Fire crackles from the next room where the main forge burns. The heat seeps through the walls, yet that isn't why Rosa sweats. No—the reason is the same as why Helgen drags a hand down his face right now.
The pink-haired girl before her has eyes that sparkle like starlight, her smile widening bit by bit. Lilia's excitement flares from a single word Rosa happened to mention: void element.
Lilia rubs her nose with a chuckle and puffs out her chest in smug triumph.
"Hmm, hmm, hmm~ You came to the right place, my disciple Rosa!"
Rosa's gaze flattens instantly.
"I am not your disciple. And don't fast-forward the conversation on your own. All I said is that I need some knowledge to identify ores and minerals for a survey—including the void ones."
Lilia closes her eyes, smiling confidently as she wags a finger.
"But that just means you'll need to take me on your journey, right? Besides, Mr. Helgen can't make it since he's forge-bound for no— ow, ow, ow!"
Her sentence cuts off in a yelp as Helgen grabs her earlobe.
"Do I need to remind you why I'm forge-bound? And yes, we have orders to finish, so you're not going anywhere either!"
The moment he releases her, Lilia jumps away and hides behind Rosa's back, sticking her tongue out at him with a cheeky grin—much to Rosa's embarrassment and guilt.
Rosa sighs. This time, she really needs to nail it into her.
"Listen, Lilia. Mr. Helgen is right, you know? Looks like you already have plenty on your plate anyway. Besides, I only need the knowledge. I can't possibly bring you on this da— ahem! On this daunting mission."
Lilia circles around Rosa to meet her face-to-face, narrowing her eyes.
"…You were going to say something else, weren't you?"
Rosa keeps her poker face and meets her gaze evenly.
"No… I wasn't."
"Liar! You totally were! It's a dangerous mission, isn't it!?"
Helgen clears his throat and takes a step forward, prompting Lilia to retreat behind Rosa again.
"How about you stop pestering her? It's not like you're her mom or anything."
"But she's my friend!" Lilia barks back. "No friend would let anyone take on a dangerous quest alone!"
Lilia tightens her grip around Rosa, pressing her chin against her shoulder.
Helgen sighs again, rubbing his forehead with two fingers.
"Let's say that's true—she is going on a dangerous mission. So what then? You'd go with her even though she's clearly trying not to drag you into it? If I were her, that would hurt, Lilia."
Rosa feels Lilia's arms tighten even more as her chin presses firmer against her shoulder. Lilia's voice trembles when she finally speaks.
"Is that true… Rosa?"
Rosa falls silent. She can't bring herself to answer.
Yes, she did tell Lilia she'd rely on her more—but bringing her along on a near-suicidal mission was never part of that promise.
She exhales softly, forcing herself to meet Lilia's eyes.
"Listen, Lilia. I need to take this mission alone. You're my friend, and that's exactly why I can't possibly let you—"
Lilia's arms tighten again. Rosa's eyes widen as she feels Lilia nuzzle against her shoulder.
"I know! I know, alright!? I understand your logic perfectly! It's just… you always push yourself too far."
Rosa opens her mouth for a retort, maybe a reassurance, but Lilia's voice drops lower—enough to stop her mid-thought.
"Please… I don't want to spend weeks wondering if you're still alive. The last thing I want is for the worst to happen while I know I could've done something about it."
Rosa goes quiet again. This time, she wraps her hand around Lilia's, her lips curving into a small smile—equal parts admiration and resignation. She can't win against her. But the same goes both ways. Just as Lilia can't bear to let Rosa go alone, Rosa can't bear the thought of putting Lilia in danger.
"Guess it's the same for me," she murmurs. "The last thing I want is something bad happening to you while I could've done something about it."
Lilia doesn't even pause.
"You can! If we're together, you can do something about it! Because you'll be right next to me! And if something happens to you, I'll be right there too! That's why we're going together!"
Checkmate. Even if Rosa manages to come up with a reason to refuse, she knows she'll never convince Lilia to stay. As a last resort, she glances toward Helgen, silently pleading for backup.
