A makeshift sparring ring had appeared in front of the inn.
Calling it a “ring” was generous—it was really just someone crudely scratching a square in the dirt to keep spectators from stepping in. It was, for all intents and purposes, right in the middle of the street.
And Eddie’s inn was known for its prime location. The central square with the famous fountain and mermaid statue was a landmark of the Reneba Empire’s capital. Even before the recent parade and festival, it was always crowded, but now, thanks to the influx of tourists, it was bursting at the seams.
In an instant, the stage was set, and people swarmed to gather around.
As the crowd surged forward, even passersby couldn’t help but crane their necks out of curiosity. And when they saw the famed hero, Augustine of Divine Power, standing there, they erupted into cheers.
Standing opposite him was a man no one seemed to recognize—dressed in dark clothing, broad-shouldered, and exuding the aura of someone who had trained his body to the extreme.
Something about the stark contrast, like black and white squaring off, sent an electric thrill through the crowd.
“Heave-ho.”
Augustine casually pulled out the wooden staff strapped to his back. As a cleric, he refused to use bladed weapons—his resolve not to kill clear in his choice of weapon.
Of course, if that’s the case, it begs the question of how he ever ended up in a hero’s party in the first place…
Thunk!
When the staff hit the ground, it landed with a tremendous thud, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Calling it a “staff” might be misleading—this thing was practically a massive club. At that size and weight, whether it had a blade or not barely mattered anymore.
And considering most of their enemies in those days had been demons, he’d had no reason to hesitate when swinging it.
With a relaxed smile, Augustine asked,
“Come to think of it, how old are you?”
He’d slipped into informal speech without warning. But that was typical for Augustine—his tone had always felt more natural that way. The young man across from him, Ketron, responded after a brief silence.
“…Twenty.”
“Hm.”
Augustine squinted at Ketron’s face, examining it carefully. Now that he mentioned it, the kid really did have a baby-faced softness to him. Still, he was younger than Augustine had expected.
Not because he looked older—but because of his eyes.
There was something too deep in those eyes for someone who was only twenty.
Augustine didn’t hide the pity that crept into his expression. He clicked his tongue.
“Sounds like you’ve had your fair share of shit to deal with. That’s not the gaze of some fresh-faced brat.”
“……”
“Well, whatever. Not my business, is it?”
With that, he lightly swung the huge staff over his shoulder and gave a little wiggle of his finger.
“Then, as your elder, I command you—come at me.”
It was an obvious provocation.
What was strange—almost laughably so—was how familiar it all felt to Ketron. That posture, that challenge… he’d seen it countless times before.
Whether standing across from him or behind his back.
Ketron silently observed the provocation, then bent down and picked up a stick of similar length.
Unlike Augustine’s hefty weapon, this was something anyone could find on the street—a light, scrappy stick a little boy would be thrilled to wave around.
A stick?
For a second, Augustine thought the kid was mocking him. But the moment Ketron slammed his foot into the ground and launched forward at terrifying speed, Augustine scrambled to raise his staff.
Crash!
“Ooooh!”
The crowd gasped in awe.
Augustine staggered back a few steps. Sure, it had been an ambush, more or less, but he had told the kid to come at him. And they weren’t knights bound by rules of honor and chivalry, so Ketron couldn’t really be blamed for taking him up on it.
Still—he hadn’t expected the kid to charge so immediately. Or to swing that flimsy stick with that kind of force.
“…Well, well. That was something else.”
Augustine shook out his hand, tingling from the impact, and grinned.
He had been hoping for something interesting—but this was more than he’d bargained for.
No, this was beyond what he’d hoped for.
It had been a long time since he’d felt like this.
He didn’t even realize that he couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt that way—or the person who’d made him feel it.
Now it was Augustine’s turn to attack. His staff swung up from below, a completely unexpected angle—but Ketron parried it skillfully. Crash! The two were flung apart by the force of the blow.
“Oh?”
Augustine’s eyes widened with genuine surprise, then he burst out laughing.
“First guy to block that move in one shot. Wasn’t expecting that. That strike was supposed to come out of nowhere.”
Of course, no matter how sharp Ketron’s instincts were, blocking a surprise attack like that on pure reaction alone should’ve been impossible.
