Aria was confused after the meeting with the guild master. "It seems as if he could see through everything."
As Aria descended the stairs, several adventurers approached her.
"Hey, hey, young miss! What did ya talk about with the Guild Master? Ya know anything 'bout those monsters?"
"Ya know their names, don't ya? Tell us what they are!"
"Never seen ya 'round here before. Yer must be new. How'd ya know about those monsters?"
Aria was overwhelmed by the constant barrage of questions, but she remained calm and silent, maintaining a wry smile as she tried to make her way through the crowd.
"Alright, alright! Leave her alone, you goofballs. Can't you see she's troubled?" A kind-looking guild staff member clapped her hands to disperse the crowd and draw their attention away from Aria. "Sorry about that, young miss. Adventurers tend to be quite direct and brutish in their approach, but they don't mean you any harm. They're simply curious themselves, and any information about those monsters could be vital to their survival. Do forgive them."
"No, thank you. I was a little troubled, but I understand their reactions." Aria smiled politely. "Anyway, I am going to pick up a few quests. I need to raise my rank as quickly as I can, and I will also need some money if I am going to stay at an inn."
"There are several inns affiliated with the guild. Why don't I introduce you to some of them after you return from your quest?"
"Thank you so much, miss!"
Aria walked toward the quest board, where a large number of quest papers had been posted and arranged according to their difficulty. "Well then, what quest should I take first...?"
"Miss, I would recommend starting with gathering quests for herbs and materials such as bones and ores. These are some of the most popular beginner quests." The staff member pointed toward several notices on the board. "Mining quests for ores and gems can be quite lucrative, but they usually require traveling a considerable distance either north or farther south. Therefore, I think heading to the Forest of Beginners to gather herbs and bones would be the better option for you."
"I see. I'll take these few quests, then." Aria pointed toward several notices.
"The gathering of Green Herbs, Blue Herbs, Beast Boar bones, and various fruits. The bones are harder to find, but perhaps your chances will be better if you go to the western part of the forest. That's where most Beast Boars roam. If you're lucky, you might even come across a fresh graveyard and collect as many sturdy bones as you can."
"Thank you for the advice. Please help me process these quests."
Aria and the staff member walked over to the counter. The staff member recorded the necessary information on a sheet of paper before passing it to a colleague, who began cataloguing the quests.
"I'm off now. See you later!" Aria hurried out of the guild with excitement as evident in her steps, and headed south toward the forest.
***
The Forest of Beginners was located in the southeastern part of Lapis. Lush with vegetation and wildlife, it provided many useful resources for the locals, who depended on the forest's bounty for their sustenance. It was also where many aspiring adventurers began their journeys.
The beasts that roamed the forest were considered relatively tame compared to those found elsewhere in the region. Most were insects and herbivores, with only the occasional carnivore. Even then, many of the larger predators preferred to flee rather than confront humans.
Aria slowly made her way through the dense greenery, gathering several bouquets of herbs, edible fruits, and mushrooms along the way. After taking a short rest, she sat quietly for a moment and admired the scenery around her. Birds sang in harmony while butterflies fluttered from flower to flower, creating a peaceful atmosphere.
Eventually, Aria rose to her feet and continued westward. "Now, to secure the bones."
However, the deeper she ventured into the western region, the more restless the forest seemed to become. The normally bustling forest was eerily silent, and she began looking around for any sign of life.
"This is..." Aria discovered several claw marks carved into the trunks of nearby trees. Alongside the claw marks, she found some purplish scales scattered at the base of some trees. "This colouration... could it be..."
In the midst of inspecting the scales, a loud commotion reached her ears and Aria immediately rushed toward the source.
The scene that greeted her was one of desperation. Several young adventurers, seemingly around her age, were desperately trying to fend off a swarm of attackers. The creatures had surrounded them, darting around the formation and constantly searching for an opening.
They were bipedal creatures with frills around their heads and a purplish hue covering their bodies: Jaggis. The small monsters moved in unison, dancing around their prey while emitting shrill cries to coordinate with one another.
