Chapter 122: Morning Mischief and First Quest

Noah's (POV)

The night passed without incident—no ambushes, no eerie cries in the distance, no disturbances to our much-needed rest. For once, peace reigned. I had summoned two clones to stand guard throughout the night, just in case, but their vigilance wasn't tested. Gratefully so.

As the morning light slipped through the curtains, a peculiar heaviness pulled me back to consciousness. My eyes fluttered open, only to find myself caught in a cocoon of warmth and softness—surrounded on all sides.

Scarlett and Lyra lay beside me, one on each side, their fingers entwined tightly with mine, pressed against their chests like treasured keepsakes. Their soft breaths brushed against my skin, rhythmic and serene.

And Layla?

She was sprawled across my chest like a content feline, her arms loosely wrapped around my neck, her head resting just above my heart. Her long, dark hair spilled like silk across us, rising and falling with each of my breaths.

Their faces—calm, peaceful, vulnerable.

It was… a beautiful moment.

I found myself wanting to freeze it in time, to etch it into memory, to protect this warmth from the cruel world outside.

But duty called.

"Wake up, Princess," I said with just enough volume to stir them.

Scarlett blinked awake first, followed by Lyra, who yawned softly and sat up, brushing her raven-black hair behind her ear. Both looked adorably disoriented. But Layla, as expected, didn't budge.

"Muu... five more minutes," she mumbled sleepily, still clinging to me like a blanket.

I smirked. Time for something... unorthodox.

Leaning close to her ear, I whispered, "Layla~ See? Noah is taking a bath with Scarlett~"

Her eyes snapped open instantly, a vivid amber gleam in them as she shot upright, scanning her surroundings in mild panic—only to catch me grinning like the mischievous devil I was.

"You! Bad guy! How can you say something like that?" she pouted, smacking my chest with the force of a sleepy kitten.

"Sorry, sorry. Rise and shine, Princess," I chuckled.

"Ah—!"

She yelped when I suddenly scooped her up in my arms.

"Wha—Noah!"

I gently set her down on the floor with a playful grin. "There. Now everyone's up."

With that, I went to freshen up, leaving behind three blushing, flustered girls.

After we all got ready—Scarlett tying her crimson hair into a neat ponytail, Lyra adjusting her robe with elegant grace, and Layla mumbling something about me being a 'meanie'—we headed downstairs.

The receptionist greeted us with a knowing smile.

"Did you all sleep well—or not at all?" she teased with a raised brow.

Scarlett turned pink. Lyra cleared her throat. Layla grinned proudly. I just shrugged.

"Breakfast first," I said coolly.

We enjoyed a hearty meal—bread fresh from the oven, warm vegetable stew, and spiced tea to invigorate us for the day ahead.

Once finished, we made our way to the Adventurers' Guild.

It was time to accept our quests.

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[Adventurers Guild]

The Guild was already bustling when we arrived.

Adventurers of all ranks filled the large hall—some laughing over breakfast, others sharpening weapons or haggling over loot. The air buzzed with energy, steel, and ambition. It was a world of its own.

Scarlett walked beside me, her hand brushing mine occasionally. Lyra was calm and observant, eyes scanning the room like a hawk. Layla stuck close to me, humming lightly and throwing a glare at any woman who looked our way for longer than a second.

We approached the quest board near the front desk.

Dozens of parchment slips were pinned across it, categorized by difficulty and region—gathering requests, monster subjugation, escort duties, missing persons, and a few mysterious ones marked with a red seal.

Scarlett was the first to speak. "Should we pick something easy to warm up, or go for something more challenging?"

Layla leaned in, eyes twinkling. "Let's pick one with danger. I want to see Noah in action again~"

"I suggest something balanced," Lyra added. "Not too easy, not too reckless. We don't want to waste time, but we also don't want to attract unnecessary attention."

I scanned the board in silence, then paused.

A quest slip caught my eye.

