Yadha Dakhát
After the bloody battle, the moment had come to decide whether my life was still worth living.
I sat in the corner, my arms wrapped tightly around my knees, staring down at the ground, a gloomy expression on my face. Viola stood next to me, gently stroking my hair, whispering repeatedly that everything would be okay. Even if I wanted to believe her, I couldn't.
After witnessing what had unfolded on the battlefield, all my hopes had been crushed. Rakahn and Dahlia had grown strong enough to kill a variant monster, and to make things worse, their human leader had returned with an Essence Stone from a mutant creature. How did Lord Cain plan to prevent my execution now? Even their archers, with all their power, were nearly on his level. Opposing them seemed like pure suicide.
Viola and I had rushed to tend to their master's wounds when he collapsed after the battle. She was the only one they allowed near him, leaving me alone with Dahlia, who watched me in silence.
I was wallowing in my self-pity when I heard footsteps approaching. Four figures—an elf, a half-ogre, a lycanthrope, and a human—came into view. They were chatting casually as they walked, seemingly at ease, as if they weren't the most important people in this part of the forest. Their camaraderie was undeniable, like they had been friends for years.
"Aaah, men are all the same!" Viola muttered under her breath, breaking my train of thought.
I frowned. "What's wrong with them?"
She gave me a soothing smile. "See? You had no reason to worry."
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"The way they talk," she said with a smirk. "They're either discussing their fighting styles or sex. Men are so predictable."
"Are you sure you're not just making assumptions? Who would think about that in the middle of a crisis?" I shot back.
"Men," she said flatly, her voice tinged with frustration.
I scoffed. "You sound like you have serious issues with men."
"Didn't you see the way Sir Cliff looked at you? A hungry predator couldn't covet prey more than that." Viola replied, matter-of-fact.
I sighed, exasperated. "Men only think about their own pleasures, huh?"
Just as she spoke, my eyes met Sir Cliff's across the clearing. He smiled at me, but I quickly lowered my gaze, flustered.
I sat there for a few moments, waiting for them to leave, but when the noises around me ceased, I glanced up.
"Boo!"
Sir Cliff hadn't left. Instead, he crouched down right in front of me, catching me so off-guard that I jerked backward, hitting my head on the wall behind me.
"Haha! You're really jumpy for something so small," he teased, laughing. "You shouldn't be scared of a handsome guy like me."
"Oh great, now I've just made a fool of myself," I thought bitterly.
"Sir Brown, how can I help you?" Viola asked, her tone sharp and direct.
I looked at her, slightly unsettled by her sternness. Even though I knew she disliked humans, this man was still the master of Clan Orleth, the strongest among us.
Cliff smiled, then turned his attention back to me.
"I'm holding a meeting shortly, and we came to get you. I'd like you to attend," he said.
I blinked, my mind scrambling for words. A meeting? Why now? What decision would they make by the end of it?
I glanced at Viola, who simply shrugged as if to say, well, go ahead!
I averted my gaze from Cliff's piercing stare, trying to compose myself. I rose to my feet, burdened by the weight of my troubles and pain.
"If I'm going to attend this meeting," I thought, "I should do it as a worthy sister of the patriarch of the Dhakat clan."
I took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly, steadying myself. Finally, I looked Cliff in the eyes and smiled back.
"Let's go then, sir," I said, determination clear in my voice.