Aria quickly hid behind a particularly large tree and observed the situation. "Those adventurers are in trouble if they cannot break out of the encirclement. The longer this drags on, the more Jaggis will show up. They will eventually be overwhelmed by sheer numbers."
As Aria considered how she could help, movement caught her attention. More creatures emerged from a cave formed by a large crack in the rocky cliffside. They possessed the same purplish hue as the Jaggis, but they were much larger, more muscular, and far more ferocious.
Aria's eyes widened. "Jaggia... the female counterparts of the Jaggi."
Her expression turned grim. "This is bad. Those adventurers are going to become snacks for those monsters."
Aria tightened her grip around her iron sword. Without hesitation, she stepped out from behind the tree and charged toward the Jaggis and Jaggia. With a well-timed swing, Aria's sword struck the nearest Jaggi across the neck. Before the others could turn toward her, she followed with another slash, then another. Her sudden assault caught the monsters off guard, allowing her to cut down several Jaggis in rapid succession.
The remaining monsters recoiled in surprise. Some of the Jaggis shrieked before retreating toward the cave, creating a small opening in the encirclement.
"Quick! Come this way! Run!"
The cornered adventurers heeded her words and ran toward her. They all breathed a sigh of relief, but their relief was short-lived.
A sudden roar pierced the air. An even larger creature leapt down from the top of the escarpment. It bore the same general appearance as the Jaggis, but its size and menacing presence were on an entirely different level. It was around ten meters long, and with every step it took, the soil trembled and the surrounding vegetation shook.
"That is the leader of the pack! Run as fast as you can!" Aria shouted, beckoning the others to flee the forest. She turned toward the approaching beast and raised her hand. "Fire! Sear my burning passion onto my enemy! Fire Shot!"
A streak of flame shot from her palm and struck the creature head-on. The fire engulfed the creature, causing it to writhe in pain as it rolled and thrashed across the ground. The sudden attack bought everyone enough time to put some distance between themselves and the monsters.
Aria quickly followed after them, but not before firing another small flame into a nearby shrub. The dry vegetation caught fire almost immediately, and thick smoke began to rise and spread throughout the area. The acrid scent disrupted the pack's ability to track them by smell while the smoke obscured their vision.
"I guess fire is truly effective in scaring off the pack..." Aria recalled the creatures' elemental weakness based on the knowledge that had flooded her in the Adventurer's Guild.
"Hah... hah... hah..." After sprinting for some distance, the group finally made it safely out of the forest.
"Thank you... for saving us." The oldest of the adventurers bent over, desperately trying to catch his breath after the exhausting sprint. "We're from the local orphanage. We were trying to earn a little money to help our caretakers. That's why I brought these children with me to gather some herbs."
The young adventurer glanced back toward the forest. "I've been to this forest countless times, but this is the first time I've ever seen those creatures. Any idea where they came from?"
"Well, this morning, a group of adventurers reported encountering these creatures. They only saw the smaller ones, though. They must not have noticed the larger ones... especially that one." Aria paused before introducing herself. "I am Aria. I just became an adventurer this morning."
"Wait, what? You're a newbie too?! But you're so strong!"
"Well, I have been doing my fair share of training." Aria gave an awkward smile. "Anyway, we should head back and report what we found to the guild."
The group chatted along the way, and Aria gradually learned more about the orphans' circumstances. Apparently, the most recent war had resulted in a growing number of orphans. Although the local nobles provided assistance to the orphanage, the funds were no longer enough to sustain the ever-growing number of mouths that needed to be fed. As a result, some of the older orphans ventured into the forest to forage for whatever they could find - fruits, herbs, and other valuables that could be sold for a little money.
Some of the orphans who had already graduated and begun living independently continued to help through donations. Others, like Daniel, returned whenever they could to guide the younger children during their foraging trips.
