I'm currently sitting on the ground... Underneath me is a cloth given to me by the masked man.
He said that it's dirty if I sat directly on the dirt.
At first, I didn't even want to accept the cloth he gave me, but honestly— I'm too tired to even say anything.
My whole body still aches from running for my life earlier.
Also, remembering him wiping out the whole bandit group earlier without breaking a sweat... I don't even know if I have the heart to refuse to him.
Anyway, moving on—
Beside me is the masked man, looking at me with a smile.
'He looks like a completely different person...'
I thought, slightly glancing at him.
It was like he wasn't the man who slaughtered the bandits with cold eyes earlier.
The way he calmly sits there, as if nothing even happened, feels almost unreal. The forest around us is silent except for the faint rustle of leaves, and somehow, that silence makes everything that just happened feel even heavier.
"..."
I got nervous.
But then, I unconsciously frowned after remembering something else—
I remembered him proposing to me not too long ago, and just the thought of it is making me cringe!
Just recalling the way he said it makes my stomach twist. Who proposes like that in the middle of chaos and blood?!
I tried to recompose myself, then looking to my side—
"Umm... How did you know my name?"
I asked that to the masked man.
"Hmm?"
He tilted his head at me, and with a smirk on his face—
"That's because we're destined together."
He answered with that.
'If you don't want to say it, then just say that... Ugh...'
I grumbled in my head, sighing lightly.
But still, seeing him joke around made me feel relaxed. The nervousness in my body disappeared, and I didn't see the masked man as a threat anymore.
"Anyway... where are we?"
I changed the subject by asking that.
I just ran here in the forest by coincidence and pure desperation; I have no clue about my current location.
"..."
The masked man stayed quiet for a few seconds, as if deciding whether to tell me or not.
Then casually—
"Hmm, I think you guys call this place [The Immortal's Forest]."
He said that.
And when his words entered my ears... My eyes widened in shock!
"WHAT?!"
I exclaimed in surprise.
*****
[The Immortal's Forest]— It's a well-known forest.
After all, it is said that an immortal reaper resides in it.
In the stories, it says that he kills every evildoer he encounters and occasionally helps people who are good-natured when he wants to. All on a whim.
But aside from that, there's also another story about the reaper destroying a whole noble family's lineage because they angered him!
There's more story about him doing things like that than helping people!
Also, the reaper is being hailed as one of the four divine beings in the world.
I know this might all sound like a myth... But there are records throughout history that proves that he really does exist!
Though, everything about him is a mystery, even his appearance. The only known thing about him is his gender—
'And the fact that he had been living on this world for at least a thousand years.'
Anyway, even though it is said that he helps people... Nobody approached the reaper carelessly.
No one had even dared to enter this forest for at least a hundred years now because they're afraid of the monsters lingering in here!
Also, in the stories, they said that if you show too much greed in front of the reaper—
'He will immediately kill you, no question asked!'
The thought alone made my heart beat faster.
I looked around, suddenly aware of every sound, every shadow between the trees. The air here feels heavier, older somehow.
I was nervous again, scared even.
"..."
Shivers ran down my back as I remembered that I was currently inside the reaper's forest.
What if he's watching us right now...?
"Is something wrong?"
Then, the masked man suddenly asked me that, snapping me out of my stupor.
"Of course there is...!"
"What if the reaper saw us and thought we were bad people and then kill us?!"
I exclaimed in panic.
I saw the man's eyes through his mask widen at my words. Then...
Pfft-
"HAHAHAHAHA—!"
He started laughing loudly.
"SHHHH!"
"He might hear us!"
I said in a low voice, trying to shut him up.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
But he's just not listening.
"Why are you laughing? Are you sick in the head?"
I asked, slightly annoyed, but mostly nervous.
Then it hit me—
"Wait, now that I think about it... are you here to meet him and get help from him?"
I looked at the masked man, surprised.
"If so, I suggest you stop. If you're too greedy; he will kill you immediately."
I discouraged him from doing that. He's my savior, I don't want him to die meaninglessly.
"Hah..."
Anyway, after that— the masked man stopped laughing.
Then he stood in front of me.
His black robe that covered his whole body fluttered, and his long black hair swayed with the winds.
He placed his scythe behind him.
He was taller, so he was looking down at me, smiling.
"..."
His presence, his posture— he looks like an elegant noble. A real, dignified noble that I only see in balls and gatherings.
No, he actually looks even more elegant than the royal family...!
"I'm sorry for the late introduction."
The masked man said as he took my right hand. I was surprised, but I didn't stop him.
"I am someone who had already lived for thousands of years."
He stated. My eyes twitched.
"Someone who punished evildoers, and helped good-natured people on whims—"
He just continued. Then, with a sly smile—
"And I am someone who is destined to be with you forever."
Chu-
He finished with that, and kissed the back of my hand.
"My name is Raye."
He said his name, letting go of my hand...
"And the people call me—"
"The Immortal Reaper."
Then he declared that with an arrogant smile on his face!
"..."
My whole body froze.
And that was the last thing that I remembered... My consciousness got cut off after that because of shock.
...
...
...
*****
"Huh...?"
After regaining my consciousness, I slowly opened my eyes.
And what greeted me was the masked man.
Or should I say, the immortal reaper— Raye.
He was looking at me with a playful smile.
"You're awake."
He said.
Then I immediately noticed that my head was placed on top of his lap!
"GAHHH!"
My body shot forward and I sat up, then I crawled away from him!
"S-SORRY FOR MY RUDE BEHAVIOR!"
I apologized in panic, stuttering.
And seeing me in that state—
"Hmm... Looks like I have a pretty bad image in the outside world, huh."
Raye mumbled, looking genuinely confused.
And what he said alerted me—
"N-NO! Your image in the outside world is so good!"
I exclaimed.
"People even say that you're a god and the guardian of this world!"
And then I added that.
I was not lying, I read it in a book about [The Immortal Reaper].
He was being showered with praises and compliments in that book, being praised as a god. There was even a religion before centered around him— but he threatened to destroy them if they didn't stop, so they disbanded.
Moving on...
"A god, huh."
Raye was rather unfazed upon hearing that, not the reaction I was expecting from someone being ranked along with the gods.
"...?"
I raised my head and looked at him in curiosity.
And then, I saw him looking at the dark sky.
"I am not a god, in fact... I am someone who is hated by them."
Raye stated.
I can't see his face... But I can feel sadness and rage in his voice.
'What was that?'
I was curious as to why he made such a statement.
'Why is he sad? Why is he angry?'
Many questions entered my head... I was really curious.
"Anyway, why are you here in this forest?"
But they all disappeared when Raye suddenly asked me that.
"Oh, and no need to be so polite and wary around me, I stopped aging at 20 years old... We're the same age."
He then added casually.
'That's not how aging works...!'
'And I'm 19 years old!'
I exclaimed inwardly. But no way I can say that to his face.
Anyway... Opening my mouth—
"Well..."
I started telling Raye how I got here in the forest.
About how the bandits attacked the carriage I was in, all the way until he saved me from them.
The words came out shakier than I expected.
As I spoke, my hands trembled a little, remembering every scream, every desperate moment.
"..."
Raye stayed silent the whole time, just listening.