***
I'll embark on an adventure, and in the city, I'll taste diverse cuisines I've never experienced, opening my eyes to new culinary delights.
When I go to the city on an adventure, I'll be so amazed by the dazzlingly developed streetscapes that my jaw will drop.
If I go to the city...
If I go to the city...
No matter what I do, everything will be enjoyable.
Lost in imagination, almost dancing with excitement, I spotted a group of village children huddled together.
The children, having noticed me, rushed over as if they'd been waiting.
"Pre, are you leaving soon?"
"Yeah, that's what's happening."
"Then we won't see you anymore?"
"That's right."
At my frank and firm answer, the children seemed shocked, barely able to open their small mouths, unable to speak for a while.
Then, some of the children's eyes reddened, and big tears began to fall.
Soon, sadness spread like an ember, and eventually, all the children burst into sorrowful sobs.
I knelt to meet their eye level and silently watched their tearful faces for a while.
'Children truly express their emotions as they are, purely and without any calculation or pretense...'
The children cried and cried at the top of their lungs. Hot tears streamed endlessly from their reddened eyes, and their small shoulders constantly heaved with sorrow.
The children didn't stop crying until their tear ducts were dry and twisted, unable to produce even more tears.
I silently watched them, feeling deeply in my heart how much love and affection the children held.
And a little while later, as the children slowly began to calm down, I spoke to them in a cautious voice.
"But I will definitely come back."
I didn't want to spin elaborate lies or add lengthy explanations to momentarily deceive the children.
"Sophie, Yumi, Giss, Dailyn, Gardus, Cain, Croy, my precious children, I love you all. Please don't cry anymore because of me. You must stay healthy and happy wherever I'm not."
I embraced the children warmly, silently closing my eyes, feeling this moment that might never return with all my heart.
...
A short while later, I left the village and began my adventure.
The leaves rustled quietly in the breath of the wind, but the forest's stillness held firm. With every step, the dry earth beneath my feet crumbled weakly, but even that sound seeped into the deep silence, leaving only a faint echo.
Suddenly, a strange quiet enveloped my entire being, as if all sounds of the world had faded away.
Leaving the familiar village behind, I slowly walked deeper into the dense forest along the winding mountain path.
The faint shadow of the place I had left gradually faded, and in its place, a poignant sense of freedom finally permeated.
'From here on, it's a place my feet have never touched before. Moments of encountering unfamiliar faces will surely increase.'
A faint anticipation for new experiences quietly sprouted in a corner of my heart, like an unbloomed flower bud.
Even though I had already crossed two rugged mountain ridges, that excitement hardly faded, subtly infusing my steps with vitality.
My shoulders unknowingly hitched slightly, and every moment my feet touched the ground led to a small, unfamiliar tremor.
"What will unfold before me now?"
An inexpressible, overwhelming energy resided in my steps as I moved towards the unknown.
Suddenly, an intense premonition flashed through me, as if the most brilliant moment of my life was quietly about to begin, right here at the entrance of this unfamiliar forest path.
That dazzling time, which I would someday look back on and quietly whisper, 'Those were truly good days,' was about to unfold before my eyes.
To make it so, I firmly vowed within myself to simply move forward, led by my heart, without any hesitation or fear.
"First, I should head to a bustling place. It'll be different from a rural village, won't it?"
However, as if to momentarily hold back the surging tide of emotions, the delicate whispering of the leaves that had gently tickled my ears subtly, yet distinctly, began to grow rougher.
'Huh? Is something there?'
The small anomaly instantly amplified, moving beyond the uncertain realm of faint premonition, becoming a clear presence that could be felt on the skin.
'A gust of wind? Or a person? Perhaps, an enemy? It's coming straight towards me! Should I hide? No! It's too fast, already too late!'
At that moment, as if a shadow had gained substance, a black form instantly burst from the bushes and stopped right before my eyes, at a suffocatingly close distance.
Simultaneously, a sharp wind fiercely swirled, relentlessly blowing all my front hair backward.
*Fwoooosh!*
The ear-splitting roar of the wind passed, and as I opened my tightly squinted eyes, I was astonished to see a woman with hair that seemed to hold the strangely blended blue of the ocean reflecting sunlight, staring motionlessly right in front of my face, as if time had stopped.
The woman's face staring at me was so perfect and beautiful it was impossible to believe it was human. How could I even describe it? There was no trace of asymmetry or awkward bone structure that could be found, however slight, in an ordinary person's face.
Her eyes, nose, mouth, and the entire contour of her face were exquisitely clear, as if crafted stitch by stitch by a master artisan's delicate hand. It was an otherworldly beauty itself. Truly, a cold yet captivating beauty, seemingly deliberately reconstructed, unfolded before my eyes.
'Seriously, not just her face, but her entire skeletal structure is beautiful.'
"Excuse me. Do you happen to know the location of Crown Village? I seem to have momentarily lost my way while heading there."
Her voice resonated cleanly, like the sound of clear, refreshing water. Surprisingly, the words that flowed from her lips were the name of my hometown village, which I had called home for so long.
At that moment, my frozen expression instantly changed, and in my mind, the skillful actions I had mastered over the years began to automatically connect like reflexes.
"Wow~ So you're looking for Crown Village! I know all about that! Oh, but it's an isolated village surrounded by several mountains, so it's not easy for newcomers to find their way. Plus, the path is quite rugged. But don't worry! Oh my goodness! Right here is Pre, an excellent guide proficient in mountain paths! I can guide you comfortably and quickly for just fifty coppers, and if you pay just ten more coppers, I can even carry your luggage with ease!"
'Psychologically, having already paid 50 coppers, there'd be no reason not to pay just 10 more.'
