The Rift Gate opened once again in a narrow alley within Liora City.
Bzzzz...
A crack in space slowly spread wider.
A moment later...
Hax stepped out.
The black gate closed behind him without leaving a single trace.
The atmosphere of Liora City had changed.
The streets that had once been bustling...
were now noticeably quieter.
Several shops remained closed.
Some buildings still bore damage that had yet to be repaired.
From time to time, residents could be seen wearing mourning clothes.
Many simply sat silently in front of their homes.
The White Ash incident a few days ago...
had claimed far too many lives.
Although the city had been saved...
the wounds it left behind had yet to heal.
Adventurers still came and went.
Merchants had begun reopening their businesses.
But...
the smiles that once filled these streets had disappeared.
Hax quietly observed his surroundings for several seconds.
His System immediately reached a conclusion.
[Civilian Activity: Decreased]
[Commercial Activity: 61%]
[Estimated Recovery Time: Several Months]
"..."
Without saying a word...
he headed straight toward his destination.
A modest wooden house on the outskirts of the city.
A few minutes later...
Knock. Knock.
The wooden door slowly opened.
"...Your Majesty?"
Lyra blinked.
For a brief moment...
she simply stared at Hax.
Then her emerald eyes widened with delight.
"Your Majesty!"
Without thinking...
the Dryad girl threw herself forward.
Hax instinctively caught her before she lost her balance.
"S-Sorry..."
Lyra quickly stepped back, her cheeks faintly flushed.
"I was just... so happy to see Your Majesty again..."
Hax merely nodded.
"I've returned."
Behind Lyra...
a middle-aged man Hax already knew walked over.
"...Your Majesty."
The lumberjack greeted him with a warm smile.
"It hasn't been long since we last met."
"That's right."
"It hasn't."
Without hesitation, he invited Hax inside.
Their small house looked exactly as it had before.
Simple.
Clean.
Comfortable enough for two people.
Hax briefly looked around before turning his gaze toward Lyra.
"I need information."
Lyra immediately straightened her posture.
"What would Your Majesty like to know?"
Hax fell silent for a moment.
"What happened while I was away."
"Especially anything related to the kingdom."
"Understood."
Lyra gathered her thoughts before she began.
"After the White Ash incident..."
"Things in the city changed quite a bit."
"Many people still don't dare travel far from home."
"But..."
"There's one thing everyone has been talking about."
Hax raised his eyes.
"The church in Liora City."
"They've started recruiting a lot of people."
"Recruiting?"
Lyra nodded.
"Yes."
"They're planning to establish a Holy Knight order."
Arven joined the conversation as he gently patted his daughter's head.
"I've heard the same."
"They opened recruitment several days ago."
"Any young person who believes they have talent in combat is welcome to apply."
Lyra continued.
"They say..."
"the decision was made after news spread that Einsvald City had been attacked by the Demon King's army."
"The church leaders are worried..."
"that if the war continues to spread..."
"the kingdom will eventually run out of people capable of fighting."
"They want to train volunteers into Holy Knights."
Hax remained silent.
Lyra spoke again.
"Besides that..."
"Many Rank C and Rank B adventurers have also started leaving the city."
"They've accepted escort requests to various regions."
"They say..."
"monsters near the border have been appearing more and more frequently."
Hax gave a slight nod.
"...That's enough."
"The information is sufficient."
Lyra smiled with relief.
"I'm glad I could be of help, Your Majesty."
For a moment...
silence filled the room.
Then Hax spoke once more.
"There's one more thing."
Lyra and her father both turned toward him.
"I've built a new settlement."
"It's located near the western border."
"There are already houses."
"Defensive walls."
"A warehouse."
"And there's still plenty of room."
He paused briefly.
Then continued in his usual calm tone.
"If you're willing..."
"I'd like the two of you to live there."
"..."
The room instantly fell silent.
Lyra's eyes slowly widened.
"...Huh?"
Her lips trembled slightly.
"Y-Your Majesty..."
"You want us..."
"to live..."
"there?"
Hax nodded once.
"You're my subordinate."
"It will be more efficient if you're close to me."
"Besides..."
"It will be easier for me to protect you."
A simple explanation.
Completely logical.
Completely practical.
But...
to Lyra...
those words carried a meaning far greater than mere efficiency.
Her heart pounded uncontrollably.
A warm happiness filled her chest.
Before she even realized it...
a radiant smile blossomed across her face.
"I'll go!"
