The tavern suddenly felt smaller.
Too many eyes were watching.
The moment the armored adventurers stood up from their table, Rogan immediately noticed the tension.
Torren quietly muttered beside me.
"...Well, this is going to be annoying."
I didn't need to ask why.
I already knew.
Darius walked toward the counter slowly.
His boots echoed against the wooden floor with every step.
Behind him followed the same faces I remembered.
Garrick.
And Mira.
Mira's eyes widened the moment she saw me.
"Kazu...?"
Her voice was quiet, almost surprised.
Darius stopped a few steps away from the counter.
For a moment he simply stared at me.
Then he smiled.
Not a friendly smile.
More like someone who had just discovered a strange animal that was supposed to be dead.
"Well."
He crossed his arms.
"This is unexpected."
Torren rolled his eyes.
"If you came to order drinks, do it faster."
Darius ignored him.
Instead, he looked directly at me.
"I should congratulate you."
His tone sounded almost polite.
"For surviving."
I didn't answer.
He tilted his head slightly.
"When we left the forest..."
He paused.
"...you looked very dead."
Torren snorted.
"Apparently your eyesight sucks."
Garrick laughed loudly.
"Relax."
He leaned against the nearby table.
"It's a miracle story."
Then he looked at me.
"So tell us something, kid."
"Did the forest spit you back out?"
I clenched my fists.
"I survived."
Darius nodded slowly.
"Clearly."
Then his voice changed.
"Although I wonder how."
Rogan finally spoke.
His voice was calm but firm.
"He survived because he fought."
Darius glanced at him.
"And you are?"
"Rogan."
"Leader of Iron Trail."
Darius studied him briefly.
"A Rank C party."
"Correct."
Rogan folded his arms.
"Kazu traveled with us."
Darius raised an eyebrow.
"Oh?"
Torren leaned forward.
"We found him half dead in the forest."
"Covered in blood."
"And somehow still breathing."
Hector added casually,
"Which was impressive, considering someone left him there."
The tension inside the tavern thickened.
Darius slowly looked back at me.
"You should be grateful."
I frowned.
"Grateful?"
He nodded.
"We didn't kill you."
Torren burst out laughing.
"That's the worst excuse I've ever heard."
Garrick's grin widened.
"Look."
He pointed at me.
"Kid got hit by an A-rank monster."
"He couldn't move."
"What were we supposed to do?"
"Carry him while the monster chased us?"
I stepped forward.
"You said we would fight it together."
Darius shrugged.
"Plans change."
"You abandoned me."
His eyes hardened slightly.
"You were already dead."
"I'm standing here."
"Congratulations."
His tone sounded mocking now.
Torren slammed his mug on the counter.
"That's enough."
Several adventurers nearby had already stopped talking.
Everyone was watching the argument.
Rogan spoke again.
"Your party reported the Crimson Goliath kill to the guild."
Darius nodded.
"Correct."
"And the report mentioned nothing about leaving someone behind."
Darius smiled faintly.
"Because there was nothing to report."
Torren pointed at me.
"He's the report."
Garrick shook his head.
"You people are making a big deal out of nothing."
Then he looked at me again.
"So tell me something."
His grin turned cruel.
"What exactly are you trying to prove?"
I took a step forward.
"The truth."
Darius laughed quietly.
"Truth?"
He leaned closer to me.
"You want the truth?"
His voice lowered slightly.
"You were weak."
"You got hit."
"You fell."
"And we left."
The tavern became silent.
I stared at him.
"That's exactly the problem."
For a moment, neither of us moved.
Then Rogan sighed.
"This argument is pointless."
Torren nodded.
"Yeah."
"Let's take it to the guild."
Garrick raised an eyebrow.
"Oh?"
Rogan looked directly at Darius.
"You claim he died."
"We claim he survived."
"So let's let the guild decide."
Darius thought for a moment.
Then he smiled again.
"Fine."
The Adventurer Guild building stood only a few streets away.
By the time we entered, several people were already whispering.
Word spread quickly in places like this.
Inside the guild hall, the Guild Master stood near the quest board.
A tall man with sharp eyes and silver hair.
He looked up when our group approached.
"What is this noise?"
Rogan stepped forward.
"There is a dispute."
The Guild Master sighed.
"There always is."
He looked around the group.
"Explain."
Both sides began speaking.
Rogan explained how they found me in the forest.
How badly injured I was.
How I traveled with them for several days.
Then Darius gave his version.
"This boy died during the Crimson Goliath battle."
"He couldn't survive those injuries."
The Guild Master finally turned toward me.
"And you?"
My heart pounded.
But I told him everything.
The hunt.
The Crimson Goliath.
The moment they decided to retreat.
And how I woke up alone the next morning.
When I finished, the guild hall was silent.
The Guild Master rubbed his chin.
Then Darius spoke again.
"He is lying."
Torren groaned loudly.
"Of course you say that."
Darius continued calmly.
"If our party abandoned someone during an A-rank engagement..."
He spread his hands.
"...our promotion would be revoked."
The Guild Master nodded slightly.
"Correct."
"So the boy has a clear motive to fabricate this story."
Rogan frowned.
"And you have a clear motive to deny it."
The Guild Master looked between us.
After several seconds, he spoke again.
"There is only one way to resolve this."
Everyone leaned forward slightly.
"A duel."
Torren blinked.
"...Seriously?"
The Guild Master nodded.
"One against one."
He pointed toward the training arena door.
"The accused..."
He pointed toward Darius.
"And the accuser."
The guild hall erupted with whispers.
Darius looked amused.
"You want me to fight him?"
The Guild Master shook his head.
"You will fight each other."
Torren leaned toward me.
"...Well."
"That's not great."
Darius slowly drew his sword halfway from its sheath.
Metal scraped softly.
"If the boy wants to prove he isn't dead weight..."
His eyes locked onto mine.
"...he can try."
The Guild Master raised his hand.
"The duel will take place tomorrow morning."
"Guild arena."
"Until then, both parties will remain under guild supervision."
Darius walked past me slowly.
As he passed, he whispered quietly.
"You should have stayed dead."
Then he continued walking toward the exit.
Leaving the entire guild hall buzzing with tension.
And tomorrow…
I would have to fight the man who left me to die.