Overwhelming Firepower

Milos and Anna continued to look at each other. Then Anna was the first to break the stillness. She walked toward him, her steps slow but deliberate, her eyes never leaving his face.

It didn’t take too long for the two to be in arm’s reach of each other; they could feel the breath of one another as they continued to stare.

The noise in the bar did not exist between the two of them; it was as if, in their senses, only the person in front of them existed.

Anna was the first to look away. She exhaled slowly, as if only now remembering how to breathe, and the faintest crease formed between her brows. She awkwardly pulled her hair back from her ear.

”So...” As she spoke, she was trying to sound fine, but was a little shaky. ”I see that you’ve come back.”

”... Ah... Yeah... I, I just came back from that thing called a train that the leader made.” Milos answered, his voice broke here and there as he spoke.

”Oh, right, it’s that steel carriage that moves fast and without horses. A lot of people were talking about it. I also heard that the King and Queen have arrived.”

Anna’s nervousness suddenly disappeared as she spoke out excitedly. Noticing what she did, Anna lowered her head and felt her face burning in embarrassment.

”Yeah... That’s right, the leader showed the train to the royals. I’m guessing they’re having an important talk right now.”

”Is that so...”

The two then stopped talking again. The effect they had when they first looked at each other seemed to disappear as the sound of the bar could once again be heard in their ears.

”It was nice to see you again, Milos, but I have work to do.”

When Anna said those words, Gran, who was just watching the show, finally spoke up.

”You don’t need to come, I’ll call Marie to come help today. You help Milos here; he doesn’t know where his parents’ house is. I think he doesn’t have much time.”

Anna froze as she glanced at Gran. ”Uncle Gran-” she started, but Gran waved a hand dismissively.

”Go,” he said with a knowing smile. ”I’ll handle things here. Besides, as I said, I’ll ask someone to call Marie to come over later.”

Anna hesitated for a moment longer, then let out a small sigh. ”Fine. Just for a bit.”

She turned to Milos. ”Your parents’ place isn’t far,” she said, her voice more composed now. ”But the streets twist around. So it might seem farther than it is.”

”I’d appreciate it,” Milos replied quickly. ”Really.”

She grabbed a shawl from behind the counter and draped it over her shoulders. As she walked past him toward the door, she paused just long enough to add, ”Well, we don’t have all day, come on.”

Seeing Anna gesturing for him to come over, Milos shook his head, and as he walked foward he answered. ”Yeah, let’s go.”

The moment they stepped outside, the warmth of the tavern was replaced by crisp air and the steady hum of a living city.

Footsteps echoed against stone, carts rattled past, and somewhere nearby, a hammer struck metal in a steady rhythm. Anna walked a step ahead of Milos, guiding him without looking back.

Despite the place having similar-looking houses and streets, Anna did not stop walking to look around as she seemed to have memorized every corner.

”You really wouldn’t find it on your own, by just wandering around,” she said after a while. ”Even I got lost the first few months after the rebuilding.”

”I believe that,” Milos replied, glancing around. ”This place doesn’t feel like the Dorsen I left.”

She slowed slightly. ”It isn’t.”

They passed a row of newly built houses, all stone and timber, their roofs aligned neatly. Milos noticed small details, flowers on windowsills, the faint smell of stew drifting from an open window.

”We have come a long way since we were attacked by those bandits. Now no one would dare attack Dorsen, and we get many refugees coming from the lands owned by Viscount Drenwick. Every time the population grew, the city grew as well.”

Milos listened in silence as they walked. Each word she spoke filled in the time he had missed, time where life had gone on in Dorsen without him.

”Viscount Drenwick seems not to like any of this, as the people in his land had been taxed even more than before. A few of the families that take refuge here, many of their family members don’t make it. But once in Dorsen, the Viscount doesn’t dare do anything more, since this is the land of the Iron Duke, of the young lord.”

Anna said the last words with pride. ”I wish the Duke would do something about that monster of a Viscount. I have heard stories about him before, but the stories told by the refugees...”

