The air I breathed from yesterday

"I hope you can forgive me."

Those words echoed in Harriet's mind.

A shallow apology, or so it seemed. But for some reason, it carried a weight that unsettled him, something deeper than just regret over a fight.

His gaze shifted to Erika, who was currently lying on a bed, then to the mysterious man.

Who is he?

Harriet's thoughts swirled. From the strange dream that still lingered in his mind to the events that had unraveled today, none of it made sense.

As they remained in the infirmary, the silence was deafening for Harriet. It wasn't just the environment that made the atmosphere awkward but also the lingering tension from their previous encounter.

He knew he'd acted rashly, that he'd jumped to conclusions. He wanted to apologize. But as Harriet's gaze landed on the man, he hesitated to approach. There was this heavy feeling tugging at his chest. It made him nervous.

"Do you want to apologize?"

Harriet stiffened. The man had just spoken. His voice was flat, tired, hoarse.

"No need," the man murmured, sensing Harriet's hesitation.

"Just call me Rangi."

Brief. Dismissive.

Harriet raised an eyebrow.

What kind of name is that?

He thought to himself, something Rangi immediately sensed.

"Weird name, I know."

Harriet gawked at him. "How do you keep reading my thoughts?!"

His exasperation was met with a blank stare.

"You raised your eyebrow," Rangi replied matter-of-factly. "You judge people too much."

"Who would name their child after the Elven Hero?! That's just weird!" Harriet protested, pointing out the obvious, which made Rangi heave a sigh.

He refused to explain, probably something personal.

The tension between them only worsened. Though both wanted to clear the misunderstanding and apologize, they were also very stubborn.

Harriet simply adjusted himself, leaning against the doorframe, intending to watch over Erika from afar while keeping an eye on Rangi.

To him, it was still strange that Rangi had stayed with them all the way back to Novatlanta. Why was he following them? Harriet thought it was suspicious. For someone who was merely a stranger... maybe he wanted Erika?

It was well known that Erika came from the House of Florentine. As the Lord's only daughter, naturally, men would be tempted to marry her and secure a place in the prestigious noble house. But Harriet couldn't sense that same desire from Rangi, the one he usually noticed in men who gawked at Erika.

Maybe he just cares? Or...

"Harriettt!! Thank youuu!!"

A blur of silver crashed into him, clinging to his hands.

Penny.

Tears streaked her face as she whimpered, squeezing his hands in gratitude.

"We just finished talking to the officials. Clearly, an assassination was staged. I'll be leaving the investigation to them," Kafka stated as she followed Penny's steps.

Her demeanor shifted, from a cheerful friend to a domineering ally of justice. Harriet knew how much she wanted to take charge of this case, but even she had limits.

"If it weren't for you... I would've lost heeer!!" Penny continued expressing her gratitude between sniffles.

Though Harriet felt indifferent, after all, he wasn't the one who saved Erika. It was Rangi.

"Actually, I'm the one who saved her."

Penny's elven ears perked at Rangi's statement, and she turned to him, blinking in confusion.

Harriet shot him a look.

Why would you take the glory...? I'm already basking in it!

"You should thank this man too. If it weren't for him, Erika wouldn't have been saved," Kafka added with a smile. She patted Penny's shoulder, urging her to direct her gratitude to the rightful person.

Though she only did it to provoke Harriet, her intentions were clearly playful, her smug expression made Harriet roll his eyes.

"Whaaaa!!! Thank you, whoever you are!!"

Penny then pounced on Rangi, grabbing his hands and repeatedly chanting her gratitude.

"Harriet."

A familiar voice made Harriet stiffen. His gaze slowly averted to where Erika used to be.

Now, it was almost as if she had never been harmed. With a tender smile, Harriet couldn't contain himself and hugged Erika.

"She's awaaake!! Mistress Erika!!"

Penny also joined in, but she was only met with Erika's hand patting her silver hair.

"Well done. I thank you for saving me."

Her voice was mellifluous, holding grace, but for Rangi, it held influence.

He watched the three indulge in their reunion before shifting his gaze to Kafka.

Unmoving.

Her eyes yearned for genuine affection, similar to Erika's relationship with Harriet and Penny. But Rangi could see how she limited herself, merely rejoicing over their reunion from afar.

She was happy for them.

"As for you," Erika's eyes finally caught a glimpse of Rangi, "with utmost gratitude, I truly appreciate your effort."

Slowly, she stepped closer, smiling. It was both soft and uncanny.

She took Rangi's hand and squeezed it, leaning in, enough to make Harriet scoff in jealousy.

"You are one of the most skilled fighters I have seen. If ever, are you willing to aid our party in its future endeavors?"

Erika had just invited Rangi to join their party.

The room fell silent, stunned. Everyone, except Rangi.

