SSS-Knight in a Hero World-Chapter 88: That elf

In the following days, the two kept meeting at the same row of tombstones, discussing nonstop and moving from topic to topic until the sound of each other’s voices became hypnotic.

On the rare occasions that a group of visitors came to the place, they would often see the unnatural sight of a duo that completely contrasted the expected atmosphere of a graveyard.

And those two voices became more intertwined as time flew by.

"And that’s how I ended up in the infirmary with my hand melted to my sword," Felix said proudly.

Eos continued laughing. "Why did you think it was a good idea to jump on top of the cultist ritual?"

"I think I was afraid of heights back then and I slipped. Thankfully, the cult leader cushioned my fall, but I’m not sure if I can thank him for that."

The elf rubbed the space between her eyes, trying hard to ease her breath, but there were still chuckles that slipped out.

"I think that’s enough, even for me."

"I just wanted to tell that story to someone, but no matter how funny it is to some people...

A kid that’s barely a teenager went on an unscheduled solo mission and killed over twenty-seven cultists that day."

Suddenly, the brightness in Felix’s eyes dimmed a little in awe.

"I questioned myself that day. If I was a knight, how could I... with my tiny hands, cause so much violence and death?"

"But they were cultists worshipping that serpent. Isn’t that a good thing?" Eos asked, leaning closer to Felix as they both sat on the tombstone.

"Back then, I thought it was for the good of all. As a knight, I was taught that every act of violence I enacted, every murder I performed, should be for the good of all people.

Yaromech told me how proud he was, but I was a bit suspicious that day.

A few hours later, I quickly got the news that he was court-martialed because of my own reckless actions.

That’s when I started considering the lives I ended."

. . .

Despite the awkward silence Felix fell into, Eos scoffed. "You’re talking as if you’re old enough to be sharing wisdom." 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

A hmph escaped Felix’s pursed lips as he shot a glare at the elf.

Eos ignored his gaze as she stood up to stretch. After all, sitting for hours on a tombstone isn’t morally or physically healthy.

After staring into the distant horizon that harbored identical tombs stretching for almost an eternity, she turned to face Felix.

Eos spoke, her voice almost harmonizing with the fluttering grass as it carried her words to Felix’s ears.

"...There are times when you think you’re complete and whole, and you know that all of your actions have been accomplished exactly as you wanted them to be and as perfect as they could be... but still lose.

That isn’t your fault.

That is life."

She sighed at the end of that sentence, catching her breath as if she, too, were a listener to her own words. "It’s a good evening. Care to join me for a snack?"

Felix suddenly widened his eyes when he heard her. She’s asking me out?

***

Felix followed Eos as the cold air whistled through the empty streets of the nearby city.

"Where did everyone go?" he asked, making sure not to lose her, even though there wasn’t anyone around to separate them.

"Oh, I forgot you aren’t a resident here. There’s a midnight festival for the deceased, so everyone’s sleeping earlier than usual since it’s a holiday."

Sleeping?

Since everyone was conserving their energy for the night, that meant most businesses would be closed.

"Where are you taking me?"

"Here. This is the place!"

Felix stopped in front of a tiny shopfront, its size fitting into his vision with room to spare.

With this size, could he even call it a shop?

He could easily cover the width by spreading his arms sideways.

"It looks closed... It is closed," Felix corrected himself, pointing at a sign behind the glass door that simply said CLOSED.

"Not anymore." Eos made a quick gesture near the locked knob, and a resounding click followed.

Then she hurriedly flipped the sign so it displayed OPEN for outside viewers.

Oh, she’s the shopkeeper.

Felix looked a bit surprised by the revelation, though he wasn’t entirely shocked.

What surprised him more was that such a talented fire essence wielder was running a... mediocre establishment.

"Size doesn’t matter," Eos suddenly said, as if she’d read his mind. "Out of all the bakery shops in this area, they flock to mine."

