The evening bell of the Silver Moon Inn rang softly through the hallway.

  “Kaito, Serena! Dinner is ready!” Ririna’s cheerful voice called from downstairs.

  Kaito opened his door at the same moment Serena stepped out of hers. They exchanged a small smile before walking down together. The warm scent of cooked food drifted through the air, instantly making their stomachs rumble.

  When they reached the dining area, they stopped in unison.

  On the wooden table sat two steaming bowls of meat soup and a plate of freshly grilled fish, golden and glistening under the lamplight.

  “The food looks delicious,” they said at the same time.

  Ririna laughed softly. “Come sit here and have a bite. You will definitely like it.”

  They took their seats, picked up their spoons, and tasted the soup.

  Their eyes widened.

  “This is really good,” Serena said, her voice bright with surprise.

  Kaito nodded quickly. “The flavor is amazing.”

  Ririna placed her hands on her hips proudly. “I told you so.”

  They ate with enthusiasm, the warmth of the meal spreading through their tired bodies. For the first time since arriving in StoneHaven, they felt truly relaxed.

  After a while, the conversation naturally began.

  Kaito wiped his mouth lightly and said, “We’ll head to the Adventurer Guild tomorrow morning after breakfast.”

  Serena nodded. “Emm… I will prepare.”

  Ririna smiled knowingly. “Busy adventurers already. Just don’t forget to rest properly.”

  After finishing dinner, they thanked her and returned to their rooms.

  The night passed quietly.

  For once, there was no forest wind, no monster roars, no need to take turns keeping watch. Only the peaceful silence of town life.

  Morning sunlight slipped through the curtains as Kaito slowly opened his eyes.

  A soft bed. A warm blanket. A real ceiling above him.

  He stretched his arms and sighed contentedly. “This still feels unreal.”

  After washing up, he went downstairs and found Serena already seated at a table. Breakfast awaited them—fresh bread and fragrant curry.

  “Good morning,” Serena said, smiling.

  “Morning.”

  They ate together in comfortable silence, occasionally exchanging small comments about the taste of the food or the plans for the day.

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  After finishing, they stepped outside into the lively morning streets of StoneHaven.

  Sunlight reflected off shop windows and polished armor. Vendors called out to customers, children ran between the stalls, and the scent of baked goods filled the air.

  As they walked, Serena suddenly slowed near a clothing store. Colorful dresses and travel outfits hung neatly in the window.

  She paused for just a moment.

  Then resumed walking as if nothing happened.

  Kaito noticed.

  He didn’t say anything, but the small detail stayed in his mind.

  They continued through the town, enjoying the peaceful walk until the familiar guild building appeared ahead.

  Inside, Sofia greeted them with a bright smile.

  “Good morning!”

  “Good morning,” they replied together.

  “We’re here about the Lightning Bear,” Kaito said.

  “Of course,” Sofia nodded. “Please follow me upstairs. The Guild Master is waiting.”

  They exchanged a glance before following her to the second floor. The atmosphere grew quieter as they entered a large office filled with maps, documents, and shelves of books.

  Behind a large wooden desk stood a tall, broad-shouldered man with streaks of gray in his hair and sharp eyes that carried years of experience.

  “This is Guild Master Garrick,” Sofia said. “They are Kaito and Serena.”

  Garrick crossed his arms, studying them carefully.

  “So you’re the adventurers who want to sell Lightning Bear materials.”

  He tilted his head slightly. “You’re E-rank… and you defeated that beast?”

  Kaito scratched his cheek awkwardly. “Yes.”

  Garrick gestured toward the hallway. “Show me in the storehouse.”

  They followed him downstairs to a large storage room filled with monster parts and crates.

  Kaito stepped forward and opened his Item Box.

  The massive Lightning Bear appeared on the floor with a heavy thud.

  Garrick’s eyes widened slightly as he inspected the body. Burn marks, deep cuts, and frozen scars covered its thick fur.

  “Such injuries… Magic damage everywhere.”

  He glanced at them. “You really defeated this with magic?”

  Kaito and Serena exchanged a quick look.

  “Yes,” Kaito replied calmly. “We used magic only. No weapons.”

  Garrick rested his hand against his cheek, deep in thought.

  “Well… since you killed it, you’ve completed the quest.”

  “…Eh?”

  Both of them froze.

  “We just accidentally killed it,” Kaito said.

  Sofia giggled softly. “There was a lot request from villagers and merchants to eliminate this bear. It had been chasing people and attacking carriages.”

  “It disappeared five days ago,” she continued. “No one knew what happened.”

  Garrick nodded. “Which means you two completed the request.”

  Serena blinked repeatedly. “We didn’t even know…”

  Garrick chuckled. “Adventurers don’t always choose their quests. Sometimes the quests choose them.”

  He straightened up and spoke firmly.

  “Kaito. Serena. Your rank will be raised to D-rank.”

  Their eyes widened.

  “And your reward is five gold coins.”

  Serena nearly dropped her staff. “F–Five gold?!”

  Kaito stood speechless.

  Sofia handed them a small pouch, the coins clinking softly inside.

  After thanking the Guild Master, they returned to the main hall in a daze.

  “D-rank already…” Serena whispered.

  Kaito smiled faintly. “Feels unreal.”

  They walked toward the quest board together.

  After looking at the requests, Serena pointed at one.

  “D-rank quest: Eliminate 10 wolves. Reward: two silver coins.”

  Kaito nodded. “Let’s take it.”

  They handed the request to Sofia, who smiled approvingly. “Good luck.”

  Moments later, they stepped outside the guild once more.

  The town bustled with life, but their focus had already shifted toward the forest beyond the walls.

  As they walked, Serena asked, “Do you think wolves will be harder than goblins?”

  Kaito shrugged. “We’ll find out soon.”

  The town gate slowly faded behind them as the road led back into the wilderness.

  Birdsong replaced the noise of the market. The scent of trees replaced the smell of bread and spices.

  After about an hour of walking, Serena suddenly slowed.

  “Kaito… look.”

  He crouched beside her and examined the ground.

  Paw prints.

  Fresh ones.

  A faint smile appeared on his face.

  “Looks like we found our targets.”

  They followed the trail deeper into the forest, senses sharpening with each step.

  Branches rustled.

  Wind whispered through the trees.

  Then Serena quietly pointed ahead.

  Between the shadows of the forest, a group of wolves emerged.

  Golden eyes glowed in the dim light as the pack stared back at them.

  Kaito tightened his grip on his spear.

  Serena raised her staff.

  The hunt had begun.