“Are you sure about this?” Vincent asked.

  Tara nodded. “Of course. I’m your friend. Let’s do this.”

  It was true, Ayame wouldn’t do it. She had made that clear from the beginning. Even before he started mowing the lawn, she had wished him luck. But today was a bad day, she’d said. She needed to get some fresh air. To breathe. Neither Vincent nor Tara tried to convince her otherwise. They understood perfectly. She was still recovering from her brother and sister’s visit. Not to mention the farewell, which had been even worse.

  Yes, of course she had gotten exactly what she wanted, but sometimes that wasn't a victory. Sometimes it was just permission to move on. An excuse. Because you had already been through this and that, you couldn't give up. The pain was something. Something to hold on to. Something that helped you keep going. Ayame knew this too, but she needed time to process the pain. Vincent had been more than willing to give it to her from the start. He wasn't doing anything important, after all. Just a small punishment.

  “You know I’m your party member too, right?” Tara continued.

  Vincent was stunned. “Of course. What do you mean?”

  Tara grimaced and looked away. Now he just felt more confused. He waited patiently, counting on it being a pause, not her ending the conversation. He turned out to be right, though the answer was something he didn’t want to hear.

  “I’m sorry. It’s just… sometimes I feel like a third wheel.”

  His heart broke. He might not show it properly, but Tara was very important to him, too. A dear friend. Maybe it wasn't a matter of quality, but of scale. Yes. Tara seemed to understand.

  “I care about you a lot, Tara. But you’re a friend. Just a friend. Do you understand?”

  Tara looked him in the eyes. “You mean you like Ayame?”

  “Of course.” He felt a little embarrassed admitting it out loud for the first time. Not in front of Ayame herself, but to Tara. But it had to come out at some point, or he’d explode. And this was as good a time as any. Besides, it was necessary to make himself understood. “I thought… it was an open secret.”

  “Well…” Tara stammered. She had gone from angry to deeply embarrassed. He supposed that was an improvement. “It crossed my mind a couple of times,” she admitted, “but I never seriously considered that… well, it doesn’t matter. I understand.” Tara nodded. “Thanks for telling me.”

  “I know this isn’t the point of the conversation, but… I’m surprised that you’re surprised. What’s up with that?”

  Tara shrugged. “I… I thought. I thought you were just a little… intense, maybe. Fuck. I sound like a fucking idiot.”

  “Come on, don’t say that.”

  “But it’s true. Looking back, I must have been really blind.”

  “I’m sure it didn’t occur to you because Ayame is out of my league. It’s normal.”

  The girl’s embarrassment transformed into discomfort in an instant, and she averted her gaze again. “Out of your league? But… what are you talking about?”

  “Well, it’s the truth.”

  “It is not.”

  “She’s so… beautiful. I have one of those faces only a mother could love.”

  “Don’t say another word,” Tara said forcefully, trembling a little from head to toe. “Because I’m getting the urge to slap you. If you keep this up, it’s only going to get worse.”

  Vincent fell silent. He didn’t think he’d said anything that wasn’t true, but it wasn’t worth fighting over. He had put his foot in his mouth, though he didn’t understand how or why. Now he had to focus on getting it out. Just that and nothing more.

  “Tara, I don’t think it’s that big of a deal.”

  “What did I just tell you?”

  “God, we’re wasting more time than we should.”

  But Tara grabbed him by both shoulders, squeezing hard. As if wanting to stop him in his tracks, but that wasn’t it. She moved him to the bathroom and left him standing right in front of the mirror.

  “Look at yourself. Look. Look at yourself, for fuck’s sake.” Her hands were trembling, as was her voice. It wasn’t sadness; it was rage. “A face only a mother could love? You’re no model, sure, but look at yourself, dammit. You’re a normal-looking guy. That’s all.”

  Vincent followed her orders. He looked in the mirror and tried to see himself through his friend’s eyes. Not ugly, not handsome. Just normal. A comforting thought, despite everything. The idea was terribly tempting, but he couldn’t manage it.

  “You’re right,” he finally replied, in an attempt to appease her. “Maybe I am just normal, but even so, I don’t feel like I’m on her level.”

  “Her level?” Tara repeated, incredulous and growing angrier. It was obvious. “You idiot. Of course you’re on her level.”

  “You don’t have to lie to make me feel better,” Vincent began, but she cut him off.

  “You’re the only guy who looks her in the eye.”

