An evacuation was underway as villagers packed their belongings and headed away from the city. A commander, clad in armor and riding a horse, led the evacuation while the guards prepared themselves, forming a group moving forward as the villagers moved in the opposite direction.

  "Oh dear..." a voice of struggling on her way.

  An elderly woman, frail and struggling under the weight of a heavy package on her back, walked slowly. Her two grandchildren supported her, trying to help as best as they could. Suddenly, from behind, a man in armor placed his hand gently on the old woman’s shoulder, patting it.

  The grandmother turned to look at the adventurer as he spoke.

  "Old women shouldn't carry that much weight on themselves. Where are these kids' parents anyway?" the advantures said looking around wondering about the kids that closed with the old lady.

  Hearing his question, the grandmother’s head, which had been turned toward the adventurer, slowly shifted away. She hesitated for a moment before answering, her voice filled with sadness.

  "Their father was a knight in this city, while their mother..." looking on the side with sadfull eyes.

  She fell silent.

  Realizing the painful truth, the adventurer lowered his head slightly in regret of what he ask, shaking it before trying to refocus on what he was task for. He then spoke again, determinedly.

  "There’s a carriage behind. You can’t see it, but right now, it’s on its way. So please, don’t burden yourself—let me help you." while extending his hand offering his help for the old woman.

  The old woman looked surprised before letting out a small chuckle after what he witnessing infront of her eyes.

  "You’re too kind, dear," she said, while smiling removing a sad eyes.

  The adventurer, seeing how much she was struggling, wasted no time and walk closer to the old lady.

  "Here, let me carry it for you. You look tired," he offered, while extending his hand toward the bag.

  He carefully lifted the heavy bag off her back, relieving her of its burden. However, as soon as he took the weight, he nearly buckled under its surprising heaviness. Even so, he fought to keep his composure, refusing to show any signs of struggling. He placed the bag on the ground with as much grace as he could muster, though he was already drained of energy.

  "Now we wait," he said with a forced smile, but tired.

  Inside his mind, however, he was thinking, Damn, old woman... why is this so heavy? What in the world are you carrying...? he wonder while remain smile ensuring theres nothing wrong right now.

  As time passed, the awaited carriage finally arrived. The old woman gasped in surprise, while her grandchildren looked on in amazement. The adventurer turned to see another adventurer pulling the carriage, along with a group of other people assisting from behind.

  Seeing this, the adventurer standing beside the grandmother asked in disbelief,

  "WHAT!? Where is the horse?" confuse and looking around, dissapointed.

  His friend, who was pulling the carriage, laughed while scratching the back of his head, doesn't know how to reply about it.

  "Well, there were no horses when I arrived, so yeah... if I can’t get a horse, I become the horse. It’s part of the training, you know," he said with a grin, while looking side ways.

  The adventurer near the old woman snapped back to reality, immediately picking up the heavy bag again with great effort.

  "Come on, let’s not waste any more time," he said, carrying it toward the carriage, with all of his strength but remain struggle to do it, he lifted the bag up to the carriage, exhausted after doing it.

  The people inside the carriage quickly reached out to help, pulling the bag inside, he smile seeing the help he get from the people sitting in the carriage right now. The grandmother had no trouble climbing aboard, and as for her grandchildren, the adventurer lifted them with his own hands, placing them safely inside.

  "Thank you!" the children said gratefully.

  As the adventurers continued helping those struggling, a sudden disturbance rippled through the crowd. People began making way as a royal carriage, drawn by well-bred horses, rushed toward the city gates, completely ignoring everyone in its path. Seven nobles fled the city in a hurry, leaving the people in shock—though not surprised by such an act.

  Marvell sat atop a rooftop, his three draconic tails lazily chewing on chunks of meat. Beside him, an angel sat in silence, regret visible on her face as she watched the scene unfold. Sensing her mood, Marvell, looking exhausted, spoke in an attempt to cheer her up.

  "Ay, we don’t know if there was an attack, okay? It was unexpected, so quit it. It would’ve happened anyway, whether I did it or not," he said.

  Angel remained silent, sighing as she observed the people coming together to help each other.

  Suddenly, an adventurer appeared behind Marvell—an assassin-class fighter, cloaked in shadows.

