Night had fully embraced the town. Most houses and shops were cloaked in darkness, their inhabitants already fast asleep.
Yet, in one corner of Lily Town, light still flickered. The inn stood lively and warm, its windows glowing like beacons in the night.
People came and went through its wooden doors, some entering upright and alert, only to stagger out later like weary zombies. This was the town's only real refuge, where locals gathered to eat, drink, and ease the weight of their daily burdens.
Inside, the common room buzzed with a soft hum of chatter and laughter. The inn was half full, and Tania moved swiftly between tables, balancing six overflowing mugs of frothy ale with practiced grace.
At one of the table,, three figures in dirt-streaked farmer's clothes sat enjoying their meal. Their tools, hoes, sickles, and baskets all rested beside them, reminders of a long day's labor. The three laughed heartily between bites, their voices rising just enough to be heard over the background murmur. It was a simple scene, but a comforting one, proof that even after hardship, warmth and joy could still be found.
"Looks like the harvest's turning out pretty good this year," said Peter, taking a long swig from his mug.
"Yeah," Richard replied, nodding as he wiped foam from his beard. "Even with the lack of manpower, those forest monsters, and all the mess with the Empire… our men are still working hard. More eager than ever, I'd say." The white streaks in Richard's hair marked him as the eldest among them, but his eyes still held a spark of pride.
"Let's hope it stays that way next year too," Troy added, lifting his mug high. "To a strong season!"
The three clinked their drinks together, their laughter rising again as they continued their conversation.
Just then, the inn's door creaked open, letting in a brief gust of cool air. A man stepped in, his eyes scanning the room until they landed on the table with his friends. Without a word, he made his way over, pulled out a chair, and joined them with a tired but satisfied grin.
"Hey, Mat… just finished work? It's rare for you to stay out this late," Richard said with a smile.
Mat nodded as he pulled his chair in. "Yeah. Something happened. And… I wanted to tell you about it." He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. "Erm, Tania-san, the usual please," he called out.
He waited a moment, then continued, his tone hushed. "I saw something interesting today."
The other three men glanced at each other before leaning in as well, curiosity piqued.
"What is it?" Peter asked.
Mat looked around cautiously, then spoke. "While I was transporting goods to the next town, I stopped to rest near the river. That's when I heard voices, lots of them. So, naturally, I got curious and went to check it out. And that's when I saw them. A group of people, and judging from their attire... they were definitely from the Black Eagle."
The other three froze at the mention of Black Eagle.
"Why would you even try to get involved with them, Mat? Aren't you afraid they might kidnap you? You made sure you weren't followed here, right?" Troy asked, his face filled with worry.
"I'm not done yet," Mat said, shaking his head. "When I saw them resting near the riverbank, something felt… off. Most of them were tending to each other. Almost all of them were covered in bandages, like they'd just come back from a fight."
He gestured with his hands to emphasize the image.
"And the most interesting part? Their leader,Phoenix, she was injured too."
The group went silent.
The Black Eagle was infamous in the region. Bounties were placed on many of its members, especially their ruthless leader, Phoenix.
The three men widened their eyes, their curiosity clearly ignited.
"Do you think something attacked them?" Peter asked, leaning in closer.
Richard closed his eyes, arms folded in thought. "It's possible. But remember, Phoenix is a former Rank-A adventurer, and her group is filled with Rank-B and C fighters. For them to come back like that, it had to be either a large group of enemies… a powerful monster... or—"
"-a Rank-S adventurer," Mat interrupted with a knowing smile.
The other two gasped, their expressions turning serious. The mere mention of a Rank-S adventurer was enough to invoke silence. Such individuals were very rare, one Rank-S could wipe out a city with ease. Against a bandit crew, even one as infamous as Black Eagle, it would've been nothing short of a massacre.
"But for an S-ranker to come to this region..." Richard said, still thinking.
"Maybe they're in this town already, or even in this inn?" Mat said, excitedly.
As he spoke, Tania arrived with the drinks.
"Tania-san, has any adventurer checked into your inn today?" Mat asked with expectation.
"Ermm..." Tania thought for a moment, placing a hand under her chin. "There's a group of adventurers who checked in yesterday."
"Are they S-rank adventurers?" Mat asked, his eyes bright. The other three men leaned in, equally curious.
"I don't think so. I believe they're C and D-rank, based on their badges."
The four men looked disappointed.
"Is that so..." Mat said quietly.
"Why do you ask?" Tania tilted her head curiously.
"Oh... it's nothing. We just want to make sure adventurers still come to our town," Mat said with a forced smile.
Tania smiled back and then went to serve other tables.
Mat gulped his drink. "So, they're not here, huh?"
"Well, whether it's monsters or adventurers, S-rank or not, thanks to them, Black Eagle will probably lay low for a while. I've had enough of them doing whatever they want in this region," Richard said.
The group then shifted their conversation and continued chatting and drinking late into the night.
---
In one of the rooms, there were two ladies.
One was Evelyn. She was lying on her stomach, her feet folded and moving gently. She was writing in a book. Her hair was let down,no longer in a ponytail, and reached down to her back. She wore a nightgown that clearly outlined her figure.
"Hey sis, today was crazy, right?" she said to her best friend.
The one she spoke to was Maya, who was now sitting facing a large rectangular mirror. She combed her hair, which still looked wet from the shower. She wore purple pajamas covered with strawberry prints.
"Yes... it was scary," Maya said, touching her abdomen. A faint pain still lingered, though it was just a tiny reminder.
"So basically, it's thanks to me that we're saved. I was the only one who asked both of them to join us," Evelyn said, flipping her book with a pencil still in one hand.
"But it's because of them that we got attacked by bandits," Maya continued, still combing her hair.
"Err... yeah, that's true too," Evelyn scratched her head with the pencil.
She then sat up, dropping her pencil and book, and moved closer to Maya. Evelyn looked at her through the mirror's reflection. "But they are really strong, right? I still don't understand how they can use so many spells and skills at once."
"I think they're lying about that part. I mean, there's no way someone without a class can already use that many types of magic," Maya said.
"But there's also that rumor about people having hybrid classes, right?" Evelyn said, still wanting to believe Alan and Bob are good people.
"Yes, there is. But it's very rare. And to see two people with hybrid classes at the same time is even rarer," Maya replied.
"Yeah… you're right. But I'm pretty sure they're good people, sis. You think so too, don't you?" Evelyn looked into Maya's reflective eyes.
Maya dropped her comb, letting her hair fall straight down her neck. "Based on what they did today, I'd say they're kind and good people. But we don't know where they came from, or what their true intentions are."
"But isn't it taboo to ask about an adventurer's past?" Evelyn pouted, clearly curious about those two.
"Yes… and I'm sure they'd refuse to tell anyway."
"Ermm, okay. I understand," Evelyn said slowly.
Maya then stood up and went to her bed, ready to sleep, but she noticed Evelyn's grin.
"Why do you look like that?"
"The way you talk, it sounds like you're indifferent to them. But I wonder, who was the one crying on someone's lap today?" Evelyn said with a teasing smile.
Maya's face flushed bright red.
She quickly threw her pillow at Evelyn, who dodged it just in time.
"I don't want to talk about that," Maya muttered, turning to face the wall.
"Hehehe… looks like someone's been shot by Cupid today," Evelyn teased with a sly smile.