Chapter 001. Stories always begin with an introduction

"Ha, I can't believe we're doing this again in the same month! This is the coldest time of the year!"

A man with a thick beard grumbled before going on again with expressing his dislike of the cold. His raucous voice plus the heavy non-Elderrit accent made them sound harsher than intended.

Nobody seem bothered by the noise as others were also talking casually among themselves, as though they already expected such reaction coming from the man.

The overall atmosphere of the small party was laidback; almost rumbustious even because of all the chatters.

The topics going as far as plans where to gamble or good bars to drink cheap beer after.

Admittedly, there isn't anything that could actively keep them on guard while traversing through the dense forest.

Even slashing through the uneven and overgrown terrain of forest vegetation wouldn't be a chore for anyone in this seemingly capable party.

It was just like any other common forest in the kingdom after all. A good place to hunt for wild animals and potentially poisonous plants in some areas if you're not careful.

The real horror exists just outside the barrier.

And they are going there in this jovial atmosphere, which is making the young man's skin crawl in silent terror.

This unusual reaction for a party to a run is more terrifying that the usual somber and ominous atmosphere that he's used to.

It's like he's the only one aware of the impending danger ahead. And he's about to survive or die along with this people.

The barrier shows a faded iridescent blue color under the twilight sky. Even across great distance, anyone can see the barrier's impressive height and purest flow of Aurora.

A telltale sign to anyone with enough sense to never trespass beyond the boundary.

Not like they could or dare to—until now.

'Am I mistaken? Is this a suicidal cult?'

Bizarre "what-ifs" began formulating in the young man's mind, causing his demeanor to turn rigid in panic.

If it weren't for his father's old debts that needed to be paid after he disappeared from their lives when he was young, he would never be this desperate to accept this ill-fated side job just for the huge money.

Even adrenaline junkies wouldn't be this stupid to illegaly step out of the barrier without military-grade protection or weapon or violate an official law in general.

Alarmed, the young man nervously inched closer to the nearest person beside him, which was a young man slightly older by a couple years with shoulder length blonde hair.

"Excuse me, do you know who's the organizer of this run?"

"Oh? You must be new. Never seen you here before." The man remarked with a silvery tone and amiable smile. If you look hard enough you can probably imagine sparkles behind the man.

"You don't understand, the thing is," he cupped a hand over his mouth to speak urgently, "I think I got the party mixed up. I shouldn't be here."

The man laughed, patting him on the back. "I can assure you, you're in the correct party. Some just got used to this job so you can see them just taking it easy."

"Ah, I told them to tone their noise down. They're scaring the part-timers every time." He sighed and clicked his tongue at one noisy group near them.

Then he turned back to the young man, causing the young man to flinch. "As I was saying, didn't somebody recruited you personally and gave you to the address to our meeting place?"

The young man nodded, but didn't mention that the recruiter was his own chief tactician just sent his men to an illegal party—one that they should've been cracking down themselves—to possibly die just for a money.

He's still reeling with that fact, but that's another issue to ponder for another time.

The man seem satisfied with his answer and said brightly, "Then you're in the right party!

And we're very secure as the giant black market so nobody will know you're with any of us plus there probably wouldn't be other illegal parties like ours with huge balls to go outside without a subjugation permit right now."

'I'm glad you're self-aware,' the young man thought.

"So you're not a cult?" He whispered. "You're not sending anyone as a blood sacrifice to Jemima or something?" He added just to make sure.

"Of course! We're just here for the money like you are. The pay is great for vagrants and criminals who couldn't get a stable job in their towns." The man explained.

The man didn't notice the young man's face turned ashen at his lighthearted words. Majority in this party are villains...that's probably difficult to sink in.

The man hummed thoughtfully before continuing, "You'll see them in action soon...But there's someone you'll probably find even more amazing once they do their work."

"They're the backbone of this entire party and the reason why those shitheads are so lax in a run." He finished with a positive tone to reassure the young man.

'That person must be a retired a knight right?'

The young man was starting feel reassured when he caught sight of an un-imbued pickaxe peeking in his racksack.

'That won't do shit outside!'

Even their porters carries an imbued pickaxe and a standard Tyrfing every run.

He wanted scream at the man's poor choice of survival, but he kept his face neutral not wanting to offend someone who is polite first to him.

The young man gulped and didn't look like he could take his words lightly again as he asked gravelly.

"So wh-what is your position in here...sir? If you don't mind me asking."

"Hmm?...ah! Just call me Caelum. I'm just a researcher. I'm here for some Leviath materials." He answered, shooing his hand dismissively.

The young man still bend his upper body hastily with his forearm over his stomach, which is the military's standard salute. "My name is Miroh Agreste, Sir Caelum."

"By the way, Sir, are they also from the military?" Miroh whispered, eyeing the rugged men carrying heavy loads to each of the wagons with them.

