Late into the night, we returned to the city. The lantern lights glowed warmly along the streets, welcoming adventurers home from their journeys.
I walked slowly, yawning, my body aching and my clothes covered in the dust of ruins. On my shoulder, Lilith had already fallen asleep, lying flat on her stomach. Meanwhile, Liana still held the pendant she had found tightly in both hands, as if afraid it would vanish the moment she let go.
"You're not tired?" I finally asked, glancing at her.
"I'm used to long walks." she replied softly.
"That's impressive… I just want to lie down and never move again."
She turned to me with a small smile. "Then consider yourself one step closer to becoming a true adventurer."
I chuckled. "In that case, can I have a medal?"
"The medal is warm bread and sweet tea at the guild." she replied lightheartedly.
We reached the guild near midnight. The staff looked like they were about to close up, but the moment we stepped inside, one of the female attendants widened her eyes in surprise.
"Liana-sama! You're back!"
"Sorry, we're a bit late." Liana said, bowing slightly.
"No, not at all, we were actually worried… and wait, is that… the pendant!?"
The attendant seemed shocked upon seeing the item in Liana's hands.
"Kenji-san too… Are you alright?" she asked, turning to me.
"Well… I'm alive, at least. But my knees are shaking."
I slumped into a wooden chair near the reception desk.
After a few minutes, we were escorted to a small meeting room on the second floor. There, Liana carefully placed the pendant on the table and began to explain.
"This pendant is called the Soul Marker. It's an ancient artifact… used to identify those who come from another world."
I straightened up instantly. "You're serious?"
Liana nodded. "This relic responds to souls not of this world souls from beyond Arselia. That's why I brought you along. I wanted to confirm if… you truly are one of them."
I swallowed hard.
Lilith, now awake, rubbed her eyes and floated down from my shoulder. "So… did the pendant react to him?"
"Somewhat." Liana said, eyes fixed on me. "Not as strongly as I expected, but enough to prove… you're not from this world."
I let out a long breath. "So I really was summoned to this world…"
"Someone brought you here, Kenji. But this wasn't just any summoning spell. It's older… deeper."
I lowered my head. "But… why me? I'm just a regular high school student…"
Liana was silent for a moment before answering. "Sometimes, even heroes don't know why they were chosen."
Once the conversation ended, I stepped out onto the guild's balcony alone. The night breeze was cool, and from this height, the city looked peaceful. The lantern lights flickered like tiny stars.
Lilith perched on the railing beside me. "Kenji, are you alright?"
"Still confused." I replied quietly. "At first I thought I was just lost… but now, all this is starting to feel real."
"If you had the chance to go home… would you?"
I thought about her question for a long time.
"I don't know… I miss home. But… here, I feel like… there's something I'm meant to do."
Lilith nodded. "You've changed. When you first got here, you were scared of mice."
"And now I'm scared of faceless spirits."
We both laughed softly.
[The Next Morning]
Morning arrived with gentle sunlight pouring through the windows. In the guild's dining hall, warm bread, fried eggs, and sweet tea were already served.
I sat at a table with Lilith. Liana hadn't been seen since last night.
"Any plans for today?" I asked while chewing.
"You could check the mission board again." Lilith said, pointing toward the front desk. "But after yesterday, you should really rest."
"But I need money… If I don't earn anything, I'll end up sleeping in the donkey stable."
As I enjoyed the last bite of my bread, a girl with short hair and a spear approached our table.
"Are you Sato Kenji?"
I turned to her. "Yeah. What's up?"
"I heard you went with Liana to the ruins yesterday."
"That's right. But… why?"
She extended her hand. "My name's Fiona. I'm with the Night Thunder party. We're looking for one more person for a mission to the western forest. Interested?"
Lilith jumped onto my shoulder. "Whoa, you're already getting noticed by big teams!"
I hesitated for a moment. "Wait… why me?"
Fiona smiled. "You survived a dark spirit encounter and came back in one piece. That's enough for us."
I looked at her hand, then reached out and shook it. "Alright. I'm in."
[Later That Day]
Fiona explained the mission details to me while we sat in a smaller corner of the guild hall. Apparently, their original member had fallen ill and couldn't participate. The western forest was known for recent strange occurrences lights flickering at night, missing travelers, and whispers of spirits.
As she laid out the map on the table, I tried to suppress the nervousness creeping up my spine.
"You'll be fine." she said, perhaps reading my face. "You've already faced worse."
"Yeah." I muttered, "but back then, I had no idea what I was walking into. This time I know, and that makes it scarier."
She chuckled. "Honesty is good. But stay close to us, and you'll be alright."
Just then, Liana appeared at the stairway, looking more rested. She gave me a small nod before heading toward the guild master's room.
"Do you think she's always that calm?" I asked.
"Liana?" Fiona said. "She's not calm. She just learned how to carry the weight quietly."
Those words stayed with me even as I prepared my gear. A borrowed short sword, some healing herbs, and my dusty clothes cleaned the best I could. Lilith floated beside me, helping tie my pouch.
"Big step today." she said.
"I guess so."
"Are you scared?"
"…A little."
She smiled. "Good. That means you're still human."
I smiled back. "Thanks, Lilith."
By noon, I met Fiona and her team at the southern gate. There were four of them in total: Fiona, a stoic swordsman named Daren, a cheerful archer girl named Miel, and a quiet healer named Sera.
Each of them gave me a small nod, welcoming me with calm, experienced eyes. I tightened the straps of my bag and exhaled slowly.
"Ready?" Fiona asked.
"Ready as I'll ever be."
With that, we set off toward the western forest, unaware of the shadows watching from the treetops, or the ancient presence that waited deep within the woods watching, whispering, waiting.
And though I didn't know what would come next, I felt something stir inside me. A small spark, flickering quietly.
Maybe… just maybe, I was beginning to understand why I was here.