The carriage moved steadily along the worn dirt road, its wheels creaking as it rolled over small rocks and uneven patches of earth.
Inside, Enri sat quietly, watching the passing scenery.
The fields near the village had long faded into the background, replaced by stretches of open grassland. Occasionally, clusters of trees lined the road, their branches swaying gently in the wind.
There were four of them in total.
Gustav, the village chief, sat inside, leaning back with his eyes closed. He wasn't asleep, but he clearly needed rest after the long night.
Two hunters had come along as well—one of them, a man named Lodan, held the reins, guiding the horses forward. The other, Darric, sat beside him, occasionally glancing back at the road behind them.
The ride was quiet for the most part.
They crossed a small wooden bridge, the steady clatter of the wheels echoing over the planks. Below, a narrow stream flowed lazily, its water clear enough to see the pebbles beneath.
At one point, they passed an old waystone—an upright slab of rock with weathered carvings marking the distance to E-Rantel.
"Still a long way to go," Darric muttered, stretching his arms.
After several more hours of travel, the horses started slowing down.
"Let's stop for a bit," Lodan said, pulling on the reins.
"The horses need rest."
They came to a halt near a sparse grove of trees.
The hunters jumped down first, stretching their legs before tending to the horses.
Gustav stepped out as well, rolling his shoulders.
Enri followed, stepping onto the grass.
The road stretched far ahead, disappearing into the horizon.
As Lodan checked the harnesses, Darric leaned against the carriage.
"So, what's the plan when we get there?"
Gustav exhaled.
"We'll head straight to the Adventurer's Guild, put up the request, and wait."
"And hope someone takes it right away," Lodan added.
Darric scoffed.
"Not likely. Adventurers are usually busy I assume."
Enri listened in silence.
They were right—just because they put up the request didn't mean it would be accepted immediately.
If no Silver-ranked teams were available, they could be waiting for weeks.
"Still," Gustav said, rubbing his chin.
"With the money we have, we should at least be able to hire someone for an initial survey. If it turns out to be nothing, that's fine. But if it's worse than we expect…"
He didn't finish the thought.
The group went quiet for a while.
Then, Darric turned to Enri.
"So… what did you really see?"
Enri hesitated.
She had already told them about the fireball in the sky, but there wasn't much more she could say.
She didn't really understand what she had witnessed. It wasn't like she was an adventurer or a scholar—she was just a village girl.
What did she know about falling stars apart from hearing it from stories?
"I… I don't know," she admitted.
"It was too fast, too bright to look at directly. If I hadn't turned away in time, I might've gone blind from the light."
Darric leaned forward slightly.
"That bright?"
Enri nodded.
"It was like being pointed at with a giant continual light lamp from the city but much stronger. The moment it passed above our house, the whole village lit up like it was daytime. But it was gone just as fast."
The two hunters exchanged glances.
"Too fast to be normal magic," Darric muttered.
"Not to mention the lack of impact," Lodan added.
"A fireball that big, if it really hit the forest, there should've been a loud explosion."
Darric chuckled.
"Lodan, are you still asleep after all that happened?"
"Huh?"
"There was an explosion Mr. Lodan." Enri confirmed.
"A little after it disappeared, we heard something like distant thunder. The ground shook."
"Well, shit…"
Darric ran a hand through his hair.
"That must be something."
Lodan sighed, rubbing his face.
"Great."
Enri looked down at her hands.
"I really hope it was just a falling star."
"Better safe than sorry," Gustav finally spoke.
"If it really was just a falling star, then we'll consider it a lesson in caution, but the explosion has already pointed pack wolves to our village, that's enough concern for us to hire adventurers, it'll be much worse if monsters start coming out. But if it wasn't…" He trailed off, shaking his head.
Darric exhaled.
"Then we'll have a much bigger problem, than a pack of wolves"
The fire crackled softly, filling the silence that followed.
With nothing more to say, they finished tending to the horses and continued the journey.
By the time night fell, they had stopped to make camp.
They chose a spot away from the road, near a small clearing.
A large rock outcropping shielded them on one side, and the trees provided cover from the wind.
The hunters worked quickly, gathering dry wood and clearing away leaves. They couldn't afford to build a large fire—bright flames could attract unwanted attention—but they needed enough to keep warm and cook a simple meal.
