Chapter 122: The Calm Before the Smoke

Year 348 of the Great Sundering Era, 1st Month, 13th Day of the Mistveil Cycle.

Magnus woke up just a couple of hours after the first light of dawn filtered through the window. He stretched, sitting up in bed. It wasn't the most comfortable sleep—inns like this one didn't offer the luxurious beds Magnus had gotten used to, just ones stuffed with straw or hay. Still, it was far better than the hard ground he'd slept on the last two times he had to stay in a tent so he wouldn't complain.

"Guess it's time to head out. Seraline's probably already up," he muttered. After changing out of his pajamas—the only other clothes he had brought with him besides his Takerth Academy uniforms—he left his room which was on the second floor. The layout was simple: three hallways in a U formation, with rooms along each wall. As he made his way downstairs, he noticed how empty the inn was, which didn't surprise him. Inns like this were mainly for travelers passing through, and with the roads getting more dangerous, visitors were rare.

"Good morning, honey! Sleep well?" The innkeeper standing at the counter counting coins greeted him with a warm smile.

"Huh? Oh yeah, the room was pretty cozy," Magnus replied. The innkeeper, an older woman probably in her late forties or fifties, gave off a strong motherly vibe. He had seen her kid playing around the inn with friends the day before when he and Seraline first arrived, so he guessed that was why.

"Your little girlfriend's already up. I think she's out front," the innkeeper mentioned casually as Magnus sat down at the counter, which doubled as a check-in desk and bar. He figured it was probably because of the alcohol that the place managed to stay open despite the dwindling number of guests.

"She's not my girlfriend, but thanks," Magnus replied. The innkeeper raised an eyebrow in surprise, brushing her brown hair out of her face as she leaned on the counter.

"Really? But you're such a handsome young man, you two would look so cute together. I've never seen hair like yours before, and your complexion..." She trailed off, her tone softening with a touch of nostalgia. There was a hint of envy in her voice, likely reminiscing about her younger years.

A second later, a playful smirk crossed her face as she whispered, "So if it's not that pretty girl outside, is there anyone else who's caught your eye?"

Magnus chuckled at the inquiry. He could tell the innkeeper was looking for some early morning gossip, probably bored with the usual routine of dealing with drunks and late risers. Her kid was still asleep, and there wasn't much else going on. Figuring it couldn't hurt to humor her, Magnus thought for a moment.

"Well, it's not like I haven't met anyone I found attractive," he admitted to her. Since coming to this world, he'd encountered plenty of different people, each with their own unique charms. Whether it was Mia, Celia, Seraline, Syrna, or anyone else he'd met at the academy really—if they attended his school back on Earth, he had no doubts they would have tons of admirers. Hell, if he wasn't such an outcast back then, he might have been one of them.

Now that I think about it, Eveline's pretty good-looking too… if you can look past the fact she's completely unhinged.

"But honestly, I'm not really in a position to get into a relationship. There's just too much on my mind—goals I want to achieve, things I need to focus on. Plus, I've never even been in a relationship before," he said with a slight shrug. The innkeeper listened with genuine interest, nodding thoughtfully.

"Well, that's a much better reason to avoid relationships than I had at your age."

"Oh?" Magnus raised an intrigued brow. The innkeeper chuckled, noticing his interest.

"Ah, I'm sorry to disappoint but there's no exciting story behind it. I was just scared. A lot of the friends I grew up with ended up with broken hearts after falling in love. The men never seemed interested in sticking around for long. It made me think I could avoid falling in love until I was sure I'd found the right person. But love doesn't work that way," she said with a smile, lifting her hand to show the ring on her finger.

"I see. So, are you two still together?" Magnus asked. The innkeeper's expression dimmed as she shook her head.

"No... but not because he left me. Unlike my friends, I guess I got lucky. I found a good man. He was a hunter, and he stayed with me, even after I told him I was pregnant." Hearing that, Magnus couldn't help but reflect on how different expectations were in this world compared to his own. Where he came from, it was expected that a man would stick around after getting a woman pregnant, and walking out was pretty frowned upon. But here, men like that seemed to be rare, almost exceptional.

His musings though, were interrupted as he registered the innkeeper's choice of words—he was, not he is.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Magnus offered, his voice soft. The innkeeper quickly perked up, her hands gesturing as she spoke as if telling a tale.

"It's alright, honey, it happened years ago. I've made peace with it. I tried to convince him to quit, you know. Being a hunter was just too dangerous with all the monsters that had started appearing. But he was stubborn, kept saying he'd be fine—until one day... his hunting party came back, and he didn't." She paused before continuing with a shrug.

