-" We've heard enough, Mr. Silver!" - I grumbled
It was 3 hours after starting to depart for town. Up ahead, Uncle Silver was still telling the three of us behind us stories that weren't age appropriate. Seeing Miina helpless, I tried to stop Uncle Silver's ridiculous joke but it didn't seem to have much effect. He pretended to make a pitiful face and said:
- "Don't bully this uncle. You have to slow down to keep up with the kids, at least tell me some stories?
Never mind, I shrug. I feel a bit tired after several hours of non-stop walking in front of this blazing sun. Seeing that Amano and Miina didn't seem tired, I silently blamed myself for my weak physical strength.
Walking on the trail stretching to the horizon made me have wild thoughts. In front of that infinity, I realized that I was so small and meaningless in front of the vast world out there. "Who is Skyle? What was I like before?" Always a big question mark in my mind. "Why would I want to trade my memories for Armento's power?" "How long will the journey to find the truth and myself begin and end?". Questions kept popping up in my mind, followed by pictures of friends who have helped me a lot over the years. Then I thought to myself: "Have I become too attached to my current life?". As if a cool wind blew through my soul, I suddenly felt strangely at ease. What is this warmth? Should I leave it just for a journey that knows no end? Should I let go of my past self to accept my present life?
- "Skyle? Skyle!? You are ok?"
A call brought me back to reality. I was startled, seeing that I was a bit ahead of the others. Amano, Miina, and Uncle Silver in the distance looked at me with puzzled expressions.
"Why are you standing there while walking?" - Amano asked me
- "The kid is dreaming in broad daylight" - Uncle Silver laughed and said
Miina frowned uncomfortably at my dazed expression. I walked over to them, continuing my journey as if nothing had happened.
- "If you need to sleep, I'll bring you a bed" - Miina, as usual, threw a nasty word at me.
I remind myself not to think too much that it makes people nervous and will give this girl an opportunity to make fun of me and feel silly for acting weird.
The next hour of walking took us off the beaten track, into the jungle instead. The road to Rivery will now have to pass through many large forests. This section onward makes us more careful, no one knows what can happen in these treacherous forests. While it took a bit of strength for us to go the jungle, Uncle Silver with the air of an adventurer walked simply like nothing. The forest gives me chills every time I go through because of the murky level of this place. I guess that this forest is also very old, many ancient trees reaching high to block the sun. However, this place still has a beauty that hardly any other forest I've come across can compare with, a mysterious beauty of the old forest.
Reaching a wooded spot, Uncle Silver put down his backpack and said:
"Shall we have lunch here?"
We also put down our backpacks together, but we didn't forget to equip our belts with weapons, and Miina used her long spear to put it next to the pile of things. I choose a flat and smooth rock to sit on and take out the prepared food. The four of us sat down to lighten our backpacks with this outdoor lunch. My meal as usual is the burger of the "Cat lying on the grass" restaurant. From the first time Amano took me out to eat, I fell in love with this dish. Looking at Amano, as expected he also bought food there, a loaf of bread exactly like mine. Miina probably cooked it at home, she ate a very nutritious lunch box with lots of vegetables
"What are you looking at, man?" - Miina said when she saw me poring over her lunch box
Disgusting thing indeed! So I looked at Uncle Silver, a lunch box still sold in the village with...? I guess that black can is an alcoholic beverage. Thinking that I was going to ask for it, Uncle Silver said:
"If you're over 20, you wouldn't even think about drinking this, kid."
During the meal, Amano just sat quietly eating. Miina did start a conversation with him but it seemed Amano's mind was elsewhere. I've known Amano for about a year, and he shows me this gloomy mood from time to time. Although I have built a close friendship with this guy, I still don't think I really understand the person Amano. Sometimes I think that my friend Miina is not very friendly, but I understand her better from her past to her aspirations. I suppose Amano has a past he doesn't want anyone to know about.
