Clip-clop, clip-clop.
Gauss sat in the back of a merchant caravan wagon, leaning against a pile of mailbags and parcels of all shapes and sizes.
Behind him, the distant hillside slowly receded into the horizon.
Sharing the same wagon were Hailier and her two companions.
Bell and Mia were resting inside the cabin, while Hailier sat at the edge, legs swinging outside as the wagon jolted, her eyes gleaming as she enjoyed the scenery.
The weather was perfect—clear skies stretched overhead like a polished sapphire. Sunlight spilled through thin wisps of clouds like golden silk threads, tracing soft outlines across the pale bluish mountains in the distance. The wind carried the fresh scent of forest dew and wild grass, moistening the air and lifting everyone's spirits.
After registering as a team with the Adventurers' Guild and a short training session the afternoon before, the group had set off the next day for their mission in Birchwood Village.
Given the long distance, walking would have taken them two days.
Gauss had suggested finding a caravan heading in the same direction and hitching a ride for part of the way, then walking the final stretch to the village.
The others had gladly agreed.
It hadn't taken long to find a caravan, and sharing half a wagon in exchange for the company of four armed adventurers was a great deal for the merchants too.
Maybe the scenery had started to bore her, but Hailier eventually turned away from the horizon and looked at Gauss, who sat across from her at the back of the wagon.
They'd gotten to know each other better after yesterday's meal and combat drill, enough to chat more casually.
"You know, I'm still surprised," Hailier said with a grin. "I really didn't expect you to be a mage-in-training."
"Sorry to ruin your impression of what a mage should look like."
"It's not that dramatic," she laughed. "Just… all the mages I've ever seen or heard of were rich. You're kind of an outlier."
"I wanted to be a mage when I was a kid," she added wistfully. "But I guess I never had the talent for magic."
Their conversation drifted lazily as the caravan rolled through plains, forests, over hills, and across rivers—until they reached their drop-off point.
The journey had been peaceful. No monsters, no accidents.
Gauss was relieved… though he couldn't help feeling slightly disappointed.
"This is where we part ways."
"Birchwood Village is about an hour's walk from here," one of the caravan workers explained. "Just follow this road to the end, turn left at the fork. It's the second village along that path."
"Got it. Thanks, sir," Hailier said, offering a polite bow.
"Be careful," the man warned. "Goblins may be small and seem harmless, but don't let your guard down."
The four of them watched as the caravan continued down the road, eventually disappearing into the distance.
Suddenly, the world around them felt much quieter.
"Let's get to Birchwood before sunset."
"Agreed."
No one wanted to rest—they set out immediately along the dirt road.
The path was reasonably smooth, flanked by deep woods. The chill of dusk carried through the trees, making the backs of their necks prickle.
Even Hailier, who had been so eager and excited earlier, grew quiet, sensing the tension in the air.
The group moved cautiously, and just as the last rays of sunlight vanished from the sky, they reached their destination.
…
Birchwood Village
A crooked wooden sign at the fork read the village's name.
Before they even entered, the team could hear sounds coming from the central square—raised voices, muffled sobs.
Gauss's heart skipped a beat.
Something had happened.
He suddenly felt an ominous weight settle in his chest.
"We need to gather everyone now and rescue Jenny and Aisha!"
"It's already dark! We should wait until morning when we're armed and ready—"
"Wait until morning?! By then it'll be too late! Those filthy green-skinned bastards won't wait for us to make a plan."
"My poor children…!"
The village square was crowded. Beside the dim glow of bonfires, some men were shouting passionately, others hesitated, and women wept on the ground, their faces stricken with grief.
"Excuse me—this is Birchwood Village, right?" Hailier called out to the crowd. "We're the adventurers who accepted your commission. Is the village chief here? We'd like to understand the situation."
Her voice cut through the chaos, momentarily silencing the arguing villagers.
All eyes turned toward them, guarded and cautious.
An old man with a cane slowly stepped forward from the crowd.
"That would be me. I'm the village chief."
He nodded, getting straight to the point.
"Welcome, adventurers. Under better circumstances, we'd have prepared a proper reception. But as you can see, things aren't exactly peaceful right now. I hope you'll forgive our poor hospitality."
"No worries, sir. We're here for the job anyway," Hailier said, waving off his apology. She pulled out the quest form to confirm their identity.
The chief visibly relaxed and began explaining what had happened.
The situation wasn't complicated.
Two young women had been abducted by goblins.
The goblin group had been active in the nearby woods for several months. They had never attacked villagers directly before—only stealing the occasional chicken, duck, or goat.
Still, the villagers had pooled together a reward and sent a request to Grayrock's Adventurers' Guild for help.
Oddly, for the past two days, the goblins had completely vanished.
Feeling a bit more relaxed, the villagers had let their guard down.
They assumed the goblins had hidden deeper into the woods, and with a team of adventurers on their way, there didn't seem to be any immediate danger.
No one expected an actual attack right at dusk.
Two female villagers had been taken.
Now, with night fully fallen, the village was on edge. Some, especially the victims' relatives, were desperate to mount a rescue right away.
Others argued that rushing into the forest at night was foolish—it could easily lead to more casualties.
One side demanded urgency. The other urged caution.
Both had valid points, and even the chief couldn't decide what to do.
That's when Gauss's team arrived—like a group of heroes dropped from the heavens.
The village chief didn't say it out loud, but deep down, he was already pinning his hopes on them.
After all, three of the four were clearly equipped with proper gear and weapons—far better than the average farmer with a pitchfork.
All eyes turned to the adventurers.
"Apologies," Hailier said, bowing slightly under the weight of so many expectant stares. "We'll need a moment to talk."
She led her team a short distance away for a quick discussion.
The square fell strangely silent, the earlier noise replaced by a thick, heavy stillness—tension barely hidden beneath the quiet.
Everyone was waiting on their decision.
An unassuming team of rookie adventurers, barely worth a glance in town, was now the one hope of an entire village.
Gauss caught glimpses of the silent crowd from the corner of his eye—and felt the pressure start to mount.
This… was a real adventure.
One filled with uncertainty and unexpected turns.
He'd thought it would be a simple goblin extermination—
Arrive. Rest. Scout the area. Gather intel. Plan. Execute. Complete the quest.
But clearly, things had already gone off-script—right at the first step.