius was standing in front of her. She had no time to think what just happened. She felt like she was at death's door. She then closed her eyes, no screech, no scream, just a wimper of plea came from her mouth.
"P-pl-please... I'm not yet ready to die. Darius wake up.. please!"
His eyes turned back to normal black. The grin, the aura and the dense surrounding dissipated. A switch was flicked on his head. He fell on the ground.
"Ugh... Huh? What.... Hmmmm not this again."
"Darius? Are you Darius? Are you really him?"
"Hmmm. Sorry about tha~"
Adellene jumped at him and gave him a hug. She cried at him like a lost child.
"Darius!!! What in the world did you think that what you did was cool huh?! I thought you will kill me for a second."
"Kill you... I should've just done that."
"Ahhh! You're jokes are not cool! Not cool at all!"
*swish* *swish*
The bush rustled for a moment. Both of them put themselves on guard. Adellene, clinging to her staff, was scared to even stand up properly.
*meeh* *meeeeeh*
"It's a sheep?"
"Indeed."
It was a lamb. A small one in fact. Both Adellene and Darius was think where it came from.
"Where did this came from? It soo cute! "
"Hmm... It must be stolen from a nearby village. Must be the Acorn village."
"Hmmm... That's right! We are near to the village!"
"It's a hamlet, also you don't need to humm as well."
"Ehhh?! Is it wrong? What's with humming?"
"Hays... Don't mind it."
They kept following the lamb on that dirt path within the forest until a few minutes have gone by, they finally reached their destination.
"Yeeeeey!!!"
*Meeeehhh*!!!
Both Adellene and the lamb jumped out of joy that they've finally reached the hamlet.
"So what now Darius?"
"We're gonna look for the Chief of this hamlet."
"Ah... I still don't get why people have to call it Acorn Village even if it's a hamlet..."
*meeeh*!!!