The first rays of dawn spilled over the rooftops of Dawnstead, casting long golden beams across the cobblestone streets. Morning dew clung to the air like a lingering breath of night, and mist curled around the bases of the buildings as if reluctant to let go.
The town stirred slowly, with the distant clang of a blacksmith's hammer ringing faintly through the crisp morning air, mingling with the scent of hearth fire smoke and fresh bread wafting from bakeries opening their shutters.
Belle walked with quiet purpose down the main avenue, her footsteps light and precise. The weight of her satchel pressed gently against her back, and the silver strands of her hair shimmered faintly in the low light, catching flecks of the morning sun.
Kai ambled beside her, a slight yawn escaping as he rubbed the back of his neck.
"Could've slept another hour," he muttered, his long red ponytail swaying lazily behind him. His katana clinked softly against his hip with each step.
Belle didn't respond, but the subtle quirk at the corner of her lips hinted at amusement.
They reached the large arched entrance of the Adventurer's Guild just as the sun peeked over the walls of Dawnstead.
Inside, the familiar scents of parchment, tanned leather, and spiced tea greeted them. The main hall was already alive with movement—adventurers swapping stories, checking the quest board, and discussing travel plans over steaming mugs.
Behind the reception counter, Alina stood sorting request slips into various trays, her usual energy on full display. She looked up, and her face lit up as soon as she spotted them.
"Belle! Kai!" she called out, her voice slicing through the morning din like a cheerful bell. She waved both arms enthusiastically, nearly knocking over a stack of papers.
Kai chuckled. "You're in a good mood."
Belle offered a polite nod. "Morning, Alina."
Alina leaned forward slightly, lowering her voice just enough.
"Garrick wants to see you two. He's been waiting in his office since sunrise. Come on, I'll take you there."
Without waiting for confirmation, she turned and began weaving through the guild floor, motioning for them to follow.
Belle and Kai exchanged a quick glance. It wasn't like Garrick to summon them this early unless something important was involved.
The guildmaster office door creaked open, and Garrick turned from the tall window behind his desk. The sunlight framed him in silhouette. His arms were folded behind his back, and his face bore the kind of calm that only came from years of authority and quiet reflection.
"Morning," he greeted, voice low and gravelly. "Close the door, Alina."
"Yes, sir," she replied softly, shutting it behind them and taking her place by the side wall.
Belle stepped forward first, her posture straight.
"You wanted to see us?"
Garrick nodded and motioned to the seats across from his desk.
"I'll keep this brief."
He turned and unfurled a large parchment across the desk. It was a route map, drawn in precise inkwork and dotted with handwritten notes. Red markings indicated stops at inns and small settlements along a winding road.
"Your route to Aurelia has been finalized. The journey will take approximately ten days—assuming no delays. You'll pass through several border towns and lesser-traveled trade routes. I've arranged for a carriage to take you as far as Eldermere. It's a small town nestled near the edge of the Blackwood Pass. You should reach it in about four days."
Belle's eyes swept over the map, noting the terrain and elevation lines.
"And after Eldermere?"
"You'll have to continue on foot—or secure alternate transport. The stretch beyond Eldermere isn't safe for carriages. Too many ambushes, rogue beasts, and the occasional mercenary group operating outside the law. It's better if you travel light and unnoticed."
Kai scratched the back of his head.
"Sounds like we'll be walking half the trip."
"You're adventurers," Garrick said with a faint smirk. "Not noble dignitaries."
He reached into the drawer beside him and retrieved two small velvet pouches. Within them lay newly engraved guild badges—polished silver with a neatly inscribed 'C' in the center.
"I've put in for your rank promotions. Both of you have earned it. Belle especially—clearing the Mana Overload subjugation quest, rescuing Trinity Blade, stopping a dungeon break and not to mention saving Dawnstead twice... all within a month of registering."
He pushed the badges toward them, but Belle didn't reach for hers.
"Thank you," she said evenly, "but I'll decline."
Garrick blinked. "Decline?"
"I've already jumped from F-Rank to D-Rank in a single day. Taking another leap so soon would only draw more attention."
Kai watched silently, arms crossed.
Belle continued, her voice calm but unwavering.
"I don't want the extra eyes, the expectations. I just want to live a normal life."
Garrick studied her for a long moment before leaning back in his chair, exhaling through his nose.
"Most people would have accepted it without hesitation. You do realize the higher your rank, the better your access to resources, quests, and pay?"
"I do."
The silence held for a moment longer.
Kai finally chimed in, shrugging. "Yeah, I'm with her. Wouldn't feel right skipping ahead. Besides," he added with a grin, "wouldn't be fun if Belle outranked me already."
Garrick gave a reluctant chuckle, shaking his head.
"Fine. But I won't keep holding it back. Next time, I won't ask."
The sun was higher now, casting golden warmth across the town walls and rooftops. Belle and Kai stood at the eastern gates, where a modest but sturdy carriage awaited them. Its wooden frame was reinforced with steel bands, and a tarp covered the supplies strapped to its back.
The driver, a middle-aged man with a bushy beard, was finishing his preparations, checking reins and provisions with a meticulous eye.
What they hadn't expected, however, was the gathering waiting by the gate.
Trinity Blade stood proudly to the side—Darin with his arms crossed and a sharp smirk, Lena with a warm smile, and Garron, stoic as ever but nodding respectfully.
"You're really going," Lena said gently, stepping forward and embracing Belle with a tight, sisterly hug. "Be safe out there. And don't forget to write if you find something exciting."
Belle blinked in surprise but slowly returned the embrace. "Thank you. I'll try."
Darin stepped in next, offering Kai a firm fist.
