A Not so Safe Travel

The journey toward the Village of Menzoga had been peaceful.
Yolina sat quietly inside a wooden carriage alongside the six companions chosen by Princess Teodosia. Two sturdy horses pulled the carriage through the forest roads while a pair of royal knights escorted them from the front. Even as night gradually settled across the kingdom, the procession never stopped. The moon climbed higher above the treetops, bathing the road in pale silver light, yet no one seemed particularly worried about traveling after dark. It was a stark contrast to the world Yolina remembered more than a century ago, when few dared venture beyond the safety of a town once the sun had disappeared beyond the horizon.
Much had changed during her absence. Villages had multiplied across Madrerra, roads had been expanded, and settlements now stood where untouched wilderness had once stretched for miles. Yet there was one thing she could not understand. Why would anyone build a village so close to the Dungeon of Prufundu? Even when its gates had remained sealed, the place had always been regarded as one of the most dangerous locations in the entire kingdom. Constructing a settlement within walking distance of such a place felt almost reckless.

Disguised beneath the robes of the Great Blue Mage, Yolina remained silent throughout the journey. Her long blue coat concealed the shape of her body, while the white porcelain mask hid every trace of her identity. To the people around her, the Blue Mage was a legendary man whose exploits had survived for generations. None of them suspected that the hero standing among them was, in truth, the very woman they had mourned in countless stories.

For most of the journey, the other members of the party kept their distance. Some stole respectful glances toward the Blue Mage, while others looked almost intimidated by the legendary figure seated among them. Only one person eventually gathered the courage to approach.

Leonardo.

He quietly moved across the carriage before sitting beside her with the same friendly smile she remembered from five months earlier.

"It is an honor to travel alongside someone as legendary as you," he said warmly. "My name is Leonardo Roman. I hope we can get along."

Yolina offered no response.

She simply stared ahead, her masked face revealing nothing.

An uncomfortable silence followed, but rather than becoming offended, Leonardo rubbed the back of his neck and laughed sheepishly.

"…Right. I suppose I interrupted your thoughts. My apologies."

Instead of walking away, however, he remained nearby, casually speaking every now and then despite receiving nothing in return. To anyone else, such treatment might have felt insulting. Leonardo, on the other hand, seemed convinced that he was the one imposing on the Blue Mage’s peace.

Yolina found the entire situation strangely irritating.

Because he never seemed discouraged.

Unable to escape the conversation, she quietly observed the rest of their companions while Leonardo continued chatting about anything that crossed his mind.

It did not take long for her to form first impressions.

Volfango Ottilia, the towering beastfolk warrior, was by far the quietest of the group. With the head of a lion and a physique capable of intimidating seasoned soldiers, he hardly spoke at all. Most of the time he simply crossed his arms, closed his eyes, and drifted into brief naps, occasionally letting out low, rumbling snores. Out of everyone in the carriage, he was easily Yolina’s favorite.

The others were… considerably louder.

Ildegonda possessed enough confidence for the entire party combined, loudly proclaiming every few minutes how many monsters she intended to defeat. Ivo, the bard, appeared incapable of speaking to any woman without attempting some form of flirtation. Thankfully, he believed the Blue Mage to be a man, sparing Yolina from becoming the latest target of his endless compliments.

Artemisia and Zenobio proved Princess Teodosia only half correct. They had indeed set aside their hostility toward one another…

At least enough to avoid killing each other.

That did not stop them from arguing over almost everything else.

Then there was Leonardo.

Yolina had not expected him to change so much in only six months. He carried himself with greater confidence now, yet the warmth in his smile remained exactly the same.

As the hours passed, Leonardo eventually began sharing the reason he wished to become both an adventurer and a hero.

"I want to save everyone," he said without hesitation. "No matter who they are."

He spoke of three people he had failed to protect.

His father.

A woman he had encountered by chance.

And Yolina.

Hidden behind her porcelain mask, Yolina felt herself hesitate.

She had intended to ignore his words.

Instead… she found herself listening.

The sincerity in his voice reminded her of someone she had known long ago.

Albert

The resemblance unsettled her more than she wished to admit.

At last, she slowly turned toward him.

Leonardo blinked in surprise.

It was the first time the Blue Mage had acknowledged his existence.

Before speaking, Yolina quietly manipulated the water gathered within the air itself. A thin layer of enchanted water wrapped gently around her throat, altering the vibrations of her voice as sound passed through it. She had intended to deepen it only slightly.

Instead…

She overdid it.

When she finally spoke, her voice rolled through the carriage like distant thunder echoing across mountain peaks.

"Everyone…?"

The single word carried enough weight to silence the entire carriage.

Even Volfango opened one eye.

Leonardo looked momentarily stunned before smiling again.

"Yes," he answered. "Everyone."