"We'll take turns keeping watch," Lodan said, adjusting his bowstring.
"No loud noises, no leaving the campsite alone. If anything comes close, we wake everyone." he said.
Enri helped set up a simple bedroll.
Gustav sat near the fire, rubbing his hands together.
As they ate, no one spoke much. The air was tense.
Eventually, the fire died down to embers. One by one, they lay down to rest, though Enri doubted anyone would sleep soundly that night.
○●○●
The morning came and soon, they arrived and saw the huge city walls of E-Rantel.
The road gradually became busier. More travelers and merchants could be seen making their way toward E-Rantel. The distant shape of the city walls grew clearer with each passing minute.
By the time they finally arrived, the towering stone walls of E-Rantel loomed over them. They were massive, built to withstand sieges and repel large-scale attacks. Even for those who had seen them before, their size was always something to take in.
Their carriage slowed as they reached the long line of other wagons, caravans, and travelers waiting to be processed at the gates.
Darric leaned forward from the driver's seat, looking ahead.
"Looks like we got here at the busy hour."
Lodan, sitting beside him, scoffed.
"Is there ever a quiet hour?"
Gustav, who had woken up from his short rest, stretched his shoulders.
"It's a city. There's always something going on."
Enri, sitting inside the carriage, peeked out at the different groups in the line.
Merchants were talking among themselves, some discussing business while others idly chatted to pass the time.
A group of adventurers stood nearby, their weapons and armor well-worn but well-kept.
Some carriages carried goods covered with thick cloth, while others were more open, revealing supplies like grain and barrels of preserved food.
A few steps ahead, a man was arguing with one of the gate guards, seemingly trying to negotiate a lower entry tax.
Lodan watched with mild amusement.
"Every time I come here, there's always someone trying to haggle their way through."
Darric smirked.
"Can't blame 'em. Not everyone has extra coins to throw around."
Gustav adjusted his cloak.
"Just be ready when it's our turn. We don't want to hold up the line."
Enri pulled back inside the carriage, glancing at the small pouch of coins they had brought.
They had enough for entry fees and expenses, but they couldn't afford to waste anything.
The line inched forward, the conversation shifted between casual observations and their next steps.
Lodan tapped his fingers against his knee.
"After this, we're heading straight to the Adventurer's Guild, right?"
Gustav nodded.
"No delays. The sooner we get this done, the sooner we can head back."
Enri stayed quiet, listening.
Darric sighed.
"Let's just hope someone actually takes the request fast. I don't want to sit around waiting for days."
Lodan grunted in agreement.
"Silver-ranked adventurers should be enough, right?"
Gustav exhaled.
"They should be. But that depends on what's really in that forest."
The mood settled again as they slowly moved closer to the gates.
As their turn came, the carriage rolled forward to the checkpoint.
Several guards stood by, watching the incoming travelers with practiced eyes.
One of them, a man in standard armor of the Re-Estize Kingdom with a sword at his waist, stepped forward, raising a hand to signal them to stop.
His eyes moved over their carriage, then at Gustav and the others.
"Inspection," he said.
Standard procedure.
Gustav pulled the reins, bringing the horses to a halt.
Darric and Lodan got down first, giving the guards space to check the carriage.
Gustav followed, moving at a steady pace.
The guards checked inside, lifting a few of their bags and looking beneath the seats. With just some basic supplies and nothing that stood out as suspicious, the inspection didn't take long.
One of the guards, an older man with a scar on his chin, eyed them.
"You're not merchants," he noted.
"What's your business in E-Rantel?"
It was a reasonable question.
Most carriages coming in carried goods or supplies, but their cart was practically empty aside from their travel necessities.
Gustav stepped forward.
"We're here to make a request at the Adventurer's Guild," he said.
"It's about the Great Forest of Tob."
At the mention of the forest, the guard's expression shifted slightly. He gave them a long look before nodding.
"The Great Forest, is it…"
The other guards exchanged quick glances but said nothing.
"Well, whatever it is, that's Guild business," the scarred guard muttered. Then he turned his head.
"Proceed to the magic caster."
A robed figure stood nearby, waiting.
