After returning to his room at the inn, David sat down, fetched the letter from his pocket, and examined it closely. After reading it repeatedly, he carefully tore the seal open. Inside was a single sheet of plain white paper. Frowning, David unfolded it and scanned the contents. The words were nothing more than formalities—declarations of friendship and apologies for the surveillance he had been under.
According to Pavel, having David followed had been a necessary precaution. Their organization had suffered heavy losses recently, and they needed to observe new recruits before fully trusting them. Additionally, the surveillance was intended as a form of protection—after all, their line of work was not without danger.
If David had truly intended to join them, it might have indeed been considered protection. But he wasn't here to join them.
Sighing, David placed the letter aside and retrieved several sheets of blank parchment from his bag. He tapped them lightly with his wand and whispered an incantation. Gradually, faint lines emerged, forming detailed sketches of the people he had encountered earlier that day. Once the drawings were complete, he flipped each sheet over and wrote down the corresponding information he had gathered.
Satisfied with his work, he shrunk the papers and placed them in a small pouch. He then summoned a tree guard, attaching the documents to it and sending them across to Newt's room. With that task completed, David closed the curtains and sat on the bed, continuing to hone his acting skills.
Only one level had been passed so far. The long journey had only just begun.
On the morning of August 12th, just as the clock struck eight, David retrieved another envelope and carefully tore it open. Inside was yet another blank sheet of paper. He frowned, flipping it over in confusion. Had they sent him the wrong letter?
Or was there more to it?
"Hurry up," he murmured, tapping his wand against the page.
After a brief pause, a faint black arrow appeared at the center of the paper, trembling slightly before steadying itself in a specific direction. A hidden message.
David scrutinized the arrow, turning the paper to examine its orientation. It was acting like a compass, pointing toward something—someone. He folded the parchment, tucked it into his pocket, and prepared to leave.
For now, he decided against alerting Newt and the others. If this was a lead, he would find a way to inform them later without drawing attention from the R organization.
Using the swift teleportation abilities of the Diricawl, David reappeared deep in a dense forest. The arrow on the parchment had darkened, indicating that he was close to his destination.
David reached into his bag and retrieved a white mask, slipping it over his face. The mask's exterior was rigid, but as soon as it made contact with his skin, the inner layer softened, molding itself to the contours of his face. It was weightless—so comfortable that he could almost forget he was wearing it.
With the mask secure, he continued his journey deeper into the woods.
After nearly half an hour, the sound of hushed voices reached his ears. He slowed his pace and approached cautiously. As soon as he stepped into view, more than a dozen wands were drawn and aimed at him.
"Relax, he's one of us," a burly man reassured the others, lowering his wand. The rest followed suit.
David took a moment to survey the scene. Twelve people were gathered around three large, box-like objects draped in heavy black cloth. The contents of the boxes were silent, but David could sense the presence of creatures within.
"Cool! Brother, where did you get that mask?" A chubby, short man waddled up to him, his stomach jiggling as he moved.
David glanced at him, noting the bizarre mask he wore. The surface was decorated with a grotesquely detailed brown creature—a thick, writhing insect. It looked disturbingly realistic, as though it might start crawling at any moment.
"They gave it to me," David responded flatly, shifting his attention elsewhere.
"Really? Man, you're lucky!" The short man sighed. "Hey, how about we swap? You think I look good, right?"
David cast him a side glance. Who in their right mind would trade a sleek, Hungarian Tree Peak mask for a revolting, oversized armyworm?
"Tsk, no taste," the short man muttered in disappointment.
David took a discreet step away.
"Wait, don't go! Come on, trade with me!" the man whined, trailing after him.
Ignoring him, David moved closer to the boxes.
"My name's Tariq," the short man continued, undeterred. "What's yours?"
David remained silent.
"Fine, be mysterious. So, why are you here?" Tariq pressed.
David sighed inwardly.
"Look, I don't really need the money," Tariq admitted, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "I just heard that this work is thrilling, so I decided to experience it firsthand. You know, before I graduate. But don't tell anyone, okay? They might try to kidnap me or something. You seem like a good guy—"
David stopped abruptly, staring at him.
I'm wearing a mask. How can you tell I look 'kind'?
Shaking his head, David moved away quickly before Tariq's nonsense could infect him.
When Tariq realized David had left mid-conversation, he quickly ran after him.
"Hey! Don't walk away while I'm talking!" he complained.
David exhaled sharply. "Stay away from me."
Tariq huffed. "Fine, then just swap masks with me."
David reached for his wand, narrowing his eyes. "Do you want me to use the Killing Curse?"
Tariq blinked, took a step back, and finally relented. "Geez, no need to be so dramatic."
A moment later, David heard Tariq's voice again. "Cool! Brother, where did you get that mask?"
Turning his head, David spotted Tariq pestering another unfortunate soul, trying to trade masks yet again.
Isn't he afraid of getting punched?
Shaking his head, David silently wished Tariq luck.
Just then, a commanding voice cut through the chatter.
"Everyone, gather around."
The burly man from before clapped his hands, gaining the group's attention. "You can call me Davao. I'm the leader of this team. During this operation, you will follow my orders exactly. If any of you cause the transportation to fail, I will not be merciful."
The group nodded in understanding.
"Now, split into teams of four. You are responsible for any losses to the cargo you transport."
Before anyone could react, Tariq latched onto David's side. "Brother, let's be a team! I still think you're kind."
Your entire family is kind! David groaned internally, trying to slip away.
However, Tariq's persistence had worked against him. Everyone else quickly paired up, leaving only Tariq and one other unfortunate soul standing there, dejected.
Great. Now I'm stuck with him.
Tariq beamed. "See? We were meant to be a team! By the way, you still haven't told me your name."
David sighed in resignation. "My name is Ron."
It wasn't, of course. But at this point, it was easier than continuing to argue with Tariq.