A Cave Ahead

"Why?"

Lucian did not quite understand. It was clearly a win-win situation.

"I'm not comfortable entrusting my back to someone I just met inside a cave."

"And I found the cave too. You opened your mouth and immediately wanted a free ride from me."

Lucian nodded. What Hakan said did make sense, but there was still room to negotiate.

Lucian did not think Hakan was an idiot who would casually mention finding a cave for no reason.

"Then what do you want? No need to beat around the bush."

"Heh heh, you need to pay more!"

Lucian laughed in exasperation. He had thought Hakan was about to say something important, but this was all he wanted?

"Fine, fine. There are still plenty of trinkets on the beach where I landed. I couldn't carry them before, but I'll pick them up when we go back and give them all to you. Consider it payment for hiring you to explore the cave with me."

At those words, Hakan's expression immediately became rather colorful.

"I've changed my mind. It's fine if I don't get your things, but I don't want to hear the word 'hire' right now."

Lucian shrugged.

"All right, I won't ask why. But I'll still give you the trinkets. I can't carry them anyway, and rather than leave them on the beach, I might as well let you take them."

"Fine, then it's settled."

Lucian led Hakan back to the place where he had come ashore and picked up all the trinkets he had been unable to carry earlier.

After getting the trinkets, Hakan generously invited Lucian to eat the fish he had roasted. It really did taste quite good.

Lucian enjoyed this sort of time together. He did not have many friends; at most, he chatted with people online.

He liked talking with NPCs in games and exploring their stories.

It was like making friends with a group of distinctive people from across another world.

Now, Lucian seemed to have found the joy he felt while gaming again.

But unlike before, he was personally experiencing this fantastical journey.

The interactive NPCs and the uninteractive common soldiers from the game were now all people Lucian could truly come into contact with.

Maintaining basic vigilance, they rested separately that night. Neither spoke, and the time passed quickly.

Early the next morning, Hakan led Lucian to the entrance of the cave.

The entrance was hidden among a stretch of jagged cliff faces, and it would be difficult to spot without looking carefully.

Hakan turned back to look at Lucian.

"Since I've taken your payment, I'll do the job properly. I'll take the lead in a moment. Stay behind me and don't get any ideas. I'll have the wolf watch you."

"Sure. That's reasonable."

After all, they had only met by chance. It was impossible to trust the other with their back.

If Hakan had asked Lucian to take the lead, Lucian would never have agreed.

Putting himself in Hakan's place, allowing Lucian to walk behind him was already a major concession.

If a warrior truly wanted to ambush him, then even if the White Wolf gave a warning, it would only happen after the attack had begun. By the time he reacted, the weapon might already have struck him.

As a warrior, Hakan could not possibly be unaware of that.

Though this formation gave Hakan and the wolf the chance to attack Lucian from both sides, the risk of a sneak attack from behind and the risk of facing an enemy in battle were completely unequal.

Since there was no perfect arrangement, this was better for both of them.

Hakan lit a torch, extended it into the cave first, then stepped inside for a few paces before turning back and calling for Lucian to follow.

After they entered the cave one after another, their surroundings immediately became dim and cramped.

The path through the cave was long. The group walked for several minutes without finding anything particularly noteworthy.

After a while, Lucian grew impatient.

"Hakan, what were you doing at the cave entrance earlier?"

"You really don't know?"

Hakan sounded somewhat surprised.

"What, is this some kind of common knowledge in the Lands Between?"

"No. I'm just a little surprised that a Tarnished warrior wouldn't know. Then again, it isn't knowledge that helps with fighting and killing."

"At first, I was testing whether there were any gases inside the cave that would explode upon touching fire. Standing outside the cave lets you escape faster if something goes wrong."

Hakan paused before continuing.

"Then I stayed inside for a while to see whether the air in the cave was safe to breathe."

Lucian was somewhat surprised. Exploring a cave actually involved such know-how.

"I see. You really are experienced."

"..."

Hakan said nothing. Although Lucian could not see his face, he could tell this was not the silence of someone embarrassed by praise.

After a long silence, Hakan was the first to break it.

"I was once hired by a Leyndell noble to excavate caves and catacombs with my clansmen."

"Heh... it was grave robbing, really. I actually called it excavation just to save a little face."

Hakan laughed at himself.

"In one cave, we encountered a powerful enemy. I was the only one who barely survived."

"After that, I also accepted Stormveil's contract to hunt Tarnished. I didn't lack for those Runes. I just wanted something to do."

"After doing it for a while, I realized I could no longer be a mercenary. I couldn't forget those familiar faces, so I broke the contract and set out on a purposeless journey."

"You know what happened after that. I ran aground and ended up on this beach."

Lucian quietly listened to Hakan's words. He could feel that Hakan was a living, breathing person. He could feel his joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness.

But Lucian did not know what to say now.

"...That's a truly sad story. I know you didn't say it to seek comfort from me, but I hope your journey from here on goes smoothly."

Lucian thought for a moment, then added:

"When there's a chance, I'll buy you a drink."

"Heh heh, I do feel better after saying it. We can talk about drinking after we escape."

The moment he finished speaking, Hakan stopped walking.

"What is it?"

"I think we've found somewhere extraordinary."