Belonging again

A place resembling a temporary military camp is located somewhere in a forest near a river. Many tents have been set up. From the way the equipment and tools are used to erect the tents and other armaments, it's clear that there hasn't been much advancement. They are mostly primitive, crafted from sturdy tree wood, leather, ivory, and horns. The creatures observed are large and muscular, with dark green skin. They typically wear leather or metal armor and carry heavy swords or long spears in their hands. They have a pair of tusk-like teeth that remain visible even when their mouths are closed. Some of them are patrolling among the tents, while another group is gathered around a fire, passing the time by talking, boasting, or arguing with one another, and in the meantime, they treat themselves to meat.

We enter the interior of one of these tents—a tent larger and made with higher-quality materials than the others. A human, a young man, is tightly bound to the wooden pole in the center of the tent with a rope. His dark blue hair is completely disheveled, falling over his forehead and eyes. His clothes are torn, and his body is wounded, though it seems his injuries have been tended to. It's evident that he has endured so much suffering that no strength remains in his body—not even enough to lift his head. Additionally, the tent is stocked with various weapons, food, and necessary supplies, which apparently accounts for its superior quality and size.

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Kelvin, Anthea, and the hand are staring at a boy who was speaking with the leader of the Dryads with concern, a hint of anger, and seriousness. The boy is also staring at Kelvin. The leader of the Dryads, upon seeing a human accompanying Anthea, quickly assesses the situation and takes action, addressing Anthea and Kelvin.

"Human, please stay with this fellow of your kind for a while so I may speak with Anthea."

Kelvin, having been briefed by Anthea beforehand, does not object and, as the leader of the Dryads instructed, separates from Anthea. He accompanies the swordsman boy to an area on the edge of the hidden zone reserved for the Dryad leader. The leader and Anthea completely exit the hidden area, closing the natural wall behind them to ensure the two cannot escape or leave without permission for any reason.

The hand, as usual driven by intense curiosity, takes advantage of her concealment from everyone's sight and follows the leader of the Dryads and Anthea to eavesdrop.

Some time passes with Kelvin and the boy left alone together. Unable to bear the intolerable silence any longer, Kelvin decides to break the ice himself. He begins with a slightly anxious and flustered tone.

"Ahem, ahem…! I say, I think it wouldn't hurt to at least know your name…"

The boy, whose mind was evidently preoccupied with something serious, with anger and a touch of anxiety plainly visible on his face, hears Kelvin's sudden words. The intensity of his emotions unconsciously lessens a bit, and he stares at Kelvin, adopting a surprised and slightly curious tone.

"Oh… sorry, my mind's a bit caught up with something important. Otherwise, I'm usually a cheerful and friendly person. My name's Sean. What about you?"

"Well, I… uh… oh, by the way, sorry, but honestly, my curiosity's really piqued. Could I first know what happened, if it's not too nosy?" *Kelvin*

Upon hearing Kelvin's question, Sean involuntarily recalls the entire matter, causing that bad and worrying feeling to return. Nevertheless, he continues his conversation with Kelvin, trying not to let this mental concern affect his demeanor.

"Well, the truth is… I'm part of a fairly well-known exploration group. We take on important missions from private or government individuals—mostly government—to carry out in various places. In this last mission, which I won't go into details about, one of our group members was captured…"

Kelvin's facial expressions, reactions, and demeanor suddenly shift. He, too, becomes deeply worried and horrified. He had personally experienced and understood the brutality of the creatures in this forest.

"Captured…?! That's really bad!! We have to rescue him, we have to do something!! How can you sit here so calm and composed???"

Hearing Kelvin's words, Sean's anger rises slightly, and his nerves fray. He lets out a slow sigh, turns his gaze away from Kelvin, and stares at the trees within the area.

