As soon as dawn had barely broken, the caravan swiftly packed up its tents and set out.
The group moved just as they had the day before, but with far heavier hearts.
That was inevitable, given what had happened the previous night. Even now, the presence of the two gravely wounded among the wagons served as a stark reminder of the ordeal.
For the caravan guards and the adventurers, their mood was not quite so dire—they were accustomed to injuries and death as part of their work.
From the moment they chose this path, they had accepted such risks.
But for the small group of passengers traveling with them, the weight was far greater.
The eldest among them, an old man seasoned in long journeys, bore himself much like the caravan folk.
Yet the other two—a young man and a middle-aged woman—were traveling far from home for the first time. Anxiety and unease were etched plainly across their faces.
That image stood in sharp contrast to the two children.
While the adults fretted, the youngsters remained as calm as they had been at the start of the journey.
Their actions were unchanged: the boy continued reading his book, while the girl sat quietly with eyes closed, as if lost in thought.
Watching them, the old man grew ever more curious, sensing something extraordinary about the pair. He spoke:
"Though you are still young, your composure is truly admirable. Everyone else here cannot help but feel anxious after what happened. Do you have a secret to such a strength of spirit?"
At his words, Tris lifted his eyes from the book. Before he could answer, the young man interjected irritably:
"Isn't it just that children don't know fear? They probably slept through the whole night and didn't even realize what happened."
His remark was not without reason.
The night before, when the wolves attacked, everyone had awakened and gathered—except the two children, who had remained asleep in the carriage.
Because everyone feared that if the children woke up, they would not only be unable to help but would make things even more chaotic, no one bothered to rouse them.
The old man shook his head, unconvinced.
Tris merely glanced at the young man and said calmly:
"When meeting strangers, one should be cautious in word and deed if they wish to keep themselves safe."
The old man's eyes widened in surprise, then he nodded.
"That is indeed very true."
He could sense the boy's words carried layered meaning—both an answer to his curiosity and a warning to the young man's mocking tone.
Seeing their expressions, the young man felt as though he was being looked down upon and grew increasingly irritated and uneasy.
Young man: "Did you learn that line from a book? Care to share it with the rest of us?"
On the surface, it seemed like a fairly ordinary question. But of course, Tris was no naïve child—he could clearly perceive the barbs and mockery hidden behind it.
Thus, Tris didn't even bother to reply and simply continued reading his book as usual.
Some people only learn when consequences strike them directly; Tris had no interest in wasting time on fools.
The young man grew more hostile:
"Not even a reaction when asked? This brat is arrogant and insolent."
Tris remained unfazed, eyes fixed on his book.
But the girl beside him did not stay silent. Rin snapped:
"How dare you soil your mouth with insults toward Master?"
Her gaze and tone were fierce, predatory—like a beast ready to leap and tear out its prey's throat.
The gentle, quiet child from moments before seemed nothing but an illusion.
The young man shivered and instinctively recoiled.
Tris: "Rin, sit down. Continue your training."
Rin obeyed instantly:
"Yes, Master."
The wild beast vanished, replaced once more by a docile kitten.
Witnessing this, even the dullest observer could see these children were far from ordinary.
The young man held his tongue thereafter, and the passengers remained silent for the rest of the morning.
. . .
By noon, while eating with Rin, Tris suddenly fixed his gaze in one direction.
Rin noticed and asked:
"Master, is something wrong?"
Tris: "Seems a few cockroaches are lurking nearby."
Rin: "Cockroaches?"
Tris: "Highway bandits."
Rin: "Are they about to attack?"
Tris: "No, they're only scouting. With a caravan this well-guarded, attacking would be difficult."
Rin: "But if they dared attack, wouldn't it be very serious?"
Tris: "Exactly. If they strike despite seeing the guards, they must have some reason to believe they can succeed."
He sighed:
"Traveling with caravans brings many troubles. Next time, we'll move differently between towns."
Rin: "Differently?"
Tris: "By riding 'horses' ourselves. It would take only an hour or two—much faster."
Rin: "Then why didn't we do that this time, instead of joining the caravan?"
Tris: "There are many reasons. Traveling alone means handling every danger ourselves. You are still too weak to protect yourself. With the caravan, we have a shield. If that shield breaks, we can always escape ourselves.
But most importantly, I wanted the experience—seeing firsthand how seasoned travelers act on a long journey, especially when faced with danger."
Rin: "Rin will work hard to grow stronger, so I won't be a burden to Master."
Tris: "Your progress is fine. Just keep it steady."
Encouraged by his words, Rin smiled brightly.