Daniel himself had graduated from an orphanage in Lapis a year ago and had joined the Adventurers' Guild to earn a living. He spent most of his time gathering materials and occasionally participating in small hunts. For someone his age, he was considered quite successful.
Aria listened to his story with admiration. Daniel didn't have much to his name, yet he still went out of his way to protect and support the younger orphans. "You are only a year older than me, yet you already carry so much responsibility."
When they finally entered the Adventurers' Guild, however, they were greeted by a scene of chaos. Several adventurers were lying injured across the guild hall. Some suffered from severe burns, while others appeared to have been poisoned, foam spilling from their mouths. The scene was gruesome.
Magicians from the church with light-attribute magic had been summoned to cast healing spells on the wounded. Meanwhile, priests and priestesses worked frantically to concoct antidotes from various herbs and medicinal ingredients.
Without hesitation, Aria, Daniel, and the other orphans rushed forward to help with whatever miscellaneous tasks they could manage. Amidst the commotion, Aria asked one of the adventurers what had happened.
"They're from several Silver-ranked adventuring parties that went west to the Cloudy Jungle. They were hunting Green Wyrms for their fangs and organs." The adventurer's expression was grim. "But they became the prey instead."
"To what?"
"A flying creature. It spat fire... and poisoned them."
Aria's body trembled as she listened. "The only large flying creatures known to inhabit that area should be Green Wyrms."
She clenched her fists. "But Green Wyrms cannot breathe fire."
Once the situation had stabilized, Aria approached the reception counter and requested a meeting with the Guild Master. To her surprise, permission was granted almost immediately. She had expected to wait. Instead, she was led upstairs almost immediately.
When Aria entered the Guild Master's office, she found Granzial buried beneath a mountain of paperwork. He paused his work and looked up at her before approaching. "First of all, thank you for helping with the wounded."
"It was nothing. I should offer help whenever I can."
Granzial stared at her for a moment.
"...Noblesse oblige." His expression became slightly more serious. "Something many nobles seem to have forgotten these days."
Aria remained silent.
"Well then, I suppose you have something to report." Granzial gestured toward the chair in front of his desk. "Are you ready to talk about the knowledge that Lord Flare has bestowed upon you?"
Aria's eyes widened. "How do you...?"
"It isn't difficult to gather information about when you visited the church. A priestess approached you after your prayer, am I right? She witnessed some kind of light coming out of you." Granzial calmly returned to his desk.
"I told you before that we are more organized than you think. We have connections throughout the continent, after all." The guild master looked back at Aria. "You are the eldest daughter of Earl Sultier. Though it seems you disappeared from the social circles for quite some time."
Aria's expression stiffened.
"Even if you cut your hair short, silver hair like yours is difficult to overlook. And your demeanor speaks volumes." He paused. "Besides, as you grow older, experience becomes useful in situations such as this."
Granzial leaned back in his chair. "Anyway... you have a report?"
"... I went to the Forest of Beginners and encountered those newly discovered creatures." Aria took a breath. "More than that, they travel in packs. The largest among them is a single creature that towers over the others. It is their leader, measuring over ten meters in length, and it is not something inexperienced adventurers, especially children, can face."
"And yet, you survived." Granzial's eyes narrowed slightly. "That speaks volumes about your abilities... or the power that Lord Flare has given you."
"... I was only trying to help those who were in need."
"Perhaps." Granzial folded his hands together. "But by sharing the information bestowed upon you, we can minimize the risks to our adventurers. We can send higher-ranked adventurers to investigate and eliminate them before more people are hurt."
He looked directly into Aria's eyes.
"So..." His voice became gentler, but his gaze remained sharp. "Are you willing to tell me everything now?"
Aria hesitated for a moment before finally agreeing.
The Guild Master handed her an ink bottle, a pen, and an empty scroll. Aria dipped the pen into the ink and began writing down everything she knew about the Jaggi, Jaggia, and their leader, the Great Jaggi.
As she wrote, a knock sounded at the door.
"Come in," Granzial called.
