The dinner table held steaming plates of roasted root vegetables, their earthy aroma filling the home. The family ate quietly around the flickering lamplight, shadows dancing across the walls as an underlying tension settled over the meal.
"So, quite a day, wasn't it, dear?" Mari began, her voice strained but still carrying a hint of warmth.
Landre nodded, her gaze fixed on her plate, pushing the vegetables around with her fork.
Von grunted and took a large bite, his frown deepening as he glanced between Vel and Landre.
"Adventurers," he muttered. "They're all anyone can talk about now."
"What do you think the adventurers are like?" Landre asked, her voice barely above a whisper, curiosity breaking through her silence. "Do you think… they're strong?"
Von snorted, his frown deepening as he set his fork down with a sharp clink.
"They're adventurers," he repeated, his voice dismissive. "All flash and bravado. Probably more trouble than they're worth." He shot another quick glance at Vel and Landre, his tone tinged with irritation.
"Your father's just being grumpy," Mari chided, giving him a playful nudge with her elbow. "I'm sure they're very capable. The Chief wouldn't have brought them here otherwise."
Vel watched his father's scowl. Von's complaints weren't about the adventurers' competence—they were about being overshadowed. His father's jealousy made any assessment worthless. If Vel wanted to know what they were truly capable of, he'd need to see for himself.
Vel finished his meal and excused himself to help his mother with the dishes. As he washed, his mind raced with a plan to get closer to the adventurers, knowing their adventurer's cards held valuable information.
"Mom," Vel said, drying his hands on a rough cloth, "I was thinking… since the adventurers are here to help us, maybe we should offer them some of the leftover food? It's the least we can do to thank them."
Mari's face lit up with a warm smile. "That's a wonderful idea, dear!" she said. "I'm sure they'd appreciate a hot meal after their travels." She began gathering the remaining food and some water skins. "You can take this to them. Just be polite and don't bother them too much. They're probably tired."
"Perfect," Vel thought. This was exactly the opportunity he needed.
He took the basket from his mother and headed out into the cool evening air. The village square was still bustling, though the crowd had thinned somewhat. The adventurers had set up a modest camp near the center, a few bedrolls and packs scattered around a crackling fire.
As he approached, he could hear their conversation.
"So first portal huh, you two silver should watch yourself!" Honka's voice carried across the square, loud and commanding.
"It would be quite the experience to witness the portal first hand." Bestiel's eyes lit up as he adjusted his position by the fire. "I've read and heard so much about them, after all."
Vel slowed his approach, careful not to interrupt their conversation. The basket of food weighed in his hands as he lingered at the edge of their firelight.
Mora sat cross-legged on a bedroll, her fingers working methodically over her hand crossbow. "As long as we stick to the plan, there's nothing to worry about." She pulled a cloth through the mechanism. "Think before we act, and it shouldn't be a problem."
"Still..." Bestiel fidgeted with the edges of his grimoire. "What if something unexpected happens? Portals are known to be unpredictable."
"Relax, you jumpy priest." Honka's laugh echoed across the square. He flexed his muscles, the flames casting deep shadows across his bare chest. "You're always like this before a mission?"
Clara, who had been silently sharpening her greatsword, finally spoke. Her voice was low and even, with a hint of steel in it. "It's wise to be cautious. We don't know what else might come through."
The others fell silent for a moment, the crackling of the fire the only sound.
"The Chief said this one's been active for a few days," Mora said, breaking the silence."That's… not good. Usually, they're contained much faster."
"Perhaps the village doesn't have the resources to deal with it themselves," Bestiel suggested. "That's why they called the Guild, after all."
"Or perhaps," Clara said, her gaze fixed on the flickering flames, "it's more unstable than they're leaving on."
Vel listened from the edge of the camp. So they weren't friends—just a Guild-assembled team. That explained their awkward interactions.
At least they have experience, Vel thought. Portals were common enough that Honka and Clara had dealt with them before—that was a good sign. But Clara's right. The fact that this portal has been active for several days is concerning. It means it's will be more difficult to contain than usual, village has been neglecting it. He needed to know more. He needed to see those cards.
