Chapter 224: Standard Walk

He really is here after all…Shit! If things couldn't get any worse…He thought.

As he returned to the tavern, the drinking contest was still going on, though he wasn't in any sort of mood for such theatrics.

Though his salad arrived, he was hardly in the mood to eat as disgust swirled in his stomach from the encounter, but he stuck around the drunken two he was with. Eventually, they did finish–though "eventually" was the right way to put it; it was another twenty mugs later before they both caved in.

There was quite a large debate on who actually won between the patrons at the tavern who placed bets on the drinking match, but it seemed in fact, Archie was the one who drank the most, as his mug was just the slightest bit more empty than Korain's.

"...Honestly, you both are idiots," he sighed.

Against the table that was drenched in spilled alcohol, the two were snoring, passed out completely into the deepest slumber possible.

I guess it's a good thing that "Advent Dawn" is tomorrow–though I wanted to get a head start on it today. Oh well, he thought.

As he tried shaking them, poking their backs, lightly slapping their cheeks–nothing worked as they snored like a pair of bears. He wanted to get out of there as soon as possible for a few reasons, but at the moment he mostly didn't want to bother the kind waitress any further with the pair of oafs.

"...C'mon, am I really going to have to carry both of you?" He muttered.

Sighing out, he prepared to do so, hoisting Korain up and putting the man's large arm around his shoulder. While Korain was heavy, his strength didn't make it much of a problem, but the man's size made it difficult to see how he'd carry another person.

"Let me give you a hand."

"--?"

As he glanced to the side, he found the drunk player from earlier standing by the table; though his cheeks were still slightly flushed, he didn't seem very intoxicated anymore.

"It's fine, you don't have to–"

The well-dressed man with messy, hazel locks insisted, "It's no bother for me. Besides, this one here just won me a nice bit of coin–it's fair I return the favor."

He looked at the man for a moment, "...Alright, then."

"Great!" The man said with a smile.

Though he was definitely stuck with the short straw in carrying a snoring Korain, he did appreciate the assistance vastly as he and the man set out for the tavern, stepping into the streets that were overlooked by the mountains overshadowed by the setting sun.

"I'm Elias, by the way," the man introduced himself, carrying Archie on his back, "Though I guess you already figured that out.

"Yeah," he nodded, "Jeong-Hui."

"That's certainly a unique name–I've definitely never heard of one like that in my country," Elias said, "I'm from Germany. Nuremberg, to be exact."

"Germany? I've always wanted to go there. Authentic schnitzel or veal sausage would've been great to try," he said with a small smile.

His comment spurred a small laugh from the mix-colored eyed man as they ventured down the streets that had quieted down.

"Schnitzel, eh? Well, I guess we're pretty famous for that," Elias laughed.

"Well, I'm from South Korea. Seoul is my hometown," he said for himself, "Our food is pretty different.

"You seem pretty enamored with dishes, eh? You don't strike me as a glutton–perhaps you're a chef?" Elias asked.

It was surprising that he was figured out that fast, but it brought a smile across his lips as that passion was one that was always a comforting reminder for him.

"Yeah, well, I never got to really pursue it…" He lamented.

"Ah," Elias looked forward with a melancholic smile, "Many dreams have been snuffed out in this event, however…Try and simply be happy about the fact you're still living and breathing."

Such words weren't lost on him as he did know not to take for granted what he still had, in spite of what had been lost. If there was any singular lesson etched into his soul, or any that participated in Armageddon itself for that matter, it was that: to keep moving forward and hold onto what you can.

Eventually, they arrived in the inn, which Elias laughed about once they came to the establishment.

"What's funny?" He asked, still carrying Korain.

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Elias smiled, "I happen to be staying here, too."

"Oh…That's convenient, then," he said.

"Indeed. Perhaps I was meant to assist you on this day," Elias said.

"Maybe," he replied.

