Among the many items spread across the ground,

  one in particular caught Aira’s eye.

  Between the neatly arranged trinkets laid on a small cloth,

  a silver bracelet—dark in tone, as if it had slipped away from the light—

  cradled a red gem in silence.

  “Huh… this one?”

  Aira reached out carefully.

  When her fingertips touched it, it wasn’t cold—

  but a strange warmth lingered in it.

  Like something forgotten for a long time, a thin layer of dust clung to the surface.

  “Rynel, what do you think? Does it look good?”

  Rynel glanced over.

  “Yeah… it’s not bad.”

  Nearby, an old street vendor—sitting low and quiet—curved her eyes into a smile.

  She patted her knee with a wrinkled hand.

  “Heh-heh. The young lady’s got an eye.”

  “Hey~ ‘young lady’ makes me sound so old! I’m not that age!”

  Aira covered her cheeks with both hands and looked away.

  A laugh slipped out, and her face flushed all the way to her ears.

  Rynel turned his head aside for a moment as well.

  The old woman chuckled lightly, then continued.

  “That bracelet isn’t just some shiny accessory.”

  Rynel tilted his head a fraction.

  “…So it’s not ordinary?”

  “Some called it cursed, you know. Others said it might be a relic left behind by the Hero’s party.”

  She brushed her palm once, as if shaking off the weight of the rumor.

  “But who knows if any of that’s true. Plenty of talk—yet no one ever actually kept it.”

  Aira looked down at the bracelet.

  “That long?”

  “I’ve had it out here… hmm. Must be about five years now.”

  “It’s this pretty and nobody bought it?”

  “Heh-heh. That’s how it goes.

  Only people with the right eyes know what something’s worth.”

  Rynel looked at the bracelet again.

  At first, he’d thought it was just an old ornament.

  But with the slightest change in angle,

  the red gem held a peculiar light—

  not a sparkle, but something that felt alive inside.

  “…Aira.”

  “Hm?”

  Rynel spoke quietly.

  “Let’s buy it. I like it.”

  Aira’s eyes lit up.

  “See~? I knew you’d like it!”

  As she reached for her coin, the old woman waved her hand.

  “No need.”

  “…Huh? Really?”

  The old woman lifted the bracelet carefully and held it out toward Rynel.

  “That bracelet’s tired, too.

  And now… it’s finally met its owner.”

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  Rynel hesitated, then took it in silence.

  The buckle was worn, but sturdy.

  When he slid it onto his wrist, it fit more comfortably than he expected.

  “…The fit’s good.”

  Aira beamed.

  “Whew~ thank goodness!

  I felt bad buying all sorts of stuff for myself~”

  Rynel gave a light laugh.

  On the bracelet, the red gem caught the light and shimmered softly.

  For some reason, it was hard to look away.

  ◇

  A long shadow from the canopy drifted down to their feet.

  Rynel looked up at the sky and said,

  “Should we… head back?”

  The bright sky had sunk into sunset,

  and merchants along the market street were closing up in a rush.

  People’s steps were slowing, little by little.

  “Oh—already evening.”

  Aira stretched her arms high.

  “Today went by so fast~”

  “Time moves.”

  Rynel smiled briefly.

  “We just walked around the market.”

  Aira swung the paper bags in both hands.

  They were filled with bread, small crafts, and magical odds and ends.

  “If it was a good day, that’s enough.”

  “Still…”

  Aira scratched her head.

  “In the end, I bought a ton for me, and for you it’s just that bracelet.”

  Her gaze slid to Rynel’s left wrist.

  The silver bracelet, set with a red gem, glimmered faintly in the evening light.

  Rynel turned his head.

  “Looking at it now… it suits me better than I expected.”

  Aira gave him a quick wink.

  “Right? I didn’t pick it for nothing!”

  “The old woman helped.”

  “Hm. That… I’ll admit!”

  They walked side by side.

  After a full day of wandering, they should’ve been tired—

  but the light bags and familiar alleyways made their steps feel easier instead.

  “Today was… relaxed.”

  Rynel said under his breath.

  “Yeah. Sometimes we need days like that.”

  Aira nodded, smiling.

  But the ease didn’t last.

  As the sunset was swallowed by darkness,

  something in Rynel’s eyes changed—somewhere at the far end of the alley.

  ◇

  At the mouth of the quiet alley, Rynel stopped.

  “…There.”

  His gaze fixed on a narrow path across the way—

  deeper into a side alley where footsteps were rare.

  “Huh? What is it?”

  When Aira turned, Rynel’s expression was already set—hard.

  There.

  At the far end of a tight, dark passage, someone was walking slowly.

  A figure in a black cloak.

  A hood hung deep, hiding the face.

  But the steps were careful—strangely familiar.

  In one hand, the figure carried a small box.

  It didn’t shake. It didn’t rattle.

  Yet it had a presence that dragged your eyes to it.

  And…

  “…That.”

  Rynel’s eyes trembled, just slightly.

  A sticky, unpleasant mana.

  A presence he’d felt before.

  It was too similar to the chill that had crept down his back during their first request.

  ‘No way…’

  Rynel pressed his lips together.

  His hesitation didn’t last long.

  “Aira.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Go back to the inn first.

  I need to check something.”

  “Now? At this hour? Are you meeting someone?”

  Aira frowned.

  But Rynel’s face was serious.

  “I’ll explain at the inn.

  Right now… I have to confirm it.”

  After a short silence, Aira nodded.

  “Alright.

