Inside a rocking carriage, four people are sitting silently facing each other. Jin averted his gaze outside, looking at the scenery of a green plain stretching far and wide.
On the side, Silvia's face stiffened like a statue. Her gaze dropped, cheek tainted with a flush of pink. She nervously curled her fingers on the skirt for being in such close distance to a boy around her age.
Worse, he was her admired person and a person she wanted to know.
In front of the two, Ryan and Marina, their gaze shrank for some reason.
The reason for that is that earlier, when the Duke had decided the issues and sent the two to investigate the cause, Silvia suddenly begged him to participate in this mission, bringing Jin as her guard.
"Um, Lord Midnight, Lady Marina. You must not blame Jin, for all of this was just my selfish wish all along." Silvia's clear voice broke the tension between the two parties as she noticed that his parents kept staring at him.
Ryan softly exhaled and leaned his back to the sofa, while Marina crossed her arms, softly exhaled, and murmured something, "I can't believe it; he did it again…"
Marina was concerned about Jin's reckless behavior and impulsiveness. She knew Jin was strong after hearing about his story of being trapped inside a separate space and training his sword for centuries.
Marina is aware of that, but somehow, her motherly instinct whispers to him that Jin is slowly drifting further from her.
That is the cause of the disturbance in her mind.
Also, the battle that happened months ago, when she witnessed his tattered, charred body lying motionlessly on the ground. That image seared an unimaginable pain that shredded her heart.
"Mother?" Jin's soft voice broke through the horrifying images, and she lifted her gaze. In front of him, her son, Jin peeked from under with brows knitted in worry. "Are you okay?"
Marina nodded her head and gently opened her lips, "Yeah, I am just thinking about something".
"I see". Jin took one last look before shifting his gaze to his father.
The man squinted his eyes, and a stifling pressure aimed at him jolted his mind alert. Jin kept his face neutral before exerting a bit of his Mind sword skill to negate the pressure.
Ryan's face broke into a pleasant smile as he straightened his posture and faced the girl before him. "Lady Silvia, are you sure about this mission?".
"Yes, I'm truly grateful for this incredible chance you gave me." Silvia placed her palm on the chest plate. She murmured, "I realized I need to do something to break this curse I'm holding in."
"Lady Silvia". Ryan's ears perked up, but unable to hear her muttering.
"No, nothing".
The carriage shook as it glided through the rocky surface at a rapid speed. After the discussion, the Duke permitted them to use the carriage as they saw fit.
A lone young guard sat on the couch, holding the reins of two powerful horses that whined in ecstatic snorts as blood pumped through their veins.
After a tedious attention to the reins, the guard witnessed a settlement mentioned in the mission. He knocked on the carriage window next to the Midnight Viscount and spoke, "My Lord, we almost arrived."
"Mm, alright". Ryan's deep voice echoed in the guard's ears as he whipped the horse to accelerate.
As the sun shifted a bit to the west, many kids saw a black carriage approaching them, raising a cloud of dust in its path. Their faces stiffened, and some stumbled on their feet and fell to the ground.
One of the kids who met Jin stepped up and spread his hands wide to protect his other friends. His body went rigid, witnessing the two horses that lunged toward him with intensity.
But before it crushed him, the rein was pulled, and the horse stomped the dirt so hard that it left a mark, and the carriages stopped.
The kid trembled as he felt the tension leave his body. His legs gave out, and he fell to the ground with a dull thud. He looked up and saw the horses neigh and snort, feeling satisfied with what they had done.
With a creak, the door in the carriage opened, and a black-haired boy and silver-haired beauty appeared, taking his breath away.
"Oh, it's you…".
Hearing a familiar voice that rang in his ear, the kid glanced at the source and widened his eyes. "Sir Adventurer?".
"Yep, I'm. Are you alright?". Jin approached the kids and pulled them one by one from the grounds.
"You know them, Jin?". Came a deep and solemn voice that loomed over the children in the villages.
Their eyes trembled upon seeing Ryan standing behind Jin; his lips curved in a smile. "Yeah, I met them earlier."
"Is that so?". Ryan's gaze swept over the children, making their bodies rooted in place and blood drained from their faces. "I'm sorry for scaring you guys".
Ryan reached out his hand and patted the kid's head one by one; his gentle expression and calm demeanor melted the children's hearts as they squirmed in glee. Their eyes glittered in stars, watching the figure of strong and gentle Ryan.