- "Come over there for a bit kid" - Uncle Silver pulled my hand and said in a serious voice
I quickly took my lunch , followed him away from Amano and Miina. I didn't need to ask, I knew Uncle Silver had something to talk to me about in private. Uncle Silver looked around very carefully as if he was wary and paying attention to something. I felt rather suffocated by that over-precaution.
"What's wrong, Mr. Silver?" - I ask
- "Skyle, your friend, that scout boy..."
The next words he said made me choke for a moment
- "... have you ever killed someone?"
- "Uncle... what are you saying?"
Uncle Silver didn't look like he was joking, but after a sigh as if to create space and give me time to prepare, he continued:
-" I didn't pay much attention at first, but just now while eating, that boy kept glancing at me inquiringly. I can tell from my experience that he has the eyes of someone who used to be. bloodstained, it is empty and lacks purity."
I froze when I heard him say that, the image of a friendly and gentle Amano who spent a year with him appeared in my head as if to deny what Uncle Silver said. The kindness he always shows to me blows away Uncle Silver's judgment
"Adventurers aren't psychologists, you won't believe what I just said." I looked at Uncle Silver firmly.
Uncle Silver looked at me with a cold look he had never seen before. I froze, suddenly feeling that something was wrong. What is this feeling? Uncle Silver's eyes were looking at me, making me feel like an animal standing in front of a wild beast's claws. It wasn't killing intent, but a suffocating feeling of suffocation
- "This Skyle...." - He suddenly said
- "I believe I got it right, do you know why?"
I felt like I was standing in front of a sin that was about to be caught and Uncle Silver was the judge.
"Because the kid's eyes are the same."
There was a long silence between me and Uncle Silver after that. What did he say? I feel very bewildered. So what does that mean? Uncle Silver stood looking at me with a cold, menacing look. In the year since I regained my sense of self on that hill, I have never felt as insecure as I do now. What happened next will be remembered forever. Around me, there was a lot of rustling from the bushes and grass. I was about to reflexively draw my sword when:
"That's not a good idea, kid. You'll pay for what you did," said Uncle Silver, turning his back to leave.
From the bushes, many knights came out with full swords and spears pointed at me. Uncle Silver walked towards them. What's going on? Are these people going to arrest me? A person who looked like the representative of the soldiers wearing a silver suit said to Uncle Silver
- "You did a great job, here is the promised bonus amount"
Then the person turned to me and shouted:
- "Skyle Winehall! You were arrested for mass assassination of the nobles in the palace 3 years ago! In the name of the captain of the curfew knights, you must lay down your weapons and surrender, this place is besieged by no less than 20 people!!"
I was dumbfounded when I heard that indictment. I... assassinate people in the nobility huh? The me from before, before receiving Armento and losing my memories, really did this. I looked at Uncle Silver, holding on to the faint hope that this was just a joke. Uncle Silver just said indifferently
"Sorry kid, I was just doing my job."
- "But you thought we were friends? I even promised to choose a new sword for you."
Uncle Silver showed pity, looking at me with the look of a superior to a sinner
"I will never be anyone's friend, but the sword that is ideal for you is destined for you, not something that money can buy"
I feel like the world is collapsing at this sight. It turned out that in the first place, this person just wanted to lure me to imprison me. But most of all, the fact that I'm a serial killer disgusts me more than anything.
- "You will be executed, so goodbye"
After saying that, Uncle Silver turned his back and left the place very quickly. The knights close in on me, I don't mind resisting anymore. I lost all my life force, raised my hand in line. So I'll end up like this, with a death sentence, very quickly. It makes no sense, I close my eyes. Right at that moment:
- "What's going on? Skyle and the knights?"
Amano and Miina probably heard the noise where I should go. The captain of the knights saw the scout badge on Amano's outfit and approached him and said:
"This comrade must be a scout from Shogen village, I was ordered to arrest this prisoner to execute the death sentence that was postponed 3 years ago"
- "Skyle is... a criminal?" - Amano looked at me
Miina also had an intense reaction when she heard that. Amano, confused, looked at the captain.
