The next morning, the glow of sunlight filtered through the cracked wooden panels of the shed, painting soft patterns on the worn-out floor. Fugo stirred awake, reaching out to feel for his partner. Only to find Lina's side of the bed to be cold and vacant.
"She's already gone..." he murmured, sitting up.
Lina had always been an early riser, not by choice sadly. Her day began before dawn, tending to the sprawling estate gardens, feeding the pets and tackling the mountain of laundry for the many residents. These weren't duties assigned out of goodwill. They were conditions. Conditions imposed by the family to allow her to live in their home with Fugo.
Fugo clenched his fists at the thought. He knew full well that the other servants were deliberately given less work just to shift more burden onto Lina.
To the family, her blindness was a flaw that should not be tolerated. She was not just disregarded but was actively exploited and treated as something less than human.
Despite it all, Lina never uttered a word of complaint. Each morning, she left the shed with quiet determination and a soft smile that would break Fugo's heart every time he saw it. Today was no different. On the small table, she had left breakfast behind. A modest bowl of white rice with stew.
As he ate, tears slipped silently down his cheeks. The taste of stew mingles with the bitterness in his heart.
"Just a little more, Lina."
The emotions came crashing down all at once- guilt for dragging her into his life of misery, but most of all, the anger he felt at himself for letting this all happen. Hatred for his family's cruelty, and sorrow for the woman he loved, who deserved so much more.
His fingers tightened around the wooden spoon as his resolve hardened.
"Soon enough...I promise.." his voice wavered, but the fire in his eyes grew stronger. "I'll show them all."
He was not just talking about the Almaty Familia. The guild, the adventurers who overlooked him, the entire city- every single person who dismissed him, pitied him, or saw him as little.
One day, they shall know his name.
Fugo stared at the tiny shed around him, the crumbling walls, the leaking roof. He imagined something else: a grand estate of his own, a home where Lina would never have to lift a finger again. A life of luxury, earned by his own strength. That was the dream that kept him moving forward, no matter how heavy the burden.
"Yesterday" he said aloud. "I made the first step. I became an adventurer."
He placed the empty bowl aside and stood, straightening his simple clothes and adjusting the knife at his waist. His hands were still shaking, but his grip was firm.
"Today... I'll take another step."
"Towards Change."
The words hung in the air, a solemn vow. Fugo wasn't sure what awaited him inside the Spiral, but he knew one thing: the path forward was unforgiving, and hesitation would only pull him backward. With Lina's sacrifice in his heart and his newfound resolve in his veins, he stepped out of the shed into the crisp morning air, ready to face whatever lay ahead.
An hour passed, and Fugo found himself at the Adventurer's Guild. The usual bustle and noise of men, clerks and hopeful recruits filled the hall. The noise was a mix of clanging metal, hurried footsteps, and lively chatter. Fugo had barely stepped inside when his orange eyes caught sight of a familiar figure.
Kael Veylan stood by the quest board, his quiver strapped to his back, observing the various postings.
Kael nodded in response, his expression unreadable as he pointed toward a specific section of the board.
Unlike the left and right sides, which were marked "Monetary Quests" and
"Exploration Quests," respectively, this poster was dead center.
The bold heading read: "Rookie Gathering!"
"All new adventurers who have trouble forming a party should meet on the Guild's second floor by sunset today. It's an important opportunity to form balanced teams. Further note: No rookie adventurers will be allowed entry into the Oblivion Spire without a team of four." Fugo sighed heavily after reading it.
"That means we're one person short." Kael nodded. "Have you heard from that other guy yet?" he asked, referring to Renjiro.
"No," Fugo admitted. "I only met him yesterday too." Kael raised an eyebrow.
"Really? He basically roped the two of us into this on the same day?"
Fugo replied, "It seems that way."
The two took a seat close to the quest board after scanning out the available quest for the days. "It'd be best to attend this gathering of theirs." Kael proposed.
Fugo nodded, agreeing with him. "Yes, definitely."
Kael leaned back, his sharp green eyes drifting down to Fugo's waist. "That dagger..." Kael began, his tone critical.
"Aren't you ashamed to carry something like that? The hilt's worn out, and I can tell it's seen better days. As a member of the Almaty Familia, shouldn't you have access to high-quality weapons? Even a decent custom blade?"
Fugo flinched slightly at the words, his hand instinctively moving to rest on the dagger.
He let out an awkward laugh, attempting to brush off the sting of the remark.
"No, this one is precious to me," he said softly.
Kael's eyes narrowed with curiosity. "Precious? Why?" Taking a deep breath, Fugo unsheathed the old blade. Despite its aged appearance, the edge remained sharp. He held it up, the sunlight glinting o the worn metal.
"This dagger was given to me by Ericka Herches," Fugo began, his voice tinged with both pride and sorrow.
"You know... the swordswoman who..." "Who died," Kael finished, his eyes widening.
"Wait, her? Then that makes it even stranger. Everyone knows she only fought with the best blades. Why would she give you something like that? What's the full story?"
Fugo chuckled, the memories warming him despite the somber topic. "It was an impulsive act on her part," he began.
"I was around eight years old when my Familia decided to go camping in the woods. They... forgot about me and left me there, stranded in the middle of nowhere."
Kael blinked in disbelief. "You're joking."
Fugo shook his head. "Not at all. After they left, a quest was issued to retrieve me. Ericka, someone who didn't know me and had no reason to care, took it upon herself to save me."