But to him, it wasn’t surprise—it was familiarity.
He’d seen Augustine test people like this too many times to count.
The two clashed again, and again, and again.
Suddenly, the quiet hum of the central square was shattered by repeated, thunderous collisions.
Despite the seemingly light-footed exchanges, Ketron felt his strength beginning to wane.
The longer the spar continued, the more exhausting it became.
Was it the injury?
Had his stamina dropped over the past month?
No. His body wasn’t that weak.
What was being eaten away… was his mind.
“You’re damn good!”
Augustine crashed into him with full force, grinning in genuine admiration.
That comrade—who had fought beside him through countless life-or-death moments—
Had forgotten him.
Forgotten him completely, treated him like a stranger.
Ketron hadn’t agreed to the spar because he thought it’d be okay. He simply hadn’t been able to say no.
He knew better than anyone that, even if his body had recovered, his spirit was more fragile than ever.
Was it a mistake… accepting this duel in that state?
“Ha ha! It’s been so long since I’ve felt like this! Or… has it ever happened before?”
Each time their weapons clashed, it felt like his heart was shattering.
His closest friend—the one he could always rely on in a crisis, the one he would’ve entrusted Albatross to if anything ever happened to him—
Had forgotten him.
So utterly and completely.
That cold truth, which he’d known in his head, was now carving itself into his skin, seeping into his lungs, making it hard to breathe.
You knew.
You knew they all forgot.
So then why?
At some point, Ketron was gasping like a fish thrown onto dry land, unable to breathe.
“…? Hey?”
Augustine had almost gone in for the kill when he froze, sensing something was wrong.
The young man in front of him had gone completely still, his arms limp at his sides. The will to fight was gone from his posture.
“What the hell? What’s going on?”
Augustine looked at him with wide-eyed confusion. He clearly had no idea what had just happened.
And that made it hurt even more.
Augustine. You weren’t supposed to forget.
Even if everyone else did… you weren’t supposed to.
Of all people—you.
Ketron’s vision blurred. Even as he gritted his teeth, the sorrow that had piled up in his chest threatened to burst free.
No trial, no pain had ever broken his mind. But the day he lost everything, it had crumbled—and now, finally, it showed.
They’d all forgotten him.
Even his best friend.
What meaning was left in this life?
That dark question, buried for so long, finally began to rise when—
“What do you think you’re doing?!”
A voice cut through Ketron’s haze—one he hadn’t even realized had become familiar in the past few days.
* * *
“Hmm. Nice. Full table spread—complete.”
Eddie was seated on a chair inside the convenience store. He’d finally completed the layout for a satisfying breakfast set. Cutting unnecessary extras and crafting a simple meal had been trickier than expected.
“If I could just get some kimchi, it’d be perfect.”
Being a fermented food, kimchi wouldn’t be easy to popularize in the Reneba Empire.
Still, he’d have to find a way.
Even if he now was a citizen of this empire, Eddie’s roots were Korean. Giving up on kimchi simply wasn’t an option.
After a moment of thought, he reminded himself he’d already planned today’s breakfast without it and decided to shelve the kimchi issue for now. Stretching his stiff shoulders, he glanced around.
On impulse, he plucked a round, foil-wrapped chocolate off a nearby shelf by the entrance.
He hadn’t eaten them much in his old life—they were pricey. But now that the store restocked itself endlessly, he could afford the indulgence. It was also just the right size to share a bite with his ‘kid’ who had a sweet tooth.
If he liked it, maybe next time he’d bring out some Dubai chocolates.
With the chocolate tucked into his pocket, Eddie happily headed upstairs—
Only to freeze when he saw the empty first floor.
Not a single customer.
“…The hell?”
Sure, the inn was still failing, and sure, the menu wasn’t exactly gourmet, so morning and lunch shifts tended to be slow—but zero customers?
That was extreme.
About to call for Gerold to see if something had happened, Eddie spotted him standing by the window, arms crossed, staring out.
“Gerold? What’s going on?”
Gerold turned his head toward Eddie, shrugged, and said calmly,
“An intruder is fighting another intruder.”
“…Huh?”
Eddie had absolutely no idea what that was supposed to mean.