Kai.

Arthur's legs finally gave out beneath him. His body crashed onto the cold earth, his breath coming in sharp gasps. His muscles ached, his throat burned with thirst, and his entire body felt as if it was shutting down.

He couldn't run anymore.

The realization struck him as he lay on the dirt, staring up at the sky. The stars twinkled, indifferent to his suffering. His heartbeat pounded in his ears, drowning out the distant sounds of the night. His father had stopped chasing him.

Had William Bethonen given up?

Or had he chosen to believe his son was already as good as dead?

Arthur clenched his fists, his fingers digging into the soil. Why? His father was relentless—he should have chased him until the ends of the earth. But he didn't.

He had abandoned the chase.

Arthur didn't know whether to feel relieved or angry.

His father, a man who valued the law above everything else, had let him go.

A bitter chuckle left his lips. "So that's it, huh…?" he murmured to himself.

He wasn't worth chasing.

His body refused to move anymore. He had no more strength left to fight against the fatigue overtaking him. His vision blurred as exhaustion claimed him. His eyelids drooped. The world around him faded.

Then—

Clip-clop.

Arthur's eyes shot open.

A faint, rhythmic sound echoed through the silence of the night.

Clip-clop. Clip-clop.

A horse.

His breath caught in his throat. Laws.

They had found him.

His fingers twitched, trying to gather the last bits of strength to move—but he couldn't. He was too weak, too drained.

Clip-clop. Clip-clop.

The sound grew louder, closer.

The horse finally stopped in front of him, its heavy breathing mixing with the cool night air.

Arthur forced himself to look up.

A man sat atop the horse, silhouetted by the moonlight.

His presence was imposing, but not in the way a Law officer would be. He didn't wear the uniform, nor did he have the signature star insignia of the Law pinned to his chest. Instead, he wore a dark-blue shirt, torn and worn from travel, black baggy pants that were just as beaten, and a straw hat that cast a shadow over his eyes. A dark-red scarf wrapped around his lower face, concealing everything below his nose.

But what caught Arthur's attention the most—

—was the double-barrel shotgun strapped across his back.

Arthur's breath hitched.

It was him.

The outlaw.

The same man he had seen earlier in the town. The same man who carried death at his side.

The outlaw tilted his head, squinting down at Arthur like he was trying to figure out what he was looking at. Then, without warning—

He grinned.

"Well, well," the man said, his voice filled with amusement. "Didn't expect to find a half-dead fella lying in the dirt tonight."

Arthur didn't respond.

The outlaw leaned forward, resting his arms on the saddle. "You still alive, kid? Or are you already halfway to the afterlife?"

Arthur swallowed. His throat was so dry that even breathing hurt. "I'm… alive…" he muttered.

The man chuckled. "Good. Would've been a damn shame if I found a corpse instead."

He tilted his head again, observing Arthur with curious eyes. "You ain't a Law, that much is obvious. So, what are you doin' out here all alone?"

Arthur hesitated. Should he tell him? This man was an outlaw—he had no reason to trust him. But what other choice did he have?

"...I ran away," Arthur finally said, his voice hoarse.

The outlaw raised an eyebrow. "Ran away, huh? From what?"

Arthur hesitated.

The outlaw waited patiently, not pressing him for an answer.

After a long silence, Arthur exhaled shakily.

"From the Law."

The outlaw blinked. Then, suddenly—

He threw his head back and laughed.

It wasn't a cruel laugh, nor was it mocking. It was genuine amusement, filled with a sort of lighthearted energy that felt completely out of place in this situation.

"Hah! Now that's a story I gotta hear one day!" The man wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. "Not often you hear about a kid runnin' away from the folks meant to protect 'em."

Arthur didn't answer. He didn't know how to react to this man's carefree nature.

The outlaw took a deep breath and leaned forward again. "So, where ya headin'?"

Arthur hesitated. "I… don't know."

The outlaw hummed. Then, with a smirk, he asked, "Ever heard of Drentail?"

Arthur frowned. "Drentail?"

The outlaw's grin widened. "A place where outlaws like me can live freely. No Laws, no rules—just folk who got nowhere else to go."

Arthur stared at him. A town where outlaws lived? A place where the Law couldn't reach?

It sounded like a myth.

"...How does it exist?" Arthur asked. "If it was real, the Law would've wiped it out by now."

The outlaw chuckled. "That's the thing, kid. They don't know where it is."

Arthur's mind raced. A hidden town for outlaws… it almost sounded too good to be true.

The outlaw tilted his head. "What do you think? Wanna come with me?"

Arthur hesitated for only a moment. Then, he nodded.

"I want to go," he said, determination creeping into his voice.

The outlaw grinned. "Atta boy!"

He pulled out a canteen from his belt and tossed it to Arthur. "Drink up. You look like you're 'bout to keel over."

Arthur caught it with shaky hands and immediately gulped down the water. The cool liquid soothed his burning throat, and for the first time in hours, he felt like he could breathe again.

The outlaw waited until Arthur finished before offering a hand. "Name's Kai, by the way. Just Kai."

Arthur hesitated, then reached up and shook his hand. "Arthur… Arthur Bethonen."

Kai raised an eyebrow but didn't comment on the name. Instead, he nodded toward his horse. "Alright, Arthur. Hop on. We got a long ride ahead of us."

Arthur pulled himself onto the back of the horse with Kai's help.

As soon as he was seated, Kai snapped the reins.

The horse took off into the night, carrying them toward the unknown.

***

The steady rhythm of the horse's gallop filled the quiet night as Arthur clung to Kai's back, the wind brushing against his face. He was exhausted, his body barely holding on after everything that had happened, but his mind was wide awake. The reality of his situation was finally sinking in.

