Upon leaving Ordo, the two horses became three as they departed from the Holy Kingdom. This was a natural change as their group had grown from two to three.
Daeun didn’t mind riding with Kana. In fact, to be honest, she preferred it that way. So, when Kana suggested they buy another horse—
"Do we really need to buy another? Kana, you're light, so you can just ride with me. We’d save money too."
—but Kana had replied firmly.
"No. It’s uncomfortable."
With the leader, sponsor, and unofficial mascot Kana putting her foot down, Daeun, merely a follower and pack mule, had no grounds for argument. So, with each of them now riding separately, they continued their journey. However, as Daeun and Kana were now riding together on one horse, this arrangement left one horse unused.
"That’s pretty smart…."
Watching her previously mounted horse obediently follow its rider without needing to be led by the reins, Daeun was reminded of how intelligent horses truly were.
"Oh my…!"
Selene, riding beside her, looked over at Daeun and let out a soft laugh, her eyes curving gently.
"She’s fallen asleep."
Kana was resting against Daeun, eyes closed, her breathing slow and steady as her cape rose and fell in rhythm with her breath. Raising her hand to pat the girl’s head, Daeun paused, instead loosening her grip slightly to let Kana lean more comfortably.
"Yes, she seemed really tired. She couldn’t sleep well last night."
"Ah… she did seem restless. Children already need plenty of sleep, so she must be even more exhausted."
"That’s true."
Daeun knew Kana wasn’t exactly a child, but looking at her small figure, it was easy to forget. Maybe it was because of her childhood, which had likely been filled with hardship and scarcity, leaving Kana with a petite build and youthful face that made her seem younger than she was. Not to mention, her behavior sometimes betrayed a childlike side—stubborn, aloof, yet easily upset, and prone to occasional mischievousness.
And here she was, leaning so trustingly on someone she cared about.
Daeun occasionally found herself wondering what Kana would have been like if she’d grown up in a normal family.
"Selene, you must be tired too. Should we take a break and rest?"
"I’m fine, truly. Thanks to Edel-sama’s blessings, this level of fatigue is manageable. Look, don’t I look better than before?"
"Ah, you do seem a bit better."
"Besides, Kana-sama probably isn’t that tired. She likely drifted off because being in Joni-sama’s arms feels so cozy."
"Cozy…."
Daeun lowered her voice, lest she disturb Kana’s sleep, and exchanged a whisper with Selene, her face turning slightly complicated. Daeun was quite confident in her own figure. Although she didn’t particularly enjoy exercise, she knew that fitness was necessary for her health and for her travels, her favorite pastime. Over time, she’d developed a lean, toned body, with muscles in all the right places.
Yet—
She glanced over at Selene.
"…She’s big…."
"Pardon?"
"Oh, nothing, nothing."
Compared to Selene’s body, her confidence took a bit of a hit.
‘Especially in… certain areas….’
Caught up in Selene’s gentle warmth, Daeun looked down at her own chest. It wasn’t small—if anything, it was above average. But compared to Selene’s, it just didn’t measure up. Maybe Kana found Selene’s embrace even cozier than hers.
She could hear Kana’s soft breathing as she wondered.
‘Will Kana grow like that when she’s older?’
…A grown-up, busty Kana.
Daeun tried to picture Kana’s future self in her mind’s eye. A beautiful woman with long, flowing pink hair and a stoic expression. Although her face might look cold due to her expression, her soft eyes would give her an innocent, almost pure aura. A face that would make anyone look twice. She imagined a slender frame, with well-proportioned arms and legs, and… a fuller chest.
But as soon as she formed the image, it started to blur and distort, like watercolor splashed with water. She tried to redraw it, but it kept slipping away, losing shape.
After repeating this cycle three times, Daeun finally gave up.
‘Guess it’s too much to imagine.’
It’s not that she wanted Kana to stay exactly as she was forever, but it was hard to picture her any other way. She’d grown so accustomed to this version of Kana. It wasn’t her lack of imagination… probably.
"Hm?"
As Daeun expertly dodged self-responsibility, something caught her attention.
In Ardina, regions with distinct phenomena, like this area of the "Midnight Sun," were scattered across the continent. Some places experienced perpetual daylight, as here, while others remained in unbroken night. Daeun, who had a general interest in such places, knew a bit about these locations even if she hadn’t visited all of them. She also knew that due to the increased visibility, players favored areas like this. Few enjoyed hunting by torchlight.
