"Avia... So you're a Hun, huh."
The sky was like a piece of deep-blue silk, dotted with stars that sparkled brilliantly.
A bright moon quietly rose, casting its gentle light and cloaking the earth in a silver-white sheen. In this post-rain night, the campfire that suddenly sprang up in the forest became the focal point of attention.
In truth, Siegfried had heard of the Huns before. Within the Empire, they were called barbarians by the people—townsfolk avoided them like the plague, saying their settlements were little more than fenced-in graves.
Their lives were crude to an extreme—eating half-raw meat, gnawing on wild grass roots, uncaring of the source of the meat. Their method of heating food was to press it between their thighs and a horse's back.
Due to their nomadic and scattered lifestyle, the Huns had developed a free-spirited and unrestrained national character.
Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus, who died in 395 AD, once described them thus:
"Utterly untrustworthy, completely unreliable, wholly governed by emotion, always acting on impulse; they behave like irrational beasts, devoid of any sense of right or wrong. They keep no promises, and are bound by no religion or faith."
Simply put, people of the time already had a concrete image of what the Huns were—the result of a so-called external construction.
Even so, Siegfried didn't particularly care whether the Huns were barbaric or not. At present, he remained in a state of apathy—disinterested in everything. But since he had accepted the commission, he would carry it out. He had yet to find a true purpose in life.
"Still... if you hadn't told me yourself, Avia, I doubt anyone would know you were a Hun."
Siegfried's gaze moved from the blazing campfire to the boy beside him—Avia, whose skin tone differed completely from the typical brownish hues of most Huns.
"Because I was adopted, it's only natural there'd be differences. And the Huns don't exactly have the best reputation. People say we're all evil-hearted barbarians or whatever. Which... well, they're not entirely wrong. Most of them are driven by thoughts of harming others, wiping them out completely. It's all about self-interest—making our own side rich and prosperous."
Siegfried didn't even furrow his brow or show the slightest hint of surprise. He just listened silently.
"To invade others for your own gain—yes, by human standards, that's evil. Such acts are labeled 'ugly.' So logically, the easiest path would be to leave them behind and join a side that truly suits me…"
Avia folded his arms slightly and leaned back against the solid base of a tree. He closed his thin eyelids to rest, wearing the same gentle expression as always—as if he could embrace the whole world.
Indeed, that skin tone so unlike the others had caused a few minor problems during his childhood in the Hun tribe. But in truth, it wasn't a big deal—just some petty kids who liked to compare themselves to others. A few beatings usually settled things.
"But still... I was adopted by them. And the kindness they showed me—those are things I could never forget."
The fire crackled and hissed as it devoured the wood. Its flames swelled and shrank, as if telling stories to the night sky. The firelight dyed the wood a rich orange-red, releasing a faint fragrance of wood smoke that mingled with the scents of grass and trees, forming a distinct nighttime atmosphere.
Avia opened his deep-blue eyes and extended a finger toward the starry sky. The image of a white-haired girl with lonely, blood-red eyes flashed through his mind. His lips curled slightly, and he said:
"Besides, even if we're born with so-called evil in our hearts, we're still of the same blood—fighting for the prosperity of our people. We want everything without giving anything up... That's exactly what it means to be alive—an overwhelming greed that's exhilarating to behold. Don't you think?"
"In other words, I too, as one of them, was born with that so-called evil in my heart."
The firelight danced on the silver-haired boy's face, sketching a golden outline around his features.
For some reason, Siegfried felt that fourteen-year-old Avia seemed like someone even older than his own eighteen-year-old self. His face was youthful, yet his demeanor was resolute. His every word and gesture exuded a distinct charisma—one driven by unwavering resolve.
Yet, Siegfried also sensed something else: that no matter how great an honor Avia might receive, or how radiant the path ahead, he would not hesitate to abandon it if he deemed it unreasonable. He would cast it aside without regret—and just keep walking forward.
Through a world of light, down a long, narrow, dark and dangerous road, he would keep walking.
Logically speaking, after hearing all that, a Roman citizen who had accepted Christianity in the Western Empire would choose to distance himself. But then again... Siegfried wasn't that kind of person. He was still hollow inside.
He still hadn't found his true dream—was still someone who devalued his own life, his own wishes, and more importantly, his own desires.
But the thought that arose when he first saw Avia... was now burning brighter than ever.
"Even so—I still want to become your friend, Avia."
But Siegfried felt embarrassed to say that aloud just yet. So instead, he spoke in his usual calm tone:
"Even though your words sound like they come from someone evil, I still believe you shine with the light of justice."
He gently placed a hand over his chest—right where he had tucked the leaf Avia gave him earlier. This wasn't the kind of comforting lie he used to tell himself out of habit. It was a sincere conviction.
The flickering firelight made the surrounding scenery even more mysterious and enchanting. Leaves rustled softly in the breeze as if saluting the flames. In the distance, under the moon's glow, the mountains stood silent and profound. Firelight and moonlight wove together into a single, timeless image.
Avia laughed at Siegfried's response.
"Come, Siegfried. Let's slay a dragon together—Fafnir, by the Rhine."
Then, still smiling, he continued. The flames outlined his deep-blue eyes, making them stand out vividly.
"That's my goal, after all. What a coincidence. But... are you going after the dragon because you were commissioned, too?"
"No," Avia replied. "It's my personal decision."
"Is that so?"
"It is. And you too, Siegfried—you need to make decisions that are truly your own."