"I know their commander well from past encounters. He's smarter than the rest of his kind. Even if it's just to lure us to his camp, he won't harm him… but that's the problem. There are too many of them. I don't want the rest of the group to get hurt either. That's why I was hoping Mr. Maoz could help us, but convincing him isn't that easy, it seems…"

Kelvin listens to Sean's words in silence, his face sad and shocked, while sinking into thought.

*• Maoz? Oh, so that's the name of the Dryad leader. I don't exactly know what it means, but at least its sound and tone suit such a person well. Wait… why am I thinking about something so trivial right now??!! I really wanted to help him, but unfortunately, my own situation isn't much better. Tch… that hand woman—where did she disappear to again?! •*

Kelvin, now curious about the exploration group, steers the conversation toward that topic.

"From what's clear, you were more than just an exploration group—like a family or close friends… I'm really sorry. Did you come here alone this time? Or are the other members here too? I'm sure those poor souls are really worried and upset right now…"

Sean gives a bitter smile upon seeing Kelvin's sense of compassion and concern, then looks at him again.

"You didn't do anything to apologize or feel sorry for, boy. In fact, I'm grateful for your empathy. And no, I didn't come alone. However, only one person was allowed to meet Maoz, and it was decided that I'd go. I'm better suited for such matters than the others. The rest are waiting outside the wall."

*• More suitable…? Are the other members of his group… I mean, are they really 100% muscle and 0% brain? Or do they just not know how to negotiate? • Kelvin*

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Anthea and Maoz are walking slowly through a corridor connecting the public area to Maoz's private quarters, a path Anthea and Kelvin had crossed earlier. Maoz, staff in hand, walks ahead at a leisurely pace, while Anthea follows a short distance behind, maintaining respect and a particular dignity. The hand flies alongside them, silent. Maoz initiates the conversation.

"Very well, my dear keeper. I'm listening."

Without a moment's hesitation or wasting Maoz's time unnecessarily, Anthea gets straight to the point, explaining the situation clearly and precisely.

"My lord, the human I've brought with me is a suspicious and strange case. That's why, despite you granting me the rank of keeper, I still chose to entrust this particular matter to you personally."

Maoz's attention is drawn to the subject.

"Girl, you've piqued my curiosity further. Go on."

"Yes. As I do every day, I was overseeing my section. I can easily detect any creature entering or leaving my supervised area because every being has life energy. This human is certainly alive, not undead. But contrary to expectations, his presence appeared suddenly in the central part of my region, in an instant."

"Interesting. Even a keeper couldn't detect such a creature entering her domain." *Maoz*

"Yes, my lord. Even if he'd used some form of teleportation, I should've still sensed the traces left by his movement. But this human—it's as if he materialized; his presence just emerged out of nowhere." *Anthea*

Finally, Maoz stops walking, turns around, and fixes Anthea with a gaze that seems resolute, his decision made.

"We're going back, my dear keeper. Let's go. I've made my decision."

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Sean and Kelvin are gradually warming up, chatting and debating with each other. It seems each has taken a liking to the other's personality and ethics. Since the wait has stretched longer than they anticipated, they decide to sit on the grass and continue their conversation. Kelvin appears astonished and bewildered by Sean's words, hardly believing them.

"What do you mean??? That's not logical at all!! With a frying pan??? I don't get it… Was a frying pan even made for that???"

Sean laughs heartily at Kelvin's reaction. His mind is still preoccupied with his teammate, but for now, he has no choice but to wait.

"She's an odd girl. Especially some of her habits and quirks, but she's genuinely kind and caring. After all, each of us has our own past and unique traits that set us apart. What matters is that, despite all these differences, we can come together as a team and find harmony and coordination." He pauses, his expression shifting to curiosity. "I say, up until now, we've talked about me and the group, and I've answered all your questions. Isn't it about time we talked about you? I've explained a lot, but you've been suspiciously dodging even telling me your name."

Kelvin, completely engrossed in Sean's explanations and not expecting his turn to come, is caught off guard and startled for a moment.

