Come to think of it…
This might be the first time I've ever told anyone about my goal.
The first time I'd said it out loud.
Maybe that was why the campfire suddenly felt warmer.
Maybe that was why sitting beside her didn't feel as awkward anymore.
"It sounds fun. I really like that kind of thing too. Stories about adventurers traveling the world, discovering hidden places, fighting monsters…"
Elena's eyes sparkled as she spoke, her excitement bubbling over like a child talking about her favorite tale.
It was the first time I'd ever heard her talk like this.
Always sheltered, always watched, always guarded by her family's thick walls—maybe she had been longing for something beyond all that.
A different sky, a different road.
The kind of freedom only adventurers truly tasted.
Her voice continued cheerfully beside me as I stared into the crackling campfire.
The flames swayed softly, painting warm orange lines across the trees.
