"All done...!" the server exclaimed, watching as the broken wood dissolved into ash and drifted neatly into the trash can.'...To think I'd feel fulfilled doing something so trivial,' the guardian mused, her gaze lingering on the dumpster."You were such a great help! Thank you so much...!" the server added, clasping the Spirit's hands tightly, gratitude radiating from her expression.'...I suppose it feels different when it's done for the right person,' the guardian thought, her stoic expression softening slightly as she regarded the earnest servant: Recalling the knight's father - her first contractor, and how he treated her as an equal.'I... Really do miss him.'[Think nothing of it. Thank my master for allowing me to draw from his mana pool to accomplish this,] she replied, her voice steady and even.'Speaking of which... Van. I've been using his mana pool nonstop since last night, as he didn't send me back to the spirit world. Granted, I haven't drawn excessively since he formed the contract with me... But even with my... previous contractor... I was never allowed to remain outside this long.' Her thoughts briefly darkened, but she shook them away.'Just how vast is Van's mana pool?' the guardian wondered, her eyes drifting momentarily to the server."Speaking of him," the server began hesitantly, a flicker of curiosity in her eyes. "Is he... treating you well? I... I'm not saying he's a bad person, it's just that I have a bad... feeling about him, that's all..." Her voice softened as she looked away, releasing the Spirit's arm reluctantly.'...Concerned? For me?' The Spirit blinked, momentarily surprised. 'And from a mortal stranger, no less. While we Spirits are clearly superior to the residents of this world, most treat us as tools... disposable and unworthy of care. This is unexpected.'[I have only recently made a contract with him. I suppose time will tell,] she replied in a flat tone, masking any hint of emotion."I... I see," the server said, a nervous smile playing on her lips before she forced herself to sound more optimistic. "He seems young, so... maybe he'll only get better from here!" she added, her fists clenched in a gesture of forced enthusiasm.But then.An ominous noise broke the stillness of the morning air.The creak of wooden steps echoed sharply from the apartment's exposed stairwell. The distinct clatter of metal rang out—chainmail shifting, heavy boots pressing against the wooden planks, and the scrape of metal leggings and cuisses brushing with each deliberate step.The server froze, her breath catching as goosebumps rippled over her skin. Her wide eyes locked on the figure descending the open stairwell, clearly visible in the golden morning light. She clenched her fists instinctively, her gaze darting to the Spirit standing calmly in front of her.The Spirit turned, her expression unflinching, as though this sight was nothing unusual.'Although I admit... Van has an unusual aura about him,' she mused, her eyes narrowing on the descending figure. 'It's as if... I'm compelled to view him unfavorably, no matter my own judgment.'Van continued his steady descent, fully visible now. He was clad in his old black armor, accented with brass and bronze. Each piece gleamed faintly in the morning sun, polished and clean; as if it was never used once - thanks to his passive. His helmet obscured his face entirely. A massive greatsword rested on his back, its hilt and blade spanning nearly the length of his whole frame.The server's hand crept toward the knife at her waist as she trembled, her fear overtaking her.[Rest easy,] the Spirit instructed, her calm tone breaking through the tension.The server flinched and turned to look at her, her trembling hand still hovering near the weapon.[That is my master in his armor,] the Spirit clarified, stepping forward toward Van, who had now reached the base of the stairwell. His attention was fixed on a worn parchment he held in one armored hand, seemingly oblivious to the tension he'd caused.'The nobility approval...' Van thought, scanning the contents of the parchment. '...So Nickelson kept his word. Was it Alicia who delivered it?' His expression remained stoic. Without hesitation, he began making his way toward the Spirit and the server, who stood near the dumpster across the street.'Van Hellix Jr.,' he noted, his eyes narrowing slightly at the name printed on the document. 'And a new badge, too. Same rank as my old one, but this one's fresh—polished. I suppose it'll come in handy.' He folded the parchment neatly and slipped it into one of the pouches at his waist.The Spirit's voice broke through his thoughts.[...I was under the impression you were resting,] she said."Me too," Van replied, his tone flat, his head tilting slightly upward to meet her gaze. "But I changed my mind. Let's go. I want to do a quest,"Van's gaze lingered on the server for a moment, his eyes narrowing behind the helmet as, briefly, her form shifted in his perception—cat-like ears framing her head; a tail attached to her behind; skin covered in fur. The image flickered and vanished as quickly as it came; same as from when he observed her from inside his house."Say," Van began, his voice breaking the silence as he addressed the server. She stiffened, visibly on edge."Y-yes...?" she stammered, nodding quickly."Uh... Hm. Never mind," Van said after a pause. "You just reminded me of the halflings. The feline tribe."The server let out a forced chuckle, her initial gasp barely concealed. "A-Aha... Feline people have ears and tails. And also, last I checked, I don't have any fur..." she said, scratching her head awkwardly.Van blinked rapidly. For a split second, he saw her scratching... her cat ears. But when he refocused, they were gone.The Spirit, standing silently nearby, raised a brow in suspicion, her expression briefly flickering with curiosity."Right. Sorry," Van said, brushing it off. "Let's go, Guardian of Wind," he added, turning abruptly and walking away.The Guardian nodded politely toward the purple-haired server before following him."Aha..." the server chuckled to herself, watching them leave. Her expression quickly darkened, her features tightening."...Have those bastards found me already...?" she muttered under her breath, her face now cold and emotionless. Her eyes, sharp and feline, narrowed as she fixed a glare on Van's retreating figure.'No one could see my true form. Not even Magus Veil himself could have done that—I'm certain of it. This isn't just some simple transformation spell...! That bastard knows me. He knows, and he's pretending to be clueless...!'Her fists clenched, and her teeth bared as a low growl escaped her lips. "...I will not let you destroy my life here... whoever you think you are," she hissed under her breath."AMI! