"It's going to be okay," Jake said, though his words held no warmth. His voice was steady, calm—almost too calm, like he was speaking to a child who had just scraped their knee. Elia stood before him, her small hands clutching the hem of her worn dress, eyes wide with uncertainty. She hadn't spoken much since Corin disappeared, but her silence screamed louder than any words could.
The forest was still dark, even though the sun had barely begun to peek over the horizon. The past few days had been long, but it felt like an eternity. Corin had gone missing, and for three days now, there had been no sign of him. No tracks, no blood, no clue where he'd gone.
Mara had sent Jake to the nearby town this morning, instructing him to visit the Adventurer's Guild and file a missing person report. But Jake knew, deep down, that no one would find Corin. They could search until their legs gave out, but they would never find him.
"But I don't want you to go..." Elia's voice trembled, breaking through the silence.
Jake knelt before her, placing a cold hand on her shoulder. "I'll be back soon. It's just a quick trip to the town. Don't worry." He tried to give her a reassuring smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. She was innocent—unaware of the darkness that lurked behind the walls Jake had built around himself.
"But—"
Jake cut her off, his tone sharper this time, though he kept it low. "It's going to be fine, Elia. There's nothing to be afraid of." He straightened up and stepped back, brushing off his pants. "I'll be back before sundown. Don't worry."
Elia swallowed hard, her lip quivering as if she were fighting against some internal battle. She wanted to believe him. She wanted to trust him, but something about the way he spoke—the cool detachment in his voice—made her hesitate.
"Jake... please... please come back soon."
Jake's gaze softened, though only for a moment. He gave her a single nod, though his mind was already elsewhere, shifting back into the cold, detached focus that he had become so accustomed to.
"I'll be back," he repeated, but this time, it sounded more like a formality than a promise.
Elia didn't respond. She just stood there, watching him as he turned and walked toward the edge of the village. His steps were deliberate, calculated—as though he had done this countless times before. Which, in a sense, he had. Even now, the ghost of a smile tugged at the corner of his lips. He had always known how to hide the truth. His silence, his composure—these were his weapons, just as sharp as any blade.
Jake didn't look back. Elia's soft voice faded into the distance, and soon he was alone.
The cool morning air brushed against his face as he walked down the familiar path toward the nearby town. The sun still hadn't fully risen, but he was already well on his way. By noon, he would be at the Adventurer's Guild.
His thoughts drifted to the past few days. He had done what was necessary. He knew that Corin's involvement could jeopardize everything. It was unfortunate, but necessary.
The way he had left Corin... Jake couldn't say he felt remorse, but there was a certain satisfaction in it.
The world around him was quiet, save for the occasional birdcall or the rustling of leaves in the breeze. The only sound that mattered was the rhythmic thudding of his boots against the dirt path. His mind was focused, but not on the path ahead. His thoughts lingered on something else.
He brought up his interface:
『 NAME: Jake Whisper
LEVEL: 18
EXP: 101 / 450
MANA: 85
SKILL:
Godly Eye of the Killer (Lv. 3)
Shadow Step (Lv. 3)
Antidote (Lv. 4)
Skill Glossary
Skill Devourer (Lv. 1)
STRENGTH: 16
STAMINA: 16
ENDURANCE: 26
INTELLIGENCE: 19
WILLPOWER: 31 』
Jake's eyes lingered on the list, his gaze scanning over the familiar stats. Everything was where it should be. But something about the Skill Devourer caught his attention again. It had been a while since he'd last thought about it. He had learned the skill from the bandit's skill book.
The Skill Devourer was an oddity. It allowed him to "devour" the skills of others in place of experience points. At its current level, however, there was no guarantee that a skill would be acquired at all. But it intrigued him. He didn't fully understand how it worked yet, or how to level it up. All he knew was that it had something to do with the death of his victims—something he'd experienced all too often.
He turned his attention away from the interface, letting the screen vanish as the path ahead came into focus once again. The town was still some ways off, but he could see the faint outline of its walls in the distance. Soon, he would be there, playing his role, pretending to care about the missing Corin. In a few hours, he would be back with Mara and Elia, and they would believe everything he told them.
It wasn't the first time Jake had lied. It wouldn't be the last. His entire life, after all, had been built on lies. Lies to cover the truth. Lies to protect himself. And this—this was just another lie. It was all part of the game.