The silence left behind by the villagers felt heavier than Ayan expected, and as he stood near the entrance of the inn watching the empty street where they had disappeared, a quiet realization settled into his mind with undeniable clarity that from this point forward, everything he did would depend entirely on him. There would be no shared support, no safety net, and no one else responsible for his survival, and as that thought lingered, another followed naturally behind it, simple and unavoidable.
"I need money."
The words formed clearly in his mind, grounding him in reality as he turned away from the street and began walking, Aelira stepping beside him without hesitation, her presence as steady as always, her gaze briefly resting on him before shifting forward. For a moment, neither of them spoke, the quiet rhythm of their footsteps blending into the sounds of the city, but Ayan eventually broke the silence, glancing at her as he asked, "How strong are you… really?"
Aelira looked at him, her expression unchanged, her silver eyes calm as she answered without hesitation, "Strong enough." Ayan let out a faint breath, clearly not satisfied with that answer, and continued, "Can you deal with things like goblins or kobolds easily?" Aelira tilted her head slightly, as if the question itself didn't quite make sense to her, before replying, "Those creatures are weak. You don't need to worry about them."
Ayan nodded slowly.
Because he had seen it.
The way she fought.
The way she didn't even need to move.
"…Yeah."
He didn't question it further.
Because there was no point.
They continued toward the adventurer guild, the noise growing louder as they approached, and once inside, the same chaotic energy greeted them, voices overlapping, metal clashing faintly somewhere in the background, and adventurers moving in every direction with purpose. Ayan stepped forward toward the counter, the same receptionist from before looking up as they approached, her expression attentive as he asked, "Where can we find quests?" She gave a small nod and pointed toward the large board behind them. "Over there. You can choose what you want, then come back to register it."
Ayan turned immediately, his gaze locking onto the board.
Rows of papers.
Each marked.
Each different.
He stepped closer, his eyes scanning carefully, taking in the details one by one. There were simple tasks, gathering herbs, delivering items, escorting merchants, and then there were others, hunting monsters, clearing areas, more dangerous, more rewarding. His eyes stopped on one in particular.
Goblin extermination.
Six silver coins.
Ayan's gaze lingered on it.
"…That's a lot."
But just below it—
D-rank.
Party required.
Minimum three.
Recommended five.
Ayan exhaled slowly, stepping back slightly.
He understood immediately.
This wasn't something he could take.
Not yet.
Not without trusting others.
And that—
He wasn't ready for.
His gaze shifted again, moving across the board until it landed on something simpler.
Herb gathering.
Three silver coins.
No party required.
Ayan stared at it for a moment longer before nodding to himself.
"This one."
He turned back toward the counter, handing over the request, and after a brief process, it was registered without issue. The task was simple, the location marked, and without wasting time, they left the guild once more, heading toward the outskirts of the city.
The forest felt different now.
Not unfamiliar.
But not safe either.
Ayan moved carefully, following the instructions given for the herb location, his eyes scanning the ground and surroundings as he searched. It didn't take long before he found what he was looking for, small plants with distinct leaves, exactly as described, and as he crouched down to collect them, he realized something.
This wasn't easy.
Not because it was dangerous.
But because it required attention.
Patience.
Awareness.
He gathered what he needed slowly, making sure not to damage the plants, while Aelira remained nearby, watching, her presence calm but attentive, as if nothing here posed any real threat to her.
Once they finished, Ayan stood, adjusting the bag slightly.
"Let's go."
The return path should have been simple.
But it wasn't.
A faint sound reached him.
Movement.
Ayan's body reacted immediately, his grip tightening as his eyes shifted toward the direction of the noise, and a moment later—
They appeared.
Goblins.
Four of them.
Their eyes sharp, their movements quick.
Ayan didn't hesitate.
Not this time.
The first lunged forward, and Ayan stepped aside, his sword moving instinctively as he brought it down, the blade cutting cleanly through the creature before it could react. The second came immediately after, faster, more aggressive, and their weapons clashed briefly, the impact sending a slight shock through his arm, but he held his ground, adjusting his stance before striking again.
The fight wasn't smooth.
But it wasn't chaotic either.
He had improved.
The third goblin caught him off guard slightly, its blade grazing his arm, but he reacted quickly, turning his body and finishing it before it could press further. The last one hesitated.
Just for a second.
And that was enough.
Ayan stepped forward.
And ended it.
Silence returned.
Ayan exhaled slowly, his breathing heavier now, his grip loosening slightly as he looked at the fallen bodies.
"…Four."
Not perfect.
But—
Progress.
They returned to the guild shortly after, handing over the herbs and reporting the encounter, and the receptionist listened carefully before processing everything, her expression neutral but slightly more attentive than before as she handed over the reward.
Three silver coins.
And one silver for the goblins.
Four in total.
Ayan looked at the coins in his hand.
"…Not bad."
But not enough.
Back at the inn, reality returned quickly as the owner informed him of the cost, one silver for two days, his tone casual but firm, and Ayan handed over the coin without complaint, already calculating what remained.
Three silver.
It wouldn't last long.
After washing and eating, the warmth of the meal settling briefly in his body, Ayan returned to the room, sitting quietly as his thoughts began to organize themselves again.
Money.
Information.
Strength.
Everything connected.
Everything necessary.
He leaned back slightly, his gaze lowering as he spoke quietly, more to himself than anyone else.
"…What's next…"
There was no immediate answer.
But one thing was certain.
This was only the beginning.