The tension in the air was thick, like the moment before a storm breaks.
Belle stood firm, her silver eyes locked onto the red-haired swordsman before her. He carried himself with the ease of a seasoned warrior, yet his stance was far from relaxed. It was poised—controlled. His body moved like flowing water, each slight shift of his weight brimming with purpose. The katana at his side gleamed in the filtered sunlight, its polished steel a silent promise of his skill.
His gaze sharpened, studying her with the precision of a hawk sizing up its prey. Belle could feel it—his aura. It wasn't magic, at least not in the way she had come to understand it, but something else entirely. A presence. A force. It was like standing in the shadow of a drawn blade, sensing its edge before it ever touched flesh.
Her heartbeat quickened, her body instinctively responding.
This guy… he's dangerous.
She didn't know who he was, but she knew this much: he wasn't just some wandering swordsman. He was strong. Strong enough that her instincts were flaring with the same intensity as when she had faced the mutated beasts.
The surrounding forest seemed to hold its breath, the usual rustling of leaves falling silent. Even the wind had stilled. The only sound was the distant chirp of a lone bird—before it, too, went quiet.
Then, the swordsman shifted, his fingers tightening around his katana's hilt. He exhaled, slow and measured, his expression unreadable.
"You're strong. I can tell," he said at last, his voice low but edged with something—anticipation. "Which means—"
WHACK!
The sharp crack of impact shattered the silence like a thunderclap.
The swordsman's head snapped forward as a heavy hand struck the back of his skull with ruthless precision. His entire body lurched as if struck by a hammer, his once-imposing presence crumbling in an instant.
Belle blinked, her mind struggling to process what had just happened.
The red-haired warrior—who had exuded an aura so sharp it felt like a blade pressed against her skin—now teetered forward like a dazed child.
A flock of birds erupted from the treetops, startled by the sudden noise.
The swordsman barely caught himself before stumbling, his katana nearly slipping from his grip. He stood frozen, shoulders stiff, expression twisted in sheer disbelief. The air of a fearsome warrior was completely shattered.
"Oi, Kai," a calm yet slightly exasperated voice rang out. "How many times do I have to tell you? Stop picking fights with every person you meet?"
Kai. So that's his name.
Kai groaned, rubbing the back of his head as he turned around. "Gale?! What the hell was that for?!"
Belle blinked, utterly baffled by the sudden shift in tone. One second, she was on edge, her body primed for combat. The next, her would-be opponent was being scolded like a misbehaving child.
Her eyes snapped toward the newcomer.
Standing behind Kai was a tall man with short, messy silver hair and sharp green eyes that gleamed with a mix of authority and amusement. His armor bore an insignia—a crest that Belle didn't recognize—but what stood out was his relaxed stance. He wasn't stiff and formal like she imagined a knight would be. Instead, he carried himself with an effortless confidence, as if he had long since mastered the art of keeping control without needing to act like he had it.
The breeze shifted slightly, ruffling his hair and cloak. There was something unnatural about it, almost as if the wind itself responded to his presence. Magic?
Gale Valtor, the Vice-Captain of the Dawnstead Knights, let out a heavy sigh before crossing his arms. "I swear, every time I leave you alone for five minutes, you're already looking to duel someone. Do you want me to report you to the guild again?"
At the mention of the guild, Belle's ears perked up. Guild? That sounded important.
Kai clicked his tongue and sheathed his sword with an irritated grunt. "Tch. It's not like I was gonna go all out. Just a little sparring to test her skills."
Gale arched an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Oh? Because from where I was standing, it looked like you were about to go full force in the middle of the road. Again."
Belle finally found her voice. "...Again?"
Gale sighed. "Yeah. He does this a lot. I think he actually has a problem."
Kai scoffed. "It's called having a warrior's spirit."
"It's called being a menace," Gale corrected.
