Having made up her mind, Leya nonetheless informed Edwin, her nominal master. Though his parting words offered no encouragement—“Be careful on your way, or maybe don’t go?” “You’re only Lv1, you have a long way to go; what if something happens?” and “Remember to contact me if anything happens, your master will always be watching!”—they did not deter Leya’s resolve to acquire that low-level transformation card.
As a final measure, Leya did not forget to write to Erica at home, explaining that she might return late. She also mentioned leaving a few spare silver coins for food, ensuring Erica would not go hungry.
****
As she now sat in the carriage heading towards the Netherworld Forest, only two people occupied it: Leya and Angela. This regrettably sparse occupancy was due to certain special reasons, primarily everyone’s apprehension regarding Leya’s noble status.
“Miss Leya, I’m Angela, um…”
Yet, despite having traveled for over ten minutes, a strange, unnerving silence had settled between them. The quiet was terrifying, heart-stopping, so profound that the faint murmur of conversation from the carriage ahead was distinctly audible.
“Hmm, I’m Leya. Hello.”
Angela: ‘…………’
‘Hello? What kind of greeting is that?!’
‘Why are you even introducing yourself? I already know your name! And if you’re going to introduce yourself, at least do it properly! What about your surname? Your age? Your origins!?’
‘So don’t act so nonchalant, as if this is perfectly normal!—’
Angela let out a sigh. She was truly exasperated by this noble lady.
‘Are all nobles like this? Stern and unsmiling? Or are they simply too haughty to converse with commoners like me?’
‘Perhaps. The nobles back in school were the same. Ugh! I thought Miss Leya might be a different kind of noble lady…’
****
Returning to Leya’s perspective:
First and foremost, Leya naturally favored quietude and struggled with interpersonal communication. Presently, she found herself at a loss for words, unsure what to say to Miss Angela.
Secondly, Angela herself did not appear particularly eloquent. Leya had already observed her reserved nature, so why force conversation?
‘Well… it was merely a formality, a temporary alliance forged solely for the mission. This wasn’t a skit or a crosstalk performance. Monster hunting demanded action, not chatter. Why bother wasting breath on trivialities?’
Thus, even though Leya sensed Angela’s discomfort, she paid it little mind. She saw no reason to alter her behavior; they were strangers, after all, with no obligation to entertain one another.
Moreover, while Angela possessed a certain delicate charm, she was only marginally attractive. To call her a true beauty…
‘Cough, cough, cough…’
And so, the journey continued in silence.
Until they finally reached their destination.
A rather secluded village.
Disembarking from the carriage, Leya stoically endured the ache in her backside, maintaining her ‘goddess’ demeanor.
What first greeted their eyes was a scene akin to a living hell.
Scattered along the forest path were numerous human and beast limbs, their remnants painting the entire lane crimson with blood.
The source of this horror was none other than their destination—the unassuming village itself.
Angela gagged, a choked cry escaping her lips.
‘Ugh… Standing beside Angela is truly a burden. I nearly got splattered with vomit, you fool!’
‘To possess such little composure and mental resilience… How did she even manage to…’
‘No, perhaps it’s better not to dwell on these thoughts. Leya herself felt a tumultuous churning in her stomach, an undeniable discomfort… Ah, it’s just a simple stomachache! Don’t read too much into it, truly!’
“Angela, are you alright?”
Giles, the party’s designated ‘meat shield,’ approached Angela with a worried expression, offering words of comfort.
Captain Thorne and the archer Gilbert, though their faces were grim, nonetheless maintained their composure.
“According to information from the Guild, the attack occurred approximately two nights ago, carried out by a small pack of Netherworld Wolves that had recently migrated into the area.”
Captain Thorne explained as he led the group deeper into the forest, towards the ravaged village.
Naturally, Thorne had already briefed Leya on these details before their departure, so she was not entirely unaware of the situation.
“The assault had been incredibly sudden, and unlike previous incidents, the wolf pack’s attack seemed remarkably coordinated, specifically targeting areas within the village with weaker defenses.”
“During that ferocious attack, at least two-thirds of the village’s population perished. The remaining survivors, under government arrangements, had decided to collectively relocate to a nearby town.”
“However, no one could predict what dangers might be encountered during the evacuation, as this region bordered the Netherworld Forest. Therefore, to ensure the villagers’ safety and to cover their retreat, the Adventurers’ Guild had issued this mission.”
“Of course, our team is not the only one. To my knowledge, nine other teams, all ranked D-level or higher in strength, will also be participating in this escort operation.”
The Adventurers’ Guild assessed each team’s strength using a ranking system from SSS to F, with each tier corresponding to specific quest difficulties. Higher-ranked adventurer teams accepted more challenging missions, which, in turn, offered more generous rewards.
Finally, after approximately ten minutes of walking, the group entered the village, which was unmistakably in ruins.
No villagers were visible on the streets. Thorne mentioned that everyone had apparently taken refuge in the village church, where the only Level 2 healing priest resided.
“Yo—Brother Thorne!”
Soon after entering the village, Leya’s group encountered another team of six adventurers, similarly outfitted, slowly approaching them. It appeared they were acquainted with Thorne.
“Uh… Brother Chapman, what… what a coincidence, haha…” Thorne’s expression soured upon seeing the newcomers. He forced an unnatural smile.
Observing Thorne’s demeanor, Leya couldn’t help but frown.
“Miss Leya~ Miss Leya~” Gilbert, standing beside her, whispered into Leya’s ear at that moment.
“This Chapman leads an A-rank Guild team. He himself is a Level 3 warrior, and all his subordinates are Level 2. However, I’ve heard his personality is quite unpleasant, and he doesn’t seem to get along with our captain. There are even rumors that he enjoys bullying weaker teams like ours.”
“Is that so…”
Leya replied distractedly.
As Leya scrutinized Chapman and his companions, Chapman, in particular, noticed Leya, and his eyes immediately gleamed.
He openly scrutinized Leya, his gaze lingering, even flashing an inscrutable smile. Leya, however, merely narrowed her eyes, returning his gaze with a faint smile of her own.
“Miss Leya… please calm yourself. While you possess considerable influence within the city, out here, strength reigns supreme. Besides, Chapman has always looked at everyone in our team with that same gaze… so…”
“Alright, alright, I understand.” Leya waved a hand, cutting Gilbert off, yet her tone held a hint of approval. “You’re quite a good person… To be honest, you’re the only one in this team I’ve acknowledged so far!”
“Uh…” At her words, Gilbert’s face flushed crimson instantly. He quickly turned his head away, beginning to hum a completely tuneless melody.
His heart pounded erratically as he muttered to himself, ‘What… what? Why did this noble lady suddenly say such a thing? Could she be interested in me? Oh, I know I’m charming, but so abruptly… Well, this and that…’