Chapter 5
[One hour earlier.]
The Adventurer's Guild was crowded, as it usually was at this hour.
Adventurers gathered around the request board, clerks sorted through completed quests, and the sound of conversation filled the hall.
Nothing about the afternoon suggested that the capital was about to face an event no one could explain.
I was Samuel Pie, an S-rank adventurer.
For once, I had no urgent assignment waiting for me.
I sat near the window with a mug of beer, hoping to enjoy the rest of my day in peace.
But the rumors I had heard in town kept returning to my thoughts.
A dragon had supposedly been seen in the Vast Green Field.
I had dismissed the story when I first heard it.
The Vast Green Field was a training ground for new adventurers.
Thousands passed through it every day.
If a creature as extraordinary as a dragon had appeared there, the report would have spread far beyond a few tavern conversations.
Besides, dragons belonged to ancient records and disputed legends.
There were no confirmed sightings, no remains, and no reliable evidence that one had ever existed.
The old texts described them as beings capable of bringing entire empires to ruin, but stories were not proof.
I took another drink.
It was probably nothing more than an exaggerated account of a powerful monster.
"A day off. That is all I need."
I muttered.
Then my instincts stirred.
My hand stopped halfway to the mug.
The noise of the guild seemed distant as every sense in my body sharpened.
I had learned to recognize that feeling through years of dangerous expeditions.
It came when something powerful was nearby, or when danger was approaching.
I set the mug down and looked toward the entrance.
"What is that...?"
The air changed.
A moment later, blue mana spread across the capital.
People began looking around, confused by the strange light flowing through the streets.
At first, it seemed almost beautiful.
But I could not bring myself to admire it.
The mana was immense, and I could not identify its source.
I rose and hurried outside.
The sight stopped me in my tracks.
Blue mana covered the capital as far as I could see, stretching beyond the rooftops and walls.
It continued to expand, flowing from the direction of the Vast Green Field.
That was no ordinary spell.
I could not even begin to estimate how much mana it contained.
Then it stopped.
The pressure struck without warning.
My knees hit the ground, and the breath left my lungs.
It felt as though the entire sea had been placed above me.
My arms trembled as I struggled to keep myself upright.
"Urgh..."
I had faced monsters that could tear through an adventurer party.
I had survived battles that left experienced fighters dead.
Yet I could barely withstand the pressure coming from somewhere beyond the capital.
If this was only the mana reaching us from a distance, what would happen to anyone standing near its source?
I searched my memory for an explanation.
Could one of the monarchs be responsible?
It seemed unlikely.
They were powerful, neutral forces, and there was no reason for one to unleash such an overwhelming presence over an ordinary city.
Could it be a monster?
I had never encountered one whose mana could affect an entire capital.
I had never even heard of such a creature in the guild's records.
"What kind of being could produce this...?"
The rumor returned to me.
A dragon in the Vast Green Field.
I had laughed it off earlier.
Now, with my body pressed against the ground by an unseen force, I could no longer dismiss it so easily.
"A dragon..."
The word felt absurd.
Dragons were supposed to be legends, beings from an age no living person had witnessed.
If one truly existed, then the balance of the world could change overnight.
"If that rumor is true, everything may be different from now on."
I tightened my grip against the stone beneath me and forced myself to keep looking toward the field.
The pressure showed no sign of easing.
Then the temperature began to fall.
At first, I thought the sensation was another effect of the mana.
But the cold grew sharper with every passing moment.
I raised my head and stared toward the Vast Green Field.
A mountain stood on the horizon.
An enormous mountain of ice had appeared where there had been open land.
Its surface shimmered beneath a pale blue haze.
Even from the capital, I could see the scale of it.
The cold seemed to reach us despite the distance.
I knew what high-level ice magic could do.
I had seen skilled mages freeze rivers and raise walls of ice.
But this was beyond anything I could compare it to.
No ordinary mage, not even an archmage, could create something on this scale.
The pieces began to fit together.
The mana.
The pressure.
The sudden formation of the mountain.
The rumors that I had dismissed only an hour earlier.
For the first time, I seriously considered that a dragon might have appeared in the world.
The blue mana finally began to recede.
The pressure lifted, and I managed to draw a full breath.
Around me, people were still recovering.
Some had collapsed.
Others remained on their knees, unable to understand what had happened.
I looked toward the distant mountain.
Whatever had caused this was still out there.
"I need to report this to the Guild Master."
I returned to the guild as quickly as I could.
There was no time to treat this as another rumor.
***
By the time Samuel finished his report, I had read through the documents he brought with him twice.
I was Silver Jake, Guild Master of the Adventurer's Guild.
I had dealt with monster outbreaks, dangerous expeditions, and incidents that threatened entire settlements.
I had learned not to let fear dictate a decision.
But the report in front of me was difficult to approach with ordinary judgment.
"You believe a dragon caused the mana outburst?"
Samuel stood across from my desk.
His expression was serious.
He was not a man who frightened easily, and I trusted his instincts.
That did not make the conclusion any easier to accept.
"I cannot prove it."
He replied.
"But the source of the mana came from the Vast Green Field. The ice mountain appeared there immediately afterward."
"No known mage or monster should be capable of producing an event like this."
I leaned back and studied the report.
The details matched what I had felt myself.
Even inside my office, the mana pressure had been strong enough to make my body tense.
I had not experienced anything comparable in decades.
"How many people were affected?"
"Nearly everyone in the capital felt it. Most ordinary people lost consciousness."
"The more experienced adventurers managed to remain awake, but even they struggled to stand. Fortunately, we have received no reports of serious casualties."
That was a relief, but it did little to lessen the concern.
An event of this scale could not be ignored.
If the source was hostile, the capital might not be so fortunate the next time.
I looked again at the description of the mountain.
We could not afford to declare that a dragon existed based on a single incident.
At the same time, dismissing the possibility would be reckless.
"We need to confirm what happened."
I said.
Samuel's expression tightened.
"You intend to send an investigation team?"
"Yes. Call four more S-rank adventurers. You and I will lead the investigation."
He stared at me for a moment before placing a hand on the desk.
"Guild Master, with respect, that is a dangerous decision. If a dragon is truly responsible, even a team of S-rank adventurers may not be enough to protect ourselves."
"I am aware of that."
I kept my voice steady.
I had already considered the risk.
Sending inexperienced adventurers would be irresponsible, especially when we had no idea what awaited us.
The purpose of the expedition was to observe and confirm the situation, not to challenge whatever had caused the event.
"We are going to investigate, not engage. If the situation is beyond our ability, we retreat. I will not order anyone to fight something we do not understand."
Samuel remained silent.
He knew the danger as well as I did.
But waiting without gathering information would leave the capital exposed to an unknown threat.
"Once we know what we are dealing with, we can decide on our next course of action."
I continued.
"Until then, no one is to approach the site without authorization."
I met his eyes.
"Get moving, Samuel."
He hesitated briefly, then straightened.
"...Yes, sir."