The magic caster, wearing the standard robes of a city-affiliated spellcaster, stepped forward and raised a hand.
"Stay still."
With a quick chant, a magic circle spread from his palm.
[Detect Magic]
A faint glow surrounded the group as Detect Magic was cast, sweeping over them, but nothing reacted. No hidden enchantments, no lingering magical items.
The magic caster gave a nod to the guards.
"They're clear."
Scar-chin motioned for them to pass.
"Move along, you're good to go. Welcome to E-Rantel."
With that, they were through.
Darric climbed back onto the carriage while Gustav gave the guard a polite nod. Lodan muttered something about city procedures as he took his seat.
The gates fully opened before them.
E-Rantel was a fortress city under the domain of the Re-Estize Kingdom, ruled by King Ranpossa III.
Located at a strategic point between human and demi-human territories, it was built to withstand sieges, with massive walls that could repel even large-scale invasions.
Unlike other settlements ruled by nobles, E-Rantel was governed by a mayor rather than a feudal lord.
The current mayor was Panasolei Gruze Day Rettenmaier—a man whose reputation was hard to pin down.
Some said he was just like the corrupt nobles in the capital, more interested in personal gain than governance. Others claimed he was a fair ruler who did his best for the people.
As mere villagers, they had no way of knowing which was true.
One thing E-Rantel was known for, however, was its production of recovery potions.
The city had the highest concentration of pharmacists in the land, producing more potions than anywhere else.
This was also where Old Lady Lizzie and her grandson Nfirea were based—people who, despite their eccentricities, were some of the most skilled alchemists around.
After passing through the city gates, Gustav took the reins and guided the horses forward.
The streets of E-Rantel were busy as usual, with merchants setting up stalls, townsfolk going about their day, and the occasional patrol of city guards keeping an eye on things.
Their destination wasn't far.
Just four blocks ahead stood a white, two-story building.
A wooden insignia of two crossed swords hung beside the entrance, and a slate board nailed to the railing of the second-floor deck clearly marked it—Adventurer's Guild.
As they neared, Gustav pulled the horses to a stop.
"Darric, Lodan, tend to the horses. We will go and make the request."
Darric gave a short nod, already stepping down. Lodan followed, taking the reins and guiding the horses toward a nearby hitching post.
Meanwhile, Gustav and Enri made their way toward the entrance.
The first thing they noticed was the space.
The guild's common hall was large, designed to accommodate many people at once.
Long wooden benches and tables filled the area, and a request board stood on one side of the room beside the stairs that lead to an inner deck of the hall room, and some rooms where things were discussed.
But something felt…off.
The hall was nearly empty.
Enri felt a small knot of unease.
Usually, there would be groups of adventurers gathered—checking requests, talking, or simply waiting for work.
But today, it was quiet.
Too quiet.
Gustav didn't let it show on his face, but he clearly noticed it.
Enri did too.
He glanced around briefly before walking straight toward the receptionist's counter. Enri followed behind, keeping her gaze low.
The receptionist, a young woman with neatly tied hair and a white head accessory draped over her head, looked up from her desk. She wore the standard red uniform of a guild receptionist.
"Welcome to the Adventurers Guild. What can I do for you?" she asked with a polite smile.
Gustav gave a small nod in greeting.
"Hello, I'd like to set up a request."
The receptionist reached under the counter and pulled out a form.
"Please fill this out with the details. We need to know what kind and what type of request it is."
Gustav took the form and glanced at the categories. Before he could start filling it out, the receptionist spoke again.
"Just to let you know, depending on the type of request, we may not be able to provide much assistance right now due to a city-wide request."
Gustav paused.
"City-wide request?"
The receptionist nodded.
"Yes. Two days ago, in the middle of the night, there was a huge light that passed over E-Rantel."
Enri's eyes widened slightly.
"Huge light?"
She couldn't help but recall what she had seen in the sky that night. The falling star over the Great Forest of Tob—could it be connected, it passed over E-Rantel too.
"Yes," the receptionist continued.
"According to reports, no one actually saw what it was, but the entire city experienced a morning light in the middle of the night. No one knows what caused it, so the mayor requested the guild to investigate."
Gustav frowned.
"And?"
