The journey from Alderwynn to Ronos, Wendimore's capital, had taken far longer than Edris had anticipated.

The quiet serenity of their small village had given way to the bustling atmosphere of the capital, with its towering structures and crowded streets. Roos, as usual, navigated it with practised ease, leading the way without so much as a glance back at the dark-haired boy, who trudged along beside her.

Their destination was the Signa Gates, a mana-fused transportation system that allowed for instant travel between kingdoms, available only at each kingdom’s capital.

According to Roos, they were headed to Odeen, the capital city of Adalan Kingdom, for an excursion that stemmed from one of the mercenary quests posted from its national guildhall.

Edris had been sceptical at first. He still couldn't quite wrap his head around how this woman managed to involve herself in everything from meditative cavern sessions to questing across kingdoms.

They reached the Signa Gates, an imposing structure of staggering stone pillars and shimmering blue light. Roos strode up to the gatekeepers who stood on either end of the entrance, flashing some sort of item he couldn't quite make out from his angle.

The next moment, the guards gave her a brief bow before stepping aside, allowing them to approach the glowing portal. Edris, curiosity piqued, was about to ask how she got access to such a powerful and clearly restricted form of travel, but Roos preempted him, tilting her chin upward and beaming with pride.

"Not just anyone can use the Signa Gates, you know," she boasted, eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "It's a shortcut reserved for the skilled and worthy."

She shot Edris a glance, clearly waiting for him to express how impressed he was.

Edris only gave her a sidelong glance. "Uh-huh."

Her smile faltered slightly, but she pressed on. "You'll see soon enough," she added, before stepping forward into the glowing light.

A surge of warmth and blinding light enveloped them as they entered the portal. For a brief moment, Edris felt disoriented, like his body was suspended in mid-air. Then, as quickly as it had come, the light faded, and the world snapped back into focus.

When his vision cleared, they were no longer in Ronos but, instead, standing in the middle of Odeen, Adalan's vibrant capital city.

It felt as though he had walked from a nature trail straight into a bullring.

Unlike the peaceful, nature-filled surroundings of Alderwynn, Odeen was alive with colour and energy. The buildings were warm shades of red, yellow, and orange, bustling with people of all kinds, from street vendors to performers entertaining a lively crowd.

Edris glanced around, taking in the sights. This city was vastly different from anything he'd seen before. While Alderwynn had its charm, Odeen was constantly in motion, buzzing with life.

"Come on," Roos called, already a few paces ahead. "The guildhall's this way."

They made their way through the winding streets, passing diverse stalls and shops until they arrived at their destination—a large, wooden building that stood proudly at the heart of the city.

The sign above read [NATIONAL GUILDHALL] in bold letters.

Edris followed Roos inside, where the interior was just as lively as the streets outside. Adventurers and mercenaries milled about, some chatting in groups while others stood before a large quest board that spanned one of the walls. A circular pub was at the end of the hall, serving a broad selection of alcohol beverages and Adalarian snack platters.

Roos strolled to the counter to sign up for a quest. She leaned forward, presenting a small card to the clerk. Edris watched curiously, inching closer to sneak a glance at the card. His eyes quickly skimmed the details:

MERCENARY ID

NAME: Roos

AGE: 25

SEX: Female

ARE YOU AN AWAKENED?

Yes [ X ] No [ ]

IF YES, PLEASE IDENTIFY YOUR POSITION:

Elementalist

Edris blinked. He hadn't known the woman was a mercenary. He glanced over Roos's shoulder as she finished the process, and as if sensing his curiosity, the latter turned with her usual grin, tilting her chin up proudly again.

"The more skills, the merrier!" she declared. "Even if I might never use it, it's there if I need it."

Edris raised an eyebrow. "An Elementalist? What does that even mean?"

Roos gave him a wink. "Silly, they're good at dealing with elements, of course!"

Edris sighed. He should've known better than to expect a straightforward answer from her.

He glanced at the quest she had signed up for.

[It’s Time for the Annual Harvest—Reekofliers Spotted in the Dene Jungle!]

The reward seemed modest at best, far less than some of the other, more lucrative quests on the board. He frowned.

"Why did you choose this one?" he asked, skimming the content once more, then directing his gaze to the bulletin board. "There were others that paid better."

Roos puffed out her chest, pointing at the quest poster with a triumphant gleam in her eyes. "Naturally, because this one has the flashiest poster."

