Chapter 2

As Sarah stepped out of the Royal Castle she took in the sight of the streets, her dark cloak swaying slightly due to the morning breeze. The sun had barely risen, and you could already see merchants setting up their tents and children running between alleyways. The air was filled with the voices of early risers and the sound of carts passing through the stone floor. It was a stark contrast to the greatness of the castle, and yet it had its own charm—a sense of life that was impossible to ignore, bringing up a feeling that kept reminding her that she was now in a fantasy world.

Sarah wandered through the streets, her eyes taking in everything around her. She moved with a purpose, yet she let her steps guide her almost aimlessly, trying to understand more of this world and the people who lived in it. Eventually, she found herself standing in front of a building with a familiar symbol hanging above its entrance: the Adventurers Guild.

‘It’s the same symbol as it was in Elysia…’

Through its open doors, she could see adventurers of all types—warriors, rogues, archers, and casters—going about their business.

Curious, she decided to step inside. The interior was lively, with groups gathered around tables, some exchanging stories, others discussing quests and missions. At the far end of the hall was a large board, covered with a variety of papers—quests, requests, bounties, and notices. Sarah’s eyes shined with interest as she approached it, looking at the postings to get a sense of what kind of work adventurers took on in this world.

As she was reading through the different quests, a voice called out from behind her. "Hey, you looking to take a job?"

Sarah turned to find herself facing a group of five adventurers. They looked seasoned but not overly experienced—probably a mid-level party. At the front of the group stood a man who appeared to be their leader, a warrior with a friendly smile. Beside him were a tall and lean rogue, a petite archer, a cleric with a gentle smile, and a shorter woman who appeared to be a magic caster.

"Yes, I was considering it," Sarah replied, trying to look polite. "Is there something you have in mind?"

The warrior nodded. "We saw you eyeing the board. We've been looking for an extra hand on a quest we picked up. Apparently, there's been some kind of demon disturbance in a forest not too far from here. Shouldn't be anything too serious, but we thought it’d be better to have one more support with us, just in case."

Sarah’s interest was caught at the mention of a demon. If it truly was a low-level demon, it would hardly be a threat to her, but it could be an opportunity to learn more about how this world dealt with such beings. "A demon, you say?" she asked, tilting her head slightly. "What do you know about it?"

"Not much," the rogue replied, crossing his arms. "The quest giver said it was probably a low-level demon causing trouble for travelers. Attacks here and there, nothing too major, but stories of its presence scared the locals. We figured it’d be a simple job, but it’s always good to have backup. And you are new here, right? It's always good to help the beginners."

The archer, who had been silent until now, jumped into the conversation. "We’re offering to split the reward evenly. If you’re interested, that is."

Sarah considered it for a moment, then nodded. "I’m in. But I should make it clear—I’m primarily a magic caster," she said, meeting the warrior’s gaze. "If you’re expecting a frontline fighter, you might want to reconsider."

The warrior chuckled. "No problem at all. We could use a good spellcaster. Besides, demons don’t usually fare well against magic, right?"

"Exactly," Sarah said with a small smile. "Then it’s settled."

The cleric stepped forward, offering her hand. "I’m Lena. This here is Garret," she said, gesturing to the warrior. "The rogue’s Kade, the archer’s Elira, and the other caster is Mira. Nice to have you with us."

"Likewise," Sarah replied, shaking Lena’s hand. "You can call me Sarah."

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"Great, then let’s not waste any time," Garret said, clapping his hands together. "We’ve already gathered our supplies, and the forest isn’t too far. If we head out now, we should be there by the next day's start."

With introductions out of the way, the group quickly made their preparations and set off from the city. As they walked, they talked, sharing bits of information about themselves, and Sarah learned a little about each of them. Garret was clearly the leader—confident, capable, and always ready with a joke. Kade was quieter, but sharp, with a quick wit. Elira seemed easygoing but had a keen eye, constantly scanning their surroundings. Mira, the other magic user, was curious about Sarah’s abilities, though she didn’t press too hard, and Lena had a calm, gentle demeanor that put everyone at ease.

As they made their way towards the forest, Sarah couldn’t help but feel a sense of anticipation. This was her first adventure in this world, and it would be a chance to see how things truly worked here—how people fought, how demons were perceived, and perhaps most importantly, how her strength would fare against the demons and adventurers of this world.

