The noise inside the guild did not settle even after the receptionist disappeared into the back, and instead of calming down, the murmurs only grew louder as more people began piecing together what they had overheard, their voices low but restless, curiosity and unease mixing in the air. Ayan stood where he was, his posture steady, but his mind anything but calm as everything he had seen replayed itself again and again, the darkened skin, the red eyes, the distorted bodies, and most of all, that one creature that stood above the rest. The more he thought about it, the more something inside him resisted the idea of calling it a simple evolution, because nothing about it felt natural, not in the way monsters should grow, not in the way power should increase.
He exhaled slowly, trying to organize his thoughts, but every conclusion led to more questions. If kobolds could reach that level, then what about other monsters, what about orcs, what about things stronger than that, and more importantly, why was it happening now. He had only been in this world for a short time, but even with his limited knowledge, he knew enough to understand that such changes were not normal, and yet everything pointed toward something already in motion long before he arrived. That thought alone made him uneasy, because if this had already begun, then he was not stepping into a stable world, he was stepping into something that was already shifting beneath the surface.
Beside him, Aelira remained quiet, her presence unchanged, her gaze calm as she observed the surroundings, but there was something about her silence that stood out more now than before. It wasn't the kind of silence that came from uncertainty or lack of understanding, it felt deliberate, controlled, as if she was choosing not to say something rather than having nothing to say. Ayan noticed it, even if he didn't fully acknowledge it yet, and that small detail lingered in his mind, subtle but persistent.
After a short while, movement from the back of the guild drew attention, and the receptionist returned, this time accompanied by a man whose presence immediately shifted the atmosphere. He wasn't loud, nor did he carry himself aggressively, but the moment he stepped into view, the surrounding noise quieted slightly on its own, as if people instinctively recognized his authority. His appearance was composed, his clothing formal yet practical, marked with the guild's insignia, and his eyes, sharp and observant, moved directly toward Ayan without hesitation.
"You were the one who reported it."
His voice was calm, but firm, carrying enough weight that it didn't need to be raised. Ayan nodded without hesitation, meeting his gaze as he replied, "Yes." The man studied him briefly, as if trying to measure something beyond just his words, before speaking again. "Tell me everything again, from the beginning, and leave nothing out."
Ayan did exactly that, this time more structured, more deliberate, describing every detail he could remember, the location, the markings on the trees, the dead goblin, the transformed kobold, the larger creature, and the presence of multiple types of monsters in the same area. As he spoke, the man did not interrupt, his expression remaining steady, but his eyes sharpened slightly at certain points, especially when Ayan described the larger kobold and the way it felt stronger than the evolved orc he had previously encountered.
When Ayan finished, a brief silence followed, and the man's gaze shifted slightly, thoughtful but not surprised, which in itself was unsettling. "This is not the first report," he said finally, his tone measured, "but it is the most detailed one so far." Ayan's expression tightened slightly at that, the words confirming what he had already begun to suspect, that this wasn't isolated, that whatever was happening was spreading, and that others had already encountered similar things.
"What are they?" Ayan asked, his voice calm but direct, not demanding, but not passive either. The man looked at him for a moment before answering, "We don't know yet." The answer was honest, but incomplete, and Ayan could tell. There was something else behind it, something not being said, but before he could press further, the man continued, "But they are not something low-rank adventurers should be dealing with."
That was expected.
And yet—
It didn't sit well with him.
Because if they avoided it, if they stepped back, then all they would be doing was waiting for it to grow worse.
Ayan's thoughts shifted briefly, but he didn't argue. Not here. Not now.
The man turned slightly toward the receptionist, giving a quiet instruction about sending a report to the Order and preparing a response team, and the moment those words were spoken, the atmosphere in the guild shifted again, this time more serious, more grounded, as the weight of the situation began to settle across everyone who had been listening.
Ayan stood there, silent for a moment, his mind processing everything, but as he glanced slightly to the side, his gaze fell on Aelira again, and for a brief second, something felt off. She wasn't surprised. She wasn't confused. She wasn't even particularly concerned. Her expression remained calm, almost indifferent, as if this situation, as serious as it was, did not affect her in the same way it affected everyone else.
"…You knew."
The thought surfaced quietly in his mind.
Not fully formed.
Not spoken.
But present.
Ayan looked away after a moment, his expression returning to neutral, pushing the thought aside for now, because whether she knew something or not, it didn't change what was in front of him.
As they stepped away from the counter, moving toward the exit, Aelira spoke again, her voice as steady as before, "You did what you could." Ayan nodded slightly, though his gaze remained forward, his thoughts far from settled. "This isn't something I can ignore," he replied after a moment, his tone quiet but firm, "If this spreads… it won't just be villages anymore."
Aelira didn't respond immediately, but when she did, her voice carried that same calm certainty. "Then we deal with it when it comes."
Ayan let out a small breath.
"…That's not enough."
The words slipped out before he could stop them, not directed at her, but not entirely to himself either. Because reacting wasn't enough anymore, waiting wasn't enough, and the more he thought about it, the more he understood that whatever was happening, it was only going to get worse if no one understood it.
As they stepped outside, the city moved as it always did, unaware of what was beginning to unfold beyond its walls, people continued their routines, conversations flowed, and life carried on, but to Ayan, everything felt slightly different now, as if he had seen something he wasn't supposed to see yet.
And as that thought settled in his mind, another followed closely behind it.
If the guild already knew…
If the Order was already involved…
Then just how long had this been happening?
Ayan's steps slowed slightly.
Because the more he thought about it—
The more it felt like he was already too late.