They Acting

In the flickering lamplight of the Elera Village Guildmaster's room, Amelia and Sebastian stood before Eldrin, their faces etched with a mix of confusion and unease. The weight of their recent experience in the A-Class dungeon hung heavy in the air.

"So… you brought Alex back home?" Eldrin inquired, his gruff voice laced with a hint of relief. The news of a lost comrade returning was a welcome surprise.

Amelia, however, could only offer a hesitant nod. "Yes, in a way," she replied, her voice tinged with doubt. "But things weren't quite as we expected."

Sebastian, taking over the narrative, elaborated. "We found someone who looked like Alex, fighting for his life within the dungeon. But…" he paused, his brow furrowed in contemplation. "There were inconsistencies. He wasn't quite the Alex they knew."

Eldrin, his brow furrowing in concern, leaned forward in his chair. "Inconsistencies? Explain yourselves."

Amelia then recounted their encounter with the figure, detailing the discrepancies in his appearance, his cryptic words, and the strange woman named Frey who had led them to him. She didn't fail to mention the most shocking development—the sudden collapse of the entire dungeon entrance as they emerged.

As Amelia finished her tale, a stunned silence descended upon the room.

Eldrin's weathered face reflected a mixture of disbelief and intrigue. "The dungeon… collapsed?" he finally rasped; his voice heavy with surprise.

Sebastian picked up the thread, explaining their chilling realization. "And i believe it wasn't an accident. The figure we encountered… he seemed to orchestrate it somehow."

Eldrin stroked his beard thoughtfully, and his eyes narrowed in contemplation. "A doppelganger, perhaps? A skilled illusionist toying with you?"

Amelia shook her head. "It felt more than that. This man… he bore a strange resemblance to Alex, but his eyes held a weariness, a knowledge that went beyond mere mimicry."

The weight of their encounter settled upon them. The mystery surrounding the figure, Frey's involvement, and the sudden closure of the dungeon—all of it pointed towards a deeper conspiracy, a secret far more complex than a simple rescue mission gone wrong.

"And the woman?" Eldrin finally asked, his gaze shifting towards Amelia. "This Frey you mentioned. What about her?"

Amelia hesitated, then recounted Frey's story of being lost and her convenient appearance just as they were about to leave. The suspicion that had gnawed at them in the dungeon now felt like a certainty.

"We believe there's more to her story as well," Sebastian concluded, his voice grim.

Eldrin sighed, a deep rumble that echoed in the room. "This is a tangled mess you've stumbled upon," he muttered, rubbing his temples. "A doppelganger with a hidden agenda, a mysterious woman, and a collapsed dungeon… This goes beyond a simple guild quest."

He rose from his chair, his gaze fixed on the adventurers. "You've done well to return alive. But this isn't over. We need answers. We need to investigate further. However, the Guild's resources are limited for such an undertaking."

Amelia and Sebastian exchanged a determined glance. They had faced danger and uncertainty before, and they wouldn't back down now.

"We'll get to the bottom of this," Amelia declared, her voice ringing with conviction. "We owe it to Alex, whoever that figure truly is, and to those who might be trapped within the collapsed dungeon."

A flicker of respect kindled in Eldrin's eyes. "Very well," he conceded. "The Guild will offer whatever assistance it can. But be warned, adventurers, the path ahead is likely to be fraught with danger. Are you prepared?"

Amelia and Sebastian stood tall, their shoulders squared. In unison, they replied, "We are."

Eldrin, however, wasn't finished. Leaning closer, he lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "And also… for now, keep an eye on Alex, just in case. A week lost in that dungeon can change a person."

Amelia and Sebastian exchanged a silent look, a flicker of unease passing between them.

***

As the talk finished, Amelia and Sebastian emerged from the Guildhall, the weight of the conversation pressing down on them. The bustling street sounds seemed distant as they walked, lost in their thoughts.

Sebastian broke the silence, a hint of unease in his voice. "So, do you think we should keep an eye on him?"

Amelia sighed, her brow furrowed. "I don't know. Master Eldrin has a point, but I wouldn't want to make Alex feel like a suspect. Maybe he's just… different after being lost in that dungeon for a week. Maybe the ordeal changed him."