***

As the sun began its slow descent, Sarah and the party of adventurers made their way through a dense forest trail. The swaying leaves of the trees and the distant sounds of the wildlife created a serene atmosphere.

After hours of walking, the group decided to take a brief rest by a river. Of course, being close to a water source was always a good idea, but there was also the fact that a river could usually serve as a guiding reference inside a dense forest.

The leader of the group, Garret, a broad-shouldered warrior with a sword strapped to his back, stretched his arms and let out a satisfied sigh. "Perfect spot for a break," he said, setting down his heavy pack and gesturing for the others to do the same. The rest of the group followed suit, settling around the riverbank.

The cleric, Lena, knelt by the water’s edge, her soft blue robes gathering around her as she cupped her hands to take a drink. “We’ve made good progress today,” she remarked, her voice calm and soothing. “By tomorrow we should already be there.”

Beside her, Kade, the rogue, was sharpening his daggers, the metal reflecting the late afternoon sunlight. His sharp eyes flicked up briefly to study Sarah, who stood a little apart from the others.

Sarah observed the scene quietly, her thoughts her own. She had been traveling with the party for a few hours now, but she still obviously felt like an outsider—someone they weren’t entirely sure of yet. And she preferred that way, she had no intention of befriending them… in fact, the idea of discarding them once their usefulness had ended didn’t exit her mind.

Mira, the other caster in the group, had been the most curious about her previously, and now seemed no different.

“Sarah,” Mira called, breaking the comfortable silence. She was seated on a smooth rock, her hands sorting through a pouch of spell manuscripts. “You’ve been with us for a bit now, but you haven’t really told us much about yourself. I’m curious—what kind of abilities do you have?” Her tone was friendly, but there was a hint of genuine interest behind her eyes.

Sarah hesitated, her eyes flicking from Mira to the others. She knew this question would come sooner or later, but she wasn’t ready to reveal much yet. “I do well enough,” she replied, her voice measured to not sound too arrogant. “I can handle myself.” She offered a small, almost dismissive smile, hoping that would be the end of it.

Mira tilted her head slightly, not entirely satisfied but willing to let it go. “Hmm, mysterious, aren’t you?” she said with a light laugh. “Fair enough. But if we’re going to be traveling together, we’ll need to know what you can do. For our safety, and yours.”

Before the conversation could continue, Elira, the archer, joined in, her bow resting across her lap. “Where are you from, anyway? You don’t seem like you’re from around here. I mean, your hair color is different from what we usually see, and your face doesn’t remind me of any of the human races of this part of the continent.” She had a straightforward way of speaking.

“Yes, I’m not from here. I am… from a faraway place,” Sarah replied, her gaze distant as she looked out over the water. “I’ve been traveling for a long time.”

Lena, who had been listening quietly, smiled and nodded. “Well, you’re welcome with us as long as you need to be. We’ve all got our own paths, after all.”

Garret chuckled, a deep sound that echoed through the air. “Speaking of paths, we all ended up on this one because of our dreams,” he said, leaning back against a tree trunk. “We’re not just here to wander. We want to be the best. Strong, skilled, powerful—whatever it takes.”

Kade glanced up from his daggers, his expression unreadable but his voice carrying a hint of pride. “We formed this party because we believe we can get there together,” he said. “And who knows, maybe you’re meant to be part of that, too.”

Sarah glanced around the group, seeing the hope and eagerness in their eyes. Despite their varied personalities, there was a sense of unity among them, a bond that had been forged through shared ambitions. She couldn’t help but feel a little envious as it reminded her of her past comrades from Elysia.

They didn’t press her for more, respecting her boundaries, but Sarah could tell they were still curious. As the sun went even lower in the sky, the group fell back into comfortable chatter, sharing stories of past battles, humorous encounters, and future aspirations.

Eventually, everyone started to fall asleep; of course, Sarah didn’t as she had to remain on guard for any possible attacks. Thinking back, she almost felt bad that she could easily discard these adventurers without any remorse... they all had their dreams and hopes... and she was capable of ending them without even looking back or feeling any trace of regret.