The road to town was quiet, save for the crunch of Kael's boots on gravel. He moved at an unhurried pace, hands tucked into his coat pockets, letting the breeze carry the scent of the lake far behind him.
The capital's outer market was already buzzing when he arrived. Merchants barked out deals, hawking fruit, spices, and cheap trinkets. Adventurers of all ranks came and went from the sprawling stone building of the guildhall — a place Kael visited only when forced.
Inside, the air was thick with the smell of leather armor, damp cloaks, and overcooked stew from the canteen. The front desk was manned by Lira, a young receptionist who always wore a polite smile, though Kael could tell she hid a certain exasperation whenever she saw him.
"Well, well," she said, sliding a stack of papers aside. "The Laziest Adventurer returns. Here for that wolf cull the guild assigned you?"
Kael leaned on the counter. "Yeah, about that… you got anything else? Something closer to home?"
Lira's brow lifted. "Closer? The only job left today is an escort request — merchant caravan headed to the village of Barlowe. Three-day trip."
Kael grimaced. "Escorts mean people."
"Yes, Kael. People. You know, the other members of society?" She tapped the notice on the board. "The pay's decent. They're short a guard, so the Guild's grouping the request with F-rank applicants to fill numbers."
"F-rank…" Kael glanced toward a nearby table, where three fresh-faced adventurers were loudly comparing the shine on their weapons. Their armor still looked like it had been bought this morning.
"They'll slow me down," Kael muttered.
"They'll be fine," Lira said, sliding the parchment across. "Besides, you could use the coin."
Kael picked up the sheet, already regretting this. "When's departure?"
"Tomorrow morning. Meet the caravan at the west gate." She leaned closer with a sly smile. "And try not to scare them too much."
---
The next morning, Kael arrived at the west gate to find the caravan already half-prepared. Wagons loaded with crates and barrels stood in a loose line, horses stamping their hooves against the packed dirt.
The three F-rank rookies were easy to spot — bright-eyed, grinning, and already arguing about who'd take the first watch.
The tallest of them, a spear user with sandy hair, waved when he saw Kael. "Hey! You must be the D-rank joining us. I'm Brant. That's Mila, she's our healer, and the short one's Joss."
"I'm not short," Joss grumbled, adjusting the sword on his hip.
Kael gave them a lazy nod. "Kael."
Brant grinned. "Glad to have someone more experienced. Between you and me, this is our first real job outside the city."
"Mm." Kael didn't sound impressed.
The merchant, a stout man with a neatly trimmed beard, came over and clapped his hands. "Alright, everyone! First day's an easy stretch along the main road. Keep your eyes open, but I don't expect trouble until we hit the forest trail on day three."
Kael's gaze flicked toward the treeline in the far distance. Trouble on day three… he already knew what that meant.
The rookies didn't. They looked like they were on a picnic.