The innkeeper shuffled along the winding path behind the inn, nervously glancing over his shoulder every few steps as he led Kyle and Silvy to the place where the barrier supposedly began.
The sun had dipped halfway beneath the horizon, casting long shadows over the village, and a sharp chill was beginning to creep into the air.
"This is the place. From here on, you can't go further without... consequences."
The innkeeper said, halting near an unassuming line where the grass grew a little duller and the wind seemed to stop altogether.
Kyle stepped forward and held his hand out, palm open as if he could catch the feeling in the air.
The shift in mana was subtle, but it was there.
A gentle hum at first, like static on his fingertips, quickly swelling into something heavier—a repulsion, as though the very air denied his presence.
"Silvy, can you feel anything?"
Kyle asked, not taking his eyes off the space in front of him.
She furrowed her brow, stepping closer and letting her own mana skim the edge of the invisible wall.
"I don't know what I'm supposed to feel for, but... something's wrong. My instincts are screaming at me to get away, but I can't tell why."
"That's good enough."
He extended his hand again, this time coating it in his own mana to push past the resistance.
The barrier fought back immediately, a violent clash of foreign and personal energy.
It wasn't an outright attack, but a persistent rejection—like the barrier itself was alive and knew he didn't belong.
The innkeeper twitched, taking a step forward but not quite brave enough to intervene.
"Young master, maybe you shouldn't—"
Kyle ignored him. He pulled his hand back and shook off the sting.
"It's not just a ward. It's bound by something—a seal or anchor nearby. This isn't random mana spill."
He turned to Queen, who perched patiently on his shoulder.
Queen chirped once, then launched upward in a blur of black and white feathers.
It ascended with swift precision until it reached about twenty feet, then let out a sharp call and stopped.
Kyle raised his gaze and narrowed his eyes.
"So the barrier ends there. Enough for Queen to get past it... but nothing bigger. And there's no reaction up there—no repulsion like below."
Silvy tapped her chin thoughtfully.
"You think someone did this to trap the villagers?"
"Maybe. Or to trap something else in."
Kyle said, his voice low.
Just then, the innkeeper fidgeted anxiously.
"Young master… it's getting dark."This is when... the beasts come out. You don't want to be here when that happens"
He warned, his eyes darting toward the treeline
Kyle blinked and glanced at the sky.
The creeping dusk had come quicker than he'd realized. He looked back at the barrier, silently cursing the way time slipped away when he was focused.
"Alright, Let's head back."
The group returned along the winding path, Queen circling overhead once more before gliding down to rest on Kyle's shoulder again.
The innkeeper seemed lighter on his feet as the barrier fell out of sight behind them, though his eyes never stopped darting around.
"When's the next safe time to leave this place?"
Kyle asked as they neared the inn again.
"Next week. Seven days. That's the next window when the barrier weakens just enough to let people pass without consequences."
The innkeeper replied, wringing his hands.
Kyle slowed his steps, then glanced sideways at him.
He stopped near the steps of the inn and turned toward the innkeeper again.
"Get me pen and parchment," he said. "I need to send a letter back home."
The innkeeper blinked, then quickly nodded and darted inside to retrieve what Kyle had asked for. Silvy raised an eyebrow.
"Let me guess. You're going to let your 'fiancée' know you're stuck with another woman for a week?"
Kyle smirked faintly, brushing a hand through his hair.
"I'm going to let them know I might be gone longer than expected. And that they should prepare... just in case."
Queen tilted its head, watching its master carefully as if understanding the weight behind his words.
This was no ordinary village. And Kyle knew this was just the beginning of another mystery waiting to unfold.
That night, Kyle sat at the small desk in his inn room and quickly scrawled two short letters.
One was addressed to the Duke—just a concise update on the village's cursed condition and a note about his decision to stay behind and investigate.
He suspected the Duke would be interested in this anomaly, especially since it wasn't officially assigned to Kyle.
'That man seems like someone who wants to dip his hand everywhere he can. Somehow, I have a feeling this case would be interesting to him as well.'
Kyle was good at reading people, so he decided to take this opportunity.
If nothing else, this letter would serve as an official report and tell the Duke that Kyle had not abandoned his duty.
The second letter was for Bruce and Melissa.
It listed specific supplies Kyle wanted and asked them to start making their way toward the village.
With the barrier up and time limited, now felt like the right moment to test a few theories.
All of these ingredients were easy to find, but Kyle did not want to risk finding them inside the village. Their price would have shot up due to this difficulty for sure.
Once done, Kyle tied both letters to Queen's leg.
"Get these back home, quietly."
He said. The bird clicked its beak once before taking off into the night sky with a silent flap of wings.
Thank god Queen is a bird-form primarily. It would make it easiest for it to be able to use it's mana. But I do need to get Queen started on mana training as well.'
That was Kyle's last thought before he went to sleep.
By the time morning rolled in, Queen was already back, looking completely unfazed despite the trip.
Kyle retrieved the letters from its leg.
The Duke's reply was short and typical: he didn't mind Kyle meddling as long as it didn't cause unnecessary problems.
Kyle almost smiled—exactly what he expected.
The second letter was from Bruce, with a short note co-signed by Melissa. They were preparing what he asked for and would arrive within a few days. Efficient, as always.
Kyle folded both letters and tucked them into his coat. With that taken care of, he turned to leave his room.
As he opened the door, he nearly walked into Silvy, who stood just outside with her hand raised, clearly about to knock. She froze.
"Oh—I was, uh, just checking if you were awake."
She stammered, clearly flustered.
Kyle raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. Silvy, red-faced, spun on her heel and fled down the hall with a clumsy excuse.
He stared after her, then sighed.
Behind him, Queen landed on the edge of a chair and chirped with what could only be amusement.
"Don't look at me like that. I didn't do anything. Just go to sleep. I am sure you are tired"
Kyle muttered as he followed after Silvy.