"Well, since the nature of the request is unknown, there's no specific location to search. The adventurers are basically getting paid just to look around for clues—even if they don't find anything. So, naturally, almost all available adventurers immediately took advan— I mean, responded to the request to investigate this matter themselves."
Gustav's expression turned more complicated.
"So the guild is lacking personnel right now, due to this incident."
The receptionist nodded.
"That's correct."
Gustav exhaled through his nose, taking in the situation.
The lack of available adventurers meant a longer waiting time, when they departed from the village, packs of wolves were already coming out of the forest, now it's already a day ago.
Who knows what came out of the forest by now.
He looked at the form in his hands, his grip tightening slightly around the quill.
The receptionist patiently waited while Enri shifted her gaze between them.
He sighed but continued filling out the form, but then a sudden idea struck him.
When Enri noticed he wasn't writing anything, she called him.
"Mr. Gustav?" she asked again.
"Yeah?"
"You okay, Mr. Gustav?"
Gustav blinked and nodded.
"Yeah, just thinking about something."
Enri didn't press further.
Instead, she turned back to the receptionist.
"Um, I am sorry to waste your time, but can you explain again how the request process works?"
The receptionist nodded.
"Of course. When someone submits a job request, the guild follows a process before accepting it."
She gestured toward the form Gustav was holding.
"First, we check the details of the request and determine if an investigation team is needed. If it's not an urgent matter, the guild will send a team to verify the situation. This helps us determine the appropriate adventurer rank for the job."
"So even if we submit a request, there's no guarantee it'll be accepted immediately?"
"Correct," the receptionist confirmed.
"Some jobs don't get picked up right away, especially if the payment is too low. If the reward isn't worth the risk, adventurers may choose to ignore it."
Gustav frowned slightly but let her continue.
"In cases of emergency requests, the guild assigns higher-ranked adventurers, even if the job itself doesn't strictly require them. But that means the request will cost more."
"Why is that?"
The receptionist gave a small shrug.
"It's simple. Emergency requests usually mean greater risk, even if the exact danger isn't known. The guild has to ensure the problem is handled properly. If we send adventurers who are too unqualified, they might fail or even die. That's why we prioritize sending stronger teams, but their services don't come cheap."
Gustav nodded slowly.
That made sense.
The guild couldn't afford to send unqualified adventurers into unknown situations—losing people would hurt their reputation and their operations.
But that also meant their village had to be careful about how they framed the request.
If they made it sound too urgent and dangerous, they might not even be able to afford the help they needed. What will they do if that happened?
Gustav was frustrated, he felt pathetic to worry more about the fees and whether they could afford it, than the village. Adventurers were known to be interest driven people, if they lack something they want, they might not respond to it.
He glanced at Enri again.
She remained quiet, absorbing the information.
It wasn't looking good.
Gustav brought Enri to E-Rantel to explain things to the Adventurers Guild, but now he wasn't sure if things would proceed their way he originally planned.
"I am too old for this."
He needed to be careful with his wording. If they wanted to afford this, he had to bridge and play things carefully.
He exhaled through his nose, setting the quill down for a moment.
"What if we just put in a standard request?"
The receptionist gave a polite smile.
"Then you'll have to wait until the guild completes its current obligations. I can't give you an exact timeframe, but it could take a few days… or longer."
Gustav expected as much.
But waiting wasn't an option. If something dangerous had landed in the Great Forest of Tob, they needed answers as soon as possible.
Technically, if they just filed the request and left, the guild would still investigate on its own. A free service, in a way.
But that would take time.
Days?
A week?
He wasn't sure.
On the other hand, if they marked it as an emergency, it would move up in priority—but even then, it didn't guarantee an immediate response.
Most high-ranking adventurers were already tied up with the mayor's city-wide request to investigate the massive light that passed over E-Rantel.
Right now, strong adventurers were hard to come by.
His eyes kept scanning the surroundings as he wrote, and his eyes flickered with interest when he saw something.
"Perhaps I can use this…"
He had to make a decision for the village.
Finally, he finished writing and slid the form back to the receptionist.
"There… That should cover everything."
The receptionist took it, skimmed the details, then nodded.
"A reconnaissance and extermination request for the Great Forest of Tob. Emergency threat assessment?"
Enri glanced at Gustav.