The answer escaped her almost instantly.
"I'll go anywhere as long as I'm with Your Majesty!"
Only after saying it aloud did she realize how excited she sounded.
She quickly lowered her head in embarrassment.
The tips of her ears had turned slightly red.
Hax simply took it as a sign of enthusiasm.
"...Good."
He then turned to Arven.
"What about you?"
The middle-aged man let out a quiet chuckle.
"I've always gone wherever my daughter goes."
He looked at Lyra with a gentle smile.
"If she's happy..."
"then I have no objections."
"Besides..."
He laughed softly.
"I've felt for quite some time that this little house has become a bit too cramped."
Lyra looked at her father.
"...Dad."
The man gently stroked her head.
"You've found a place where you're truly needed."
"I'm simply following you."
For the first time in a long while...
their little house felt filled with warmth.
Hax quietly watched the two of them.
"...Then it's settled."
"We're leaving now."
Lyra blinked.
"Right now?"
"There's no reason to delay."
Hax raised one hand.
The space inside the house suddenly began to ripple.
Bzzzz...
Black cracks spread through the air.
Moments later...
the familiar gate appeared before them.
Lyra stared at it in amazement.
"...Incredible..."
Arven swallowed nervously.
"So..."
"We're really going somewhere else... through that?"
"Yes."
Hax stepped into the gate first.
Beyond it...
warm sunlight illuminated towering stone walls standing proudly atop rolling hills.
A castle.
Rows of stone houses.
Neatly paved streets.
And a settlement that far surpassed anything they had ever imagined.
Hax looked back at them.
"Come."
"This is your new home."
Arven stood there for quite some time, staring at the view beyond the gate.
A stone fortress.
Rows of houses.
Well-organized roads.
It was hard to believe...
that all of it belonged to a settlement built only recently.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"...It seems..."
"We're about to begin a new life."
Lyra gave a gentle nod.
Then quietly reached over...
and held her father's hand.
----
The light of the Rift Gate gradually faded.
The moment they stepped out of the Rift Gate...
Nocelle, who had been standing in the courtyard, immediately turned around.
"..."
Her gaze instantly fell upon Lyra.
In an instant...
the faint smile on her face vanished.
Her eyes narrowed.
"...A Dryad?"
The faint yet unmistakable trace of mana immediately caught her senses.
To Nocelle, humans had always been weak beings—hardly worth guarding against.
But a Dryad...
Even if its power was still far beneath her own, it was not something she could afford to underestimate.
As the guardian of this p[ace, vigilance was her duty.
Almost instantly...
the air around Nocelle turned cold.
Fwoosh...
A wave of mana slowly enveloped her body.
Her hand drifted toward her waist.
Ready to draw her weapon at any moment.
Lyra froze.
Her instincts as a monster immediately warned her of the danger.
"...!"
Seeing the sudden change...
Hax spoke at once.
"Stand down."
His voice came faster than usual.
"She isn't an enemy."
Nocelle's gaze never left Lyra.
"...Your Majesty."
"She is a Dryad."
"That's correct."
"She is my subordinate."
"..."
"I personally recruited her."
"Starting today..."
"she will be living here."
Hax paused briefly.
Then added in a slightly firmer tone,
"And she will be under your supervision."
Silence settled over the courtyard for several seconds.
The mana saturating the air gradually faded away.
Nocelle finally relaxed her stance.
"...Understood."
She gave Hax a brief salute.
Only then did she turn her attention to Lyra.
Her expression had already returned to its usual calm.
"Allow me to introduce myself."
"I am Nocelle Cordelia."
"The head maid and the administrator of this territory."
Nocelle bowed once more.
"It is an honor to meet both of you."
Lyra hurriedly bowed in return.
"M-My name is Lyra."
"I look forward to learning from you from today onward."
Arven did the same.
"My name is Arven."
"I'm her father."
Nocelle gave a slight nod.
"As long as you remain loyal to His Majesty..."
"this place is your home as well."
Those simple words brought an unconscious smile to Lyra's face.
Home.
It had been a long time since that word had felt so warm.
Hax then turned his gaze toward Lyra.
"I have a task for you."
Lyra immediately straightened her posture.
"I'm ready."
Hax raised a hand toward the distant forest.
"A large portion of the forest surrounding this territory has been cut down."
"I want it restored."
Lyra followed his gaze.
Only now did she realize...
that large sections of the forest had been left barren.
The remnants of hundreds of felled trees.
