I left the guild shortly after accepting the mission. The weather that day was pleasant, with only a few clouds in the sky and a steady breeze blowing through the streets of Vailor. As I walked toward the city's stables, I found myself thinking about the mission I had just accepted.
It wasn't a particularly difficult mission for someone at my level. In fact, eliminating a pack of ordinary wolves was something many experienced adventurers could accomplish without much trouble. The real reason the mission had received a Rank S classification was the existence of the demon controlling the creatures.
From what the receptionist had explained, several adventurers had refused the mission precisely because of that information. After all, it was never wise to underestimate a demon.
Even so, I wasn't worried.
After everything I had faced up to that point, a single demon didn't seem like a significant threat.
Still, I had no intention of acting arrogantly.
Many mistakes happened precisely when someone believed a battle would be easy.
I mounted my horse and left the city behind.
The road stretched across vast fields that were beginning to turn golden as the end of the season approached. A few farms could be seen in the distance, along with small windmills slowly turning beneath the steady breeze.
As I rode, my thoughts naturally returned to the ancient mage's book.
Ever since I had bought that book in the hot springs town, I had been spending much of my free time studying its pages.
The more I read, the more I realized just how extraordinary that man had been.
Many of the theories he presented seemed simple now that I understood them, but no one had ever explained magic that way before.
The idea of shortening incantations seemed obvious once someone showed you the way.
Even so, for centuries, virtually every mage had continued using long chants.
It made me think.
Perhaps the most valuable knowledge wasn't always the most complicated.
Sometimes, a simple change in perspective could completely transform something that seemed unchangeable.
I smiled to myself as I remembered Elara's reaction when I showed her some of the theories in the book.
She had become just as interested as I was.
Liriel had also shown curiosity.
Even Lyannis had begun setting aside part of her day to study a few pages.
It was rare to find something capable of capturing the interest of so many different people at the same time.
I continued traveling for several hours.
As I headed farther south, the number of travelers gradually decreased.
The roads became emptier.
The cultivated fields began to disappear.
The vegetation grew denser.
By mid-afternoon, I finally caught sight of my destination.
A small village surrounded by a simple wooden wall.
It wasn't a particularly strong fortification, but it was probably enough to keep smaller monsters away.
As I approached the main gate, a few guards watched me carefully.
The moment I dismounted, one of them widened his eyes.
"By the God of Light..."
The other man recognized me as well.
"It's him."
I tried not to react.
I still couldn't completely get used to it.
My reputation had grown far more than I had expected.
The guards quickly stepped aside.
"Welcome, Lord Takumi."
"Thank you."
I entered the village, looking around as I walked.
The buildings were simple.
Wooden houses.
Small shops.
A few workshops.
Despite the peaceful appearance, it was easy to notice clear signs of concern on the villagers' faces.
Many people carried tools that could be used as weapons.
Some houses had makeshift reinforcements on their doors and windows.
There were hardly any children in the streets.
That showed the attacks were truly happening frequently.
It wasn't long before I was escorted to the village chief.
He welcomed me inside a larger building near the central square.
He was an elderly man with completely white hair and a weary expression.
When he saw me, he immediately stood up.
"Great Hero... I never imagined you would accept our request."
I shook my head.
"I'm just an adventurer carrying out a mission."
The old man smiled.
"Even so, we are honored."
He invited me to sit down.
I accepted.
Shortly afterward, one of the villagers brought us some tea.
I thanked them politely.
The village chief then began explaining the situation.
"The attacks started about two months ago."
"Two months?"
"Yes."
That caught my attention.
It was a relatively long time.
"How did it all begin?"
The old man sighed.
"At first, it was just a few isolated wolves."
He took a sip of water before continuing.
"Then larger groups began to appear."
"How many?"
"Ten. Twenty. Thirty."
I frowned.
That was a considerable number.
"Did the attacks increase over time?"
"Yes."
The man nodded.
"More and more."
That matched the guild's hypothesis.
Someone was organizing those monsters.
Wolves normally didn't behave that way.
At least, not on that scale.
"Did you see anything unusual?"
The old man thought for a few seconds.
"Some people said they saw a huge figure walking among the trees at night."
"A huge figure?"
"Yes."
That certainly sounded like the demon.
I continued asking questions for a while.
I needed to fully understand the situation before taking action.
The more information I gathered, the smaller the chance of an unpleasant surprise.
I discovered that the attacks occurred mainly at dusk.
The wolves always came from the same direction.
No survivor had reported seeing the pack leader directly.
Only shadows.
Strange footprints.
And a constant feeling of being watched.
After hearing everything, I stood up.
"I think I have enough information."
The village chief looked relieved.
"Are you leaving immediately?"
"Yes."
He hesitated for a moment.
"Be careful."
I smiled.
"I'll be fine."
I left the building and walked toward the village's southern exit.
Some villagers watched me as I passed.
Many looked hopeful.
Others showed concern.
It was understandable.
For them, those attacks had become part of daily life.
Living in fear every day must have been exhausting.
When I reached the southern gate, I stopped for a moment.
Before me stretched a vast, silent forest.
The trees were tall.
Their branches cast dense shadows across the ground.
Even from a distance, I could feel a different atmosphere in that place.
Not exactly dangerous.
But strange.
As if something were silently watching everything.
I placed my hand on the hilt of my sword.
I took a deep breath.
Then I began walking.
With every step, the sounds of the village grew more distant.
Soon, only the wind and the rustling leaves remained.
Sunlight filtered through small openings between the branches, creating golden patches scattered across the path.
I continued forward without rushing.
Watching.
Analyzing.
Listening.
A few minutes later, I found the first footprints.
They were fresh.
Large groups of wolves had passed through there.
I crouched down to examine them.
Without a doubt, this was the correct trail.
I stood up again.
And continued onward.
The farther I advanced, the quieter the forest became.
The birds had almost completely disappeared.
The small animals as well.
It was as if the entire region were avoiding that place.
That only reinforced my suspicions.
Something truly was controlling those creatures.
And I intended to discover exactly what it was.
I continued following the tracks deeper and deeper into the forest.
Without realizing that, somewhere among those trees, dozens of eyes were already watching my every movement in absolute silence.