It was surprising to find a person like Elias at this stage past humanity's culling, as even he felt he'd lost a lot of his own kindness, but it was something he appreciated to find nonetheless. Elias helped him set the two down on the beds within the rented room, to which neither of the drunken companions of his so much as batted an eye throughout the entire process of bringing them here.

"Well, that's done…Thanks," he said with a sigh of relief.

Elias smiled, "No problem! I've got some booze knocking at my mind still, so I think I'll go catch some sleep for myself–you should, too."

"Yeah, you're probably right," he nodded.

After the long day, the heated skirmish, and dragging Korain back to the room, he did feel he could use some rest.

"Anyway, I'll be seeing you around," Elias said, leaving the room with a small smile.

"See ya'," he said.

Following the man's departure from the room, the only sound that met his ears were the combined snores of both Archie and Korain.

Though he did feel somewhat tired, he didn't have any urge to sleep with all of the concepts swirling in his mind, and the constant snores from his companions didn't help, either. With night creeping around the corner, he left the inn without his coat, walking the streets without any real purpose.

In the midst of the night, Minjing became a different place; it quieted down and the stars glittered up above, as if magnified by the walls of mountains that enclosed around the city. A sky that wasn't polluted by smog or filled with artificial light was one that allowed the beauty of stars to shine to their fullest.

"--" He looked around.

Sliding his hands into his pockets, he exhaled, stopping for a moment to simply gaze up at the stars. It was a feeling that had become foreign to him over the months that felt like years: simply being able to let his guard down and breathe.

In the city where violence was prohibited to the highest order, it allowed him to safely stand there, not having to watch his own back as he could finally just–exist.

Still, this didn't mean that he did let his guard down fully; his body and mind was fine-tuned to do so, and it wasn't something he could simply "omit" to do.

I made it, Kamou, Hyun, Myung-Hee, Ara. This is the place we all wanted to reach–the place we were all supposed to be at. Still, I guess…the world just works like that now, doesn't it? There's still a lot of fighting left. Frankly, it's only just started. But…I'm tired. I've been fighting for my life each waking moment, he thought.

Breathing out slowly through his lips, he continued on his nightly stroll, keeping his hands tucked into his pockets as he mainly watched the stars.

As he ventured through the city, wandering into a quiet section that was away from most shops and mostly a residential area, he heard odd noises coming from an alleyway spot, tucking between two buildings.

Snickering was heard as well as sharply spoken words, though it was as if the voices were trying to be quiet.

"Gah!"

The clear sound of somebody spitting out in pain met his ears as well as flesh being hit. Though he wasn't in much of a mood for such antics, it did bother him for some reason.

As he stepped closer to get a clear look, he saw three players in total.

One was cornered by the other two, a teenager on the smaller side: a boy with round-rimmed glasses and shaggy, black hair: [Yun | Level 20]

Another, who had just kneed him in the gut was an older-looking player, dressed in a dark-red uniform with a half-shaved head of black, spiky hair: [Reggie | Level 21]

Alongside Reggie, another player with a similar red uniform was laughing, pushing Yun against the wall: a sour-faced man with a scarred lip: [Trevor | Level 21]

…Fighting? Well, more so bullying. Still, how? Sentinels should catch onto this pretty quick, he thought, Ah…I think I get it now. The alleyway is dark and isolated; I bet the Sentinels watch from that huge castle, so they can't see this.

As he casually thought about this, it seemed the bullies caught onto his presence as they stopped slugging the glasses-wearing boy, looking over at him.

"Huh? The hell do you want? Scram!" Trevor yelled at him.

Not particularly caring about the endeavor, mostly wanting to just have some off-time and not fight, he was about to move on, but he did by accident meet gazes with the bullied individual.

Yun didn't call for help; he only briefly looked at him with his olive eyes, but almost seemed as if he didn't want to get a stranger involved.

Don't look at me like that. That's how you bring out the old, reckless me I've tried pretty damn hard to put away, he thought.

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