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Galdo's voice boomed from inside the tavern. "If you're done out there, get your ass back—""Sorry, Galdo." Her voice cut through the air, sharp and commanding, silencing his tirade instantly."I'm taking my first day off," she declared, vanishing into thin air before he could even process her words."WAIT, YOU BRAT!" he yelled, lunging forward, but she was already gone, the faint shimmer of her disappearance dissipating before his eyes."Haaah... Tsk, what a bother!" Galdo spat to the side, muttering as he adjusted his dirty apron and turned back toward the tavern. "What will I do with these youngsters..."He stopped briefly at the doorway, scratching his beard in frustration. "...Hopefully, she doesn't hurt herself," he murmured with a mix of irritation and concern. "Good workers are hard to come by these days, psche."With a shake of his head, he disappeared back inside, muttering under his breath as the tavern door slammed shut behind him.============== LATER ========='...I am walking beside him. Does he not notice? Does he not care that I'm still not in the spirit world and am reliant on his mana pool? Is his mana pool really that vast?' she wondered, her gaze flicking toward him.[Say,—]"Guar—"The two spoke at the same time, their words overlapping. They both fell silent."..."[...][...What is it, Master?] she asked at last, noting his lack of response."Nothing. Forget it. Speak your mind."[I have nothing to say... unless you command me to speak,] she replied, her tone neutral."I don't care. Keep your mouth shut, then," Van dismissed curtly, his focus unwavering as they continued walking side by side.The Guardian of Wind glanced at him, a mixture of curiosity and contempt brewing within her. A faint irritation stirred in her stomach, but she bit back any retort.And so, they walked.And walked.And walked.And walked.And walked.Two hours passed in heavy silence.'He acts as if I'm not even here anymore. Does he truly not care, or is he so lost in his own mind that he doesn't notice? Hmph... Fine. If he doesn't care, neither should I. But this walk is getting tiresome. We've already circled the same path more than once.'[What is the quest you were speaking of, Master?] she asked finally, her voice tinged with mild exasperation."...I'll pick one when we get to the guild," Van replied flatly after a brief pause, his pace unrelenting.[I see. Which guild?] she asked, her tone measured."...A guild. Doesn't have to be a specific one," Van answered, his reluctance evident in his tone.[...I see,] she repeated with a nod, and they continued walking in silence.A few minutes later, she broke the quiet again.
[The turn to the guild is here. Are you going to a different one, perhaps?] she asked, pointing toward an alleyway.
"...No. That will do," he said after a longer pause. She noticed the brief hesitation in his step, the slight tilt of his head as though to avoid meeting her gaze. Without another word, he stepped aside to follow her lead.'...No way,' she thought, her brow arching slightly as they walked. 'He didn't know where the nearest guild was? He didn't think to stop and ask someone? Is that... what he wanted to ask me earlier?'Her lips pressed together as she studied his composed, if slightly oblivious, demeanor. She led him down the alley, her thoughts circling.'If he wasn't so violent and vile...' she mused, casting him a sidelong glance.'I might've found his behavior... almost adorable. Hmph.' She dismissed the thought with a flick of her gaze as they approached the guild building.==== ABOUT A DAY EARLIER, IN A CERTAIN CAVERN NEAR THE CAPITAL ========="AHHHHHHHH!!!! HELP ME!!!!!!!" a dragonkin adventurer screamed, his voice echoing through the dark, suffocating cavern beneath the surface. His scaled body, impervious to molten lava, was now engulfed in violent, searing flames, burning him alive."HURRY UP!! Melika, USE YOUR WATER SPELL ON HIM! AIRI, TRY TO DISPEL IT!! IT COULD BE A CURSE!!" bellowed the leader, a paladin, his voice strained with desperation."R-RIGHT!!" the priestess and the spellcaster scrambled into action, their hands shaking as they focused their energy on the dragonkin. The priestess chanted fervently, while the spellcaster unleashed torrents of water at the flames.'How...? How could a being that could swim in lava... burn alive like this?!' the paladin thought, his mind racing even as he swung his blade to fend off an incoming attack.A skeletal arm lunged toward him—rotten, smeared with decaying tissue, the remnants of what was once human."FUCK...!!" he roared, raising his sword to block the strike, the clang of metal reverberating through the cave.'One by one... all our party members, spontaneously combusting, turning into this! JUST WHAT IS—'A shrill, blood-curdling scream cut through the chaos.The paladin turned to see the priestess—Airi, blessed by the goddess herself, immune to most curses, a profession achieved only by the divine's chosen—consumed by flames. Her robes burned away as the fire ravaged her body, her screams choking out as the inferno devoured her lungs."AIRI!!!!!!!!!" he screamed, his voice cracking as he stumbled back, his focus slipping.'HOW...!? HOW!? SHE WASN'T EVEN HIT!!!' His thoughts spiraled into despair as another skeletal arm slashed across his face, the bone's edge cutting deep into his cheek."ARRGH!!" he cried out, shoving the skeletal attackers back with a wild swing of his sword.Now only he and the spellcaster remained. She had collapsed to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably, frantically casting water spells over Airi's burning corpse."AIRI...! TELL ME WHAT TO DO...!! THE WATER DOESN'T WORK...!! AIRI!!!" she wailed, tears streaming down her face as the priestess's flesh melted away, leaving only a skeletal figure that still screamed silently through the unrelenting flames.The paladin's breathing quickened as dozens of skeletons emerged from the shadows, their hollow eyes gleaming in the dim light. They surrounded the two survivors, their bony hands reaching, their steps deliberate and unyielding.'JUST...'"WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON!?" the paladin roared, his voice breaking as he looked to the cavern's ceiling, his sword trembling in his grip, the skeletal horde closing in.