Edris stared at her, momentarily speechless. The poster, bright with flamboyant illustrations and popping combinations of hues, did indeed stand out from the rest.

…Why did he even ask?

The expedition was held exactly a week later, so they had until then to explore the city.

Odeen was definitely fitting as Adalan's capital. The city was a whirlwind of noise, colour, and motion—a far cry from the serene, rustic life of Alderwynn. It was Edris's first time being in actual "civilisation" since waking up in the Willow Cavern, and it took him some time to adjust to the sheer number of unfamiliar faces that filled his vision at every turn.

People bustled about with purpose, weaving through the crowded streets, their chatter blending into a symphony of city life.

Stolen story; please report.

Edris found himself glued to Roos's side, trying to absorb as much of the city as possible while trying to keep up with her unpredictable nature. They wandered through the winding streets, stopping at stalls, admiring towering buildings, and most often, just watching people.

One afternoon, Roos dragged him into a bustling pub, where the smell of roasting meat and spilt ale filled the air. They found a table near the window, where they could people-watch while the servers rushed around with plates and mugs.

Roos, ever carefree, ordered herself a draft of alcohol and, to Edris's chagrin, ordered him some small dishes since children weren't allowed to drink. After a few minutes, a server brought over a plate of round, sticky-looking pastries.

"Nimblets!" Roos announced, grabbing one from the plate and shoving it into Edris's mouth before he could protest. "Adalan's specialty! You like sweet things, right?"

Edris gave her a side glance, not even bothering to argue. He chewed slowly, savouring the sweetness that coated his entire tongue, soaking into his tastebuds. It was good. Not that he would admit it aloud.

He made a mental note of the dessert's name, filing it away for later. Roos grinned at his reaction, clearly pleased with herself.

They continued their wanderings through Odeen, eventually finding themselves at one of the capital's most famous traditional events—the annual Wulin Tournament. Roos had insisted they watch it, and despite his reluctance, Edris found himself seated on a bench next to her, surrounded by cheering spectators.

Roos had even brought more nimblets as take-out snacks from the pub, happily munching on them as they watched the contestants—a group of burly men—enter the arena.

The gong sounded, and the judge, channelling his mana to heighten the intensity of the match, called for the fight to begin.

The contestants bolted toward each other without hesitation, crashing into one another with brutal force. Their movements were quick and violent, each punch sending shockwaves through the crowd. Edris was entranced, watching as the men exchanged blows—neither side using mana, relying entirely on their raw, brute strength.

The sound of fists connecting with flesh, the grunts of effort, and the roar of the crowd filled the dusty air. The benches beneath them rumbled from the stomping feet of excited onlookers, the anticipation growing with every strike. But as the fight continued, the violence escalated.

Blood began to splatter across the arena as one contestant's nose was smashed in, and another spit out a mouthful of crimson, staining the ground beneath them.

Edris found himself losing his appetite, staring down at the nimblets in his lap. The jam-packed filling of the dessert now looked suspiciously similar to the blood pooling on the ground.

He silently set the pastry aside and glanced at the woman beside him, only to realise that Roos had already done the same.

***

Two days before their planned expedition, Roos suddenly announced that she would need to return to Wendimore for what she called some "adult" business.

Edris wasn't given much of a choice in the matter. He had grown used to the way the woman would take off on her own when she felt like it, leaving him behind to deal with whatever situation arose. And besides, he was quite content with the idea of exploring the capital on his own.

With the woman off attending to her mysterious "adult" business, Edris had free rein of Odeen.

One night, while wandering through the city, he passed by a pub patio where a group of rowdy men and women were drinking. Spotting him, they laughed and called him over, offering him a drink despite his obvious youth.

"You're a cute kid," one of them said, tousling his dark hair. "Come on, have a sip."

Novelty getting the better of him, Edris accepted the mug and drank a small sip. His face immediately flushed red from the alcohol, and the group burst into laughter.

He escaped before the group could coax him into taking another gulp.

Weaving through the layers of themed avenues, Edris ended up spending the rest of the night killing time by helping at one of the stands selling magic orbs from the Zacriya Kingdom in return for a couple of yones.

Once the deal was made, the owner of the stall, an elderly man, presented him with a mask to wear, one that covered the top half of his face, as part of the theme.

”Remember—mystery is one of our business’s best selling points,” he said with a flickering gaze. “People fear the unknown, but they love it just as much.”

