"Where are you going after this?"
Adam's question made Alioth recall for a moment. The third main quest was supposed to start in Tivaras City, which was far to the east from here, he would have to cross a desert and a dead forest for months. Even in the game, Alioth had to use a teleportation item.
However, if he didn't head to the main quest locations, where should he go? The question seemed to echo in Alioth's head.
"I'm going east, to Tivaras City," Alioth answered. "There's something I want to do there. What about you?"
Adam looked at the bright blue sky stretching overhead. "My task here is finished, I'll return to my master's place."
Alioth nodded. Then he looked to his left, where Velma was walking casually. "What about you? Where are you going? Is it possible you'll be hunted by the Church of Blood?"
"Most definitely," Velma replied indifferently with a gloomy expression.
Alioth and Adam were sympathetic to hear that, they were also worried about the woman's safety.
"Then what are you going to do about it?" In his heart, Adam was already considering taking her with him to his master's place if there was no other way.
However, Velma's answer was far from expected. Instead, she threw a question back at Alioth. "Do you feel guilty for causing a permanent scar on my shoulder?"
The tip of Alioth's eyebrow twitched slightly. It was undeniable that guilt spread from his toes to the crown of his head. Especially when he remembered that his hands had just killed humans. It felt like only yesterday he was living a monotonous life as Cael, just doing the same old thing, and now he had taken people's lives.
A heavy intake of breath was heard. "Of course, I feel guilty. If I had known from the start that you were possessed, I definitely wouldn't have slashed that deep with the sword."
Velma's smile suddenly spread. "Well, in that case, as an apology, I'll just come with you!"
"What?!"
Alioth's eyes widened in surprise because he never expected Velma to say something like that. Meanwhile, Adam didn't expect Velma to be so bold as to "declare her feelings" in the street like this.
Velma's eyes narrowed. Indeed, the woman seemed to have planned all this, she knew Alioth's reaction would be like this, so she continued in a voice that was quite loud.
"You ruined my body last night, and now you want to leave me?!"
"WHAT?!"
Alioth glared at her, and Adam glared at Alioth. They had indeed been together the previous night to interrogate Velma, but Adam didn't know what happened after they all went back to their rooms.
The passing villagers immediately turned their heads. Soon, the three people became the center of attention and the subject of whispered conversations.
Alioth felt awkward, looking around, it was clear that many of them were sneering at him. When he looked at Velma, the woman proudly displayed a look of triumph.
"A-Alioth, what did you do to her last night?"
Adam's question made Alioth even angrier, and he snapped, "You know what happened, you idiot!"
Adam opened his mouth wide, realizing that Velma's words were simply exaggerated.
However, the woman continued to pressure Alioth by saying, "I thought you were a responsible man. Didn't Adam witness it, too?"
The gazes of the surrounding people became strange as they looked at them.
***
Adam waved his hand in the distance. Alioth felt that he might miss his friend in the future, wondering when he would be able to meet a great Warrior like him again.
Adam had explained that his arrival in this village was by his master's order to stop the undead invasion. Adam didn't know how his master knew about it, the man only said that his master claimed to have lived for hundreds of years and was able to see the future with his magic—although the destiny his eyes saw about the future could still be changed.
Alioth also answered the reason for his trip to this village. He added a small lie, saying that he met a distant relative in the village and unintentionally found out about the corpse incident when he woke up that night. When Adam asked why he didn't say goodbye when he left the village, Alioth, with an awkward smile, said his distant relative wasn't home, and he only left a note early that morning.
Neither Velma nor Adam attempted to dispute the convoluted story.
Now Adam had left after his duty was completed, while Alioth himself had to head to the next main quest. However, the presence of the beautiful woman with wavy hair behind him was truly outside the plan.
"You didn't have to embarrass me in public like that, you jerk!" Alioth glared angrily.
Velma shrugged with a wry smile and an indifferent attitude. "If I hadn't done that, I was worried you would genuinely leave me."
"Why? You're not brave enough to go home alone?!"
Velma's expression looked slightly offended by that, and she replied, "Don't be careless. Although I'm not part of the Adventurer's Guild, I've traveled to various places. I want to come with you because I think you can protect me from the Church of Blood's assault during the journey. I was possessed by the person they called 'Mistress.' I don't know what will happen in the future, but there's certainly a possibility that he will send people to kill me so that information doesn't leak, right?"
Alioth had thought about that, but why did she have to come with him and not Adam?
"Why did you choose to come with me? Do you already have a destination after this?"
"Of course I do," Velma replied, crossing her arms. Then, without being asked and with a proud face, she stated her destination. "My destination this time is Albara Castle, and it happens to be in the same direction as yours."
A moment later, Velma frowned in confusion when Alioth showed no expression at all.
"Hey, don't you know Albara Castle?"
"Huh? What is that? How is it different from a regular castle?"
The veins on the woman's forehead began to bulge.