SWNOVELXO Chapter 4: Meeting
"See? I told you this settlement would be safe," Rory said with a knowing smile that stretched across her youthful face. Leon felt his jaw tighten. This goddess had a special talent for getting under his skin.
It was her fault they had to travel to that elf settlement in the first place. Her fault he was now carrying an unconscious girl on his back, feeling the weight of her small frame pressing against his shoulders. The girl's breathing was steady but shallow, and her silver hair kept tickling his neck with each step. And now, just because she got lucky with one guess, Rory acted like she could see the future.
The settlement was bigger than Leon had expected. Wooden houses lined both sides of the dirt road, with smoke rising from chimneys and the smell of fresh bread drifting from a nearby bakery. Children played in the streets, their laughter mixing with the sounds of merchants calling out their wares. It looked peaceful, normal even.
As Leon and Rory walked through the settlement gates, curious eyes followed them. Especially Rory. Leon caught pieces of whispered conversations, and none of them sounded friendly. Mothers pulled their children closer. Shopkeepers paused in their work to stare. Even the dogs seemed to sense something different about the small girl walking beside him.
"It's the goddess of death," a young man muttered to his friend. "Is she here to start killing people again?"
Leon glanced at Rory, expecting to see anger flash across her face. Instead, she looked completely calm. A soft smile played on her lips, as if she hadn't heard a word.
"Doesn't that bother you?" Leon asked, raising an eyebrow. "What they're saying about you?"
Rory was quiet for a moment. She rested her chin on her hand, thinking. "Leon, not everything is worth getting upset about. When you know your path and believe in yourself, words can't hurt you."
Leon frowned. He didn't understand.
"Besides," Rory continued, her voice casual, "if I hadn't chased that dragon away from here, would they even be alive to say these things? And they're not completely wrong. I was a killing machine for about three hundred years before I came to my senses."
Leon stopped walking. His mouth fell open as he stared at her back.
"How... how old are you?" The words slipped out before he could stop them. He knew it was a rude question, but he had to know.
"I'll be 956 years old this year," Rory said with a smile that made Leon's knees weak. How could someone almost a thousand years old look like a thirteen-year-old girl?
"You're wondering about my appearance, right?" Rory's voice grew distant. "I stopped aging when I began serving my god, Emory. That's when I became immortal."
For a moment, sadness flickered in her eyes. Leon felt a strange relief when her usual cheerful tone returned.
"But that's all in the past," she said, then turned to face him. "What about you? What's your real story? Not that fake identity you've been using."
Leon's face turned red. His stomach dropped. She had known he was lying the whole time and just played along.
"It's complicated," he said, scratching his head. "I'll tell you when we settle down somewhere."
He felt embarrassed and foolish. The goddess had seen right through him from the beginning.
**[2 hours later]**
A group of armored riders approached the settlement. Their horses kicked up dust clouds as they rode hard down the main road.
They were late because they had to search the previous settlement. Then a fire salamander attacked them on the way. For soldiers, monster attacks were just another part of the job.
When the villagers saw the military uniforms, they stepped back in fear. They knew the power these people held. They had learned to respect them, even if it meant being afraid.
Captain Pina noticed how the people reacted. A sharp pain hit her chest. These were the same people she had sworn to protect. Now they were scared of her.
"Excuse me," Bozes called to a passing woman. "Have you seen a small lady in a dark gothic dress?"
The woman froze, then spoke quickly. "She went to the tavern with a young man. He was carrying an elf woman on his back."
Pina's eyes lit up. She thanked the woman and hurried toward the nearest tavern, her heart racing with hope.
**[At the tavern]**
"Are you sure it's safe to leave the elf girl upstairs like that?" Leon asked, watching Rory stuff rice balls into her mouth.
"She'll wake up soon," Rory said between bites. "Don't worry so much."
The tavern's heavy wooden doors suddenly burst open. Sunlight streamed in, and a figure appeared in the doorway.
"Goddess Rory!" Pina called out desperately. She rushed inside with her guards close behind, their armor clanking with each step.
The tavern fell silent. Every person inside turned to stare at the unexpected reunion about to unfold.