In The Middle Of The Nightmare Forest.
Tsana's pale hand brushed gently over the green grass before she stood tall, gazing upward at the Barrier that surrounded the forest.
She murmured, "The structure of the forest has changed a lot."
Zephyr, who had just returned from the Academy after conducting an inspection, approached her. "Master, how is the situation?"
"Terrible," Tsana replied calmly. "When I first arrived here, the forest had expanded. Its size can now rival that of an entire kingdom."
Zephyr frowned. "Is that because of the Dragon?"
"Yes... Several monster populations have migrated, and new, stronger species have appeared. The number of dungeons has increased, and the forest has grown even wider. And then..." Tsana pointed toward a grand, ancient gate in front of them, its surface covered in moss, adorned with intricate carvings, and radiating an aura of age. "...This is the path leading to the Dragon's domain. It lies at the northernmost edge of this forest. Beyond this gate, my detection magic no longer works. I can't sense anything, not creatures and not even the forest's structure."
Zephyr stared at the gate she pointed to. The wind blowing from its direction carried the scent of iron and moss, strangely calming yet unsettling at the same time.
His eyes widened. "That-"
Tsana murmured, "Yes. Isn't this gate exactly the same as the one you saw a hundred years ago?"
Zephyr clenched his fists, whispering, "Yes..."
Tsana glanced at him and said firmly, "The forest will be sealed for now. No one is allowed to enter until I've met the Dragon."
Zephyr's eyes widened in alarm. "You're going alone?"
Tsana nodded. "Yes..."
"No! That's too dangerous! I'm going with you!"
"Then who will guard the forest?" Tsana's tone remained calm but sharp. "Once the news spreads that the Dragon of Light is within the Nightmare Forest, countless people will try to enter, especially monster-hunting guilds. Those reckless enough to chase money without fearing death will surely rush in."
Zephyr bit his lip in frustration. He knew she was right. Someone had to stay behind to guard the forest. He couldn't let people enter only to throw their lives away. He had witnessed the Dragon's power firsthand, even in its spiritual form, it far surpassed high-level spirits like himself. If that was only its soul, how terrifying would its true form be? Any weak monster hunters who tried to hunt it would die in an instant.
Besides, the Dragon had asked to meet Tsana, not anyone else.
Though the Nightmare Forest was filled with monsters and hunters often came and went, no one had ever died inside, because Zephyr always arrived in time to save them.
Since Tsana became the forest's guardian, Zephyr had never allowed a single human life to be lost. He would never let that happen.
Yet even so, he couldn't bring himself to let Tsana go alone.
He couldn't bear the thought of feeling her life force fade again. He only wanted to stay by her side, to make sure she remained safe, and free from harm.
Suddenly, a warm hand patted his head. Zephyr looked up to see Tsana's hand resting gently on his hair.
"Don't worry," she said softly. "Didn't I promise you? That I won't die again?"
Zephyr's eyes widened. Though Tsana's expression was as calm as ever, her gentle tone carried enough warmth to make him believe her.
Slowly, he nodded, though a hint of reluctance still lingered in his heart.
"Let's go home," Tsana said. "We'll have many guests tomorrow."
Zephyr nodded again and followed behind her as they walked back home.
Tsana was right. With rumors spreading that the Dragon of Light resided within the Nightmare Forest, many people would surely come. Zephyr would have to work hard to keep them out, and to explain the danger to every kingdom.
He sighed and lowered his head wearily. Tomorrow would be a long day.
Tsana glanced at him but said nothing.
And indeed, the next day, dozens of monster hunters had already gathered at the entrance of the Nightmare Forest. The air was filled with the sound of marching boots, clinking weapons, swords, spears, and shields, and the loud voices of impatient hunters echoing everywhere. Since dawn, they had been arriving one after another.
They all waited for the massive gate to open.
Zephyr struggled to hold them back, explaining over and over that the Nightmare Forest was off-limits due to extreme danger. His warnings, however, were met with suspicion.
Many hunters believed that the forest's guardian simply wanted to claim the Dragon for herself. Zephyr had to work twice as hard to calm them. Thankfully, Theo helped spread updated information across the kingdoms, so Zephyr didn't have to travel too far to relay the message himself.
Among the crowd, one visitor stood out, a handsome man with long silver hair braided neatly and draped over his broad shoulder. His amethyst eyes gleamed as he stared silently at the forest gate, emotions colliding behind that calm gaze.
Zephyr sighed and approached the man to explain the situation. But before he could speak, the man raised his hand, revealing a green pill the size of his palm, faintly glowing with mana.
Zephyr's eyes widened. He looked back and forth between the man and the pill, as if trying to confirm what he saw.
The man's face was cold, yet his aura was suffocating. Zephyr instantly knew, this man's power was immense. Only the Dragon and his own Master carried such an oppressive presence.
'Who is this man?' Zephyr thought.
Two demon hunters nearby, one short, and the other bald, whispered to each other.
"Isn't that Duke Ennel? Did he come here to negotiate with the forest guardian?"
"I don't know, but I hope his arrival means good news for us."
'Duke Ennel?' Zephyr froze.
The name was not unfamiliar. The Ennel family had held a brilliant reputation for centuries. The current Duke Ennel was the most renowned of them all, he had taken the family's leadership at only sixteen, after his father's untimely death. Known for his genius and exceptional magical ability, he achieved countless feats. Yet he was rarely home, always traveling across distant continents for unknown reasons.
Still, despite his constant absence, the Ennel household ran flawlessly, without even the smallest rumor of disorder.
The man bearing the title Duke Ennel was shrouded in mystery.
However, his appearance was unmistakable, the Ennels all shared distinctive traits, silver hair and amethyst eyes. Somehow, they had maintained that same appearance through their bloodline for hundreds of years.
Only now did Zephyr realize the resemblance.
And when he saw the mana pill in the man's hand, he knew immediately, this man was his Master's guest.
He led the Duke to Tsana's place, then returned to the forest entrance to continue his duty.
★★★
*Knock Knock*
Tsana's quill stopped above the paper. She turned toward the wooden door after hearing the knock.
She couldn't sense the visitor's mana, yet she knew exactly who it was.
Tsana neatly set her quill down, stood, and walked to the door before opening it.
The hinges creaked softly. As the door slowly opened, a man with silver hair and amethyst eyes came into view.
A gentle breeze drifted in from outside, rustling their hair and clothes, creating a serene, harmonious moment between them.
"It's you," Tsana said quietly.
Cayn smiled softly, a faint blush tinting his cheeks, making his expression even gentler.
Under dim barlight, he had looked handsome, but up close, in daylight, he appeared even brighter and livelier.
He extended his hand, revealing the mana pill that belonged to Tsana resting in his palm.
Tsana's gaze softened. "You didn't destroy it?"
"Why should I?" Cayn replied lightly.
Tsana looked at him, her voice calm but certain. "I knew it. You're no ordinary man. The Dragon's 'dear friend' he mentioned... it was you, wasn't it?"
Cayn smiled faintly, eyes glinting as he pulled the pill closer to his chest. He looked at Tsana, and that gaze made her heart subtly tremble.
His gaze looked like that of a man staring lovingly at his beloved.