During Celestes' absence, a trainee receptionist had taken her place. A young man with neatly combed hair and a stiff posture stood behind the counter, scanning through a ledger with an almost nervous intensity. His uniform was crisp, though the way he fidgeted with the edge of a page gave away his inexperience.

When he noticed Blue Dawn approaching, he straightened immediately, forcing a polite—if somewhat uncertain—smile. "Ah, welcome. Are you here for contract inquiries or to report a completion?"

Before anyone could answer, Celeste reappeared from a back room, carrying a small wooden case. "They're here to receive their bronze badges," she informed the trainee.

The young man blinked, nodding hastily before stepping aside as Celeste placed the case on the counter. With a practiced motion, she flipped open the lid, revealing five polished bronze badges, each engraved with the sigil of the Explorer's Guild.

"Congratulations, Blue Dawn," she said, pushing the badges forward. "Your party's records have been updated in the guild registry. If you wish to take on a contract today, the board has been refreshed with new postings. Otherwise, you're free to rest and plan accordingly."

Fiona reached out and took her badge first, turning it over in her palm. It wasn't heavier than the copper one, but it sure as hell felt different. More significant. Well, to her, that is. To everyone else, bronze was still on the lower rung of the rankings and carried a less appealing name and reputation than the higher ranks. Either way, the first step toward making their own mark was now complete.

Grant and Reo took their badges next, removing their old one and replacing it with the bronze version. Igneal grabbed his without a word, doing the same as the others while Tyrus accepted his with a thoughtful expression, running his thumb over the engraved letters. Fiona watched as Tyrus ran his thumb over the engraved letters on his badge, his ears twitching and his tail flicking behind him.

The tumult swirling within Fiona's head lessened at the sight of Tyrus's excitement. Watching his fluffy ears twitch and his tail flick so energetically was almost amusing—especially since he probably wasn't even aware he was doing it. A single touch of his tail would probably soothe her more than she'd like to admit, but she wasn't about to let anyone catch her thinking that. Besdes, Tyrus would probably hate having his tail touched by anyone.

Instead, she patted him on the back. "Excited?"

Tyrus's tail flicked again before he quickly forced it to still, clearing his throat. "I mean… it's a big step forward," he admitted, trying to sound composed, but his ears betrayed him by perking up slightly.

Reo snorted. "Just admit you're happy, man. Your tail's got no poker face."

The boy held his badge just a little tighter, nodding meekly. Tyrus was just too cute for his own good sometimes. Fiona had to resist the urge to ruffle his hair like he was some little brother she had to protect.

A groan escaped from Reo's mouth as he stretched, joints popping. "Are we done now? Rest sounds amazing right about now. Maybe a meal, too. At this rate, my body'll shut down if I get neither of those things. I swear that demon had a vendetta against me with the way he swings at me during drills. Your father hits like a boulder if it had fists, Grant."

Grant only chuckled, completely unsympathetic. "And yet, you're still standing."

"Barely," Reo muttered, rubbing his shoulder. "I'm convinced he enjoys watching me suffer."

Fiona smirked. "He probably does. But at least you'll live through worse because of it."

"Not like I'll be in that position anytime soon," Reo muttered, limping slightly as he turned toward the next available table and promptly plopped down on it.

Everyone else followed along and took their respective seats. Shortly after, a full spread of food was placed in front of them, the scent of roasted meat, freshly baked bread, and seasoned vegetables filling the air. In no time, they dug in, indulging in a meal that tasted better than ever. A meal after good fortune truly did make everything taste better.

"To celebrate, I think we should take on a contract," Fiona said after tearing into a piece of bread. "We only have a few days until we return to the academy, so why not make the most of it? I was thinking a contract meant for bronze and up."

Grant nodded. "We should be strategic about it. We can't afford to take on anything reckless that would severely injure us."

"I vote for something easy," Reo said. "No sewer adventures, no demons swinging at me, and definitely no unholy horrors trying to eat my soul."

Tyrus gave him a blank stare. "That's oddly specific."

"That last part happened in my dreams. While fake, I would still prefer to never experience that again. Even in dreams."

"How about we check the contract board and take a vote on what to do," Fiona offered. "We'll choose one that's not too risky but isn't too simple either. Something in between. Maybe there will be an assignment on the board that combines the two. Any objections?"

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No one objected, so after they finished their meal, they made their way toward the contract board, where a small crowd had gathered. Fresh postings covered the wooden surface, some simple escort missions, others dangerous hunts meant for higher-ranked parties. Fiona scanned the board, searching for something that struck the right balance between challenge and caution.

Her eyes landed on a fresh contract marked Bronze Rank–Investigation & Rescue.

"Seeking explorers to investigate the Whispering Forest near Lindell. Villagers speak of those who enter never returning, yet the disappearances are met with quiet acceptance. Recently, another has been taken. Her brother seeks her safe return. He claims there is more to this than mere superstition. Payment upon completion. Discretion advised."

She frowned as she read it over. The wording was strange—not just a standard missing person request. There was an eerie finality in the way it described the disappearances, as if the village itself had already given up.