"Oh, uh, yeah, that's right…! Well, you see, how do I put this…"

Sean, seeing Kelvin struggle to respond, raises an eyebrow and looks slightly puzzled.

"Is something wrong? Did something happen?"

"N-no, no, it's just… I don't know what my name is… because, well… I don't even know who I am, where I came from, or where I'm supposed to go…" *Kelvin*

"That's strange. You mean you've lost your memory?? Something like that happened to you??!!"

Kelvin is taken aback by Sean's sudden seriousness and concern.

"W-well, I came to in this very forest, and yeah, it seems I've lost my memory. Uh… but why did it suddenly become so important to you?"

Sean edges closer to Kelvin and stares at him intently.

"What are you saying, boy?! Of course it's important!! You're a human, one of our species. But now you've woken up in this forest with no memories, totally lost. That's suspicious!! There could be an interspecies conflict involved!! It has to be addressed. I hope whoever did this to you was human too, because if word gets out otherwise, the politicians itching for an excuse to break the fragile international peace will definitely restart the war!!!"

*• So that's how it is… It seems there was a massive war between humans and other races before, and now they've reached some kind of interspecies peace? But from what Sean's saying, it doesn't sound very stable… What a mess!!! I've got enough problems of my own—now I might end up stuck in this war-torn disaster too!!! Or worse, forced to fight. If it's a war between humans and another species, every person, no matter their friendships, enmities, or status, will have to join in!!! Curse my luck!!!! For my own sake, I've got to get this duty-bound guy to drop my issue!!!! •*

Suddenly, a counterexample springs into Kelvin's mind.

"Wait… Sean, how is it that your captured teammate doesn't mean a violation of the interspecies peace himself?"

Sean slowly shakes his head from side to side.

"The ones we clashed with are orcs. Their species never accepted the peace. So later, new forces formed by the allies engaged in battles with the remaining species who rejected the alliance—called the confederates—and even today, these conflicts persist in a scattered, decentralized way."

"Oh, I thought this peace and alliance covered all the nations' populations. Apparently, it's just a specific group that accepted it…"

*• Well, that's better for me!!!! Now there's a chance that the jerk who did this to me could be from one of the species that didn't accept the peace!! Phew… things aren't as bad as I thought. •*

At that moment, the passage in the wall opens, and Maoz and Anthea enter the area with the hand. Seeing them, Sean and Kelvin quickly stand and approach. Sean steps forward and salutes as soon as he reaches Maoz. The hand stares at Kelvin and addresses him.

"Step back a bit from them. I've got some things to tell you, and you need to listen carefully."

Kelvin, using the excuse of not interfering in Sean and Maoz's matter, goes with Anthea, and they distance themselves a few steps from the two to let them talk. Before the hand can speak, Anthea addresses Kelvin in her cold, stern tone.

"I've spoken with Lord Maoz about you, human."

The hand gets irritated.

"That annoying girl—my words are more important!!!!"

Ignoring the hand's shouting, Kelvin listens to Anthea.

"Well… um… what was the outcome?"

"Soon, he himself will tell you. Be patient." *Anthea*

Kelvin, his face turning slightly poker-like, glances at Maoz and Sean while subtly eyeing the hand to hear what she has to say.

*• That woman… :/ If you're not going to tell me, why bring it up at all??? Maoz was going to tell me himself eventually. Tch… forget it, let's see what this hand has to say. •*

Sean is visibly shocked and overjoyed by Maoz's words. Tears of joy slowly stream from his eyes as he salutes repeatedly.

"Thank you so much for your kindness, Mr. Maoz!!! As for the request you made, it's nothing compared to the favor you're about to do for us. Don't worry—yes, sir!!"

Maoz lets out a dignified laugh of satisfaction and responds.

"I'm pleased we've reached a good agreement, young explorer. Let's go share this with your new friend quickly and send reinforcements with you. I hope you can successfully subdue those orcs and retrieve your dear member."