"Mr. Helgen, you're not going to say something?"
Helgen folds his arms, eyes fixed on Lilia. Her grip on Rosa loosens as she steps forward.
"You're not going to budge no matter what I say, are you?"
Lilia shakes her head without hesitation.
"Nope. I'd do the same if it were you in her place, Mr. Helgen."
Helgen exhales through his nose, then turns to Rosa.
"You heard her. Even if I tried to stop her, she'd just sneak out and do it on her own."
Rosa hasn't given up—at least not yet.
She hasn't revealed where she's going, and as long as Lilia doesn't know that, there's still hope. She reaches for her satchel to pull out the map.
That's right. As long as she keeps Eisenvalt hidden—
Her breath catches. The map that should be inside the satchel is gone.
"Looking for something?~"
Rosa freezes. There's no way—right?
Sure enough, Lilia unfurls the map to Eisenvalt with a triumphant grin, flashing a peace sign. She must have swiped it during that clingy hug.
"Now you have no excuse not to take me~!"
And there it goes—the last shred of hope of leaving her behind. Now that Lilia knows the destination, she's coming no matter what.
Rosa exhales a long breath, meeting her friend's eyes. She knows a lost battle when she sees one.
"Lilia, this mission isn't from a reputable client. The gold's real, sure—but there's a lot that can go wrong. I don't want to drag you into something that might get us both killed."
Lilia folds her arms, pouting hard. Her gaze sharpens as she leans forward.
"Do you really think saying that will make me go, 'Oh, you're right, I'll just stay home'? No way, Rosa! I'm not letting you take on something dangerous alone!"
Her tone swells with stubborn conviction as she points a finger right at Rosa's nose.
"If something happens, I know Mr. Helgen and the others will look for us. And if things go wrong, we'll face them together!"
She jabs the air again for emphasis.
"We're stronger together, so don't give me that bogus about going there alone, got it?"
Rosa scrambles for an explanation, scouring her mind for words to convince Lilia she has everything planned and will be fine. She opens her mouth—only for Helgen to cut in.
"Rosa, you're only going to make it worse. There's no convincing her now."
"But at this rate, I don't know how I'll protect her! My plan only accounts for me—what if—"
Helgen turns toward the shelf behind the counter without meeting her eyes.
"Now then. I don't intend to just leave you both out there. Especially not with Lilia stubbornly involving herself. I'm not coming, but I'll make sure you both come back."
He opens the shelf and crouches, rummaging through it with practiced movements. Rosa starts to protest. "Mr. Helgen, you don't have to—"
He cuts her off. "Just so we're clear: I'm not doing this for you. Like I said—now that Lilia's involved, I can't stand here and do nothing, can I? That's why…"
He stands and brings out two items: a plain survival manual—rocky terrain and mountain-camping basics—and a pair of daggers, each blade etched with runic symbols. The book is practical; the daggers unsettle her. Runic work is outlawed across the country. Either Helgen procured these illegally, or he dabbled in it himself.
Lilia's jaw drops; her eyes widen. She's worked with him for years, yet she seems never suspected this as well.
Before Rosa can ask anything, Helgen continues.
"I'm sure you have questions, but I'm giving these to you. Don't think of them as charity. Think of them as a duty. Do everything you can so both of you return safely. Understood? We're partners in crime today."
Rosa sets her worries aside and nods, determination hardening her features.
"Understood. Thank you, Mr. Helgen."
She will need to rework her plans with these new variables—but with the runed daggers and the manual, their chances of survival just improved.
Lilia twirls one of the daggers between her fingers before throwing her question across the room.
"So, you're fine with letting me go just like that? Even though you've got a mountain of orders waiting?"
Helgen raises a brow, folding his arms again.
"Letting you go? Where did you get that idea?"
Lilia gulps, a bead of sweat forming on her temple.
"B-but you're letting me go with Rosa… right?"
Helgen nods once, firm and deliberate.
"That I am. But I never said anything about letting you walk out freely. Especially not after your earlier screw-up."
He lowers his gaze to Rosa.