"This one," she said, pointing at the parchment. "Looks like it was set up recently."

Grant read over her shoulder, his expression serious. "If the village is accepting it, that means they believe there's a reason for it. Whether it's real or not, we might be dealing with something deeply ingrained."

Reo scowled "A creepy forest where people disappear? Yeah, sounds great. Let's just jump straight into whatever unholy nonsense is lurking in there."

"It's still bronze," Fiona said, grabbing the paper before anyone else could. "If it were that dangerous, it would've been classified higher."

"So what? Exploring an area called the Whispering Forest sounds like a recipe for disaster. What are we going to do there, have a conversation with some haunted air and beg it to stop snatching people? I don't know if you realized, but trees don't necessarily talk."

Tyrus opened his mouth to speak but Fiona stuck a finger to his lip and just shook her head, knowing that Reo was just being dramatic. The contract pulled at her in a way she couldn't explain. Maybe it was the way the village seemed to accept the disappearances. Maybe it was because a single person had the courage to fight against it, even when no one else would.

"I say we accept the contract and save the little sister and prevent any more victims. If you want to stay, you can sit here and complain while the rest of us actually do something," Fiona said, crossing her arms.

"I never said I wasn't coming," Reo said. "I'm just saying this is how people end up as cautionary tales."

Grant sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "We should at least go in prepared. If this forest is truly dangerous, we need to gather information and supplies before heading in blindly."

"Preparing like this is some grand crusade," Igneal muttered.

"Grand crusade or not, it is the wise choice to prepare for the unexpected," Grant countered.

There was no more argument. It seemed like everyone was on board, so she sauntered to the front desk and waited in line with the rest of Blue Dawn to officially accept the contract. The guild hall bustled with activity, explorers coming and going as they discussed their own assignments. Some were turning in completed contracts, while others huddled in groups, debating their next moves.

When Fiona reached the front, the trainee was replaced by Celeste, flipping through a stack of documents. "Taking a contract?"

Fiona placed the parchment on the counter. "We're accepting this one."

Celeste scanned the details before giving them a curious look. "The Whispering Forest. Hm. Not many take an interest in this one."

That caught Fiona's attention. "Why not?"

"The village doesn't resist the disappearances," Celeste said, setting the contract aside. "They treat it as… inevitable. Which means most explorers don't see a point in interfering. No one's offering a large bounty to put a stop to it, and the villagers aren't exactly welcoming to those who question their traditions."

Fiona's jaw tightened. So that's why no one else took this seriously. Because it was easier to look the other way.

"Doesn't matter," she said firmly. "We're still taking it."

"Then it's yours. I'd advise speaking with the client before heading straight to the forest. He's the only one in that village actively trying to change things. The contract has been up for almost two days now, and the client should still be here. He mentioned staying at the Moonlight Hearth while waiting for a response—he's a man on the younger side with stubble on his chin and windswept hair," Celeste added, sliding the approved contract back toward Fiona.

Fiona took it and nodded. "Got it. We'll speak with him first. Thank you, Celeste."

She turned to the others, who had been listening from a short distance away. Grant's face was solemn.

"If the contract has been up for that long, the client must be desperate. If his sister was taken recently, we might still have time to save her."

Fiona didn't need to be reminded of that. Every second wasted was another second that the victim was alone in the forest, and she refused to be like the villagers who just accepted the loss.

"We'll head to the Moonlight Hearth first," she said, tucking the contract into her belt. "If we want answers, we get them straight from the source."

Blue Dawn left the guild hall, stepping into the bright afternoon streets of Valis, busy with merchants peddling their wares, townsfolk going about their errands, and the occasional explorer or mercenary wandering through.

The Moonlight Hearth wasn't hard to find—it stood near the center of town, a sturdy two-story building with a well-kept wooden sign swinging above the door. The scent of roasted meat and ale drifted out as they stepped inside, the dim interior lit by lanterns hanging from thick beams overhead.

A few travelers sat in the corner, speaking in hushed voices over their drinks, and an older woman behind the counter preparing a tray of steaming stew. The man that Celeste had described was sitting at a table near the window, one hand propping up his head while the other fidgeted with a mug. His eyes were fixed on a map spread out on the table, but it was clear he wasn't actually looking at it.

"That's him," she said, making her way toward him without hesitation.

His head snapped up as they approached, a weary look in his eyes. He wasn't much older than Fiona—early to mid twenties, maybe—but the stress had aged him. His brown hair was unkempt, and his clothes, while not ragged, looked like they had been worn for several days without care.

"You're the one who put up the contract?" Fiona asked, pulling out the parchment and placing it on the table.

He blinked at them, taking a moment to register their presence before nodding quickly. "Yes. I—I wasn't sure anyone was going to take it..." His voice trailed when his eyes landed on Tyrus, and he abruptly rose. Without warning, a smile replaced his frown and he immediately shook hands with the boy.

"Ha! It's been a while since we met, Tyrus! Hey, have you gotten a little taller?"

Tyrus' eyes widened slightly, taken aback by the sudden contact. "Wyford? Is that really you?"

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