He took a deep breath, clutching the basket a little tighter, and stepped forward, trying to appear as unassuming as possible.
"Excuse me," he said, his voice small but clear. "My mom sent me with some leftover food and water. She said it's a thank you for helping our village."
"Oh, how thoughtful!" Bestiel's face brightened as he jumped to his feet. "Please, come closer to the fire, young one."
Mora set aside her crossbow and made space near her bedroll. "Your mother's kindness is appreciated. The journey here was long."
Clara barely glanced up from her sword, giving only a slight nod of acknowledgment.
"Leftovers?" Honka's jovial expression soured. He crossed his massive arms across his chest. "They feed us scraps? We're risking our lives for this village, and they give us leftovers?"
"It's still warm," Vel said, letting the aroma of his mother's cooking waft from the basket. "Mom made extra portions specially for you all."
Mora shot Honka a sharp look. "Don't be rude. The village is already stretching their resources thin."
"Hmph." Honka's scowl deepened, but he didn't press the issue further.
Mora sighed, rolling her eyes slightly. She turned back to Vel, offering a reassuring smile. "Don't mind him," she said, her tone apologetic. "He's just… always hungry."
Clara's gaze shifted from Vel to Honka, a flicker of disapproval in her eyes. She then looked back at Vel, her expression still neutral. "We appreciate the thought," she said, her voice even and measured.
Vel read the group dynamics quickly. Honka could be appealed to through rewards, Bestiel through politeness. Mora seemed straightforward. Clara was the wildcard—a Platinum enigma.
He offered the basket to Bestiel, who was closest to him. "Here you go," he said, trying to sound as innocent as possible. "Mom said it's roasted root vegetables and some fresh water."
Bestiel took the basket from Vel with gentle hands. "Thank you, young man. Please convey our gratitude to your mother." Bestiel turned to the rest of the group. "Anyone hungry?"
Honka's frown softened slightly at the sight of the food. He reached into the basket, grabbing a handful of vegetables. Mora also took a few, while Clara remained by the fire, still sharpening her sword.
First step done, Vel thought. Now to not seem too eager.
He watched as Honka devoured a handful of root vegetables in a few bites, then turned to Bestiel, tilting his head slightly.
"What kind of work do adventurers do?" Vel asked, tilting his head with curiosity. "Do you fight monsters all the time?"
Bestiel chuckled softly. "Not all the time," he said. "Sometimes we escort merchants, or retrieve lost items, or even help settle disputes between villages."
"But you do fight monsters, right?" Vel persisted, straightening up. "Like… big, scary monsters?"
Honka, his mouth full, grunted in affirmation. "Oh, we fight plenty of monsters," he mumbled, swallowing a large chunk of vegetable. "Big ones, small ones, nasty ones… we've fought them all."
Mora nodded, wiping her hands on a cloth. "We recently dealt with a pack of Gnarlhorns in the Misty Woods. Nasty creatures, with claws like razors."
"Wow!" Vel exclaimed, face lighting up with feigned excitement. "That sounds amazing! Have you ever fought… dragons?"
Honka let out a booming laugh, which quickly died in his throat. He exchanged a strange look with Mora and Bestiel.
"Dragons?" Honka repeated, his voice now laced with confusion. "Lad, dragons haven't been seen in… well, not in living memory. Some say they're just myths."
Mora nodded in agreement. "Legends from a bygone era. No one's seen a dragon in centuries, if they ever existed at all."
Bestiel added, his tone more somber. "The ancient texts speak of them, yes, but… it's hard to separate fact from fiction. It's more likely they were just… exaggerations of other powerful beasts."
That can't be right, Giri thought, his mind reeling. Dragons were fundamental to his design—some Primordials had even taken dragon forms. Yet here they were, talking about them like extinct myths. This world kept diverging from his creation in ways he didn't understand.
He looked at the adventurers, his feigned excitement replaced by genuine confusion.
"But… the stories…" Vel stammered, bewilderment creeping into his words. "I've heard stories about dragons… powerful dragons… breathing fire and… and…"
He trailed off, unable to articulate his confusion.