"She heard rumors in the city about my abandonment and decided to act." He paused, his fingers brushing over the blade.
"I survived for three days in the forest, hiding from beasts and avoiding danger. But then... a giant bear found the cave I was hiding in. I thought I was done for."
"Just as it was about to attack, Ericka appeared from nowhere and stabbed the bear in the head with this very dagger. She didn't even have her swords with her —just this old knife."
Kael's expression softened, a hint of admiration flickering in his eyes.
"Cool."
"She carried me out of that cave and comforted me until sunset."
"That night, she cooked the bear that attacked me. It was my first and only time tasting bear meat. It was... unique."
"Never tried it myself."
"The next morning, before we left, she handed me this dagger. She told me,
This knife will save me always, just as it did now.' Her words stuck with me all these years. I've kept it ever since. As long as I have it, I feel like I can face whatever comes."
"After hearing that, I can't argue why you'd hold onto it. But, you should consider carrying a second weapon. One for combat, and this one for good luck."
Fugo thought about the funds he currently had, calculating how far he was from affording a suitable weapon.
"After a few explorations maybe."
Kael gave a knowing nod. "Familia troubles, I take it?"
Fugo nodded, unable to deny that assumption.
"You and I both. But let's not dwell on it. Look- our third guy just arrived." Kael said, pointing towards the entrance.
Renjiro had entered the hall, with the same attire as yesterday. His face lit up the moment he spotted Kael and Fugo at a distance.
"Hey!" he greeted, sliding a chair beside Kael. "Glad to see you two already here."
Kael wasted no time gesturing towards the quest board. "There's a rookie gathering being held here tonight. We should attend. It's a chance to find a fourth member."
Renjiro waved his hand dismissively, "No need for that. I already have someone in mind for the final slot."
"You already found someone?" Fugo asked surprised.
"Someone useful I take it?" Kael raised an eyebrow, suspicion etched on his face.
"Do you just ask anyone to join a party with you?"
"Of course not!"
"I have standards. I choose people close to our age group. I can't stand older people. It'll feel awkward leading them." Renjiro added.
Fugo tilted his head in concern while Kael's expression only hardened.
"So...who is it?"
Renjiro leaned back, crossing his arms as his grin widened. "She has magic, first of all."
"And she's pretty."
Kael sighed, lightly pinching his left cheek. "Nope, this isn't a dream."
"She? You're saying you asked a girl to join us. When you say pretty, how pretty are we talking?"
Renjiro smiled, "Really pretty."
Kael's curiosity deepened, "And where did you meet this girl?"
"Last night, I was out for a walk in my district, clearing my head. That's when I came across this new blacksmith shop. It had just opened last year I heard. Naturally, I decided to check it out." Renjiro paused, thinking his next few words carefully.
"This shop wasn't just any shop. The business was being ran by people from the Cruz Familia."
Both Kael and Fugo stiffened at the mention of the name.
"You sure about that?" Fugo asked, now intrigued.
"Absolutely."
"The head of the shop was this tall woman named Isha Cruz. Her reputation proceeds with her. Her talents are second to none in the world of crafting. She happens to be the main supplier for her familia, to take part in explorations regularly."
After hearing enough details, Kael's interest dropped while Fugo's gradually grew.
"This is a waste of time." Kael said suddenly.
Renjiro looked at him puzzled, "Why's that?"
"Everything you've said so far, is giving the impression the girl you're speaking of is Irene Cruz. Ms. Isha's daughter." Kael sighed.
Renjiro nodded, "Yes, it's her."
Fugo asked, "What's wrong with her? Is Irene bad?"
Renjiro quickly answered, "She's pretty. Can craft weapons and has a nice personality."
Kael on the other hand, said the opposite. "She is gloomy. Hard to be around and can't craft anything useful."
Fugo inquired, "We're sure she is a licensed adventurer, right?"
"Yes! Come on, we should visit there today." Renjiro said, standing up. "I already told her about our visit anyways, so let's not disappoint her."
Fugo stood up but Kael remained seated. "I'm out."
"If she's joining this team, I have no business being a part of it." Kael said, strongly.
"What's the deal here? Is this Irene person really that bad?" Fugo asked Kael, taking back his seat.
"Like I said, there are many rumors spreading about her. Her only magic spell is summoning weapons she made. But what good is it really in the higher floors when all she can make are unusable junk?"
"Unusable junk? What do you mean?" Fugo was struggling to follow.
"Her swords are defective." Kael explained.
Renjiro stepped in to correct that statement, "Hold it! The rumors got it twisted. Irene's magic swords are unusable, not the normal kind."
"The magic swords don't work...I am curious to see that." Fugo said, getting up again.
Magic swords were rare blades imbued with mana cores, allowing them to perform spells automatically. The magic flowed through the blade, sparing the wielder the effort of casting spells themselves. Even the most elite adventurers wielded them, for their convenience and power in battle.
A blacksmith who couldn't forge magic swords was considered almost useless in modern times. It was an unspoken rule. If you couldn't craft a weapon that harnessed mana, you were out.
Kael sighed, a bitter edge to his voice. "Fugo, listen. That girl is a lost cause."
Renjiro grew tired of Kael's complaining and forced him off of his chair with a harsh pull. "Listen! Nobody is a lost cause!"
"As long as they still believe in themselves, their value is still there. High as they come."
Kael swiftly dragged his hand out of Renjiro's grip, then took a few steps back from the other two. "Go ahead. Visit her if you want. But I'm out. I don't belong in a team with her."