「The truth is, last night, I saw something fall from the sky!」

I blinked a few times. I looked at him. I took a bite of the apple in my hand thought for a moment and then spoke-

「Wha, what did you say?」

「I saw something fall from the sky!」

I see. So I heard it right the first time. And here I was thinking that it was going to be something interesting. I sighed.

「Aiden...」

「Yes?」

「Haven't we seen countless shooting stars already? I get it that you like seeing them but just because you saw them once more yesterday doesn't really mea-.....」

As I was about to continue saying what I wanted to say, I felt that Aiden's steady voice suddenly had what can be considered a sombre tone, which shocked me. However, that feeling immediately vanished as the boy's lips slowly showed a smile again.

「Do you really think that I would be this excited just because I saw a star?」

Just as I had lost interest in the conversation, his words caught my attention again. Certainly, although he loves nothing more than watching a meteor shower on a clear night, I have never seen him this excited before.

「Then what was it?」

He just shoots me a look of disbelief again. It looks like he didn't expect me to give in this easy to his claims. Unexpectedly, Aiden bit his lips slightly with a serious expression and nodded while looking like he's not really certain either.

「I-I don't know either, but I am certain that it wasn't a shooting star! It was golden in colour unlike the typical white you see when shooting stars fall.」

Now I am rather curious. What is this thing that he just can't seem to shut up about? Going by the way he is describing it, It definitely doesn't seem to be a shooting star. What is it? Dammit, I should have also paid attention to the sky yesterday! Thinking so, I fell on my back on the ground. Aiden probably noticed my frustrated mood as he asked me-

「What happened? You don't look to be in a good mood.」

「Nothing. I just wish that even I could have seen this cool thing that you are talking about.」

I voiced my honest opinion. The next words that I heard out of his mouth shocked me.

「In that case, how about we go see it now?」

I froze. What is he saying? Didn't he say that he saw that thing in the sky last night? How will he show it to me now? I looked at him in disbelief and spoke up-

「What do you mean?」

「Exactly what I said, If you want to see it we can see it right now.」

「And exactly how will you do that?」

「Huh? What do you mean? Ohh........ I see I forgot to tell you the most interesting part, didn't I?」

「And?」

I prompted him to hurry up. I am dying of curiosity out there.

「The thing...... that I saw last night....... actually fell..... in the forest.」

As soon as he spoke silence followed. We both didn't speak anymore. He and I looked at each other. I was looking at him in a questioning gaze.

「.....Are you sure?」

「Yes.」

「Like the forest where the monster's at?」

I asked him again. Just to double confirm.

「Yes! God believe me for once will ya?」

「Hmm...... but how will we go to see it? I mean the forest is off-limits for us now isn't it? You do know that right?」

「Of course, I ain't an idiot you know? From what I remember, I think it fell at the part where the village hunters and soldiers of the territory occasionally clear the monsters.」

「Is that so?」

Although our Curzon territory lacks the manpower to defeat the strong monsters in the deep forest, however, a part of the forest where weak monsters reside is occasionally cleared by us to collect resources for the daily needs of the village. Although there are fewer monsters in that area however it is by no means fully safe. As such the two of us going there alone is a bit-

「Then, Claude.」

Aiden tossed me two more round apples, which interrupted my train of thought. I hurriedly reached for them with my hands. He then stood up and started moving in the direction of the forest. When he noticed I didn't follow he turned around and spoke

「...? What's wrong? You have a weird expression on your face, you know? Let's go already!」

「Ah...no..wait, right now? Umm....don't you think this is kind of a bad idea? I mean there might still be monsters roaming around over there.」

「Come on already, scardey cat! The patrol team has already gone and cleared all the monsters for this month. Besides, even if we encounter a goblin or two we must be able to handle that much by ourselves correct?」

「I get it but still we have never really engaged in real combat before and what if the monsters that appear there are stronger than us? Also, there is no guarantee that the thing you are talking about is even-」

But before I could say anymore, Aiden cut me off.

「So, you don't want to see it?」

He looked a little dejected, probably by the fact that I was rejecting him profusely. It's not like I am not curious about what's hiding in there, no more than that I actually want to know what it is the most. But father had strictly told me not to wander near the forest one bit or have any thoughts of fighting the monsters.

「No, I too want to check it out but-」

「Then let's go! We will just take a look around and then it will be over, I promise. Please, pretty please? I was just joking about fighting monsters earlier.」

He is way to insistent on this, but if we are just going to take a look around and come back then I guess it should be fine. If we ever sense any danger we can run back to the village. I mean we are pretty fast for our age. And if I just hide the fact from father then he will never know.

「Ok. But if we ever encounter danger we will turn back, all right?」

「Of course!」

He said so while smiling. He really looked forward to showing me this huh? Now I am getting my hopes rather up for what might it actually be.

After we chit-chatted for a few more minutes while eating the apples, we set off in the direction of the forest together.

Little did I knew, on that day, my fate began to turn.