The sky was a dull gray, drizzling steady, fine raindrops.
Sparse light filtered through the clouds, preventing the midday grasslands from sinking into complete gloom.
Whoosh—
A gust of wind swept up a few blades of green grass as a girl sat astride a broomstick, flying through the rainy day.
The raindrops soaked her radiant orange-white hair, as bright as the sun, and the cold wind blowing head-on sent her hair strands whipping far behind her.
The girl wore a gold-and-white robe, though its once-vibrant colors seemed muted under the current weather.
Over it, she had on a black cloak with a hood.
Beneath the golden hair swaying with the wind, her sea-blue eyes revealed deep annoyance and stuffiness.
It seemed the sudden rain had caught her completely off guard, almost as if the heavens were playing a cruel joke on this fragile woman of breathtaking beauty.
But it was too late to turn back now; she had no choice but to press on through the rain.
Fortunately, she was not far from her destination. Before she could be drenched to the bone, the girl finally arrived.
It was a small village situated on the edge of a forest.
The girl rode her broom into the village, unsurprised to find the teal-tiled street utterly deserted, with only the dripping rain echoing in her ears.
When she reached a predominantly brown-roofed house, she finally dismounted her broom under the eaves and sighed in relief.
“Annoying weather.”
She shook her head hard to shed the remaining raindrops from her hair. The sound of wet strands snapping against the nearby wall left damp marks.
Though she had arrived and found shelter, Hilxi’s mood remained gloomy for one simple reason: her hair was completely soaked.
Damn it! The weather was clear when I left! How did it suddenly start raining?
Hilxi puffed her cheeks in frustration and patted her black cloak to shake off the droplets.
This cloak actually soaks up water too? I don’t want to wear it anymore—it feels so heavy.
“Eh? Young lady, what are you doing here?”
A voice came from behind. Hilxi turned to see the homeowner peering through the glass window.
What am I doing… of course sheltering from the rain.
Hilxi sighed, her voice heavy with melancholy.
“Sorry to bother you. As you can see, I’m just trying to avoid the rain.”
“Oh, I see.”
“Yes, exactly that. Sigh.”
“Young lady, come inside first!” The woman inside said kindly, moved by the girl’s pitiful state.
“Thank you so much!”
Hilxi nodded gratefully and stepped inside. Her feet touched the wooden floor, and the warm air instantly enveloped her. She sighed happily, “So warm.”
“Your clothes are soaking wet. Better take them off and dry them by the fire.”
“Thank you.” Hilxi politely expressed her gratitude and then removed the heavy black cloak, handing it to the kind woman.
“You’re welcome.”
The woman smiled kindly as she took the cloak.
Watching the cloak placed near the warm hearth, Hilxi looked around the modest room.
The furniture was sparse but included sofas and chairs mostly made of wood, padded with soft cushions that invited one to try sitting.
Clutching the collar of her robe, she could feel the dampness seeping through. After shedding the black cloak, she felt much lighter.
Damn, that cloak must have absorbed several pounds of water! Is it really cotton?
Luckily, the clothes underneath were shielded by the cloak, so they weren’t too wet—a small blessing amid the misfortune.
“You’re not from around here, are you?”
“Hmm, to be honest, I’m a Magician, here to deal with some matters in the village.”
“Oh! A Magician!” The woman covered her mouth slightly in surprise.
Hilxi understood the shock. In such a remote village, Magicians were rare.
Even in the Kingdom of Magicians, Magicians were special; after all, not every nation had a majority of Magicians, let alone many Witches.
In most countries, having even one Witch was considered fortunate.
“So you’re here for that. Sorry for the neglect that made you get drenched.”
Upon learning Hilxi was a Magician, the woman’s tone turned respectful.
Not really. I’m the most inexperienced Magician, more like a Magician apprentice.
“No worries, it’s my fault for not bringing an umbrella.” Hilxi waved her hands and then hesitated a moment before asking the woman:
“Auntie, do you know what’s going on?”
“Alas, I don’t know much. That thing started appearing a few days ago…”
Let’s rewind a few hours.
Morning in the Kingdom of Magicians, half a month later.
At the inn, Hilxi had just woken and was eating a hearty stew cooked by Saya.
“Ugh~ Saya-san, this is superb!”
“Isn’t it delicious?” Saya smiled across the table.
“Yeah! So tasty, Saya-chan is amazing!”
“Uh… don’t say things that can be misunderstood.”
“By the way, even working two jobs, the money is still limited.”
Hilxi swallowed a mouthful of stew.
The topic shifted too quickly. Saya blinked, tilted her head thoughtfully, then replied:
“Why don’t you work three jobs?”
“I’d die…” Hilxi rolled her eyes, leaning forward with a big grin:
“Is there any job that pays well without too much effort?”
“In your dreams.”
“…I’m serious.”
“Hmm…” Saya took a bite of her food, which tasted just okay.
“You could check with the Magic Unification Association for any suitable Commissions.”
“Oh? Even non-members can take Commissions?”
“Some Commissions are open.” Saya nodded.
“What about pay?”
“Depends on the task difficulty. The harder, the higher the pay,” Saya said casually but added:
“Of course, some Commissions are just troublesome but not dangerous, while others are Dangerous Tasks where people might even die.”
“Die? That dangerous?”
Why do you go straight for the Dangerous Tasks… Saya tapped her head, helpless:
“Don’t worry, Dangerous Tasks are usually assigned to Witches. They won’t be given to you~”
“Ah… what a shame.”
“…” Not shameful at all.
After breakfast, Hilxi said goodbye to Saya and headed to the Association to see if any Commission fit her.
Though Saya gave her a look as if she were staring at someone doomed, she still reminded Hilxi to be careful.
As Hilxi’s friend, Saya understood her tendencies and was a bit scared she might not return.
This worry was not unfounded—
Someone like Hilxi, who was easily prideful, blindly confident, narcissistic, vain, and oblivious to her own limits, usually did not end well…
If Hilxi knew how Saya saw her, she’d probably give her a thorough scolding and shout:
“Is that how you think I am? I’m clearly a sunny, cheerful, delicate beauty!”
Putting that aside, Hilxi arrived at the Association, picked a Commission that seemed simple yet reasonably well-paid, and set off.
The task was marked simple—so simple it seemed oddly mismatched with the reward.
The Commission was—[Go to a certain village west of the Kingdom of Magicians and drive away the local beasts.]
Inside a village house.
The warm orange glow of the hearth and candles lit most of the room.
Hilxi sat on a sofa, one side of her face illuminated by the light, the other shrouded in shadow. Her blue eyes seemed dim.
The atmosphere inside was quite serious.
Besides the steady rain pattering outside, the woman’s voice filled the room.
“That is a huge Monster, almost the size of a house…”
“…”
This feels like a horror story.
Hearing the opening, Hilxi’s premonition soured. Her sarcastic spirit flared, though she kept calm outwardly.
As big as a house? What kind of Beast is that? That’s a Monster! Shouldn’t it be handled by professional Monster-hunting Outsiders…
The woman continued:
“That Monster is very fierce, covered in dark gray fur. No one’s seen it clearly. It’s very strong and can easily topple brick houses. Its claws are so sharp they can scratch steel…”
Terrifying…
Hilxi’s vision darkened; she felt an urge to turn and run.
There’s no way I can fight this. Goodbye.