บท 52: Chapter 52 - Reflections in the Moonlight
The riverbank was quiet save for the steady rhythm of flowing water, its sound both soothing and relentless as the group followed that flow upstream. The moons hung high in the sky, and night had fallen with the group still moving, they had only recently decided to settle down for the night.
They had decided that they had put enough distance between themselves and the fight that had happened, and setting up camp for now would be for the best.
Seraphina sat a short distance from the fire, her blade resting across her knees as she stared into the flames, using a cloth to clean the blood of the blade.
The flickering light of the flames played across her face, highlighting the tension in her jaw and her violet eyes seemed to stare with a daze into the dancing flames.
The night was calm, but her mind was anything but.
The memory of the bandits lingered, their screams and the look of betrayal in the leader's eyes etched into her thoughts, the moment she ordered their deaths even after releasing them was clear in her mind.
She replayed her decision over and over, questioning if it had been the right call, though she knew deep down it had been necessary. If she hadn't killed them then, who knows what could have happened.
"They would've come back."
She muttered to herself, her voice barely audible over the crackling fire.
Edwin approached quietly, his shadow stretching over her as he sat down on a nearby log, his sword resting by his side. For a while, he said nothing, letting the silence settle before finally speaking.
"You didn't hesitate back there."
He said, his tone careful and measured, drawing Seraphina's attention to him, unsure of his intent.
"I couldn't. They would have hurt us. Hurt me."
Edwin nodded slowly, his silver eyes reflecting the firelight.
"I'm not questioning your decision. It was the right call. But I need to know— are you prepared for what comes next? For what it means to make those choices again?"
Her grip on the blade tightened, and she looked away, her gaze returning to the flames, there was some unease in her gaze, but above all else was her desire.
"I don't want to become like them, Edwin."
She admitted it was the simple truth. She didn't want to be a monster who killed needlessly, even if she thought she could.
"But I can't survive by being soft. This world... it doesn't allow for that."
Edwin studied her for a moment, then sighed, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees.
"No, it doesn't."
He agreed as if consoling her choice, telling her that it wasn't one to hang herself on.
"But there's a difference between being strong and losing yourself. You'll need to walk that line carefully, Seraphina."
Before she could respond, Samuel joined them, limping slightly as he took a seat across the fire.
"She did what she had to."
Samuel said, his tone firm and he held no doubt in Seraphina, he didn't question her choice in the slightest.
"It's survival. They were scum who would've killed us or worse. The world's not fair, and it's not pretty. You fight, or you die. Simple as that."
Edwin didn't argue, though his expression remained thoughtful. He shook his head. Samuel was young— still warm-blooded— but Edwin wasn't anymore.
He was old enough to have seen enough of this world to understand that it was complicated, but that truth was a lesson learned with age, not one he could teach.
The conversation shifted, and the three began discussing their plans for the journey ahead.
"It's not just about reaching Vesta. We need allies— powerful ones. A high-ranking noble could turn the tide for us. If we can gain their favor, it might be easier to uncover who's behind this and stop them before they strike again."
Samuel frowned, leaning back against the log.
"Nobles are a gamble. They play their own games, and loyalty doesn't come cheap."
"True."
Seraphina admitted, she had similar thoughts, but she couldn't trust just any noble.
"But it's a risk we might have to take. If we find the right one, someone with enough influence, it could save us time, and lives."
The conversation drifted into speculation about Vesta and the potential allies they might encounter there. Being a river-side city that relied on trade and tourism, it was often populated by many people going in and out, including nobles.
"From what I know, Vesta has only one ruling body, the merchant houses. They aren't exactly high nobles, but given their wealth and position as an important trade route, they hold quite some power."
Seraphina shared the knowledge she had learned about the city from books, but it was limited to just surface-level stuff at most; a city run by five merchant noble houses.
The conversation developed from them, each sharing their own thoughts about the matter, with Edwin and Samuel talking the most, Seraphina simply listening along.
As they spoke, Seraphina's mind wandered.
Her gaze drifted to the shadows beyond the firelight, and her thoughts turned inward.
She knew she needed more than just allies. She needed people she could shape, and control— those who would follow her without question. Her mind settled on an idea, one that made her chest tighten with a mixture of resolve and guilt.
Vesta would be a bustling city, but with all bustling cities, it had its dark sides, slums filled with orphans, vagrants, and the broken remnants of people cast aside by society.
If she could find them, and give them purpose, she could build the network she needed.
The thought felt cold, calculated, and wrong in a way that gnawed at her, but the practical side of her argued louder.
"This world isn't kind."
She thought.
"And being good and pure won't keep me alive. If I have to use people to survive, then that's what I'll do."
She clenched her fists, pushing the guilt down and replacing it with determination.
As the fire burned low and the group settled into watch rotations, Seraphina remained awake, taking the first-night watch, lost in her thoughts, but the next day they would set off again.
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