Honka shrugged, a dismissive wave of his hand. "Stories are just stories, lad. Best not to put much faith in old tales."
Clara, who had been listening silently, finally spoke. Her voice was low and thoughtful. "Perhaps they were driven to extinction," she suggested. "Or perhaps they retreated to some hidden place, far from the eyes of men."
Vel seized on this idea, a flicker of hope igniting within him. "Hidden?" he asked, renewed curiosity filling his expression. "Where? Where would they hide?"
Clara simply shrugged, her expression unchanged. "That is the mystery, is it not?"
He watched them finish the food he had brought. Honka devoured the roasted vegetables while Bestiel picked at his portion with polite comments. Mora ate steadily, her gaze scanning the surroundings.
Clara lingered at the fire's edge, relaxed yet alert. Vel approached, stopping at a respectful distance.
"How are you going to stop the monsters?" Vel asked, pointing toward the gate. "The scary hole where they come from - how do you make it go away?" He tilted his head with genuine curiosity.
"We're going to assess the situation," Bestiel replied, wiping his hands on a cloth. "Determine the best way to proceed."
"Assess?" Vel repeated, tilting his head slightly.
"It means we'll take a closer look," Mora explained, giving him a small smile. "See what kind of energy the portal is emitting, try to determine its stability."
"And then we'll close it," Honka added, cracking his knuckles. "Simple as that."
Clara remained silent, her gaze flickering towards the direction of the portal.
"How will you close them?" Vel asked, leaning forward with curiosity.
"By going inside, lad!" Honka declared, flexing his arms. "We find whatever core of the portal that maintains its existence, then we sever it." Honka explained with an air of practiced expertise, as if he'd done this countless times.
Mora and Bestiel listened closely, nodding occasionally in agreement with Honka's explanation. Clara, on the other hand, subtly shifted her weight, as if preparing to move, her gaze still fixed on the distant gate, a hint of impatience in her eyes.
They seem to know what they're doing. That's good, Vel thought, observing their exchange. He needed to get back to his original objective.
"What are those?" Vel asked, pointing at the cards displayed by Bestiel, Honka, and Mora. "They look shiny."
Bestiel smiled and held his card up. "This is my Adventurer's Card," he explained.
Honka puffed out his chest and displayed his own. "A fine Gold Rank card, at that!"
Mora winked and showed hers as well. "It shows we're registered with the Guild."
"Can I see them?" Vel asked, leaning forward with curiosity. "They look really cool!"
Bestiel and Mora shared hesitant looks, uncertainty flickering across their faces.
"Well..." Bestiel rubbed the back of his neck. "I suppose there's no harm. Though I must warn you, my achievements are quite modest compared to others."
Mora agreed, a slight flush coloring her cheeks. "Same here. I've joined the Guild about two years back."
"Bah! False modesty!" Honka thrust his card toward Vel with enthusiasm. "Here, lad! Have a good look at a real adventurer's card! See those golden borders? That means I'm among the elite!"
Clara remained by the fire, her attention seemingly focused on her blade maintenance. She made no move to show her card, her expression unchanged as the others shared theirs.
Bestiel's card felt unexpectedly heavy in Vel's hand, its dark grey surface smooth as polished stone. He looked down at the elegant, etched script and...
Oh no.
All the symbols were completely meaningless to him. Of course they were. How could he have been so stupid? He'd spent the entire evening thinking he was being so clever, working toward this moment where he'd examine their cards. And he'd completely forgotten the most basic fact: he couldn't read.
"What... what do these symbols mean?" Vel asked, his voice barely a whisper.
"That's my name at the top," Bestiel explained patiently. "Below that shows my rank - Silver - and my class as a Cleric. I've been active for about three years now."
He returned Bestiel's card and took Honka's. The material was identical, but this card bore a distinctive golden border that caught the flickering light.
"This one's different," Vel observed, running his finger along the golden edge. "Much shinier."
"That's because I'm Gold rank!" Honka boomed proudly. "See how it gleams? That's the mark of a true adventurer!"
