The Songbird

"A spell?" Leo's eyebrows furrowed as he thought back to the different reactions of the recent crowd members.

"Uh-huh." The bard patiently explained, "I have a spell that can alter the very sound coming from my own voice. It can change the contents of my words as well as make listeners hear the most beautiful melody. The most unique thing about it though, is that the songs I sing will always be heard differently depending on the individual."

"So, what you're saying is," Leo spoke carefully, "the song that I heard just now wasn't actually the one you were playing?"

"Correct," the bard nodded as he put on a sheepish grin. "Throughout my years of traveling, I've had misunderstandings with lots of people, some of whom with a tad bit of aggression mind you, when they accidentally overheard me during the middle of my performance. It can really be quite hectic sometimes."

"....Is-is that so? Then I'm sincerely sorry about this."

Leo bowed his head in apology, hoping it could hide some of his embarrassment. To think he had developed suspicion towards this person... it was a good thing that he previously stopped himself from attempting to jump the bard earlier, otherwise things would have become awkward.

"Don't worry about it," the bard didn't seem to be upset as he casually waved his left hand to placate Leo. While maintaining a cheery attitude, he replied, "Next time, I hope you can listen to my music without the misunderstanding. I promise you, my full performance is quite a real treat.

"Not only do the songs change depending on the person and their current mood, but you'll rarely get to listen to the same thing twice! It's really miraculous if I do say so myself."

The bard held a proud expression as he boasted about this unique spell. This had awakened a surge of curiosity within Leo.

Carefully, he chose to ask, "Did you invent this spell yourself?"

"Of course!" the bard replied. "It took me quite a few years, but I was able to successfully establish my own signature magic. If you ask me, I think it at least deserves to be considered Master level!"

'Is he bragging?' Leo thought. Master level spells were one of the most difficult techniques for sentient species to learn, not just for their sheer capabilities but also for their complex magic arrays. Mages who can accurately study them are usually some of the highest powers in a kingdom. Beyond that are the demigods who can reach the Divine level, as well as the worshipped deities who are Unclassified.

'Is he unaware of how absurd his claim is? Or is he really that confident?'

For now, Leo decided not to comment on anything else as he prepared to leave; he could feel his stomach starting to rumble.

"Well, sorry again for the misunderstanding," Leo waved his hand with a stoic expression as he began to turn away. "I have to do some important shopping for today, so I guess I'll see you next time."

"Ah, yes, you should do as you will," the bard did not lose his enthusiasm despite the latter's lack of reaction towards his boast. Waving his feathered hat after emptying its contents into his bag, the bard replied, "My name is Remus. But those who know me call me The Songbird!"

"I'm Leo," Leo replied back in polite courtesy.

As the two separated, a tiny glint of fire briefly emerged from one of the feathers on Remus' hat. Unfortunately, it vanished in a split second before anyone could see it.

----------

After walking around the marketplace and enjoying the sights, Leo's mind slowly began to recall that he currently didn't have a single coin on him.

This couldn't be helped. It had been his very first quest, so Leo had stashed nearly all his supplies back at the rented apartment before he set out. Then there was the matter of those strangely evolved goblins which had left a deep impression on him.

The realization that he didn't have any money, however, came a little too late when he had already entered a stall and was asking the seller to buy some fruit.

Without the ability to pay for anything, Leo was immediately chased out of annoyance by the stall's owner after stuttering that he'd forgotten to bring his purse. It seemed that, after the whole ordeal with the bard, he ended up in yet another embarrassing situation.

Thankfully, the stall owner didn't make a huge scene (likely because Leo's sword was prominently sheathed at his side) and only made a small fuss before telling the penniless person to leave.

After making a back-and-forth trip from the market and his apartment, Leo was finally able to buy some food and snacks to eat. Due to the dangerous battle with the Goblin King and his minions, along with the tedious back-and-forth walking through the forest and streets, Leo felt himself nearly starving for a meal.

He decided to eat his fill back at the apartment, and gladly chose to rest on his bed afterwards once he became full.

"What a day," Leo said to nobody while gazing up at the ceiling and rubbing his belly. "I nearly died on my first day as a true adventurer..."

The intense battle and fierce desperation he experienced in that cave made him very nervous for the future.

"Gerald was right. A sparring match can't even be compared to a real fight, especially if it's to the death."

That mighty pressure the Goblin King exuded still deeply lingered in Leo's mind. The look of killing intent from an intelligent species, and the smell of blood that pervaded his senses which could be traced back to both his allies and enemies... For a moment, Leo thought he had been on the edge of death.

Although Gerald was a very serious and talented instructor, a man who'd once been a veteran of war and possessed a record of helping numerous students understand the difficulties of combat, his job as a teacher still had its limits.

While Leo was certain that Gerald was much stronger than the Goblin King, his teacher had never once demonstrated any true killing intent to his class throughout his years at school. At the most, students at Halo Academy would only ever be subjected to Gerald's murderous gaze (either for the sake of practice or if one unintentionally pissed him off).

Right now, Leo really needed to find some new ways to improve his fighting abilities. Originally, he'd thought that his experiences at the academy would've been enough, but now he understood that the path of an adventurer was much riskier than he previously imagined. Had he not partnered up with new comrades, who knew how that quest would have ended. Likewise, it was also the same for Alex and the others.

'I need more combat-oriented spells,' was the first thing that came to Leo's mind as he pondered ways to get past this setback. 'And perhaps some methods to adapt to changing environments. That strange time-slowing item would have been the end of me if that Goblin King hadn't decided to aim for Alex first.'

Tomorrow morning, he would be meeting up with his new team and have a discussion on how they would handle their affairs from here on out. This could be an opportunity for Leo to obtain information on the best locations in Victoria City to study new magic.

----------

Deep in the night, near a castle located in the Fermes Kingdom, there was a struggle in the dark between a squad of guards and a single assailant holding an enchanted knife.

Calling it a struggle may have been too kind. The knights who attempted to resist all died in a single instant without being aware of the whereabouts of their attacker. The ones who tried to confront the enemy were sliced apart in a manner so quick, their blood did not even have time to spill before they died. The ones who tried to call for help got their throats slashed before they could make a sound. And the ones who abandoned their comrades were subjected to a terrible screech so despairing, it drowned out all their hopes as both their ears and souls were viciously bled out.

Although they couldn't see the killer, based on the limited characteristics they gleaned from this assailant, the knights could roughly determine the identity of the individual who was butchering them.

For the past few years, the nobility of Fermes found themselves victims of several assassinations and theft from a single man shrouded in shadows. No one knows this person's true name, or what specific purpose this man has. There are even debates on whether he is even male. The only sound information they have, however, is a limited description of this individual's combat prowess. Words such as "stealthy", "terrifying", and "swift" were all that were mostly used to describe this being. In time, the people of Fermes collectively began to establish a nickname for this horrifying monster.

Requiem.

Unlike most famous titles, which are often related to a person's defining characteristic, this one is presented as both a warning and a threat to a looming force of nature.