"Yes, sir, let's go!!" *Sean*

Finally, everyone gathers around the royal throne at the center of the area. Maoz sits upon it again and begins speaking as all eyes and ears await.

"Humans, both of you step forward."

Following Maoz's command, Kelvin and Sean step forward, while Anthea salutes and steps back a few paces. Sean looks happy and ready, but Kelvin, though determined, carries a distinct mental unease on his face.

Maoz first points his staff at Sean.

"Young man, as we've successfully agreed, I've accepted your request and will send a few of my people to assist you in this rescue mission."

Sean salutes with a wide smile of satisfaction and joy.

"I'm deeply grateful for your boundless kindness and mercy, Mr. Maoz. I hope the peace and cooperation between Dryads and humans remain this strong and steadfast forever!"

Then Maoz aims his staff at Kelvin and addresses him.

"And you, unknown human, we'll permit you to leave and resume your life under one condition. In other words, there's only one way to dispel our doubts and suspicions about you."

Kelvin, still in his tense and slightly anxious state, looks at Maoz with mutual respect.

"What is it, sir…?"

"You must join the exploration group and the individuals I'm sending with them and participate in this mission."

Kelvin's eyes widen slightly in shock, and he becomes visibly flustered and stunned.

"W-what, m-me, g-go do w-what, huh, w-what…???"

Sean glances at Kelvin suspiciously from the corner of his eye, while Anthea, hearing his stammering, frowns faintly but sternly. Meanwhile, the hand, hovering beside Kelvin, enjoys the situation with a mysterious expression. Maoz slowly but powerfully raises his staff and strikes it against the ground. A strong gust of wind spreads outward, forcing Sean and Kelvin to shut their eyes tightly and struggle to keep their balance for a moment. Anthea's stern expression fades as she bows her head and back as far as possible, saluting silently.

"Do you have a problem with the wise judgment of Maoz, leader of the Dryads and guardian of the great Shotojin forest, human…??!!"

Kelvin's body trembles instinctively, sensing the danger this man could pose if angered. He quickly lowers his head, breaking out in a cold sweat, his heartbeat pounding harder.

"P-p-please f-forgive m-me, y-yes, I'll do whatever you say to prove I'm not suspicious…"

Though Maoz's wrath was directed at someone else, Sean is visibly gripped by fear and anxiety after witnessing even a glimpse of this man's majesty and authority.

"Time is as valuable as gold. Go with Anthea without wasting more of it. She'll make the necessary arrangements for you." *Maoz*

Everyone salutes Maoz again, despite the fear his authority has instilled in them.

"Once again, I'm grateful for your kindness, Mr. Maoz." *Sean*

"Yes, my lord. Humans, come with me." *Anthea*

"Obedience, sir…" *Kelvin*

The hand smirks at Maoz.

"Doesn't he need a wife? Though I doubt anyone would marry a hand. Such a pity. Oh well…"

As Kelvin returns with Anthea and Sean toward the entrance corridor, he glances nervously and slightly disappointedly at the hand from the corner of his eye.

*• In a situation like this, that's her only concern…? -_- •*

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Anthea leads the way through the corridor, with Sean and Kelvin following at a distance. Unlike before, they're clearly walking quickly. The hand, as usual, flies around them.

"Explorer, take this human to the rest of your group waiting outside so I can join you with my two sisters. We'll part ways temporarily." *Anthea*

Sean responds with a determined and serious tone.

"Alright, I understand. Come with me, boy!"

"O-okay, let's go…" *Kelvin*

*• I don't even know how to fight. Is it really that hard for you to understand???? What use am I to you anyway???? •*

Kelvin and Sean exit through a secondary corridor, then part from Anthea in the hidden public area and enter the initial corridor leading to the normal forest zone. The hand, as usual, leaves Kelvin to gather information, following Anthea to see what she plans to do and what's said between them. Unlike earlier, when they'd chatted warmly, an unclear feeling now keeps them from speaking. They traverse the path in silence and finally exit the corridor. Kelvin finds himself back in the normal forest area. The crack in the natural wall vanishes swiftly after their departure. Sean starts moving left.