As a Dryad...
the sight made her chest tighten.
"Can you do it?"
Lyra nodded firmly.
"I can."
"If it's only accelerating the growth of trees..."
"that's one of my natural abilities as a Dryad."
Hax nodded.
"Then..."
"Take this."
A black ripple appeared beside him.
Bzzz...
Hax reached into his Inventory.
A moment later...
he withdrew a staff that radiated a gentle aura of life.
At its tip rested a clear emerald gemstone, softly glowing as though it were the staff's eye.
Its shaft was crafted from pale, whitish-brown wood, entwined with green vines and leaves that spiraled upward as if they had naturally grown into a single living piece.
It was the Life Staff.
The staff he had once obtained from the Dryad Sovereign.
Hax held it out toward Lyra.
"Use this."
Lyra's eyes widened.
"...Huh?"
Her gaze remained fixed on the staff.
She could feel incredibly pure life mana flowing from within it.
Even as a Dryad...
she had never seen an artifact overflowing with such powerful natural energy.
"Your Majesty..."
"This is far too precious..."
Hax gently shook his head.
"It will be more useful in your hands."
"Take it."
With both hands trembling slightly...
Lyra accepted the Life Staff.
The instant her fingers wrapped around its handle...
the emerald gemstone at its tip emitted a gentle glow.
As though the item had acknowledged its new owner.
"Begin."
"Yes!"
Without another moment's delay...
Lyra ran toward the edge of the forest.
She knelt down.
Then placed one hand upon the ground.
Slowly...
a gentle green light spread in every direction.
Fwoosh...
The grass began to sway.
Tiny sprouts emerged from the soil.
Within seconds...
young trunks rose higher and higher.
Fresh leaves unfurled.
Roots burrowed deep into the earth.
Before long...
dozens of young trees stood proudly across what had once been an empty clearing.
A gentle breeze drifted through the area.
Leaves rustled softly, producing a soothing melody.
Lyra smiled with satisfaction.
"I'll restore everything..."
"little by little."
Not far away...
Arven watched his daughter work with boundless enthusiasm.
A proud smile spread across his face.
But...
a few moments later...
that smile turned awkward.
"..."
"My daughter's working..."
"And I'm just standing here watching..."
"That's... a little embarrassing."
He scratched his cheek.
His gaze wandered around the settlement.
Near the gate...
he spotted Cain unloading logs from a wooden cart.
Alone.
Arven immediately walked over.
"Excuse me."
Cain turned around.
"Oh."
"Welcome."
Arven smiled warmly.
"If you don't mind..."
"May I lend a hand?"
Cain blinked.
"Huh?"
"You know how to chop trees too?"
Arven let out a quiet chuckle.
"I'm not an adventurer."
"But..."
"I've spent my entire life working as a lumberjack."
"I think these old arms are still useful."
Cain broke into a broad grin.
"Of course!"
"I'd be happy to have the help."
The two men shook hands.
"I'm Cain."
"Arven."
"From today onward..."
"I look forward to working with you."
Not far from them...
Hax silently watched everything unfold.
Lyra had found her role.
Arven was already beginning to fit in.
Cain had gained a new companion.
Without even realizing it...
the settlement that had once been nothing but rows of stone buildings...
was slowly beginning to fill with life.
----
A thick morning mist blanketed the western frontier of the Kingdom of Etravia.
Visibility was so poor they could barely see fifty meters ahead.
The only sound breaking the forest's silence was the steady crunch of footsteps.
Rustle... Rustle...
Five adventurers slowly followed a narrow woodland trail.
Spread open in their hands...
was a mission map issued by the Adventurer Guild.
"The fog's thicker than usual today," the archer muttered.
The female mage nodded.
"Good thing Wyverns rely mostly on their eyesight."
"With visibility this bad..."
"they shouldn't be able to spot us easily."
The tank leading the party suddenly came to a halt.
"..."
"Hm?"
The swordsman looked up.
"What is it?"
The tank narrowed his eyes.
"There's..."
"something ahead."
The fog was simply too dense.
All they could make out...
was the outline of a colossal black structure.
It towered high above the trees.
Dominating nearly their entire field of vision.
The mage instinctively tightened her grip on her staff.
"...What..."
"...is that?"
Their pace slowed.
Step by step...
the silhouette became clearer.
It wasn't a mountain.
It had towers.
Massive walls.
A giant gate.
And a towering central keep that rose above everything else.
