Leo’s eyes fluttered as he awoke from a dream. He tried to return, but that sweet sense of peace was already gone. Leo groaned inwardly as reality assaulted his senses. He instinctively reached for a drink, but there was no bottle in sight. Actually, he reflected, there wasn’t a much of anything in sight. Leo lay against a brick wall in a dark room. A cursory inspection revealed a light source seeping in through ragged curtains on the other end of the room. Leo got up and staggered towards the light.

As he moved, the Adventurer noticed two bodies breathing nearby. His eyes hadn’t adjusted yet, but he could guess that Pontius and Celia were sleeping in another corner of the room. Leo carefully stepped past them and went outside.

The morning sun was blinding. By the time Leo could see, he already knew where he was. The smell of charcoal drifting in the wind had been burned into his memory. Leo looked around to see exactly what he expected. Dilapidated buildings, charred buildings, and buildings that were reduced to ever-shrinking piles of ash. These were the ruins that he now recognized as Celia’s birthplace.

“Why did they bring me here?” He wondered out loud.

After some deliberation, Leo decided to wait for them to wake up. It would be a long walk home without magic, after all.

Half an hour later, Celia wandered out of their building. She rubbed her eyes, glanced at Leo, and then did a double-take.

“Morning.” Leo waved at her.

“…Morning.” Celia replied warily. “I thought we’d cast enough of spells to ensure that you’d sleep in, but I’m not even surprised anymore. How are you feeling.”

“Thirsty.”

Celia tossed him a waterskin. Leo glared at her and then reluctantly drank from it.

“Don’t worry, we won’t be traveling any further than this. I just wanted to have a chat with you in this town.”

“That’s a lot of effort for a chat.”

Celia nodded but she didn’t elaborate.

“If we’re going to talk, then can we do it up there?” Leo asked, pointing to a guard tower overlooking the town.

“Sure!”

Another half-hour later, Celia deeply regretted her decision.

“Wait…huff…too many…huff…stairs.”

“We just got up, you should be full of energy.”

Celia’s grumbling came to an abrupt halt as she reached the top of the tower. The two unconsciously held their breath as they gazed out at the scenery below. They were a little late to see the sunrise, but that ball of light was climbing steadily in the sky. It bathed the surrounding buildings in a warm glow that almost made them look like relics rather than ruins. Celia followed Leo’s gaze past the town and the fields until she saw it. The black tower that carried a malevolence strong enough to obscure the sun’s grace. Celia shuddered and looked away.

“Well, anyways…” Leo found a spot in the sun and sat down. “What did you want to talk about?”

Celia walked over and sat before him. Then, the chief’s aide bowed deeply.

“Firstly, I want to formally thank you for attempting to defeat the Demon King. As a victim, I can understand that it took true courage to stand against that monster. Honestly, Pontius and I should have done this the moment you returned.”

“T-That’s fine.” Leo replied hastily. “I wouldn’t have been in a state to listen anyway.”

“Secondly, I have a request.”

“Shoot.”

“I want you to return to the capital and receive payment for your valor.”

“I figured…”

“Then, I want you to spend that money to re-equip yourself. You can use the rest to cover living expenses while you train.”

Leo cocked his head. “Train?”

“Thirdly, I have another request.” Celia paused to take a deep breath. “Please try to kill the Demon King again!”

Leo was speechless while Celia lowered her head and bowed once more. Seconds turned into minutes, but Celia’s head had not risen. Leo, on the other hand, finally settled on a few words.

“Are you crazy?”

Celia continued to prostrate herself.

“Do you seriously think I’m going to do that?”

Celia continued to prostrate herself.

“Give me one reason why I should. For the good of humanity? Revenge? What is it that you think I want?”

Celia raised her head to reveal a slight smile. “A purpose. It is no exaggeration to say that you are the strongest human of our generation. You are also the only person in history who has survived a direct fight with the Demon King. If this is not your purpose, then what else is there?”

“I could always go back to the tavern.”

“That’s your choice.” Celia shook her head. “You could live as you did before Hannah’s death, or as you do now.”

Leo’s features sharpened into a scowl. He clenched his fists and looked away.

“I shouldn’t need to tell you which is more fulfilling.”

*Bang*

Leo lashed out at the floor, sending one of his fists wrist-deep into the aging wood.

“DO YOU REALLY THINK I HAVE A CHOICE!?”

*Bang*

Leo lifted his fist and then tore another hole in the floor.

“Without her, it’s not going to work! I can’t live like that anymore!”

The Adventurer dug his fingers into the wood until an unsettling creak resounded through the tower. He reluctantly placed his hands by his knees. His fists were balled so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

“You can.” Celia replied calmly. “I lost everything after this town burned down. My family, my friends, my home. After that, I gave up and tried to forget all of that. Pontius wasn’t even considering me as his successor at that point. But eventually I couldn’t forget, and I decided to try again.”

“But you -”

“-Yes, I failed again. I got caught up in my persona and didn’t want to accept the truth. You forced me to understand that, and I am very grateful.”

“Even so-”

“-Your partner was the same. From what you told me, she shook off the anxiety that she carried and-”

“-That’s not the same!” Leo roared.

Celia brought and hand to her chin and sighed. “Then what about you? I could be misinterpreting things, but you changed around that time as well, didn’t you?”

“T-That’s also different…”

“Maybe it was easier before, but that doesn’t change my question. Do you want to try again?”

Celia held out her hand and stared at Leo with steady eyes.

- - -

Five Years Later

The door to the Lion’s Tail Pub swung open. Rain rushed through the entrance as if it were trying to escape the howling storm. A cloaked figure stumbled inside like a drowned dog. A half dozen men and women followed him in.

“Guild master! I told you not to move!”

“You’re gravely wounded!”

“It’s the middle of the night! At least wait until tomorrow!”

They desperately tried to get his attention, but he ignored them all.

“Ugh, you’re even more stubborn than that muscle-head! Just pull him away!”

Several of them grabbed his arms and shoulders, but the man swatted them away like flies. Slowly but surely, the cloaked figure reached the counter. The barkeep opened his mouth to speak, but the man acted first. He tossed a pile of gold coins onto the counter and raised his hand.

“You know what I like. Give me this many bottles worth.”

The barkeep raised an eyebrow and the man pulled back his hood. After confirming the scar across his nose, the barkeep nodded with a grin.

“Are you trying to empty my entire stock?”

“I might be.” The Guild Master mirrored his grin. “Today I’m here to celebrate!”

End