Belle glanced between the two, her stance slowly easing. They know each other. The hostility in the air had dissipated, replaced by something she could only describe as… sibling-like banter.
Kai shot Gale a glare. "What are you even doing here, anyway?"
Gale smirked. "Oh, you know. Keeping the peace. Making sure you don't get your ass kicked by someone stronger than you—again."
Kai bristled. "I don't always lose."
"You lost to me," Gale pointed out.
"That was one time—!"
"And that mage from the capital."
"That was a bad matchup—!"
"And the beastkin twins from last month."
Kai scowled. "Okay, first of all, that was a two-on-one fight, and second—"
Belle couldn't help it. She let out a small, amused snort.
Kai immediately turned toward her. "What? You think this is funny?"
Belle smirked, crossing her arms. "A little."
Gale chuckled. "See? Even she agrees."
Kai huffed and turned away, arms crossed like a sulking child.
Gale finally turned to Belle, his expression shifting to something friendlier. "Sorry about this, miss. Kai tends to get a little... enthusiastic when he meets someone strong."
Belle hesitated. "...It's fine?"
Honestly, she had no idea what was happening anymore. One moment, she was on the verge of battle, and the next, she was trapped in what felt like a bizarre comedy routine.
Gale studied her for a moment, then nodded. "You must be new around here. Welcome to Dawnstead. I'm Gale Valtor. You can call me Gale."
Belle's eyes flickered to the insignia on his armor. "Dawnstead?"
"It's the name of the town ahead," Gale explained, his tone filled with a certain warmth. "We're from there."
Belle's gaze darted between the two of them. "Wait... so you two really know each other?"
Kai rolled his eyes. "Unfortunately."
Gale ignored him. "Kai's an adventurer registered with the Dawnstead Adventurer's Guild. And I happen to be one of the people making sure he doesn't cause too much trouble. Which, as you can see, is a full-time job."
Belle tilted her head slightly. "Adventurer's Guild?"
Kai scoffed. "You don't know what an adventurer is?"
Belle tensed slightly. Crap. That was suspicious.
Gale, however, seemed to notice her hesitation and gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't mind him. You don't look like you're from around here. I take it you're a traveler?"
Belle hesitated before nodding. "Something like that."
Kai narrowed his eyes. "You're awfully strong for a random traveler."
Belle met his gaze without flinching. "And you're awfully reckless for a so-called adventurer."
Kai bristled again. "Why you—!"
Gale clapped a hand on Kai's shoulder before he could get riled up again. "Alright, alright. That's enough for now. Let's not scare off our new guest before she even reaches town."
Kai grumbled but didn't argue.
Gale turned back to Belle with a relaxed smile. "Well, if you're heading to Dawnstead, we'll walk with you. I'd rather not leave you alone with Kai before he challenges you to another duel."
Kai muttered, "I wasn't going to—"
"You totally were," Gale deadpanned.
Belle chuckled lightly. "I'd appreciate the escort."
The merchant, still pale from his earlier encounter with the bandits, finally able to get himself to join the conversation. "Vice-Captain Gale! Thank the heavens! You're here!"
Belle caught the words and her eyes narrowed slightly. Vice-Captain? So he's someone important. She turned her glance at the merchant. Right… He's still here.
Gale's sharp gaze flickered to him. "You alright?"
The merchant nodded quickly. "Y-Yes, thanks to this young lady!" He gestured toward Belle. "She saved me from a group of bandits!"
Belle shrugged, keeping her expression neutral. "They weren't that strong."
The merchant gaped at her. "Not that strong? Miss, they were armed and outnumbered you! I thought I was done for, but you handled them like it was nothing!"
Kai's eyes narrowed slightly. "So she's not just strong—she's skilled."
Belle said nothing. She wasn't about to explain herself to someone who had nearly started a fight with her for no reason.
Gale, however, seemed more interested than suspicious. "Impressive. Most people wouldn't walk away from an ambush that easily."