  "Senior, everything is moving smoothly now. We can proceed to the outer gate to protect them," he reported with calm respect.

  Marvell stood up, stretching his body, cracking his back, neck, and fingers.

  "There’s one more thing I need to do before we can say this went smoothly," he said, gazing down at the people below. His eyes then shifted to Angel.

  "Your staff, please," he requested calmly.

  Angel sighed but quickly handed it over. Marvell took it gently, raising it as he cast a spell.

  "Nullburden."

  Stretching his hand toward the crowd, a soft white glow enveloped all the burdens they carried. The massive loads adventurers had been struggling to pull suddenly felt weightless.

  "What...?" one of the adventurers muttered in confusion as the weight was lifted.

  In an instant, everyone felt lighter. The people, now relieved from their burdens, turned their gazes toward Marvell, who looked completely unfazed. Grateful murmurs spread among them as they expressed their thanks.

  Marvell chuckled at their reactions.

  Suddenly, his name was called in an annoyed tone.

  "SENIOR!?"

  Hearing this, Marvell walked to the edge of the roof and looked down at the adventurer pulling the carriage.

  "What’s your name again? I forgot..." he asked politely.

  The adventurer, clearly irritated, replied, "IT’S BREAK!" Then, with a scowl, he demanded, "NOW DISPEL THE SPELL YOU PUT ON MY CARRIAGE!"

  Marvell, amused, pointed his finger, lifting the spell from the carriage and all inside it. Break instantly felt the weight return and, with a deep breath, started pulling again.

  "Thank you," he muttered before continuing on his way.

  The assassin beside Marvell let out a sigh, placing a hand over his face.

  "God, forgive my friend’s attitude, Senior," he said in disbelief.

  Marvell replied calmly, "It’s alright," his gaze following Break as he struggled with the load.

  Then, with a smirk, Marvell pointed at the carriage once more.

  Suddenly, the weight increased again, making the challenge even harder. Break immediately noticed, but instead of complaining, he grinned.

  "THANK YOU, SENIOR!" he shouted, pulling with all his strength.

  Marvell, satisfied, turned to the assassin-class adventurer.

  "Now our work here is done. Go join the others at the gate—I’ll be there soon," he said with a smile.

  Understanding, the assassin gave a quick bow before vanishing in an instant.

  Angel walked toward the edge of the roof, stopping beside Marvell. Meanwhile, his three draconic tails, still chewing on meat like children, stared down at Break, their eyes reflecting their silent laughter at his struggle. Marvell then give the staff back to angel who grab it slowly while her eyes was staring straight frozen as if she was thinking about something.

  Angel's eyes looked at Marvell as her mind recalled the moment the evacuation began.

  Near The Center Of The City, Mins Before The Evacuation Began

  As the evacuation began , Marvell raised his hand, revealing a diamond-ranked adventurer’s badge. The moment he displayed it, the surrounding adventurers were struck with awe, recognizing it as the highest rank among them.

  "So... still think I’m a liar?" Marvell asked with a playful smile, though his eyes remained serious. "If you still don’t believe me, we can head to the adventurers' guild and check whether this badge is fake orrrr the real deal."

  The adventurers stood in stunned silence, unable to take their eyes off the badge. One of them, after a moment of hesitation, finally spoke up and bowed in apology.

  "No, sorry, Senior. It’s just... it’s rare to even see a diamond badge. To earn one, you have to dominate at least one dungeon alone. So hearing someone claim it without proof... well, it was just hard to believe."

  The weight of his words sank in, and the others reacted in shock at the sheer requirement for the rank. One adventurer, who had been bowing moments ago, stood up abruptly, his face filled with disbelief.

  "THAT'S insane! So that means I’d have to complete a dungeon alone just to even qualify for that rank?!" His gaze turned to Marvell, admiration filling his eyes. "Sir, you’re amazing! But why haven’t I heard about you until now? This kind of information would shake the entire adventurers' guild!"

  Marvell smiled, his expression remaining calm.

  "And that’s exactly why I keep it a secret. There are a lot of good reasons to stay unknown. If you become famous in the future, you’ll understand what I’m trying to avoid," he said, looking down as he tucked the badge back into his pocket beneath his robe.

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  Angel stood silently beside him, confused, uncertain of what to say at that moment.

