The small battle of Almore resulted in somewhat of a draw.
Michael had waited half an hour of staring at the sky until one of the adventurers finally found him laying on the street, completely bored out of his mind.
Even if it was stated as a draw, the adventurers had lost more numbers. There were seven Falden soldiers versus sixteen adventurers from Wilmere. Falden soldiers lost two of their men while the adventuring party had lost four and others with only minor injuries.
Michael imagined he would have been one of the ones dead if he stayed persistently stubborn.
Apparently, the first few minutes had already determined that they were set to lose. Some of the adventurers here weren't necessarily equipped to handle a fight against a caliber of a soldier.
That was when Stefan showed up then the entire tide of the battle had turned around.
As Michael walked back to the aftermath, the damage between the buildings and houses weren't as bad as he thought. The dead bodies of the adventurers were laid across, none which Michael wasn't concerned with.
But some of the others cried, their faces struck with doubt, and relieved that they were lucky to get away with only minor injuries. Though the bodies of the Falden soldiers were heaped on each other like some sort of trash.
Stefan stood in the middle of the blurring adventurers. He wasn't even wearing any armor. He only wielded a sword to the fight and managed to make the soldiers draw back from their attack. Whatever he did, it had saved the lives of the adventurers here yet none of them even recognized his presence.
Everybody's faces were dripping with sweat, and dried blood, with their armor scraped and clothes tattered from the rough fighting. The archers on the roofs couldn't be much of a help despite the squad of soldiers only consisting of swordsmen.
Michael turned around to the horse walking behind him.
Mave climbed down. "Don't feel sorry."
He glanced towards the dead bodies of adventurers.
"That would've been you if you stayed and fought. You're lucky that I found you on time before that happened."
"Thanks."
"If you died here then that would have been on everyone's conscience, especially with us. You can't even scratch me in our duels, how would you even think you can manage against a trained soldier?"
"But Ellis told me to go to the frontlines."
"Ellis doesn't care about you."
"So…that means—"
She pushed his head away. "Help them clean-up, the townspeople could be coming back any minute now."
Michael watched her lead the horse and move to converse with other adventurers.
Was he the only person here that felt a sense of guilt? He had spent his entirety of this quest preparing for an attack, and following Ellis's orders, just to be forcibly kicked out and do nothing for the remainder of the fight. He's glad that the town is safe but he didn't even feel like he took part in anything.
Being left behind because he was too weak was sort of an insult to him. He even felt like it was a chore for him to be here instead of a quest.
Stefan patted his shoulder. "Women, am I right?"
"I wanted to fight."
"I'm sure you do."
Michael followed behind him. "Is Ellis okay?"
Stefan nodded to a group from the side. Ellis was among them, treating the wounded as he tried to evaluate the situation.
"What if this happens again?"
"If it happens again, then we win again."
"Then, am I just going to sit back every time you guys fight?" Michael murmured. "I'm an adventurer too, you know."
He knocked on Michael's head. "Killing doesn't really fit in the agenda of an adventurer."
Michael shoved his hand away. "But neither does sitting back and letting your friends fight for you."
He let out a small chuckle. "Keep training, kid, then maybe they'll let you."
"So, you're saying that you're okay with me fighting?"
"Sure, that'd be awesome."
Michael thought he should come to Stefan for any type of request. He also tried to ignore the hum of his sword on his back.
"Oh, right, I forgot to mention…"
Michael felt a shiver down his neck.
Stefan turned back to him with a judging face. "About what happened earlier, do you care to explain?"
"It's…" he looked around in case anybody was hearing. "It's really weird."
"Yeah, it is weird. I don't remember carrying around a girl your size around our entire trip to this quest. She can change into swords or what?"
Michael felt his face drop.
Stefan noticed his strange expression. "She can?"
Michael felt his face drop even more.
Stefan burst out laughing so loud that adventurers nearby started to look at him like he was crazy.
Michael thought his chest was going to explode. It was only a matter of time before somebody would figure out what the sword really was. Stefan happened to notice Michael's strange attachment to his weapon, almost as if he was treating it like a real person.
"Oh, man, that really is weird." he caught his breath. "And you're not kidding, are you?"
Michael was trying to shove him away from the adventurers.
"Relax, kid," he laughed again. "What're you doing?"
"You can't tell anyone!"
Stefan sealed his lips with the biggest grin across his face.
"I'm serious!"
"I know. Do you really think I'd tell everyone else about it?"
Michael thought it was hard to believe if he was lying.
"I have some errands to do, Ellis orders," he ran off. "Your secrets are safe with me!"
Michael never felt so uneasy. The truth was revealed about his sword turning into a girl that gave him magical powers. He felt like he couldn't even think straight anymore.
Watching Stefan run away was like watching flames rage through the town. He already had a big mouth and he wasn't afraid to use it on anything. How long would it take before there was a legend about a boy wielding a changing sword across Wilmere? How long would it take before there were people searching after Michael for his power?
He can't fight them all off, let alone any parties of adventurers. There wasn't any type of way for him to protect Evelyn anymore. Michael watched the people carry on around him as if his world wasn't crumbling apart.
