A Worthless Life Saved

The forest outside the city was quiet.

Too quiet.

Asvorn crouched near the base of a tree, fingers digging into the dirt as he searched for the Nightshade Root. The job was simple—gather ten of them and return to the guild. No fighting, no danger.

At least, that was what he thought.

The first few roots had been easy to find. Their dark purple stems stood out against the greenery, and he carefully dug them up, placing them into the small sack he had borrowed from the guild.

Seven.

He needed three more.

The deeper he went into the forest, the darker it became. The trees stretched high above, their branches blocking out the sunlight. A cold breeze rustled the leaves, sending a chill down his spine.

Asvorn exhaled slowly, wiping sweat from his brow.

He was tired. He hadn't eaten in over a day. His body was weak, his limbs sore, but he had to finish this job.

He took another step forward—

SNAP.

His breath caught in his throat.

A branch had snapped behind him.

He turned slowly, heart pounding.

Silence.

Nothing but trees and shadows.

Maybe an animal…?

Then, before he could react—

ROAR!

A monstrous shape lunged from the shadows.

Asvorn barely had time to move. A massive wolf-like creature, twice the size of a normal beast, crashed into him, sending him rolling across the dirt. His back slammed against a tree, pain shooting through his ribs.

His vision blurred as the creature growled, its red eyes glowing in the darkness. Saliva dripped from its fangs, its breath reeking of blood.

A Dire Fang.

Not just any monster—this was a creature strong enough to tear through seasoned adventurers.

Asvorn scrambled back, panic surging through him. He had no weapon, no skills, no way to fight.

The Dire Fang snarled and lunged again—

And then—

BOOM!

A flash of golden light exploded in front of him.

A wave of heat washed over him as a powerful force slammed into the beast, sending it flying into a tree. The trunk shattered on impact, wood splintering in every direction.

Asvorn coughed, trying to process what had just happened.

Then he saw her.

A woman stood between him and the monster.

She wore a deep blue cloak, lined with silver embroidery. Her long, dark violet hair swayed in the wind, her golden eyes glowing with an unnatural light.

In her hand, she held a staff crackling with energy.

The Dire Fang staggered to its feet, growling.

The woman sighed. "Annoying thing."

She raised her staff, and without even chanting, another burst of golden fire erupted from her palm. It roared like a living flame, twisting through the air before slamming into the monster.

The Dire Fang let out one last, agonized howl before its body was reduced to ashes.

Silence followed.

The woman lowered her hand, brushing off her cloak as if nothing had happened.

Asvorn stared, his mind struggling to keep up.

She turned to him, her glowing eyes studying him with mild curiosity. "You're alive."

He swallowed hard, still sitting in the dirt. "Y-Yeah…"

She raised an eyebrow. "Barely."

Her gaze flickered over his ragged clothes, the empty sack in his hands, and the way he trembled.

"You're not an adventurer," she said.

"I—" He hesitated, looking away. "I just joined. This was my first job."

She was silent for a moment. Then, she sighed.

"You're worthless, aren't you?"

Asvorn flinched.

She wasn't mocking him. She was just… stating a fact.

But for some reason, it hurt more than the insults at the guild.

"Yeah," he muttered, staring at the ground. "I guess I am."

There was a long pause.

Then, to his surprise—

She extended her hand.

"Come on," she said. "You'll die out here if you stay any longer."

Asvorn hesitated.

Why was she helping him?

But he didn't have the strength to refuse.

He took her hand, and she pulled him up effortlessly, as if he weighed nothing.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Asvorn."

She tilted her head slightly. "I see. I'm Lyara."

With Lyara's help, Asvorn finished collecting the Nightshade Roots.

Or rather, she found them in less than five minutes while he just stood there, watching in disbelief.

She walked with him back to the city, keeping a steady pace. She didn't talk much, but she didn't leave him behind either.

By the time they returned, night had fallen.

Asvorn dragged himself to the guild counter, handing over the sack.

The receptionist barely glanced at him before tossing three silver coins onto the counter. "Here. Try not to waste it."

He ignored her tone and pocketed the money.

Then he turned to thank Lyara—

And froze.

The entire guild had gone silent.

Adventurers stared, whispering among themselves. Some looked shocked. Others looked terrified.

And then, he heard it—

"Lady Lyara?" someone muttered.

"The A-rank mage?"

"Why is she with him?"

Asvorn turned back to her.

She was… A-rank?

One of the strongest adventurers in the city?

He had just assumed she was strong, but this was on another level.

Before he could even process it, Lyara placed a small pouch in front of him.

"Here."

He blinked. "What—?"

"Your money. You don't have a place to stay, do you?"

Asvorn swallowed. "...No."

"Then follow me."

He hesitated, but what choice did he have?

The guild had an inn attached for high-ranking adventurers. When they entered, the difference was night and day—polished floors, warm lighting, a massive fireplace in the center.

Lyara spoke to the staff, paying for a room without a second thought.

Then, before Asvorn could even react, she led him to the dining hall.

Minutes later, a plate of food was set in front of him.

Meat, potatoes, fresh bread, steaming soup.

The smell alone nearly broke him.

His hands trembled as he picked up a spoon.

The first bite—warm, rich, filled with flavors he had never known—sent a shiver down his spine.

The second bite—his throat tightened.

The third—his vision blurred.

Tears dripped onto the table.

"...What are you crying for?" Lyara asked, her voice quiet.

Asvorn wiped his eyes quickly, embarrassed. "...I've never tasted anything like this before."

She didn't say anything.

But for the first time, her expression softened.