"Thank you for your patronage, Dear Customer".
After finding the weapon and finishing the transaction, Jin waited for Silvia near the entrance door while he scanned the interior. He had nothing to do besides check his condition and the equipment he had just bought.
"Thanks for the wait, Jin".
A clear bell-like voice echoed as Jin's breath caught up in his throat, witnessing Iris with her new looks.
In her hand, she held the folded black Jacket Jin had lent her. Silvia's new outfit was a white coat that draped to her knees, with fur around her collar to prevent her from getting cold and a hood.
On her chest, Jin could see a glittering silver plate strapped to her back and a pair of gauntlets to protect her arms and knee guards, prompting him to tilt his head and ask. "Are you coming with me?".
"Well, of course, I will". Silvia pounded her chest; confidence radiating on her beings. "This was my first time exploring the outside world, and I'm a bit excited."
Meanwhile, Jin furrowed his brows and smacked his forehead. He planned to ask Silvia to return and send his parents a message, but the outcome was outside his prediction.
It was not his place to restrict the girl's will; she was free to do anything. She was also the one who bought him a new weapon. However, this becomes a different story if she becomes involved in a dangerous situation, entering a newborn dungeon that is shrouded in unknown danger.
Jin already considered the risk when taking the Subquest: 'I plan to investigate this case alone and escort the girl back home'.
'If things go south quickly, I can still do something to save myself,' he says, staring at the girl standing before him.
But now, he must weigh the responsibility of another person's life in his hands. And that is something he still hesitated to carry with the current him.
"Let's go; I will lead you to the Village." Silvia tossed the jacket to the boy, blocking his sight as she pulled the door open with a clattering bell.
"No need. Besides, I know the way.". Jin bit his lips, storing the jacket in his Item Box and asked, "Are you certain about this? This might be dangerous, you know".
The two walked out of the shop as Silvia stared at his side profile, eyes wide open. "...Hmm, you can also act cautious like that".
"Ha? Who do you think I am?".
Jin exhaled sharply and glared at the girl beside him. Her azure eyes stare straight at his eyes like the surface of the calm pond without a ripple, probing his intention.
Silvia huffed to the side, murmuring quietly, "I thought you are a rather impulsive boy, but it seemed I was mistaken".
"Hm? You said something?".
"Nothing. But, no matter what, I will come with you to investigate the missing livestock".
She strode forward and stopped in front of Jin, blocking his way. For a moment, both stared at each other's eyes. Silvia's clear intention and her will pierced through Jin's consciousness.
He exhaled softly and clenched the Katana in his left hand. "Alright, make sure you follow every command I give you."
Silvia's sharp eyes blinked, her lips loosened to a smile and nod. "I will".
"Good, let's go". Jin walked past the girl, and she followed him. 'Well, If things truly went bad, I can just destroy the surrounding area to create a chance for her to escape'.
Silence descended upon them. The two walked through the central town and to the south, where the people were still flooding the place. Many stalls and shops were open for business; the lively atmosphere made him nostalgic when he went shopping with Iris.
"Welcome, Jin, to the market in this town".
Jin scanned his surroundings, his nose twitching upon sniffing a delicious spice and sizzling fat from a stall selling skewers. His feet move on, dragging him into the source as he faces the bulky middle-aged man.
"Welcome, kid".
"Give me ten of them!". Jin handed over a gold coin and watched the stall owner stuffing it into a paper bag. The delicious aroma teases his twitching nose, almost letting droll escape his lips.
Silvia seemed lost in the atmosphere. Her sharp eyes softened as she watched the bickering merchants, children laughing in their parent's arms, and the town her father managed buzzing with vibrant life.
Jin turned to her and noticed a fleeting smile escape her lips. It was her genuine expression, and she probably didn't realise it herself.
"Silvia? You okay?". Jin asked, standing beside her.
Silvia snapped out of her daze, she turned to the side and saw Jin holding several paper bags. "N-Nothing. It seemed you had finished with your shopping."
"Yeah, Let's go". He pointed toward the southern gate and walked away in front, storing away the paper bags inside the Item Box.
"Right!?". Silvia's expression shifted from her playfulness into a quiet determination. Silvia draped her hood as she chased after his shadows and walked side by side.
With that, the two left the bustling market behind, weaving through the stream of people until the southern gate came into view.
The bustling noise faded as they made their way toward the gate. Its thick door, made of aged wood, still opened to let the carriage enter. A row of carriages, from travelling merchants or even a luxurious one, lined up, showing how busy the town was.
Jin walked over to a knight guard and showed his Adventure guild card. The guard traced the card as he opened his lips.
"Are you on a mission?".
"Yes, I plan to investigate something in some Village." Jin received the card and asked the guard, "Can I?"
"Yes, you may proceed. Who was that person behind you?" The guard's eyes knitted in frown upon seeing Silvia, whose face was hidden beneath the large hood.
"She was my comrade; can she pass too?".
The guard paused momentarily before looking at the kid from top to bottom. "Huff, you guys may pass. Be careful out there," he said.
"Thank you".