"Come, let's go. This way—my friends are waiting around there."

"Oh? Okay, I'm coming. Let's go." *Kelvin*

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After traveling through trees and bushes, spotting wondrous forest creatures like woodpeckers or deer with green horns cloaked in even greener flames, phosphorescent blue legs, and bodies covered in luminous scales instead of fur, they reach a tent amidst the trees and dense forest vegetation. It's a fairly large, well-equipped tent. Beside it, atop a half-meter-high rock to keep off the grass, are ashes—apparently from a previous fire made with firewood. A large black metal frying pan sits on a tripod with long legs positioned over the rock, still bearing traces of oil and cooked food. Sean, walking ahead of Kelvin, calls out loudly to his friends as he nears the tent.

"Randolph!! Saini!! Come out!! Damn, you set up camp so fast—how long did my errand even take? Wow, heh… oh…"

First, a girl rushes out of the tent with excitement. She has long, bright orange hair braided into twin ponytails, and her eager, energetic eyes are a dark orange. She wears an adventure-exploration outfit like Sean's, but with a white cooking apron over it. She quickly reaches Sean, grabs his shoulders, and shakes him back and forth.

"You're finally back, Mint!!!! Mint's here!!!! I was getting so bored!!!! If you'd taken any longer, I'd have gone after those damn orcs myself!!!!"

Sean takes Saini's hands and pulls them off his shoulders. He's a bit dizzy but smiles gently.

"For Lucas, right?" *Sean*

"No way, for their meat…!!! If you knew how tasty orc meat could be…!!! You just need to know the proper way to cook it!!!!" *Saini*

"I'd have been shocked if you'd said anything else, Carrot." *Sean*

Saini's shout of displeasure rises as she hits Sean hard on the head. Sean shields his head with his hands, laughing while deflecting the blows. Poor Kelvin stands in the middle, bewildered, unsure what to do or say.

"Don't call me Carrot!!!!" *Saini*

"How come you can call me Mint because of my hair color, but I can't call you Carrot because of yours, airhead????" *Sean*

Their bickering is cut off by another voice from inside the tent—a young man's name, but unlike Sean and Kelvin's, it has a more muscular tone.

"You two at it again? For goodness' sake, we're supposed to be a professional exploration team and close friends. And while Lucas is in such a miserable state, you're calling each other Carrot and Mint???"

A young man emerges from the tent. He has fairly long brown hair and dark blue eyes, wearing a hunting outfit of leather and metal armor. He heads straight for Sean and Saini, grabs both their ears, and pulls to make them let go of each other. The two wretches, ears aching, struggle to free themselves.

"Of course, there's no doubt you're both just a carrot and a mint, but now's not the time!!!"

Kelvin is impressed by this person's calm and calculated demeanor.

*• Good for him! Finally, a logical, reliable human I can count on!! •*

"A potato's got no right to lecture others!!! Let go—my ear hurts!!!!" *Saini*

"Ow, ow, owww!!! I didn't even start it—why'd you grab me too, Randolph???" *Sean*

Randolph releases them both, turns to Saini, and gets annoyed.

"You're calling me a potato, Carrot??? At least potatoes have way more uses than carrots!!! You can make tons of tasty dishes with me, but what about you??? You're only good for poking people's eyes out to delay their blindness!!!"

*• Okay, I take it back… :/ •*

"So you're saying I'm useless??? I've got tons of health benefits, but what about you, potato??? All you've got is sugar—pure harm, worse than poison!!!!" *Saini*

Sean, adjusting his clothes, stands beside Kelvin again. He glances at Kelvin's crushed expression for a moment before looking back at Randolph and Saini.

