Hours passed as Nathaniel's carriage rattled toward Galica. Deep in the forest, the convoy halted to rest the horses for the night. The carriage, a meter long and capable of holding over twenty passengers, had cramped, assigned seats, making it unsuitable for sleeping. Most travelers disembarked to set up tents, but Nathaniel planned to stay inside, hoping to rest there.
As he lay in the carriage, a loud clanging—like metal being hammered—echoed outside. Curious, he stepped out and saw two men working on a massive battle axe. The weapon's owner, a towering seven-foot adventurer with a muscular build, hailed from Kabaru, a province under Galica's domain. His companion, a silver-haired mage in a flowing cape, used magic to aid in sharpening the axe.
The burly man, noticing Nathaniel, apologized for the noise. His calm, kind demeanor put Nathaniel at ease. "It's fine," Nathaniel said. "I couldn't sleep anyway. That's a huge weapon! Are you travelers?"
The man introduced himself as Harik, a vanguard in his party, explaining they were adventurers heading to Agata Tower for quests. The tower's central zone required parties of three or more for its challenges. The mage, Masaw, asked if Nathaniel was an adventurer too.
"Nah, just a regular guy," Nathaniel replied. "I'm Nathaniel, by the way. You're heading to Galica, right?"
Harik shared that they'd failed a recent quest, which stranded them in this remote forest. Luckily, they found this carriage bound for a town with a tower. Nathaniel approached Harik's axe, admiring its craftsmanship. "This is incredible," he said, touching it. "Your life as adventurers seems so exciting. I'm kind of jealous."
Harik and Masaw, amused by his enthusiasm, asked if he wanted to become an adventurer. Nathaniel's eyes lit up. "If I had one wish, it'd be to be a great adventurer. It looks so fun, but as a normal human, I'd struggle to make it happen."
"Any advice for someone like me to become brave like you?" he asked eagerly.
Harik smiled but cautioned, "Thanks for the praise, but I wouldn't recommend this life. It's exciting, sure, but dangerous." He explained that he and his party came from a poor tribe, forced to risk their lives for coin. "Winning with your team feels unmatched, but the danger's real. We could lose comrades if luck turns against us."
He advised Nathaniel to think carefully, as a peaceful life in a town suited a human like him better. Nathaniel nodded, admitting that while he admired fighters, he feared getting hurt in battle. Staring at his clenched fist, he recalled the terror of facing monsters. "I don't know if I'm cautious or just a coward. When danger's near, all I think about is running."
He laughed, mocking his own fear. "Sometimes I want to be a great warrior, but I'm just a scared human."
Harik, sensing Nathaniel's disappointment, offered reassurance. "Don't worry. I felt that way before becoming a warrior. Fear's normal—everyone feels it. The question is whether you'll let it stop you or keep you weak."
"Fear holds us back from what we want," Harik continued. "It makes us doubt ourselves. But can you overcome it? That depends on how much you want to succeed. Before you defeat any enemy, you must first conquer your fear."
Nathaniel grinned, looking at his palms. "Thanks, Harik. I hope I remember that."
"No rush," Harik said. "It takes time and experience to face challenges. They'll teach you what you need to know."
A female elf with yellow hair and cold eyes approached, dressed in a green elven battle suit, her bow and quiver slung across her back. "You're still awake?" she said. "We reach Galica tomorrow and head straight to the tower. Rest up."
"You're right," Harik replied. "We'll head to our tents." He and Masaw left, but Nathaniel's gaze lingered on the elf. She noticed, glaring. "Stop staring."
"Sorry, miss," Nathaniel said. "You're just… really beautiful, and you seem familiar somehow."
The elf smirked, unimpressed. "Don't flirt with me. I don't deal with humans like that."
"No, that's not what I meant!" Nathaniel protested, but she stormed into her tent. He racked his brain, certain her RPG-like attire reminded him of something, but couldn't place her. "I feel like I've seen her before, beyond her outfit," he muttered, yawning as the chilly night air made him shiver. "It's freezing. Time to sleep."
He climbed back into the carriage, dozing off among the other passengers.
---
The next morning, as dawn broke, the three carriages resumed their journey to Galica. The lead carriage had an open upper deck where passengers could catch fresh air. Nathaniel climbed up, spotting Harik and Masaw. "Morning! Here for some air?" he greeted.
"You again, Nathaniel," Harik said. "You should head inside. It's not safe out here."
Confused, Nathaniel asked why. Masaw explained that the forest was teeming with monsters and bandits, making their journey perilous. Nathaniel, surprised, mentioned Ataparag's lessons about main roads being warded against monsters with magic spells.
"Those wards only work on Class C monsters," the elf interjected. "They're useless against higher-tier ones."
"How do you tell if a monster's high-tier?" Nathaniel asked.
Harik explained that, beyond their energy, their appearance—like horn color—gave it away. Common monsters had plain white horns, unlike stronger variants. Nathaniel recalled Ataparag's crown-like horn, which she'd explained appeared when she used her monster powers, despite her crimson item giving her a human form.
Ataparag had clarified that her item suppressed eighty percent of her original power. To serve as an Eskapa soldier, she unleashed the rest, resulting in her unique appearance. "Do you think I'm ugly because of my horns?" she'd asked Nathaniel, worried. "People, especially humans, fear my appearance and avoid me. I just want to live peacefully, accepted by others."
Nathaniel had reassured her, touching her shoulder. "I don't dislike your look. I'm used to monsters like Toto. You're kind and caring—people love you for that, no matter your appearance."
Blushing, Ataparag had turned away, only for Nyabu to kick Nathaniel's backside. "Stop flirting with the leader, you filthy human!" she snapped.
"Ow! What's your problem?" Nathaniel yelped.
"You said you're not scared of monsters, no matter their look," Nyabu taunted. "Toto, show this guy how much you love him—hug him until he passes out!"
Toto lumbered toward Nathaniel, arms outstretched. Nathaniel dodged, laughing nervously. "Toto, that's not funny! We can care for each other as teammates without… this!"
Toto chased him, undeterred. "Why not hug Nyabu instead?" Nathaniel teased.
Nyabu bristled. "What did you call me, you pest?" Toto lunged at her, but she slipped away. "Don't listen to him, Toto!"
Nathaniel egged them on. "Nothing wrong with a hug among teammates, right? Show that bossy furball your love, Toto!"
"Call me that again, and you're dead!" Nyabu shouted, as Toto chased her. Ataparag burst out laughing, her joy evident at the team's playful banter.
Soon, Ataparag grabbed Nyabu in a tight hug. "This strengthens our bond!" she declared. Nyabu squirmed, embarrassed, as Toto joined, lifting them both. The rest of the team piled in, shouting, "Group hug!"
Those joyful memories lingered with Nathaniel, reminding him of the camaraderie he cherished. The adventurers before him—Harik, Masaw, and the elf—embodied that same trust and care, binding their team together.
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