Before he could answer, the receptionist's eyes landed on the payment section, and she let out a quiet sigh.
Gustav had already expected the receptionist's reaction.
"I'll be honest," she said, glancing at the request form again.
"You may have trouble finding available adventurers willing to take this for the listed price. Especially a Gold-rank?"
Her voice carried no judgment, just a simple statement of fact.
Enri stiffened slightly beside him, but Gustav remained calm.
"We were hoping for a Gold-ranked adventurer, because of the unknown danger the forest poses," he admitted.
"But we understand that the listed payment might not be enough to secure one. That's why we're open to other options."
The receptionist studied him for a moment. She wasn't surprised. They looked like normal villagers—of course, they didn't have enough money.
'But why do they need Gold-rank adventurers, when it's just checking the Great forest of Tob?' She thought.
"I see," she said.
The receptionist gave a small nod, already anticipating his response.
"In that case, I would recommend a Silver-ranked team instead, since this is just reconnaissance and monster extermination, a Silver-ranked party should be more than enough. It'll save you time and will be satisfied enough for the reward range. I can also help you find an available party if you want."
Gustav gave a small nod.
This was exactly what Gustav had expected.
From the beginning, he knew that trying to get a Gold-ranked adventurer with their current budget was unrealistic.
The request had been written that way deliberately, knowing that the guild would counter with a more reasonable alternative—Silver-ranked adventurers.
It was a calculated move.
Gold-ranked adventurers commanded high fees, and if they took the request at face value, they might overestimate the danger of the mission.
That would lead to the guild increasing the request's classification, meaning more scrutiny, higher costs, and a longer wait time.
By aiming high first, Gustav had ensured that the conversation would naturally shift to Silver-ranked adventurers as the next best option—exactly what they needed.
He nodded slightly.
"That would be best. We trust the guild's judgment."
The receptionist seemed satisfied with that response and wrote something down.
Enri glanced at Gustav but didn't say anything.
The receptionist continued.
"Alright, I'll check which Silver-ranked teams are currently available."
"That would be appreciated."
"Uh, right, before that, may I ask what exactly you want to investigate in the Great Forest of Tob?"
Enri looked at Gustav waiting for his instructions.
But before she could answer, he spoke first.
"We've noticed unusual disturbances in the forest. The wolves have already started leaving their territory, and while we don't know the exact cause, we suspect it might be related to recent changes in the area. We're requesting a reconnaissance mission to determine if further action is necessary."
"So, only wolves? N-nothing else?"
"...Yes." Gustav replied.
"Then Silver-ranked adventurers should be sufficient, as I suggested."
The receptionist took another glance at the form before setting it aside.
"Alright, we'll get this posted on the board. I'll try to find an available Silver-ranked party for you—either ones who aren't currently taking requests or those returning soon."
Gustav gave a small nod.
"That's all we can ask for."
Enri stood stiffly beside him, still taking it all in.
She had expected the village chief to push for an urgent investigation, like they were in a race against time.
But Gustav had worded it in a way that made it seem more like a routine request.
The receptionist adjusted her posture slightly.
"If a party takes the request before I assign one, we'll notify you. Otherwise, check back in the afternoon or evening. If you plan to stay in the city, leave an address where we can send word."
Gustav considered that for a moment.
They hadn't planned to stay overnight, but if no one took the request quickly, they might not have a choice.
Enri leaned in a little.
"Do you think anyone will take it?"
The receptionist gave her a polite, slightly tired smile.
"Are you first-timers here? Well, the old man seems used to it."
Enri glanced at Gustav, but he didn't react to the remark.
The receptionist continued.
"It depends on who's available. Silver-ranked adventurers should be able to handle something like this, but they tend to have a lot of work right now. Gold-ranked teams usually go for higher-paying jobs, so unless you get lucky, I wouldn't count on one of them picking it up."
Enri exhaled.
"So we can only wait and hope."
"Pretty much," the receptionist said.
"But… if it's really urgent, you can offer a higher reward. That would get you faster results."
Gustav shook his head immediately.
"We can't afford that."
The receptionist nodded slightly, like she had expected that answer.
There was a brief silence before Enri spoke again.
"How long does it usually take for someone to pick up a request like this?"
The receptionist tapped her fingers against the counter.