Jin and Silvia walked past the gate, avoiding various contact and gazes that prickled their skins. A strong gust of wind whistled past them, fluttering Silvia's robe and almost blowing her cover.
Silvia pulled down the hood to hide her face. Her shadows swayed gently as she fixed her gaze on the boy's back.
Followed silently behind him, she was welcomed by a vast greenery of land that stretched infinitely toward the lush forest that housed several small animals and little beasts.
"Let's pick our pace?".
"Okay".
Their feet blurred, and a cloud of dust rose from the ground. Both of them sped up, arriving near the forest that stretched on both sides of the street. Jin halted his steps, followed by the bewildered Silvia. He lifted his gaze, savouring the smell of grass carried by the wind.
"What are you doing?" Silvia settled near him. Brows knitted together, her expression mixed between wonder and curiosity.
"Silvia, I'm sorry for this!". Jin wrapped an arm around her back and under knees, scooping under in princess carry.
"Huh? Wha-!?". Her words get caught in her throat as she notices the distance.
Silvia's heart leaped from her chest, her body jolted in response, clutching Jin's shoulders tightly. Her brain struggles to process this sudden development, but Jin still puts something grand for the final.
"What? What is this!?"
"Hold on tight, Silvia".
[Elemental Enhancement activated]
Jin tapped the primal mana in the atmosphere; his body glowed green. The surrounding space began to bend, and a swirling vortex formed. A raw power surged throughout Jin's veins. Jin murmured something under his breath.
'Shield, airwalk'. The swirling vortex around him condensed into a thin layer of invisible barrier before him, protecting Silvia in his arms. A small green magic circle emerged beneath his feet as Jin kicked the ground.
"Kyaaaa!". Silvia's cry echoed through the empty forest until it faded into the horizon. Her eyes shut, hands wrapped around Jin's neck.
Both of them soared so high as Silvia tried to open her eyes gently. The wind whistled through her cheek, it pushed away the hood that covered her face. She shifted her gaze below, 'I-I', flying!?'.
Her grip tightened around Jin's neck, looking at the tall treetop that was just several meters below her.
However a realization set in, she noticed that the wind was not as harsh as she expected. A floating magic barrier before her kept her shielded from the pressure of the wind, looking at the speed.
The magnificent view stretched far beyond anything she ever imagined. Lush forest, elevated hills, distant mountain, flowing stream, it broadened her view on the horizon.
'So Beautiful!?'. Her pounding heart calmed down, she loosened the grip on Jin's neck.
"You okay down there?". Jin's playful tone broke her daze and her brows knitted together in frown.
"Next time, warn me first. Jeez, do you know how surprised I was!".
"Okay, I will take a note. Aren't you afraid of heights?".
Silvia gasped, she twisted her neck to stare at the scenery below. Her face loosened and broke into a satisfied grin. "Nope, this is the best! I love it". she said.
"I see". Another magic circle appeared beneath his feet, and Jin kicked the ground and then shot forward in the air.
Both of them settled in comfortable silence, enjoying the scenery that rarely came up in their everyday lives. Silvia raised her eyebrows, seeing the altitude kept lowering until her eyes were blocked by dense tree leaves.
"We arrived".
Jin's voice rang in her ears as she witnessed a wooden fence built on top of level land. Several wooden houses were erected, and people were bending their backs, tending to the tiny farm they raised.
The two landed a dozen meters away from the village entrance, and Jin put the princess down.
"Let's go, we don't have much time".
Silvia nodded as she put on the hood back and followed Jin's step behind. Their feet pressed onto the dirt road, walking ahead until they arrived near the village entrance.
Jin saw a group of children running around laughing. A lively atmosphere settled around them. One of them noticed Jin and Silvia's presence, and the other also caught up.
"Hello, kids, we are Adventurers from the town. Can I ask you about something?".
The children's exchange looked. Before one of them, a boy around ten with brown hair timidly approached Jin, who stood before the entrance. His hands pressed together while sneaking glances at Jin.
"Y-Yesh". The kid's face crunched in pain as he bit his lips.
Jin kneeled on the spot to match the boy's eye level, "Do you know this village name?".
The kid nodded off, then opened his quivering lips. "Pana village".
'Pana village. That fits the name in the description'. Jin summoned a brown paper bag from the empty air, startling the kid.
"Here, take this and share it with your friend". Jin pushed the bags, filled with steamed meat, to the kid, who received it with open eyes and jaw slacked to the ground.
"Waah".
"What is that?".
"Delicious smell".
The other children gathered around Jin, attracted by the scent of the freshly grilled meat.
"Wait, guys!". The kid's face turned white, and his eyes darted everywhere before settling on Jin's, bowing his head. "Um, T-thank you, mister".
"Um". Jin nodded his head before asking one last question, "Where is your village chief house?".
"Um, it was south of here, the biggest one". The kid pointed straight behind him, staring at Jin's with eyes full of clarity.
"Thank you". Jin patted the kid's head and stood up.
He turned to the back and watched Silvia, whose lips parted in genuine smiles, seeing the kids happily discussing over the skewers. "Let's go".