  The words hit him like a punch to the chest. He was left breathless, left with the feeling that he didn’t even know where he was standing. The idea they contained was the most terribly tempting of all. And also the saddest.

  He understood that Tara didn’t mean it that way, but what Vincent heard was that, okay, yes, he had a chance with Ayame. But only because he was the only one who looked her in the eye. That is, the only one who simply treated her like a friend and a normal person. If more people appeared who were willing to give her what he gave her, then he could lose his place. What connected him to Ayame, to her heart, was the “cursed fate,” quote-unquote, that she suffered for being born a vampire. It was no consolation. It made him want to cry. He could barely hold back. He swallowed his tears, nodding his head. He desperately tried to act overwhelmed by this simple truth that had been the key to his confidence. The key to the door behind which his confidence as a man was hidden. He couldn’t let Tara realize what she had actually made him think. That was no way to repay her kindness.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  “Thanks. Let’s get going, or we won’t have enough hours left in the day.” He gave her a quick hug.

  “Sure. Come on, let’s go.”

  ——

  Vincent took a deep breath. It was fine. He could do this. It was fine. Besides, Tara was here to support him. To keep him from putting his foot in it too deep. He just had to trust her. Trust himself. And take the leap of faith.

  Probably.

  So he did. He closed his eyes, took the leap, and dove into the water. Of course, he had made sure to hold his breath before breaking the surface. He hadn’t forgotten. What kept him from sinking into the depths of darkness was the thick rope tied to his ankle. And the rope itself was tied to a nearby tree. Well, that and his own ability to swim. But the rope seemed a lot safer than just that.

  After all, these were dangerous waters.

  No shit, he thought. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be a proper quest. It would be more like being an errand boy. Well, he was, in fact, the errand boy here. Albeit for a good cause. But it was no walk in the park.

  These were dangerous waters. It wasn’t long before he saw yellow and red eyes illuminating the depths. He wondered how many of those pairs of eyes belonged to the same creature. It was possible. And the fewer enemies there were, the simpler things were for them. In a way.

  Vincent drew his sword and raised his shield. Plunging them into the water, into the depths, would wear them down a bit. But he didn’t intend to be here long, and they could take it. They were practically fresh from the forge, after all.

  At least this is fighting, he thought. My element.

  The forge, the anvil… and the hammer blows.

  Vincent grimaced. It was the most horrible association his mind had come up with so far. Fortunately, the creatures of the deep descended upon him, and he didn’t have to think about it anymore. Wielding his sword in the dark waters was much easier.

  Mouths full of teeth opened and tried to clamp down on him. Vincent maneuvered to dodge as best he could, but mostly, he had to defend himself with his shield. His freedom of movement was more limited in the water.

  Luckily, he wasn’t alone. He was deep enough that Tara couldn’t lend a hand with her bow and arrows, but she could pull on the rope, helping him move a little faster. She couldn’t see a damn thing, but she could feel when the rope pulled and gave him the signal. He was grateful for her support right now. He could have done this alone, of course. But it would have been harder. Alone. Tara helped him jump over one of those sons of bitches. Well, “jump,” he had to call it something. And slice its chest in half.

  Guts spilled out, scattering in the water. That, and the blood, floated toward the surface. Not to mention the loot, of course. The reason he was here. He had to kill enough of these bastards, that is, until he got lucky with the drop. Tara would check it, and when he got lucky, she would pull him up. Signal enough that this damn job was finally over.

  He was vastly outnumbered, but they didn’t all pounce on him at once. They literally couldn’t. That was his biggest advantage. Well, that and the fact that they were animals, after all. Not too bright. He blocked one of the creature’s strikes with his shield, for example. And instead of backing off and attacking from another direction, it kept biting, as if hoping it could break the shield in half and only then devour him in a macabre feast. Devour the steel, the skin, and the flesh. Tear it all to shreds. Of course, it didn’t succeed. It just gave Vincent enough time to split its head open and then its guts, as he watched it float away.

  Another one held back, watching, only attacking him after a while. Others approached, in no apparent hurry. This way, the number of aquatic creatures became relatively manageable, even though he was just one person. His life was in serious danger, but it felt like any other task, with certain steps to follow. Nothing more. Nothing less.

  He took a few small bites to the neck, but otherwise, he was unharmed. They were dismembered, until he finally felt Tara pull. He knew it was time to leave this tedious Quest behind.

