After several days studying the ancient mage's book, I finally felt that I needed to do something different. Just sitting and reading wasn't bad. On the contrary. I was learning extremely useful things. Even so, part of me missed the routine of being an adventurer.
That morning I woke up early.
The first rays of sunlight passed through the bedroom curtains as I stared at the ceiling for a few seconds.
The silence was pleasant.
Since Vaelthor's defeat, the world seemed to have entered a rare period of tranquility. The kingdoms were rebuilding, the roads were becoming busy again, and people were beginning to regain hope.
But I knew it wouldn't last forever.
The Demon King still existed.
And as long as he existed, that peace would remain only temporary.
I pushed those thoughts aside and got out of bed.
A short while later, I was already in the mansion's main hall.
The servants had prepared breakfast.
Scarlett was already sitting at the table.
Rai'kanna was there as well.
The two were discussing something related to that morning's training.
Elara was reading a book.
Lyannis watched everything in silence while drinking tea.
Liriel was talking with her assistant.
Vespera looked like she had just woken up.
I sat down in an empty chair.
"Good morning."
"Good morning."
The replies came almost at the same time.
I began eating while watching the activity around the table.
It was strange to think about everything that had happened since I arrived in this world.
At first, I was alone.
Now that mansion was filled with people who were important to me.
In a way, that made me happy.
After breakfast, I spent some time talking with them.
At one point, I closed the ancient mage's book that I had brought with me.
Elara noticed.
"Are you going to study more later?"
"Probably."
"Do you really like that book that much?"
"More than I expected."
Liriel smiled.
"You talk about that book every day."
"Because it's really good."
Her assistant looked curious.
"So that old man who sold it to you wasn't exaggerating."
"Not at all."
I looked at the old cover resting on the table.
The more I read, the more impressed I became.
The author possessed an extraordinary understanding of mana.
Many of the theories described in it I had never seen anywhere else.
Not even Liriel knew some of them.
That alone showed just how remarkable that mage had been.
I stored the book inside my dimensional space.
Then I stood up.
"Where are you going?"
Scarlett asked.
"The guild."
"A mission?"
"Maybe."
Rai'kanna smiled.
"Finally."
"Finally what?"
"You were staying inside the mansion too much."
"I was studying."
"That's still staying cooped up."
I ignored her comment.
The others ended up laughing.
After a few more minutes of conversation, I left the mansion alone.
The weather was pleasant.
The streets of Vailor were as lively as ever.
Merchants advertised their goods.
Carriages rolled through the avenues.
Children ran along the sidewalks.
It was an ordinary scene.
A scene I had learned to appreciate.
I kept walking until I reached the adventurers' main avenue.
As expected, the guild was just as busy as before.
I pushed open the wooden doors and stepped inside.
The moment I entered, several people turned to look at me.
Some adventurers smiled.
Others raised a hand in greeting.
That still made me feel a little embarrassed.
"It's Takumi."
"The hero is here."
"Hasn't shown up in a while."
I heard a few comments as I walked toward the counter.
The receptionist recognized me immediately.
Her face lit up.
"Welcome, great hero."
I let out a small sigh.
"You know I'll never get used to that nickname."
She laughed.
"But it suits you."
"I disagree."
"The adventurers disagree with your disagreement."
I shook my head.
It was pointless.
I would never win that argument.
The receptionist picked up a few documents.
"So, are you looking for a mission?"
"Yes."
"A simple mission or something more difficult?"
"I thought I'd take a look first."
She organized a few sheets of paper.
"Actually, there is one mission that might interest you."
"What is it?"
"Rank S."
That caught my attention.
Rank S missions didn't appear every day.
"Alright."
She pulled out a report.
"The problem is happening in a village to the south."
"Monsters?"
"A large pack of wolves."
I frowned.
"Wolves?"
"Yes."
That sounded strange.
A simple wolf infestation normally wouldn't receive a Rank S classification.
The receptionist noticed my confusion.
"That was exactly everyone's reaction."
"So why Rank S?"
She turned a few pages.
"Because the wolves aren't the real problem."
"Go on."
"It seems someone is controlling the pack."
My expression grew more serious.
"Someone?"
"A demon."
The guild hall seemed to grow a little quieter at that moment.
I kept listening.
"At first, they thought it was just an ordinary creature. Then a few adventurers investigated the area."
"And?"
"They found clear signs of demonic influence."
That explained a lot.
Demons rarely did anything without a reason.
If they were involved, then there was probably something else happening.
"Has any adventurer accepted the mission?"
"Some considered it."
"Considered it?"
"But they gave up after hearing about the demon."
I wasn't surprised.
Even after the recent victories, facing a demon was still dangerous for most people.
The receptionist continued.
"According to the reports, it controls the entire pack."
"I see."
I looked at the document again.
At first glance, the mission seemed simple.
But the presence of a demon completely changed the situation.
Even so, it wasn't something that worried me.
"I'll take it."
She blinked a few times.
"So quickly?"
"Yes."
"Are you going to gather a party?"
"No."
"You're going alone?"
"Yes."
The receptionist remained silent for a few seconds.
Then she sighed.
"I knew that would be your answer."
"Is that a problem?"
"Not at all."
She began filling out the paperwork.
A few nearby adventurers overheard the conversation.
One of them laughed.
"I feel sorry for that demon."
Another agreed.
"It's already defeated."
"It hasn't even started yet."
I said.
"For you, it's already over."
I simply replied with a smile.
A short while later, the receptionist finished the paperwork.
She handed the report to me.
"Here is the information."
I took the documents.
"Thank you."
"The village is a few hours from here."
"Understood."
"Good luck."
"Thanks."
I put the report away.
Before leaving the guild, several adventurers came over to greet me.
I chatted briefly with a few of them.
Many asked about my recent travels.
Others wanted to hear stories about the battles against the demon generals.
I answered only what was necessary.
After that, I said my goodbyes.
As I stepped out of the guild, I paused for a moment at the entrance.
A gentle breeze blew through the avenue.
I looked up at the blue sky above the city.
A simple mission.
At least, that's what it seemed.
But the presence of a demon made everything more interesting.
Besides that, I wanted to test some of the techniques I had been learning from the ancient mage's book in actual combat.
This would be a perfect opportunity.
I adjusted the sword at my waist.
Then I began walking toward Vailor's southern gate.
The road leading to the village disappeared into the horizon.
My next destination had already been decided.
And as I advanced along the road beneath the morning sunlight, I had the feeling that this mission would allow me to put everything I had learned over the past few days to the test.