We finally reached the leader's house.
It was slightly larger than the other houses in the village, though it was built in the same simple style as the rest. The structure itself was not grand or decorated, but its presence still stood out naturally. A small open yard stretched in front of it, neat and quiet, with a few wooden posts placed along the sides and the ground kept clean and orderly.
At the entrance, a short set of wooden stairs led up to the front door, raising the house slightly above the ground and giving it a subtle sense of authority compared to the surrounding homes.
Even from outside, the place carried a quiet weight. There was nothing flashy about it, yet simply standing before it made it feel different from the others, as if the strength of the person living inside had become part of the house itself.
Sylva stopped near the entrance and turned toward us.
"Skra-leader inside," he said, making a small gesture with his hand for us to follow him in.
I exchanged a brief glance with Charlie. Neither of us spoke, but the meaning was clear. This would be the first time both of us were meeting the village leader properly after the feast.
Standing here now, just outside his house, I could clearly sense the energy coming from within. It was strong enough to be felt even without seeing him. The pressure was calm and controlled, yet incredibly heavy, like standing near something far beyond my current level.
It was not being forced on us, and there was no hostility in it. Yet its mere presence made it impossible to ignore. It pressed quietly against my senses, reminding me of the difference in strength between us.
It made one thing very clear.
He is powerful.
I took a quiet breath to steady myself, and Charlie and I followed Sylva inside.
As soon as we entered, I looked around quietly, taking in the inside of the house.
It was neither grand nor empty. In fact, it looked surprisingly ordinary. The space felt like a regular home, simple and practical, without unnecessary decoration or signs of luxury. Wooden tables and chairs were arranged neatly, and a few shelves stood along the walls holding simple everyday items. Everything was clean and organized, but nothing about it tried to display authority or status.
For someone who led the entire village, I had expected something more imposing. Honestly, Elder Thryssa's house looked better than the leader's.
That thought crossed my mind before I could stop it. But then my eyes moved forward, and my attention shifted completely.
At the far end of the room, the leader was seated on a large wooden chair.
Compared to everything else inside, the chair stood out immediately. While the rest of the house was simple and ordinary, this chair was larger, heavier, and far more commanding in presence. It almost resembled a throne, making him look less like someone sitting inside a home and more like a king resting in his seat.
One of his elbows rested against the arm of the chair, while his chin rested lightly on his hand. His eyes were closed, and his posture looked calm and relaxed, as if he had been waiting without any urgency. Yet even in that stillness, there was something naturally imposing about him.
He did not need to move or speak to make his presence felt. The quiet authority around him filled the room more than the house itself.
Then Sylva stepped forward slightly and lowered his head.
"Father, skra-brought dem," he said respectfully.
After speaking, he stepped aside and stood quietly near the wall.
I blinked once, caught off guard by what I had just heard.
Father?
My eyes shifted toward Sylva again, and I looked at him with slight surprise.
He is the leader's son?
For a moment, I found it hard to connect the calm, casually smiling man who had guided us here with the imposing figure seated before us. The resemblance was not obvious, but now that I knew, I could sense a certain similarity in the way they carried themselves.
Before I could think any further, the leader slowly opened his eyes. The moment he did, the entire atmosphere in the room changed.
An immense pressure filled the space.
It crashed over us without warning, heavy and overwhelming, like suddenly standing beneath a mountain.
My body tensed instantly, and for that brief moment, even breathing felt heavier. It was not an attack, and he had not moved at all, yet simply standing in front of him felt overwhelming. The pressure pressed against my entire body, making the difference in our strength painfully clear.
Beside me, Charlie had stiffened as well, and even Sylva, who was clearly familiar with his father's presence, seemed to hold his breath slightly.
Then, just as suddenly as it had appeared, the pressure vanished.
The leader had retracted it.
The room fell quiet again, as if nothing had happened.
Charlie, Sylva, and I all let out a slow breath almost at the same time, the tension easing from our bodies as the invisible weight lifted.
I steadied myself, still feeling the lingering effect of that brief moment.
Just how powerful is he…?
I steadied myself and pushed aside the lingering pressure in my chest. Straightening my posture, I gave a slight respectful bow.
"Greetings, Leader," I said calmly.
The leader's gaze rested on me for a moment before he spoke.
"Arthur…"
His voice was calm and unhurried, yet it carried enough weight to make the room feel even quieter.
He continued observing me in silence for another second, his sharp eyes studying me as if measuring something beyond what was visible.
Then he spoke again. "You do not look strong."
I simply looked at him for a moment, unsure how I was supposed to respond to that. It was not exactly an insult, but it certainly did not feel like praise either.
Before I could think of any proper response, he spoke again.
"How did you kill the high level beast?"
The question was direct and left no room for misunderstanding.
At that moment, everything clicked.
So that was why.
That was why the villagers had been staring at me with shock. That was why Sylva had been acting strangely respectful from the moment he approached me. That was why everyone seemed to know something I did not.
They already knew about the high level beast. The news had clearly spread through the entire village before I even realized it.
I answered carefully, choosing my words with caution.
"It was mostly luck, Leader. The beast was already heavily injured before we found it, and Sham helped me as well. We were only able to finish it because it was already close to death."
The leader stared at me silently for a moment.
His expression did not change, and the quiet in the room made those few seconds feel longer than they were. It felt less like he was listening to my explanation and more like he was measuring whether I was being truthful.
Then he nodded slowly, as if he had already known the answer and was only confirming it from me.
"Still," he said, his voice calm and steady, "it is not easy to kill an injured high level beast when you are only a low level controller. A high level beast is still a high level beast, even when it is heavily injured."
His gaze remained fixed on me.
"You have contributed greatly to the village by bringing down that high level beast."
Hearing that, I felt a quiet sense of satisfaction settle in my chest. I had not hunted it for praise, but being acknowledged by the village leader himself made the achievement feel far more real.
I lowered my head slightly. "Thank you, Leader," I replied.
He remained silent for a moment, as if allowing his previous words to settle, before speaking again.
"So, Arthur… what is your decision?"
I blinked once, caught off guard by the sudden question.
Decision? What decision?
For a brief moment, I simply stood there trying to understand what he meant. The confusion must have shown clearly on my face, because the leader spoke again before I could ask.
"About the mission."
Ah. Understanding came immediately.
He was referring to the mission Elder Thryssa had mentioned, the one for which she had told me I would need to leave the village and go outside.
I straightened slightly and answered without hesitation this time.
"Yes. I will go."
For the first time since we entered, a faint smile appeared on the leader's face. It was small, almost unnoticeable, but enough to show that he was satisfied with my answer.