Anna’s voice softened near the end, but there was anger beneath it. Of course, Milos knew about Viscount Drenwick.

He learned from the vice-commander Harlik that the one who ordered the bandit attack was the Viscount. He also knows about the bloodhounds of the elite assassination party of the Viscount, which he also sent to kill Lucen and every villager in Dorsen.

In his mind, nobles should be like the leader, and his father, the Iron Duke. Filled with dignity, honor, and compassion. Yet this Viscount was the complete opposite of that.

”The leader will do something about it. For someone like that, the only thing we can do is our best. I feel sorry for the others who are still in his land, but this is something only nobles can deal with.”

”I know that, I do... But... I wish I could do something more...”

Seeing Anna look vulnerable, Milos wanted to hold her hand, but he hesitated. Anna then shook her head and showed a smile.

”Enough about the depressing things. How does it feel to be part of Thornefang?”

”It’s good, training to become stronger, helping those in need. I might be a knight now, but I do feel like one,” Milos replied.

Seeing the excited way Milos replied to that made the smile on Anna’s face grow. ”I see... So you were able to achieve your dreams. You did tell me you wanted to go on many adventures, to help people. I’m glad that you’re able to achieve them.”

Anna’s words were warm and sincere, but Milos felt a faint sting at them. ”Yeah,” he said after a moment.

Milos looked at the smiling Anna and hesitated a bit, but he then gathered his resolve and asked the question that he wanted to ask for a while.

”How about you, Anna? Is there anyone you’re with nowadays?”

Anna stopped walking, but she did not turn around. Milos could not get a good look at her at the moment. There was a short silence between the two of them before she answered.

”What do you think?”

”... I don’t know, that’s why I’m asking.”

”Well, I do have many admirers at the moment. Even people from other places come to woo me. What do you think about that?”

Hearing Anna’s question, Milos almost choked, but he answered nonetheless.

”I guess that’s to be expected since you became even more beautiful than before.”

Anna did not speak, and her body looked like it shook a little, but Milos was unsure. She then replied. ”Is that so, you think I’m beautiful?”

”I always thought you were beautiful,” Milos answered honestly.

”Hehe,” Anna started giggling as she once again started walking.

”Hey, you haven’t answered my question yet.”

”Well, who knows if I’m seeing anyone now or not. I don’t feel like I want to answer,” Anna answered teasingly.

”Why not?” Milos asked.

Anna glanced back at him over her shoulder, eyes bright with amusement. ”Because I don’t feel like answering.” She then stuck out her tongue playfully.

They continued walking, the teasing atmosphere easing the heaviness that had settled earlier. Still, Milos could feel his heartbeat refusing to calm down.

Still, Milos could not gather more resolve to keep on pushing for an answer. Seeing his reaction, which Anna found quite cute, she grinned.

”You may look like a warrior now, but it seems like you’re the same old Milos on the inside.”

”Same to you, always trying to tease me like this. You might look more mature, but you’re still the same Anna on the inside.”

”I guess neither of us has changed much,” Anna replied while turning around, looking at Milos, as she pointed at the house behind her. ”We’ve arrived.”

Hearing what Anna said, Milos looked at the house that was behind her. It was completely different from the house he lived in while growing up.

His old house was one made of wood, and would sometimes break when strong winds or heavy rains arrived. This new house was made of stone and looked very sturdy.

It even had two floors, which was another thing that was different from his old house. Milos stood frozen for a moment before stepping forward. The door opened before he could knock.

”... Milos?”

His mother’s voice trembled. She was truly surprised to see who was at the door, but after the initial surprise, she rushed forward, pulling him into a tight embrace. He felt her shoulders shake.

His father stood behind her, silent. Then a firm hand rested on Milos’s shoulder.

”You came back safely,” his father said gruffly.

Milos nodded, his vision blurring. ”Yes... I’m home.”

Behind them, Anna quietly watched as the family had their warm reunion.