"Not all. In fact, most of the people here are our porters." Caelum brought it up casually that Miroh almost didn't find anything wrong about it.

"Really?! What about that guy?"

Miroh then pointed to the angry bearded guy from earlier, who looks pretty aggressive at first glance.

"Ah. That guy is a blacksmith who appraised all Leviath relics we can sell to the black market." Caelum answered casually.

"Really?!"

Caelum shrugged, noticing the Miroh's incredulous look pointed at him. It was a look he expected anyway.

"Well, you'll understand later once we get outside."

Miroh shruddered, wallowing in his rotten luck. He isn't looking forward to that idea.

...

The party had walked for roughly two hours and a half now since entering the forest via the closest small town near the barrier; when they broke through a small clearing.

You can barely pass it as a clearing since it was just a few yards of distance from the tree line to the barrier.

They eventually stopped the planned point of entry, which was already prepared for them to be undetected by any military faction at this time.

Thanks to a certain chief tactician.

"Everybody gather up and mount your horses!" A bespectacled woman with dark unruly locks of hair announced loudly, which set off all men to move.

Miroh observe the bespectacled woman say something to an intimidatingly tall and huge guy before the scuttling of other people with their horses in front of him blocked his sight.

Miroh was about to follow the woman, which he assumes is the organizer, when Caelum steered him to another direction.

"We should get our horses too, greenie."

"Hey—wait!"

Caelum piped up then began guiding him by the shoulders despite Miroh's unwillingness to the direction of an old man with an eyepatch on his left eye.

The person leaning on the tree beside several other horses gave Caelum a scathing look. "What took you kids so long? Nasty kids, making a sick man wait in this cold weather. There's no use of your healthy bodies."

"Hello, to you too, Old man Cygnus." Caelum waved as they walked over.

Caelum took the reigns of two horses and gave the other reign to the silent Miroh.

"This is the person?" The one wearing the eyepatch asked gruffly, sizing him up and down causing Miroh to tense up upon noticing the man's intention.

When it seem like he had seen enough, he faced Caelum with an accusatory stare. "He's a sapling kid. Why did you accept a young sapling?"

"Well, he's a really talented kid." Caelum answered patronizingly as if they knew each other for a long time. "Actually, He's one of the top seedling in the military!"

Miroh flinched at the incredulous lie. He couldn't even go along with the lie as he glance at Caelum dumbfounded.

"Really?" Old man Cygnus gave them a dubious look before shrugging. "Whatever, get on with it. I want to go back to my orchids early."

Caelum notice the Miroh's crestfallen look as they went back. It seems like this kid carries some personal complexes that he unintentionally put to him in that situation.

"Don't take his words personally. Old man Cygnus look spiteful but he's a nice guy. " Caelum consoled.

"What happened to him?" Miroh asked curiously.

"He lost his left eye from a mining accident and his mouth became like that due to a nerve damage."

"That must have been hard for him." Miroh uttered lowly.

"Nobody wanted to hire him in his town because of his scary appearance so we hired him to bring the horses ahead for us."

These were people who probably got put off by his appearance at first look wihout bothering to learn his circumstance.

"You guys actually hire people with good intentions." Miroh muttered looking like he was just seeing the truth by now.

"Hey, what the heck did you think of us!?" Caelum protested, finding Miroh's expression incredulous.

"A cult." Miroh answered him too quickly, which made it sound believable.

"I told you we're not a cult!"

"Yes, yes. I believe you." Miroh nodded half-heartedly to appease his only acquaintance in this party.

"By the way, Sir, did you really know I'm a knight?" Miroh suddenly changed the topic, recalling the event from earlier.

He wasn't wearing any identification that could link him to the Wintermoon. The most they would have think is he's a farmer's son.

Caelum calmed himself down after getting riled up right there. This person has the talent of setting him off like a certain person.

"Well, aside from the fact that I know who recruited you, obviously. Your poorly hidden Tyrfing is a dead giveaway."

Caelum then pointed to the sheathed sword wrapped in white linen cloth strapped to his hip.

"Among the part-timers we had before, your weapon revealed to everyone you're a knight as plain as day."

Miroh froze before proceeding on walking cautiously, giving intermittent glances to others.

He did predict that having an uncalibrated Tyrfing will give him some troubles in the future. But isn't this too much?

Caelum grinned in amusement at the young man's fidgety manner. Everybody needs someone like this greenie's transparent personality in the military.

"Don't worry about them. They don't have any strong opinion against the military." Caelum stated.

"So you guys already knew that I'll be here?" Miroh muttered. He felt very stupid acting too cautious in the first place.

"Why do you think I'm sticking here for? Of course, it's to guide you along the run!"

Miroh wasn't impress at his confident words and looked away while sighing.

"Oh! Looks like we're going now." Caelum suddenly spoke up then agilely mounted his horse with a light spring of his feet.

Miroh also noticed some were already on top of their horses and proceeded to clumsily double check his saddle before mounting his horse.