In the year 1544 AC (After Creation), there was a place known as the Village of the Freed, located in the western part of the Outer Continent. Beside the village to the right lay a beautiful lake with clear, fresh water. Nearby, atop a hill in the west, stood the Orphanage of the Freed, while a tall cliff rose to the east.
On top of the cliff, a girl lay on the grass, reading a book about the world's most beautiful sceneries. She murmured to herself,
"Floating islands, ice castles, golden forests, glowing waters, submerged empires, different species… I want to see them all."
The girl was Phoebe, a 17-year-old orphan with blonde hair and bright blue eyes. She loved reading books that contained information about the wonders of the world. Phoebe wore a white bell-sleeve chemise beneath a front-laced brown overdress, paired with long black boots.
Suddenly, a mushroom flew toward her, hitting her with a loud pop. Startled, Phoebe dropped the book on her face.
"Wha… what happened?!" she exclaimed, rubbing her nose.
Looking toward the source, she saw a girl standing there, smirking.
"Yeah right~ You want to see them all, huh? But to do that, you'll need a lot of eterial gold coins to travel—and only nobles can afford such journeys" the girl teased.
That was Kanna, Phoebe's 16-year-old best friend from the orphanage. She had brown braided hair and yellow eyes. Kanna wore a cream linen dress with long puffed sleeves, a square neckline, and a short burgundy velvet bodice, topped with a matching headscarf. Shy around others, she loved playing pranks on Phoebe.
"Hehe… but you know there are exceptions, right?" Phoebe said, smirking.
"You mean… you decided to marry into a noble household?" Kanna asked, frowning.
"Of course not!" Phoebe snapped, blushing. She took a deep breath and continued, "I want to become a Ranker. Rankers are permitted by the Adventurer Association to travel to different places and handle tasks all over the world!"
"I see… being a Ranker is an honorable job, respected by all races and gods across the three continents," Kanna said, smiling while looking at the sky.
"That's why I'll become the very first Ranker from our village! Once I do, I'll treat everyone at the orphanage with delicious food and gifts," Phoebe said, eyes shining with hope.
"You have big dreams. I'll become a receptionist at the Adventurer Association and do my best to support you," Kanna promised.
The two girls smiled at each other.
"Then I suppose I should stop teasing you, eh~?" Kanna said, smirking.
"Yes! Stop teasing me like before—where did you even get that idea?" Phoebe protested.
"Hmm… you really have no idea, don't you?" Kanna teased.
"What do you mean?" Phoebe asked.
"Remember yesterday, when Director Alfred told everyone to greet the noble sponsoring our orphanage?"
"Yes… what about it?"
"That noble… his gaze lingered on you. He seems… interested," Kanna said, frowning.
"Wha… Viscount Dillon? No way! Doesn't he have four wives? And he's turning thirty-two this year!" Phoebe exclaimed.
"Yes, and I heard he kept asking about you while in the village," Kanna added.
"He's so creepy… what a psycho," Phoebe muttered. The two of them stared at each other in silence.
"Don't worry. If that noble causes trouble, I'll help you. Besides, Director Alfred won't let it slide," Kanna said confidently.
"Well, the Director is upright and has a strong sense of justice," Phoebe said, smiling.
"You've developed your own upright nature thanks to him, haven't you?" Kanna remarked.
"Exactly. He's our role model. A devout believer of the Three Gods," Phoebe replied, gazing at the peaceful blue sky.
They continued talking about many things until the sky darkened.
"Tomorrow is January 15, right? Your birthday—you'll be eighteen," Kanna said.
"Yes… I guess I am getting older," Phoebe replied.
"Older, huh~ O.L.D.E.R. S.I.S.T.E.R," Kanna teased.
"Hey! I'm not that old!" Phoebe shouted, flustered.
"Hahaha, alright. Have fun tomorrow!" Kanna laughed.
"It's getting dark. Let's head back to the orphanage, or Director Alfred will scold us," Kanna warned.
"Yawn… okay," Phoebe said, tired.
The two girls were on their way back to the orphanage, chatting as they walked, but Phoebe suddenly realized she hadn't brought her book with her. Panic hit her as she remembered leaving it on the cliff.
"Wait! I forgot my book!" she shouted.
"Seriously?" Kanna exclaimed.
