The afternoon sun hung high above Blue Feather.
A warm breeze drifted through the small frontier town.
Despite the hour, the streets remained lively.
Merchants called out from roadside stalls, advertising their goods.
Children laughed as they ran between buildings.
Travelers came and went from inns, supply shops, and market stalls.
Then—
the distant whistle of a train echoed across the valley.
**SHHHHHHHHHH!!**
A massive plume of steam billowed into the sky.
Metal wheels screeched against the rails.
The train gradually slowed as it pulled into the station.
Workers immediately moved into position.
Passengers gathered their luggage.
Cargo crews prepared carts and unloading equipment.
Moments later—
the train came to a complete stop.
Its doors swung open.
People began pouring onto the platform.
Merchants.
Travelers.
Laborers.
Adventurers.
The usual crowd.
Among them—
five figures stepped off the train together.
Unlike most of the passengers—
they moved with purpose.
At the front walked a tall lizardman.
Dark green scales covered his muscular frame.
Heavy armor protected his chest and shoulders.
A massive broadsword rested across his back.
His sharp yellow reptilian eyes calmly surveyed the surroundings.
Beside him strode a human knight.
He had short brown hair and wore polished steel armor.
A sturdy shield was strapped securely across his back.
His confident stride belonged to someone long accustomed to the battlefield.
A few steps behind them—
a man wearing round spectacles adjusted the strap of the leather satchel hanging from one shoulder.
A wooden staff rested comfortably in his hand.
A mage.
His observant eyes rarely stayed in one place for long.
He quietly studied everything around him.
To his left walked a kobold demi-human dressed in light leather armor.
Smaller than the rest of the group.
Quick on his feet.
His sharp ears twitched every so often as they picked up the sounds around him.
Twin daggers rested at his hips.
A scout.
Or perhaps a rogue.
Bringing up the rear—
a young woman carried a bow across her back.
Her expression remained calm.
Alert.
Her eyes constantly swept over the surrounding houses.
The narrow alleys.
The rooftops.
The crowds.
Never lingering on any single place for too long.
The five travelers left the station together.
Passing through the gates, they entered Blue Feather's bustling main street.
Several townsfolk glanced in their direction.
Then quickly looked away.
Adventuring parties weren't uncommon.
Especially in a frontier town situated along several major trade routes.
The human knight stretched his arms over his head.
Finally breaking the silence.
"So..."
He looked around with curiosity.
"This is Blue Feather."
The kobold lifted his nose and sniffed the air.
Then frowned.
"...It smells like chickens."
The archer couldn't help but laugh.
"That's because nearly half the town raises them."
The kobold froze.
His ears flattened.
"...That many?"
The mage adjusted his glasses.
"According to the guidebook, poultry exports account for nearly thirty percent of the town's annual revenue."
The kobold slowly turned toward him.
"...You actually read that thing?"
The mage looked genuinely confused.
"I read everything."
The human knight groaned.
"...Of course you do."
The lizardman remained silent throughout the conversation.
His gaze continued moving across the streets.
The shops.
The passing crowds.
Eventually—
it settled on the Adventurers' Guild farther down the road.
Only then did he speak.
His voice was deep.
Calm.
Steady.
"...Did the informant mention where he would be waiting?"
The mage adjusted his glasses once more before answering.
"He did."
Reaching into his satchel, he unfolded a neatly folded note.
"Our informant said he'd be waiting at the Adventurers' Guild."
The kobold's ears twitched.
"He also said to ask for someone named 'Blue Bird.'"
The human knight frowned.
"...Blue Bird?"
"That's the name he gave."
The archer shrugged.
"Could be a codename."
The lizardman gave a single nod.
"Then let's not waste any time."
The others nodded in agreement.
Without another word—
the five left the station district and headed deeper into Blue Feather.
---
A few minutes later—
the Adventurers' Guild came into view.
A sturdy two-story building constructed from heavy timber and stone.
The sounds of lively conversation spilled through the open entrance.
Laughter.
Arguments.
The clinking of mugs.
The occasional burst of cheering.
The five stepped inside.
The bustling guild hall quieted ever so slightly.
Several adventurers looked up.
"...New faces?"
"They don't look local."
"That lizardman's huge..."
The whispers lasted only a few moments before most returned to their meals, drinks, and conversations.
The group remained near the entrance.
The archer slowly looked around the crowded hall.
"So..."
She smiled faintly.
"How exactly are we supposed to find this guy?"
The mage opened his mouth.
"I think—"
"You're here."
A calm voice interrupted him.
The group turned.
A lean man dressed in plain traveling clothes stood a short distance away.
Nothing about him stood out.
Average height.
Average build.
The sort of face people forgot almost the moment they looked away.
His eyes swept calmly across the five newcomers before settling on the lizardman.
The lizardman stepped forward.
"...Are you?"
The man gave a single nod.
"Blue Bird."
Silence.
The five exchanged brief glances.
The kobold muttered under his breath,
"...That's actually his name?"
The man either didn't hear him—
or simply chose to ignore the comment.
Instead, he turned toward the exit.
"Come with me."
No explanation.
No greeting.
No unnecessary words.
The lizardman studied him for a brief moment.
Then gave a single nod.
"Move."
The party immediately followed.
The guild doors swung open once again.
They stepped back into the warm afternoon sunlight.
Blue Bird led them away from the bustling main streets.
Not toward the marketplace.
Not toward the inns.
Instead—
he guided them through narrower roads.
Past rows of warehouses.
Past quiet residential homes.
Toward a far less crowded district of Blue Feather.
Not a single word was exchanged.
Only the steady rhythm of footsteps echoed softly through the peaceful frontier town.