Chapter 47：Guilt, Betrayal, and Friends (1/2)

It was the beginning of a new day, it felt especially so after last night's near-death experience that the group had. The morning breeze grazed upon their bloodied and pale faces, each tending to his wounds and fatigue while riding on the wolf's back.

They rode from the south, going from the valley toward the periphery of the mid-tier area before they went east. Hazel wondered why they traveled so much, but she was in, albeit only physically, a better condition than the rest.

”Are you hungry?” The slightly tired voice of Arthur rang in her ears, startling her greatly. She felt her stomach turn just by being next to him, hearing his concern. Now that she was out of that situation, her feelings were not the same.

She felt guilt and ugliness. Even at this moment, she still resented him slightly. When things were dire, she so easily hated someone who saved her life, even if 'she' was the one who brought him to the camp. She couldn't look him in the face, as she would be reminded by her selfishness.

Hazel knew she wasn't that much of a good person, as she has overlooked the injustice of others when it would hurt her to intervene. However, she still had principals to live by, one of them was repaying those who help her.

Yet, in her first encounter with helplessness and weakness, while being clawed by the neck having herself threatened, she was fast on abandoning those principals.

Greeted with her silence, she saw how awkward and downcast Arthur's face was for a brief moment. She felt even worse, so she had to squeeze out the words.

”No…”

A short silence ensued before a rumbling stomach was heard. Usually, such a sound was not that noticeable in normal people, but awakeners had higher metabolism than others. It was Hazel's stomach.

She wanted to die.

***

Arthur jumped from Kira's back as he began to inspect the surrounding with his rune. He used his pockets to use the rune without being seen, a method he thought of just now. From the outside, he only looked like he had his hand in his pocket. With the light of day to cover it, he also didn't need to worry about the glow.

They were near a hill that overlooked a stream of water, an ideal place for camping. However, Arthur didn't want to stay outdoors like this, so he had been using his rune to look for underground caves. The hill they stopped at was one such place, as Arthur had sensed that it had a hollow space inside it.

Arthur used his new skill to open up a path for them, draining all of his mana just to soften the soil and move it away enough for them to get in. There was a brick wall inside of it, and Arthur had Miko break through it as he was still too wounded even with the constant healing rune.

Inside was revealed to be an old building, with a statue of a woman inside of the hall that the group entered. It seemed this temple has been abandoned and buried, barely surviving the weight of the dirt on top of it.

The reason he didn't go to the pub was simple, as it was on the periphery of the world. It was surrounded by unranked and primitive monsters only, and he had to go out of his way to search for mid-tier monsters. He didn't want to run into Erin again after the last time with Miko.

”This should be enough as a hideout,” Arthur said, taking out his supplies. It was roasted meat and some fruit he had saved. They had retrieved the supplies he took from the pub after fleeing the camp.

The others started eating without a word, and Arthur doubted any one of them was in a suitable condition for chitchat. Jin was mummified by bandages as his wounds were too severe. Hazel refused to look at him, only staring blankly at the ground. Miko kept silent since she didn't know the other two.

'This… was not how I expected it to be.' Arthur imagined their reunion and team to be cheerful, ambitious, and without Jin. The last one was something Arthur didn't expect to happen.

”You…” Miko broke the silence as she stared at Hazel with her poker face back. ”Did you tell them Arthur's name?” She was colder than Arthur would have liked for the current situation, but this was an essential question.

Hazel slightly trembled as she was faced with this question. However, she took a deep breath and shook her head. After a lengthy silence, she answered the question.

”I told them a different name.”

Miko nodded and went back to silently eating her meal. Arthur was grateful for the concern she showed for his safety and even grateful that Hazel didn't give them his real name.

”Thank you.” He sincerely said, but the reaction came unexpectedly and from someone else.