- "Skyle is my best friend, there must be something wrong, he lost his memory 1 year ago
- "Free to present! If comrades have acts of covering up criminals, we will not tolerate them" - The captain said with a steely look.
It's hopeless, I'm still getting Amano into this. Not wanting Amano to stand up for me anymore, I choked up and said:
- "Stop... stop it Amano. I'll... go with them
Hearing that, Amano fell silent, he looked at me blankly. He must be trying to help me, but hearing me say that makes him feel awkward. Miina, who was standing at the side, was silent for a while, and I thought she would tell them to make me go quickly. Anyway, the two of them had a bad time befriending a criminal.
- "Skyle! I didn't expect you to be so weak, if you don't do it, just say it, we will help you!" - Miina yelled at me.
- "What... what? Stop, you two will get involved!! - I yelled
The knights turned their attention towards Miina and Amano. The captain sneered and said:
- "Little girl, that's like you're covering for this criminal. Covering up criminals is also a crime!!" - He growled
Miina, seemingly unfazed, looked over at Amano. Amano lowered his head like he was thinking about something for a long time, then looked up at the sky and let out a long breath. Amano looked at Miina with a contemplative look, and Miina nodded back with a sad expression. Amano looked at me and smiled. "They're going to break up with me." I just had that thought.
A loud explosion startled me. When I had time to figure out what was going on, I saw the knight who was suppressing me collapsed, blood spurting from his chest. Amano stood there with his revolver still smoking.
- "Run Skyle!!" - Amano shouted
I reflexively stood up and ran as fast as I could in the direction Amano and Miina were paving the way. The mad captain shouted:
- "So you guys are in the same boat as that criminal! Catch them, kill them if necessary!"
- "I'd rather be a criminal than lose my friends and loved ones again!! - shouted Amano
I'm still amazed at how quickly it happened. But were Amano's words just an outburst or were there other meanings? Amano kept turning and shooting at the knights with his gun. The situation became very chaotic. We ran non-stop, past trees and rocks.
- "Why... why did you guys do that?" - I asked
- "We, especially Amano, don't want to make the same mistake again!" - Miina shouted in response
We kept running without thinking. I could only feel the gunshots resounding from the backs of the pursuing knights along with the sound of footsteps. Suddenly, there was a figure in front of me.
"There's a guard around here, if it's just him, the three of us will be able to defeat it" - Amano said and looked at me.
I understood the meaning, immediately drew my sword and charged. I mastered Armento, so I used its power to infuse the wind element into the sword. The knight who saw me also drew his sword and fought. I used stomping to propel myself into the air and swing my sword skills. "Justice Wings", is the triple sword technique I practiced with Uncle Silver a few days ago. My sword slash from right to left was blocked by the knight, I used a second move from left to right but it was still within his plan. Realizing that it's too dangerous to release the third move right now, I fake it and dodge to the side. Miina at that moment jumped up from behind and stabbed the knight's sword arm with a spear. The knight groaned and dropped his sword, in that moment Amano rushed out with his dagger to deliver a beautiful finishing blow, slicing his throat. This is Silent Drop, the finishing move Amano told me about before. Above all, just as Uncle Silver said, Amano kills without hesitation.
- "The knights are coming" - Amano turned to tell us
- "But from this part the road is over" - I looked at the ravine ahead
Amano looked at Miina like he wanted to ask her something
- "Let's jump down, this is the end that divides. According to geography, there is a stream below. I will live"
I looked down into the abyss, it was so deep I couldn't see the bottom. While I hesitated, Amano looked at me. This reliable look, I've seen it countless times before. I felt more secure.
- "There they are, shoot!!!" - The captain's voice shouted
The knights opened fire in unison. Ear-piercing explosions erupted. And, Amano got hit in the shoulder by a bullet, he fell straight down the cliff. Miina wanted to pull him back, so she was dragged down there as well. Too surprised by what had happened in the blink of an eye, I froze for a long time.
"Amano and Miina, I won't let you two try in vain"
And I also plunged into the "crack at the end of division". The feeling of free fall and darkness enveloped me. That was the last thing I felt when I fell there.