Currently, I'm doing my victory dance. Why?
Because I snuck out of the village without anyone noticing!
Not even Titan! That's right—stealth level 100 achieved, Baby!
Scarface and the others in the village had been practically babysitting me for days.
Always saying things like "Don't go out, it's dangerous," And all that.
I would've believed them if they didn't always look away or if they wouldn't flinched everytime I ask them what the real reason was.
I tried asking Gorn and the others about it, even Grumpy and my 7 brothers, but see? They ran away or said they still had something to do.
Even Leah would shut up if I asked, and I would annoy her a lot too just to tell me but she wouldn't budge.
They might think it's not suspicious but it is.
Maybe they're acting like this because winter is just a few weeks away? But come on! Even I need some air every now and then!
Anyway, I'm free now! Time to explore!
I even left a little sign near the village for anyone who might need it—because I'm not a total menace. Then, with a quick burst of shadow magic, I grew myself a pair of wings. Oh yeah, shadow wings are as cool as they sound.
And then I took off.
"I can fly! Wee~!" I shouted as I soared into the sky. I even threw in a loop-the-loop, just for fun.
Professional patrol mode: activated. (Definitely not playing, just working hard.)
As I admired the beautiful view from above, the system's radar beeped, catching my attention. Several dots were moving along the path leading to the village.
"Wait... Is someone supposed to visit today?" I muttered.
...Fuck!
It's the end of the month! That's when Merchant Lady usually comes by!
Shit. That must be them.
It was then that I noticed that those dots weren't just strolling along—they were surrounded. And it didn't seem like they were friend, I can see some dots turning gray and disappearing from the radar.
"Crap, crap, crap!" I flapped my wings harder, racing toward the scene.
Sure enough, there they were—the Merchant Lady and her usual squad, fighting off a pack of red-eyed ogres.
What the fuck? I thought only the wolves had that.
Is this wh-
"HEY! Are you gonna help or just watch?!" the Merchant Lady yelled, dodging an ogre's massive swing with all the grace of someone who's too used to near-death situations.
"Right, right! Helping!" I shouted back, shaking off my confusion.
With a quick spell, I conjured a storm of ice magic. Sharp shards rained down, freezing the red-eyed ogres where they stood. They didn't even have time to roar before they were popsicles.
As the battle ended, I landed near the frozen bodies and took a closer look. There was something weirdly familiar about them.
Before I could piece it together, a rustling sound came from the bushes. I turned sharply, only to see several Greater Ogres stepping out of the forest.
Oh boy.
These guys were huge, their sheer presence making the Merchant Lady's crew tense up. I noticed symbols etched onto their armor, the same ones on the frozen ogres. My gut told me they were all part of the same clan.
"Uh, this could be bad," I muttered, taking a battle stance.
The Merchant Lady and her four adventurer friends did the same, their weapons at the ready. The air grew thick with tension.
One of the Greater Ogres stepped forward. I braced myself, preparing a Glacier Spike spell. But then, he raised his hands—palms open—in what looked like a gesture of peace.
"We're not here to fight," he said, his deep voice steady but heavy with sorrow. "We only wish to retrieve our fallen comrades."
Wait, what?
I blinked, caught off guard. The Merchant Lady exchanged a look with me and gave a subtle nod. Taking a deep breath, I lowered my magic, though I kept it ready—just in case.
The Greater Ogres carefully approached the frozen bodies, their movements slow and deliberate. There was a deep sadness in their eyes as they lifted their fallen.
Just as they were about to leave, the leader turned back to me.
"Child," he said, his voice quiet but firm, "do not roam this forest once the ashes of fallen ogres fall and the coldness of their bodies lingers."
What the heck does that mean?
The Merchant Lady's expression shifted—realization dawning on her face. She nodded, though her lips were pressed into a tight line.
"Care to explain?" I asked her as the ogres disappeared into the woods.
"It's nothing you need to worry about," she said quickly, which is exactly what someone says when you should absolutely worry about it.
We packed up and made our way back toward the campsite. As we walked, I couldn't help but poke her with questions.
"Seriously, what did he mean by 'ashes of fallen ogres'? Is it a curse? A warning? Should I be carrying salt or something?"
She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "It's... complicated. And ominous."
"That clears up nothing," I deadpanned.
"Look, you're the one who left the village without telling anyone, so maybe don't complain about vague threats," she shot back.
Touché.
When we finally reached the camp, I perched myself on a nearby tree branch to keep watch while the Merchant Lady and her crew set up.
Despite everything—the battle, the warning, the Merchant Lady's cryptic behavior—I couldn't help but feel a spark of excitement. This was shaping up to be one heck of an adventure.
Cryptic warnings? Mysteries? Possible curses?
Bring it on!
Little Theater:
MC: "So, 'ashes of fallen ogres'—is that like a curse? Do I need salt or a magic charm or something?"
Merchant Lady: *exasperated* "It's... I don't know either."
MC: "Cool, cool, so definitely cursed. Adventure time!"