Morning sunlight spilled over the quiet village as Ren and Lyra stepped out of the house, stretching after breakfast.
The siblings waved them off, energetic from their newfound potential, and Ren couldn't help but crack a rare smile.
They were growing stronger—he just needed to make sure he could keep up.
Lyra walked beside him, tightening her bowstring and adjusting her quiver.Her movements felt smoother than yesterday—her newly awakened aptitudes and abilities already visible.
Ren, on the other hand, sighed at the plain iron sword on his hip.
"It's really bad, isn't it?" Lyra asked gently.
"It's… honestly embarrassing," Ren admitted."One swing and the blade bends. I need money—quickly—if I want even a halfway decent sword."
"And a dagger," Lyra added, lips twitching."I have Basic Dagger Mastery now. What's the point if I can't use it?"
Ren nodded.
"That's why today we hunt. A lot."
Lyra grinned. "Then let's earn until our pockets burst."
They headed to the guild with a clear goal: grab several monster-hunting quests that paid well.
But the moment they pushed open the guild doors…
They didn't even reach the counter before the receptionist, Kara, noticed them.
"Oh! Ren, Lyra—perfect timing. The Guildmaster wanted to speak with you two."
Behind Kara, an elderly woman in deep-brown robes stood waiting.
Her eyes were steady, warm, but sharp—the gaze of a woman who'd lived long enough to raise a village.
Ren stopped.
"Village Elder Marienne…?"
Lyra bowed quickly."Elder, I didn't know you were coming."
Marienne smiled kindly at both of them.
"I came because I heard you two returned safely. And…"She glanced around the guild."…because I have a personal request."
Ren straightened, attentive.
"What kind of request, Elder?"
She clasped her hands together.
"My granddaughter is getting married next month."
"That's wonderful news," Lyra said warmly.
Marienne nodded, then continued:
"Our village has a tradition. The elder must present a blessing stone—a powerful core—to ensure prosperity for the couple's home."
Her gaze turned serious.
"And this time… the bride wishes for something special. Something rare. An Earth Golem Core."
Lyra stiffened.
"Earth Golem? Elder… those are D-rank monsters."
Ren scratched his cheek.
"And they hit hard. Really hard."
"Which is exactly why I'm asking you two," Marienne said gently."You're not ordinary youngsters anymore, Ren. I can feel it."
Ren felt a faint pressure in his chest—Marienne's instincts were sharper than most adventurers.
He bowed his head.
"We'll accept."
Lyra nodded immediately."If it's for the village… and for your granddaughter… we'll do it."
Marienne exhaled in relief.
"Thank you, Ren. Lyra. The wedding is soon, so I hope you can succeed quickly.I'll prepare proper compensation."
She reached out, touching Ren's arm fondly.
"And Ren… thank you for surviving."
Her eyes softened with memories of the tragedy two years ago.The loss of the children's parents.The pain of another goblin raid.
Ren only nodded.
"We won't fail."
Marienne left the guild with slow, careful steps.
Kara waited until she exited before leaning in.
"You two… an Earth Golem? That's dangerous."
Ren shrugged.
"It pays well, right?"
"If you bring the core intact, you'll get a small fortune. Enough for equipment upgrades."
Lyra elbowed him smugly.
"Hear that? Your sword's retirement is coming."
"You say that like it isn't a tragedy."
She laughed softly.
Kara handed over the quest parchment.
[Special Request – Earth Golem Core]
Difficulty: D-Rank
Reward: 8 gold (from guild) + additional compensation from Elder Marienne
Requirements: Core must be intact.
"Be careful," Kara warned."Earth Golems are slow, but their defenses are no joke."
Ren nodded.
"We'll head out now."
Lyra beamed."Time to start hunting."
The two stepped outside, the early light warming their backs as they prepared to leave the village.
A dangerous hunt awaited them—but also the money Ren desperately needed, the gear Lyra deserved, and a promise they had to fulfill.
Together, they set off toward the rocky outskirts where Earth Golems were known to appear.
Their next battle was about to begin.
