I stared at the night street, the dark space that lied right outside of the village house where we stayed for the time being.

After the long walk I somewhat calmed down, and was now as cold as my blood could get.

It took me one battle to realize: it made zero sense to care about killing a dragon. It was supposed to die. Whether I would’ve dealt the lethal blow, or anybody else, it was an abandoned lizard with little, if any, chances of becoming an adult. It became the target of every human the moment it became man-eater.

And as I continued to stare at the dark abyss, I felt like we were very, VERY, similar. Me and dragon.

Both of us are reason a few people died.

Both of us are inhuman monsters.

Both of us will be noticed by every single being around.

‘Sigh’

Meanwhile, Valerian and the party glanced at their new companion.

Amelia sat on the windowsill and stared at the night street. From time to time she sighed as she dove deeper and deeper into her unknown excruciations.

The room was completely silent, and the adventurers communicated with gestures, cautiously glancing towards the melancholic girl.

[Should we do something about it?] (E)

[Give her time, nothing else.] (W)

[Jeanne?] (V)

[She doesn’t want to talk.] (J)

The ‘conversation’ was ended again. Nobody dared to talk near the depressed girl. Nobody was in the mood to chat and count the future payment. There were no usual cheers and jokes of the people who survived another fight. Only endless waiting in this aura of despair.

Everyone wished to support their new comrade, even if she brought it upon herself. She chose to kill the dragon, even if she could just walk away, and pretend she knew nothing of its fate.

An action both worthy of being admired for the tenacity, and worthy of condemn for its cruelty.

But it wasn’t too bad. She reaps the rye she sown. A good lesson, the one at which they should’ve helped, offered their guidance. But not one of them dared to wake the depressed Amy.

Even Jeanne couldn’t help being depressed after how downcast her friend became in a few moments after the first blood was spilled.

Glances back and forth continued, until another sigh came, this time from where the adventurers sat.

Wolfgang stood up, and after he straightened his robe the priest headed to the window.

He put his hand on the girl’s head, and petted her.

“Everyone has their ups and down.” He started a short sermon. Amelia didn’t spare him a glance, but she murmured.

“Tell me, Holy Father, isn’t killing a sin?”

“It is. A great one at that.

Though God teaches us that monsters are Avern’s spawn, thus I wonder if anyone would call fighting them a sin.” The priest explained. He wondered if the words he spoke were wise, but, in the mind of the young one, they should be good enough to leave room to think.

“Um.” The girl muttered.

“If you are left with no place to go, do remember that you always can find love in the arms of your mother, and solace in the light of the Lord.” Wolfgang spoke words that he hoped would help the girl find distraction from her burden, little did he know that everything he did would be unceremoniously disrupted.

“There he goes!” Placid clapped, and the sudden noise made Amelia twitch, and finally turn her head away from the window.

The girl gazed at the adventurers, confused and absent-minded. But at least she stopped being the greatest mood-spoiler of all.

“Don’t let Wolf fool you! That old weasel only looks for the next prey!” Erbrun teased the priest.

“The next PRAY, you mean?” (P)

“I’d rather ask why weasel, if we all know that he is a fox in wolf’s fur.” Valerian chuckled and joked along with the others.

But the prince cautiously monitored Amelia’s face.

As the jokes went, the girl started to recover from her depression. Even her grumbly attitude slowly returned as she murmured something with annoyance written all over her face. A few cautious kicks in shin, a few meaningful glances and winks, and the jokes went on. One worse than the other, but the effect was undisputable.

“Speaking of foxes, I meant wolf…s. I noticed a quest to hunt some wolves around the village. A few coppers, a few mugs of ale.” Jeanne joined the conversation.

“Enough for us to buy four mugs of ale, one rosary, and a baked apple for a little girl~?” Placid smirked at Amelia.

And finally, the little girl exploded.

“Little, huh? Says someone who hid behind a dozen bushes so that his cowardly back won’t get charred by an overgrown lizard?”

“Guys! She’s back.” Placid clapped, stood up, and bowed like a theatre actor after a successful show.

The audience applauded, and only one member of it couldn’t help but wonder:

[What the hell have I forgotten here…?]

AFP_Writer

Where were the chapters for the past two weeks?

In short, there are lots and lots of problems piling up at work, and after overtime I can't get a single idea what I am supposed to write. And the worst part is, the upcoming weeks before Christmas are not going to get better. Stay frosty.