Morning sunlight began to pierce through the guild's windows, chasing away the remnants of the night's mist. Inside, the air was still alive with noise—adventurers returning or setting out, wooden mugs clashing, bursts of laughter ringing from crowded tables.
In the far corner, Barnard was already guzzling his ale in comfort, his chair tilted back and one leg propped up on the table. "Where's that woman?" he muttered, downing half his mug in a single gulp.
Kaze glanced around nervously, his hands fidgeting on his lap. "D-did she trick us?" His voice was barely a whisper, yet enough for Hiori to hear.
Hiori leaned back in her chair, arms crossed, a faint chuckle escaping her lips. "Even if she did, I don't really care… We're just nobodies. It makes sense if she doesn't."
Barnard snorted. "Nobodies, my ass. I'm the number one fighter in—"
"—in the farthest corner table, yes, we know," Hiori cut in with a lazy tone, making Kaze stifle his laughter behind his hand.
Suddenly, a soft yet steady voice rose from behind them.
"My apologies, friends. I'm late."
All three turned at once. Eira stood there, her expression calm, but her sharp gaze felt as though it could read straight into their hearts. Her cloak swayed lightly as she stepped forward, then she sat gracefully in the empty chair across from them.
"Now," she said, folding her hands atop the table. "Let's discuss the mask you found yesterday."
The playful mood evaporated instantly. Kaze swallowed hard, Hiori leaned forward slightly, and even Barnard, usually so carefree, set his mug down slowly, his eyes locking on Eira with uncharacteristic seriousness.
"So… what exactly is that thing?" Hiori asked, her voice carrying genuine curiosity this time.
Eira's lips curved into a thin smile—but it wasn't the kind of smile meant to reassure. It was the smile of someone who already knew just how heavy the truth was about to be.
Eira's thin smile shifted, her gaze moving from Hiori, to Barnard, then to Kaze.
"In such a rush, aren't you?" she said softly, as though scolding impatient children.
Barnard leaned back in his chair with a heavy sigh. "If that thing is really dangerous, you'd better just spit it out. I don't like riddles."
Eira gave a slow nod. From within her cloak, she drew out a small scroll, unrolling it onto the table. A sketched image of the black mask they had found stared back at them, surrounded by ancient notes and scrawls—as if it was something she had been studying for a long time.
"That mask…" Eira paused, her voice turning cold. "…is not just an artifact. It is a soul fragment."
Kaze shuddered, his eyes going wide. "A soul… fragment? Y-you mean there's something alive inside it?"
"Not merely alive," Eira continued, her gaze locking onto them. "The mask is a prison. One of seven ever forged to contain an entity known as Arkhabael, the Face-Stealer Demon. He can take the form of anyone… even the ones closest to you, without a trace of difference."
The room seemed to grow colder. Hiori narrowed her eyes at the sketch. "So… the vanished village…"
Eira nodded. "Exactly. I believe Arkhabael—or one of his followers—is responsible. They sacrificed that village either to strengthen the mask's seal… or to break it entirely. What you witnessed was only the aftermath of a ritual nearly complete."
Barnard slammed his fist against the table, fury in his voice. "If that's true, why doesn't the guild know about it? Or are you hiding something from us?"
Eira met Barnard's glare, her voice dropping to a whisper. "There are things that cannot be trusted to the guild… and I no longer know who is still human, and who already wears a false face."
Kaze swallowed hard, his body trembling. Hiori exhaled slowly, then straightened in her seat. "Then what's our next move…?"
Eira's gaze hardened, more serious than before. "Find the wandering sorcerer named Maelthra. He is the only one who can tell whether that mask still holds the fragment… or if it has already been opened."
"This journey is going to be dangerous!" shouted Kaze, pulling his cloak tighter around himself.
"Stop yelling," Hiori said flatly, her eyes fixed on the fog-covered road ahead. "Your voice alone is already giving me a headache—let alone when you scream like that."
Kaze huffed, his face turning red with irritation. "Unbelievable! Eira just left us behind…"
Barnard, walking behind them, chuckled quietly. "She didn't 'leave,' kid. She's just too smart to tag along with three people who can't read a map."
Kaze turned with an annoyed look. "C-can't read a map!? I once did as the party's navigator—"
"We've gone in circles three times already," Hiori interrupted without even looking back.
Kaze fell silent instantly, puffing his cheeks in frustration.
A few hours earlier—
"Miss Eira, you're coming with us, right?" Kaze asked hopefully as they prepared to leave the guild hall.
His question made Hiori and Barnard pause at the doorway, glancing back at Eira.
