Forward.

A sudden awakening. Lena gets up with a panic and looks around.

She frantically rotates her head as she takes in the scenery around her scanning it. A regular room, with regular furniture, her equipment where it should be, her cloth where it should be, the window closed as it should be, nothing at all changed.

She lays back down and lifts her right arm that's still clad with the massive gauntlet.

'I'm still here...' she thinks before nodding off for another hour.

Time passed for Lena. The next 3 months were not that mentionable other than the fact of her joining a leviathan hunt party alongside junas. After that another 2 months passed which a platoon of the demon lord's army had attacked the kingdom. They were predicted to attack a long while ago, but they were a lot slower than expected probably because of the demon lords still ongoing disappearance. During the attack Luna played a massive part protecting the people while junas and other adventurers went to fight the platoon commander head-on. Many of the adventurers died off before even reaching the commander so Lena and other adventurers were called in for backup. After that another 3 months passed and finally the demon lord had come back to his throne. The army has calmed down and retreated for places further away from the middle lands, while some had separated themselves from the demon lord's army and started working independently. Then another 6months passed where Lena only kept adventuring. During that whole time Lena could feel herself slowly losing strength with each passing day.

14 months later...

Lena thinks having coffee right now is a good idea so she decides to go to the coffee house next to her inn.

She takes a seat at what seemed like a nice and quite table only for moments later have a man sit on the one behind her. Luckily for her he is alone so he will most likely stay quite.

A woman approaches Lena asking her of what she would like which Lena responds to with a coffee is enough. The woman then asks the man behind Lena which Lena doesn't pay much attention to.

She can hear the woman's footsteps as she retreats back to the counter.

Lena sighs as she relaxes her back.

Then as she starts thinking of her coming days she is quickly interrupted.

"Lena am I right?" The man behind her says.

Lena doesn't reply.

"I see... Miss Lena I'm here with a request." The man says not turning around.

Lena tries to ignore him.

"It's a simple request, one that you should be able to handle without much effort." The man says with a straight voice.

Lena decides she had enough of this mans bullshit and stands up to leave, but as soon as she stands she is stopped by the mans words.

"Octan." the man says calmly.

"If you do no answer to us, we will make sure he pays the price." The man says as his posture doesn't change whatsoever

Lena sits back down.

"Let's see now, I'm guessing you are gonna be a bit more responsive now?" The man asks as if provoking Lena.

"What do you want." Lena doesn't hide her anger.

"See isn't a two way conversation better?" The man says.

"What are you even planning, you think you can actually harm Octan?" Lena says as she calms down and thinks through the mans words.

"Yes indeed, while hurting him physically might be impossible we have our ways." The man says.

Lena doesn't reply.

"Kouko." The man utters another name.

Lena holds the urge to turn and kill the man behind her as she realizes she is in public.

"You can put the pieces together yourself now can't you? So don't act rash and force our hands." The man says.

"What do you need..." Lena says defeated.

"It's simple really, All we need you to do is assassinate the king." The man says without a hint of change in his tone.

Lena takes in the man's words and then asks.

"And what makes you think I'm able to do that?" Lena asks.

"Under normal circumstances you wouldn't, but let's just say you are going to be given the opportunity."

"And if I do not take it?" Lena asks.

"Didn't I already give you our cards? I'm pretty sure you can figure that out on your own." The man says.

Lena stays silent for a bit.

"How long do I have?" Lena asks.

"Tomorrow's sunrise. If the king is still alive by then we wont spare a single moment." The man says as Lena can sense him leaning back on his chair.

"What if I get caught?" Lena asks.

"As long as he is dead we are happy. Whether you get caught or not is non of our concern." The man says.

Lena can then feel the man slowly standing up, he is about to leave.

"How..." Lena says making the man stop.

"How do you know about him..." Lena says as she herself wonders why she is asking.

"We know about him a lot more than you do, Miss Lena of Tahi." The man says as he walks outside.

Lena is left stunned as the woman comes back with a cup of coffee.

Lena looks at her doubtfully and then drinks her cup.

As Lena leaves the coffee house she remembers the man's words. 'let's just say you are going to be given the opportunity.' so what? Is she supposed to just live her day normally hoping for a chance to run into him.

Lena sighs as she heads to the wild land guild building.

The guild has been a lot more prosperous ever since "that" which does annoy Lena.

Lena tries to ignore the fuss so she heads to the quest board where she stands there looking around at all the different quests.

While she is still trying to make a decision the guild receptionist calls for her.

Apparently the guild master wants to meet her immediately so Lena goes up floor where he is waiting.

There the little man is waiting.

As he sees Lena right arm he gives a slight chuckle which Lena ignores.

"I'm happy we both were able to profit from that." The guild master gives a slight remark which is never brought up again.

"Anyway, that's not why I called you. You were invited to the king's castle." The guild master delivers his line without beating around the bush.

Lena is shocked. Or should she not be? The thought runs through Lena's head as she thinks whether this is a surprise or not. Yes she had already been told she will be given the chance, but that alone is it's own surprise.

"W-why?" Lena had to ask hesitantly.

"Do not ask me... I was told to send you there under any circumstance, If the choice was up to me I would send one of our more... Proper? adventurers instead, but they were persistent about it being you." The guild master sighs.