Running a bakery with such control over fire would definitely be financially secure. Eos wouldn’t need fuel for fire, and if she was really that good, she wouldn’t even need a kitchen.

Before entering with the elf, Felix had to ask one important question.

"I assume this is free, right?"

Eos paused while setting up her shop, then continued undisturbed.

"Of course not. I’m opening my business for one customer. The least you could do is pay... at a discount, of course."

Knights weren’t known for carrying money, especially since their status came with perks like free lodging anywhere and free food at restaurants.

But it isn’t enforced by law, yet the number of businesses that strictly adhere to it out of respect for knights makes it seem like a law ordained by every leader of each nation.

"...I-I don’t have anything on me at the moment—

"Huh? What did you say?"

Felix shivered a little before focusing his strength into one sentence.

"I Do Not Have Any Money Right Now."

"No worries, it’s free anyway."

Then what was that all about... Felix lampooned harshly.

Before he could finish lampooning and follow her inside, Eos swiftly laid out a tiny wooden table and a pair of dainty seats.

Without a word, Eos retreated back inside her shop.

Felix reluctantly sat on the chair and felt two indentations that somehow fit his buttocks. "Oh?"

Wondering why that was, he noticed tiny spots of paint on the table.

I can tell it’s supposed to be painted white, Felix observed, scraping a layer off with his fingernails.

Multiple layers of paint...

The indentation of the chair he was sitting on...

A mediocre shop...

"Hm." Felix enjoyed the cool breeze and the quiet streets.

He wanted to meditate and check on his essence layers, ever since he halted his training routine as a knight.

But a warm snack would complement the scenery, and besides, it would be disrespectful of him not to eat a free snack.

Clatter.

Eos placed her porcelain utensils right before him.

How are elves so quiet... Felix silently admitted that he needed to focus on his senses more.

"To think you could afford such expensive materials," Felix joked, sliding his finger across the dulled plate. Nevertheless, he felt the long-term care put into it.

After noticing the detail, he focused on the main piece.

Steaming bread and brown coffee. Felix could understand the coffee, but he was a bit suspicious of the bread and why it was served so early.

Surely Eos didn’t simply heat up stale bread?

"You first," Eos smiled as she sat on the opposite side.

No, I trust her not to do something like that.

"Thank you," Felix said, then picked up the bread.

Nothing amazing. It might as well be dirt to some people.

Then he tried the drink.

His stomach could feel the heat, but his tongue couldn’t find anything appealing about it. It might as well have been hot water with food coloring.

However, those two things had something important.

They were everything a person would need, and that was warmth.

From those two acts alone, Felix already knew what kind of person Eos was.

Despite her skill, which could effortlessly elevate her status and put her in an important position in the war effort, she wasn’t there. Why?

It was because she was exactly where she needed to be, and she was exactly doing what she needed to do.

She was a knight, serving the people.

With the lifespan of elves, she might have fed people in the hundreds of thousands, or perhaps almost a million.

She had already done what thousands of knights had yet to accomplish.

Eos placed her elbow on the table, ignoring her own snack. "...I’m glad to see you’re enjoying it."

She watched as Felix emptied the plate and cup in a somewhat graceful manner. "You have a way with baking. I understand why you’re popular."

"I appreciate your kind words."

Felix nodded, then took a deep breath to ease the tension away. "I’ll be leaving tomorrow. I think it’s thanks to you that I’ll be able to look at my teacher again."

Eos’ ears shot up. "Say, are you free at midnight?"

Does she want me to attend the festival? "I am."

For some reason, when he said he could attend, Eos couldn’t help but put on a sneaky smile and look away, much to Felix’s total dismay.

Felix sighed. "What’s this about—

"!!!"

"!!!"

The two sat frozen.

I just felt someone watching us. Looks like she noticed it as well.

Eos shot her eyes in a certain direction behind Felix, then locked eyes with him. "I think I want someone to accompany me on a lovely walk.

Would you mind?"

"Not at all."