The forest deepened as Ren and Lyra moved farther from the village, the morning sun filtered through the emerald canopy in soft, playful streaks. Birds chirped lazily, and the forest breeze carried faint scents of damp moss and wild herbs. Their quest log was simple, yet the path would be long:
— Find the Earth Golem— Collect herbs and common ores— Earn enough for weapons and gear
Ren needed a proper sword; even goblins deserved better than getting beaten with the dull, chipped iron he currently called a weapon. Lyra, with her Basic Dagger Mastery, needed a real dagger. The knife she had was more suited for cutting vegetables.
So the resource hunt mattered.
Lyra crouched near a patch of green.
"Ren, is this the Orlin Leaf?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with uncertainty.
Ren bent down, examining the oval leaf with faint silver veins."Nope. That's Silversoot. Good for fever, useless for alchemy. But—"
He plucked it anyway.
"—it sells decently. We're taking everything that earns gold."
Lyra nodded like an eager student, then wandered off to search more.Every few minutes she would call out:"Ren, is this one useful?""Ren, this one smells weird, but I like it.""Ren, can we keep this flower? It looks cute."
Ren sighed, but the corner of his lips twitched upward despite himself.
He tossed the collected herbs into the sack."We're here to earn money, not decorate your room."
"But pretty things increase happiness," she mumbled.
"Money increases happiness too."
She puffed her cheeks but kept collecting.
About an hour later, Ren noticed a small outcrop of stone jutting out from the hillside.
"Lyra, over here."He knelt down, tapping the stone surface. The sound was dull.
Not good.
He brushed his hand along the edges until he found a faint metallic glint.
"Found something?"
"Common Iron Ore," Ren said, pulling out his crude pickaxe. "Not rare, but good enough for reforging."
He struck the stone—CLANK. CLANK.Small chips broke away, revealing dull, brownish ore.
Lyra collected fallen pieces with excitement."Ren! If you get enough iron, can you craft your own sword?"
"Not yet. I need a proper forge… and skills."He smirked. "But with enough resources, I can get a blacksmith to do it."
Lyra's eyes sparkled like she'd discovered treasure herself.
They mined what they could, filling another small pouch before moving on.
The forest slowly transitioned into rocky terrain scattered with moss-covered boulders. This was the kind of area an Earth Golem would roam—if they were lucky.
"Tracks?" Lyra asked.
Ren ran his hand over the ground."No deep impressions. Earth Golems usually leave cracked soil… nothing here."
Lyra leaned over his shoulder, eyes narrowing in exaggerated seriousness."So… we keep walking?"
"Yep."
"And searching?"
"Yep."
"And collecting random rocks?"
"No."
She quietly placed the rock in her hand back on the ground.
They settled under a tall tree. Lyra took out water while Ren examined their haul.
"Herbs: good amount.Ores: not bad.Earth Golem: zero signs."
Lyra leaned against him with a relaxed sigh.
"We'll find it tomorrow maybe."
Ren nodded."It's too late in the afternoon. If we go deeper, we'll risk running into something worse."
Lyra shivered."Like… a forest troll?"
"A boar."Ren deadpanned.
Lyra gasped. "Ren, those things are worse! Trolls you can see coming. Boars just decide to murder people for breathing!"
He chuckled softly.
They continued searching until the sun dipped low, their bags heavier with herbs and ore—but no golem in sight. The trail was faint, if it existed at all.
"We'll come again." Ren said. "Earth Golems move slowly. Tracks might appear by tomorrow."
Lyra nodded, stretching her arms with a small groan."I didn't think searching would make me this tired…"
"Welcome to adventuring," Ren replied, patting her head. "Half of it is walking. The other half is disappointment."
"And the third half is running away, right?"
"There is no third half."
"There is if I say so!"
Ren stopped walking."…That's not how math works."
Lyra stuck out her tongue with a smug smile.He sighed.He wasn't winning this one either.
By the time they reached the village border, lanterns were being lit. Children were running around, and the smell of cooking filled the air.
Lyra smiled warmly."Tomorrow we'll find the golem."
Ren nodded."And buy you a dagger. And me a sword."
Their resource bags jingled with herbs and ore.It wasn't the golem's core the elder wanted—but it was a solid start.
Tomorrow, the real hunt continues.