"A day or two if you're lucky. A week if not. But if no one takes it by then, it usually gets removed unless the client raises the payment."
Gustav sighed.
"Figures."
That was about what he expected.
"Well," he said, stretching a little.
"I guess we'll check back later."
The receptionist nodded.
"I'll let you know if I get results on an available party."
"Thanks, Miss receptionist."
"You're welcome."
With that, they stepped away from the counter.
As they made their way toward the exit, Enri finally turned to Gustav.
"You didn't tell them about the falling star, Village Chief."
Gustav kept walking.
"No need to get people worked up over something we don't understand."
"But—"
"No buts, young lady. It's fine. I have a plan."
Enri exhaled sharply.
"A plan?"
"Yeah."
She stood and blocked the Gustav's way, clearly unconvinced.
"Then why not mention it? If we told them about the falling star, they'd take it more seriously."
Gustav let out a low chuckle.
"If we told them without proof, they'd either ignore us or charge us triple the price."
Enri blinked.
"Triple? But why?"
"Think about it." Gustav's tone was firm but patient.
"If the guild suspects there's something truly dangerous lurking in the forest, they'll treat it as a high-risk request. That means high-ranking adventurers, and high-ranking adventurers don't come cheap. Even for a relatively stable village like ours, where are we supposed to get the money to hire them?"
Enri hesitated.
The village wasn't poor.
They had stable harvests, trade with nearby settlements, and enough copper and silver to handle their daily needs.
They even had brick houses and proper fences, better off than most small villages.
But Gold-ranked adventurers?
That was another story.
A Copper-ranked party, rookies taking on minor tasks like wolf hunting or message delivery, charged a few bronze to silver coins per person.
An Iron-ranked team, capable of handling small threats like goblin groups or scouting missions, charged 3 to 10 silver per job.
A Silver-ranked party, like the one Nfirea hired, could take on bandit groups or monster nests for around 1 to 2 gold per mission.
That was cheap for someone like Nfirea, but for the village, it was a significant cost.
Gold-ranked adventurers, however, were on an entirely different level.
Their expertise in elite combat and large-scale battles made them expensive.
Hiring them started at 10 gold, and for dangerous missions, they could demand 30 or more.
As for Platinum-ranked adventurers, they only worked for nobles, rich merchants, or major city requests.
Their fees started at 50 gold and could reach 100+ gold for high-risk assignments.
Mithril-, Orichalcum-, and Adamantite-ranked adventurers?
Forget about it.
Their services were worth a fortune, far beyond what any village could ever afford.
Enri swallowed.
The village's entire monetary reserve was only 3,000–5,000 copper coins—barely 2 to 4 gold in total.
Even if they emptied every last coin, they couldn't afford a single Gold-ranked adventurer, let alone a team.
Gustav sighed.
"We can scrape together maybe 1 or 2 gold if we take from our emergency reserves. But even that's not enough."
Enri clenched her fists.
"That kind of money is simply out of reach."
The village barely had enough funds to sustain itself. A Gold-ranked team's fee would be far beyond what they could afford.
Gustav continued, his voice quieter now.
"And if they decide the job's too dangerous? They'll ignore it. No one will take the request, no matter how urgent it is."
Enri bit her lip.
"Then… what do we do?"
"We take it slow." Gustav glanced at her. "Right now, we just need someone to confirm what's happening in the forest. If we frame it as a minor disturbance, Silver-ranked adventurers will still take it. Even if they aren't the strongest, they're better than nothing."
"But if we told them about the huge light—"
"Maybe," Gustav admitted. "But we don't know what that was, and if we sound too desperate, people might assume the worst. The only way we're getting higher-ranked adventurers to take this seriously is if we convince them ourselves."
Enri frowned but didn't argue.
He wasn't wrong.
Still… something about it didn't sit right with her.
"What did I even come here for?" she muttered under her breath.
Gustav glanced at her but said nothing.
She hadn't expected this outcome. She thought the guild would act immediately, that they would rally adventurers to investigate the forest as soon as possible.
But instead, they had to wait.
Gustav had been chief for five years.
And in all those years, the forest had never been this restless.
Why now?
Why was this happening now?
For now, all they could do was wait.
.
.
.
.
.