***
Everybody had to wait a total of a week after their battle for an official message from the Adventuring guild verifying their quest was finally finished.
Ellis still assigned shifts despite Falden's failed attack though it was just him being cautious. Royal guards began to show up to Almore, declaring that it was now under the supervision of Wilmere.
Their discussion was brief, as royal guards didn't necessarily get along with adventurers, though it was no longer Ellis's responsibility over the town. All the adventurers assigned to the quest could leave and be rewarded on the way back to the guild.
The ride back was faster than Michael felt, probably because trying to anticipate all the outcomes of his sword being taken away from him. He couldn't stop glancing at Stefan whenever he opened his mouth to talk to the parties.
Though some of them disliked his company, Stefan still had good terms with the majority. It was his effort after all that they had won their fight against the Falden soldiers.
Once they reached back to Aldoria, and back inside Mave's noble home, Michael climbed back to his attic and slept through the night. He missed the smell of the home and hardwood floors that he was already used to.
He tried to ignore the glow of his sword, tempting so she could lay beside him. The image of her face was being clouded by the chatters of adventurers and Michael's own failing expectation.
If a word was out to the public about a magical sword that could shift into a human, it would've been the talk of every single place in Wilmere. Michael even doubted he was hard to track, let alone being bested in a normal duel.
He stuffed his face in his pillow. It was almost suffocating thinking about all the bad things that could happen to her. And to know that he couldn't do anything about it just agonized him more.
Was Stefan really going to keep his word? Would he sell Michael's secret if it meant for another free bottle of booze? There weren't any more questions after that because it felt like he definitely would.
The sword hummed again beside him, glowing as if it was agitated at Michael for not noticing.
Michael reached his hand around and scrambled to grab the handle. He couldn't ignore her after all.
The sword flashed in his hand. "What's wrong with you?"
He mumbled in his pillow.
"You never do this."
He thought she was totally right. Every night since their moment at the pond, he's only fallen asleep with her next to him. It became mandatory at that point.
She ruffled her hands through his hair. Her fingers were gentle, the same feeling every night like he remembered.
Michael felt like he was drifting asleep into his pillow.
Evelyn abruptly pulled his hair.
"Ow!"
"Are you going to keep ignoring me?"
He rubbed the back of his hair as he sat up.
"Michael, what's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"You're lying."
He found it difficult looking into her eyes. "Sorry."
She sighed, crawling closer to him. "You're home, Michael, why are you being so weird? Is it because Stefan found out about me? Is that why you're scared?"
Michael didn't know how to respond.
"Michael, it's okay," she held his hand. "You're acting like the entire world is against you."
"That's exactly what it feels like."
"You're over-thinking again."
"No, I'm not."
"Yes, you are." she snapped back. "And whenever you do, you start being weird like you're doing right now."
"Evelyn, I can't—" he stammered. "I can't…"
"You can't?"
"I can't protect you." his voice shook. "If they start coming for you, there's nothing I can do. I'm just…so weak."
"Don't say that…"
"If I can't even protect myself in a fight, how can I ever protect you?"
She frowned. "You're not making any sense."
"But, I told Stefan—"
"Stefan is your friend, not your enemy, right? Just because you told him about me doesn't mean everyone is suddenly going to come eat you alive. Nobody ever believed you when you talked about an ego sword, what makes you think they'll think differently when it comes from Stefan? Have you ever thought of that?"
He thought it was strange being scolded by Evelyn.
"Come on, Michael," she lifted his face. "If you're going to keep thinking about me, at least give yourself some credit. The world isn't over because Stefan knows I exist."
"Sorry."
She pulled him back to their bedding, finally meeting his eyes with hers.
He didn't know if her golden eyes were forgiving him. If she was, he didn't deserve her at all.
Evelyn softly smiled before she snuggled into his chest.
Michael felt her snoring away. He knew she was right about Stefan's own negligence but she glossed over the fact that he worried the most. Michael was definitely weak.
Against all of these fledged soldiers and calloused adventurers, he was practically nothing compared to them. He's young and impulsive, heavy factors that stood in his way of protecting Evelyn.
Michael needed to get stronger by any means necessary, even if it meant throwing himself in absolute danger.
Evelyn was going to hate his ideas but there was truly no other way. He couldn't guarantee their future together if he was going to stay weak forever. Who knows what type of people out there that were leagues stronger than him? And to the worst of it, they knew about him and his magical sword.
Even if Michael wasn't even a part of anybody's concern, he refused to be the same worthless slave from before.
The two of them were stuck in the same problem. Michael didn't want to lose her so he needed to get stronger in order to prevent that. Evelyn didn't want to lose him in his own struggles of trying to protect her.
But Michael didn't care. He didn't care how much pain he was willing to suffer if it meant for the two of them to stay together for another day longer. He loved Evelyn too much and he wasn't ready for the world to know about them.
He just needed to suppress these thoughts whenever she was a sword. Though when she was like this, he needed to enjoy every second spent with her.