Next Trap

The next day, we resumed our journey.

Yesterday's collapse delayed our march. After I fell from exhaustion, commander checked on me. He apologized for what happened and decided to let everyone rest for the day. When I went out to eat, everyone glared at me like I was a dead weight dragging them down.

I responded with a middle finger. It wasn't my fault they couldn't protect their young master from a damn snake ambush. Maybe they should reflect on their job performance.

Still, I couldn't shake the suspicion. Was that attack a coincidence? A trap? A rare event? No way to know. If I had known I would transmigrate into this world, I would've memorized every possible trap and formation like my life depended on it — because now, it literally does.

Our destination lay deep within the heart of the forest. At this pace, it would take at least three days to push through the twisted, unforgiving terrain.

The trees seemed to lean in, and the paths felt like they shifted when I wasn't looking. One wrong turn, one moment of distraction, and I'd be lost, wandering until something hungry found me.

We encountered beasts along the way — wolves that melted into shadows and hulking bears that grew stronger under sunlight. None dared to attack, though. They watched from the edges of the path, cautious, before slinking back into the darkness.

Can't blame them. Our group looked intimidating with powerful knights.

Still, no one in our troop wanted another fight. Not yet.

House Volteris was out there somewhere, hunting for the relic. Their knights should be nearby — or dead. This forest didn't seem to favor anyone.

I sighed, inhaling the crisp air.

The relic was hidden in the deepest, untouched part of the forest — a place no sane person would tread. I doubted even the knights knew all the traps waiting for us. But I did know how to bypass a few formations.

The towering trees stretched endlessly, their branches tangling together to block most of the sunlight, like they were reminding us who the real boss was.

The commander led us forward with unshaken confidence. I rode behind him, my horse surprisingly adept at navigating the rough terrain — though today, it felt slower, almost sluggish.

Everyone looked on edge, scanning the surroundings. Their hands hovered near their weapons, ready for trouble.

After hours of travel, the forest gradually fell silent. Too silent.

The rustling of leaves, the hum of insects, the distant calls of birds — all faded away. It wasn't just quiet. It was wrong.

Everyone noticed. The tension spread like wildfire. Even the horses felt it. The air thickened, like the forest was holding its breath.

The commander's face hardened, but he didn't stop. He pressed forward, undeterred.

The stillness screamed at me. We were obviously walking into some kind of trap.

My body tensed. The leaves didn't stir. Only the clink of armor and the dull thud of hooves filled the air.

Huh.

Suddenly my horse halted. So did the commander's. Vice Commander Dain stopped a moment later.

The entire group froze.

"What happened?" Edric's voice called from behind.

"The horses won't move," the commander said, his voice low and uncertain.

Reflexively, I tugged my reins but my horse didn't budge.

The commander dismounted, scanning the area. I followed his lead, my eyes flicking from tree to tree, searching the shadows. What is it now? Maybe we are in a illusion? Or horses felt the presence of some invisible monster?

There's a trap like this in the game — beasts made of fog that attack from nowhere. But there's no fog, and the silence is different. Heavier.

"Something isn't right. The land feels… heavy," the commander muttered.

Heavy? What the hell does that mean?

Thump.

I snapped around. Edric had jumped down too, his expression tight and cautious — a look I'd never seen on his face before.

"Certainly, the ground feels off. What is it?" he said, flexing his legs.

"I don't know what this is," the commander admitted, his voice barely a whisper.

Edric scoffed. "Didn't you say you mapped out the formations on our path?"

"I did. But this place is infamous for its unpredictability," the commander shot back, his voice sharper now.

"Some commander you are." Edric's scoffed, his twisted with frustration.

"How can we proceed further?" Selene asked, still seated on her horse.

"I'm afraid we'll have to walk, young miss," the commander said.

"Why didn't you stop when you felt something was off? Why continue forward?" Selene's eyes furrowed.

"As you can see, young miss... we're already falling behind schedule. If we delay any further, there's a chance all our efforts will be wasted,"

"But what if we meet our demise before that?" Selene shot back.

"You didn't predict yesterday's snake ambush, and now you say we're stuck in a formation. Do you realize your incompetence?" Selene pressed, her voice cold.

The tension boiled over. Everyone turned to look at the commander.

"I am terribly sorry for disappointing the young miss." He bowed his head in apology, his hands clenched into fists at his side.

"Be careful from now on. Understanding your terrain should be your primary focus."

"Yes, young miss."

Damn. I didn't know the commander was under this much pressure. Honestly, it's tough to predict. I played the game and already got the relic, and even I couldn't guess the possible outcomes.

"And brother…" Selene's voice cut through the tension like a blade. "Didn't you say you'd help find the relic? Can you list out the help you've provided so far?"

Damn! She's commanding like a queen. What has she done besides sit in her carriage and give orders? I wanted to argue back, but this wasn't the right place.

"Tch."

I turned away, facing at the commander instead.

Ignoring her was the best response I could give her now.

The commander seemed to understand my intention and turned to the knights. "Everyone, on high alert. We're in a trap — the ground's pulling us down. We can't rely on the horses anymore. Carry your gear and use mana to push forward."

Dozens of boots hit the ground behind me as knights dismounted. I let go of the reins and jumped down.

Thump

The moment my feet hit the ground, a crushing force slammed into me. My legs locked up, refusing to move. My lungs tightened, as though I'd inhaled wet cement. My heart throbbed painfully, like someone was squeezing it — a fragile water balloon ready to burst.

Now I understood what the commander meant by "the ground is heavy." It wasn't just heavy — it was...

Gravity.

Why am I falling into the trap I am not aware of!