The wolf carcass lay at our feet, a reminder of the peril we had narrowly survived. Its once fearsome form now sprawled lifeless across the forest floor. Lior and I worked swiftly, the task of skinning and butchering the beast a grim yet necessary chore. My hands were slick with blood, the pungent odor of iron and musk hanging thick in the air. Every cut into the wolf’s hide sent a sickening wave through me, but there was no time to waste on discomfort.

“This is... disgusting,” I muttered under my breath, trying to suppress the gag that rose in my throat as I worked the skin off the animal’s body. The stench of death was overwhelming.

Lior, ever the pragmatist, smirked as he worked with his knife, his expression one of practiced efficiency. “You’ll get used to it. It’s not glamorous, but it’s practical. Besides,” he said, holding up a neatly folded piece of the wolf's pelt, “this’ll make a nice gift for Grandma.”

I nodded, trying to focus on the utilitarian aspect of our work rather than the grotesque reality of it. “Yeah, she’ll appreciate it. It’ll keep her warm this winter.”

Lior’s eyes scanned the surrounding forest, his brows knitting together. “We should head to Siller Town as soon as possible. Those forest wolves weren’t acting normal.”

The memory of the wolves’ strange, coordinated attack still gnawed at me. The unsettling precision of their movements left me with a sense of dread I couldn’t shake. I didn’t argue. There was something off about this whole situation, something more than the mere presence of the wolves.

Once we finished packing the meat, hide, and any other usable materials from the wolf, we bundled everything into manageable loads. The task was unpleasant, but necessary. With everything prepared, we set off in the direction of Siller Town.

---

The journey was long and quiet, with only the soft crunch of our boots on the forest path breaking the silence. The sun filtered through the canopy above, casting dappled shadows on the ground. The air felt cooler now, the faint scent of damp earth and pine filling my lungs. The forest seemed peaceful, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was being watched.

As we walked, I decided to check my stats, an opportunity to see how far I had come in terms of growth. The available points seemed to shimmer, almost mocking me with their potential.

Status: [Available Stat Points: 40]

Vitality: 10 (+4)

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

Strength: 8

Endurance: 10

Wisdom: 20 (+2)

Agility: 9

Intelligence: 20 (+4)

Luck: 10 (+10)

I’d been sitting on these points for a while, hesitant to make any major changes. But now, after everything we’d been through, it was time to allocate them.

“Alright,” I whispered to myself, eyes scanning the options. Survival was becoming increasingly important, and I decided to invest 10 points into Vitality. If I was ever caught off guard or attacked again, I’d need all the vitality I could get.

Next, I focused on my magical abilities. Wisdom and Intelligence were the core attributes of my class, so I spent 8 points on each, bolstering my knowledge and magical aptitude.

That left me with 14 points to distribute. After some careful thought, I put 4 points into Luck, hoping it might somehow tilt the odds in my favor during moments of uncertainty. Then, I allocated 5 points to Agility and 3 to Endurance, rounding off my stats with 2 points in Strength to give me a little more physical presence.

Once I was done, I checked my updated stats.

Status: [Available Stat Points: 0]

Vitality: 20 (+4)

Strength: 10

Endurance: 13

Wisdom: 28 (+2)

Agility: 14

Intelligence: 28 (+4)

Luck: 14 (+10)

I couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction. The adjustments made me feel more balanced, better prepared for whatever lay ahead.

As I closed the status screen, I glanced over at Lior. He was ahead, his stride purposeful and confident as always. He didn’t seem to notice my moment of introspection, and that was just as well.

---

Hours passed as we walked, the path gradually opening up to reveal the town of Siller in the distance. The trees thinned, and the vast expanse of green gave way to wide, open fields. In the distance, the faint outlines of houses and buildings appeared. We were finally close.

“There it is,” Lior said, pointing ahead with a smile. “Siller Town. Looks like we’re finally here.”

I studied the town as we drew closer. It was smaller than Dior, with humble, simple buildings scattered throughout. The streets were peaceful, with very few people around. However, what struck me the most was the vitality of its inhabitants. The town was filled mostly with elderly people, but they all moved with an energy and strength that seemed far beyond their years.

I couldn’t help but feel a little unsettled by this. There was something strange about the way they carried themselves, as though they were all hiding something.

Curiosity piqued, I activated Appraisal on a few of the townsfolk as we passed by.

Human - Warrior - ??

Human - Maid - ??

Human - Hunter - ??

The results were… perplexing. The levels and stats of these individuals were hidden behind a veil of question marks, indicating a level of power that was beyond my current understanding. How could a town full of elderly people possess such a strength?

Lior, however, seemed unfazed. He walked up to an older woman sweeping her porch, greeting her with a polite nod.

“Excuse me, miss,” Lior said. “Do you know where Laurel’s house is? We’re her grandchildren.”

The woman paused, giving us a warm smile. “Oh, you're Laurel’s grandchildren, are you? That explains it. I was wondering why young children would come to such an old people's town. She’s mentioned you before. Just follow this road straight, then take a left. Her house is the one with the red shutters. And tell her Sera says hello!"

“Thank you,” Lior said, tipping his head respectfully.

We followed the road as instructed, weaving through the quiet streets. The town felt serene, almost too serene. There was an odd sense of stillness that seemed to pervade the entire place, as if the residents were all waiting for something. I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to this town than met the eye.

Finally, we arrived at a modest house with bright red shutters, just as the woman had described. The house was cozy, well-maintained, and surrounded by an array of colorful flowers. It seemed like the perfect place for an older woman to live, a home full of warmth and comfort.

Lior stepped forward and knocked firmly on the wooden door.

“It’s been a while,” he said, glancing back at me with a slight smile.

I nodded, clutching the bundled wolfhide tightly in my arms. Whatever awaited us beyond that door,

I knew one thing for certain: Siller Town was more than it appeared, and our arrival was only the beginning.