The bar was bustling with the usual crowd, the steady murmur of conversation filling the air. At a glance, everything seemed normal. The constant flow of customers, the clatter of mugs, the laughter of adventurers—all part of daily life here.

  Yet, something felt off.

  Sis Hazel was missing.

  Sis Esta had told me she was still resting at the guild, probably exhausted after breaking down yesterday.

  I expected she would need time to recover, but midway through my shift, she walked in as if nothing had happened. Her tail swayed playfully, her ears perked up, and that usual carefree smile was plastered on her face.

  Fake.

  I knew it was a lie.

  She was hiding behind that mask again, pretending everything was fine.

  “I’m sorry for worrying you guys, nya!” she declared with a cheerful grin, hands on her hips.

  After closing the bar, as we wiped down tables and stacked chairs, she bowed deeply.

  “That’s okay, sis!”

  “Have you calmed down?”

  “Are you feeling better?”

  The others asked with genuine relief, unaware of the lingering sadness in her eyes.

  “Yes! Look! I feel refreshed, nya! Finally, I’m free, nya!” she beamed.

  Her words were confident, her tone lively. But…

  “Are you really okay, sis?” I asked, my voice quieter than before.

  For just a second, her expression faltered—barely noticeable. But I saw it.

  Then, Sis Hazel reached out and patted my head—her touch familiar, yet distant.

  “Thank you for worrying about me, Freed.”

  I sighed. “Haa…”

  She didn't deny it.

  She knew I understood.

  And yet, she chose to ignore it.

  Sis Esta stood nearby and exchanged a glance with me. She understood too—but like Sis Hazel, she wasn’t going to press the issue.

  The conversation shifted.

  "Have you two decided on your next steps?" Brother Tian asked, leaning against the counter.

  "Yeah, we're planning to settle down here," Sis Esta answered without hesitation.

  "We’ll go back to our inn tonight, nya. We should inform the innkeeper that tonight will be our last night there, nya. Starting tomorrow, we’ll stay here.”

  "I thought you two would return to your home countries," Sis Morin commented, voicing what many had likely assumed.

  Both of them shook their heads at the same time.

  "Our lives were saved here, not by them," Sis Esta said simply.

  "That’s right, nya! Everyone here is also kind to us, nya!"

  While everyone assumed they wanted to settle down here, I sensed a lingering desire.

  Their responses were resolute, yet… something was missing.

  It felt like they were holding onto an unfulfilled wish.

  It felt as if they were waiting for something… For someone… For opportunity.

  What was it?

  What was keeping them here?

  I didn’t understand.

  After completing the cleanup, we headed back to the lobby.

  But suddenly—

  *BAM!*

  The doors slammed open. Two adventurers burst inside, drenched in sweat. They didn’t slow down, rushing straight to the counter—where Sis Elsa had just been preparing to close for the night.

  “We have an urgent report!”

  Their voices were too loud, too urgent.

  The entire guild fell silent.

  Sis Elsa, the senior receptionist with long blonde hair and a face that appeared around 30 years old, normally wouldn't accept late entries since the guild wasn't open 24 hours.

  However, she just blinked in surprise but quickly composed herself. “Come with me,” she said, guiding them to the guildmaster’s office.

  "I wonder what happened, nya," Sis Hazel mumbled.

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  "Who knows?"

  Curiosity lingered among us, but only I could hazard a guess.

  It had to be about Matias.

  But something was wrong. The guild sent five adventurers to investigate—why did only two return?

  I had a bad feeling.

  A very bad feeling.

  But I decided not to dwell on it. I was just an outsider—a still-weak kid, incapable of helping.

  The next morning, I descended to the lobby at the usual time. The sun had barely risen, the streets still cloaked in twilight, and yet, there was anxiety in the air.

  Sis Esta and Sis Hazel arrived early. Sis Hazel looked better—or rather, she looked better at pretending.

  Only the available staff were present since it was still early, and the sun had yet to grace the sky. Sis Karin was just descended from the second floor too.

  Then, suddenly—

  *BAM!*

  Three adventurers barged into the guild.

  They weren’t just running—They were desperate as if they were fleeing from something. Their eyes were wide, their breaths ragged, their bodies trembling with urgency.

  ““We have an urgent report!””

  Could they be the remaining three who accepted the forest investigation request?

  I thought they would head to the guildmaster's room, but they continued to shout instead.

  They weren’t just here to report.

  They were here to warn us.

  “Five hours! No! Given their speed, it might be four!”

