A Bug In Fate

"...Where are the Morkels?"

The red-haired young man asked again, assuming no one had heard him the first time.

Judging by the mana surrounding him, he was clearly in the Spark Realm. The two young women standing behind him were also Spark Realm cultivators, though their auras were noticeably weaker.

"..."

Silence answered him once again.

The villagers simply stared at the three newcomers, as if they were trying to process what they had just heard.

Finally, one of the elderly farmers stepped forward.

"And who might you three be?"

Although he already had a rough idea, he asked politely.

The red-haired young man gave a slight bow.

"Ah, my name is Carl."

He gestured toward the two women behind him.

"The three of us were sent by the Adventurers’ Guild to assist with the emergency request."

The moment those words left his mouth...

Silence fell once more.

Everyone present already knew what was about to happen.

"...Pfft."

Someone in the crowd failed to hold it in.

"Hahaha!"

Another burst into laughter.

Within moments, the entire crowd had joined in.

"Hahaha! They came for the Morkels!"

"They’re too late!"

"I can’t even blame them. Morkels usually require a full team to deal with."

The laughter spread throughout the village.

It wasn’t directed at Carl’s group.

The situation itself was simply too ridiculous.

The young woman standing behind Carl shifted uncomfortably.

"W-What’s going on?"

She looked around in confusion. They had rushed here expecting a desperate battle, only to be greeted by a crowd laughing at something they couldn’t understand.

Watching the three adventurers standing there awkwardly, an odd thought suddenly crossed Alden’s mind.

...They really remind me of the police back on Earth.

Always arriving after everything’s already over.

The corner of his lips twitched upward.

Poor guys.

The first old farmer raised his hand.

"Alright, alright."

The laughter gradually died down, although several villagers were still struggling to keep straight faces.

"The Morkels have already been dealt with."

He spoke with a polite smile.

Carl frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"We were informed that only a single adventurer accepted this mission."

"And according to the guild, he was only in the Awakened Realm."

"That’s correct."

The second old man nodded before pointing toward the plantation.

"But as you can see..."

"There aren’t any Morkels left."

The three adventurers instinctively looked toward the fields.

Bodies of the monsters lay scattered among the flattened rows of crops, leaving behind unmistakable evidence of the fierce battle that had taken place.

The bow-wielding young woman widened her eyes.

"No way..."

"You’re telling me one Awakened Realm cultivator did all of this?"

Disbelief was written all over her face.

Even if the three of them had accepted this mission together, they would have approached it cautiously.

Yet someone an entire realm below them had completed it alone.

Carl slowly exhaled.

Five years of working as an adventurer had taught him one thing.

The world rarely followed common sense.

"...Then where is the adventurer who completed the mission?"

Before either of the old men could answer, another voice spoke.

"Hello."

Everyone turned.

Alden stepped forward with a relaxed expression, his sword still hanging at his waist.

"How can I help you?"

Carl quietly observed him from head to toe.

The young man standing before him looked completely relaxed, as though he had come here for a leisurely walk rather than an emergency mission.

If not for the faint bloodstains scattered across his clothes and the sword hanging at his waist, Carl would have found it difficult to believe this was the same person who had just wiped out an entire pack of Morkels.

Behind him, the two young women were equally surprised, though for a completely different reason.

The young adventurer before them was... unexpectedly good-looking.

He wasn’t the type to make people stop in their tracks, but his sharp features and calm demeanor made him stand out from most of the young men in Ravenhold.

Before anyone could speak, Alden broke the silence.

"As you can see, I’ve already completed the mission."

He casually held up the signed mission paper.

"So, unless there’s something else you need, I’d like to return to the city."

His words finally pulled the three adventurers back to reality.

Carl let out an awkward laugh and scratched the back of his head.

"You can go."

"It seems we rushed here for nothing."

There wasn’t even a hint of frustration in his voice.

If anything, he was simply relieved that the villagers were safe.

With that, he turned around and began walking back the way they had come.

The two young women exchanged one last curious glance with Alden before quietly following behind him.

"Thank you for coming."

Alden called out after them.

Carl paused briefly before raising a hand over his shoulder.

"No problem."

A faint smile appeared on his face.

Strong... yet humble.

That’s rare.

Watching the three figures disappear into the distance, Alden turned back toward the two elderly farmers.

"I should get going as well."

"I still have some business in the city."

The old men nodded.

"Haha, of course."

"We’ve already taken enough of your time."

The second old man smiled warmly before gesturing toward the village.

"Come."

"Let’s get your reward first."

"Alright."

Alden followed the two elderly farmers back toward the village.

With the excitement finally over, the gathered crowd slowly dispersed.

Some returned to inspect the damaged crops, while others resumed the work they had abandoned earlier.

Before long, the plantation gradually returned to its usual peaceful atmosphere, as though the fierce battle that had taken place there had never happened.

---

Alden made his way back across the open plains, following the same path he had taken earlier that day.

A small cloth pouch rested securely in his hand. Every now and then, a faint fragrance escaped from within it.

He lifted the pouch slightly and took a slow breath.

The refreshing aroma instantly relaxed his shoulders.

That old man wasn’t exaggerating after all.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

His first mission had gone better than he could have imagined.

Not only had he earned the guild’s reward, but he had also gained valuable combat experience and received a gift from the grateful villagers.

It was hard not to be satisfied.

Thinking about the Moonleaf tea waiting inside the pouch, Alden unconsciously picked up his pace.

Still, before he could enjoy it, there was one last thing he needed to do.

He had to return to the Adventurers’ Guild and collect his reward.

After several minutes of jogging, the towering walls of Ravenhold gradually came into view.

As he approached the eastern gate, one of the city guards recognized him immediately.

"Back already?"

"Mission completed."

Alden smiled, holding up the signed mission paper.

The guard glanced over it before giving an approving nod.

"Good work."

With that, he stepped aside.

Alden entered the city once again.

The familiar streets welcomed him back.

Merchants loudly advertised their goods, children chased one another through the crowded roads, and the rhythmic ringing of hammers echoed from the blacksmith district.

For the first time since arriving in Ravenhold, Alden walked through the streets without feeling like a lost outsider.

He actually knew where he was going.

Without slowing his pace, he headed straight for the Adventurers’ Guild.

Before long, the familiar four-story stone building came into view.

He pushed open the heavy wooden doors and stepped inside.

The lively atmosphere greeted him once again.

Some adventurers were leaving with newly accepted requests, while others had just returned and were enthusiastically reporting the details of their completed missions.

The faces inside were different from before, reminding Alden that adventurers were constantly coming and going.

His gaze swept across the reception hall before stopping at a familiar figure.

The same chubby receptionist was still standing behind the counter, busily sorting documents while helping one adventurer after another.

A small grin appeared on Alden’s face.

"...I’m back."

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