"You can't mean…"
Lawrend said to the instructor in shock.
"What are you talking about? I didn't say anything."
The instructor replied with a faint smile on his face.
"Thank you for telling me."
Lawrend bowed to him respectfully.
"Now go. Show me what you can do."
The instructor urged Lawrend.
"Wait, I still don't know your name."
Lawrend stopped him just as the instructor was about to turn around.
"Oh, right. The name is Joseph Grey."
Joseph introduced himself with a smile.
"Grey?"
Lawrend looked at him in confusion.
"Yes. I'm from the prestigious Grey Clan."
Joseph nodded his head.
"No, it sounded familiar. I feel like I know someone with the same surname. Hm..."
Lawrend replied to him with a shake of his head. He then looked down and tried to remember it.
"Really?"
Joseph stared at Lawrend in surprise.
"Do you know Nimela?"
Lawrend raised his head and asked. He remembered her saying that her name was Nimela Grey.
"You know my daughter?"
Joseph was surprised.
"Kinda…"
Lawrend scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"Why? Did she do something to you?"
Joseph squinted his eyes.
"Yes. She threw me out of the Phoenix-Dragon Inn."
Lawrend nodded his head with a wry smile on his face.
"Aww… I'm sorry to hear that. I really spoil her too much."
Joseph frowned hearing his words.
"It's fine. We already made up."
Lawrend waved his hands in front of him.
"Good. Anyway, go set up a shelter. It's almost nighttime."
Joseph urged Lawrend.
"Okay."
Lawrend nodded his head.
"Alright. The two of you, find large leaves and long thin branches. As many as you can to make the night more comfortable."
Lawrend turned to Nuon and Logan and ordered the two of them.
"Yes, Lawrend."
Nuon nodded his head before he started walking into the forest.
"..."
Logan closed his eyes bitterly. He turned around and left to get what Lawrend asked for.
"At least he's listening to what I say."
Lawrend was satisfied seeing Logan's response.
Lawrend left the camp and headed to get his own materials.
A dozen minutes later, Lawrend and Nuon were back in camp while Logan was nowhere to be seen even though it was already dark.
"Where is he?"
Lawrend asked Nuon.
"I'm not sure. I remember seeing him walking upstream."
Nuon replied to Lawrend, uncertain.
"Alright. You stay here and start setting up. I'll find him."
Lawrend said to Nuon before he headed to where Logan headed earlier.
"Be careful. There were roars of monsters on the other side of the stream."
Nuon warned Lawrend.
"I will."
Lawrend replied.
He walked for a few minutes in the dark before he heard the sound of a stream of running water.
"It's here."
Lawrend approached it.
He dipped his hand into the water. It was cold. He could barely see its reflections under the moonlight.
"Logan!"
Lawrend shouted. He looked left and right for a response. But there was nothing.
Lawrend looked at the slight slope where the stream was coming from and headed upstream.
"Logan!"
Lawrend called for him. He was starting to feel anxious the longer he couldn't find him.
"It's getting darker."
Lawrend murmured to himself. He looked behind him, but he couldn't see the way back. The clouds in the sky had already covered the moon.
"Logan!"
Lawrend shouted one more time.
After waiting for a while, he sighed. There was no point continuing forward at this point. He already failed this special mission because of a prideful team captain that refused to admit his mistakes.
He turned around and was just about to leave when he saw something in the distance.
"Light?"
Lawrend blinked his eyes at it. There was a small dot of blue light floating in the distance. It brightened and darkened repeatedly.
"A firefly?"
Lawrend walked towards it in curiosity.
He arrived in front of it and inspected it. It was floating in midair. He thought it was a firefly but that doesn't seem to be the case.
"What is this?"
Lawrend slowly touched it.
Thud
Lawrend fell to the ground unconscious.
…
"The Heart is unpredictable."
A sorrowful female voice sounded.
"One man's heart can move a thousand."
"But what about me?"
Suddenly, the voice was filled with grief.
"I stood above all. My grace encompassed a whole continent."
The voice was filled with pride and strength.
"And yet, the man I chose betrayed me."
The tone of the voice changed to one of bitterness.
"Now, will you do the same?"
The female voice whispered into Lawrend's ear.
"Huh!?"
Lawrend opened his eyes and looked around.
"Where am I? Wasn't I in the forest looking for Logan?"
Lawrend said to himself out loud.
He was outside with the sun's rays warming his body. There was an ocean of flowers around him. The cool wind ruffled his hair slightly.
"Hey!"
A beautiful young woman wearing a thin white dress waved her hand at him with a wink. She had chestnut-colored hair and an oval-shaped face.
"Huh? Who are you?"
Lawrend looked at her in shock.
"I missed you!"
The young woman suddenly embraced Lawrend.
"Wait? What?"
Lawrend had confusion plastered on his face.
"West, I've missed you."
She stared at him with loving eyes.
"Me too."
A deep and manly voice answered her.
"Wait? My mouth moved on its own?"
Lawrend got more confused.
"Come here. Sleep on my lap just like before."
She sat on the ground in a seiza position and patted her lap.
Lawrend felt his body suddenly move on its own.
"This isn't my body?"
That's when he realized that he was watching a scene play out from someone else's perspective.
"West… It has been 1000 years since I saw you."
The young woman rubbed his head softly.
"1000 years!? They are ancients!"
Lawrend exclaimed to himself.
"It can't be helped. The Spirit World is showing weird signs of instability."
West replied to her drearily.
"Now that you're here. Why don't we get married already?"
The young woman continued in a hopeful and cheery voice.