Upon hearing those final words, panic washed over the remaining members of the Feeble Soul. Kian leaving the party was the one specific nightmare they desperately wanted to avoid at all costs.
The young Adventurers stared at him with wide, terrified eyes. Even Black froze completely stiff against the wall. She tightly gripped her staff, and her small shoulders trembled wildly in the air.
Lexi usually maintained a dead calm demeanor during critical dungeon ambushes or violent monster encounters. But she completely lost her cool right now. She took a frantic step forward and shook her head aggressively.
"No," Lexi pleaded. "I'll accept anything but that. I'll become strong no matter what."
She did not want Celia to go. She cared about the elf deeply, but she could not accept it if Kian left them behind. The choice was brutal, so she selfishly picked him over her teammate.
Kian looked at everyone and kept his expression flat.
"Yellow will be fired from the Feeble Soul Party," Kian stated coldly. "Anyone who won't accept that means you don't trust my judgment as a leader at all."
I have to be cruel for their own sake, Kian told himself in his mind. I need them to fear my authority so they can finally move on without me.
He waited for anyone to speak up. A heavy, suffocating silence filled the air. Nobody dared to challenge his authority. Kian sighed heavily to break the thick tension.
"Remember this golden rule in the Feeble Soul," Kian warned them. "A weak member should be expelled."
I'm the actual weakling, so I should be the one to get fired out of all of them, Kian thought.
The bitter irony almost made him wince, but he maintained his cold poker face.
He continued speaking with a harsh, unforgiving tone. "If you want to stay in the party, the ultimate requirement is you have to be strong. A weakling has no place in this party."
The cavern remained entirely quiet. The children just looked at their feet.
"Understand?" Kian yelled loudly.
The sudden shout made them flinch backward.
"Yes," Lexi and Raze answered immediately. Even Lumina forced herself to squeak out a tiny confirmation from the back of the group.
Kian raised his arm and pointed his index finger directly toward the dungeon exit. He signaled all of them except Yellow to leave the area immediately. The next moment, they frantically walked outside. They moved fast, completely afraid of causing any more trouble or angering him further. Their footsteps echoed softly until the sound faded away into the upper levels of the cavern.
Kian stood alone with the fallen Healer. He looked down at Yellow, who remained collapsed on the ground.
For a brief moment, Kian completely forgot they were inside a mid-level dungeon. Any second, a bloodthirsty monster might creep out of the shadows. But the color-coded kids had already slaughtered every single beast in this area, so the tunnel felt surprisingly safe.
"Yellow," Kian said flatly. "When we come back to the inn, you should pack your things and leave. As of this moment, you are no longer part of the Feeble Soul."
I should tell her something truly harsh so that she will understand she absolutely cannot come back, Kian plotted silently.
He looked at her trembling shoulders, and a heavy wave of guilt struck his chest. He hated doing this.
The moment you leave the party, I know some other top-tier Adventurer's party might come to recruit you immediately, Kian thought. You can even go on solo missions if you want. A Healer who can raid a dungeon alone is completely unheard of in this world. Yellow, you're amazing. I don't deserve someone of your caliber in my party.
He pushed the guilt down and hardened his voice. "Yellow, are you listening?"
The blonde elf slowly looked up. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying.
Kian delivered the most hurtful words he could possibly think of. "I don't need you anymore. Don't come to me ever again."
Oh, wait. This pattern is so familiar.
Kian paused. A sudden chill crawled up his spine.
Why do I have a terrifying feeling she might come close and hug my knees again?
He looked at Yellow, slumped motionless against the floor.
I should probably move my knees away from her just in case, Kian decided. He did not want to be trapped in a crying grip for a second time.
When he looked at her again, thick tears freely flowed from her green eyes. The sight of her crying made his chest ache terribly.
Kian bit his lower lip.
I'm sorry, he apologized internally.
He slowly took a step back, remaining highly wary of her grabbing his legs.
In an instant, Yellow moved. She exploded from the ground with terrifying speed. She lunged forward, and she was already hugging something before Kian could even blink.
Kian felt the tight pressure immediately, but it was not his legs this time. It was his upper body.
Yellow had stood up all of a sudden. Because Kian possessed no physical ability to dodge, he was caught instantly in a tight, inescapable embrace.
Yellow was currently taller than Kian at this specific moment. She was also much stronger physically, so he could not remove her arms crossing tightly over his chest.
I can't breathe, Kian panicked. My ribs will shatter.
Yellow buried her face against his shoulder and started sobbing uncontrollably.
"I can't," Yellow cried out. "Don't leave me. I'll do anything, just stay with me forever, Cid."
Oh no. Deja vu. This sounds way too familiar, Kian thought while he struggled to pull air into his lungs. She won't let me go if I don't give her another chance. And who the heck is this Cid? I'm not Cid. Is she hallucinating or dreaming right now?
He tried to push her away, but her grip was like solid iron.
"Let me go, Yellow," Kian demanded.
"I won't," Yellow sobbed into his coat.
"I said let me go," Kian warned her again.
Yellow tightened her grip even further. "Kill me."
Kian froze completely. He was totally stunned by the dark request.
"What did you just say?" Kian asked, his eyes wide with shock. "Are you insane?"
"I am," Yellow replied, her voice muffled but fierce against his collarbone. "I was insane when the first time we met. Do you still remember?"
Kian dug into his memories. The image of a filthy, dirty elf flashed in his mind. He recalled finding her beside the road. She had possessed a terrifying head of hair that was more than a hundred feet long. The thick blonde strands had dragged heavily through the dirt and leaves. It was a bizarre, unforgettable sight.
"If you leave me, I'll lose my mind all over again," Yellow cried hard. Her warm tears soaked right through his expensive clothes.
What's the deal with this old hag? Kian wondered, completely baffled by her dramatic claims. I don't understand what she's talking about. I just cut her very long hair with cheap scissors. That was it.
"Do you still remember what you told me that day?" Yellow asked softly.
Kian remembered the embarrassing speech he had delivered to her at that time. He had tried to sound cool and heroic to a random stranger. But looking back at it now, it was just pure cringe. He desperately wanted to forget he ever said those words.
Yellow took a shaky breath.
"When we first met, you told me, 'Wait right there, lady! I'm on a very important journey. I'm traveling to the Imperial Capital of Vireldria to become the most legendary Adventu—'"
"Stop!" Kian yelled, cutting her off instantly.
Yellow opened her mouth to remind him of the very first day they met. She desperately wanted him to remember her pathetic situation back then to earn some pity but Kian felt a harsh wave of embarrassment crash into his skull instead. The memory of all his past delusions burned his pride like hot coals.
Tears still flowed freely from Yellow's green eyes.
"But Ki, you're the reason why I—"
"Okay, I get it," Kian interrupted quickly and raised a hand to cut her off. "Just keep quiet for a second."
"Hmmn?" Yellow tilted her head. She was really confused by the sudden dismissal.
Inside his own mind, Kian panicked.
I can't let her say another single word about that day. I will die of embarrassment if she repeats my stupid speeches out loud.
With a heavy sob, Yellow tightened her arms around Kian's chest.
"If you're going to fire me, then please kill me right here and now. I better die than losing my mind."
Behind his calm face, Kian groaned.
I don't really understand what nonsense this old hag is talking about, but I absolutely cannot let her mouth run wild about the things I said to them.
He let out a long, heavy sigh to stall for time.
"Please, give me one last chance to prove myself," Yellow pleaded.