  Rynel—don’t push yourself.”

  Rynel nodded quietly.

  Then he moved, following the black hood.

  By now the sunset had fully died,

  and night had covered the village.

  ◇

  Once he left the village center behind,

  a temple at the end of the road slowly came into view.

  White walls.

  Pillars worn down by time.

  And a few dim lamps that flickered now and then.

  Keeping his distance, Rynel tailed the hooded man.

  The man circled behind a small building near the temple,

  and someone else was already waiting there.

  A figure dressed as a priest.

  Rynel held his breath on reflex.

  Without hesitation, the cloaked man handed the box to the priest.

  ‘A trade…?’

  And then—

  From the box, silent until now, a low vibration hummed.

  *Vmmm.*

  Rynel’s heart jolted once.

  That mana.

  He felt it clearly.

  A hazy tremor.

  An unstable current brushing across his skin, wavering—

  and it was…

  reacting to Rynel.

  ‘…Did it sense me?’

  Rynel stepped back instinctively.

  But it was already too late.

  The priest’s gaze shifted,

  and the cloaked man began to turn his head.

  “…!”

  “Stay quiet.”

  A sharp whisper bit into his back.

  At the same time, a strong arm yanked his shoulder.

  Rynel was dragged behind a wall in an instant.

  Someone swallowed a harsh breath and covered his mouth.

  “Shh. Don’t move.”

  A low, firm voice.

  Familiar—yet not a voice he could trust completely.

  Rynel’s eyes widened, his body tensing.

  “…Raken?”

  “Quiet. They’re still close.”

  The priests’ voices drifted farther away.

  A few low whispers passed between them—then they hurried into the temple.

  A moment later—

  silence returned to the alley.

  Raken spoke low.

  “Didn’t think you’d follow them this far.”

  Rynel clenched his teeth and asked,

  “Why are you here?”

  Instead of answering, Raken scanned the area quickly—

  then tugged Rynel’s arm lightly.

  “Not here. We can’t talk here.

  Let’s go to the guild.”

  ◇

  They walked along an empty road after slipping out of the narrow alley.

  Only footsteps continued.

  After a stretch of silence, Rynel spoke first.

  “I don’t trust you completely.

  I’m only leaving the area for now.”

  “I didn’t ask you to.”

  Raken’s reply was short, dry.

  He kept his eyes forward and added,

  “But you felt that mana from the box… didn’t you?”

  Rynel’s brow tightened slightly.

  “I felt it.

  It was familiar, for sure.

  But I don’t know exactly what it is.”

  “That’s normal.”

  Raken didn’t slow.

  “That power is almost gone now—practically extinct.

  The box probably reacted to the mana leaking from your ability.

  There aren’t many left on this land who can handle it.”

  Rynel let out a low breath.

  “…So you’ve been watching me.”

  “The box only reacted to you.”

  A brief silence.

  Raken stepped half a pace ahead and said,

  “There’s something I need to tell you.

  Why I’m staying in this village.”

  Rynel weighed the words.

  He didn’t drop his guard, but he didn’t stop walking either.

  Only their footsteps carried over the stone road.

  “Let’s go to the guild.”

  Raken said quietly.

  “This is going to be a long conversation.”

  ◇

  The adventurers’ guild was dimly lit.

  The door was shut tight, and only a single lamp beyond the window cut into the late night.

  Raken sat at an old table in the corner.

  Rynel took the seat across from him in silence.

  For a moment, neither spoke.

  Raken swirled a mug of beer.

  It was nearly empty, but his hand was heavy.

  Rynel broke the silence.

  “That box we saw.

  The mana inside it… I felt it during my first request.”

  “Of course you did.”

  Raken set the mug down and nodded slowly.

  “Unstable. Rough…

  but unmistakably the reaction of something ‘alive.’”

  Rynel’s expression tightened.

  “What is it.

  What’s happening at that temple?”

  Raken closed his eyes briefly.

  Then, slowly, he spoke.

  “That charity temple used to be the place that enshrined Saint ‘Kreseria’—

  the one who helped defeat the Demon King three hundred years ago.

  It used to be sacred.”

  Rynel answered low.

  “…I’ve heard of it.

  They say those who inherited the saint’s mana gathered there and kept the faith of healing and protection.”

  “That’s the old story.”

  Raken said quietly.

  “Five years ago, something suspicious started inside that temple.”

  Rynel’s eyes narrowed.

  “Be specific.”

  Raken continued without pause.

  “Mana stones. Resonance stones. Monster byproducts.

  Requests started flowing in—quietly—asking people to gather things like that.”

  “To anyone?”

  Rynel asked.

  “No. To people who met certain conditions.”

  Raken spoke without lifting his gaze.

  “People with unclear guild records.

  Low-trust types.”

  Rynel rested his fingers against his jaw.

  “I heard the capital sent an investigation once.”

  “Yeah.”

  Raken nodded.

  “I was on that investigation team.”

  “…You were?”

  “No hard proof. The priests were calm.

  Our team decided to withdraw.”

  Raken’s eyes flickered once.

  “But I couldn’t accept it.”

  Rynel asked quietly,

  “So… you stayed behind alone.”

  Raken was silent for a long moment, then answered low.

  “…The village where you solved that missing-person request.

  That’s my hometown.”

  Rynel’s gaze shifted—just slightly.

  “Your hometown? Then…”

  Raken didn’t smile.

  The word pressed down on his mouth, heavy.

  “In the end…

  I became someone ‘forgotten’ there.”