Chapter Twenty Nine: My first quest

Apparently, another adventurer—someone far stronger than the slaughtered party—discovered their mangled bodies and brought them back to the guild.
Since none of the guilds in the city would accept them, he had no choice but to drag their remains here, using some method similar to the one Leila employs to hide our belongings. To carry human pieces around like baggage… that man must be a real maniac.
I heard that everything in the dungeon fades away before dawn. If he had left them there, their deaths would have been erased like dust. Nothing but a cruel footnote in the dungeon’s endless cycle. Judging by the reactions at the guild, their families were clearly not in this town—they must live in other cities, far from here.
And now, here I was—walking toward Rogo on foot, carrying a gray envelope pressed tightly to my chest. I had accepted Orthin’s quest without hesitation, and at first light, I set off. The envelope was small, like a letter, but firm and full—definitely holding more than just words. The currency of this world is not paper… so what exactly is inside?
Still, I swore to myself that I would not open it. The family waiting for this must be suffering enough already. If this delivery can bring them even a sliver of relief, then I would see it done.
Leaving the capital was easier for me than for most. Ordinary people need permits or guild passes before they can step beyond the gates. But me? All I had to do was slip past the barrier unseen.
I moved carefully, hugging shadows, ducking behind walls, and timing my steps with precision. First, I climbed to the hill towards my rock. Then slid down the slope, heading straight toward the barrier. From there, the colossal gate loomed over seven hundred meters away. With rows of houses between me and the guards, their watchful eyes couldn’t spot me.
Cautiously, I slipped through the shimmering boundary. My heart hammered, but I forced my body not to stiffen, not to look guilty. One wrong move, one curious stare from a guard, and suspicion would fall on me instantly.
Travelers trickled into the city, fewer than when I had first arrived during the Mighty Week. Back then, crowds had poured in endlessly, but now, the gate was all but deserted. I crawled through tall grass until I was sure I was far from their sight.
The world beyond the barrier was vast, quiet, and dangerous.

---
The journey dragged on. Walking, I measured every step against the memory of traveling with Milta’s dragon. Back then, the trip had taken only an hour. Now, on my own two feet, the distance stretched endlessly.
I had wanted to leave before dawn, but without an alarm, I overslept. By the time I woke, the sky was already bright. I scrambled out before Leila could see me, scarfing down my breakfast as I ran. Bread and milk—that was all the inn had offered. I gulped the milk, stuffed the bread in my bag, and carried a small jug of water with me.
My sword. My bag. The jug. And the envelope. That was everything I had.
On the road, I passed only a few lavish carts, their passengers protected by bodyguards clad in black robes. Each one radiated the air of a high-class magician. Adventurers, no doubt, escorting wealthy nobles.
Outside the Mighty Week, few dared travel. And strangely, I saw no monsters along the road. Perhaps they were hiding. Or perhaps they were waiting.
Or maybe… they were watching me.

---
The man who had given me this mission had even offered his ground dragon to take me there. But that had been impossible. I couldn’t leave through the city gate without exposing myself, and if I showed my level, the guild would recognize me instantly as the demon everyone feared. Even if I tried, the dragon itself might not pass through the barrier—it would probably crash against it like glass.
So, I walked. For hours.
Finally, after two and a half hours, I saw the town. It perched atop a slope, slightly elevated above my position. To my right, miles away, stretched the infamous Nightmare Forest, its trees rising like jagged spears into the horizon. The sight of it chilled my blood.
The town itself was humbler than the capital. Houses here were plain, some poorly built, others half-collapsing. And yet, above them all shimmered a faint bubble, a barrier like the capital’s—though weaker, like a fragile lid. People bustled freely inside, passing through the barrier without a care. I realized then: this one was not meant to control people. It was built to repel monsters.
If so, then perhaps life outside the capital wasn’t so impossible after all.