  Suddenly, someone grabbed Marvell’s robe and yanked it open.

  For a moment, everyone stared, confused by the sight of Marvell’s actual clothing—beneath the robe, he wore a blue jacket over a white shirt, dark long pants, a red scarf around his neck, and a small bag slung over his left side.

  Before the adventurer could react, one of Marvell’s draconic tails snapped forward and bit down on their hand. The adventurer flinched in pain and quickly let go, hastily covering Marvell’s robe again.

  At that moment, Break appeared, looking both confused and slightly amused.

  "Yoh, Senior… you really wear some weird clothes. Are you okay? You’re not hot in that?" he asked, eyeing Marvell’s outfit.

  Marvell, still calm, stepped closer and grabbed Break’s hand.

  Immediately, Break felt a wave of cold, like he was touching solid snow.

  Marvell met his eyes and asked, "Now you know?" before letting go.

  Break stared at his own hand, shocked.

  

  One of the adventurers let out a tired sigh, rubbing his back in exhaustion.

  "I really wish I could go to sleep after this... A demon attacking two villages? Give us a break," he muttered, disbelief and discomfort weighing on him.

  Angel, confused, turned to him. "Two villages?" she asked, her brows furrowing.

  Her gaze shifted toward Marvell, who remained calm, smiling in silence.

  The adventurer nodded, still slouching from fatigue. "Can you believe it? The knights are dealing with fire demons and some kind of necromancer. From what I heard, a necromancer attacked one of the villages not far from here."

  His voice carried exhaustion, and the moment he finished speaking, the air grew heavy. Everyone around him fell silent, processing the information.

  Angel’s expression stiffened at the word necromancer. Her mind drifted back to the past—an attack on a city, skeletons swarming the streets.

  Could it be the same necromancer who attacked that city? she thought, lowering her gaze in deep contemplation.

  Marvell, noticing the tension, spoke up, effortlessly drawing everyone’s attention.

  "Well, the past is the past. Let’s focus on what we can do right now, since we have time to spare."

  His words broke the silence, and the others quickly nodded in agreement.

  Yet, Angel remained quiet, lost in thought, still wondering what was truly happening.

  Back To Present

  Marvell leaped off the roof, landing on the ground with ease. Seeing this, Angel quickly followed, silently casting a spell on herself to slow her descent, allowing her to land smoothly.

  Marvell reached the ground first, standing up without hesitation. Angel followed, her landing graceful.

  “There’s something I want to check at the gate we’re heading to,” Marvell said calmly before turning slightly. His expression shifted as he hesitated for a moment.

  “Could you do me a favor? Sorry if it bothers you.” His smile was there, but the discomfort in his voice was clear.

  Angel, curious, tilted her head. “Yes? Sure, why not?”

  Marvell glanced away briefly before continuing, as if reluctant to ask. “It’s simple. First, I don’t actually know our exact destination. You might want to ask someone since I forgot to while I was at the city’s back gate. Second, if I remember right, I left our horses near the exit gate. I can’t go get them myself, since people tend to call me for all sorts of help… which can be pretty annoying, but i can't blame them for their weakness, its about helping those who need help from the stronger ” with a proud smile.

  Hearing his request, Angel saw no issue with it and nodded. “I guess I can do that.”

  As she lowered her head in thought, Marvell quickly caught on and asked, his expression shifting into curiosity.

  “Hmph… is something bothering you, my friend?”

  Angel sighed, gripping her staff tightly before answering. “It’s just… do you know anything about the attack on the other village?” She looked at him, concern written on her face.

  Marvell fell silent for a moment before closing his eyes and replying with a hint of regret. “Unfortunately, I have no clue… sorry about that.”

  Angel, seeing his sincerity, quickly reassured him. “You don’t have to say sorry. You’re just as confused as I am.”

  Marvell sighed and gave a slight nod. “I’m going now. Please take care of my request.”

  Before Angel could respond, he turned away and suddenly vanished like dust.

  Angel stood alone in the midst of the bustling crowd, surrounded by people hurriedly evacuating. She quickly glanced around before letting out a sigh.

  “He really loves to vanish like that, huh…” she muttered, disappointment clear in her voice after witnessing it firsthand.