The entire party stopped in their tracks.
"..."
"..."
No one spoke.
The tank swallowed hard.
"...Hey."
"...We're..."
"...not lost, are we?"
The archer hurriedly unfolded the map.
"N-No..."
"The route's correct."
The priest's face gradually turned pale.
"...Don't tell me..."
"...we've wandered into the Demon King's territory..."
No one denied the possibility.
Because the black fortress slowly emerging from the mist...
looked exactly like the castles described in ancient legends about the Demon King.
Then...
a gust of wind swept through the forest.
As the mist slowly parted...
they saw something none of them had expected.
Thin streams of smoke rose from house chimneys.
Neatly paved stone roads stretched throughout the settlement.
People were hard at work.
And...
dozens of small wooden dolls busily carried furniture and building materials from place to place.
The tank rubbed his eyes.
"I..."
"I'm not imagining this, am I?"
The archer slowly shook her head.
"We passed through this area just last month."
"I'm certain..."
"this place wasn't here."
The swordsman stared at the fortress in silence.
"If the kingdom had built something this massive..."
"the Guild would've notified us."
The priest spoke quietly.
"Then..."
"who does it belong to?"
No one had an answer.
Cautiously, they continued toward the main gate.
As they drew closer...
more of the settlement came into view.
Rows of houses.
A warehouse.
Clean stone streets.
People going about their work.
But...
what fascinated them most...
wasn't the people.
It was the tiny wooden dolls.
Dozens of them.
No...
hundreds.
Some carried lumber.
Others hauled chairs.
Some swept the streets.
Others installed windows.
A few were even watering the plants.
The tank froze.
"...Golems?"
The mage immediately shook her head.
"No."
"They're not golems."
"I can't sense a mana core."
The archer frowned.
"Then..."
"What are they?"
At that moment...
the fortress gate slowly opened.
Grrrrrr...
A silver-haired woman stepped out.
Her black-and-white maid uniform was immaculate, without the slightest speck of dust.
Every movement she made was graceful.
Her expression remained calm and composed.
She offered them a polite bow.
"Welcome."
"How may I assist you?"
The five adventurers exchanged uncertain glances.
Finally, the swordsman stepped forward.
"Sorry to bother you."
"We're adventurers from the Adventurer Guild."
"We're here on a monster subjugation mission."
Nocelle gave a slight nod.
"If you're referring to the Wyvern flock that passed through this region yesterday..."
"they're no longer a threat."
"..."
"..."
"..."
Silence.
The tank blinked several times.
"...Already?"
Even the mage couldn't help asking,
"Who defeated them?"
Without the slightest change in expression, Nocelle answered,
"I did."
"..."
Silence fell once again.
The archer forced an awkward laugh.
"...Haha."
"That's..."
"a good one."
But...
seeing that Nocelle's expression hadn't changed at all...
the smile gradually disappeared from her face.
"...You're..."
"serious?"
Nocelle simply nodded.
"All Wyvern materials have already been transported to the warehouse."
"If the Adventurer Guild requires proof that the mission has been completed..."
"I can show them."
No one responded.
Their minds were still trying to process what they'd just heard.
Twenty-three Wyverns.
Killed.
By...
a maid?
The very idea sounded absurd.
Just as the silence grew heavier...
a black-haired young man appeared, pulling a cart piled high with logs.
"Oh."
"Adventurers?"
The tank immediately walked over.
"Excuse me."
"How long has this fortress been here?"
Cain thought for a moment.
"Hmm..."
"If I had to guess..."
"Only a few days."
"..."
"...What?"
"A fortress this size should've taken years to build!"
Cain scratched his cheek.
"That's what I'd think too."
"But Sir Hax said gathering all the materials actually took longer than building it."
"Huh?"
"Wait..."
"Sir Hax?"
the tank repeated.
"Who's that?"
Cain pointed toward the towering castle at the center of the settlement.
"The owner of this place."
"The one who built the entire fortress."
The five adventurers looked toward the towering black castle once more.
None of them spoke.
The same question echoed through every one of their minds.
Just who in the world was Sir Hax?
And...
how could anyone possibly build a fortress of this scale...
in only a matter of days?
"...The moment we get back..."
"We're reporting this place to the Guild."
The others silently nodded.
They had all reached the same conclusion.
----
Silence still hung over the fortress courtyard.
After a few moments...
the man who had been standing at the front of the group finally stepped forward.
