In the middle of the night, Niel walked through the empty marketplace. The once-bustling stalls now stood deserted, their wooden frames casting long shadows under the dim glow of lanterns. Villy, a small azure dragon, lay comfortably atop his head, her tiny claws gripping his hair.

  Beside him, Selia walked in silence, stealing glances at Villy with a hint of envy.

  "Why don't you try sitting on my head instead, Villy?"

  "Pyuii."

  Villy responded by rubbing her head against Niel’s hair, trying to show Selia that this was exactly where she wanted to be.

  "Are you really sure you want to come with us?"

  As they continued walking through the quiet streets, Niel asked Selia without even looking at her. His tone was casual, as if he were asking about the weather rather than questioning her decision to join them.

  Selia furrowed her brows, glancing at him in disbelief.

  "Isn't it a little bit too late to ask that now?" she said, crossing her arms.

  The city’s massive gate stood in the distance, still a fair walk away, but visible against the dim glow of lanterns. The once-busy roads had grown quieter at this hour, the only sounds being their footsteps against the cobblestone.

  "Not really. We're still inside the city. If you're worried about going back alone, I can take you back to the inn," Niel replied, his voice as indifferent as ever.

  Selia stopped in her tracks, staring at him like he had just suggested something absurd. Did he seriously think she would change her mind now? After all the effort she had put into preparing for this journey?

  She let out a sigh, shaking her head. "You really don't get it, do you?"

  Niel finally turned to glance at her, blinking in confusion. "Get what?"

  Selia opened her mouth to answer, then closed it again, realizing there was no point. Trying to explain it to him would probably be a lost cause. Instead, she just sighed again and walked ahead, muttering under her breath.

  "He doesn't even have the initiative to introduce himself..."

  Even after their long walk from the inn, Selia still didn’t know Niel’s name. She had expected him to at least say something by now, but he remained silent, walking beside her with a relaxed but indifferent demeanor.

  She let out a small sigh. If I don’t ask, I’ll probably never know.

  Glancing at him, she decided to take the initiative herself. "By the way, my name is Selia."

  "Pyuii~!"

  Before Niel could even respond, Villy let out an excited chirp.

  "I know—!!"

  A tiny smack landed on his face.

  Slap!

  Villy’s small hands struck his cheek with surprising precision, her wings flapping in frustration as she glared at him.

  Niel blinked, rubbing his cheek with a puzzled look.

  "What is it, Villy?"

  The little dragon puffed up slightly, waving her tiny hands in exasperation.

  "Pyuii, pyuii, pyuii!"

  Selia raised an eyebrow, watching the scene unfold with mild amusement.

  "I don’t speak ‘pyuii,’ but I’m guessing she’s scolding you."

  Niel remained silent for a moment before realization finally dawned on him. His expression shifted from confusion to mild embarrassment.

  "Oh."

  Villy huffed, crossing her tiny arms as if waiting for him to fix his mistake.

  With a sigh, Niel turned to Selia.

  "Sorry about that. I forgot to tell you my name. I'm Niel."

  Selia stared at him for a moment before a small giggle escaped her lips.

  "It must be hard for Villy, having to take care of you all the time."

  "Pyuii, pyuii!"

  While Niel frowned in confusion, Villy eagerly nodded her head in agreement with Selia, flapping her tiny wings for emphasis.

  After reaching the gate, Niel and Selia were stopped by the guards.

  "Halt!"

  The stern voice of a guard broke the silence of the night. Two men in armor stood before them, their expressions unreadable under the dim glow of lanterns. One had a hand resting on the hilt of his sword, more out of habit than suspicion, while the other eyed them curiously.

  It was at this moment that Selia realized something—they needed a valid reason to leave the city at this hour.

  Her stomach dropped.

  'Oh no.'

  Obviously, the guards wouldn’t just accept some ridiculous excuse like "We’re going on a barbecue in the middle of the forest." The very thought made her cringe. Not only was it absurd, but it would probably get them detained on suspicion of something illegal.

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  She glanced at Niel, who looked as calm as ever, completely unfazed by the situation.

  That’s not a good sign.

  Even if Niel was an adventurer, he couldn’t simply claim he was running errands for the Adventurers’ Guild. At this hour, adventurers needed written proof from the guild to leave the city for an official quest. Without that, their story would have to be very convincing.

  Selia felt her anxiety rising.

  'He wouldn’t just blurt something out without thinking… right?'

  She stole another glance at Niel.

  '…He absolutely would.'

  Selia could already picture the disaster unfolding—Niel casually telling the guards why they were leaving, the sheer absurdity of his words sinking in, followed by a burst of laughter from the guards as they waved them off like a joke. And if the guards weren’t in a good mood? They might get reported to the city watch, questioned, or even escorted back to the inn.

  Now, she wasn’t so sure if she wanted to go with them anymore.

