Jolly Knight Vs. NPC: Part 4

Marie's words hung heavily in the room, casting a momentary shadow over the excitement that had filled the air just moments ago. Eidos's confusion mirrored in his raised eyebrows and the puzzled expressions on the faces of the other Jolly Knights. The idea that he might not be ready to become a Jolly Knight had never crossed his mind before.

"Still, it's not enough," Marie repeated, her tone serious and contemplative. Her green eyes bore into Eidos, as if trying to decipher the depths of his abilities.

"Eh?" Eidos let out a perplexed sound, his heart racing with uncertainty. He had faced countless challenges and adversaries on his journey, and he thought he had shown considerable skill and growth.

Atnas, on the other hand, seemed to find the situation highly amusing. His laughter boomed through the room, and his jovial demeanor was in stark contrast to the tension that had briefly settled among the Jolly Knights. Marie turned to him with a puzzled expression, clearly taken aback by Atnas's reaction.

"AHAHAHA!" Atnas continued to laugh heartily, as if he had just heard the best joke in the world. His mirth filled the room, dispelling the unease that had briefly taken hold.

"Well, that's because Eidos hasn't shown you his true power, isn't that right, Eidos?" Atnas's voice cut through the laughter, and he fixed his gaze on Eidos, his eyes twinkling with a mischievous glint.

Eidos's face turned ashen as he processed Atnas's words. The shock and anxiety that had initially gripped him were replaced by a profound sense of dread. His true power, the abilities that were hidden away to protect his identity, was something he had never intended to reveal so soon.

"!!!" Eidos stammered, unable to form a coherent response. His mind raced as he grappled with the sudden decision thrust upon him by the guild master.

"..."

  Marie asked him "are you hiding something?" 

The room seemed to hold its breath as Marie's inquiry hung in the air, casting an oppressive cloud of uncertainty over the training ground. Eidos's heart raced, his mind racing to find a way out of this predicament.

Eidos's voice quivered as he tried to respond. "I-I don't..." He stammered, the words catching in his throat. He had been living marked by honesty and integrity, and now, faced with the need for deception, he found himself ill-prepared. His hesitation only fueled the growing suspicion in the eyes of the Jolly Knights, especially Seraphina, who regarded him with a searching gaze.

The room remained cloaked in tense silence, with each passing second only adding to Eidos's anxiety. He knew that his inability to provide a convincing answer made him appear more suspicious than ever. His kind-hearted nature, which had guided him through countless challenges, was now a liability in this perilous situation.

Eidos was cornered, figuratively and quite literally. His mind raced as he assessed the situation; escape was simply not an option, not with these formidable Jolly Knights encircling him. The weight of their collective scrutiny bore down on him, and his silence only served to amplify their suspicions.

His internal struggle intensified, torn between his deep-rooted principles of honesty and integrity and the pressing need to protect his true identity. The silence that followed his stammered response seemed to stretch on for an eternity, a suffocating shroud that threatened to engulf him.

Seraphina, her gaze unwavering and probing, pressed on with the question Eidos had been dreading. "Are you, perhaps, the person on the wanted poster that was posted around the city?"

"!!!!!!"

Eidos's world seemed to freeze in that moment. He could feel the weight of every eye in the room upon him, their collective suspicion pressing down like a heavy burden. His throat felt dry, and his palms were slick with nervous sweat. Caught in a web of his own making, Eidos had to make a choice—continue down the path of deception or reveal the truth and face the consequences.

It was Seraphina who had voiced the unspoken doubts that now hung in the air like a storm cloud. Her voice, gentle yet filled with an unyielding resolve, cut through the tension in the room. Each word was a deliberate step towards the truth, and Eidos involuntarily took a step back in response.

The question hung in the air, heavy and inescapable, and Eidos could only muster a startled gasp in response. Inside, alarms blared with a piercing urgency, each warning a stark reminder of the danger he faced. The identity concealed beneath layers of secrecy was on the verge of exposure.

Amidst this turmoil, Seraphina remained a picture of calm determination. She advanced methodically, her measured steps akin to a slow march toward a reckoning. Her gaze never wavered, and she held her inquiry with a patience that came from years of experience.

Eidos had no choice but to confront the truth head-on, and as he met Seraphina's unwavering gaze, he steeled himself for the inevitable revelation that would follow.

"Yes," he said, his voice trembling with a mix of fear and relief.

Seraphina's response was entirely unexpected. Her lips curled into a grin, a warm and genuine one that hadn't graced her face before. Her long, flowing hair, as white as freshly fallen snow, seemed to come alive in the air as she leaped toward Eidos, enveloping him in a tight and unexpected hug.

Eidos stood there, utterly stunned. Confusion and shock washed over him like a tidal wave. He hadn't anticipated this reaction in his wildest dreams.

"So you're that little wolfy that protected our people," Seraphina said, her voice filled with gratitude and appreciation. "Thank you, Eidos!"

"....."

Eidos blinked in disbelief, and then, slowly, a smile crept across his face. It was a smile of genuine relief and the realization that he will not die. 

thank goddess Bladrayne.