Chapter 47: Volkar

A faint whistling carried upon the gentle wind, mingling with the calm cackling of the Moonlit River.

’Where... am I?’

The world felt like it was spinning, and the back of his head was hot, like he was under a warm fountain.

Peace felt the prickle of twigs and leaves as they pressed into his skin.

’Again? D-did I pass out again?’

Thankfully, he could feel Ixion’s diary firmly held in his hand. Whether it was still in readable condition was another matter. Still, Peace doubted submersion was enough to destroy it.

’My head is killing me.’

As coherence slowly returned, Peace couldn’t help but question:

’What’s that whistling...?’

It sounded almost human, although it was a bit too deep for anything a human could produce.

’And... what’s that hot sensation?’

Peace blinked his eyes open and began pushing himself off the ground.

At the same moment, the whistling died down, replaced by a cheery hum.

"Hmm hmm hmm! Oh— Friend? What are you doing there?"

Blinking, Peace’s eyes adjusted, revealing a forest. A dark forest — the Dark Forest. The river must have carried him downstream before dumping him into the shrubbery along its bank, far enough that he’d crossed completely through the Convergeance Zone.

’Wait—’

Standing next to him was a familiar face...

Sadly, it wasn’t Dita.

Instead, it was the young Giant he’d met at the Diver’s Guild.

His leather trousers around his ankles, the cheery Giant held one hand around...

Peace’s mind sobered up real quick.

"D-did you just piss on me?!"

Peace was in desperate need of a shower, but not that kind of shower!

Aloof, the behemoth scratched the back of his head, then pulled up his trousers.

"Did I? Sorry, I didn’t know you were there. You should really pick better napping spots. Don’t you know bushes are where people piss?"

On his hands and knees, Peace put a hand over his mouth.

’I’m gonna throw up.’

At least the river had washed away the blood. Unfortunately, being free of one disgusting substance meant little after getting doused in another.

A sudden shout came from some distance away.

"Volkar! Who are you talking to?!"

The friendly — perhaps too friendly — Giant called out:

"A friend!"

The voice let out a shout.

"Ah— fuck! He’s at it again! For the last time, Volkar, Treants are not friends!"

The Giant, apparently named Volkar, put his back to Peace.

"Hmm? But he is a friend?"

A cacophony of footsteps rapidly approached them. Then, through Volkar’s legs, Peace spotted three pairs of feet.

"No, they are not— wait... I-is that?! What is that thing doing here?! Run! Fucking run!"

’Ah...’

His appearance was at it again.

But, as long as they weren’t trying to kill him, Peace didn’t even object to being painted as a monster. In fact, he welcomed it.

He wanted to be left alone, especially after what had just happened. Peace was rightfully pretty damn irritated.

’If this dumbass motherfucker doesn’t get away from me...’

"Hmm? No. Why run? This is my friend." Volkar looked back at Peace, then asked: "You’re friend, right? If not, then..."

’I swear Giants weren’t this stupid in the game!’

Mind debuff or not, Volkar was talking like a caveman.

Still, there was something off about the way the barbarous Giant had turned to look down at him. The glare was... almost threatening.

’No, it is...’

If Peace denied being his friend, Volkar looked ready to bash his skull in.

The man hidden from Peace’s view behind Volkar’s frame shouted:

"Look at it! The white hair! It’s clearly—"

Biting his lip, Peace pushed himself onto his knees. Cutting him off, Peace rasped:

"I’m... friend."

Volkar jumped while pointing back at him and shouted:

"See! I told you! He’s friend!"

Fighting against his aching bones, Peace stood, taking stock of his surroundings.

Despite how dark it was, he could see relatively well — about the same as when he’d been in the monster body.

With his head a little clearer, he also looked at the book, which was, as he’d thought, perfectly preserved. Even the four shards remained smushed between its pages.

The man, likely the party leader, froze.

"Wait... it spoke?"

Stepping out of the bushes and using a nearby tree as support, Peace stumbled forward and peered around Volkar’s broad back to find three horrified faces looking back at him.

The owner of the mysterious voice was a middle-aged man with shaggy blonde hair, a thick beard, and prominent crow’s feet, wielding an iron sword and tower shield.

Behind him was a tall woman with short red hair, a stoic look on her face, and a hammer slung over her shoulders.

Clearly, she didn’t share the party leader’s fear, though the look in her eyes told Peace she was still on guard.

Finally, the last member of their party was an elven archer, a small kid cowering at the sight of Peace, his green eyes, visible even beneath the blanket of darkness, quivering beneath short, light-blue hair.

Peace continued, but quickly found he was still too out of sorts to speak easily.

"Of course I can speak... Have the rumors not reached you...? About me?"

As he spoke, Peace untucked his Diver tag, showing that he was registered.

’If only I had my ID...’

Sadly, that had been left behind in his backpack. Grabbing it hadn’t exactly crossed his mind while fleeing for his life.

Taking a deep breath, the man pointed his sword at Peace.

"I can’t say I have."

The tag might have proved his citizenship, but it did little to convince the man that Peace was harmless.

Volkar placed an arm in front of Peace. Staring down his allies, he said:

"Rolly, he said he’s a friend... Why are you pointing your sword at him?"

The man’s eyes slowly drifted from Peace to Volkar, then back to Peace.

"I’ll be the judge of that... Also, Volkar, please, get it right for once. My name is Ralph."

"I got it wrong again?! Sorry, Roolf!"

Ralph shook his head.

"Whatever..." He lowered his sword, planted the tower shield into the ground, and rested a hand along its edge. Then, looking directly at Peace, he said, "Surrender everything you have."

Peace gulped as he looked at Ixion’s diary in his right hand.