Alaric walked towards Direwitch, traversing a winding path through hills and valleys. The journey was quite long, but Alaric was in no hurry. He strolled leisurely, enjoying the vast natural scenery surrounding him. The clear blue sky slowly transformed into shades of orange as the sun began to set on the horizon. A gentle breeze brushed against his face, caressing his long hair, which gleamed like silver under the twilight.
As the day turned into night, Alaric decided to stop and rest under a large old tree. The tree looked sturdy and had been there for hundreds of years, silently witnessing many events that had taken place around the forest. He easily lit a small campfire using basic fire magic, summoning warm flames to accompany him through the night.
Alaric then opened his leather bag and took out a piece of meat he had bought in the town of Rembus. The meat was fresh, lightly seasoned with spices he had acquired from the town market. With skills honed over centuries, he began to cook it over the fire. The delicious aroma of roasting meat soon filled the air, tempting his appetite.
As he bit into the roasted meat, his thoughts drifted back to the past. Memories of one of his most memorable companions, Helius, came flooding back. Helius was a brave knight with short, messy brown hair that always looked as if he had just emerged from battle. Helius always appeared full of energy, with a smile that never faded from his face, even though the world around him was filled with danger.
Alaric remembered the first time they met. At that time, he was camping in the middle of the forest, wearing tattered and dusty clothes after days of aimless wandering. The night was quite cold, and he only had a small, nearly extinguished fire to keep him warm. The sound of heavy footsteps could be heard in the distance, and when he looked up, he saw a sturdy man with two swords on his back approaching him.
"Hey... would you like to go on an adventure with me?" Helius's voice was friendly but determined. Alaric, who was in a lazy mood, only glanced briefly and replied with a mocking tone, "Me? An adventure? Ha! You've got the wrong guy. I'm just a lazy elf who likes to lie under trees and watch the clouds." Alaric shrugged and closed his eyes again, as if nothing was more important than his dreams at that moment.
Helius didn't give up. He knew Alaric was more than just a 'lazy elf.' "Don't you want revenge on the Demon King who wiped out your family? If we join forces, we can definitely defeat him." His voice was serious, full of conviction.
Alaric opened one eye, peeking at Helius while letting out a long sigh. "Revenge, huh? Sounds like a tough fight... and I'm not interested in battles I can't win." He responded in the same lazy tone, but there was a hint of bitterness in his eyes when he mentioned the Demon King. Still, Alaric maintained his relaxed demeanor, as if the world's major problems had nothing to do with him.
But Helius continued to persuade Alaric with relentless enthusiasm. He tried everything, from promising victory to appealing to Alaric's sense of responsibility as a powerful wizard capable of bringing change. Yet, Alaric remained steadfast, refusing with various silly excuses. "I'm busy counting stars in the sky, you know? Besides, who will take care of my little mushrooms if I go on an adventure?" said Alaric, pointing to a wild mushroom growing near his feet.
Seeing no other way, Helius finally offered a payment of 50 copper coins per day. Alaric's initially lazy eyes suddenly sparkled. Without hesitation, he stood up and said with enthusiasm, "When do we leave?" His expression turned serious and full of determination, but deep down, he spoke to himself with a half-crying, funny expression, "50 copper coins per day is a lot... I don't have to eat mushrooms every day anymore!" Alaric suppressed a wide smile that almost ruined his dignity.
Helius, who was initially shocked by Alaric's sudden transformation, couldn't help but laugh. Alaric's expression was so innocent and goofy that it made him wonder if this elf was truly the powerful wizard he had hoped for. But Helius didn't complain; he had finally found the ally he needed, even if in the most unexpected way.
Alaric snapped out of his reverie when his campfire was nearly extinguished. The meat in his hand was half-eaten, and the night had grown darker. He sighed and glanced at the starry sky. A slight smile appeared on his lips as he recalled how his life journey had been filled with surprises, laughter, and memories like those. He then stood up, extinguished the fire, and resumed his journey towards Direwitch. There, he hoped to meet his old friend, Angela, a beastman who might still be alive even after 700 years. With steady steps and a hopeful smile, Alaric embarked on a new adventure, ready to face whatever awaited him ahead.
Alaric continued his journey towards Direwitch, still walking leisurely but with a sense of excitement. The journey was quite long, and he estimated it would take about three more days to reach his final destination. Along the way, he continued to enjoy the scenery—vast green valleys, dense forests, and occasionally, the chirping of birds greeting him. Every step felt light, as if the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders since the Demon King was defeated 50 years ago.