  [Quest Item Acquired: Clara’s Missing Charm]

  [Objective Complete: Atonement (2/5)]

  It was truly crazy how much he had changed in such a short time. To recognize that risking his life could seem tedious under any circumstances. The creatures didn’t waste any time, but neither did Tara; she quickly pulled him to the surface.

  “Nice job,” the archer said, patting his shoulder and back, grinning from ear to ear.

  Vincent looked at the loot on the grass. His eyes immediately focused on the prize. It didn’t look like anything special, but it meant a lot to one particular person at the academy, at least. Vincent got to his feet on slightly shaky legs, soaked from head to toe, and felt like he weighed twice as much.

  “Come on, let’s go deliver this.”

  ——

  The loot itself was nothing special, just the last piece for someone’s set. Vincent knocked on the door. It opened shortly after, as if someone had been waiting right behind it the whole time.

  A girl, Clara was her name. As soon as she saw the loot, she burst into tears, trembling from head to toe. “Thank you, thank you.”

  It was barely intelligible through her sobs.

  It was a punishment, he thought. They made me do it. He’d be a total asshole if he said that, so he just nodded. They all knew it, but it would be a dick move to say it out loud.

  “You’re welcome,” he replied simply, feeling a little foolish anyway.

  Clara gave him a tight hug, and honestly, it was nice. Tara, of course, got one too.

  “I’ll repay you both someday,” the girl said, unable to look them in the eye.

  “Don’t be silly, we’re classmates, not enemies,” Tara said. “This isn’t a competition, so helping each other is normal.”

  “It should be,” Clara corrected, “it should be. That’s why I won’t forget this.”

  “I understand,” Vincent said, and he truly did. He didn’t like unpaid debts either. It didn’t matter if the other party didn’t expect or want anything in return. It was still a debt, one that felt even stronger for that very reason. “I hope… we hope, things go better for you from now on.”

  Clara thanked them again. She nodded, bowed, and hid in her room. She was alone, no team, no alliance. No expenses beyond her own. Not anymore.

  Tara and Vincent walked away.

  ——

  “She’s a good kid,” Tara said. “Maybe after being betrayed and almost losing her spot, she’ll better understand the value of kindness and honesty.”

  “Is that cynicism?”

  “No. Well, I was just thinking out loud. It doesn’t mean anything special.”

  “I get it.”

  Where were they walking? Back to their room, of course. There weren’t enough hours left in the day to tackle the next quest. When they arrived, Ayame was already there, sitting on the edge of her bed, legs crossed, as if she had been waiting for them. She slowly raised her head to look at them. Her expression—well, he couldn’t tell anything just from her expression.

  “Did it go well?” she asked.

  “Yeah. At least I helped a girl who needed it.”

  Ayame blinked. “You help me and Tara every day. You’re useful and a good person.”

  “Yeah, I know.” A “but” hung in the air, unspoken.

  “But what?”

  But nothing, he supposed. Just his own nonsense. Introspection wasn’t his strong suit. Trying and being good at it were two different things. But anyway, he was too tired to dwell on words he had said without realizing it. He threw himself onto his bed, without changing his clothes, without taking off his armor, without showering.

  He was so, so tired. But at the very least, he should take off his damn armor. He sighed. Otherwise, how the hell was he supposed to sleep?

  Slowly and laboriously, he took it off, leaving it beside the bed. He had no desire to drag himself to the bathroom for a shower, even though he surely smelled of sweat. And monster guts, of course. He couldn’t forget that part.

  Tara did go to the bathroom, but she stopped at the threshold, turning her head to look at Ayame. “And you? Did it go well? Did you manage to clear your head?”

  Ayame looked back at her. She seemed thoughtful. “I don’t know,” she admitted.

  “Well, that’s still better than a ‘no’.” That’s what Tara said before disappearing into the bathroom, closing the door.

  Ayame nodded as if it were the wisest thing she had ever heard. “I miss my siblings.”

  Vincent closed his eyes. She hadn’t said it in any special way. Not hurt, not sad, not angry. Not broken, not whole. Just the empty tone of someone making a simple observation. But for that very reason, it was like a knife sliding between his ribs.

  “I know. I’m so sorry they made you feel like you were choosing.”

  Because that was the crux of the matter, wasn’t it? He understood it only after he said it. As if the truth had been inside him all along.

  “Thank you.”