The door opened, and several guild staff members entered alongside a group of rugged-looking adventurers. "Guild Master! We have something to report about what we found in the Cloudy Jungle!"
"Calm down." Granzial gestured for them to settle themselves. "Now, tell me exactly what happened."
Apparently, three Silver-ranked adventuring parties had joined forces to hunt as many Green Wyrms as they could find. However, after entering the jungle, they did not encounter a single one.
The deeper they ventured, the denser the jungle canopy became, leaving them almost completely shrouded in darkness. Eventually, they decided to climb higher to gain a better vantage point and navigate the jungle more effectively.
That was when they stumbled upon a gigantic nest. It had been constructed from wooden branches and leaves, but what made the adventurers uneasy were the bones scattered throughout it. The nest was large enough for all fifteen adventurers to stand upon, with plenty of room to spare.
One of the adventurers, who had been acting as the group's scout, immediately noticed several bones belonging to Green Wyrms scattered around the nest. The forest's former apex predators had become prey to something far more terrible.
Suddenly, a shadow loomed over them. Several veterans immediately sensed the danger and leapt aside as a pair of enormous claws came crashing down. The creature landed upon its nest and unleashed a torrent of flames upon the intruders. Several unfortunate adventurers were engulfed by the flames and killed instantly. Chaos erupted.
The creature was covered in green, shell-like armor with numerous spikes protruding from its body. A pair of enormous wings spread from its back as it charged toward the remaining adventurers.
Realizing that they could not defeat the creature, the adventurers decided to retreat. They carried their wounded companions while taking the guild tags of those who had fallen. Just as they were about to escape, the creature swung its massive tail. The force of the attack sent several adventurers flying off the nest and crashing through the canopy. Fortunately, the dense thickets below cushioned their fall, allowing them to survive.
Breathing a sigh of relief, the survivors regrouped and began treating their injuries. However, before long, some of them realized something was terribly wrong. Their bodies began to ache, and several could barely walk. Those who had been struck directly by the creature's tail had been poisoned.
Relying on their limited supply of antidotes, the adventurers hastily made their way back toward the city. The rest was history.
Aria listened intently to the entire account before asking for another scroll.
"Miss... you know about that creature too?"
"Yes." Aria accepted the scroll handed to her by Granzial and began writing once again. "You may have just encountered a Rathian."
One of the adventurers stared at her in disbelief.
"You designate that creature with four stars. Does that mean anything?"
"It represents its danger and the difficulty of hunting it." Aria pointed toward the information she had written. "The Great Jaggi I encountered would be classified as a three-star monster, while the smaller Jaggi and Jaggia are two-star."
"It seems that increasing by just one star significantly raises the difficulty."
"Indeed."
One of the adventurers frowned before turning toward Granzial. "Um... Guild Master, who exactly is this girl? Why does she know about creatures that even we veterans have never encountered?"
Granzial answered without hesitation. "There were several ancient books she stumbled upon in an undisclosed library. She took it upon herself to memorize their contents because she found them interesting."
He paused briefly.
"Unfortunately, those books were later destroyed by some unruly individuals." Granzial sighed. "Thank the Lord she managed to remember most of what she read."
Aria stared at him in amazement as Granzial lied as naturally as he breathed. She had no idea how Granzial could fabricate such an elaborate story without even blinking. Nevertheless, she appreciated his thoughtfulness.
"So you mean that creature is one of those ancient beasts described in legends?" One of the adventurers asked.
"Unbelievable!" Another clenched his fists. "Several of our comrades have died! Why did it have to appear now of all times?!"
"We are deeply sorry for your loss," Granzial said solemnly. "Their deaths are a loss to the guild as well. They were capable adventurers, and their experience will be sorely missed."
He paused. "Nevertheless, we must strike back."
"What...?"
Granzial slowly rose from his chair. "We will organize hunting expeditions to rid our ecosystem of that creature!"
His voice echoed throughout the room. "We will prove that humanity remains the true hunter..."
Granzial's eyes burned with determination. "...and that they are the prey!"