So it wasn’t unusual to encounter people in regions of perpetual daylight. But the person approaching them was different.
Unlike the typically bizarre looks of some “hardcore players” who dressed in intentionally strange outfits, this man was walking with a unique presence. In Silia Online, players couldn’t easily delete or recreate characters; you could only have one character, and deleting it meant a permanent loss. As a result, most people refrained from making odd character choices.
Only some, who thrived on being "different," dressed for uniqueness, but this man was unusual even among them.
"…His left arm."
A ragged-looking man walked towards them from the opposite direction. Where his left arm should have been, an empty sleeve flapped in the wind. He looked like a Silian, but what had brought him alone to the land of perpetual daylight? Curious, Daeun urged her horse to the left to give him space.
Step.
"Huh?"
Sometimes, it happens on narrow paths—when both parties try to step aside in the same direction, only to end up in each other’s way. Daeun initially thought it was one of those awkward moments when he stepped to the left along with her horse.
But when it happened two more times, she realized it was intentional. Stopping her horse to avoid colliding, she watched as the man also came to a halt.
It was no accident.
"Do you have some business with us?"
Daeun maintained a safe distance in case she needed to flee if he turned aggressive. She kept her eyes on the sword hanging at his waist.
"No."
The man’s gravelly voice was curt.
"Then may we pass?"
"No."
"…Why? Didn’t you just say you had no business with us?"
"Yes, I did. I have no business with you."
He repeated her words, then drew his sword. Though worn and missing a few teeth, the old blade gleamed with a deadly edge. Daeun noticed his gaze, a mix of anger and reverence, wasn’t directed at her but at the girl resting in her arms.
‘Could it be…?’
Her suspicion was confirmed when he spoke again in that rough voice.
"After losing my comrades and my left arm to a demon, I came to realize something. Fate isn’t governed by gods or petty luck, but by strength alone. Strength is what determines both your fate and that of others."
He spoke in a calm tone, as though recounting a well-worn story.
"Since then, I’ve wandered the continent, dedicating myself to the sword, determined to take control of my destiny. Then I heard rumors of a pink-haired girl who felled an ogre horde and a dimensional beast. Upon hearing that, I knew the demon had reappeared, and I followed its trail."
And thus, he had come upon them again.
As soon as he finished, Daeun spoke up.
"Are you from the Empire?"
"I was once. Now I’m just a wanderer."
"You came after us to… get revenge on Kana?"
"No."
"Eh?"
Daeun’s response came out sounding dumbfounded. She’d naturally assumed he was here for revenge, but he denied it.
"I came to prove something. That my fate lies in my own hands."
"Fate and proof… You don’t really seem like the romantic type."
"This isn’t romanticism; it’s truth."
"Oh, I see."
It seemed he had come to fight Kana, but revenge wasn’t his motive. Daeun didn’t fully understand the distinction between proof and revenge, but she sensed he was being truthful in his own way. If it had simply been revenge, he would’ve attacked immediately upon seeing Kana asleep.
‘What should I do…?’
Selene, catching Daeun’s eyes, gave a helpless smile. Though slightly uneasy, she showed no intent to stop the man.
"It’ll be fine."
"Well, yes, but…."
As Daeun sighed, she felt the reassuring weight of her sword at her side. Once terrifying, it had become familiar.
‘…I don’t want to fight. I hate pain, and I hate hurting others.’
Understanding pain made Daeun more sensitive to others’ suffering, and so she feared battle.
"Still…."
Determination flickered in her eyes, steadying her trembling hand as she tightened her grip on the reins.
"Can I be part of this… proof?"
"You?"
The man’s eyebrow arched.
"It sparked my interest."
"You don’t seem ready for it."
"Well, you never know until you try, right?"
She wanted to stand beside Kana, not hide behind her. Maybe no matter how many monsters she defeated or levels she gained, she’d never truly catch up to Kana. But she didn’t want to give up.
‘Kana asked me to take care of things.’
Of course, that hadn’t meant "fight for me," but rather, it was a promise she’d made to herself.
"If that’s your wish."
Sensing her resolve, the one-armed swordsman shrugged. She knew that getting off the horse would likely wake Kana up. Turning to Selene, she called out.
"Selene, could you look after Kana—"
"No need."
At the familiar voice from her arms, Daeun looked down.
Kana, eyes open, gazed up at her directly.
Tftc