A goal

Chapter 24: A goal

Bryce isn't perfect.

Who is, actually?

His main problem is that he's a knack for getting into problems, always striving to improve himself, and once he doesn't see any option, he will forcefully make one, and he likes to challenge himself, too.

And that was more or less why he'd ended up in a situation without exit.

After the demon lord left the cave, at least five hours passed, and for this long, Bryce stood like a statue, seemingly waiting for someone. He also didn't think of anything, just staring ahead, not minding time or his friends lying unconsciously on the side.

Everything seemed so insignificant.

But as the sixth hour ticked, Gengo opened his eyes, realized his situation, and stood up. He looked at Sharla first, for she was close to him, and seeing no wound or any lethal state, for she smelled just fine, Gengo nodded with relief. He then found his friend standing pointlessly in the middle of the cave.

Gengo felt happy, for there was no troll, and his friend seemed fine. He rushed to Bryce's side with his tongue lolled out and saliva dripping. As a smart dog, Gengo didn't let out any sound, be it howls or loud steps.

But when he appeared before his friend, Gengo saw the broken arm and shoulder; it looked so unhealthy and full of bruises that he whined. He rubbed his nose on Bryce's leg, hoping he would say something, encourage him and tell him that everything was fine.

Bryce hadn't moved, though.

Feeling nothing from his owner and seeing those dark eyes of nothingness, Gengo cried faintly. He barked quietly, his sadness was so audible that even those animal haters would feel his genuine feelings and become more humane. Still, no matter how Gengo begged his friend to return and look at him, to talk with him, and to smile, Bryce hadn't moved.

At last, Gengo sat between Bryce's legs, for his owner stood in a pretty cool position, and looked ahead, mimicking his friend. He wouldn't leave his side, even if hunger killed him!

Gengo would also protect Bryce until the end. If a troll appeared, he would show his teeth and bite them to death.

Soon, Sharla woke up and found them together. Her reaction was similar to Gengo, happily going over to their side, but when she noticed Bryce's eyes and heard Gengo's sadness, Sharla knew that something must have happened.

She couldn't remember anything, too. Nonetheless, Bryce's broken arm and shoulder were apparent, so she lifted her hand and cast holy healing.

"I really can't recall anything. It's like someone stole my memories," Sharla whispered, taking the close side of these two friends, not wanting to leave them alone.

Gengo whined more, wanting to tell her that he had seen the demon lord, but Sharla couldn't understand him, and she probably wouldn't believe it, too.

"Undead never appeared in this region, so has its master attacked us from behind? We're all fine, though…" Sharla speculated what had happened, she tried to find a legit explanation for Bryce's blank state and properly analyze their situation.

It was also sad and painful to hear Gengo's cries and lonely because Bryce hadn't said a word, too.

Sharla then noticed that her healing skill did nothing. It was as though Bryce's body eluded her skill, as though Bryce didn't want to get healed by Sharla. It hurt her, even though it wasn't the case.

She tried harder, to no avail.

"Has someone stolen your soul and turned it into a ghost? What has happened to you?" Sharla cried silently; her voice was weak and as painful as Gengo's.

Still, she knew she couldn't waste all of her mana. Knowing that Bryce would approve it, Sharla stopped trying to heal him, for her duty was to protect Gengo as well. If they were meant to stay in the cave for a night, she'd need to cast some spells around to keep them safe, too.

A few more hours passed.

At last, Bryce's eyes flashed with some light. It was the first change in his unapproachable stance, something that both Sharla and Gengo missed as they were too exhausted. After closing his eyes, Bryce recalled a small puppy that always followed him, even to this day, and how that little creature quickly grew up.

No matter whether the small or big boy, that doggo friend of his always stands by his side like the best friend.

"My legs hurt," Bryce suddenly said, back to himself, as Gengo's warmth, love, and unshakable loyalty brought him from that unfamiliar state.

His friend instantly trembled and wheeled to look at him.

Gengo and Bryce exchanged familiar looks.

Bryce gave thumbs up to his friend, who nodded and cried at his feet, then extended his hands. But as just his right hand went forward, Bryce suddenly felt the pain warning him from his left. He couldn't move his arm at all, and now that he had registered the pain, it ached so much.

"It's not just legs," Bryce half-jested.

Gengo barked.

Sharla sighed loudly and whispered, "I'm so glad, so glad. I didn't want to lose another friend."

Her healing prowess finally touched Bryce — he accepted wholeheartedly — and Sharla could finally smile brightly at her friends, who both felt relieved, too. Her treatment lasted around an hour because Bryce's wounds were serious.

And when they were ready to leave, Bryce parted his lips, "Wait for a second."

He scuttled to the black coat, which was hidden well amidst shattered rocks, picked it up, and put it on. It laid perfectly on him, increased his defenses, and, more importantly, covered those bloodlines from others. Bryce's system confirmed all of it, so Bryce didn't doubt the present he'd received from the demon lord.

Donned by that, Bryce thought of how naive he was.

At the top, after becoming a demon lord, priorities often changed. The demon lord he'd met today wasn't someone who treated holiness as a disease and killed everyone who wielded it.

Of course, Bryce didn't doubt that Devin paved his path on blood and gore, crushing skulls and mercilessly killing innocents as he climbed up the hierarchy of another world.

But not everyone was his enemy, Bryce had proof of it. He would still do his best to thoroughly check the coat, though.

[Home!]

He recalled his mother's voice from his vision on his first day. After becoming a demon lord, she was still forced to deal with some monsters, but her main priority surely had been to laze around in a safe castle.

And as Bryce stood in a cave with his friends shivering from coldness, he found his mother's priorities warm and sweet.

"I want that, too. Maybe, there's a chance we'll be able to laze together…."