Meanwhile, Marina and Silvia, who stood behind, watched the two males with parted lips. Marina was another, but Silvia unconsciously reached to her heart as her facial muscles loosened, watching the scene with warmth.
"W-What happened!?". One of the male adults appeared with bated breath, hearing the commotion at the village entrance.
"Oh, someone's come. That's perfect". Jin stepped forward, approaching the man.
"You are?". The male adult squinted his eyes before nodding, "The young adventure from earlier".
"I'm glad you recognize me," Jin patted his chest in relief. He turned to his back and watched as his father approached his side.
"Nice to meet you. We were Adventurers, and the Duke personally sent us to investigate the Dungeon. Is it still there?" Ryan's calm voice penetrated the male mind and made him stand like a statue.
"U-Um, it was". The male stammered, his lips and eyes trembling as he faced Ryan's presence. If what the Adventure before him said is true, then he was somewhat of a respectable figure he is unaware of. "Um, excuse my rudeness…".
"No, please. We are nothing but Adventurers." Ryan patted the male shoulder and asked him in a gentle voice, "We would appreciate it if you could show us the way."
The male snapped from his trance as he glanced at the surroundings and witnessed four pairs of eyes staring at him. His body jolted in a deep bow, and his hand pointed to the left side, "P-Please, come this way!"
He strode off, leaving the four of them to exchange glances and laugh in a silly manner. "Please take care of the horses". Ryan glanced back and nodded.
"Understood, Lord Midnight". The guard placed his hand on the chest and gave them a salute.
Ryan glanced to the side and jerked his head, gesturing to his son, "You lead the way, Jin."
"Okay". Jin softly exhaled and walked in front, leading the group.
The quiet atmosphere in the villages was colored by a contrast of crimson that rose from the west. Jin inhaled deeply to enjoy the ethereal moment that soothed his heart as they arrived at the barn.
Just like he left earlier, the place was still packed with people, each holding farming tools in preparation for something terrible to happen.
One of the elders in the village approached him and said, "Welcome, Oh!? It was you, young adventurer."
"I'm back, village chief". Jin started to explain his second visit. "So, here is what I receive…".
Ryan and Marina stood side by side in the back and watched their son's back. Their eyes blinked for a moment, and they saw a silhouette of them talking to some elderly villagers in some places.
It was some fleeting memories that are still treasured deep in their minds, a testament to their journey from a bunch of scrawny kids to becoming successful in life.
Their gaze softened, and their loosened lips parted in genuine smiles, bringing them nostalgic warmth.
Silvia, who stood beside them, watched them silently. Her heart pounded and heat started to gather around her cheek as her gaze lingered on the boy's back, 'What is wrong with me?' she asked.
"Okay, thank you very much, village chief".
"No, no, it would be my pleasure to help you guys".
Jin nodded his head and returned to his group. He swept his gaze to witness a strange fleeting atmosphere hung between them. 'What's wrong with them?' Jin shook his head to ignore it and went straight to business.
"I have the village chief's permission about the branch building; the guild and chief will discuss it later. And what should we do for our investigation? Do we enter right now and take a peek inside? Or wait for tomorrow and thoroughly investigate the depths?".
Ryan shifted his side toward the horizon. The golden light mixed with a crimson hue cast its glare upon the land. It was almost time for the sun to change its shift. He turned to the side and witnessed Marina nodding her head.
"What do you want to do, Jin?".
"Excuse me?" Jin lifted his gaze, his eyes knitted in wonder. The things he asked were thrown back in his face. He looked at his parents. Their gaze was soft, but there was a firm determination residing within.
For a few seconds, Jin squeezed his brain and turned to them. The gaze from his parents was like a weight that pressed his mind. He didn't know what kind of test they gave him.
"I want to investigate it right now, but…". Jin's fingers curled up as he exhaled sharply, "Sadly, we don't have the necessary tools for camping, and my main reason is. I still don't have much knowledge about Dungeon, so…".
Jin turned to his parents and sadly announced. "Let's do this tomorrow".
"Okay, we will follow your instructions". Ryan nodded, the same as Marina beside him.
"Thanks,,,". Jin looked toward the forest, where the Dungeon was present; his Jade Eyes skill captured a fleeting murky miasma that leaked out, but not too severe as if it covered his entire vision.
'...Wait a minute?'. He turned back to his parents, "Since when did I take the leadership of the group?".