The Kingdom
After gathering together, we lit a fire using the wood inside the orc’s house. Stone arranged a small circle of rocks, Fabian placed the wood inside, and Thaid set the dry logs ablaze. While they prepared the fire, I was busy skinning a deer. Despite the poor storage conditions, the cold weather had prevented the meat from rotting.
The chilling winds howled through the abandoned village, making it feel like a ghost town. The entire battle had lasted thirty-five minutes. We had eliminated all the ghouls—regardless of their age or gender—and wiped out the orcs as well. Our first objective was complete. However, the remaining two objectives were still unknown. Would the academy reveal them to us, or would we have to uncover them on our own?
Stone’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts:
"Hurry up, I’m starving."
Fighting so many ghouls and those damned orcs had been exhausting. Fabian nodded, and I placed skewers of venison over the fire. Silence settled over us.
Ilarion called out to Fabian,
"Where are we now?"
Fabian replied,
"In the northern forest."
I clarified,
"I mean more specifically, where in the kingdom?"
Fabian looked surprised before answering,
"I’m not sure how you don’t know, but I’ll explain. We’re in the central nation—Evalonia."
*"Our country lies in the heart of the kingdom, bordered to the north by Evalor, with its capital, Valeria, and to the south by Novar, whose capital is Orvin.
Evalonia is known for its fertile lands, supplying Evalor with food, while Evalor provides us with water, thanks to its two great rivers that flow through its capital. Novar, on the other hand, is a desert land with scarce water but rich in rare minerals and valuable resources. This creates a mutually beneficial relationship between the three nations."*
Everyone was impressed by the level of detail and clarity in his explanation.
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Thaid asked,
"Since you're a prince, does that mean you'll be the king of Evalonia? And how many kings came before you?"
Fabian chuckled and answered,
"Not many—only four. Evalonia wasn’t originally a monarchy, but it was established a few generations ago. Despite the country’s history spanning over 3,000 years, I will be its fifth king."
Thaid clapped his hands.
"One more question—what are the ranks from highest to lowest?"
The Hierarchy:
1. The Emperor
2. The Kings
3. The Princes
4. The Three Clan Leaders
5. The Guild Masters
6. The Second-Rank Noble Families
7. The Subordinate Noble Families
Thaid interrupted,
"Alright, alright! That’s too many!"
Ilarion spoke up,
"Enough talking—it’s time to eat."
The aroma of roasting venison filled the air, making it impossible to resist hunger. Stomachs growled, and I chuckled,
"Alright, alright."
Ilarion handed out portions of meat to everyone. The cold would have been unbearable if not for the jacket I was wearing—a special one:
Hunter’s Jacket
A magical jacket that adapts to the weather. It provides warmth in the cold and keeps the body cool in the heat. Made from enchanted threads, making it ideal for journeys and adventures in extreme environments.
As we finished our meal, Ilarion pulled out a metal container, poured some water inside, and heated it effortlessly with his innate ability. Everyone stared at him in amazement.
Fabian commented,
"Your innate ability is incredible."
I smirked,
"It is, but its side effects are terrifying."
Fabian raised an eyebrow.
"Like what happened during the flame orc fight?"
I nodded.
"That was nothing. Once, I overused my ability and completely lost my vision for a month. All I could see was absolute darkness."
Everyone was stunned. Thaid nearly spit out his food, while Stone choked and started coughing. Fabian’s expression was unintentionally amusing.
Stone muttered,
"Yeah, no thanks. I’d rather not go blind for a whole month."
For a moment, silence settled. Then, a fragrant aroma spread through the air.
Fayian asked,
"That smells like tea… Ilarion, why do you carry dried tea leaves with you?"
Ilarion scratched his head.
"Because my guild missions often require observing monsters, analyzing their behavior, strengths, and weaknesses. That takes time, and sometimes, all I can do is make a cup of warm tea."
Thaid scoffed as he pulled out his storage cube, retrieving four wooden cups and some sugar.
"Still, that’s a bit excessive."
Everyone stared at him in disbelief. Fabian asked,
"Why do you carry wooden cups and sugar? Are you a mother or an old man?"
Thaid frowned and tried to put them back, but we stopped him. Soon, we were all drinking tea inside the ghoul chief’s hut. The space was simple, but the animal hides covering the floor made it warm and comfortable.
Then, Fabian suddenly spoke in a serious tone,
"I need to warn you all."
Stone asked,
"Warn us? About what?"
Fabian replied,
"You need to be extra careful when touching corpses or anything unusual."
Thaid frowned.
"Why? Stop speaking in riddles."
Fabian’s voice was grave.
"Because of the Wraith and the Parasite."
Stone, puzzled, asked,
"The Wraith? What’s that?"
Ilarion explained,
"A creature that feeds on the mana of its victims. It moves incredibly fast, making it nearly undetectable. However, it cannot enter the bodies of those with strong auras or large mana reserves, as they can easily sense and destroy it."
At that moment, everyone rose to their feet, preparing to return to the castle. But as we stepped outside, something felt… wrong.
Everyone’s faces were filled with shock.
I asked,
"What’s wrong?"
Then I looked—and my breath caught in my throat.
The ghoul corpses were gone.
The white orc, the orc chief, and his wife—all of them—vanished without a trace. Only the bloodstains remained.
Then, a voice echoed inside our minds:
Primary Objective: Protect the Royal Family.
Secondary Object
ives:
? Eliminate the Orcs.
? Eliminate the Lich.
? Unknown.
Time Remaining to Complete the Trial: 5 Hours.
The words resonated deeply within us.