  The entire guild fell silent.

  “Two thousand orcs are advancing from the north!”

  The time seems to freeze.

  My breath caught in my throat.

  No one spoke. No one moved.

  Then—

  ““What!?””

  The guild exploded in shock and panic.

  The guildmaster was the first to regain composure. Her voice boomed across the hall, snapping us all back to reality.

  “To all the staff! This is an emergency order! Quickly summon all the adventurers in town!”

  She turned to the vice-guildmaster. “Krein, head to the north gate and coordinate with the stationed guards! Prepare the defense on the wall! Arrange for one of the guards to oversee the evacuation of the citizens!”

  She then turned to Elsa. “Elsa, wake the other receptionists! Have them assist in summoning adventurers! You will stay here to reassure those who arrive!”

  Then, she turned to me.

  No, not just me—everyone.

  “I’m heading to the lord’s mansion! Prepare for battle!”

  The guildmaster quickly delivered her directive with precision, and we responded in unison.

  ““Yes!””

  Adrenaline surged through my veins.

  Then—

  【Master! That red-haired adventurer should have been able to escape!】

  Aza’s voice echoed in my mind.

  My eyes widened.

  Matias should have been able to run away.

  Yet, he died.

  That means—

  “Guildmaster! Wait!”

  While I typically address her as ‘Sis Karin,’ on formal occasions like this, I refer to her as ‘Guildmaster’.

  That alone made her stop.

  “What is it!? I don’t have time—!”

  Realizing she wanted to hurry to the lord, I quickly cut her words, presented a crucial keyword.

  “Matias!”

  The guild fell silent.

  Sis Esta and Sis Hazel froze. Their faces paled at the mention of his name.

  But I didn’t stop.

  “Matias should have been able to escape! But he didn’t. Which means… something even stronger was hiding.”

  Silence.

  I pressed on.

  “If no other monsters were spotted, then this isn’t just a stampede. This is an attack. A planned one. Matias was killed because he uncovered something!”

  A heavy silence followed. No one spoke. No one even breathed.

  My unexpected hypothesis left everyone astonished.

  Ignoring their reactions, I cast a brief glance at Sis Esta and Sis Hazel.

  If I continue, it is likely some of my secrets will be revealed.

  But, I don’t want to regret it later.

  I turned to The guildmaster and dropped the final bomb.

  “And my instincts tell me… the hidden enemies have stats exceeding 12,000.”

  For the first time, Sis Hazel’s mask shattered.

  It seemed she grasped the significance of the number, an implicit indication that the enemy is stronger than her.

  I could only convey this subtle message to conceal her actual stats.

  The guildmaster shot a quick glance at her, realization dawning in her eyes.

  She knew. She understood what I was implying.

  As a guildmaster, she likely knew Sis Hazel’s true stats.

  The guildmaster clenched her fists, then nodded.

  “That makes sense. If Matias had encountered the orcs, he could have left without fighting. Thank you, Freed. While we can’t confirm it, I’ll prepare for the worst and devise a countermeasure.”

  She turned to everyone else.

  “Move out!”

  ““Yes!””

  We sprinted through the town, pounding on every inn’s doors.

  The first one I went to—my sisters’ inn.

  I slammed the doors open.

  Heads snapped toward me.

  Some adventurers, in the middle of their meals, glared. A few stood up, ready to scold me.

  However, I didn’t give them a chance.

  “Excuse me! This is an emergency order from the Guildmaster! All adventurers must assemble at the guild immediately!”

  “What? Have you lost your mind, kid!?”

  “I’m not lying! Get there within the hour!”

  The disbelief and scorn among those present was palpable.

  Damn it.

  Having a child’s body was so annoying at times like this.

  Now, what should I do to make them believe me?

  “Freed? Are you serious?” The innkeeper inquired.

  She knows me because sometimes I come here and chat with her while waiting for my sisters.

  “Yes, ma’am! You should evacuate too!”

  Then—

  “Freed? What's going on?” Sis Celes, just arriving, asked me. Behind her stood Sissy.

  I hesitated about divulging the stampede details here, but with less than four hours remaining, swift action was essential.

  “Two thousand orcs! They’ll be here from the north in less than four hours!”

  ““What!?””

  Their surprise was entirely expected. After all, the guildmaster herself just received the initial information last night.

  But, there’s no time.

  “Hurry to the guild! I'll visit other nearby inns to call more adventurers!”

  I turned and sprinted into the streets.

  The battle for Lavender Town will soon begin.