"Next time we meet, I'm taking you down. No cheap shots."
Kai smirked and bumped fists.
"You can try. Might actually make me break a sweat."
Garron inclined his head toward Belle.
"Dawnstead owes you more than you know. Safe travels."
Near the rear of the group stood Roderic Lorne and Gale Valtor, clad in their knight uniforms, the crests of Dawnstead Knights shining in the light.
Roderic gave a wave and a toothy grin.
"No collapsing from exhaustion this time, yeah?"
Belle gave a tiny smile in return.
Gale stepped forward, arms folded. His eyes settled on Kai.
"Try to avoid causing trouble for once."
Kai gave him a mock salute. "No promises."
Gale's expression didn't change, but a small breath escaped his nose—almost like a sigh of acceptance.
Then, a brief hush fell over the group. The kind of silence that came before a meaningful farewell.
Belle turned to face them all, silver eyes calm but quietly grateful.
"Thank you. All of you."
Kai adjusted the strap of his travel bag and climbed into the carriage.
"We'll be back eventually. Try not to miss us too much."
The driver flicked the reins, and the carriage began to move. The creaking of wood and the rhythmic clop of hooves filled the air as Dawnstead began to slip slowly into the distance.
Belle leaned out slightly, her eyes lingering on the figures behind them—friends, allies, the town. The wind brushed against her face, rustling her silver hair as she turned forward.
The wooden wheels creaked along the dirt path, the rhythmic clatter of hooves echoing softly through the quiet forest trail. The sun had risen fully now, casting shifting patterns of golden light through the trees as the carriage made its steady way eastward.
Inside, the interior of the carriage was modest—cushioned benches, a small crate of travel rations at their feet, and curtains that fluttered gently with the breeze.
Belle sat by the window, one knee drawn up slightly, her chin resting on her hand as she watched the fading silhouette of Dawnstead vanish behind distant hills.
Kai sat across from her, legs stretched out casually, arms folded behind his head as he gazed up at the wooden ceiling.
For a while, neither of them spoke. The silence wasn't awkward—just quiet. The kind that came from shared understanding.
Belle was the first to break it.
"…They didn't have to see us off," she said, her voice soft. "Especially Trinity Blade. They're not the sentimental type."
Kai opened one eye and smirked. "Guess you left a bigger impression than you thought."
Belle looked at him. "You too, you know. Darin wouldn't challenge you again if he didn't respect you."
Kai snorted. "Tch. That guy's got a weird way of saying 'goodbye.' Fist bumps and death threats."
Belle's lips twitched faintly into a smile. "You like it."
"…Maybe," he muttered, glancing out the opposite window. "Lena hugged you. That's rare. She barely tolerates most people."
"She's kinder than she lets on." Belle turned her gaze back to the woods passing by. "There's a reason she's the heart of their team."
They fell into silence again for a few minutes, the gentle rocking of the carriage lulling the conversation into stillness. Then Kai spoke, his tone quieter.
"You sure you're okay with turning down the promotion?"
Belle didn't answer immediately. Her fingers traced the edge of the window frame.
"It felt… premature," she finally said. "Rushing through ranks doesn't make me stronger. I haven't earned it—not properly."
"You stopped a dungeon break. Rescued an elite team. Pretty sure that counts."
Belle looked at him, her silver eyes calm but unreadable.
"Plus, that would violate all the adventuring logics that I read from the fantasy books."
Kai sat up slightly, propping an elbow on his knee.
"…Sometimes I wonder what kind of books you actually read."
She smirked faintly. "You asked."
"Fair," he said with a shrug. "Still, I get it. I just think you're way too hard on yourself."
Belle didn't respond, but her expression softened, just a touch.
"And you?" she asked. "You could've taken the promotion."
Kai leaned back again, one arm draped lazily over the backrest.
"Eh. Didn't feel right to take it when you didn't. Besides," he gave her a teasing grin, "I don't wanna be the guy who's officially ranked higher than you. You'd never let me hear the end of it."
Belle gave a quiet chuckle. "Wise choice."
They shared a brief smile, and for a moment, the clatter of the wheels felt less like a march toward uncertainty and more like the rhythm of something new—a chapter turning.
Kai looked out the window now, his expression turning thoughtful.
"…You think Garrick was worried?" he asked. "He didn't show it, but I think he knows we're walking into something big."
Belle nodded slightly. "He knows. He also knows we'll be okay. Or he wouldn't have let us go."
"Gale definitely didn't look convinced."
"He never does."
Kai smirked again. "Yeah… But I think he likes me. Deep, deep down. Buried somewhere under that permanently annoyed face."
Belle shook her head with a small laugh. "I wouldn't bet on it."
Kai leaned forward then, resting his elbows on his knees as his voice dropped slightly.
"…This journey to Aurelia. You think it'll change things?"
Belle's gaze returned to the passing trees. "It already has."
He watched her for a moment, something unspoken hanging in the air—questions they didn't yet have answers to, battles they hadn't yet faced.
And then, as if to break the moment, Kai grinned and leaned back once more.
"Well, as long as there's food, fights, and a place to sleep, I'll be fine."
Belle raised an eyebrow. "In that order?"
"Absolutely."
She rolled her eyes, but the smirk on her face lingered longer this time.
Outside, the wind carried the scent of pine and fresh earth, the road ahead long and winding. But inside the carriage, two adventurers sat side by side—perhaps not knowing what awaited them, but knowing they'd face it together.
The road to Aurelia awaited.
And the next chapter of their journey had just begun.
End of Chapter 80
End of The Dawnstead Arc.
Now that the introduction is over, the story will start to get more serious.
Next: The Magic Academy Arc, begins!