Eira smiled softly, though something unreadable flickered in her eyes. "Hmm… but I don't think I can go with you this time."
"What!? Why!? If you come with us, it'll be faster and safer!" Kaze protested.
"Sorry," Eira said, her tone calm yet firm. "I have business in another city. Don't worry—I'll catch up with you… if you're still alive."
Barnard raised an eyebrow. "That last part wasn't exactly comforting, you know."
Eira only gave a faint smile before walking away, leaving the three with a heavy feeling in their chests.
—Back to the present—
"Damn it… why didn't she come with us!?" Kaze shouted, kicking a small rock down the road.
Barnard chuckled. "Relax. If Eira said she'll catch up, she's got her reasons. You're too young to understand how people like her operate."
Hiori kept her eyes ahead, her tone cool and steady. "She's hiding something. I could tell from the way she avoided our gaze."
Kaze blinked, puzzled. "You mean… she lied?"
Hiori didn't respond. She simply pulled her hood lower and quickened her pace, leaving her two companions exchanging uneasy looks in silence.
The sky had turned golden-orange—and in the distance, the shadow of ruined buildings loomed faintly through the thick swamp mist.
"It's getting dark… let's set up camp. If we try to explore this swamp at night, it'll be too dangerous," Hiori said calmly, her steps steady and deliberate.
She lit a small flame at her fingertip—just enough to illuminate the muddy path ahead. The shadows of trees danced above the thin mist, turning the scenery into a slow-moving nightmare.
"Alright, alright… don't get mad, miss expedition leader," Barnard replied casually, hauling a sack of tent gear over his shoulder.
Kaze struggled to keep up behind them, his boots sinking repeatedly into the mud. "Hey! Wait for me! This ground's super slippery, you know!!"
Barnard laughed heartily. "You walk like a newborn chick. Hold onto Hiori's cloak if you're scared of falling!"
"D-don't say stuff like that!" Kaze shouted back, his face flushed with embarrassment—but his fingers did, in fact, grasp the edge of Hiori's cloak to avoid slipping behind.
Hiori sighed, her expression unchanging. "If you keep being that noisy, the swamp will know we're here."
That shut Kaze up immediately. He glanced around nervously as the damp wind brushed through the mist. Faintly, somewhere in the distance, there was a sound—like whispering. Whether it was the wind or something else, none of them could tell.
Eventually, Hiori stopped at a patch of slightly higher ground dotted with flat stones. "This spot's stable enough. We'll set up the tents here."
Barnard dropped the sack onto the ground. "Alright, boss. But if I have nightmares tonight, you're taking responsibility."
"As for me, I'll just sleep between you two," Kaze muttered under his breath—loud enough for Barnard to raise an eyebrow.
"Kid… you do realize I snore like thunder, right?"
"D-don't say that! Now I won't be able to sleep!"
Hiori just stared at the two of them blankly while she started a small campfire. The flames crackled softly, casting warm orange light over their faces.
But beyond the haze, a pair of faint, violet eyes watched from afar—before slowly disappearing into the darkness of the swamp.
Barnard sat close to the campfire, warming his hands. "Ah… hey, Kaze. Tell me a bit about yourself." He reached into his bag, looking for dry bread.
Kaze sat down beside him. "I'm… an ordinary person."
Barnard shot him a sideways look. "You're downplaying yourself, kid?"
Kaze shook his head slowly. "I'm the son of a farmer."
Hiori, who was checking her sword, turned toward him. "You say you're a farmer's son, but your weapon has strange ammunition."
Kaze lowered his gaze. "It belonged to my mother. She said this weapon would lead me to answers about my father."
Barnard stopped chewing. "Your father? What about him?"
Kaze stared into the fire. His eyes dimmed. "I never met him. He left when I was a baby. My mother never told me anything about him."
The fire crackled softly.
Barnard leaned back. "So this isn't a normal journey for you."
Kaze gave a small nod. "I want to know… why he left us."
Hiori closed her sword. "If your mother entrusted you with that weapon, your father wasn't an ordinary person."
Kaze swallowed hard. "Sometimes I'm scared the truth won't be what I hope for."
Barnard tapped Kaze's shoulder lightly. "You still need the truth. Better to know than keep guessing."
Hiori looked toward the dark swamp. "And places like this often hold the beginning of answers like that."
Kaze lifted his head. "Y-you think my father was involved in something big?"
"Who knows," Hiori said. "But something is waiting ahead."
Barnard added more wood to the fire. "We'll see soon. The night is long."
The fire cast a gentle glow on their faces, turning that simple conversation into something heavy yet warm.