Zedd didn't bother waiting for Elara and Reina; they weren't his responsibility. He adjusted his cloak, his katana carefully placed by his side, and cleaned the two bloodstained kunai he had used.
Next, he removed the traces of the small fire he had set up the previous night. He buried the makeshift remains of his toothbrush and paste. It was important to ensure that no traces remained, just in case.
Pulling the hood of his cloak over his head, obscuring his face partially in the shadows, he began walking.
---
[*Three hours later...*]
Zedd glanced over his shoulder. Elara and Reina were still following him. He cursed under his breath.
"Idiots," he muttered.
He had purposely led them through difficult terrain—rocks, wet marshy ground, and sandy areas. For the past two hours, he had been making them walk in circles, hoping they would eventually get frustrated and tired and turn back to their village. But they refused to give up.
He couldn't help but admire their strength and resilience. Zedd, whose left half was replaced with synthetic tissue, could survive without eating or drinking. Fatigue was a foreign concept to him. His military academy training made navigating through rough terrain second nature. It was effortless for him.
But these two village girls, who had none of his advantages, were still pushing forward.
He turned to them, his voice laced with impatience. "Hey, it's better if you two just give up and return to your village."
Elara, the haughty fiery redhead with red eyes, replied with the same fiery determination as always, "We will never give up! We won't, right, Reina?"
Reina, the shy, meek one, nodded slowly. "Yes…" she said in her soft voice.
Zedd sighed. He didn't have time for games with these two.
---
[*One hour later...*]
It was now 11 AM, and Zedd had reached a small town. The market was bustling with activity. People worked tirelessly in the stalls, while a few begged on the streets. Zedd, tired of leading them in circles through the forest, had chosen a different route, heading toward a town ahead.
As he walked, his mind raced for a way to get rid of Elara and Reina. He could easily kill them if he wanted to, but for some reason, he decided against it. Why? He couldn't say.
Turning back briefly, he saw that Elara and Reina were still trailing behind him. They looked exhausted after four hours of continuous walking with no rest. They had barely eaten—only one fish and some water in the morning, four hours ago. They were stumbling now, visibly drained.
Zedd didn't feel the fatigue, not with his synthetic enhancements. He moved through the town, his thoughts still focused on the problem of Elara and Reina. He knew he had to find a way to deal with them.
And then, as he walked, he noticed a sign for a restaurant ahead. His eyes narrowed. A thought crossed his mind, and a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.
He'd just found the perfect way to get rid of these two brats.