If she could awaken her ability, then she’d no longer be a burden. She’d no longer be one of those people that Marian watched die. Instead, she’d be an exception. She might even be able to convince Marian to take her along. If Marian refused, perhaps another traveler would. 

Even the nearest city was still a broader horizon than this village.

But how? Erika laid on her bed, a little stressed out. All those big picture thoughts and ambitions, but she still hasn’t even figured out how to take the first step. “This is frustrating,” she grumbled, kicking back and falling down on her sheets, staring at the ceiling.

Marian was sleeping right now and wouldn’t wake up until she left at midday. 

Perhaps the other travelers could help her. Although they seemed inexperienced and one of them seemed more than a little lecherous, they were all still Rovers, after all. With no other options left, Erika decided to ask the group of travelers. 

But first, she had to use those herbs that Ian had been so kind to gather for her.

After making a poultice out of the vorgras plants and applying them to her wounds, she began to itch as the magic took effect. The bruise on her wrist changed to a pale brownish-yellow color while the open wound under her eye healed over completely. Free from the pain and in high spirits, Erika ran off to find the group of travelers.

 

She found them not long after returning to the village from the wilderness with yet another dead monster dragged behind them. She scowled.

The inn and the butcher hadn’t even finished the first kill they brought in, yet they were bringing in another. The pricing for monster meat was ludicrous, so there’s really no reason to have so much. Were these travelers planning to drain all their coins before they leave?

She waited until they deposited the monster at the butcher before approaching them.

“Excuse me, sirs,” Erika said, stepping up in front of them.

“Oh, you’re that girl from yesterday,” one of them said. 

Erika tilted her head, trying to remember him. She vaguely remembered that he had been the one who first pointed her out to the lecher. But since they haven’t spoken, Erika’s memories of him were hazy. She really only remembered the lecherous one. 

He had brown wavy hair, cut short so they looked like the curls on a lamb. He wore leather armor, but she could see no weapons on him. However, Erika knew from watching Marian that regardless of whether a traveler carried a weapon or not, they were still a significant threat to any attackers.

She curtsied to him, about to introduce herself when another traveler butted in.

“Hey Almar, are you stupid? That’s Erika, that girl that boy from before was talking about. The unmarried one,” the second traveler said.

This was the traveler she remembered, for more than one reason; he was the lecherous one and had ridiculous red hair smoothed back into spikes. He, too, wore leather armor, with flames dyed into the surface, but he had a sword at his hips, unlike Almar.

The corner of her mouth twitched at the latter part of his words. The unmarried one? Her gaze grew colder until she was half glaring at him. The lecherous traveler seemed to notice her gaze but grinned at her.

Shameless! she seethed inwardly.

“Stein, don’t be rude,” the final traveler warned. “Remember to treat everyone with respect.”

Of all three travelers, this third one seemed most mature. While he looked young as well, he was probably the glue that held this group of travelers together and prevented them from dying to stupid things. “I’m Ymir,” he said, bowing to her, and she curtseyed again. 

“Ooh, me next! I’m Stein!”

Erika ignored him and turned to the first speaker. “You must be Almar, then. Nice to meet you.”

“…and you too….”

The introductions ended without incident.

“So, do you need something from us?” Ymir asked. He crossed his arms, giving Erika his full attention. Erika’s opinion of him and him alone improved immensely. He was much more similar to Marian than his friends, at least as far as Erika could tell. He was serious.

“It’s nothing much. I just have some questions,” Erika said.

Ymir’s eyebrows raised, then nodded.

Erika took a deep breath, unsure if she was heading into a forbidden topic that Rovers guarded jealously. Then again, Marian never suggested anything of the sort, and in any case, it was too late to stop. “How can I awaken my ability?”

The travelers froze. Stiffened. Turned to ice. They looked so nervous that immediately, Erika knew that something was wrong. “…are you not allowed to tell me?” she asked, slightly suspicious.

Ymir looked at his friends, then back at her. He coughed. “Actually, we don’t know.”

“What? How can you not know? You’re all awakened Rovers, right?” Erika asked.

“Y-yes, but we don’t know. It… just happened,” Ymir said.