  Shaking her head, she turned toward the direction the crowd was moving. With no more questions lingering in her mind, she pressed forward, blending into the flow of evacuees.

  A group of adventurers gathered near the gate, watching the steady stream of evacuees making their way down the road toward safety. The atmosphere was tense, yet filled with quiet determination.

  Suddenly, Marvell appeared out of thin air, startling the nearby adventurers.

  One of them immediately recognized him and called out, “Senior, you arrived early.”

  The others, unfamiliar with him, exchanged confused glances. “Senior?” they murmured, shifting their gazes toward the newly arrived figure.

  Marvell ignored those who didn’t recognize him and instead focused on the adventurer who had spoken. “Yeah, I’ve already done my part, Erzen. I deserve at least a break…” he said calmly, his eyes trailing toward the evacuating crowd.

  One of the adventurers stepped closer to Erzen, leaning in with curiosity and whispering near his ear, “Hey, Erzen. Who is he?”

  Erzen chuckled before replying, “Oh, I thought you knew him already since he showed up in the center of the city.” He then gestured toward Marvell with both hands. “This is Marvell. He’s a Diamond Rank Adventurer.”

  The revelation stunned the group, their expressions shifting to shock as they processed the weight of that title.

  Marvell sighed, dismissing their reactions with a tired wave of his hand. “Yeah… I really don’t feel like talking about that right now. My magic is drained.”

  With that, he leaned back against the wall, letting out a slow breath. His gaze drifted back to the evacuating people, a flicker of sadness crossing his face. Then, shifting his eyes toward Erzen, who was busy handling the crowd and answering the growing questions around him, Marvell allowed himself a moment of peace.

  Time to rest… he thought. A well-deserved rest for a well-deserved man.

  His tails stretched out, their dragon heads resting lazily on the grass beneath them as he closed his eyes, letting the moment of calm settle around him.

  Such fresh air... The thought passed through his mind.

  Then, something surfaced—a song.

  one he hadn’t sung in a long time. Softly, barely above a whisper, he let the words escape his lips:

  "Cruel... and cold... like winds on the sea...

  Will you ever return to me...?"

  His voice carried in the wind, lost amidst the murmurs of the passing crowd. His gaze lowered, the weight of exhaustion settling in.

  "Hear my voice... sing with the tide..."

  For a moment, he closed his eyes, letting the melody linger. His tail’s dragon head shifted slightly, listening in silence.

  "Our love... will never die..."

  A princess in a stunning pink dress paced anxiously around the grand throne room, her golden hair flowing with each step. Her bright blue eyes held a troubled glint as she clutched a scroll tightly in her hands. Her lips pressed together, her teeth biting down as she continued circling, lost in deep thought.

  The enormous doors of the throne room suddenly groaned as they were pushed open by two guards, straining against their sheer weight. Light spilled into the room as a group of heroes stood at the entrance, their expressions calm. An old commander, carrying his helmet under his arm, accompanied them. They stepped forward as the doors creaked wider.

  The princess’s face, previously clouded with worry, brightened with hope at the sight of them. “You finally arrived, just like he said. My guards didn’t trouble you on the way here, did they?” she asked, relief in her voice.

  The group’s leader, Difo wearing a red cape and giant sword on his back, bowed deeply, his companions following suit. His voice was steady and respectful as he answered, “No, Princess, we had no trouble at all.”

  Hearing this, the princess smiled. “Good to know.” However, as her gaze shifted to the old commander, suspicion flickered in her eyes. The commander, sensing it, quickly averted his gaze, pretending to examine the ceiling.

  She sighed before addressing the heroes again, turning toward her throne. “I’m glad you all made it here safely. It must have been a tiring journey.” She placed the scroll gently on the throne before turning back with a warm smile. “You should get some rest. I ordered the knights earlier to prepare rooms for you.”

  She gestured with a graceful hand. “You may stand now. My knight will take you there.”

  The heroes stood as a knight stepped forward and bowed. “This way,” he said, his tone respectful as he led them from the room.

  Now alone with the princess, the old commander studied her carefully. Noticing this, she quickly retrieved the scroll from the throne and sat down with a relieved sigh. “This is the first time I’ve handled visitors… I just hope they can rest well,” she murmured, resting the scroll against her stomach, still holding onto it.