Sebastian chuckled, a nervous sound. "Right! I forgot about that. After all, I used to be lost in a dungeon for a while."

Amelia stopped short, her eyes widening in surprise. "Wait, you were? You never mentioned that!"

Sebastian rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Well, it wasn't exactly a walk in the park, but nothing compared to a week in an A-Class dungeon, that's for sure. Maybe… maybe Alex gained some new abilities while he was down there. Like, you know, the way I did."

The revelation hung in the air between them. Sebastian's own experience offered a possible explanation for the enigmatic figure's strength and the cryptic way he spoke. But it also raised a disturbing question: if the figure truly was Alex, what kind of ordeal had he endured within the collapsed dungeon, and what secrets did he now possess?

The figure they came across might have been a dangerous imposter, a victim of the dungeon's magic, or even the real Alex, who had undergone a profound change as a result of his experience.

Amelia and Sebastian exchanged a determined look. They needed answers, and they needed them fast. They would keep an eye on the figure, but they would also approach him with an open mind. The truth about the A-Class dungeon, about Frey, and about the enigmatic figure himself, awaited them, and they were the only ones who could uncover it.

Sebastian's brows furrowed in confusion. "Where are they now?" he inquired, the question hanging in the air.

Amelia, momentarily distracted by the thought of Alex, offered a suggestion without fully considering its implications. "Maybe at the hospital? Wanna go see them?"

Sebastian, still focused on their conversation, readily agreed. "Sure," he replied.

With a sense of urgency, they set off towards the hospital, hoping to speak with Alex and perhaps Frey as well. However, as they approached the building, a sense of unease began to creep in.

Something felt off. The hospital, while well-maintained, seemed strangely specific. It was a facility dedicated solely to knights preparing for training camps.

Sebastian, catching onto the discord, came to a halt. "Wait a minute," he said, his voice laced with suspicion. "This isn't the regular village hospital, is it?"

Amelia's eyes widened as she finally registered the distinctive markings on the building. "No," she admitted, a blush creeping up her cheeks. "This is the… the Knight's Rehabilitation Center."

A tense silence descended upon them. Neither of them had considered that Alex, a seasoned adventurer, wouldn't be treated at a regular medical facility. The implication was clear – the figure they encountered wasn't just injured, he was a knight, likely one in need of serious rehabilitation after a grueling ordeal.

The revelation added another layer of complexity to the situation. "So… Alex is a knight?" Sebastian finally asked, his voice barely a whisper.

Amelia shook her head, the confusion evident in her eyes. "Well… he was accepted by Master Eldrin as the guy who saved this village by killing the Nightmare Goblin."

"Nightmare Goblin!?"

"Yeah, kind of strong, isn't he?"

Sebastian scoffed. "Strong? He might be blessed! Nightmare Goblins are rare creatures, powerful and incredibly rare. Slaying one would elevate anyone to hero status, let alone a regular adventurer."

Pushing open the heavy oak doors of the Knight's Rehabilitation Center, Amelia and Sebastian were greeted by a cacophony of sounds—the rhythmic clang of metal on metal, the grunts of exertion, and the barked instructions of unseen trainers. The sterile atmosphere of a typical hospital was replaced by a sense of disciplined purpose, and the air was thick with the scent of sweat and liniment.

They navigated the maze-like corridors, guided by a stern-faced nurse who, upon hearing their request to see Alex, cast them a curious look. Finally, they arrived at a large ward, filled with beds occupied by weary-looking knights in various stages of recovery.

There, amidst the rows of injured warriors, they found him. The figure they had encountered in the dungeon lay on a bed. The ragged cloak was draped over a chair beside him, replaced by a loose tunic that revealed the telltale marks of a knight—a plate cuirass resting on the bedside table, and a bandage wrapped around his arm, hinting at a recent injury.

But what truly sent a jolt of surprise through them was the woman sitting by his bedside. Frey, with her disheveled appearance gone, was clad in a simple villager's dress, her face etched with concern as she spoke softly to the figure.

Amelia and Sebastian exchanged a bewildered glance. The image before them shattered the fragile understanding they had pieced together. Here, in the heart of the Knight's Rehabilitation Center, lay the man who resembled Alex, seemingly a patient under Frey's care.