His expression remained unchanged, though Harriet bristled with protest.

Huh?! Why would you trust him so quickly??

The words burned on Harriet's tongue, but for some reason, he held them back. He wanted to trust Erika. Trust her instincts. He could only clench his fists, glaring at how close she stood to Rangi.

"Ah. Before that, can you introduce yourself to us?" Erika pulled away, then let go of Rangi's hand.

Everyone's eyes shifted to Rangi. His towering appearance slightly unsettled them.

Clearly, he wasn't human.

"I am Rangi, and I like birds."

What kind of introduction was that...?

It was so awkward that Erika just smiled--she did not dare ask a follow-up question because, well, he was Rangi, and he liked birds.

The others exchanged glances. They also thought he had a strange name. Perhaps it was just an alias...?

Kafka, unable to hold it in, burst into laughter.

No one else followed suit. Rangi only stared at her, confused.

"So... why do you like birds?"

"Kafka... now's not the time..." Harriet shot her a look.

"I mean, why is he so passionate about birds? I'm genuinely curious!" she protested.

"Now, now... let's refrain from bickering," Erika heaved a sigh before looking at Rangi once more. "So tell me, Rangi, are you willing to join our party?"

Without hesitation, Rangi answered,

"Yes."

Hours after they had rested, Rangi found himself in the familiar dwelling of adventurers in Novatlanta, the Ouest Avis, also known as the Adventurer's Guild.

"In order to officially register you, you will need an Adventurer's ID and a manual registration in the Ouest Avis."

Rangi recalled Erika's words before shifting his gaze to Harriet, who was clearly annoyed, then to Kafka, whose expression remained neutral.

Ouest Avis, a place where adventurers gathered, felt much like a rowdy tavern, bustling with seasoned warriors, all waiting for glory to present itself.

At least for them, their names would be etched into history.

As they walked through the pathway toward the reception, every gaze in the room was pinned on either Harriet or Kafka.

The hero and the villain. How ironic that they stood side by side.

The reactions varied, admiration, idolization, disgust, fear. A full spectrum. And in the middle, pure confusion.

The three of them finally reached the receptionist.

What a beauty.

Clearly, men would gawk at her, but Rangi and Harriet remained unfazed. For Harriet, Erika was the greatest.

Kafka, on the other hand, only stared at the receptionist's ample chest, wondering how she could grow hers too.

"Excuse me, Ms. Luvia, we are here to register him in this guild," Harriet spoke.

"Oh my, a new friend of yours, Harry?" The receptionist, Ms. Luvia, smiled tenderly. "Your father must be delighted!" she added before rummaging through the files.

Then, an application form was placed on the glass table. It was made of a special kind of paper, its contents easily absorbed by a machine. How convenient.

Rangi took the form and began writing his name and information.

As he did, Harriet and Ms. Luvia engaged in a fun, hearty conversation. Then, his eyes shifted to Kafka.

Again, she was unmoving.

Her gaze avoided the eyes of the people around them, yet she stood confidently beside the hero, which only made the crowd despise her more.

The audacity.

Rangi sighed at the scene unfolding before him, then turned the form over to Ms. Luvia.

As she read his application, her lips slowly parted in disbelief.

"What's wrong, Ms. Luvia?" Harriet asked, sensing her hesitation.

"Rangi Ifgenia?"

"Yes?"

"Ifgenia... The Great Dragon Ifgenia."

Ms. Luvia's voice cracked. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead. She was in disbelief.

Even Harriet turned his gaze to Rangi, stunned.

"Are you kidding me right now?" Harriet asked, clearly agitated.

"If you want, you can just leave my surname out. It's awkward for me too," was the only phrase that left Rangi's lips. Even he couldn't understand the weight behind their expressions.

"What is a Dragon Prince doing in Novatlanta..?" Ms. Luvia asked. Even she was curious.

He wasn't just Rangi, the man who liked birds.

He was Dragon Royalty, one of Ifgenia's spawns. The Great Dragon who ruled the skies. The ruler of the Sky Fortress.

Harriet speculated that Rangi must have been joking, but the sheer confusion in his expression debunked that theory. He was unaware of Novatlanta's stance. Though it was one of humanity's last strongholds, it was also The Great Dragon's treasure.

Thus, their expressions weren't just filled with fear—there was forced respect.

"I mean, I don't really like staying up there," Rangi mumbled, almost whispering. He clearly disliked when people feared him for his blood.

"...Alright, let's set your card up then," Ms. Luvia nervously forced a chuckle before feeding the application into the machine.

As they waited for Rangi's card, Ms. Luvia heaved a sigh. There was something she wanted to say but hesitated.

Rangi caught on to this and asked, "Is there a mission the party must complete today?"

His question caught Ms. Luvia off guard.