"But that's life, right? You live it the way you want until it decides to stop you." That last part struck a chord with Magnus and he agreed.

"Yeah... it can feel like that sometimes." Noticing the somber look on his face, the innkeeper straightened up, clapping her hands to break through the strange atmosphere.

"Sorry about that! Here I was prying into your love life, and we ended up talking about mine. You and your friend only booked for one night, so I'm guessing you two are leaving soon?"

"Uh, yeah," Magnus replied.

"In that case, would you like breakfast? It's included with the room, no extra charge. Your friend already turned me down," she added with a chuckle.

"Hmm, sure, why not?" Magnus agreed.

"Great! It'll take a little while, so feel free to use the baths out back in the meantime," she offered with a warm smile. Magnus nodded and decided to take her up on the offer. He headed out the backdoor while she put away the money she had been counting and disappeared into the kitchen. Unlike Arlcliff City, with its proper sewage system and running water, villages like this relied on rivers. This one was built over a creek running through the meadow, providing fresh water for crops and daily needs. As such their version of baths were simple wooden tubs filled with heated water.

Out back, Magnus found several such tubs set up in outdoor wooden cubicles for privacy.

I'll never stop being grateful this world figured out how to make soap.

By the time Magnus finished washing up, getting dressed a second time, and headed back into the inn, he noticed the innkeeper wasn't in the kitchen anymore. Instead, she was back behind the counter, a bowl and spoon already set in front of where he'd been sitting earlier.

"Oh, what's this?" Magnus asked as he took his seat.

"It's a little something special we make here in the village," the innkeeper explained proudly.

"We dry different types of oats, add sugar, and package them up. That way you can add hot water and whatever else you like before you eat it. I personally love adding crushed fruit to mine—it gives it a lot more flavor."

Oh, so it's oatmeal.

Magnus thought as he ate some of it, and his eyes lit up as he looked up at her. After swallowing, he spoke, impressed.

"Wow, this is really good."

"Glad you like it, hon," she replied, clearly pleased. As Magnus ate, the two continued to chat, shifting between topics. He learned her name was Rulith, and she learned his name as well. When he mentioned that he and Seraline had come from Arlcliff City, her curiosity seemed to be peaked.

"Wait, you two are from the regional capital? Oh, that's amazing! I've always wanted to visit, but by the time I saved enough money, it wasn't safe to travel. So, is it really as grand as people say?" She asked eagerly.

Magnus nodded.

"It's definitely enchanting, that's for sure. It has its issues like any place, but I've really enjoyed my time there. Actually, tell you what—if you ever visit, stop by Takerth Academy and ask for me. I'll give you a tour of the whole city," he offered. Rulith chuckled and rested her head on her hand, her gaze lingering on him.

"Oh, well aren't you just the sweetest thing? It's getting even harder to believe no one's caught your eye yet or at least the other way around. But an old lady like me won't turn down an offer from such a charming young man," Rulith teased.

"Old? You look younger than some of the teachers at my academy," Magnus replied casually, causing Rulith to wave him off with a playful grin.

"Ah, don't waste your breath trying to flatter me. I know I'm past my prime."

"I'm serious—you look great for your age, but alright, if you insist," Magnus said with a shrug, a small smile tugging at his lips.

"Anyway, I've got to get going now, but I'll be looking forward to your visit when you get the chance." He knew it was about time for him and Seraline to head out.

"Aw, that's too bad. It's been a while since I've had someone new to chat with," Rulith said wistfully.

"Living in a village like this, you get to know everyone after a while."

"Well, I'll probably be passing through here again on my way back to Arlcliff City if nothing goes wrong. If I do, I'll make sure to stop by and say hi," Magnus promised as he started heading for the door.

"I'll hold you to that. Just make sure you two stay safe out there," Rulith called after him with a smile and wink.

"We will," Magnus assured her before stepping outside.

The village was still and quiet when Magnus stepped outside. Only a few early risers were out and about, adding to the calm, peaceful atmosphere that hung over the place.

"Ready to go?" Seraline asked as she spotted Magnus while tightening the reins on one of the horses.

"Yeah," Magnus nodded. Seraline mounted the horse first, and Magnus followed right after.

"Which way are we heading?" She asked. Ever since she learned Magnus had memorized the entire regional map, she hadn't bothered buying a new one, trusting him to lead the way.

"Just stick to the main street that runs through the village. Between here and the next village, there are only three branching paths," Magnus explained.

