The matter of the undead overlord had to wait for now. Arthur needed to go back to his house before traveling to the last round of the Runes Apprentice Competition. The association has promoted the last round far and wide because of the geniuses that had appeared.
Before he went back to his house, Arthur dropped by at Joe's pub. Luckily, it was still there. There are two reasons Arthur came here. The first one is to see if Joe has any information about the guild and the second is to warn him about the undead legion.
"Aldo!" Joe stopped his talk with the bearded middle-aged man that Arthur had met before. "It's been a while."
"It has indeed." Arthur then turned to the middle-aged man. "Good to see you again, uncle."
"Hoho, that cub from a few months ago turned out to be a tiger." The middle-aged man studied him with perplexing stares before remembering him. "You look in a better state than I last saw you."
"I sure hope so," Arthur laughed as he remembered how he had walked in all those weeks ago. For him, it had been twice the time since he went into the trial. He had come in lost, weak, and bloodied. "I'm glad you haven't reported me to the union at that time." He said jokingly as he pulled a chair and sat down.
"Nah, we get a lot like you. Young people who dream of changing their lives. Sadly, not everyone makes it. But hey, at least you did! Look at you now!" The middle-aged man punched him lightly on his shoulder.
"Indeed, I was fortunate." Arthur smiled lightly and turned to Joe. "How's work, Joe?"
"I saw worse days." Joe shrugged but didn't say anymore. Arthur sensed he wasn't telling the truth, judging by how empty the bar was.
"I was in the mountain range earlier, hunting for scarps and the like." Arthur wasn't lying if the undead were considered scraps. "I saw a platoon of skeletons from afar in the valleys of the undead. Luckily, I managed to escape."
"Those undead bastards." Joe sighed as he placed the cup in his hand with a thud. "I'm glad you made it out. It's wiser to stay away from this place."
"Do you know anything?" Arthur asked, trying to glean anything. Joe looked at him and looked around the pub and through the windows.
"Listen, I only got to hear this because I was asked to send everyone away," Joe said in a whisper. "A guy in a suit came in two days ago saying it was a governmental order that everyone stays away from this area. I'm guessing the kingdom is trying to hunt down the rumored undead overlord."
"An undead overlord? Here?" Arthur feigned surprise. "Why are they keeping it a secret?"
"Curse me if I know," Joe shrugged. "I think they're trying to avoid any other guilds from getting whiffs of it."
"Wouldn't be faster to solve this if they just deploy the best guilds?"
"Yes, but less profitable. Even the kingdom doesn't like the presence of those guilds. That's why they're always trying to win an edge over them." The middle-aged man snorted.
"Well, it's none of our business. If someone asks you to leave the area, do as they wish to avoid problems." Joe went back to arranging his cups.
"I will," Arthur nodded, deep in thought. "I think it's best if you leave this place too." He said to the young bartender.
Joe's hand paused before shaking his head. He placed the cup on the shelf, not looking at Arthur but something different.
"I can't leave this place."
***
After his talk with Joe, Arthur went back home. If the man refused to flee, then he was helpless against it. He used his teleport rune to get into his room. As he had expected, a few reporters were still lingering in the area.
Arthur looked from the window of his room on the second floor. He saw some journalist snooping around and looking at his house. He had already asked Oren and his mother to stay with Melania for now. He was about to close the curtains when he saw a figure in his peripheral view.
A short girl with black hair was making her way with an older guy who looked lifeless. They stopped at his house and rang the bell. As expected, the reports gathered around them.
Arthur sighed and went downstairs. The wood squeaked under his weight like it was about to crack. He, again, remembered how old and shabby their house was. He could already hear the cameras flashing as questions were being thrown.
As he opened the door, the reports turned his way as they took out their camera and microphones. He wished that his interview in the capital would have stopped this harassment, but it seemed they were trying to take pictures of his house.
"If you take any pictures, I'll break your cameras." Arthur thought about using his new Stealth rune, but he had to have his guests come in somehow. The cameramen looked at the journalists in hesitation but Arthur had already managed to invite his guests in.
