"Mister... can't you stay?" Mira mumbled, her voice muffled in his cloak.
They stood just beyond the village entrance. The air was calm, and the skies were soft with morning light. Aria knelt beside Mira, who clung tightly to his cloak, her small hands trembling.
She really liked the cloak.
The villagers had all gathered to bid him farewell. The village chief stood beside his wife, both offering warm but bittersweet smiles. Melina and Sarah were close by, flanking Hugo and Eric. The latter stood with his arms crossed, trying to mask whatever emotion stirred behind his gaze.
Aria gently patted her head. "I wish I could."
The chief stepped forward, holding a small box taken from the hands of another villager. He approached Aria with hesitant reverence.
"Please, as a token of our gratitude," he said, offering the box.
Aria looked at it, then at the people before him. He hesitated. "Oh… no, really. You don't have to do this."
"We know," the chief's wife replied, her tone warm and grateful. "You didn't save us for money."
"It's not money," the chief clarified. "It's a gift. I picked it myself."
"A fitting gift for a lord," added the chief's wife with a gentle smile.
Even so, Aria held his ground. "I'm no lord."
He tried refusing again, but the chief's face darkened slightly with disappointment as he began to pull the box back.
Aria sighed inwardly. Ugh… what's with me and my silly kindness? One day, I'm going to get robbed because of it.
Finally, he accepted the box. The chief's expression brightened instantly.
Mira, now easing her grip on his cloak, stepped back to her mother's side.
"I'll come visit," Aria said with a small smile. "So don't be sad."
Mira sniffled, then beamed. She waved excitedly as Aria turned and bowed to the gathered crowd.
He turned sharply, scooping a handful of dust as he sprinted into the forest.
"Farewell!" voices called after him. Among them, Mira broke free from her mother's grasp and ran to the edge of the path.
"That's a promise!" she shouted, her little voice echoing into the trees. "You better come back, Mister!"
Aria smiled from the branch he landed on moments later. Holding the small box tightly, he readied to leap to another.
He jumped down, pulling a satchel from his waist. It looked like a simple pouch, but inside was a storage space much larger than it seemed—a basic adventurer's bag. Not unlimited like the system space, but large enough for his needs.
He pushed the box inside, not bothering to check the contents. I'll open it when I get back.
He tightened his cloak and resumed running.
Chip. Chip.
Quiet.
Too quiet.
The forest was oddly still. Not even birds chirped. Though the healing skill he'd used days ago had worked wonders, it shouldn't have silenced the entire forest.
Are the monsters asleep… or did something else come through here?
Aria kept his pace steady, senses sharp.
Stop thinking, Aria. Just get back and turn in the mission. We need that bronze rank.
And then—
Oh… almost forgot.
He reached a cliff. A sane person might turn back, but Aria wasn't exactly average.
He jumped.
As he fell, he pulled a dagger from his boot, jamming it into the rocky face. It scraped violently as he slowed his descent.
Crack. Dust scattered.
Dangling from the rock wall, Aria adjusted his footing and scanned the landscape.
Where are they…?
Splash. The faint sound of water in the distance.
Gotcha.
He pulled the dagger free and allowed himself to drop the rest of the way, cloak flaring behind him like a bird.
Bang. He landed in a crouch, the dust scattered like ants as he immediately sprinting east—away from the village path.
He leapt over a massive oak tree bent in half by age or battle. Just beyond it— He stopped.
Footprints.
Massive. Deeper than ogre prints but lacking the usual slime of serpent-types. He crouched, running a finger through a slimy residue along the trail.
He sniffed.
Immediately gagged.
"By the gods…" he muttered, leaping back.
The tracks began and ended at the fallen tree.
What the hell…?
He wouldn't linger. There were more important things ahead.
I'll tell the guildmaster when I get back.
He brushed off his hands and moved on.
A minute later, he found what he'd come for: a clearing carpeted with lilac flowers, swaying gently in the breeze.
Aria pulled out a parchment and smiled. Jackpot.
Lilac flowers were rare, prized for use in high-level potions and favored by both adventurers and merchants. Dawn Mountain was one of the few places they grew in abundance, unlike Filan Mountain—Nile's territory—which yielded only a few each year.
I figured out their growth pattern when I passed through here weeks ago. Useful little things.
Aria tucked the parchment back in his cloak and got to work, carefully uprooting each plant without disturbing the soil. These flowers didn't grow from seeds but from nutrient-rich remnants of previous blooms. They were like weeds—if weeds were worth gold coins.
He hummed quietly, whistling between pulls.
Swoosh.
Something moved.
A dark blur passed between the trees, claws dragging along the forest floor without leaving a mark.
Shadow?
No. Something watching.
Aria didn't react, pretending not to notice. He tied up the flowers with rope and tucked them into his satchel.
"This should be enough."
He stood and stretched, glancing around the clearing.
I'll keep this place quiet. If word gets out, the capital will come crawling to take control of the mountain.
Just as he turned—
'He…'
He froze.
What was that?
The voice had come from nowhere—and everywhere.
'Help…'
Crack.
Rumble.
The earth trembled. Aria gripped the hilt of his sword, adjusting his stance.
The shaking stopped.
He exhaled slowly.
But somewhere nearby, something smiled.
'Father.'
"Huh—"
BOOM.
The ground gave way beneath his feet.