[C-Rank: Subjugation Request – Forest Trolls near Ravine Hollow]

(Several forest trolls have been spotted near the village paths. Multiple merchant caravans have reported attacks. Subdue or eliminate the trolls before further casualties occur. Reward: 500 silver coins + bonus for troll cores)

"Trolls, huh?" I murmured.

"They regenerate, right?" Scarlett asked, already thinking tactically.

Lyra nodded. "Their weakness is fire."

I gave a small smile. "Then it's perfect."

I pulled the slip from the board and walked to the receptionist's desk.

The same woman from earlier was still there. She glanced at the slip, then back at us, her smirk widening. "Going troll hunting already? Impressive."

"We're warming up," I replied calmly.

"I'll register this under your party name then. Do you have one?"

We exchanged glances.

Layla grinned. "How about… Noah's Angels?"

"No," Scarlett and Lyra said in unison.

"…Blades of Dawn?" I suggested.

Scarlett nodded in approval. "I like it."

"Blades of Dawn it is," the receptionist said, scribbling it down. "Quest registered. Good luck out there—and try not to fall asleep on each other in the wild, alright?"

I didn't reply.

But as we left the Guild, I caught Layla whispering to Scarlett and Lyra, "He didn't say no~"

They groaned.

I just smiled.

Trolls awaited.

And I was in the mood for a fight.

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The path to Ravine Hollow stretched ahead—lush greenery on both sides, birds chirping in the trees, and sunlight filtering through the leaves like golden rain. It was peaceful… deceptively so, considering we were heading toward trolls.

We walked at a steady pace, weapons at our sides, senses alert. The wind was gentle, and the forest air crisp. If not for the quest, this could've been a pleasant outing.

Of course, nothing stayed quiet for long when Layla was around.

"Noah~" she started, voice sweet and dangerous, "if we defeat the trolls quickly, will you give me a reward?"

I raised a brow. "What kind of reward?"

She flashed a grin. "Hmm~ Maybe a kiss?"

Scarlett coughed, nearly tripping on a root. "Layla!"

"What? I'm just asking. I work hard too, y'know."

"You haven't even done anything yet," Lyra said, deadpan.

Layla stuck her tongue out. "Details, details."

I chuckled. "Let's survive first, then we'll talk rewards."

"I'll remember that," she said with a sly smirk.

Scarlett walked closer to me, brushing dirt from my sleeve. "Ignore her. Focus on the mission. Trolls are dangerous if underestimated."

"You're not jealous, are you, Scarlett?" Layla teased.

"I'm being serious," she replied, avoiding the question.

"Scarlett's right," Lyra chimed in. "Trolls have high regeneration. We'll need to coordinate."

"Yeah," I nodded. "Scarlett, you go for speed strikes. Layla, your curses will keep them disoriented. Lyra, freeze their limbs if you can. I'll burn the cores or finish them with blade arts."

All three nodded.

Layla hummed a little song under her breath as we continued walking, occasionally skipping ahead and spinning around. "You know… this kind of reminds me of one of those old fairy tales. Hero and his party, setting off to fight monsters."

Scarlett gave her a glance. "Let's just hope this story doesn't end in tragedy."

"Aw, don't be such a downer. We have Noah," Layla said, grinning as she turned to me. "He's like a walking deus ex machina."

"I'm not that powerful," I replied. "Not yet."

They all looked at me for a moment, then Scarlett smiled softly. "You're stronger than you think."

That caught me off guard.

There was a strange silence after that—one of those rare moments where no one felt the need to break it. The forest around us whispered and swayed. A gentle wind brushed past, carrying the scent of moss and distant rain.

Then Layla broke it, of course.

"So… if a troll asks you to marry her, what will you do?"

I blinked. "What?"

"Answer the question!"

Scarlett and Lyra sighed in unison.

I gave her a flat look. "Depends. Does she cook better than you?"

Layla gasped, pretending to be mortally wounded. "You traitor!"

Scarlett couldn't help but laugh. Even Lyra smirked.

The lightness of the moment hung in the air, fragile and warm. But in the distance, the trees began to thin, and the scent of blood mixed with the wind.

We were getting close.

The fairy tale was about to meet the monster.

-to be continued ....