Mora's card resembled Bestiel's with its silver trim. She explained she was a Silver-rank Hunter with two years of experience.
He returned Mora's card, glancing again at Clara. She remained turned away, still fiddling with her belt. It was clear she wasn't going to show him her card willingly.
Vel looked at the card again, studying the blank rectangular section. A memory surfaced - sitting down with a concept artist, helping design these very cards. There should be something here. Achievements, battle records, a whole history of each adventurer's accomplishments.
Vel looked up, a puzzled expression on his face. "This part… it doesn't show anything," he said, pointing to the blank rectangle on Mora's card. "It feels… empty."
"That's because it displays personal information," Bestiel offered a gentle smile. "Things like significant accomplishments, important quests… details about an adventurer's history. It doesn't always show; you need the owner of the card to give permission for it to be visible."
"As Silver ranks, we don't really have anything to show yet. Just ordinary achievements, nothing worth recording on the card."
Honka let out a hearty laugh, clapping Bestiel on the back.
"Speak for yourself, Priest! I've got plenty of stories to tell!" He puffed out his chest and held his card out again. "Here, young'un, take another look! Maybe this time you'll see something interesting!"
Honka pressed his thumb to the card's back. A soft yellow glow spread across it, magical in nature. The surface brightened, text sharpening like a lit screen. When he tapped the blank rectangle, it expanded to reveal rows of detailed text.
Vel stared at the glowing symbols, his frustration mounting. Here was exactly the kind of detailed information he'd hoped to find - but every marking was incomprehensible.
"What does it say?" Vel asked, unable to hide his disappointment.
"My achievements!" Honka announced proudly. "See, I took down a Howling Ape all by myself - nasty beast, that one! And I've settled disputes between those stubborn clan folk up north. Even mastered some advanced fighting techniques the monastery taught me. Oh, and helped defend against those damned trolls last spring!"
That's... actually pretty impressive, Giri thought despite Honka's bravado. Taking down a Howling Ape solo was no small feat - those creatures were designed to challenge groups of mid-level adventurers. Behind all the showing off, the man had genuine skill.
Vel looked at Bestiel and Mora. "Can you do that too?" he asked, pointing at Honka's glowing card. "Make yours show what you did?"
Bestiel and Mora reluctantly activated their own cards, revealing modest Silver-rank accomplishments. Bestiel had escorted a merchant caravan and retrieved a lost artifact, while Mora had tracked a missing person and scouted a cave. Both seemed embarrassed by their limited achievements compared to Honka's impressive record.
"Though," Mora added, a hopeful glint in her eyes, "if we're successful with this portal… well, the chances of promotion are very high."
Bestiel echoed her sentiment. "This is the kind of mission that gets noticed by the Guild," he explained. "Closing an active portal, especially one that's been open for several days… that would definitely boost our standing."
Honka scoffed. "Even if you succeed, you'll only reach lower Gold," he warned. "Sometimes that's more trouble than it's worth. Without matching combat skills, you risk getting deadly assignments."
Mora's hope dimmed as she shared a worried look with Bestiel. Bestiel affirmed with a slight gesture. "He's right," he said softly. "We need to be ready for each rank's challenges. Quick promotions can be dangerous."
Vel looked at Clara, who'd been quietly observing. She avoided his gaze when their eyes met, her face impassive. The others turned to her too, their expressions mixing curiosity with respect, eager to hear of her achievements.
Clara sensed the expectant attention and shook her head before anyone could ask. "My achievements are... not relevant now," she said quietly, staring at the fire. "We're here for the portal. That's our priority."
She rose and dusted her armor. "Time to prepare and rest," she said evenly, then nodded to Vel. "Thanks for the meal. Go home to your family. The village is under curfew."
Honka muttered something, but stayed quiet. Bestiel and Mora shared resigned looks as they gathered their things behind Clara. Their deference to her leadership was obvious, regardless of their personalities. The Guild had chosen her to lead, and that was that.
Vel might have pressed for more information, but he could read the finality in Clara's tone. Her evasion wasn't modesty - she was deliberately avoiding her past. Whatever had happened during her Platinum days had left her guarded and withdrawn.