"Got it." With a crack of the reins, Seraline urged their horse forward, the second horse following close behind as they rode out of Dimfield Village. As they left, Magnus took one last look at the peaceful meadow surrounding the village. It truly was a beautiful place.

Maybe I'll come back here one day... if it's still the same after Monlam leaves.

From what he'd gathered—and what Seraline had explained—Monlam's presence had a sort of calming effect or aura, not just on the people but the environment as well. His aura had kept the crime rate low and even seemed to ward off the monsters that lurked in the nearby forest. But what would happen once he left? Magnus supposed only time would tell.

Soon the sight of the village disappeared, and the view of being on a path that cut through thick forest returned.

The journey lasted around four days, and surprisingly enough, they didn't run into any more issues along the way. They encountered monsters, but like the giant moose, none of them were actually aggressive or hostile towards them. Tending to either just watch the pair from afar as they travelled, or directly slink away out of view. Whenever it was time to make camp, Magnus would handle the stuff like setting up the tents, or the fire, which was fairly easy through using the Command Console. While Seraline handled things like hunting and food prep, apparently something she had been taught when she was younger.

Thanks to that, they didn't burn through their provisions too quickly. And so, in what felt like a blur at times, they found themselves nearing their destination

"Alright, Freyborn should be just a couple of kilometers from here. The path might be a little tricky to spot since the village is built in the middle of the forest, unlike Dimfield, which is out in a meadow. Keep an eye out," Magnus said as they rode slowly along the rough path. Seraline nodded in acknowledgment.

The path had become much more uneven, with random inclines and declines, and almost no maintenance. Tree roots even began poking up through the ground. The forest, once dense and almost claustrophobic, had transformed completely. The trees grew taller, and the thick foliage had thinned out, creating a more open environment. It reminded Magnus of the old-growth forests back on Earth. The distant calls of birds and other animals echoed through the towering trees, their sounds bouncing off the trunks like they were in a canyon, yet the creatures remained out of sight despite the improved visibility.

Hmm, if I remember correctly, the Verdant Region was named after this forest. The books I read described it as having a sort of pyramid-like structure to its growth, and now I can see why.

From what Magnus had gathered, the Verdant Woods was once the largest forest on the continent. While it wasn't magical, it housed countless species of animals, monsters, and even mana beasts, as they had personally discovered. But surprisingly enough, the trees themselves were the most unique thing about the forest. Not only did they grow rapidly, but they also went through two distinct life cycles. The first cycle produced typical trees, ones Magnus had seen countless times while traveling alongside Mia and Seraline. They were tall but not overwhelmingly so, and they grew closely together on level ground.

However, after several years, if they weren't cut down or destroyed, the trees would enter their second life cycle. This involved allowing themselves to die and decompose, releasing special seeds in the process. These seeds were different from the original ones—they were fewer in number, only a couple dozen per tree, but when they took root, they grew into towering trees that could reach over sixty meters tall, and could grow to hundreds if allowed to survive for centuries. This created the forest's pyramid-like structure, with the oldest trees standing as the tallest and the younger ones being shorter and typically spread out to the edges of the forest's border.

That meant the closer you got to the center of the Verdant Woods, the larger the trees would become.

I guess it makes sense why cities and towns that are too big and can't be built directly in the forest have to constantly cut back the forest and trees before they reach maturity. If a forest this massive was allowed to grow unchecked, it would probably cover the entire continent in no time.

As for why it was called the former largest forest on the continent, that was because the Kryle had been first discovered within the depths of the Verdant Woods. Much of what was once their territory had been the central area of the forest, but that part had long been devastated by their insatiable hunger. Now, the forest was less than a quarter of its original size, though it still remained one of the largest forests in the world.

And that's why it was so easy for Seraline to spot something in the distance.

"Magnus, which direction would you say Freyborn is from where we are now?" She asked. Magnus quickly accessed his mental map, cross-referencing it with his understanding of the world's poles before giving an answer.

"It should be a couple of degrees east of here. Why?" He replied.

"Then something's wrong," Seraline said, pointing eastward into the sky. With the trees so tall and their branches spread out, they could still see the sky through the gaps in the canopy. That's when Magnus saw it—thick, pitch-black smoke rising into the air. This wasn't the smoke from a campfire; it was dense enough to blanket the sky, dark and ominous as if it could block out the sun.

In that instant, memories of what Seraline had told him about Freyborn and its vulnerable situation flashed through Magnus's mind.

"Ah, shit! Seraline, hurry!" He shouted. She didn't need to be told twice. With a sharp kick of her heels, the horse broke into a full gallop, leaving the path and racing in the direction of the smoke at top speed.