"Alright, enough—act your age. And stop ignoring this poor boy so much, you two. Come meet our new friend."

Randolph and Saini let go of each other and stare at Kelvin with curiosity and surprise.

"Who's this Pitaya you brought with you???" *Saini*

"Haha…!!! Damn you, Saini. Don't be shocked, kid—she means Pitaya, a fruit that matches your hair and eye color perfectly." *Randolph*

Randolph and Saini approach Kelvin and stand before him. Randolph speaks first, extending his right hand.

"I'm Randolph Forgas. The tank of the group!!"

"He means the punching bag of the group." *Saini*

"No one asked you, Carrot." *Randolph*

Then Saini introduces herself with an energetic and eager expression.

"I'm Saini Ambrosia. The group's logistics officer. Nice to meet you, Pitaya! ^_^"

Sean, with a faint smile, rests his right hand on Kelvin's shoulder while standing beside him.

"Don't worry—I'll explain it to them myself."

Kelvin, who'd been anxious and flustered, calms down a bit at Sean's words.

"Thanks, Sean…"

Randolph and Saini's curiosity and questions flare up like fire at this interaction.

"What's going on, Mint??? Is something wrong with Pitaya???" *Saini*

"Sean, hurry up and tell us what's happened." *Randolph*

Sean coughs, then explains that Kelvin woke up alone in this forest about an hour ago with no clear memories of his past—not even his own name.

Hearing this, Randolph and especially Saini grow sad and worried. Kelvin takes on an embarrassed and ashamed look.

"Sorry… you introduced yourselves so energetically and nicely, but I don't even know my own name…"

Randolph firmly pulls Kelvin from Sean's grasp and hugs him tightly—though, given his strength, it's a bit painful.

"Don't worry, man!!! As long as Forgas is alive, I won't let innocent, helpless folks like you get hurt or bothered!!!"

"T-thanks for your k-kindness, but y-you're choking me—c-careful not to h-hurt me yourself first!!!!" *Kelvin*

Randolph laughs and releases Kelvin.

"Heh, sorry, buddy. Guess I hugged you a bit too hard."

Sean stands beside Randolph, watching Kelvin with a faint smile.

"Don't be upset, kid. This punching bag of ours just shows affection this way." *Sean*

"Oh, r-right… I mean, no, I'm not upset. I get that he didn't mean any harm. No problem—no misunderstanding, don't worry. And thanks, Randolph, for caring." *Kelvin*

"Carmine!!!" Saini, who'd been oddly quiet and seemingly deep in thought for the past few moments, suddenly breaks her silence with this loud exclamation. All three are startled.

"What's up, Carrot?" *Sean*

"Carmine? What're you saying, Saini?" *Randolph*

"Huh…?" *Kelvin*

Saini, looking very pleased and proud, explains with enthusiasm.

"I thought since Pitaya doesn't even remember his name, the least we could do as his new friends is gift him one, right? We can't just keep calling him 'boy,' 'buddy,' or 'Pitaya'… though I can call him Pitaya… Ahem!!! Anyway, I picked the name Carmine which means crimson, like his eyes!! ^_^"

Kelvin is touched by Saini's immense kindness.

*• Sean was right… She might seem like an odd girl, but it's clear she's really kind… •*

Randolph, satisfied, gives Saini a thumbs-up.

"Way to go, Saini!! Your brain's always sharp for stuff like this."

Sean closes his eyes, arms crossed, a faint smile still on his face.

"She picks nicknames for everyone so much she's gotten good at naming. For once, this skill of yours came in handy, Carrot."

Unbeknownst to Kelvin, tears stream from his eyes. Saini notices first, shocked and flustered, followed by Randolph and Sean's surprise.

"Oh, oh, Pitaya, what's wrong??? Did you not like the name I picked…??? Oh, sorry…!!! >_<" *Saini*

Kelvin slowly shakes his head and wipes his tears quickly, though he can't steady his choked voice as fast.