He removed his steel helmet, revealing short brown hair that was slightly tousled.
"Excuse me."
"Allow me to introduce myself."
"My name is Reind."
"I'm the leader of this party."
He gestured toward the others behind him.
"The one carrying the sword is Dieter."
The blond swordsman gave a brief nod.
"A pleasure."
"Our archer is Freya."
The red-haired woman greeted them with a friendly smile and a small wave.
"Our mage..."
"Anneliese."
The woman in a blue robe offered an elegant bow.
"And lastly..."
"Our priest."
"Matthy."
The young man in white robes placed a hand over his chest.
"It's a pleasure to meet you."
Nocelle returned the gesture with a graceful bow.
"I am Nocelle Cordelia."
"The administrator of this territory."
"The pleasure is mine."
A faint smile crossed Reind's face.
"In that case..."
"I have a small request."
Nocelle raised her eyes.
"Please."
"We still have to report back to the Guild."
"Would it be possible for us to take a small portion of the Wyvern materials as proof that the mission has been completed?"
"Of course."
Nocelle raised one hand.
One of the wooden dolls immediately approached.
"Unit Thirteen."
"Bring one Wyvern head along with several scales."
The doll bowed at once.
Then hurried toward the warehouse.
A short while later...
it returned.
But instead of carrying only a handful of scales...
it was dragging something enormous.
A Wyvern's head.
It was nearly the size of a horse-drawn carriage.
Thud...!
The massive head was gently lowered onto the ground.
All five adventurers froze.
"..."
Freya swallowed.
"...It's huge..."
Anneliese crouched down to inspect the scales.
"...There's no mistake."
"An adult Wyvern."
"And it's in remarkably good condition."
Matthy ran a hand over one of its fangs.
"Even..."
"there's barely any damage."
Reind let out a slow breath.
"If the Guild sees this..."
"they'll believe us immediately."
He looked back at Nocelle.
"Thank you."
"You've done us a great favor."
Nocelle simply bowed.
"You're welcome."
Just then...
someone shouted from beyond the gate.
"Cain!!"
"Cain!!"
Everyone turned at once.
A villager came sprinting toward them as fast as he could.
He was gasping for breath.
His clothes were covered in dust.
His face was pale with panic.
The moment he reached Cain...
he grabbed him by the shoulders.
"Cain!"
"You have to come back!"
"Our village is under attack!"
Cain's expression changed instantly.
"...What?"
"Monsters!"
"They came out of the forest!"
"The houses..."
"They're all on fire!"
"...!!"
The color drained from Cain's face.
"My father!"
"My mother!"
He instinctively started to run.
But Reind stepped in front of him.
"Wait."
Cain turned toward him.
Reind rested a hand on the hilt of his sword.
"We're adventurers."
"Protecting civilians is part of our job."
He looked at the rest of his party.
"Freya."
"Dieter."
"Anneliese."
"Matthy."
"We're moving out."
The four of them nodded without hesitation.
"Of course."
"We're not about to stand by and do nothing."
Cain stared at them with wide eyes.
"...You guys..."
Reind gave him a reassuring smile.
"You can thank us later."
"Your village comes first."
The party immediately prepared to leave the fortress.
Then...
Cain turned toward Nocelle.
"Miss Nocelle!"
"Could..."
"Could you help us too?"
The courtyard suddenly fell silent.
Nocelle slowly lowered her head.
"...I'm sorry."
Her voice remained calm.
"His Majesty gave me clear orders."
"As long as he is away..."
"I am to defend this territory."
She raised her head again.
Her gaze remained gentle.
Yet...
there wasn't the slightest trace of hesitation in her eyes.
Reind fell silent for a moment.
If this woman truly possessed the strength they believed she did...
their chances of saving the village would be far greater with her assistance.
But...
he also understood one thing.
To Nocelle...
her master's orders stood above everything else.
Cain looked disappointed.
But he quickly shook his head.
"...No."
"I'm sorry."
"I shouldn't have asked."
Nocelle bowed once more.
"I sincerely pray for your safe return."
Reind nodded.
"In that case..."
"We'll handle the rest."
Not long afterward...
the seven of them disappeared beyond the trees.
Nocelle remained standing, silently watching the direction they had gone.
In the distance...
black smoke slowly began to rise above the treetops.
That village...
was truly burning.
Behind her...
hundreds of wooden dolls continued working tirelessly.
Not a single one abandoned its task.
Because to them...
His Majesty's orders were absolute.