As he was walking along a quiet path, Alaric spotted a worn signpost by the roadside. The writing on the sign had faded over time but was still readable: 'Leronica.' Alaric paused for a moment, recalling the name. Long ago, 700 years ago, Leronica was a small village famous for its excellent beer. A smile spread across Alaric's face, and his cheeks flushed slightly just by imagining the refreshing taste of Leronica's beer that he once enjoyed. "Ah, it's been too long since I last had a really good beer," he muttered, stroking his chin.
Finally, Alaric decided to stop by the village. "A night's rest in Leronica with some fresh beer doesn't sound bad," he thought. With quicker steps, he turned towards the village, imagining a cozy evening with a cold beer in hand. However, as he approached the village, the sight that greeted him was surprising. The once peaceful village of Leronica was now in ruins. Several houses were on fire, and the sound of screams and clashing weapons echoed everywhere. Alaric frowned, realizing that the village was under attack by dozens of bandits.
He stepped closer, trying to understand the situation. His ears caught the shout of one of the large, fierce-looking bandits, "Where are you hiding Zanuba!!" The bandit brandished his sword at the frightened villagers.
Alaric let out a long sigh, feeling slightly annoyed by the chaos. "Zanuba? What did you do to make these bandits so angry?" he thought. Although he didn't know anyone in the village, his adventurer's instinct told him not to get involved. "Good luck, Zanuba, whoever you are," he muttered to himself. Quickly, Alaric chanted a spell, "Icatamus," and his body immediately became invisible to human eyes.
But as he began to walk away, Alaric caught a sight that tugged at his heart. At the end of the street, he saw a little girl being dragged out of one of the houses by the bandits. The girl was crying, struggling with all her might. Her shoulder-length black hair was tangled, and her bright green eyes shone with fear.
Her skin was slightly dark, contrasting with the white one-piece dress she wore, now dirty with dust and mud. One of the bandits shouted mockingly, "Don't resist! Do you know your head is worth 1000 gold, Zanuba, hahaha!" The bandit yanked the little girl harshly.
Alaric paused. His gaze turned serious for a moment as he heard the name Zanuba mentioned again, this time with a price of 1000 gold. "1000 gold? She's worth more than a Dragon Lord," Alaric thought, but with his usual calm face, he continued to walk away. "This isn't my business," he said to himself.
However, just a few steps away, a heart-wrenching cry was heard. The little girl named Zanuba had bitten the hand of the bandit dragging her. The bite was strong enough to make the bandit's hand bleed. Angered, the bandit immediately struck Zanuba, sending the girl flying several meters, crashing hard onto the ground.
The bandit, with a furious and sadistic expression, approached the weakened Zanuba. He raised his large hand, ready to hit the little girl again. But just as the hand was about to strike Zanuba's face, Alaric suddenly appeared in front of the bandit, stopping his blow with one hand. "Don't be too rough on a little girl, sir," Alaric said with a calm smile, as if he was merely scolding a naughty child.
The bandit was shocked, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. "Who are you?" he asked menacingly.
Alaric, with his characteristic relaxed style, replied, "I'm just an elf passing through." He shrugged, as if there was nothing special about him.
"Stay out of this!" growled the bandit, drawing his sword from his waist. His face showed murderous intent, and he had no qualms about hurting anyone who stood in his way.
Alaric, still smiling, said, "Could you please leave this village, Sir? Honestly, your face is giving me a stomachache." The words were spoken lightly, but with enough contempt to make the bandit's blood boil.
Angrily, the bandit swung his sword at Alaric. However, with agility, Alaric sidestepped and lightly tapped the bandit's head with his staff. There was no loud clash, only a gentle touch. Yet, in the next moment, the bandit's body suddenly turned to dust, blown away by the night breeze.
Alaric stared at the remaining dust with a puzzled expression. "Did I go too far?" he muttered to himself, scratching his non-itchy head. He then looked back at Zanuba, who was still lying on the ground, and crouched down to check on her. Zanuba opened her eyes and looked at Alaric with a gaze full of hope, yet also fear.
"Hey, hey, don't be scared," Alaric said with a smile. "I'm just passing through... but it looks like I'll be staying in this village a bit longer than planned." With those words, he turned around, looking at the remaining bandits still roaming the village. "Maybe it's time to have a little fun." Alaric swung his staff, ready to deal with the chaos caused by the bandits, with the same goofy grin always on his face.