Yolina tilted her head ever so slightly.

"Everyone…?"

"Did I say something strange?" Leonardo asked.

A brief silence followed before the Blue Mage asked another question.

"Does that include demons?"

The atmosphere changed immediately.

Leonardo could not explain why, but there was something unsettling about the way those words had been spoken. Beneath the calm exterior of the Blue Mage, he sensed resentment.

"…I suppose it does," he replied honestly.

Without warning, Yolina rose from her seat.

The carriage seemed to grow quieter as she slowly approached Leonardo until only inches separated them. The blank porcelain mask reflected his own bewildered expression.

"So," the Blue Mage said in that impossibly deep voice, "you would risk your life… to save a demon?"

Leonardo stood as well, refusing to retreat.

"If they have a life," he answered, "then yes."

"You are still an ignorant child."

The Blue Mage’s gaze never wavered.

"You have yet to witness what demons truly are."

Leonardo met the mask without fear.

"People can change."

"Demons are not people, they are the mistakes of the gods."

Her voice became colder with every word.

"They deceive without remorse. They manipulate without guilt. They slaughter without hesitation. They will sacrifice their own kind if it means claiming another life. They wear innocent faces, whisper comforting lies, and earn your trust only to stab you in the back the moment your guard falls."

The entire carriage had fallen silent.

"They can disguise themselves as humans. They can brainwash entire villages. They will kill infants, elders, and innocents alike without so much as a flicker of regret. To them, compassion is nothing more than another weapon."

Yolina remembered, the atrocities that the demons have committed in her times.

Countless villages slaughtered by demons.

Brave warriors she had buried.

These people grown up during an age of peace.

They had never witnessed the true horror of demons.

Leonardo listened to every word before quietly shaking his head.

"That may have been true once," he said. "But that was over a hundred years ago. Times change. People change."

"Even demons?"

"Even demons..."

For a long moment, neither of them spoke.

Yolina admired his compassion.

She truly did.

But it also angered her.

Because compassion without caution was often the shortest road to tragedy.

Before either of them could continue—

CRASH!

The carriage lurched violently.

A deafening roar echoed through the forest as clawed hands tore through the wooden roof. The horses screamed in terror before collapsing almost instantly, their lifeless bodies dragging the carriage to an abrupt halt.

"Ambush!" one of the knights shouted.

Demons. Speaking of the devil.

Without a moment’s hesitation, every member of the party leaped from the shattered carriage. Steel met claws as battle erupted beneath the moonlit sky. Despite possessing no magic, the six companions fought with remarkable coordination, each proving why they had passed the Arthurian Trial.
Yolina remained still, merely observing.

Only when both escorting knights were struck down by the demons did she finally raise her staff.

Without a hint of urgency, she whispered,

"Campo…

Di…

Forza…

Di…

Acqua…"

A vast barrier of shimmering water unfolded around the entire party like a translucent dome. Every claw and blade bounced harmlessly from its surface while the group continued advancing through the forest without slowing their pace. Artemisia and Zenobio quickly lifted the wounded knights onto their shoulders, and the party abandoned the ruined carriage along with the dead horses, pressing onward beneath the moving shield.

Gradually, the demons ceased their pursuit.

Whether it was fear of the Blue Mage or something else entirely, none dared follow beyond the edge of the forest.

As they resumed their march, Leonardo glanced toward the Blue Mage.

Though the mask hid every expression, he somehow felt as though it was silently saying…

I warned you.

For the first time since the argument had begun, doubt crept into Leonardo’s heart.

About whether he truly understood the creatures he wished to save.

Several minutes later, the trees finally opened to reveal the Village of Menzoga.

The settlement appeared peaceful, yet the moment Yolina stepped beyond its entrance, a faint sense of unease settled over her. There were no walls surrounding the village. No watchtowers. No defensive barricades. Only dense forest embraced the settlement from every direction. For a village built so close to the Dungeon of Prufundu, its defenses were alarmingly inadequate.

Before she could examine her surroundings further, a broad-shouldered man hurried toward them with remarkable energy.

"My goodness!" he exclaimed. "Bring the injured over here. Quickly!"

The enormous man introduced himself as Bugg Iarlaith, though he insisted everyone simply call him Buggia. He possessed the build of a hairless grizzly bear, with an enormous belly and thick arms that looked capable of lifting an ox. Despite his intimidating appearance, his smile carried the warmth and innocence of an oversized cub.

"The demons won’t enter here," he assured them confidently. "You’re safe now."

The party followed him deeper into the village.

As they walked, Yolina quietly examined him.

Around his wrist rested the same iron bracelet worn by Princess Teodosia and the royal soldiers.

But something was wrong.

The bracelet contained no holy water.

Just like Teodosia’s.

Yolina narrowed her eyes behind the porcelain mask.

Why…?