Meanwhile — Elven Mainland, Magixah Kingdom
Inside the great cathedral of the capital, the air was thick with incense and ancient magic. Light filtered through massive stained-glass windows as Saint Athena, clad in her ceremonial robes, stood beside High Priest Hector in the sacred scrying basin.
"The rumours are spreading faster than we anticipated," Hector said, his tone grim. "Our scouts report that the outer villages are obsessed with this mysterious merchant."
Athena narrowed her eyes as she watched flickering visions in the water—bottled drinks glowing faintly with mana, sweet golden bread being passed between adventurers, and coins exchanging hands.
"This merchant is no ordinary man," she said. "He may not have been summoned properly, but what if... he is the hero?"
"That would mean the ritual wasn't a failure after all," murmured one of the elder mages standing nearby.
"But why hasn't he appeared before us? Why hide?" Hector asked.
"Fear. Confusion. "Or... perhaps he doesn't even know what he is yet," Athena replied, eyes narrowing. "Either way, I must confirm it myself."
She turned to the council. "I'll depart for the borderlands at once. Alone. Too many of us would draw attention."
The high priest frowned. "Do not confront him, Athena. Not yet. Observe. Report. If he is the hero... or something else, we'll act then."
Athena gave a sharp nod, her white cloak billowing as she left the hall.
*****
Back at the Shop – Just Before Departure
As we loaded the last of our supplies onto the carriage, I turned to look at the shop. My little corner of comfort.
It happened just as I was brushing dust off a fresh crate of coffee mix behind our stall near the dungeon gates. The screen flashed without warning—a sudden glow that made me nearly drop the crate.
DING.
A new message slid into view, bold and glowing in that familiar blue light:
New Quest: Make sure your companions survive.
Reward: Companion Level Up.
I froze.
My hands hovered mid-air as the words sank in.
"What the hell does that mean?" I muttered under my breath, my heart suddenly drumming harder in my chest. This wasn't the usual fetch quest. It wasn't some comical task like boiling dungeon herbs or collecting monster toenails. This felt... serious. I tapped the floating panel again, half-expecting more details. But the screen stayed vague, as if the weight of the words was explanation enough.
Elvie's voice called from nearby. "Dirk, are you good? You look like you've seen a ghost."
I turned, nodding quickly and forcing a smile. "Y-Yeah, just remembered I left the kettle boiling."
She raised an eyebrow, unconvinced.
Meanwhile, my eyes drifted toward the others. Ella was arranging supplies under the shade, humming as she polished a small dagger. Kael and Sylphie were nearby, chatting with a group of adventurers about the best paths through the first dungeon levels. Miss Agnes was taking notes, her eyes always watching the flow of people coming in and out.
I suddenly felt like the quest wasn't just a suggestion—it was a warning.
"Companion level up" sounded like a nice prize, sure. But quests from the GUARDIAN screen never came without purpose. And for it to appear now, after all this silence? That meant something was about to go down. I looked around again, scanning the town's perimeter. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary... yet.
But something was coming. I could feel it.
"Hey," I said, walking toward Igor, voice casual but with an edge of urgency. "Uncle Igor, how about we tighten the shop a bit today? Maybe add more men?"
Igor narrowed his eyes. "Why?"
"Just a feeling."
Igor smiled faintly, nodding. "Alright. I trust your gut."
I swallowed hard, glancing back at the glowing screen still hovering behind me. It slowly faded again, but those words burnt into my mind like a brand.
Make sure your companions survive.
"I'll take good care of it," Igor said, clapping me on the shoulder. "You built something amazing here. It'll still be here when you return."
Kael gave me a thumbs-up. "I'll come see you every week."
"Don't get lost in some dungeon, Master Dirk," Sylphie added, teasing.
I smiled. "No promises."
With Elvie at the reins and Ella beside her, I climbed into the back of the carriage. As the horses began to trot forward, pulling us down the dirt path toward the baron's lands and our next chapter, I leaned back and closed my eyes for a moment. Somewhere out there, someone was looking for me.
*****
After a few days of travel, the scenery shifted from rolling farmlands to misty woodlands and rugged stone roads. We passed by adventurers camping near old ruins and merchants guiding their mules with crates of raw mana stones.
"This place feels... tougher," Elvie muttered, adjusting her cloak.
Ella nodded. "It's close to dungeon territory. Danger and opportunity go hand in hand here."
The road twisted deeper into the forested foothills, the trees growing denser, the air heavier. We were just half a day away from Baron Weslin's territory when the forest suddenly fell silent. No birds. No wind. Just an eerie stillness.
Then—
WHISH!
An arrow embedded into the wood panel of our carriage. The horses neighed wildly, rearing up.
"AMBUSH!" Ella shouted, already unsheathing her twin daggers.
I jumped off the carriage, sword in hand, and scanned the shadows. Half a dozen men emerged from the trees, their faces hidden beneath cloth masks, their armour mismatched but dangerous. Their weapons shimmered—some rusted, others glowed faintly with cursed magic.
"Nice little haul you've got there," one of them sneered, twirling a jagged blade. "Hand over the goods and the girl... and we might let you live."
Ella stepped in front of the carriage, her staff glowing. "Over my dead body."
"She had to say it," Elvie muttered, nocking an arrow. One of the bandits raised a rune-etched gauntlet and cast a wave of dark energy toward us. I stepped in front, heart pounding—and again, it happened. A glimmering shield burst into life around me, deflecting the magic like ripples over water.
"W-What the hell?" one of the bandits muttered. My body moved on its own, like instinct. I dashed forward, my sword igniting in purple flame, slicing clean through one bandit's weapon.
Two more lunged at me from either side—I parried the first, ducked the second, and released a blast of fire from my palm that sent them flying into a tree.
Ella wasn't so lucky. A cursed dagger caught her in the side. "Ella!" Elvie cried, firing a bolt of wind magic at the attacker.
The wound didn't bleed much—but black veins started creeping from where the blade had struck. Ella winced and collapsed to her knees. "Poison?" I knelt beside her.
Ella shook her head, grimacing. "N-No... it's a curse."
"DIRK, FALL BACK!" Elvie screamed as the last bandit charged me. But I was done holding back. I twisted my blade, calling deep within, and my sword erupted in pure white flame. I struck with a single swing—and the cursed weapon shattered.
The bandits scattered, terrified, their morale broken. We didn't chase.
"Elvie—help me carry her. We need to get to the Baron. Now."
The carriage came to a halt in front of a fortified manor house, flanked by a tall iron gate and two stone-carved lion statues. A small group of armoured knights stood at attention as we approached.
"I'll do the talking," I whispered, holding up Miss Agnes' sealed letter.
One of the guards stepped forward, eyeing us warily. "State your name and business."
I handed him the envelope. "Dirk. I was recommended by Miss Agnes of Lord Roland's domain. I'm a travelling merchant with products that might interest Baron Weslin."
The guard opened the letter, read it with a deepening frown, then whistled toward the inner courtyard.
A moment later, a tall, broad-shouldered man in a dark green tunic and polished breastplate emerged. His short gray beard and piercing brown eyes gave him a stern yet intelligent air. "Baron Weslin?" I asked.
He gave me a curt nod. "So, you're the merchant who's been turning heads in Roland's domain. Follow me."
"Yes, and we need help," I groaned.