The newly-formed group gathered again, the air heavy with both anticipation and uncertainty. Catherine stood at the center, her quiet authority holding the group together, while Michael remained a step back, hands in his pockets, his gaze restless.
Niha had already gone to her own home after the last meeting. Chris had spent the night alone in a hotel—though none of them knew. Louis and Lily had stayed at their houses. Now, all of them stood in one room, facing the reality of their first mission.
It was Lily who spoke first.
"Before we do anything, we should give our team a name."
Catherine nodded immediately. "She's right. A team without a name… how can we take a mission officially?"
Louis agreed. "Then let's choose based on everyone's ideas. A name that reflects us."
Chris crossed his arms. "Names are not just symbols. We must ask: what meaning will it carry? What weight will it give us?"
Michael rolled his eyes slightly. To him, this felt like a waste of time. "Existence," he said simply. "That's enough."
Niha looked at him curiously. "Why Existence?"
Michael's voice was calm, steady. "Because we want our struggles, our pain, our victories—to last. To not disappear like dust. To exist."
The room went silent for a moment. Even Chris gave no objection.
Catherine broke the silence. "Anyone else?"
Louis shrugged. "I had an idea. But this one works fine. No problem."
Catherine nodded. "Then it's decided. From now on, we are Existence. Now—our first mission."
---
The guild's mission hall was crowded with adventurers. A massive board stood at the center, covered in papers, each sealed and marked. Catherine moved forward, scanning carefully. The others lingered behind, chatting idly. Michael stood a little further back, watching but not understanding.
Her hand stopped at a crimson-sealed parchment. The script across it flowed in strange lines and marks.
"Ne tui gos vio Xec vi os pol, ti as c'oc hem 43 bi un. Yo so ne sol ro tem vi osk. Nes via dea porul xec vi."
Michael frowned, his mind blank. What the hell is this? I can't read a single word…
Catherine read it aloud in the local tongue so the others could hear clearly.
"Mission: Travel to Xec Forest. Hunt down forty-three A-rank armored crabs. The hunt must be completed inside Xec Forest. Time limit: three days. Reward: 19,000 CR."
Michael forced a straight face, pretending he understood. Inside, his chest tightened. Damn it… so this is the local language. Everyone else reads it like breathing, and I can't even tell one word from another.
Chris leaned closer to the board. "Xec Forest? Is it to the north or east? I've never heard of it."
Michael, desperate not to look suspicious, blurted out, "Neighboring kingdom's territory."
Catherine's sharp eyes flicked to him. "And how do you know that?"
Michael laughed nervously. "Just a guess."
Inside, he cursed himself. I don't even know the name of the kingdom I'm standing in…
Thankfully, Catherine didn't push further. She began breaking down the mission into steps, her voice calm and precise. Everyone listened closely. Even Chris kept quiet, his expression thoughtful.
---
Soon after, they arranged for a horse-drawn carriage. Catherine spoke as they climbed aboard. "It will take three to four hours to reach the forest. We don't have much time to waste."
Michael leaned back against the carriage wall, half-smiling. Three to four hours… they say it like it's nothing. In my old world, traffic could turn a twenty-minute trip into five hours of crawling misery.
He watched the others. Catherine sat forward, focused. Louis and Lily whispered, their laughter breaking the tension. Niha remained silent, her eyes hidden under her lashes. Chris looked out the window, his mind clearly elsewhere.
Rumors about Niha crept into Michael's head. They say she once served nobles in secret. That she was more than just a beauty—that she was their treasure. Is that why she joined this path? Does everyone here know her past?
He sighed. But people can change. Goodness doesn't cost money—it only takes will. Back in my world, one of my friends used to say: 'It costs nothing to be good. But in this world, even goodness is a luxury.'
The memory made him chuckle quietly.
Chris noticed, but said nothing. His thoughts, too, were locked deep inside.
---
Far away, in a palace unknown to them all…
A vast chamber bloomed with roses and snapdragon flowers, their fragrance heavy and intoxicating. In the center, a young woman lay gracefully among them—the same mysterious girl once seen at the pond.
A maid entered, bowing low. "Queen Rihana, may I deliver the news?"
Rihana lifted her eyes lazily. "Speak."
"The White Continent has declared a Continental Meeting in the Kingdom of Vyber. All kings, queens, and royals are summoned to attend."
Rihana raised her hand, silencing her. "When?"
"Three months from now," the maid whispered.
Rihana closed her eyes, a faint smile touching her lips. "Three months… the pieces begin to move."
The maid bowed again and left. The queen lay back among the flowers, her thoughts hidden, the silence around her more dangerous than any spoken word.