Chapter 1 - Part 2

"To be exact, I'm mixed. One of my parents is not a Myryan. Hence, the name and the appearance. Well, there's a deep story beyond this, but you don't have to know. There's no one in this village who doesn't have a story."

"Oh, yes."

The woman kept her mouth shut as Aris wanted, as he slightly warned her to ask no more questions even though she didn't talk much.

As he said, Aris was different from the people of Myryan, starting with his name. People here usually had black or dark brown hair, dark brown to yellow-eyed, white skin, and round heads. He had more monolids than double-eyelid eyes, and his nose and mouth were small.

However, Aris was normal with his hair color, which was brown in colour, but his face was oval and his eyes were dark. His external characteristics contrasted with the people of Myryan, but in terms of the aura alone, he was different.

Even without Aris' explanation that one of his parents was not a Myryan, it was not difficult to guess that he was a mixed race between people from other countries

Such a unique aura added to his elegant appearance. He had long brown hair, braided as per the custom here, and his clothes were not very neat, which made him look like a tramp. But if he dresses up neatly, he would have looked more handsome. 

"I'm Mirea Janester. Is Aris a short name for Aristes?

Mirea introduced her name and extended her hand for a handshake and felt awkward because the other person didn't respond to her hand first, but fortunately Aris sighed and held her hand. 

"No, it's just Aris."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"People would mistake it for a nickname."

Aris gave only the necessary answers when needed and turned right away to go down the mountain path. He looked at her, turning around, asking if she wanted to follow him, to which she belatedly followed his back.

Aris' belongings were quite simple for a person who wandered alone in the forest where beasts appeared. He wore a rifle on his shoulder and a sword on his waist, which is the type that is commonly used here. But both the rifle and the sword looked old and not good enough, anyone would doubt whether they were properly maintained. It was strange that someone who knew swordsmanship would use such a sword.

"What on earth were you doing here alone?"

"For a hunt." Aris answered briefly.

"In this forest of demons?"

"It can't be helped because there's no other place to hunt in this area other than here. This is the only area where demons rarely appear."

However, Mirea did not find any animal carcasses hunted in Aris' belongings.

 "There are a lot of days when I work hard like today." Aris quickly added.

"Are you alone, then?"

"It's not like there's anyone else in this town who can go hunting, but I'm always alone. It's easy to take care of myself, and not take care of other people. It's annoying to have more people with you. And you're the only one? If you had brought relief supplies, you wouldn't have come alone. Hurry up and tell me more. I'm wondering if I should abandon your body in this forest to avoid bringing suspicious people into the village."

"Oh, you're so rude."

"This is where the Myran government also gave up. Who sends relief supplies? Do you know how many people in this town have died in the past year? Are we really getting relief supplies now? It's weird. Where do you belong?"

And after Aris, who had crossed the steep forest road, where no demons could pass, Mirea replied with a breathless look.

"So that's a good thing. I saw it while coming, and the barriers of divine power surrounding this village were much weaker than I heard. Shouldn't I have to relocate to this village, even if I take the risk?"

"You want to pull the entire village, including young children and the elderly, and pass through a forest full of beasts? It's perfect to be killed in groups."

"But dying from starvation, dying from adventure, or dying anyway is the same. We can withstand some of the aids that came today, but it's only a matter of time. Winter is coming soon, and sooner or later we will have to draw conclusions."

"Mirea Janester, I just asked where you belong, and I don't think I've heard the answer yet."

Aris, looking back at Mirea as she slowed down, was somewhat annoyed. In his watchful eyes, Mirea raised her hands slightly and made a gesture of no hostility.

"There's nothing I can't tell you more about my identity because you're so curious. I'm Agent Mirea Janester with the Task Force of Combat Division of the Lashon Institute of Intelligent Beings. I don't need any other modifiers, you can call me by my name."