“Hey, Torven! How are you today?” Kaela greeted brightly.

  The man behind the counter returned her smile—though it faded the instant he noticed Veil standing beside her.

  “Hey, Kaela. I’m fine, thanks. And you? I see you’re not alone this time. I just hope he doesn’t abandon you like that last group of yours,” he said, his tone edged with bitterness.

  “Torven, that’s not very nice. This is Veil—and just so you know, he’s the one who saved me yesterday,” Kaela replied, her voice firming slightly.

  Torven shifted his gaze to Veil, then gave him a respectful bow.

  “My apologies. It’s just… she’s had a few partners before, and things didn’t exactly end well. I’ve grown cautious. The lives of our adventurers matter as much as the quests themselves. Seeing some play carelessly with their companions’ lives disgusts me. Still, thank you for saving her,” he said, his voice tinged with hesitation.

  “No need to apologize. I’ve only been here two days, and I already understand what you mean,” Veil replied, nodding toward the loud argument taking place at the far end of the guild hall.

  Torven followed his gesture with a quick, weary glance, then gave a smile that looked more like a grimace.

  “Do you have a quest for us, please? The inn won’t pay for itself,” Kaela asked with a light laugh.

  “As always. Give me a second—I’ll see what I can find for you,” he said, bending down behind the counter.

  He pulled out a thick stack of papers, which he placed on the desk before sorting them into two neat piles. After a few minutes of shuffling, he tucked the right-hand stack away and handed the other to Kaela.

  “Here’s what I can offer—rank D to F missions, as usual,” he added.

  Kaela skimmed through the papers, occasionally showing one to Veil so they could decide together. Then, one in particular caught her eye.

  “Slime problem in Valdorne… Hmm. You haven’t really traveled outside Aldelion yet, have you, Veil?” Kaela asked, handing him the sheet.

  “No, not really. Haven’t had the chance yet,” Veil replied, reading over the mission.

  The paper described a small village asking for help against Slimes that were devouring their crops. With no means of defense, the villagers were seeking aid from adventurers.

  “Perfect! Let’s take this one. It’s a bit of a walk, but this way you’ll get to see more of the region,” Kaela said cheerfully, flashing him a bright smile.

  She took the paper from Veil and handed it to Torven, who began filling out the required details.

  “Valdorne’s about six hours away on foot, so don’t plan anything for tonight. You won’t be back before tomorrow,” Torven explained.

  Kaela and Veil then left the guild, watched by a visibly worried Torven.

  “Isn’t it great? The weather’s perfect, and we’ve just got a small quest to handle. We can even sleep under the stars tonight!” Kaela exclaimed, practically glowing with excitement.

  They made their way through the main street toward the northern gate, Kaela skipping ahead while Veil couldn’t help but think she looked like a happy child.

  “I honestly don’t know how you do it. It’s like nothing ever gets you down,” Veil said with a faint, amused smile.

  “You’ve got to enjoy the quiet moments when they come. Not everything is bad. Besides, crying all day won’t change a thing—so I’d rather stay cheerful,” she replied.

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  They left the city behind and followed the road, Kaela pulling out her map to double-check their route.

  “Have you ever been to Valdorne before? What’s it like over there?” Veil asked.

  “No, never. But that’s what makes this job exciting—you get to discover new places all the time,” she said with a grin, motioning for him to take a turn.

  Two hours slipped by as they chatted, the sunlight spilling warmly through the trees that lined the path, their shade offering a gentle coolness. They stopped for a short break by a small river that ran nearby.

  Veil uncapped his flask and drank deeply, then handed it to Kaela, who hesitated for a moment before taking it. She drank as well, but Veil noticed the slight pinch of her lips as she gave it back.

  “What’s bothering you? You look like something’s weighing on your mind,” he asked.

  “I… actually wanted to ask you something. Ever since what you said yesterday, it’s been stuck in my head. You told me you’d seen worse than the Nethralis… and I wanted to know what you meant. If you don’t mind talking about it,” she said softly, her ears drooping a little.

  Veil refilled his flask before sealing it again, uncertain whether he should answer. Alynia had warned him not to speak about it. But seeing Kaela’s expression, he decided there was no harm in it.

  “Yeah. Like I told you, I don’t remember anything. I woke up in a forest, where Alynia found me. I’ll skip the details, but she brought me into a dungeon—it was part of her mission. And what we saw there… let’s just say that if either of us had gone in alone, we wouldn’t be here to talk about it,” Veil said, hesitant.

  He stood, offering his hand to Kaela to help her up, and they resumed walking. Along the way, he told her more about what they had encountered. Time passed quickly as they talked—almost two hours since their last break.

  “Wait, hold on… You actually saw a Hydra? I know they’re not the strongest monsters out there, but still—you don’t just run into one every day,” she said, torn between awe and fear. “And that Alynia… she must be incredible. I can’t even ‘transform’ myself yet.”