  Everything had happened so quickly—being questioned by the guards, realizing they had no real excuse to leave, and now standing there awkwardly as she tried to come up with an explanation that wouldn’t get them thrown back into the city.

  'Maybe I was being too naive.'

  The idea of journeying alongside Niel had seemed like an exciting adventure, an opportunity to finally live out her dream. She had imagined soaring through the sky on the back of a dragon, looking down at vast landscapes below, experiencing the world in a way most people never could.

  But now? Now it felt impossible.

  There was no way the guards would just let them pass without proper authorization. And judging by Niel’s usual attitude, he probably hadn’t thought that far ahead.

  Selia let out a silent sigh.

  'Maybe this was a mistake.'

  Just as she was about to give up on her hopes, a sudden chirp broke through her thoughts.

  "Pyuii~!"

  She blinked and turned her head just in time to see Villy move. The small azure dragon, still comfortably perched atop Niel’s head, reached beneath her belly with her tiny claws.

  Before Selia could question what she was doing, Villy pulled out a golden card and held it up.

  The moment the guards caught sight of the card, everything changed.

  Their relaxed stance vanished in an instant. Their backs straightened, their expressions hardened, and their eyes locked onto the golden card with a level of seriousness that hadn’t been there moments ago. One of them even took an unconscious step back, his fingers twitching near the hilt of his sword.

  Selia’s mouth fell slightly open.

  'What… just happened?'

  Whatever that card was, it held power.

  "Thanks, Villy."

  Niel casually took the card from the tiny dragon, completely unfazed by the guards’ reaction. Holding it up in front of him, he let it rest between his fingers.

  As soon as the card left Villy’s grasp, it began to glow. A warm golden light shimmered across its surface before expanding outward. Then, in a flash, an emblem was projected into the air above it—the mark of The Oracle.

  Selia sucked in a sharp breath.

  'That’s the seal of The Oracle?!'

  Even she knew what that meant. The Oracle wasn’t just some title—those who carried its emblem were among the most influential figures in this kingdom.

  But before she could even begin to process that revelation, something even more unexpected happened.

  The golden light flickered again. The Oracle’s emblem twisted and shifted, its shape morphing into something new. When the glow finally settled, a different symbol had replaced it—one that Selia didn’t recognize.

  It depicted a creature, a hybrid between a beast and a dragon, its form radiating an aura of strength and mystery. The very sight of it sent a shiver down her spine.

  She glanced at the guards. Their expressions had changed yet again. If they had been serious before, now they looked downright shaken.

  One of them quickly stepped forward, his previous authority completely replaced by nervous respect.

  "W-We are really sorry for taking your time, esteemed hero. Please, this way."

  Selia froze.

  '…Esteemed hero?'

  Her mind went blank. Did she hear that right? Did they just call Niel a hero?!

  She turned to Niel, expecting him to look just as surprised as she was. Instead, he remained completely unfazed, casually giving the golden card to Villy.

  'What… is going on?'

  Selia was so stunned that she couldn’t even form words. Her thoughts spun in circles, desperately trying to piece everything together.

  By the time she finally snapped out of her daze, she was already on the other side of the gate.

  She blinked.

  'Wait. What?'

  One moment, she had been standing there, confused and lost in thought. The next, they had already passed through the gate without issue.

  Selia turned back, still struggling to process what had just happened. The guards, who had been so strict before, now stood rigidly at attention, their eyes fixed on Niel with nothing but respect.

  What in the world just happened?

  She barely had time to dwell on it when Niel suddenly stopped walking.

  "Villy."

  At the sound of his voice, Villy perked up.

  "Pyuii~!"

  With an excited chirp, she leaped from Niel’s head, her tiny wings flapping as she hovered in the air. Then, without warning, a dazzling blue light enveloped her small body.

  Selia gasped as the glow intensified, shimmering like scattered stardust in the darkness. The radiant light swirled around Villy, growing brighter and larger, until her tiny form was completely obscured.

  Then, with a soft thud, something heavy landed on the ground.

  As the glow faded, Selia’s breath caught in her throat.

  Where there had once been a small, adorable dragon now stood a majestic creature, her azure scales reflecting the moonlight like polished gemstones. Villy had grown, her body now large enough to easily carry two riders on her back. Her wings, no longer small and delicate, stretched elegantly at her sides, powerful enough to lift them into the sky with ease.

  Villy lowered her body gracefully, her shimmering scales catching the moonlight. As she did, a brilliant blue glow pulsed along her back.

  Before Selia’s astonished eyes, crystal-like seats began to materialize—smooth, elegant, and shaped perfectly for riders. The seats gleamed like finely cut gemstones, their translucent surfaces reflecting the night sky. Attached to them were stirrups, connected by delicate yet sturdy chains of the same radiant blue crystal, giving the entire setup an ethereal, almost divine appearance.

  Without hesitation, Niel swung himself onto Villy’s back with practiced ease, settling into his seat as if he had done this countless times before.

  Selia, on the other hand, remained frozen in place.

