Two days passed quickly, and before I fully realized it, the day to leave the village had finally arrived.
That morning felt strangely quiet to me. The familiar atmosphere of the house beneath the great tree felt different knowing I was about to leave it behind for the first time in years. The soft rustling of leaves above, the calm air inside the house, and the peaceful surroundings all felt unusually clear in my mind.
I quietly prepared the few things I needed for the journey.
There was not much to carry. I took the mysterious book that had always remained with me for four years, the Azure Core the Leader had given me, and my sword. Those were the only things that truly mattered to me.
Beside me, Camose still remained deep in its strange sleep, completely unaware that we were about to leave the village. The little serpent stayed curled quietly near the roots of the great tree, breathing slowly and peacefully as if nothing in the world had changed.
Charlie handled everything else.
While I prepared the things important to me, he calmly arranged the supplies we would need for the journey. Food, water, extra clothing, and other necessities were packed far more efficiently than I could have managed myself. He moved with the quiet familiarity of someone experienced with travel, carefully checking everything without wasting movement.
Watching him prepare everything so naturally almost made this feel like an ordinary trip.
But it was not.
This would be the first time I was leaving the village in four years. That thought quietly lingered in my mind as I looked around the house one last time.
Once everything was finally ready, Charlie picked up the supplies, and the two of us stepped out of the house together.
The morning air was cool as Charlie and I walked through the village toward the rendezvous point where we had been told to meet the others. The village was already awake, and a few people glanced toward us as we passed by, likely aware that we were leaving for the mission.
Neither Charlie nor I spoke much during the walk. Before long, we reached the meeting place.
Two people were already waiting there.
The first was a middle-aged man with short hair and a lean but hardened body. Like most of the men in the village, only his lower body was covered with leather hide. His posture was straight and rigid, and there was a sharp seriousness in his eyes that immediately gave the impression of someone strict and difficult to approach.
Even while standing still, he carried the presence of someone used to giving orders.
Beside him stood a woman who looked older than me, though not by much. She had short hair and a calm appearance, and unlike the rough atmosphere many warriors naturally carried, there was a certain softness in the way she stood and observed her surroundings.
She was beautiful. Like the other women in the village, she wore leather hide that covered her chest and lower body, though the simple clothing did little to hide her graceful appearance. Compared to the stern man beside her, her presence felt much easier to approach.
The two of them quickly noticed Charlie and me approaching.
The man's sharp eyes moved over us carefully for a moment before he let out a light scoff, as if he had already formed an opinion the instant he saw me. Beside him, the woman reacted completely differently and simply gave us a calm, friendly smile.
Then the man stepped forward. His posture straightened further, and he spoke in a firm, commanding voice.
"I, Bora, leader of this mission. You listen my orders."
I blinked slightly in surprise at the rough way he spoke. His words were understandable, but the sentence structure felt awkward, as though he was trying to force himself to speak differently.
The woman beside him seemed to notice my reaction immediately. A faint smile appeared on her face before she turned toward me and explained calmly,
"We speak your language little. Sometimes we go outside village for missions. Other nations speak more like you."
I looked at her and gave a small nod of understanding.
"Honestly, there is not much difference between the language here and outside," I replied.
Most of the words used in the village were understandable anyway. The way they spoke was rougher and simpler at times, but it was still close enough that conversation was never truly difficult.
The woman smiled again after hearing my response and gave a light nod, seeming pleased that communication would not be a problem.
Before the conversation could continue any further, the man suddenly raised his voice loudly, his sharp gaze moving between us.
"Understand!?"
The sudden shout made the atmosphere tense slightly. Both the woman and I answered almost immediately.
"Yes."
A moment later, movement from behind drew all of our attention.
The Leader was approaching alongside the four elders.
The moment they arrived, the atmosphere around us immediately felt heavier. Even without releasing any pressure intentionally, the Leader's presence alone was enough to make everyone straighten instinctively.
The man standing before us reacted immediately. His rigid posture became even straighter as he lowered his head respectfully to greet them. The rest of us quickly followed, bowing properly toward the Leader and the elders.
The Leader's calm gaze swept across the group for a moment before he spoke.
"Are you ready to leave?"
The man answered without even a second of hesitation, his voice firm and loud.
"Yes, Leader."
The Leader gave a brief speech before sending us off, calmly reminding everyone not to create unnecessary trouble once we reached our destination and to focus only on completing the mission. His tone remained steady throughout, but there was enough authority in his voice that no one would dare take his words lightly.
After finishing, the Leader gave a small nod.
"Complete the mission successfully."
The man immediately responded loudly without hesitation.
"Yes, Leader!"
The Leader's gaze then shifted toward me.
"Leave now… and Bora will explain the details of the mission on the way."
So his name is Bora.
The thought crossed my mind as I finally learned the name of the strict middle-aged man leading the mission.
I looked toward the Leader and nodded respectfully.
"Yes, Leader."
The Leader looked at all four of us one final time before giving a small nod.
"Go."
His voice was calm, yet it carried enough authority to make the simple word feel heavy.
The four of us lowered our heads respectfully once more before turning to leave.
As I stepped away, my eyes briefly moved toward Elder Thryssa. She was already looking at me. A gentle smile appeared on her face, and she gave me a small nod, silently bidding farewell without saying a single word.
I returned the gesture lightly in acknowledgment before continuing forward with the others.
Together, the four of us began walking toward the edge of the village where the protective barrier surrounded the entire settlement.
The atmosphere gradually grew quieter as we moved farther away from the houses and deeper toward the boundary of the village. Ahead of us, the invisible shield that protected the village shimmered faintly under the morning light, its surface barely visible unless observed carefully.
As we approached, ripples slowly spread across the barrier, as though the shield itself had recognized our presence. A moment later, the surface parted smoothly, creating an opening large enough for us to pass through.
I quietly looked past the opening, my gaze lingering beyond the barrier for a moment.
I am finally going outside after four years. The thought settled heavily in my mind as I stared ahead.