I instantly flashed a bright, professional smile, thinking I'd already earned 60 coppers today. But in that moment, I felt a wave of embarrassment at my own behavior.
'...? What on earth am I doing right now? My professional instincts are kicking in at a time like this! I'm not a mountain guide anymore! I'm an adventurer!'
"I don't need a full guide. Could you just tell me the direction, please?"
At my blatant soliciting, she slightly furrowed her brows and politely declined, looking a little troubled. Her reaction made me feel even more awkward and embarrassed.
"Oh... oh... no, it's not that... I'm sorry. Right... ah, it's, it's that way... I apologize."
My face burned, and unable to lift my head properly from shame, I pointed in the direction of the village with a trembling finger. I desperately wished she would just walk away silently.
'So embarrassing...'
"Ah..."
But then, she let out a small sigh, as if she'd found a pitiful soul, rummaged in her clothes, and carefully placed a shining silver coin on my hand, which was pointing towards the village.
"Wh-what is this?"
"Please, accept it. I have plenty of money."
'Is she... treating me like a beggar?'
"I have plenty of money too. I appreciate your kindness, but I can't accept this money."
"If it's not rude to ask, perhaps... would you find it difficult to make a living if you miss this job?"
'She really thinks I'm a pathetic beggar.'
"I can't accept money given so freely."
"Oh... So you hold the belief that one should only receive payment after diligently working and sweating for it, is that correct?"
"Huh? Ah... yes, well... something like that."
*Clap. Clap. Clap.*
Upon hearing my awkward reply, she surprisingly gave three slow claps with a pleased smile. Her sudden actions were completely incomprehensible.
"Haa... How remarkable. Your words show you're truly an upright and principled person. I'm genuinely impressed. This is just a small token of my sincerity. Please don't decline; simply accept it as a gesture of encouragement."
"No, I'm really fine!"
I grabbed her wrist as she reached out to me, clutching a heavy bundle of silver coins. In that moment, what I felt through my fingertips was an eerily powerful, utterly undeniable strength.
'This... this is impossible! What kind of power is this strong?! It's on a completely different level from any opponent I've faced so far!'
The fact that I had even grabbed her wrist seemed pointless; her hand extended smoothly yet persistently, without the slightest tremor. I tried to resist with all my might, but the ground beneath my feet gave way, and I ultimately had no choice but to kneel.
"Ugh..."
'I was confident in my strength from all the cliff climbing... but this is power beyond the human realm.'
"Why are you so stubborn? No one would be harmed if you simply accepted it."
"I don't care what you think of me. Even if others point fingers and call me a beggar, I don't see myself as one. But the moment I accept money offered by you, who sees me as a beggar, I would be selling myself, becoming no different from a truly begging vagrant."
"I suppose one could think of it that way."
"Yes, that's right. So, if you insist, then give me enough money to actually sell myself. This amount of money simply isn't enough for my pride."
As I spoke with a firm, serious expression, she looked at me with a momentarily bewildered gaze.
"...Huh? What did you say?"
"It's a joke. Was I too serious? But my intention not to take the money is sincere. I'll give you back the money you already gave me."
She let out a hollow, dumbfounded smile, rummaged silently at her waist for a moment, then this time, casually dropped a dazzling pile of gold coins onto my hand.
'Th-this... how much is this!?'
"Overwhelming power often comes with financial reward, doesn't it? I wonder just how far your conviction can withstand the lure of money... I shall watch. Will you accept?"
Seeing my dazed expression at the immense sum of money, and as I made a move as if to stop her hand again, she curled the corners of her lips in amusement.
"You weren't thinking you could refuse with physical strength this time... were you?"
"No, not at all."
"Huhu... Unexpected. You are truly an interesting person. I like you very much."
She retrieved the gold coins, adding that she had merely been joking. Then, offering a handshake, she placed a silver coin in my palm.
"Please... keep that silver coin. I hope you'll consider it a small apology for my rudeness just now."
'This woman is incredibly stubborn. It's starting to get a little scary...'
"In that case, I will gratefully accept it."
I decided that further refusal might create an awkward atmosphere given her unyielding attitude, so I quietly nodded.
Just then, her gaze suddenly fell upon the large greatsword slung diagonally across my shoulder. Her blue eyes filled with intriguing light.
"That's an impressive greatsword... Are you perhaps also a wielder of swords? If so, I might be able to show you something far more precious than a few hundred gold coins."
"Huh?"
She smoothly drew a long sword from her waist, and the delicate arcs that cut through the wind, the fleeting afterimages reflecting light in an instant, were themselves like a work of art.
She wielded the blade with a fluid grace, like dancing waves.
As a layman in swordsmanship, I couldn't grasp the depth of her mastery; only the sheer beauty of her movements was vividly etched in my memory.
After a very brief, dazzling sword dance, she began to prepare to leave the spot, seemingly without a second thought.
Then, a strong question suddenly arose: why would someone with such overwhelming power seek out Crown Village, a small, remote settlement? Could the Devil's Fang be her objective? With her abilities, even the treacherous Devil's Fang would surely be as easy to conquer as crossing a hill behind a village.
"Um... by the way, what brings you to Crown Village?"
"I've come to find my companion."
Leaving a concise answer, she turned without hesitation.
As she moved, her blue hair, shimmering in the sunlight, momentarily veiled her face. In that fleeting instant, a faint, flushed expression flickered across her features, as if she were a girl flustered by first love.
"Ah, now that I think about it, I haven't even shared my name yet. I am the Sword Saint... Sword Saint Shar Iris. I hope we can meet again, Pre."
Saying that, she departed directly towards Crown Village, the direction I had pointed, without hesitation.