  “Don’t compare yourself to Alynia. You’re not the same, Kaela. I don’t know her that well either, but I can tell she hasn’t had it easy. She helps me a lot, but sometimes… it feels like she’s pushing me away,” Veil said, his tone heavy.

  Kaela, usually so talkative, stayed quiet when she saw the look on his face. She chose not to press further. They kept walking without stopping, shifting the topic to lighter conversation as the mood slowly lifted again.

  Before long, they crossed a wide meadow that seemed to stretch endlessly, the sun’s heat warming their skin.

  “Once… once we reach those trees over there, we’ll be… almost there,” Kaela panted.

  “We’ll rest once we’re in the shade. The mission can wait a few minutes,” Veil replied, handing her his flask.

  The rest of the meadow felt endless, the heat growing heavier as they neared the tree line. Then, just before reaching it, something caught their attention—a strange glow shimmering in the distance.

  “What’s that? Looks like fire, but… that’s odd—there’s no smoke,” Veil murmured.

  “I don’t know… but that light doesn’t seem natural. It’s spreading in a kind of halo through the air. Still… it’s kind of pretty,” Kaela said softly.

  They approached cautiously, doing their best to stay quiet as they crouched behind a line of bushes. But when Kaela pushed a branch aside, it snapped loudly, forcing them both to duck lower. Veil drew his dagger, and Kaela unclipped her magic staff from her belt.

  They waited in silence, listening for the slightest sound—any sign that someone might be coming. But nothing happened… except for a faint, high-pitched whimper.

  Veil slowly rose to his feet and scanned the area. There was no one around—only a small creature unlike anything they had ever seen before.

  It looked like a cross between a feline and a fox—slender, graceful, and radiant. Its dark fur shimmered with fiery veins, like molten magma running beneath the surface, while its head and belly were a soft cream color, contrasting beautifully with the rest of its body. Its claws, bright red at the base, darkened to black along its legs, and a thick, flame-like mane flowed down its back, giving it a majestic silhouette.

  Its translucent wings looked as if they were made of living fire, sprouting from a dark frame attached to its shoulders. Its tail, full and wild, seemed to balance its dual nature—half shadow, half flame.

  “She’s beautiful… Look at those wings, the way they shed embers into the air. I’ve never seen anything like this on any of my travels,” Kaela whispered in awe.

  But Veil noticed something strange—the creature didn’t move at all when it saw them. Its legs were trapped in what looked like a thin metallic wire.

  “We have to help her. But with those flames on her body, we can’t even get close,” Veil said, frowning thoughtfully.

  As they searched for an idea, Kaela noticed a detail that made her pause.

  “Veil, look at the ground… The grass under her isn’t burning. Do you think that fire isn’t actually real?” she asked, pointing.

  Veil didn’t answer right away. He stepped closer to the creature. The heat radiating from it felt real enough. The creature, drained and exhausted, made no attempt to resist. She lowered her head—as if resigned to her fate—her fiery wings flickering weakly, ready to go out.

  Kaela stayed back, watching as Veil approached slowly, one hand extended to show he meant no harm. He stopped just a few centimeters from her, his fingers hovering near her head. Suddenly, the creature’s ears perked up, her fur shifting to form long, flame-fringed ears crowned with soft, ember-like tufts.

  Startled, Veil drew his hand back, then cautiously extended it again.

  “I’m not going to hurt you… I just want to help. Is it alright if I touch you?” he asked quietly, his voice tight with nervousness.

  Something in the creature’s eyes changed. She lowered her head slightly, as though she understood. Veil gently placed his hand on her head, stroking it a few times to reassure her before moving toward the wire that bound her legs.

  “Don’t panic. I’m going to try and cut this off, but if you move, I might hurt you,” he said, his hand trembling slightly.

  He took a deep breath and slid his dagger between the wire and the creature’s body, exhaling slowly to steady himself. He began to saw back and forth, hoping to slice through—but the steel didn’t even scratch it.

  He frowned and focused, channeling his energy into his hand to infuse the blade with mana.

  Careful… just enough to cut through. I can’t overdo it, or I’ll hurt her, he thought, sweat dripping down his forehead.

  The dagger absorbed his mana. Its faint glow brightened until a thin blade of light formed along its edge. Almost as if responding to Veil’s will, the weapon’s magic adapted—and with a single motion, the wire snapped cleanly apart.

  Freed, the creature bolted the instant she was loose. Her wings flared open, releasing a dazzling burst of light that filled the clearing. Kaela stared, awestruck, while Veil stood frozen in place.

  Why…? Why did the dagger react like that? And what was that feeling that rushed through me? he wondered, shaken.

  He didn’t have time to think. Kaela had stepped closer, saying something he didn’t quite catch—when a deeper, harsher voice suddenly cut through the air.

  “What the hell are poachers doing here? You think you can just walk away after that?” the voice barked, sharp and furious.