---
The market was alive with voices and colors. Children darted through the streets, their laughter ringing in the air. Remembering Orthin’s instructions, I asked for directions.
Five children stopped to help me—two demi-humans and three humans. Among them, I noticed another boy lurking behind a post. Short, sturdy, with thick limbs… a dwarf. But the others avoided him, leaving him isolated. My chest tightened, but it wasn’t my place to intervene. Instead, I followed the willing five.
They half-guided me, half-played, flying makeshift leather kites as we walked. Their innocence was almost jarring against the weight in my hands.
Eventually, they led me to the town’s edge. The house that awaited was not at all what I had imagined.
It wasn’t a house. It was a mansion. The largest in the entire town.
“…Umm… I meant the Orthin family house.” I clarified, my voice uncertain.
“This is the house!” one of them chirped. “They’re really rich now!”“Yeah, my mama said they became rich in a single day.”“I wanna be rich like them when I grow up!”
Rich? But Orthin had told me his family was poor… What was going on?
The mansion glimmered in the afternoon light, its courtyard lined with blooming red flowers. Neatly trimmed grass stretched like a carpet, and pale blue curtains swayed inside polished windows.
I hesitated, but finally knocked.
No response.
I waited. Knocked again. Minutes passed. Still nothing.
Frustrated, I turned to leave—when the door creaked open.
An old man stood there, thin spectacles perched on his nose, a black hat shadowing his wrinkled face. He wore a white undercoat over black trousers. His eyes pierced through me.
“Who are you?” he demanded.
“Umm… sorry for disturbing you. Are you Mr. Orthin’s father?”
He stared in silence, then said flatly:
“Where is the envelope he gave you?”
What!?
The words struck me like a slap. My body stiffened, my blood boiled. Was this how he welcomed the one delivering his son’s last gift? No grief, no gratitude, no warmth—only greed.
Shouldn’t he be weeping? Shouldn’t he be desperate to know what message his son left behind? And how… how had they become this rich?
Grinding my teeth, I swallowed my anger and handed him the envelope. “Here it is… These children brought me here. Can you maybe spare a few coins for their hard work?”
The old man sneered silently, vanished inside, then returned minutes later. He tossed a gold coin at my chest. It bounced off me and clattered to the ground.
I picked it up in silence. Then, turning to the children, I tossed it to the eldest. “Here you go. Make sure to divide it evenly.”
They squealed with joy, running off without even thanking me. I sighed and walked away.

---
When I reached the town center again, a crowd had gathered. A man with blazing red hair stood atop a dragon, his voice booming across the square.
“Let’s go help our fellow neighbors!!” he shouted. “Over a hundred monsters march toward the village of Gagi!”
The crowd murmured uneasily. Slowly, one by one, people drifted away until only a handful remained.
The man’s voice thundered again, filled with raw conviction. “Fellow brave warriors! The people must come together in order to rid this world of the monsters… of the Demon Queen!!”
But his words couldn’t erase the fear on their faces. The remaining ten adventurers gripped their weapons with trembling hands, courage and terror warring in their eyes.
I edged closer, but a bald man grabbed my arm. “Hey, kid. Don’t go near those suicidal maniacs.”
He whispered harshly, “They’re a doomed group. Started with a hundred, now barely eleven remain. Most died, the rest abandoned them. The whole town mocks them, but still they rush to their deaths. If you join them, you’ll die too.”
I looked at him coldly. “That may be so. But on all the quests they’ve taken, they must have saved at least a handful of lives, right? If that’s true, then their deaths aren’t in vain. Look at them. They’re scared out of their minds, but they’re still moving forward. Compared to them, sir… you are a total coward.”
His eyes widened, his face twisted in rage. “Fine! I hope you get killed as well!” He stormed off, leaving me with only the faint echo of his bitterness.
“That was really nice of you,” a voice said behind me.
I turned. It was the leader himself—the red-haired man. He had heard everything. He extended his hand toward me.
“Thanks for believing in us.”
The others gathered around, their expressions shifting. Fear still lingered in their eyes, but hope flickered there too.
The leader studied me up and down. “Hmm… you seem a little too young. But if you think you’re strong enough for the task, I won’t stop you. What will it be, young boy? Will you risk your life to save others, or cower in fear as they’re slaughtered?”
The answer was already burning in my chest.  “I… I’ll fight!”