Kaelen's question was simple, yet it felt like a cage closing around him. "The land is sick. And you seem to be the only one with the cure. I would know why."
Kaito's mind, young and simple, scrambled for an answer. He couldn't explain the boundless adoption, the axiomatic truth of his existence. All he had were the facts [Sage] had given him to survive in this world.
"I... I can feel the sickness," he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. He gestured vaguely at the air, the ground, the now-purified travelers. "It's like a bad taste. I just... know how to make it clean." It was the most honest answer he could give without revealing everything. He could feel it, and he did know how to cleanse it, instinctively, the way a body knows how to heal a wound.
Roland, recovering from the shock of Kaelen's sudden appearance, stepped forward, his natural gregariousness reasserting itself. "Sir Kaelen, the kid's methods are... unorthodox, I'll give you that. But he gets results. That wall saved lives today." He clapped a heavy hand on Kaito's shoulder, making him flinch. "A bit jumpy, and his people skills need work, but his heart's in the right place."
Kaelen's gaze didn't waver from Kaito. The Hero saw the raw power in the wall, but he also saw the genuine, unfeigned fear and confusion in the young man's eyes. It wasn't the look of a schemer or a infiltrator. It was the look of a child who had been thrust into a situation far beyond his understanding.
"The 'how' is a question for another time," Kaelen said, his tone shifting from interrogation to command. "For now, the 'what' is enough. You have a talent this Barony desperately needs." He looked at the cured travelers, who were now being helped to their feet by a sobered Borin. "Your actions here have saved lives and stabilized a region. That is what matters."
He turned to leave, his silverite armor gleaming in the hazy light. But he paused, glancing back over his shoulder, his final words meant for Kaito alone, though everyone heard them.
"Continue your work. But know that you are not unseen. The land's sickness is a threat to the entire kingdom. Your unique skills place you on the front line of a war you may not fully understand. Be ready."
With that, the Hero vanished as swiftly as he had appeared, leaving Kaito standing between the grateful A-ranks and the people he had saved, the weight of a hero's attention now added to the Castellan's and the mage's. He was just a child who wanted to help, but the world kept insisting on making him a soldier.
------
[Author: I decide to story make shorter but more moments]
Kaelen's final words-"Be ready."-hung in the air long after he had gone. The canyon felt suddenly much larger, and Kaito much smaller.
Roland let out a low whistle, breaking the silence. "Well, kid. You've officially arrived. When a Hero gives you a personal warning, you're not nobody anymore." He clapped Kaito on the back, this time a bit more gently. "Don't look so spooked. He didn't draw his sword on you, did he? That's a good sign."
Borin, the massive shield-bearer, simply grunted in agreement, his eyes still fixed on the spot where Kaelen had stood.
"I... I need to go," Kaito stammered, his mind reeling. He needed to be away from the scrutiny, from the overwhelming pressure. He turned and practically fled the canyon, leaving the two A-ranks with the cured travelers.
---
Later - The Oakwood Lodge
Kaito sat on his bed, head in his hands. The room was quiet, but his mind was screaming.
[Sage, what do I do? The Hero knows about me. The Castellan is using me. Seraphina is watching me.]
[Analysis: Your operational security is compromised. However, your stated goal of A-rank advancement and your secret mission of environmental stabilization remain aligned with their interests. Continue the current course. Maintain the "Pacification Specialist" narrative.]
[He told me to be ready! Ready for what?]
[Insufficient data to calculate.]
The answer was no comfort. He was a child being told a storm was coming, with no idea what a storm even looked like.
---
The Next Day - Adventurer's Guild
The atmosphere in the guild was different when Kaito entered. The whispers were louder, the glances longer. His two silver stars seemed to burn on his tunic. He avoided looking at the main counter, not ready to face Lyra's curious questions or Elara's analytical stare.
He headed straight for the B-rank board, choosing a quest at random. It was a pest control request from a vineyard on the city's outskirts. Giant, mana-infused hornets were destroying the crops. It was simple, direct, and far away from prying eyes.
As he turned from the board, he nearly collided with Akari. The A-rank mage took a step back, her sharp eyes widening in recognition.
"You," she said, her voice calm but intent. "You're the one Kaelen was talking about. The one who calmed the Murkwood."
Kaito could only nod, his throat tight.
She studied him for a moment, her gaze lingering on the staff on his back. "The energy around you... it's strange. Not like any mage I've ever sensed." She wasn't being accusatory, like Seraphina. She was stating a fact, her tone one of professional curiosity. "Kaelen is worried. He thinks the sickness in the land is a prelude to something worse. He believes you're connected."
She didn't wait for a denial or an explanation. "Just... be careful. The attention you're drawing isn't all good." With a final, unreadable look, she moved past him to join her own team.
Kaito stood frozen for a moment, the quest parchment crumpling in his grip. It wasn't just the high-level people watching him now. The news was spreading. He was no longer just an anomaly; he was a topic of conversation, a piece on the board that everyone was starting to notice.
He had a simple quest to complete: kill some giant hornets. But it felt like the most complicated thing in the world. Every move he made was being watched, analyzed, and added to a story he wasn't writing. He was just a child, holding a staff he didn't understand, in a game whose rules everyone knew but him.