The supplies for heading into the forest, in truth, required no special preparation.
My backpack already contained the basic necessities.
However, after two days of travel, my food was nearly gone.
I went down to the inn’s kitchen.
I briefly explained to the innkeeper’s wife, who had been bustling about since early morning, why I was going to the forest.
After hearing my situation, she readily handed me two freshly baked loaves of bread.
Their warm, savory scent tickled my nose.
She even packed a few pieces of dried meat for me as a bonus, and I couldn’t help feeling grateful for her generosity.
After filling my canteen with water and putting the bread and meat into my backpack, I felt rather well-prepared.
‘That should be enough preparation… Now what?’
The sun was still rising, and there was quite a bit of time left before the request.
Because of my shabby body, I did want to rest, but since I was already up, I felt like doing something.
‘Right, let’s test the staff’s performance.’
I pulled out the Waterdrop Staff I had wrapped inside my robe.
The clear blue crystal orb glowed softly in the morning sunlight.
Given the nature of my magic, where having water reduced mana consumption, this staff’s ability would likely provide quite a few advantages in many ways.
“First, should I look for a clearing that isn’t too far from the village?”
Tapping the staff lightly, I started walking.
Behind the village, after passing through the grass and climbing over a small slope, I fortunately found a clearing of suitable size.
The weeds were fairly overgrown, but it was still enough for practicing magic.
I took a short breath and infused mana into the staff.
The mana traveled up the staff and gave off a thin light from the crystal orb.
[Water Bullet]
A smooth, sharp droplet of water formed at the tip of the staff and sliced through the air.
Its movement was much faster and more stable than before.
‘As expected, control has become much easier.’
This time, I summoned a blue stream of water above my palm and unfolded a Water Current Barrier.
I swung it around a few times, but there wasn’t any particularly noticeable change.
“Hmm, it did say only control would improve…”
Muttering quietly, I withdrew the barrier.
‘Has the water storage ability not activated yet?’
Just in case, I fired off a few more Water Bullets, but I didn’t feel any particular change in the staff.
The crystal orb remained clear and transparent.
So the condition of “a certain probability” wasn’t there for nothing.
“Well, I just need to use it a bit more.”
The moment I fired one last Water Bullet.
The crystal orb at the end of the staff glowed faintly, and a tiny droplet of water formed inside it.
In an instant, that droplet slowly grew in size and began filling the inside of the crystal orb.
Like rainwater pooling inside a glass sphere, clear and tranquil.
“…Oh?”
I lifted the staff and held it up to the light.
There was definitely water gathering inside.
It wasn’t my imagination.
“It finally activated.”
Feeling oddly proud, I swung the staff once.
I couldn’t tell the exact numerical increase, but the change was quite satisfying.
Compared to those stat cards that barely made a dent, a visible change like this felt much better.
‘At this rate, it was worth choosing.’
Of course, there was the physical penalty of having to carry a staff… but well, it was wizard-like and nice, wasn’t it?
‘This means there’s no hiding that I’m a wizard anymore.’
Now that I thought about it, walking around with a long staff like this was practically announcing, “I’m a wizard.”
Of course, I hadn’t suffered any losses so far just because I was a wizard, but it was still far more convenient if others didn’t know.
Besides, it was better for launching surprise attacks in a fight.
Taking all that into account, the staff’s presence was close to plus-minus zero.
It stood out, but not enough to be a clear loss or gain.
I wanted to test its maximum storage capacity, and how the stored water affected my magic.
But since I never knew when something might happen, it would be better to conserve my mana.
I hid the staff inside my robe and left the clearing.
***
As I headed toward the village entrance, I saw the mercenary group preparing to leave.
Barrett and Geminik were maintaining their equipment beneath the morning sunlight without the slightest disarray.
Both of them moved with practiced, efficient motions.
I carefully raised a hand in greeting.
Without taking his eyes off the staff poking out from my robe, Barrett said,
“The staff suits you well. It really brings out the atmosphere of a wizard.”
Gemini also nodded and added,
“That staff looked quite well-made.”
I smiled at their words and replied,
“Thank you. It feels like it fits me perfectly.”
Barrett lifted his head, looked at me, and continued.
“I heard you’re going to the forest. We’d like to help too, but we have work we’ve accepted.”
“It’s a request I accepted, so it’s only right that I go alone. …But what are you moving out for?”
I asked.
Barrett raised his eyebrows slightly, then answered immediately.