Hesitantly, Amelia stepped forward, her voice barely a whisper. "Alex?"

The figure on the bed stirred, his eyes fluttering open to reveal pools of exhaustion. He looked at them, a flicker of recognition crossing his features, then winced, clutching his bandaged arm.

"Hey, Amelia… long time no see you," he rasped, his voice weak.

"Oh, please, we just met a hour ago."

"Right," he chuckled weakly, "an hour ago in the dungeon. Time seems to be a bit muddled for me right now."

"How are you feeling?"

"Just a little banged up," the figure replied, his gaze flickering towards Frey. "Thanks to Frey here, I'm getting some much-needed rest."

Amelia couldn't help but steal a glance at Frey. The woman seemed genuinely concerned for the figure's well-being.

A tense silence descended upon the room. The weight of unanswered questions hung heavy in the air.

"So," Sebastian finally began, his voice low, "what exactly happened down there?"

Alex on the bed sighed, his gaze turning distant. "That's a long story," he admitted. "And right now, all I can think about is getting some sleep."

A flicker of disappointment crossed Amelia's face, but she understood. The figure, whoever he truly was, was clearly in no state for an interrogation. "Alright," she conceded, forcing a smile. "We'll let you rest. But when you're feeling up to it, we'd really appreciate hearing your side of the story."

Alex nodded weakly. "Fair enough. Just… give me some time."

As Amelia and Sebastian turned to leave, a stray thought flickered across Amelia's mind. Glancing back at the figure, she caught his gaze lingering on her for a beat too long. A faint blush crept up her cheeks, but whether it was from exertion, the heat of the room, or something else entirely, remained a mystery.

Leaving the ward behind, Amelia and Sebastian stepped back into the bustling corridors of the rehabilitation center. The mystery surrounding the figure they encountered, Frey's involvement, and the collapsed dungeon remained unsolved. But for the first time since their encounter, a glimmer of hope flickered within them.

The heavy oak doors of the Knight's Rehabilitation Center swung shut behind Amelia and Sebastian, leaving the room cloaked in a tense silence. The moment they were gone, Frey, who had been the picture of a concerned companion moments before, leaned over and squeezed Alex's cheek with surprising force.

"Alright, that's enough acting," she hissed and squeezed his cheeks, her voice low and devoid of the gentle concern she had displayed earlier.

Alex winced, rubbing his cheek with a grimace. "Ow, that was unnecessary," he muttered. "But yeah, I think they suspicious to me for now."

Frey's eyes narrowed. "Did they really? Or are they still suspicious?"

"A little," Alex admitted. "But hopefully, the whole 'knight recovering from injury' act will throw them off track for a while."

Frey let out a frustrated sigh. "This whole charade is getting tiresome. How much longer do we have to keep this up?"

"Just a little longer," Alex said, his voice serious. "We need them off our backs for now. We have bigger things to worry about, like figuring out what happened to the real Alex and why that dungeon collapsed."

Frey nodded curtly. "Fine. But the moment I get a chance, I'm changing out of these itchy villager clothes and back into my maid uniform. This whole 'concerned companion' routine is giving me a headache."

Alex chuckled, a hint of amusement flickering in his eyes. "Alright, alright, I get it. Just try to stay calm around Amelia. You know she can be perceptive."

Frey rolled her eyes. "Easy for you to say. You're the one who gets to play the damsel in distress."

A playful smile tugged at Alex's lips. "Maybe you should lighten up a bit. Who knows, maybe they'll even offer to help us with our little investigation."

Frey scoffed. "Help? More like get in the way. We don't need a couple of meddling adventurers slowing us down."

Alex raised an eyebrow. "Maybe not. But for now, at least they think we're on the same side. Let's use that to our advantage."

Frey fell silent, considering his words. With a sigh, she conceded, "Fine. But if they start getting too nosy, I'm disappearing."

Alex grinned. "Deal. Now, get some rest. We have a long road ahead of us."

Frey gave him a curt nod before settling back down beside him, the facade of concern slipping back into place just as the door creaked open a fraction, revealing a sliver of Amelia's curious gaze.

< Chapter 12 > Fin.