"A-and when is it?" Lena asks.

"Around dusk, A wagon will come and get you from the guild building's front door." The guild master says.

Lena takes it all in silence.

"I do not know why you were called there, but you better give us a proper representation! Even if it's something as minor as cleaning the halls you better do it properly!" The guild master demands which Lena ignores.

Lena then excuses herself and leaves.

She walks as she blankly stares at the ground under her. Her mind is too busy thinking through what the hell has happened and what is going to happen.

If she were to go through with it what is she gonna lose? what is she gonna gain? what is it that moves her towards doing this?

Wait no... In the first place can she do it? Can she take the life of another? Lena has been killing for living for the last more 2 years, but those were monsters... So will she able to even kill him when given the chance?

And will she be able to live on with herself? To continue living on the grounds of the person she killed? to live with the people of the person she killed? Can she really just continue on heartlessly? What would trestina think about her? What would toto and lulu think? What would kouko think? What would Octan think...

All those thoughts run through Lena's head as she moves through town aimlessly looking downwards.

"I guess tomorrow isn't going to be the same." Lena says as she finally starts moving towards her inn.

Lena Enters her room and reaches for her drawer.

Inside is her usual casual clothing and that one dress she once bought with Trestina.

'I wonder if this will work with this...' Lena thinks looking at the gauntlet on her right arm. She slowly unties the bands going around her chest and upper back holding the gauntlet in place. Then she slowly pulls it out as a sharp shot of pain goes through her right arm. It feels absolutely horrible, but a bit more comfortable then the day she first put on the gauntlet.

'how does this even work.' Lena says to herself at the stupid phenomenon going on in her body.

She quickly takes off her cloth and puts on the dress to then put on the gauntlet.

'hmmmm...' she thinks as she looks at herself.

"does this really look good?" Lena says.

Then she stands stunned as she realizes what she is doing.

"What am I trying to look good for? Aren't I going to assassinate him?" Lena realizes how dumb she was acting.

She sighs and falls back first onto the bed in the room.

"What am I doing..." She says.

It's almost the promised time. Lena is wearing her usual casual cloth alongside the huge gauntlet on her right arm and for some reason she keeps the sword to her waist.

As she walks towards the wild land's guild building she runs into someone she knows quite well.

"Lenaaaaa!" The woman calls for Lena..

"where are you going?" Trestina says questioning Lena.

"Nothing much just a walk." Lena says looking around awkwardly.

"A walk huh... sure..." Trestina says doubtful.

"haha...." Lena laughs nervously.

"Oh right! you got any plans on Thursday 2 days from now?" Trestina says remembering.

"No don't think so..." Lena says nervously.

Trestina quickly notices the unfitting response.

"Please don't act rashly." Tresitna says.

Lena is stunned by Trestina's sudden words.

"Of course." Lena lies.

"... Good luck, Lena." Trestina says.

Lena looks at her face which is encouraging.

"I'm sorry." Lena says as she walks off.

As The guild master had said a Wagon is waiting in front of the building's front door.

There is quite the crowd around it all looking at it with interest in their eyes. As Lena gets closer the person standing in front of the passenger cabin's door opens it and bows slightly inviting Lena in.

Lena gets in awkwardly and then the man goes to sit next to the wagon's driver.

As the wagon slowly approaches the Castle Lena Thinks about what she is about to lose and weighs them against what she will keep.

'haha... Lena you are a pretty bad liar' Lena remembers those words.

"you are right..." Lena says under her breath quietly as she remanences.

The wagon finally stops and a huge red carpet is spread in front of Lena to walk on. On the sides multiple guards stand all firmly holding their positions. It makes Lena slightly doubt her capabilities to assassinate the king.

She walks through the red carpet until she reached the huge main gate into the castle. Before she can enter an official looking person stops her and asks her to remove the sword. Lena hesitantly obeys. She is then asked to also asked take off her gauntlet which Lena tries to convince the man that she can't. The man insists on it until someone runs towards them and whispers words to the man's ears which leads to a sigh then approval of Lena's gauntlet.

The someone who whispered to the man then asks Lena to follow him to where the king will meet her. Lena follows the man with each step getting more and more anxious. Finally they reach an end of a hallway with a single door and two guards standing on each side.

"Inside he is waiting." the someone says as he bows and leaves.

Lena gulps on her saliva as she looks at the intimidating door. Then she slowly takes a step which leads to another step finally reaching the door and entering. Inside all her worries disappear, for all she sees is an old drunkard drinking straight from a barrel.

As she stares at the very unexpected and surprising scene in front of her the old drunkard puts down the barrel and rubs his mouth with his arm as he turns towards the door which is when Lena realizes.

'THATS THE KING!?!?!?!?!!?!?' Lena screams inside.

The king gives Lena a genuine smile and gestures her over.

Lena slowly walks over to him.

"here." The king says offering Lena beer.

Lena tilts her head confused.

"Oh would you rather wine? there is some over there." The king says turning his head to a shelf full of all kinds of wine.

"that's not the problem here..." Lena says without a hint of her uneasiness left.

"hahaha! just enjoy the night dear Lena! You can drink or eat! Right there is a table full of food do not shy yourself away from it!" The king says laughing.

"Sure..." Lena says.