“We received a request from the village herbalist. Apparently, there was a report of goblins being seen recently. We’re going to investigate that.”
Goblins.
That single word made my thoughts briefly grow complicated.
I was also heading to the forest for a similar reason.
“The forest… Would that be in the same direction as me?”
I asked, wondering if we might be able to travel together.
However, Barrett shook his head.
“From what we heard, it’s the northern forest. Isn’t your destination the eastern forest, Riv?”
“…That’s right.”
I had been told the hunter’s cabin was on the “edge of the eastern forest.”
I didn’t know the terrain well, but according to the villagers, it was a path hunters often used.
When I confirmed the direction, Geminik quietly said,
“The request is important, but you must always put yourself first, Riv. The forest may be more dangerous than expected.”
Barrett also added with a light laugh,
“Well, it’s you, Riv. I trust you’ll handle it well.”
I’m really not that capable…
Feeling awkward, I decided to leave.
“Then I’ll be going now.”
Barrett spoke one last time, as if emphasizing the point.
“Riv, please be very careful. If anything happens, make sure to let us know.”
“Yes, Mr. Barrett, please be careful as well.”
I bowed my head to them once more, then slowly turned back toward the inn.
***
I sat in my room at the inn, blankly staring out the window.
The sun was slowly setting, and along the village road, the shadows of people stretched out one by one.
My belongings were already packed.
The staff was beside me, and I had checked the ring in my inner pocket.
It was a rare moment of leisure, but my mind was not particularly at ease.
Tomorrow, I would enter the forest for the first time.
‘At least I won’t be alone.’
I thought of the guide the village chief said he would attach to me.
At that moment, the innkeeper’s voice came from downstairs.
“Riv, you have a visitor! They say they’re your guide!”
I stood up, opened the door, and went down the stairs.
I saw someone standing near the entrance.
He was a young man with short, light brown hair.
His eyes looked kind, and he seemed to be a man of few words, but judging from the short sword at his waist and his light clothing, he looked fairly skilled in his own way.
How should I put it? He had the classic scout style.
“You’re Riv, correct? I’m Millen, and I’ll be guiding you through the forest tomorrow.”
“Ah, yes. I heard about you.”
I held out my hand, and he accepted the handshake with a slightly stiff motion.
His expression was serious, but there was something awkward about him.
He seemed like someone whose actions came before his words.
“We plan to leave tomorrow morning before sunrise. I’ll see you in front of the inn.”
“Will the path to the eastern forest be all right?”
“It’s fine up to the entrance. Beyond that… you’ll have to see for yourself.”
He spoke carefully, sparing his words.
Rather than hiding something, it seemed more like consideration so as not to frighten me in advance.
“I have no problem leaving early.”
“Yes. Then please rest well today. I’m saying this just in case, but don’t go near the water. It’s a little dangerous right now.”
I nodded.
“Understood. Thank you for the advice, Mr. Millen.”
He bowed in farewell and left the inn.
After the door closed, the inside of the inn became quiet again.
‘The water’s edge is dangerous…?’
Was there a lake in the forest or something?
His vague way of speaking lingered in my mind.
But I didn’t bother asking.
I had no reason to go near the water anyway, and tomorrow we would be traveling together regardless.
I went back up to my room.
Darkness was gathering before my eyes.
Wishing for clear weather tomorrow, I offered a short prayer.
***
Before sunrise, the air in front of the inn was chilly.
The wind was still, but the scent of earth, mixed with moisture, tickled the tip of my nose.
I let out a long breath of white steam and stretched in front of the door.
“Nngh—”
There was still no one on the roadside, but from far away, the sound of donkey hooves could be heard intermittently.
The village was just beginning its day.
A short while later, a familiar silhouette appeared from around the corner of an alley.
It was Millen.
He was neatly armed, just like yesterday, and dressed simply with only what was necessary.
“Good morning.”
“Yes. It’s a little chilly.”
He quietly nodded.
He was still a man of few words, but within that strange silence, I actually felt more at ease.
His gaze fixed on my fingertips.
“…A staff?”
He narrowed his eyes and looked over the staff once more.
He didn’t look surprised or flustered, but it felt as though calculations were rapidly running through his head.
That quiet gaze held onto me for a little while.
“Are you a wizard?”
I hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
There was no need to hide it. He would find out soon enough anyway.
“A little. I’m still learning.”
“…I see.”
His words were brief, but I could feel the unspoken trust he had subtly change.