"No, no, it's nothing, Saini… Actually, I was really happy to see you care so much about a nameless stranger like me that you'd even pick a name for me… Thank you so much…"

Seeing Kelvin's reaction and words, Saini also starts crying but wipes her tears quickly. Sean approaches her with a cloth handkerchief while Randolph stands by Kelvin, slapping his back firmly a few times with a wide, toothy, energetic grin.

"What did you think of us, kid? Why wouldn't we show sympathy and empathy for you? Especially when we can understand your situation…?"

Kelvin is suddenly surprised by the last part of Randolph's statement.

"What do you mean…?"

Sean, having handed the handkerchief to Saini, turns back to Kelvin.

"We'll talk about it later. For now, let's go—I'll explain why I brought Carmine with me. Is it okay if I call you Carmine?"

"No problem… I feel like I belong somewhere again now that I have a name…" *Kelvin*

Saini, wiping her tears with her still-wet face, regains her energetic spirit quickly.

"Oh, yeah, we got so caught up in details I forgot to ask why you came with Sean in the first place!!"

"Let's go sit in the tent so I can explain. We've got to wait for now anyway." *Sean*

"Tell us about your talk with Maoz too." *Randolph*

"I know, I know—it's all about that! Come inside." *Sean*

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Some time passes, and the wait seems to be over. Kelvin (now accepted as Carmine), Saini, Randolph, and Sean stand by the tent, staring at three figures before them—three Dryads, with the hand alongside them. One is Anthea herself. The other two Dryads share a general appearance and attire similar to Anthea's but seem slightly more mature, their bodies less tree- or plant-like than hers.

Sean, as usual, speaks first with a formal, respectful tone. As he talks, the hand moves to Kelvin and begins explaining the situation to him.

"Thank you for your kindness and goodwill." *Sean*

"In truth, I initially planned to come with you alone. Every keeper must take responsibility for their own domain. But at my lord Maoz's suggestion and insistence, my dear sisters Anthousa and Althea joined me." *Anthea*

Meanwhile, Randolph steps into the tent briefly and emerges with a shield and large sword. He slings the sword over his right shoulder and drives the shield's sharp bottom edge into the ground to stand it up. Saini… well… has strapped two small frying pans like swords or hammers crisscrossed on her back, her face set with determination.

Anthousa, who appears the most mature of the three, introduces herself first. Her tone is formal and literary like Anthea's but softer.

"I am Anthousa, one of the keeper sisters. I hope we can successfully rescue your friend, dear explorers."

Then Althea introduces herself. Unlike Anthea and Anthousa, her formal, literary tone carries a calculating, logical edge.

"I'm pleased to meet you, temporary allies. Call me Althea, another keeper sister. With good strategy and planning, even with our numbers, we can easily defeat five hundred orcs and emerge victorious."

*• Damn, what kind of plan has she cooked up…??? •*

Sean returns a respectful salute.

"As the leader of the explorers' group, I'm equally pleased to meet you. Please coordinate with me for the mission so you can sync up with my friends too."

"Then I'll take on the role of leader for the Dryad core to simplify coordination between our groups. Explorer, just coordinate with me." *Anthea*

Kelvin seems more focused on the hand's words than the others' conversation.

Saini clenches her right fist and raises it to her face with excitement, a red flame flaring around it.

"Let's go already—my patience is gone!!! I won't let that Blueberry die until I get this month's pay from him…!!"

Randolph smirks at the Dryads.

"Don't worry about getting hurt—focus entirely on the attack. I'll take the hits for all of you!!"

Finally, Sean and Anthea lock eyes for a moment before turning eastward.

"Let's go…!" *Sean and Anthea*

Kelvin, standing behind everyone and listening to the hand's profound, oddly calming words, swallows hard in fear.

*• God helps us… •*

*(End)*