"Rosa, when are you setting out?"
Rosa taps her chin, eyes drifting up toward the ceiling.
"Hmm… I'll need to readjust my plan. Maybe pick up some extra supplies too. Everything should be ready in three days."
"Three days," he repeats with a nod, before turning his attention back to Lilia.
"Good. That's plenty of time. You'll be working in the forge for all three days—full shifts, day and night—to make up for your earlier mess and to cover for the time you'll be gallivanting around the mountains. The road's long, so you can rest plenty on the cart later."
"What!?"
Lilia's voice cracks into a shriek as she stomps the wooden floor.
"That's slavery! How can you overwork someone for three days straight before a dangerous mission!?"
Helgen adjusts his apron, already heading toward the next room.
"If you've got enough energy to complain, then you've got enough to move those hands. Besides, it's not like you'll be alone."
Lilia's head snaps toward Rosa, eyes wide in desperate plea. Rosa only smiles, utterly unsympathetic.
"You reap what you sow."
"NOOOOOOOO!"
Lilia's scream echoes through the blacksmith, trailing behind her as Helgen drags her off into the forge.
…
Morning serenity settles just outside the city walls. The sun barely peeks over the horizon, yet its light already lends a hint of warmth to the chill in the air.
Rosa waits by the roadside, wrapped in her adventuring robe and travel coat, shielding herself from the morning cold.
Carts line the path in neat rows—some departing, some returning. Vendors hawk their goods to early travelers, their voices mingling with the clatter of wheels. Staff from nearby inns call out to the weary, offering beds before the next stretch of road.
Rosa stands still amid the bustle, running through her mental checklist.
Extra sensory disruptors for Lilia—check.
Extra mana stones. Rations. Tents. Camping gear for a week in the mountains. Check, check, and check.
Water supply—checked too. She even brought water glyphs, in case they need to convert mana into drinkable water.
As if on cue, a familiar wail rises beside her—followed by shuffling, unsteady footsteps. Rosa's laughter nearly bubbles out when she sees the source.
Lilia.
Her twin-tails are a tangled mess, soot smudges her face, and the skin beneath her eyes is dark and creased with fatigue. Her eyes are red, glistening with exhaustion.
"Rooosaaaaaa!"
She wails and barrels straight into Rosa's arms, pulling her into a desperate embrace. Two things hit Rosa immediately: the heavy sheen of sweat and the powerful stench that follows it. Instinctively, she recoils.
"Ew! Let go of me! How in the world do you reek this bad!?"
Lilia clings tighter, crying louder, playing her usual theatrics.
"Hwaaaa! How cruel! My best friend abandons me after all my suffering! I worked to my limits, and this is my reward! Betrayal!"
Rosa groans, trying to push her off as the sticky sweat smears against her coat.
"I'm not! And could you at least clean yourself first!?"
Lilia finally releases her with an exaggerated pout.
"It's not like I had a choice, you know? Mr. Helgen didn't let me sleep for three days straight—let alone wash!"
A voice cuts in, calm but edged.
"Try phrasing that a little less suspiciously. I'd appreciate it."
Helgen approaches, just as covered in soot, though it almost blends into his skin.
Lilia straightens instantly. "Ah! Mr. Helgen—good morning!"
Rosa offers him a polite nod.
"Morning. I can see you're perfectly prepared," he says.
"Of course. This quest isn't one I can afford to mess up. I suppose you didn't come all this way just to see us off, right?"
Without a word, Helgen pulls a scroll from his satchel and crouches slightly, his tone dropping to a low whisper.
"This is a rune scroll. Use it if you're out of mana and need to activate something. And one more thing—if you find void elements, treat your mana like gold. That goes for you too, Lilia."
Both women nod in unison.
"You don't have to remind me, Mr. Helgen," Lilia mumbles, immediately stifling a yawn.
Satisfied, Helgen straightens up and turns back toward the forge without another word.
Lilia climbs into the cart to rest, while Rosa stays behind to finalize the arrangements with the cartmaster.
Their journey to the mountainous region of Eisenvalt now begins.