Kai scoffed. "Tch. If she's that good, then we definitely need to spar."
Gale immediately smacked the back of Kai's head.
"Ow! Damn it, Gale!"
"How about thanking her for saving someone's life instead of challenging her to a fight?"
Kai grumbled, rubbing his head. "Fine, fine. Thanks or whatever."
The merchant gave a hasty bow. "No, really! I owe you my life, miss!" He straightened, turning to Gale. "Vice-Captain, please, allow me to formally report the attack. There could be more of them lurking on the roads!"
Gale nodded. "We'll escort you back to town. You can give the full report there."
The merchant sighed in relief. "Thank you, truly."
As the four of them began walking toward the town, Belle let out a quiet breath. For now, I'll play along.
She still had no idea how this world worked, what a guild was, or how she was supposed to fit into all of this. But if these two were willing to lead her into town, she'd take advantage of it.
And maybe, just maybe, she'd start getting some answers.
As they made their way back to Dawnstead, Belle turned to Gale, still mulling over something he had mentioned earlier.
"May I know what the Adventurer's Guild is?"
Gale nodded, adjusting the grip on his sword as he walked. "It's an organization that handles requests from the public—monster subjugations, exploration missions, and escort jobs. Each town usually has a guild branch where people can hire adventurers or take on work themselves. The Dawnstead branch works alongside the knights to keep the town safe. While we enforce the law, adventurers take on the more unpredictable and dangerous tasks."
Kai scoffed, crossing his arms. "In other words, the knights do the boring paperwork while adventurers get to fight monsters and explore ruins."
Gale shot him a side glance. "Or, you know, we keep order while adventurers like you avoid responsibilities."
Kai smirked. "Sounds like jealousy to me."
Gale sighed, rubbing his temples. "Ignore him. He's just bitter because knights actually get paid on time."
Kai's smirk faltered, his eyes twitching. "Hey! That was one time! And it wasn't even my fault! The guild was just… a little behind on rewards."
Belle observed their banter with mild amusement. Despite how serious Kai had looked during their initial encounter, he had a surprisingly childish side when arguing with Gale. The dynamic between the two felt almost like bickering brothers. It reminded Belle of her sister.
A nervous chuckle interrupted their exchange. The merchant—who had been quietly trailing behind them, still shaken from the earlier attack—finally spoke up.
"Excuse me, Sir Gale…? I truly appreciate your help, and yours as well, miss," he said, bowing slightly. "If it weren't for you, those bandits would have taken everything I own."
Belle shook her head. "It was nothing. Are you sure you're okay?"
The merchant smiled, though his hands still trembled slightly. "I will be. I was just—" He hesitated, then exhaled shakily. "I was just so sure that was the end for me. When they surrounded my cart, I thought… Well, never mind that. I'm lucky you happened to be here."
Gale nodded. "You should report the attack to the guild as soon as we reach town. If those bandits are still active in the area, we'll need to deal with them before they target anyone else."
The merchant swallowed hard but nodded. "Of course. I—I should have hired an escort, but I thought this route was safe. A mistake I won't make again."
"Smart choice," Gale said. "Though next time, I'd suggest putting out a request at the guild first. Even a lower-ranked adventurer could've made the difference."
Belle listened intently, her mind churning with new information. So, the guild didn't just handle monster hunts but also security jobs. If the guild collected reports on threats like bandits and monsters, then maybe… maybe she could find information there—about this world, about the Cyber Dragon, about herself.
She hesitated before asking, "So… how do people join the guild?"
Kai's smirk widened in an instant. "Oh? Thinking about becoming an adventurer?" He tilted his head, studying her with newfound interest. "I mean, you do have the look—silver hair, mysterious aura, and that whole 'I just fought a dragon' vibe. You'd fit right in."
Belle blinked, suddenly tense. How did he—
End of Chapter 8
Next: The beginning of new arc - The Dawnstead Arc