Game Master in Another World

Illara was the first person I saw as I walked into camp. Dark rings circled her eyes, and her face was drawn tight with worry.

The moment she spotted me, her shoulders dropped in relief. “Where have you been? You were gone all night.”

A sharp pang of regret hit me; I hadn’t even considered that she would be waiting up for me. “Drisnil needed her night out,” I admitted quietly. “She hunted down those remaining guards and killed them.”

“Oh,” Illara said softly. “You should have said something.”

“I know. I’m really sorry, I didn’t expect the hunt to take so long.”

Illara stepped forward and pulled me into a firm hug. “Well, you are back now. That is all that matters.”

“I don’t know about you, but I could do with a sleep,” I said, managing a tired smile.

Illara nodded, and we headed straight for our tent, falling asleep almost the moment we lay down.

The rest of our time in the camp passed in a blur of quiet routine: hunting with Illara, gathering firewood, and foraging. Slowly, Joan regained her strength, much to Faie's delight—which mostly manifested as endless, shameless flirting.

After three days, it was finally time to leave. We packed up our belongings and said a quiet goodbye to our forest fort.

I walked beside Illara at the front of the column, helping to break a trail for the group.

“I’m looking forward to being back in the city,” I said, hacking away a low-hanging branch in our path. “Especially the street food.”

“Yes, I miss the street food too,” Illara replied, stepping nimbly over a fallen log. “But what I miss the most is the bath.”

“Anything to see me naked,” I teased.

Illara giggled. “There is that. But I also just want to be clean again. Washing in a freezing river just isn’t the same.”

“I’m looking forward to a comfortable bed, too,” I complained. “Sleeping on the ground is getting so uncomfortable.”

Illara shot me a wry smile. “I never thought I’d see the day the tough, fearsome Drisnil would complain about something so trivial.”

“I bet you want a comfortable bed too,” I quipped back.

“True,” Illara said, her voice dropping into a sultry tone. “But for more than just sleep. The privacy will be wonderful, too.”

I smiled to myself, looking at her as we walked. Despite the heavy, lingering shock of losing her father, I was so pleased to see glimpses of her old self shining through. She truly was amazing with how well she managed things.

The long day of walking was blissfully uneventful. We eventually found a suitable camping spot for the night, and with the remaining wolf meat, dinner was quick to prepare.

As we ate, Illara, Sera, Ash, Faie, Joan, and I settled in around the fire for our nightly discussion. Joan had been dragged into the circle by Faie, though she didn’t seem to mind the warmth or the food.

"So, Joan," Sera began, her tone deadpan and entirely serious. "What is your view on this: if you hollow out a piece of bread and then fill it with stew, would you call it a sandwich or a pie?"

Joan shot Sera a look that screamed, You cannot be serious. "Uh, what?"

"Quite simple. Is it a sandwich or a pie?" Sera repeated.

"A sandwich, obviously," Joan replied with utmost confidence. "Why ask such a silly question?"

That was like waving a red flag at a bull.

"It is a pie!" Illara nearly shouted. "It doesn’t matter what is surrounding the stew. If it is completely enclosed, then it has to be a pie."

Joan looked at Illara as if she had just lost her mind. "You are so obviously wrong. Bread makes it a sandwich, no matter the filling. If you filled it with ham and cheese, you’d call it a sandwich."

Faie nodded enthusiastically. "I completely agree with Joan on this, obviously."

"Well, of course you do, Faie," I countered, leaning back. "You’ve been flirting relentlessly with Joan since you laid eyes on her. You’d agree with almost anything she said."

Joan sighed, dragging a hand down her face. "I can’t believe you are this dumb too, Drisnil. Or are you just agreeing with your partner?"

Faie’s face lit up immediately. "You just called me your partner!"

"No, I didn't mean—" Joan pinched the bridge of her nose. "You have made your intentions very clear, Faie. It’s hard to take your opinion without considering your bias. Much like Drisnil’s."

Across the fire, Ash simply pointed at Illara and gave an enthusiastic thumbs-up.

Sera watched the argument unfold with absolute glee. "You know, neither of you is right," she said, a giant smile spreading across her face. "It is simply just a more efficient way to eat soup."

The entire group turned to look at her.

"No," we said in unison.

It seemed that, as far as arguments went, this one was quite polarizing.

The next two days of travel blurred into a quiet routine, ending only when the familiar, dark silhouettes of Holver's rooftops appeared against the night sky. We deposited the remaining guards at the temple, arranging watch shifts to keep them secure, before the five of us—Ash, Illara, Faie, Joan, and myself—made our way to Theo’s house.

The moment we crossed the threshold, the silence of the empty home seemed to strike Illara like a physical blow. The brave face she had worn on the road finally fractured. Without a word, she hurried past us, retreating to the bedroom and quietly asking to be left alone.

I was left sitting at the dining table with Faie and Joan. Joan leaned back in her chair, crossing her muscular arms.

“So,” Joan began, her tone blunt. “Why exactly am I not locked in the temple with the rest of my men?”

“Faie insisted she could keep you under control,” I replied.

Faie beamed, completely unashamed. “Why, yes. You may be physically stronger than me, but I find that a rather appealing quality.”

Joan raised an eyebrow, looking from Faie to me and back again. “And where will I be sleeping tonight?”

“Theo’s bed, I suppose,” I said. “With Faie.”

Joan considered this for a long moment. “Oh. Well, I don’t think I completely mind that.”

Faie’s face lit up like a lantern.

Before I could even blink, Joan stood, effortlessly scooped Faie into her arms, and turned toward the hall. “Goodnight. I’ll be taking the wizard to bed now.”

I sat frozen, staring at the empty doorway. Did Faie cast a charm spell? I shook my head, deciding it was better not to investigate. Perhaps Joan just appreciated Faie's utter lack of subtlety. I would go with that.

Left alone at the table, the quiet of the house pressed in on me again. Tomorrow was Theo’s funeral. He would finally be laid to rest. I looked toward the bedroom door, my chest tightening. Illara was going to need every ounce of support I could give her.

After an hour of sitting with my heavy thoughts, I slipped into the bedroom. Illara was already fast asleep, her breathing shallow but steady. I lay down beside her, wrapped my arm around her, and closed my eyes.

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