He was leaving everything behind—his home, his father, his past.

For the first time in his life, he was truly free.

But freedom didn't come without danger.

Kai turned his head slightly, flashing a grin at Arthur. "By the way, kid, when we get to Drentail—don't tell anyone your real name."

Arthur frowned. "Why?"

Kai chuckled, keeping one hand on the reins while the other rested lazily on his thigh. "First of all, no one in Drentail ever speaks their real name. That place is filled with criminals and outlaws who'd slit your throat if they knew too much about you. You don't go throwing your name around unless you want trouble."

Arthur nodded slowly. That made sense. But Kai wasn't finished.

"And second of all…" He turned his head slightly, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. "Bethonen. That last name—it's a famous Law name, ain't it?"

Arthur stiffened. His grip on the saddle tightened.

Kai noticed the reaction and smirked. "Yeah… I figured. So, who is it? Your uncle? A distant cousin?"

Arthur exhaled sharply. There was no point in hiding it now. "My father...William Bethonen."

Kai's entire body froze for a second. Then—

He burst into laughter.

"Holy shit! You're tellin' me your old man is William Bethonen? A four-star Law?!"

Arthur gave a small, awkward nod. "...Yeah."

Kai let out a low whistle, shaking his head. "Damn, kid. I'm fucking dead if the Law finds out I'm helping you. Hell, even if an outlaw finds out, we're both as good as dead!"

Arthur let out an awkward chuckle, scratching the back of his head. "Yeah… I kinda figured."

Kai laughed again, shaking his head in disbelief. "Of all the people I could've picked up on the side of the road, it had to be the son of William Bethonen."

Arthur wasn't sure whether to feel flattered or terrified.

Kai sighed, but his grin never wavered. "Well, shit. Guess there ain't no turnin' back now. You're my problem now, kid."

Arthur gave him a half-smile. "Guess so."

They rode in silence for a few minutes before Kai glanced back again, curiosity still burning in his eyes. "Alright, alright. Now you have to tell me—what the hell did you do to get yourself running from the Law? 'Cause from what I've seen, you don't look like the type to go robbin' banks or shootin' sheriffs."

Arthur took a deep breath. He wasn't sure why, but he felt comfortable talking to Kai. The man had this carefree energy that made him easy to talk to.

So, he told him.

Everything.

How he had been wandering alone at night, as he always did. How he had seen the outlaw with a gun on his waist and a sword in his hand. How that man had killed a two-star Law right in front of him.

"I saw the whole thing," Arthur said, his voice low. "The outlaw stabbed the Law through the heart… then left his sword behind."

Kai hummed, listening intently.

Arthur continued, his fingers tightening around the saddle. "After the outlaw ran, I—I don't know why, but I went to check on the Law. I saw his insignia… two stars."

He exhaled sharply. "Then… another Law passed by. He saw me. He saw the body. And he saw the sword lying right next to me."

Kai's expression darkened slightly. "And let me guess… the dumbass assumed you were the one who did it?"

Arthur nodded. "They arrested me. Took me straight to the chief."

Kai sighed. "Classic Law. Always act first, think later."

Arthur let out a bitter chuckle. "Yeah, well… that's not even the worst part."

Kai raised an eyebrow. "Oh? There's more?"

Arthur hesitated. Then, with a steady voice, he said, "I killed a Law."

Kai blinked. "Wait, what?"

Arthur exhaled. "When I was in jail, outlaws attacked the town. There was a massacre… and the chief dropped the keys to my cell."

Kai smirked. "Ahh, so that's how you got out."

Arthur nodded. "I had shackles on, but I managed to get them off. I was running—just trying to get away. And then…"

He swallowed hard. "...A Law tried to stop me."

Kai didn't say anything, waiting for him to continue.

Arthur's voice was quiet, but steady. "He was gonna kill me, Kai. He saw me running and didn't even hesitate—he went straight for his gun. And I—I panicked. I grabbed a weapon from the ground and… I killed him before he could kill me."

Silence.

For the first time since Arthur met him, Kai wasn't smiling.

The outlaw let out a low breath, staring ahead.

Arthur bit his lip. Maybe he had said too much.

But then—

Kai suddenly snapped his fingers and grinned. "Wait a damn minute… I remember now!"

Arthur blinked. "What?"

Kai turned back to look at him, his eyes shining with amusement. "I was there! In the town! I saw all the chaos goin' down! And I remember hearin' about a kid who got locked up for killin' a two-star Law!"

Arthur stiffened. "...You heard about me?"

Kai grinned wider. "Hell yeah, I did! Word travels fast in places like that. Some folks were sayin' the Law locked up a ruthless killer, while others were sayin' it was all a mistake."

Arthur didn't speak.

Kai studied him for a moment before letting out a laugh. "Well, ain't that somethin'."

Arthur shifted slightly in his seat. "And what do you think?"

Kai smirked. "What do I think?" He let go of the reins with one hand and patted Arthur's shoulder.

"I think you're one unlucky bastard, kid."

Arthur couldn't help but let out a small chuckle.

Kai shook his head. "I mean, damn. First, you get framed for somethin' you didn't do, then you get thrown in jail, then outlaws attack, and you actually kill a Law in the middle of it all? That's one hell of a story!"

Arthur sighed. "Yeah, well… I don't know if that's a good thing or not."

Kai grinned. "That depends. You regrettin' any of it?"

Arthur paused.

He thought about his father. The Law. The shackles. The life he was forced to live.

Then he thought about Drentail.

A town where outlaws were free.

Finally, he met Kai's gaze and said, "No. I don't regret any of it."

Kai let out a low whistle, his grin widening. "Now that's what I like to hear."

He snapped the reins, and the horse picked up speed.

The town of Drentail awaited them.