Edris had taken to the role quickly, chatting and promoting the magic orbs to passing customers with a charm that came naturally to him.

It was while he was working that he noticed the commotion happening a few vendors down the street. A well-dressed family stood before a jewellery stall; the woman—wearing a frivolous hat—was clamorously voicing her complaints.

"These bracelets are atrociously ugly." She pouted, shooting a pleading look at her stubby husband, who grumbled and glared at the store owners.

"Ugly, ugly!" Their child, a boy no older than ten, was tossing around the handmade bracelets like they were toys, ignoring the frantic pleas of the young man and his sister who ran the stall.

Beside the family stood another boy, carrying the family's bags like a servant. His entire forehead drenched in sweat, the drops rolling his curly hair that almost completely draped over his eyes, which were sage green and piercingly bright.

A wary expression framed his face as he watched the scene unfold.

"Father…" he said hesitantly. "I think we should just go…"

The stubby man swerved his head towards him with a scowl.

"Who are you to tell me what to do?" he said. "Also, do not call me father in public."

“...Yes, Mister Faelan.”

Edris's eyes narrowed. It didn't take much for one to tell, by the contrast in both appearance and mannerisms, that the boy wasn't related to the family by blood.

An illegitimate child? Or, more commonly, a servant in the name of an adopted son?

Watching the family continue to dawdle by the jewellery stand, Edris discreetly rolled a small diffusion orb—a tool designed to amplify sound—toward their direction. As it rolled to a stop within a meter vicinity, their brazen speech suddenly boomed throughout the street, its reverberations spanning across the seas of heads.

The woman flushed red at the sound of her obnoxious voice echoing over and over, attracting the looks of ongoing passers-by. She yanked her enormous hat downwards, but even then, it wasn't enough to cover her dough-like face.

“Atrociously ugly—Ugly——!”

Following her voice was her son's imitation. People around them began to hover in whispers, judging gazes directed at the family. Embarrassed and red-faced, they hastily fled the scene, leaving the young owners to their own devices.

A few steps behind, the boy with sage green eyes glanced at the orb, then peered across the street, right towards the stall where Edris stood.

Their eyes met briefly, and without a word, the boy walked over. He bent over and picked up the orb, handing it back to Edris, who received it with a dazed look on his face.

Before he could say anything, a sharp voice called from behind them.

"Yukioe! Hurry up!" It was the woman from earlier. "These bags won't carry themselves."

The boy—Yukioe—gave Edris a small nod before turning and hurrying back to his family, merging into the crowd.

Watching the mass reassemble itself and the night streets return to their typical vibrancy, Edris tossed the diffuser orb up and down; its green glow reflected onto his eyes. An intrigued smile tugged at his lips.

"How did he know it was me?"

He must say, Odeen housed some quite interesting individuals.

***

The day of the expedition arrived, and the national guildhall was already buzzing with early-morning activity. A crisp chill in the air dawned upon the streets of Odeen, which were still already filling up as the vendors began preparing for their morning sales.

It was still early, the faint light of dawn filtering through the windows and casting a soft glow across the guildhall. Edris found himself sitting at the large, round table near the centre of the hall. His legs swayed in boredom, barely touching the ground from the tall stool as he waited for Roos to arrive. He was the only child there, an odd sight amid the sea of seasoned adventurers.

Around him, the atmosphere buzzed with quiet anticipation. Another group had joined them for the expedition, and the contrast between Edris and the new arrivals couldn't have been starker.

The men seated across the table were well-equipped, wearing armour that gleamed faintly in the dim light. Their forms were broad and muscular, clearly seasoned adventurers with years of experience under their belts. They talked amongst themselves in low, gruff voices, their weapons resting on the floor beside them—massive, heavy blades that seemed to shimmer with latent energy.

Edris felt their presence looming, and though he was used to feeling out of place, he couldn't help but notice the obvious differences. His own equipment was simple—nothing more than a basic cloak and a small dagger tucked into his belt that Roos barely taught him to manoeuvre. Next to these hulking warriors, he looked like a rabbit in a den of wolves.

One of the adventurers, a man with a thick beard and a scar running down the side of his face, caught Edris's gaze and gave him a once-over. The man's lip twitched slightly, as if holding back a simper.

Edris didn't react to his taunt. He was busy squinting his eyes, trying to make out the words engraved on the insignia each wore on their armour, a small badge pinned to their chests. The letters were etched in a bold, angular script:

[BLADE HUNTER ASSOCIATION]