"Yes. I left it on the cliff," Phoebe replied.
"Well, go quickly! I'll explain the situation to the Director," Kanna said, worried.
"Sure, thanks!" Phoebe said, rushing back toward the cliff.
"Be careful!" Kanna shouted, making sure Phoebe heard her as she ran.
As Phoebe walked toward the cliff at night, she paused when she saw four armed men. They carried bloody swords and wore cloaks with a cross symbol on the back. Instinctively, she hid in a nearby bush, holding her breath to avoid making a sound.
Soon, one of the men spoke.
"That was close. This mission is getting out of hand—they surrounded us earlier. Damn that anonymous group," said the first man.
"How did they ambush us? There were no signs," another replied.
"There must be a mole in our organization, or they could never have found our location," a third added.
"For now, focus on the objectives. Three of you scout the area and gather intel," the fourth man commanded.
"And you, sir? What will you do?" asked the first man.
"I'll stay to guard the ancient artifacts we obtained. You three go search for clues. Disobeying is not permitted; insubordination will be punished with death. Do I make myself clear?" the leader said sternly.
"Yes, sir!" the men chorused.
"Then move out," the leader ordered.
The three men scattered in different directions, leaving one standing alone. Phoebe's heart raced—not because of the darkness or the cold wind, but because her instincts screamed that the man before her was dangerous.
Th-Those men in black cloaks… they're not soldiers; no kingdom banner. They're not Rankers; no adventurer badge. Could they be criminals? Bandits? she thought.
Should I go back to the orphanage? But I just borrowed that book from the village library… I can't afford to lose it. The librarian would charge a fortune, and since I don't have any eterial coins the director will likely end up loaning affecting the entire orphanage—especially with our budget already so tight— because of my mistake…I can't bear the guilt.
Time passed. Phoebe remained hidden in the bush, anxiously observing the lone man. Soon, three men appeared and headed toward him.
"Oh, you guys back already? Did you determine the route to the Middle Continent? I'm tired of staring at this outer continent," the leader said.
"Oh, you're not going anywhere, Captain of the Dusk Lost Society" one of the returning men said.
"Y-You all aren't from my unit! Who are you?" the captain demanded.
Suddenly, a loud noise erupted—Bang! Bang! Bang! The three men revealed flintlocks and fired at the captain, hitting his shoulder and stomach.
"Braghh!" the captain cried as blood spilled around him.
"You… who sent you here? How did you know we were here?" he gasped.
"Do you really need to know? A dead man tells no tale. What's the point?" one man said coldly.
"You… ha… ha… ha…" the captain muttered angrily, glaring at them.
He studied the three attackers. "Men in cloaks, two-winged pierced by spear symbol on their backs, pitch black visor in the eyes attached in a circular white masks… you're from that anonymous group, aren't you?" he said, coughing blood.
The three charged at him, unsheathing their swords.
The captain grabbed a crystal-blue rapier from the artifacts and slashed at them. A strong gust of wind followed each swing.
"I didn't expect you to use the artifact you are guarding… but do you have the permission to use it? I doubt your superior will be angry at you for using it" one anonymous man asked.
"Shut up! Fight with your sword, not your mouth!" the captain growled.
Shit… how do I use this artifact? he thought. There's the Rapier of Will and the Orb of Concealment. The Orb would be ideal, but I lack the mana. Only this rapier remains… but I don't know its full use. Damn it!
As the fight continued, the captain's thoughts raced. One of the attackers parried his strike while the other two cut his hands, sending the rapier flying toward Phoebe's hiding spot. She dodged instinctively.
Finally, the three attackers stabbed the captain in the heart, ending his life.
"It was nice fighting you, captain," one said coldly.
They retrieved the Orb of Concealment but paused, puzzled.
"Good, we got the orb… but…" one said.
"Does anyone remember where the rapier went?" another asked.
"I was focused on the fight," the second admitted.
"It might have fallen down the cliff," the first suggested.
"You… sure?" asked the leader.
The three stared down, dumbfounded.
"What a bummer… but our primary mission was the Orb. The other artifact wasn't a priority anyway. Let's go—his allies might return soon," said another.
"Anyway, we accomplished our mission. Time to report to Lord Second," said the first man.
The three fled, leaving the area quiet once more.