6 An unexpected meet arranged by fate

"Just....who are you?????" That's what the old man asked. Everyone had the same question. After all, its not like someone would come and save them right at when they were about to be attacked by some monsters. Coincidence played a major role in this situation! Yes! That's how it is! It was purely a coincidence!

Saito then turned to look at the old man. The old man didn't look all that old, he was emitting an aura of youthfulness. It was not his appearance that emitted the youthfulness, it was his power. He looked really strong than the others behind him.

He then went near him and said as he passed his shoulder, "who I am? It does not matter right now. What matters the most right now is that we gotta get inside that damn gate and close it!". He then started walking towards the village gate and picked up the dead panther and went inside.

The old man looked at his back. He *sighed* as he sheathed his sword and said, "everyone! Inside the gate! Now!". The group got back to their senses and they followed him back inside the gate as they sheathed their sword. The gate closed after everyone entered. Saito scanned the inside of the village and saw that there were not much of people here and they were all hiding inside their houses.

Confused, he looked towards Elizabeth. Sensing his gaze, she turned towards him and asked, "what is it?". He asked, "do I look that scary?". She smiled awkwardly as she said, "well your armor does look out of the place so....they might have got a bit scared?". His face blackened and went down. Looking at his gloomy mood, somehow made her feel a bit bad. She didn't know why, but she felt awfully familiar with him, yet she doesn't know why? she wanted to be close to him, yet she doesn't know why? She have no idea why she was getting these kind of feelings.

While she was dazed in her thoughts, the old man came near them and asked, "Now, explain! Who's this?". Both of them revived and composed their selves. Before Saito could answer him, Elizabeth took the initiative to talk, "He's a Knight from the far east and he saved me from the black beast dog that lay dead on the ground without a head" she pointed at the dead creature on the ground which is currently missing its head.

Everyone who head it gave a shocked expression once again, expect a certain three. The old man, Elizabeth and Saito were nostalgic about this. Elizabeth saw this in person so she's unaffected, Saito was the guy who beheaded it so it didn't mean much to him and the old man, he was nostalgic because he saw his skills in killing that Ogre, so he was sure he could have killed It easily with his skills itself.

"Did she just say that he killed a black beast dog?"

"Is he that strong? He didn't look like it tho"

"If he didn't kill that Ogre, I would have never believed it!"

"Is he......a human?"

All kinds of questions regarding him was asked in the back ground and he clearly heard it. Some even started to doubt if he was a human. Can't enduring it, he just took off his helmet. They all went on a crazy discussion spree when he took it off.

The villagers all came out when they saw that he is a human. There were a few hundred people there. Curiously, a kid just came near him and asked, "what is your name, Mister?". His mom suddenly rushed near him and said, "be quiet! He could be a noble!". She looked at him with a pitiful eyes, "sorry for-". Before she could finish, he cute her off by saying, "No, please don't! I'm not some dumb wit noble like you think, I'm just a normal guy who took an oath to protect the civilians and weak" after saying that he said in his mind, 'when I was in JSDF of course and it still applies'. He then turned towards Elizabeth and said, "and thats the second person that mistook me". She smiled warily and shrugged her shoulders.

"Well...here, nobles get the best education and training be it academics or fighting, they get the best" she said. Saito didn't reply. It clearly showed his distain for the nobles. The old man came near him and extended his hand, "Christopher Reinard, head guard of this village". Saito shook his hand and said, "Saito Araya, Samurai from the east". The old man's mouth turned into a smirk, "I never heard about people living in the east before, heard it's a place ravaged by beasts and barbarians". Saito smiled and said, "too bad, you haven't heard far enough then". "Well then I guess we could do some catching up? what do you say? Drink is on me!" The old man said excitedly. It can't be helped, it was his first time in a long while to meet someone with extraordinary skills in combat, so he got a little excited. Saito shrugged as he said, "sorry, I don't drink. Drinking makes one lose his focus and guard". He said that outside and in inside, 'of course I want to drink! But who knows if you guys have beer? If you get me some strong shit and I pass out! It will be digging my own grave!!!!!!!!'.

They were all chatting happily and they didn't noticed that one of them was having a huge shock. It was Elizabeth.

When the old man introduced himself, she felt like he found someone to his liking and smiled. Bit when she heard Saito introduce himself, she was shocked beyond words! "Sa- Sa- Sai-Saito Araya? Ho-how could it be him? It can't be him! He can't be here! Its just a coincidence! Yes that's what it is! A coincidence! It- it can't be him....." She mumbled to herself in low voice and she sobbed.

When she was sobbing quietly, someone approached her and tapped his hand on her shoulder as he smilingly said, "Hey, Ellie! You wanna go? The old man Reinard is giving a treat! You don't wanna miss that do you?". He got happy cause whenever the old man grew happy, he would always throw a feast. Since its a given he might as well invite her.

When she heard his offer, she jolted back as she wiped her tears. She turned towards him and said, "Sorry Clyde, I'm not feeling too well now, I'm gonna go back home and sleep for now, you don't have to worry about me and enjoy if that old man ever threw one" she laughed at the last as she turned around to leave.

The moment she was about leave, a hand holded her hand. It was a strong grip. She turned her head to look who it was. She saw that Clyde was holding her hand with a frown on his face. She asked him, "what's wrong Clyde? Why are you holding my hand? Is there a problem?" She asked him wwhole trying to maintain a smile on her face.

Clyde was now 100% sure that there was something wrong with her as he noticed the tear marks on her cheeks. He then asked her in a concerned tone, "what happened, Elizabeth? Is there something that troubles you? You know you can trust me! I'll do anything for you!". Hearing him say those words didn't have much of an effect on her as she said to him smiling, "there's noting wrong, just tired a bit and wanting to go sleep and oh yea! Can you give these herbs and cherries to master Bellwin? He said that he needed these to make the medicines for the sick so its better to hurry up and give it to him, he might lose his temper".

Clyde let out a *sigh* and said, "alright I'll do that for you. If he hears what happened here, who knows? He might come out of that caved house of his". He then bid his byes and went on his way. Elizabeth stood there before leaving for home. 'I'll check if its really him! If its him, then....I'll think about it later' she said in her mind as he left for her house leaving others enjoy themselves.