  The commander, noticing the scroll, hesitated before asking, “Forgive me, Princess Selena, but… what are you holding?”

  Still staring at the ceiling, she exhaled tiredly. “It’s a quest scroll… I wanted to give it to them, but…” She trailed off before shifting her gaze to the commander. “It feels cruel to ask them for anything while they’re exhausted.” Her voice grew serious. “You didn’t bother them, did you?” Her sharp eyes bore into him, filled with disappointment.

  The commander quickly straightened. “No, I didn’t, I swear,” he assured her, his expression firm, hoping to regain her trust.

  After a moment, Selena sighed, her suspicion fading. “You can go now,” she said, raising the scroll and looking at it thoughtfully. “I just want to be alone for a moment.”

  The commander hesitated but nodded, casting her a final glance before exiting the room and closing the doors behind him.

  Now alone, the princess lay back against the throne, the scroll still resting on her stomach. She inhaled deeply, then released a slow breath, her mind swirling with thoughts as she stared at the ceiling in silent contemplation.

  On the other side of the door, the commander stood still, his back turned to the throne room. His gaze was cast downward, his thoughts uneasy.

  Something’s not right…

  The way the princess clutched that scroll, the hesitation in her voice—it didn’t feel like an ordinary request. His brow furrowed as suspicion crept into his mind.

  Slowly, he turned his head toward the massive doors, staring at them as if he could see through to the troubled princess beyond.

  What kind of quest could trouble her this much?

  His face hardened. He let out a quiet sigh, shaking his head. Whatever it was, it wasn’t his place to question.

  Without another word, he turned on his heel and strode away, his gaze fixed straight ahead.

  Suddenly, a guard rushed toward the throne room. Seeing his commander, he quickly shouted, "COMMANDER!!!" His voice was strained, and sweat dripped from his face.

  The commander, confused, froze in place. As soon as the guard reached him, he bent over, hands on his knees, breathing heavily as he struggled to stay upright.

  Worried, the commander placed a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, are you alright?" he asked, pulling the soldier up to stand again.

  The guard remained exhausted but managed to catch his breath after a few moments. Taking one last deep inhale, he exhaled and finally spoke. "We have news from the city of... uh..." He paused, trying to remember. Then, as if recalling it suddenly, he straightened. "Ah! Yes, here, take this, Commander!" Bowing slightly, he handed over a scroll.

  The commander took it and quickly scanned the contents. As he read, his expression darkened, his grip tightening on the parchment. The more he read, the more shock filled his eyes.

  After a brief silence, he closed the scroll and spoke firmly. "Prepare the place for the refugees. I'm going somewhere."

  Before he could take a step, the soldier hurriedly moved to block his path.

  "Shouldn't we tell the princess about this?" the guard asked, concern in his voice.

  The commander remained calm, his tone steady. "I will, but not right now. She is not in a good condition. I'll tell her when the timing is right."

  The soldier nodded in understanding. "I shall take my leave." With that, he turned and rushed off in a hurry.

  The commander raised a hand slightly, as if considering stopping him, but the soldier was already gone.

  Ugh… kids these days.

  Annoyed but resigned, he sighed and turned around for a moment before leaving the place, walking away from the throne room—for now.

  "You only met a princess in there? That was unexpected. I want that throne empty—that's all I ask."

  A mysterious voice, filled with disappointment, echoed through the room. Then, after a brief pause, the tone softened, now calm and almost reassuring.

  "Once you’ve done what I ask, more will await you. Freedom may seem far from your grasp, but be patient, my loyal servant... You will be free."

  Alone in his room where his sword was lay on the ground and the places was dark, alone, Difo listened in silence. His stance remained still, unwavering, as he responded, "Understood. We will finish what you ask."

  The presence vanished, the voice no longer heard. Lowering his hand, the cold weight of the shackles on his wrists remained—a quiet reminder of his reality. His face showed no emotion, yet beneath his eyes lay a silent torment.

  He stared at the ceiling, his voice barely above a whisper.

  "God, I wish... " he said calmly opening his eyes " I wish all of this was a dream..."

  Closing his eyes for a moment, he let the thought linger before exhaling. Then, with renewed resolve, he straightened his posture, his gaze turning forward—serious, determined.