How can he read minds?

"U-uhm. Yes, actually. There's a troubling Rift atop City Hall. It's still small, but the Argent Soldiers want Harriet to take action," Ms. Luvia explained as she processed Rangi's Adventurer's card.

She then faced Harriet. "Are you willing to take the mission? I know you don't really want to, but..."

Harriet felt guilty. It was his responsibility, but he hesitated to accept it. He didn't want to, yet humanity relied on him and his power.

Why was he even a hero?

He had never felt strong enough for the role. And yet, Thanaktos had chosen him as its wielder.

His eyes flickered with doubt, but in the end, refusal wasn't an option.

"Alright, Ms. Luvia, I will take care of the Rift."

He gave her a gentle smile, which made Ms. Luvia feel at ease as she sighed in relief.

As soon as Rangi received his card, the three of them strolled through the busy streets of Novatlanta. For Harriet, this was routine. No matter his reluctance, duty always pulled him forward.

Kafka followed suit. Though branded as a villain, she aspired to be a hero like Harriet. She walked his path, though even she didn't fully understand why.

They finally reached the Rift. It was now large enough for low-level monsters to breach.

"Is it growing at a faster rate...?" Kafka mused before stepping closer to the Rift.

"I think so. We should probably end its core," Harriet responded as he drew his sword.

As per protocol, both of them took the pills.

Except for Rangi.

"Aren't you going to take one?" Kafka asked, offering him a pill.

He shook his head. "I'm naturally resistant to the Dungeon's miasma."

Then his gaze shifted to Kafka. "Aren't you, too? It's weird that you still take them."

Without hesitation, he stepped into the Rift.

"Huh...What is he talking about? No one's truly immune to the miasma...but whatever."

Kafka frowned but brushed off his words and followed him in.

"Man, he's so weird..." Harriet whispered under his breath before following the two.

They were greeted by a Dungeon filled with lustrous plants this time. Though a barren land, it was somewhat filled with life.

Unfathomable.

Harriet thought as he wove through the streets of this Dungeon. Despite its similarities to Novatlanta, its lush greens were a peculiar sight.

What is happening?

He kept the questions to himself, as even he didn't know the true nature of Dungeons.

What are they exactly?

His gaze drifted to Rangi. If he was the Dragon Prince, maybe he knew something. Maybe the people of the Sky Fortress did.

"Dungeons are the manifestation of an unknown energy," Rangi spoke. "This energy came from the main Rift, where the Nascent Cataclysm started. It is outside of Novatlanta," he continued, assessing the safety of the Dungeon.

"So... there's also a possibility that it didn't just imitate Novatlanta?" Kafka asked, rubbing her chin.

"Precisely. It imitates reality. Though not every Dungeon is the same, unfortunately, they barely interconnect," Rangi answered.

"But this one... seemingly, it has another Rift lying within Novatlanta. Meaning there are different paths that can lead back to Novatlanta and different Rifts that can lead people into this single Dungeon."

Harriet clenched his fists. A strange, unshakable feeling settled in his chest.

"Hero." Rangi's voice cut through the air. "Have you heard the name The Crow?"

Harriet stiffened. His breath hitched.

The Crow.

He had no words. No reply. He barely processed the name before Rangi continued.

"The Crow... It's believed that she is the reason for the manifestation of these Dungeons. It's just a theory, but her sudden appearance triggered a tear in reality. She was first spotted a thousand years ago, but now, just before the Nascent Cataclysm took place." Rangi explained. He seemed quite knowledgeable on the subject.

Harriet and Kafka exchanged glances. He wasn't wrong. The Crow had appeared before the Cataclysm, but no records explained why. No one had ever understood her language.

A shiver ran down Harriet's spine. He suddenly remembered the entity in his dream.

That must have been The Crow. The Whispers of the Arcane.

"Shh..." Kafka suddenly halted, warning both Harriet and Rangi. She slowly drew her axe in preparation for battle.

She peeked around the crumbling building.

A group of robed figures was gathering magical stones from the bodies of fallen monsters.

"If there's something scarier than monsters, it's probably people who benefit from farming them…" Harriet suddenly blurted out while eavesdropping with Kafka.

"Like the researchers? Sure."

Rangi's attempt at jest made Kafka and Harriet shoot him the look.

"What? It's always about intentions..." Rangi grumbled with a frown.

Harriet ignored him and studied the figures. Their robes bore a distinct pattern, deep blue, with an embroidered eye staring from the hood.

A cult?

"Those are the Everwatchers," Kafka whispered.

Harriet felt his stomach turn.

"They believe in equality," she continued. "No discrimination, no matter your hair color." Her voice was steady, but her fingers curled tighter around her weapon.

"I respect their ideals," she muttered, "but their methods are rotten."