Nothing more could be done tonight. Based on what he'd learned, Clara was undoubtedly the strongest - her Platinum rank proved that, even if she wouldn't share the specific achievements that earned it. Among the others, Honka had demonstrated impressive capability, probably around level 40 given his solo Howling Ape kill. The Silver ranks were competent but less experienced, likely in their thirties.
The real question was the portal itself. What level threat were they actually facing? He was forbidden from investigating personally - the memory of glowing Wulfang eyes and snapping jaws made him shudder. He'd have to trust the adventurers knew what they were doing.
He nodded to the adventurers, thanked them, and headed home. The village was quiet, its people tucked away for the night. Only the distant crackle of their fire and his footsteps on the dirt path broke the silence.
---
The next morning dawned bright and clear. The village was already stirring, the smell of woodsmoke and baking bread filling the air. Vel, having slept soundly despite the previous night's excitement, found his mind already racing with thoughts of the portal and the adventurers.
He sat down at the breakfast table with his family. The usual morning chatter was absent, replaced by a strange tension. Then, Vel spoke, his voice clear and determined.
"I want to learn to read."
A stunned silence fell over the table. His father's grumbling ceased abruptly, his fork clattering against his plate. His mother, Mari, blinked in surprise, her hand pausing mid-air as she reached for a loaf of bread. Landre, who had been quietly eating, looked up, astonishment written across her face.
"Learn to read?" his father finally managed, his voice laced with disbelief, but a hint of something else – pride? – flickered in his eyes. He leaned back in his chair, a thoughtful expression crossing his face.
"What on earth for?"
"That's… ambitious."
Mari simply stared at him, her brow furrowed.
"Vel, dear… you know that only those who need to read, learn to read," she said gently.
Landre, however, seemed to understand his desire. A warm smile touched her lips.
"I could help you," she offered, her voice soft but firm. "With the village closed off, I can't go out gathering herbs. I'll have more time to teach you."
Vel's face lit up.
"Really?"
Landre confirmed with a gentle gesture. "But first," she said, tapping a finger thoughtfully against the table, "we need something for you to write on. And something to write with." She paused, considering their options. "An empty book would be ideal, of course. We could also use cloth parchment, if we can find any. As a last resort, we could write on the ground, but… you might not be able to remember the lessons if they're not written down properly."
"Maybe I can ask the elder if they have any unused old books," Landre suggested. "Or…" She paused, a slight frown creasing her brow. "The chapel should definitely have some. It's just…" She trailed off, her expression becoming troubled. "They don't give out things for free without a proper cause. Those books still cost something to be brought into the village."
Then, her eyes brightened. "Or… you can use my book," she offered. "I've been using it, even though there's not much space left for practice. There are still some of my notes and…"
Vel suddenly realized what book she was talking about. It was the worn, leather-bound book she always carried with her, the one she often read from during her quiet moments of prayer. A thought struck him.
That's the book she uses when she prays… Did she copy the prayers into it?
Mari and Von exchanged amused glances, a silent understanding passing between them. As long as the children weren't venturing outside the village walls, there was no harm in letting them pursue this.
Von then hurried through the rest of his breakfast, sudden urgency in his movements.
"I have to report to the Chief and escort the adventurers to the portal today," he announced, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
A wave of worry washed over Mari's face.
"It should be fine," Von reassured her, though his own expression held a hint of concern. "If these adventurers are what they claim to be, there should be no problem." He paused, then added, "I'll be taking turns with the other guards, staying outside the portal while the four of them go inside to try and close it."
Vel's breath caught. He suddenly felt a strong urge to see the adventurers off, to witness their departure for the portal.
"Can I go with you, Father?" he asked, his voice pleading. "I want to see them go."
Von considered for a moment, his gaze softening as he looked at his son's eager face. He knew Vel was fascinated by the adventurers, and he also knew it would be a good opportunity for the boy to see what real responsibility looked like.
"Alright," he finally said, nodding slowly. "But you stay close to me. And you do exactly as I say. Understand?"