Villagers

"Can you stop?"

"Stop what?"

"You know exactly what."

"Tell me what traits you've got then!"

"Yeah, I'm going to tell my opponent my strengths!"

Raising his index finger, Free instantly corrected.

"Potential opponent."

Sighing, Dawn paused and made another irregular jump, muttering.

"You better have our story straight."

Waving his right hand, Free answered.

"Of course, I do! I went out the day before the blood moon and ran into a beast. Then, I hid within a sand dune for the night, preventing me from returning to the village."

"Finally, after the blood-moon was over, you found me in the dune after becoming a second-stage Eclipser and took me back."

Pausing, Free suddenly asked.

"Are you really fine with revealing yourself as a second-stage Eclipser?"

"..."

No response came, so Free halted and turned back.

And there behind him was Dawn...kicking off her diamond-plated high-heels, like a dog shaking water off their fur, she had received during the dream.

After digging a small hole and burying them, she wiped her forehead, pushing her bangs back, and answered.

"In your words, that Lunite told the orphanage owner, 'Don't worry about her,' right? So technically, unlike you, I didn't break any village rules by exposing myself to the moon."

Shaking his head, Free, wondering if she was truly stupid or just reckless, sighed and re-asked.

"Didn't you say an entire army was after you...? What if they're just waiting at the village gates for you to return?"

Not even hesitating, she immediatly shot back.

"They're not or, rather, they can't."

As Free's mouth opened, Dawn shook her head.

"No more questions until you walk normally again."

"...I was tho-"

"Stop. Are you a child? To think of all people, the blood-red fragment went to y-"

Cutting her off, Free resumed a normal walking pace and said.

"Alright, I'll walk normally. Happy?"

"So you knew!? Do you know how much it hurt jumping like that with those heels!?"

Glancing up at the stars above, Free changed the topic before Dawn could continue.

"Speaking of clothing items...what are we going to do with these?"

"...? Bury them, of course."

"*AHEM*"

Halting, again and causing Dawn to raise her eyebrows, Free coughed dryly and turned around.

"Could you possibly look the other way for the moment?"

Her pupils at the top of her eyes, Dawn consequently questioned.

"And why would I do that?"

"I need to check something."

Confusedly, Dawn turned around, but Free's cautious voice still sounded.

"No peeking."

"I won't."

Carefully, he unbuckled the expensive white leather belt around his pants and pulled them forward... only to see a luxurious silk underwear beneath.

Even his normal underwear had been burned and replaced.

Letting out a cough to signal to Dawn that she could turn back around, Free sighed and said.

"We have two options. Go into town like this, or strip naked and go. The choice is all yours..."

"..."

Her expression remained...oddly neutral as she turned to stare at him.

...why is her chin down? Is she disappointed?

Avoiding Free's gaze altogether, Dawn simply said.

"Evangel and I always hide a pair of clothes near the town for hunting."

Scratching his head and walking forward, now at a regular pace, Free responded.

"Ah...does that mean..."

"You have three choices. Go into town like this and die, strip naked and go, or wear the pants and regular undershirt that Evangel usually wears. The choice is all yours..."

"...I'll think on it."

...

...

...

Suddenly halting nearly a mile away from the village, Dawn loudly yelled, her vocal cords partially recovered.

"HERE!"

Following Dawn's outstretched index finger, Free began digging with his hands, and within moments, a hole was uncovered.

With rugs protecting them from the rough sand, pairs of brown and yellow clothing lay below the sand.

After walking a safe distance, Free changed into a pair of brown sweatpants and a tan t-shirt, leaving behind his full white tuxedo in the hole.

As he walked back, Dawn sat by the hole, wearing a similar fit, except for a chainmail chestplate that she wore over her undershirt.

Not bothering to follow Free's footprints, she strolled forward to the village, prompting Free to follow behind

How long had they been walking for?

It has to have been at least 4 hours...how is she not tired?

Despite being fully physically recovered after returning from his dream, Free had to take multiple breaks during their walk over the desert's uneven terrain.

Alternatively, Dawn seemed unfazed, hurriedly tapping her foot like an impatient adult while he rested.

What is she made of!?

Within a few minutes, the view of the village's fresh garden, purple ripe berries poking upward from the stems, popped up.

Though...it was empty.

Shouldn't people be picking them before they go bad?

Answering Free's inaudible question, Dawn said while walking ahead of him.

"Everyone's probably looking for me."

...she said "me" on purpose, didn't she?

Shrugging his shoulders, Free smiled and responded.

"What if that army chasing you simply wiped out the entire village to find you?"

Purposely kicking her right heel backward, sending sand flying at Free's legs, Dawn shot back.

"What if Lunite Seren is waiting for you on his doorstep?"

"...too far."

"What!?"

Finally, after another few minutes, a figure dressed in the normal brown robes worn by villagers walked by the farm.

Within moments, he spotted the two of them in the distance and turned around, opening his mouth wide and yelling some words that Free could not hear.

"Seems like they're throwing us a welcome-back party!"

Ignoring Free's sarcastic tone, Dawn immediatly stood up straight, maintaining a neutral expression, and seriously said.

"Get our story straight."

Pausing for a moment while Free recalled their lie, Dawn suddenly added.

"And no more jokes."

While the two of them neared the village, more and more villagers gathered at the farm, until a crowd of at least ten people had formed.

One figure in particular stood out, though.

Standing at the forefront of the crowd, he wore a normal brown robe, but a golden sash stretched across his clothing, while white hair covered his face.