Chapter 4: "The Shadow of Power"
The road finally opened to reveal the peaceful village of Virelia, nestled against the cliffs where Moonveil Falls thundered in the distance. Wildflowers lined the cobbled paths, and wooden houses with moss-covered roofs gave the village a calm, almost sacred feeling.
Captain Elara halted the group at the village entrance.
> "Listen up," she said, her voice firm. "I'll be meeting with the village chief. In the meantime, follow Vice Captain Ursa's orders."
She turned to Ursa. "Hold the line. No one causes trouble under our banner."
Ursa nodded sharply. "Understood."
As Elara walked off toward the largest house near the center of the village, a few knights couldn't help but admire the surroundings—including Synoh, who was momentarily mesmerized.
"Wow…" he murmured, taking in the breeze and the vibrant colors of the trees and distant waterfall.
Beside him, one of the younger recruits grinned. Yoshi, a chatty boy with short brown hair and two swords on his back, leaned in.
"Is this your first time in a village like this, Synoh?"
"Yeah," Synoh said, smiling faintly. "It's… peaceful."
Yoshi gave a proud nod. "Not mine. My parents are mercenaries—we traveled a lot. I've seen worse… but this place is beautiful."
Synoh chuckled. "You're lucky."
Just as the atmosphere relaxed, a loud commotion broke out near the village tavern. Shouting. Crashing. A group of adventurers were arguing with villagers.
Ursa's expression darkened immediately.
> "Division 10, move!"
They rushed toward the disturbance. A group of five rugged adventurers—all wearing worn armor and mocking grins—were surrounding a group of frightened villagers.
"We told ya! We eat for free," one of them barked. "This whole place is crawling with adventurers. You should be grateful we picked your food!"
A villager trembled. "P-please… that's not how it works…"
The knights moved into formation. Ursa stepped forward.
"This village is under our protection. Stand down."
One of the adventurers scoffed. "Oh? What division are you—light infantry? Bah. We're C-rank adventurers, lady. You're barely qualified to polish our boots."
Just as tensions reached the breaking point—
> "That's enough."
A deep voice cut through the air.
The C-rank thugs instantly froze. Their eyes widened with fear.
Behind them stood a tall man, silver-haired, muscular, and dragging a giant black lance behind him casually like a walking stick. He gave a lazy smile.
> Leon — an A-rank adventurer.
And beside him, leaning against a fence with arms crossed and a red scarf fluttering in the wind, stood a woman with crimson eyes and short black hair.
> Name: Kaela, another A-rank adventurer, known for her swift strikes and cold stare.
The other four members of their party stood nearby—B-ranked adventurers, silent but intimidating.
The thugs immediately bowed their heads. "S-Sorry, boss! We didn't mean—!"
Leon waved them off. "You're embarrassing me."
He turned to Ursa, his grin widening.
> "We meet again. Still as serious as ever. Where's your beautiful Captain? Don't tell me she's avoiding me."
Ursa's brow twitched. Her tone stayed calm, but her eyes narrowed.
"She's meeting with the village chief, Elder Harven, not wasting time with wannabe warlords."
Leon chuckled. "Still sharp. I like that."
Kaela gave Synoh and Yoshi a passing glance, her eyes lingering a moment before she turned away, uninterested.
Without another word, the adventurers walked off—leaving behind a trail of tension and a silent group of villagers and knights.
Ursa exhaled deeply, then addressed Division 10.
> "Those adventurers… I want names, guilds, and ranks. Follow protocol. No direct confrontation. Just gather information."
She looked especially at the senior knights. "Watch the recruits. This place might look peaceful, but something's off."
Synoh glanced in the direction Leon went, his smile gone.
"Looks like things just got more complicated."