It wasn’t that he was trying to distance himself from me, but it felt as if another layer of wariness had formed.
What is it? Does he not like wizards?
“Let’s depart. It’s not that far to the entrance.”
“Can we go slowly?”
“Of course. There’s no need to overdo it.”
We passed the village entrance and entered the narrow road leading to the forest.
Dew that had fallen overnight clung to the grass along the path, and with every step, there was a soft rustling sound.
Holding the staff in my hand, I quietly followed while looking around.
Naturally, my steps fell in line beside Millen’s.
“Have you been down this path often?”
“Not really. However, this part of the forest has a simple structure. As long as you don’t lose your sense of direction, it’s fine.”
“…I’ll trust those words.”
He seemed to smile faintly.
It was a short, thin smile, one that was truly hard to notice.
“Are you used to fighting, Riv?”
“…I wouldn’t say I’m very good at it.”
“Then I’ll take the lead. If you sense danger, please signal me.”
If he was willing to take the lead, that was convenient for me.
I nodded and replied,
“Understood.”
And so, we walked in silence.
The eastern forest was still within the shadows, and the light filtering between the leaves was faint.
In the cool air, it felt as though we were stepping into the forest one pace at a time.
As if we were treading upon the threshold of another world.
The forest path was quieter than I had expected.
At first, I thought it might be because it was dawn.
But it was strangely quiet.
The fallen leaves rustled beneath our feet, and there was wind brushing against the branches.
And yet there was no birdsong.
To be precise, all the natural sounds that should have existed in a forest were missing.
“…Is this forest usually this quiet?”
I raised my head slightly and asked Millen.
He stared into the depths of the forest for a long while before answering briefly.
“No. Around this time, there should be plenty of birds.”
Those words instead sharpened my sense of vigilance.
Millen stopped after taking one step.
I stopped as well, following his lead, and for a moment my ears felt strangely muffled.
“This is odd.”
At his words, I unconsciously looked back.
The forest path we had come through.
But from there too, I could neither hear nor feel any sound or presence.
The wind seemed to be blowing, yet not a single leaf stirred.
“Does some kind of monster live around here?”
“No. Even if one did, it wouldn’t become this quiet. This is…”
He trailed off and looked around.
I tightened my grip slightly on the staff.
I drew up a thin thread of mana and let it flow to my fingertips.
So that I could fire a droplet of water at any moment.
“This way. If it’s the edge of the eastern forest… then judging by the terrain, it should be beyond that hill.”
Millen slowed down a little and took the lead.
I silently followed behind him.
Like that, we crossed a gentle uphill slope.
At the top of the hill, Millen stopped.
He looked beyond the forest and let out a small breath.
“We found it. You can see it over there, right?”
I shifted my gaze in the direction he pointed.
At the edge of the forest, among the tall trees, stood a small, old cabin.
From a distance, it looked as if no human hand had touched it for a long time.
One side of the roof had caved in, and part of the wall was half-buried in vines.
“…It doesn’t look like a place someone lived in.”
“Perhaps it’s because Mr. Carl disappeared.”
I nodded.
“I heard it was a cabin on the edge of the eastern forest. The location seems right.”
“Yes, it matches that description. However…”
He trailed off and looked at the cabin again.
“However?”
“It’s a little strange. There are no footprints nearby, no birds, and no animals. It’s unnaturally quiet.”
I turned my head and looked at the cabin again.
At a glance, it seemed like an old hunter’s resting place.
Lifeless, with clear traces of neglect.
“Mr. Millen, do people… really come around here?”
He quietly scanned the surroundings, then nodded.
“Yes. Herbalists come through occasionally, and I clearly heard that Mason came searching here two days ago.”
Mason? Does he mean the person the village chief sent?
Without saying anything, I looked at the ground.
The fallen leaves were untouched.
For a place someone had supposedly come to, it was clean, as if no one’s footsteps had passed through.
Then I looked at the window.
The window, which had been slightly open, slowly closed despite there being no wind.
Creeeak—
“That window was closed from the inside.”
“……”
Millen narrowed his eyes.
The small window of the cabin was built in such a way that it couldn’t be closed from the outside.
That meant someone had closed it from inside.
In other words…
This cabin was not abandoned.
At the cold sensation crawling up my back, I gripped the staff tightly.
With even the wind stopped, only the cabin existed within the forest.
“…Riv.”
“…Yes.”
“Let’s be careful. Just in case.”
I nodded.
Quietly, with the utmost caution, I moved my feet toward the cabin.