A Remaining Podeshire 1

Chapter 11 (Part 2)

     An intense migraine hits Gregory, causing him to feel an unstoppable pain spreading across his forehead. It feels like an immense weight crushing his skull. As he slowly regains his strength, Gregory tries to control his eyelids, but everything he sees is blurry, surrounded by an opaque haze.

     Despite his fatigue, Gregory keeps fighting, forcing himself to open and close his eyes until he clears his vision. His sight finally becomes clear. It doesn't surprise him that he still lies on the ground, surrounded by endless grass.

     With a swift turn of his head, Gregory realizes that a tree has sheltered him. As he looks around, he notices the same man who rescued him sitting on the ground, facing the other direction while warming his hands on a bonfire. The man is unaware that Gregory has woken up.

Gregory took a deep breath and tried to speak, but his voice was hoarse. "Ehem," he cleared his throat and tried uttering a word. "Uhh... excuse me...?" Gregory moaned weakly.

     The man quickly turns to look at Gregory, his words caught in his throat. They stare at each other for a prolonged moment, the silence stretching between them. Meanwhile, Gregory sits up in an upright position, his eyes meeting the man's gaze.

     Little did Gregory know that the man who had saved him was Oliver the whole time in disguise. Oliver's wavy copper-brown hair had become a short silver-grey ombré, with the silver shade forming the base and the roots and bangs dyed in darker brown. His eyes had also changed from brown to a magnificent golden amber, shining brightly in the flickering light of the bonfire.

     Meanwhile, Oliver's old, dirty outfit had transformed with new colour schemes similar to an official city guard uniform. The once-tattered fabric had been mended and cleaned. And bold colours and sharp lines give it a polished, professional appearance.

     Oliver briefly looks away from Gregory with his eyes fixed on the flickering flames of the bonfire. A proud smirk spreads across his face. His plan to hide his identity had worked, and he had saved someone for the first time.

After staring at Oliver's silver and gold outfit, Gregory unexpectedly asked, "Are you a... city guard?"

"Oh, uhm..." Oliver looked back at him, thinking of an answer. His heart trembled with panic, but he quickly cleared his throat and made his voice deeper. "City guard? Yes, I am," he responded.

"...W-what happened earlier...?" Gregory then asked.

"Young man, you've collapsed due to heat exhaustion... after a bear chased you in the grassland," Oliver answered.

"Oh..." Gregory looked down.

"Would you like some water?" Oliver lifted a cup of water and offered it to Gregory.

"Oh, thanks!" Gregory grabbed the cup and drank it all in one go.

Oliver smiled, watching Gregory drink from the cup. "You seem thirsty," Oliver thought.

"...I am," Gregory smiled as he returned the cup to Oliver. "Also... sire... I want to thank you for rescuing me. You saved me. I... I owe you my life."

"It's not necessary, young man," Oliver said, shaking his head with a light smile. "Just doing my job."

Gregory giggled. "...May I know your name?" he then asked.

     Oliver tries his best not to be startled by Gregory's question, but he's at a loss for words. Oliver quickly looks around, drawing inspiration from the environment. His eyes land on the grey, cloudy sky above them. He glances up at the sky, taking a deep breath before answering Gregory's question.

"Grey... Erris," Oliver answered, using a name he came up with for his undercover identity. "...Grey Erris. How about you, young man?"

"My name is Gregory Hidesine," Gregory replied, shaking Oliver's hand vigorously. "Nice to meet you, sire!"

     Oliver's brows shoot up when Gregory introduces himself using his real name. He had been cautious and suspicious of Gregory, wondering if he was being set up. But now, seeing the relief and gratitude in Gregory's eyes, he begins to suspect that the young man was actually in danger and wasn't part of any trap.

"It's nice to meet you, too," Oliver replied calmly, relieved that Gregory seemed genuine.

"Say, we almost have the same sounding name! Grey and Gregory, hm?" Gregory said, speaking with his usual grin.

"Yes, it seems like we have similar names," Oliver agreed, nodding as he giggled.

"Oh, you can also call me Greg for short," he said.

"Greg sounds like a great nickname. I'll be sure to remember that," Oliver stated as his smile spread from ear to ear.

     Oliver nods and lets go of Gregory's hand as they give each other a friendly smile. They both turn to gaze at the horizon, feeling relaxed in each other's company. Oliver felt warm with Gregory. And he liked the feeling. But he knew better than to trust him.