“So all three of you awakened your abilities, but not a single one of you knows how it’s done?” Disbelief crept into her voice and raised her tone by an octave. Erika couldn’t believe her ears.

All three of them nodded simultaneously, and after a moment, Erika understood what was going on. “....if you don’t want to tell me, then just say so. Why tell such an obvious lie?” She sighed. “Never mind then, I’m sorry I asked something so private. Have a nice day.”

As she turned to leave, Stein suddenly jumped out. “Wait!”

Erika looked at the lecher, wary about what he was getting at.

“To awaken an ability, you must have mastery over a certain style of combat. Like, your ability suits your combat style perfectly, so you got to master it first. I think”

“So you’ve all mastered a style of combat?” 

Instead of answering immediately, they all looked uncomfortable. Suspicion crept back. Erika stared at them in confusion. “Are you a master at the sword?” she asked red-haired Stein.

Stein hesitated, then was about to say something when Ymir smacked him in the back. What he was about to say died in his throat, and he changed his answer to a small “no.”

“... Are you making fun of me?” Erika asked in disbelief. “Is it fun to mock me and watch me make a fool of myself?” She turned and left.

“Wait! The truth is, we used something else to awaken!” Stein shouted. 

Erika didn’t look back and instead walked even faster. Tears gathered in her eyes.

“I’m serious! This sword! When I touched it, my ability awakened on its own!” the lecher said, unsheathing his sword.

Erika stopped at last. “Will it work for me?” Erika asked, wiping away her tears. She was just asking, though, since she had no illusions that things would be that easy. Sure enough, Stein shook his head. 

“Well, no. This sword only works for me…” Stein admitted.

“And that bow only works for Ymir, right? The daggers you have hidden, Almar?” At her words, the travelers looked at the ground one by one, though a look of surprise flashed across Almar’s face.

“No…?” Erika pursed her lips, curtsied to them once again, and excused herself. “Thank you, I guess. You’ve been very… helpful. Many things have become clear to me,” Erika said. She wasn’t sure if she was sarcastic or honest, and she didn’t want to think about it.

“Um… we’re glad to help,” Stein said before Ymir stomped on his foot. The lecher shouted in pain, but Erika didn’t pay him any attention as she left.

 

Erika sat on the grass in that meadow again, with her knees pulled to her chest. A lamb nibbled at her hair, but she didn’t move.

She had been naive. After thinking back to her conversation with those three travelers, she realized that there had been no reason for them to lie. If what they say was true and that being a master at combat was key to awakening as a Rover, then Marian was right.

If she was born here, there was little she could do to develop her combat skills. None of the other villagers really had the drive nor a reason to do so either. Why sacrifice a stable future to pursue a life of danger?

“You were born here, and you will die here.”

Erika closed her eyes. She had never fought in her life. Suddenly, her dream felt so far away. 

Like any other skill, good combat skills probably required people to start learning from a young age. She was already seventeen years old, so it was probably too late to start. Moreover, she had no teacher.

Her only other option was to somehow get her hands on one of those weapons that group of travelers had. Not that she could just steal it, though. Those weapons were unique to those travelers, and she’d never get one in her life. She lived in a village in the middle of nowhere, after all.

Today, Marian would leave. Of all the travelers that Erika had seen in her life, Marian had been the one who stood out most and made the biggest impact on her life. Before Marian, Erika would never have thought that she’d miss a traveler.

After Marian left, after they said goodbye at midday, she’d never see that traveler again.

I… don’t want her to leave. Erika blinked as she realized something. Somehow, she had grown to like Marian’s presence. There is no way that Marian will stay though, and even less likely that Marian will take her along.

Erika had already kept Marian for two days with the lessons on reading and writing, and she was reluctant to delay the traveler for any longer. But, she wanted to see and talk to Marian again. Of all the travelers, Marian was the person Erika felt understood her most. And unlike Tabitha, who Erika knew all her life, she had only just met Marian.

Slowly, she made up her mind. Erika decided that she would head over to Marian’s room one last time when it was time for them to part.

Slowly, the sun climbed up the sky until it reached its apex.