Chapter 10: Goodbye

                                    

                                          
Beta read by n1ch, Shigiya, Solitary heart and 8kagi
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Beta read by n1ch, Shigiya, Solitary heart and 8kagi
Aight next chapter is here.
Gonna edit and add more parts to it after.
Edit 1: Added more and corrected a few mistakes. 4.4k words.
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-Grünes Bergdorf--
Archer arrived early at the outer gates of the village. The sun hadn't even come up yet and the sky was still dark. It had just been a few hours since he had the dispute between him and Maia. After being 'given' the order to leave the village, he immediately returned to his room afterwards and prepared his meagre luggage.
Sniff
Someone came alongside him to share a final goodbye.
"Mu-Must you really leave?" Alice said while sobbing, tears streaming down her cheeks. When she heard the news about Archer leaving, she nearly had a panic attack right then and there. Her life was going smoothly ever since he came into her life, no longer was she dragging her family's business to the ground. Having someone close to talk to and lean against like when her parents were still around.
He was the pillar of support and her mentor? Teacher? Friend? She didn't know. What she did know was that her life would never be the same or as joyful if he stepped out of the village's gates.
"I-I can try to talk with Maia-sama, I can reason with her for you to stay longer!" Despite her social ineptitude, Alice was still willing to face the Princess Knight for him, even if it meant facing her greatest weakness and fear-talking to people. She was certain that with enough begging and pleading that the Queen of Mercenaries would have pity on her and let him stay.
"Heh," Archer smirked at her words. "The little girl who couldn't even have a conversation with a stranger wants to face Maia herself, Queen of the Mercenaries? How bold you've gotten Alice. I hope you didn't get some of my bad habits."
He joked around and ruffled her hairline, but unlike before, the young girl didn't push him away or create a tantrum-as this might be the last head pat she would get from him. So she cherished the feeling of his hand and warmth inside her heart, never forgetting the feeling of safety and confidence he would inspire in her persona.
"This was an inevitable outcome, Alice. From the beginning, I've been nothing but a foreigner, a stranger in this village. It was bound for me to leave this place at some point to continue my travels. I have many things I have to accomplish, a job I can't ignore."
"Then...," She whispered, nearly making Archer use his reinforcement on his ears to hear her next words. "Can't I come with you? I can be helpful! I can carry your bags, take care of your chores and make your journey more pleasant!"
Flick!
"Ouch! Archer-san!?" She held onto her forehead while pouting cutely at her assaulter.
"Are you willing to give up everything your late family had built through blood, sweat and tears, just to follow me?" At that Alice dropped her head down in shame, she couldn't do such a thing. "Not to mention my journey is dangerous, it's not uncommon for me to get involved in a life and death battle every so often-so you would be more of a liability than any sort of help... unless you've secretly been a power combatant all this time; which I highly doubt. You can't even kill a rat if your life depended on it."