  Her mind was still struggling to process everything. The golden card. The guards calling Niel a hero. Villy’s transformation.

  It all felt surreal—like something out of a legend rather than reality.

  'is he… one of the heroes?'

  Selia had always been fascinated by the stories of the heroes. She had spent countless hours listening to rumors and retellings from the customers at the inn, eagerly soaking up every tale. The adventures of the heroes were the one thing she always looked forward to hearing about.

  She knew almost every heroic tale, from the earliest achievements of the Hero of the Light, Remilia, and the Grand Sorcerer, Tristan—the legendary duo who had once slain the murderous headless angel that terrorized entire kingdoms—to the most recent account of their valor, which she had just heard yesterday morning.

  That story was about The Battle of Senerova Fortress, the last standing stronghold on the war-torn Hakaga continent. Thousands of corrupted monsters had swarmed its gates, threatening to wipe out the last defenders of the land. Yet, against impossible odds, the heroes had stood their ground, their combined strength turning the tide of battle and pushing back the darkness.

  Though Selia had never met the heroes in person before, just yesterday, she had been lucky enough to encounter two of them at the marketplace.

  One was a tall, handsome man with lustrous blonde hair and calm blue eyes that exuded a gentle, warm aura—Tristan Tilecrow, the Grand Sorcerer. He walked alongside a striking woman with fiery-red hair, a figure Selia recognized instantly.

  She was Selia, the Crimson Archer—Selia’s favorite hero among the six. And yes, part of the reason was simply because they shared the same name. It made her feel as if there was some kind of special connection between them, even if it was just a coincidence.

  Obviously, these two heroes immediately drew everyone's attention. Their presence alone was enough to command respect, and in a place like this, where heroes were revered above all, it was impossible for them to go unnoticed.

  In this country, the people wholeheartedly admired the heroes. To them, the six heroes weren’t just powerful individuals—they were beacons of hope, the ones destined to save the world from its looming threats. There wasn’t a shred of doubt in their belief. They knew of the harsh journeys the heroes had endured, the battles they had fought, and the sacrifices they had made. That was why, despite their presence stirring excitement, no one dared to disturb them. Instead, the people watched from afar, allowing them to enjoy their rare moments of peace without intrusion.

  That was why you needed a solid reason to even approach one of the heroes, let alone speak with them. They were admired from afar, respected like living legends—and no one dared to disturb them without cause.

  And yet, without even realizing it… Selia had been with one of them this entire time.

  Not just walking beside him—but talking to him, questioning him, even snapping at him more than once.

  Her face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and disbelief as the realization sank in. She had acted rude, borderline disrespectful, without ever knowing who he truly was.

  And he hadn’t said a word about it.

  The Summoner Hero.

  Among the six heroes, he was the one Selia had heard the least about. His name was barely mentioned in the stories shared by travelers or whispered in the corners of taverns. Unlike the others, whose deeds were sung in ballads and etched into the hearts of the people, the Summoner Hero remained shrouded in mystery.

  All she truly knew was a single fact—that he possessed the power to summon monsters. Not just simple beasts or familiars, but any creature, from the common wild hound to ancient, long-forgotten legends whispered about in myths.

  There were rumors, of course. Some claimed he had tamed a storm dragon. Others swore they saw him command an army of shadow beasts that crushed an entire corrupted battalion. But no one had seen him clearly, and very few knew what he even looked like.

  He rarely appeared in public, avoiding the spotlight that followed the other heroes. That alone made him feel even more distant, more enigmatic.

  And some believed—quietly, cautiously—that he might even be stronger than the Hero of the Light herself.

  "Why are you just standing there?"

  Niel's voice pulled her back from her thoughts. He had already extended his hand toward her, offering to help her climb onto Villy’s back.

  Selia, who had been completely zoning out, snapped back to reality with a flustered expression.

  "Ah! Sorry about—"

  But her words trailed off.

  Something stirred within her—a strange, unfamiliar feeling that bloomed deep in her chest the moment her eyes settled on him.

  Bathed in silver moonlight, Niel looked like he had stepped out of the pages of a fairy tale. His white armor shimmered softly, catching the light in just the right way, highlighting every clean edge and polished curve. Mounted on Villy, who now stood in her majestic dragon form, he looked like a prince from an old legend—noble, powerful, and unreachable.

  Selia’s heart skipped a beat.

  She wasn’t sure why she suddenly felt like this. Maybe it was the surrealness of the moment, or maybe it was the way the moonlight danced across his calm expression—but for the first time since they met, she felt her breath catch in her throat.

  In that moment, she could finally see it—why he was one of the heroes.

  It wasn’t just the armor, or the dragon, or even the title. It was something deeper. The quiet strength in his eyes, the calm confidence in his voice, and the way he carried himself even in silence—it all made sense now.

  He didn’t need fanfare or recognition. He simply was.

  One of the six.

  A hero.

  The Summoner Hero.

  If you want to give me a treat