Math froze where he stood, his breath catching as if the air itself had thickened.
"Hayla?" he echoed, his tone uncertain. "Why Hayla?"
"Nothing to worry about," Shirou replied softly, his voice calm, almost casual. "I was just curious. She seems to have quite an influence on people. I can understand why they'd trust the village head, but she… she seems to hold their hearts. I was wondering how someone like her becomes an assistant. That's all."
Math blinked, still unsure where this was heading. "Well, there's always been an assistant to the village head. The most capable are chosen, those who know the inner workings of the village. That being said," he scratched the back of his neck, "they're usually from the head's family line. Hayla's from that line too , distant, but still family."
"I see…" Shirou murmured, his gaze drifting toward the moonlit forest. "It's just that people seem calmer when she's around. It's like her presence alone eases them."
Math smiled faintly. "Everyone says she got that from her mother."
"So her mother was an assistant too?" Shirou asked, his tone curious but measured.
Math nodded. "Yes. She was."
"Was?" Shirou repeated quietly. "What happened?"
Math's expression changed. His eyes lowered as he sighed, voice turning heavy. "She died a long time ago along with her husband. They were killed by a mutated beast. Hayla's father was a scout, one of the best. The assistant wasn't supposed to go out on missions, but that day she insisted on accompanying him." He paused, his voice thinning. "The forest was calm then. Nobody expected a mutated beast to appear out of nowhere. Well…" a sad smile tugged at his lips, "life doesn't always go the way we plan, does it?"
"No," Shirou replied, his gaze lost in the misty treeline. "It never does."
A quiet moment passed before he asked, "What happened to Hayla afterward?"
"The poor girl was broken," Math said softly. "She screamed at the village head, begged him to kill every beast in the forest , even the harmless ones. Said that if all beasts died, no one would have to fear stepping outside again." His voice faltered. "One day, she even went out on her own to hunt. The head had to send men after her. When they brought her back, she was locked inside her home for days."
Shirou's eyes narrowed slightly. "And after that?"
"The beast was dealt with eventually. Hayla changed, slowly. Guden took her in and raised her like his own. She was sharp, gifted . she had her mother's instinct and her father's courage. With guidance, she became someone even greater. That's how she is now calm, respected, but not weak. Never weak."
Shirou stood silent, letting Math's words sink in. His eyes, golden in the faint torchlight, glimmered with quiet thought.
"…I see," he finally said. "Thank you for telling me. I'll be heading back now. We both have our duties."
Math nodded, and the two began to part ways. But before they could move far, Shirou turned slightly and asked, "One more thing. Does she have any ability?"
Math blinked, caught off guard. "Ah… no. Of course not."
Shirou studied him for a breath, then nodded once. "Understood."
They parted then, heading in opposite directions. The night around them was quiet , too quiet. The forest, the wind, even the insects seemed to hold their breath.
----
The hours slipped by. Shirou continued his patrol through the outskirts of the village, his steps silent but deliberate. Nothing unusual occurred that night, yet unease pressed faintly against his chest, like the forest itself was watching him.
When dawn came, golden light spilled over the rooftops. Villagers gathered once again in the square, voices hushed but filled with anticipation.
The day they had been waiting for had arrived. Oswyn had returned.
Inside the village head's house, Oswyn stood with Hayla and a few guards. Outside, the people whispered among themselves, hope and fear tangled in their words.
"Maybe we have a chance now," someone murmured. "With Oswyn back and that boy, Shirou we might actually survive this."
"Shirou?" another replied, frowning. "I don't know about him. He couldn't kill the beast last time. Is he even strong enough?"
A third voice cut in. "Didn't you hear? He disappeared after Oswyn came. I saw him patrolling this morning, but once Oswyn arrived, he vanished."
The first villager looked up at the three suns that now stood high in the sky. "It's already noon. They've been inside for hours. What do you think's happening?"
Before the others could answer, someone whispered, "Look. They're coming out."
From the house emerged several figures : Oswyn, Guden, Hayla, and the guards.
The crowd immediately fell silent.
Oswyn stepped forward, his presence steady and commanding. "I know you are all afraid," he said, his voice calm yet firm. "But I assure you , now that I am here, everything will be alright."
A ripple of relief passed through the villagers as he continued, "I swear to you, the beasts will be dealt with. Every last one of them. I will protect this village with my life."
For a moment, hope shimmered across their faces until a quiet, cutting voice rose from behind them.
"What if the real enemies aren't beasts at all?"
The crowd froze. Heads turned.
At the edge of the gathering, half-veiled in the shadows, stood a young man. His golden eyes burned through the mist, and in his hand, his blade glowed faintly , its tip tracing sparks along the ground.
Shirou.
Oswyn's eyes widened. "Shirou… what are you doing?"
Shirou's voice was calm but cold. "I asked, what if the real enemies weren't beasts, but humans? How would you deal with that?"
Confusion rippled through the crowd.
"Humans?" someone whispered.
"What does he mean?" another murmured.
Hayla stepped forward, forcing a laugh. "Shirou, that's ridiculous. Everyone knows the attacks were caused by mutated beasts."
But her tone carried a tremor beneath the smile. Shirou noticed.
Oswyn's voice hardened. "What are you trying to prove with these lies, Shirou?"
Shirou didn't flinch. His gaze drifted across the crowd, his words low and deliberate.
"The truth is simple," he said. "There were no beasts. The villagers were killed by humans."
Panic began to rise among the people.
"This can't be true," one man said.
"But it makes sense," another whispered. "The beasts never come near the village!"
"Enough!" Guden's voice boomed. "This meeting is over!"
But the crowd no longer listened.
Fear had found its voice.
Oswyn stepped forward, his eyes sharp as steel. "What do you want, Shirou?"
"I want the people to know the truth," Shirou replied, his tone steady. "The truth they deserve."
"And you think they'll believe you?" Guden snapped. "An outsider?"
"Yes," Shirou said as he began walking forward, each step slow, deliberate. Sparks danced under his blade. "Because I know who did it."
Guden blinked, taken aback. "What… what do you mean, you know?"
Shirou stopped then and raised his sword, pointing it straight ahead.
The glow of the ash-colored blade flickered across Oswyn's armor.
"It was you, Oswyn."
A heavy silence fell. Even the wind stilled.
Oswyn's face remained calm, unreadable. "This is absurd. If anyone here should be doubted, it's you. If these deaths were caused by humans, you're the first I'd suspect."
Shirou didn't respond. His gaze was locked unshaken, unblinking.
Oswyn took a slow step forward. "You have no proof. Do you really think the villagers will just believe you?"
For a few seconds, Shirou said nothing. Then, a short laugh slipped from his lips, a sound that carried mockery .
"What's so funny?" Oswyn demanded.
Shirou looked up at him, and his eyes gleamed crimson. "Oh, nothing," he said, his voice turning low, almost dangerous. "It's just funny that you actually think I give a damn about what they believe."
The air around him began to shift as Ashbringer's flames flickered to life, burning dark and alive.
Shirou took one step forward, the ground beneath his foot cracking slightly.
"You'd better go all out," he said, his tone almost a whisper. "Because if you don't…"
He raised his sword, eyes glowing in the crimson light.
"…you won't live to regret it."