He wasn't the kind of person who'd be arrogant after getting a little bit of fame. However, he didn't like them using his living conditions for their headlines. It was demeaning.
"Long time no see," Arthur smiled at the two as he gestured them inside.
"Hey, Arthur." Ori scratched his cheek in awkwardness and Ellen nodded her head in greeting. The two followed him inside to their small living room and Arthur let them sit on the couch as he took the chair.
"I wasn't expecting you two," Arthur said with a smile, unsure how to break the silence. "How has it been?"
"Well, a lot less interesting than you have it, for sure." Ori laughed but Arthur didn't miss the fakery in it. It was then that Arthur remembered Ori had some feelings toward Tyrin.
"I'm sorry about what happened," Arthur said in a sincere tone. Even though he hated Tyrin, he knew that Ori loved him, albeit one-sidedly.
"It's alright." Ori paused and shook his head. He fumbled for the words that used to fly from his mouth like a machine gun. "It was shocking, but Tyrin always had his ambitions. I just…" His voice cracked a bit and he coughed to clear his throat. "I wish I did something to stop it."
"It wasn't your fault." Ellen shook her head as she said in a low voice. Ori didn't look at her and nodded in half-approval.
"People's choices are a reflection of themselves," Arthur interjected, looking at the table. "There was nothing that you could've done."
"Yeah, nothing." Ori laughed dryly in a self-mocking way. Arthur realized that his words were inappropriate.
"I didn't mean…"
"It's okay, Arthur. This is not why we're here. We've brought you something." Ori interrupted and hurried to change the topic. "It's a little gift that symbolizes our club. I don't know if you'd like it…"
"Of course, I would," Arthur said in genuine surprise. After all, he didn't remember the last time someone gifted him something.
'Other than my legacy, of course.' He snickered inwardly as he saw Ellen take out a small box from her school's bag. He took the box and opened it, revealing a metallic bracelet that had their initials.
"It's a tradition that we do at the end of every year," Ori said in embarrassment. "It's lame compared to what you'd get if you win the Runes Apprentices Cup…"
"Ori, Ellen…" Arthur picked up the bracelet as a grin he couldn't hide filled his face. "I love it. Truly." He didn't hesitate and wore the bracelet directly.
"I'm glad." Ellen nodded with a rare smile. He raised her arm and waved, revealing the same bracelet on her wrist. Ori also grinned as he showed off his bracelet.
"I didn't prepare anything. I'm sorry." Arthur said in slight embarrassment.
"It's evidence of the time we spent together. We'll be going in different paths, after all." Ori sniffed as his eyes turned a little red. "Sorry, I was always too emotional."
The two laughed lightly and they discussed what colleges they would aim for from now on. Night descended and Arthur suggested they have something to eat and Ori volunteered to show off his cooking skills.
As he occupied the kitchen, Arthur and Ellen prepared the table in the living room. Arthur noticed that Ellen was quieter than usual as if something was on her mind.
"Is everything okay?" She was always the quiet type but now was especially so. Ellen didn't answer and kept arranged the plates.
"Say, Arthur." She said in a small voice that Arthur barely heard. The way she addressed him was far intimate than the way she addressed others. "If there was something you need to do, no matter what, how much would you go for?"
Arthur paused at her question. He wanted to ask her what was wrong, but he knew that wasn't the answer she was looking for. He didn't know what she was looking for, either.
"It's not a question of how much I would go for, but how much it needs me to go for," Arthur answered after thinking for a bit. "If I want something that badly, I think I'll do anything for it."
"Anything?" She asked, looking at him in the eyes.
"Yes, I'll do whatever I can." He answered, thinking of how he wanted to live from now on. "However, I'll also rely on the people around me," Arthur added not about himself, but Ellen. He remembered her mother. "That's what friends are for, right?"
"…Right."
Her answer came after a lengthy silence. Arthur couldn't see her face and before he could ask her what was going on, Ori came back carrying the pot of spaghetti and meatballs.
