"Unfair? What do you mean?" Eve asked, looking more interested in listening than I was.
Nicholas' head looked left and right; I saw him like he was trying to see the situation. One of the women holding a bow and arrow walked up to Nicholas; whispered something I didn't know.
"Well. I get it."
Nicholas looked back at Eve and me. They took the two of us to talk about this somewhere; Nicholas called it Conservative Village. I immediately turned to look at Eve, who was taller than me. The woman noticed and started nodding her head, a sign she agreed.
The man sounded enthusiastic as he raised his hands high. Then, his friends began to lead us to go deeper into the forest. Eve and I kept watch; we didn't fully believe even though they had saved our lives.
The road we used to walk was getting further and further out of sight. We've been walking for an hour, but they haven't stopped. Eve, walking next to me, started showing suspicion towards them.
"What's wrong, Eve?" I ask.
"I wonder where they're going to take us," Eve replied.
"Maybe it's a long way off," I said, Eve shaking her head.
"No. I've lived here long enough. There's nothing but wilderness in this place," Eve explained. I can't argue because I don't know much about this forest.
Then, surprisingly they started to stop. Nicholas looked straight ahead, where there was absolutely no one. I turned my head, looking carefully at the trees and shrubs in that place; somehow it felt different from what I had seen before.
"Turn off all traps!" said Nicholas loudly.
My hunch was correct. The trees and shrubs that I thought were different were indeed different. They were people who put on such a perfect disguise that could trick my eyes. Five people stand guard in this place.
"Who are they, Nick?" asked one of the men, dressed in the leaf-patterned uniform that had previously been hiding behind a bush.
"He's an Adamas, and that woman is in the same group as him," Nicholas answered, turning around with both eyes.
"What's his class?" the man asked again.
"About that . . . he still won't tell me," Nicholas explained.
Suddenly the man walked up to me, his body was big, and visible wrinkles appeared on his face. I'm sure he's spent a long time in this world. Eve immediately stood before me just as the big man gave me a suspicious look.
"What kind of class do you have?" asked the man, his voice as deep as a middle-aged man's.
"He needs a guarantee!" Eve shouted; she became the first woman to protect me.
"Guarantee?"
"Yes. I want to guarantee his safety if he tells his class."
"You don't have to do that," Nicholas said, walking over to us.
"Why?" she asked.
"Because we're not going to kill a Paladin," Nicholas replied, smiling.
I was surprised by widening my eyes; I saw Eve too. Nicholas then laughed loudly at our surprised expressions. Somehow he easily guessed my identity. The big man in front of Eve took a long breath as if feeling relieved.
"A Paladin," said the big man, turning around and walking back to his post.
"You're lucky to meet us. Recently, the Three Knights Alliance has been aggressively hunting down Paladins to kill," said the big man, leaning against a towering old tree.
"What? Murdered?!" I asked, surprised.
"Right, that's why I said the alliance was unfair." Nicholas lightly tapped my shoulder, smiling to cheer me on. I was completely shocked, not because the Alliance killed the Paladin, but my ignorance of such a huge threat.
I was silent. Eve must have been looking at me sadly. I'm sure August died horribly because the alliance members killed him. I thought that if I joined them, the truth about August's death would be exposed to Eve even more.
"That's why I want you to join us," Nicholas suggested, the outline of his face showing no sign of lying at all.
"Okay. I'll join on one condition," I pleaded.
Nicholas nodded, letting me say what I wanted.
"I want Eve to join me and accompany me," I explained. Nicholas immediately looked at Eve, a woman who was just an ordinary citizen.
Some Adamas refuse. They argue that the group they founded is only for Adamas. One of the men said that bringing in people they didn't trust could be a boomerang on the group's destruction.
"I can confirm that she's not a bad person!" I insisted, defending Eve.
"I know. However, the rules are quite clear. I can't let her join in," Nicholas answered.
Hearing Nicholas' statement disappointed me. I thought they would give an exception since I'm a Paladin. However, my hope of gaining protection in this group was in vain. I'd rather live a difficult and dangerous life with Eve than leave my only teacher.
"All right. I get it."
"So, how about it?" Nicholas asked.
Suddenly a blue alert message popped in front of my face; I read an invitation to join from Nicholas for me. Seen the name of their group is the Conservative Union. There are only two answers, either agree or disagree.
Before pressing any of them, I turned quickly to Eve. The woman just smiled, nodding her head. Looks like she's pretty resigned to what I'm going to choose.
With full of faith. I pressed the 'Disagree' button, making the other Adamas gasp in surprise, including Nicholas. I apologize to them as I can't join for now.
"Why? Was it because we couldn't agree to your terms?" Nicholas asked, making sure.
"Yeah. I can't leave her alone. She's my teacher, someone who can teach me how to use a spear properly," I answered.
"How can I develop if I join and she doesn't?" I asked again, making the people in the place silent.
"But you're a Paladin. The most influential person among the other classes," explained one woman.
"That's true. You're the first Paladin we've found after ten years of searching," Nicholas said.
They said something I didn't understand, but my decision was made. I wouldn't join unless they let Eve join too. I turned to look at Eve; her face was flushed red with sparkling eyes. She looked like she was trying to hold back tears from coming out.
"I'm not leaving you," I said softly.
"You're overdoing it. I'm grateful," Eve replied, placing her left hand in front of her chest.
When we were about to say our goodbyes, I stopped just as a man called out to me in a deep voice. The voice didn't come from the big man earlier because his characteristics sounded different.
I started to turn around and saw a man with the same stature as Nicholas walking among the other Adamas. He has a blue sensor which indicates that he belongs to Adamas.
What surprised me was not that but the attitude of another Adamas who seemed to be bowing his head to him; even Nicholas did that. I don't understand who this guy who just arrived is?
"What is it?" I asked, confused.
"You are poorer than the last Adamas I met," replied the man; for some reason, we haven't met, but he has said that bad to me.
"Let me introduce you. My name is William Ethan. I'm the leader of the Conservative Union."