I must not be consumed by the sword.

That was the first lesson Lycan drilled into me, over and over.

A swordsman who forgets himself the moment the blade leaves its sheath is already half-dead.

I let out a slow breath and raised my head again, repeating his words in my mind to steady myself.

The appearance of that bear…

It wasn't coincidence.

If a monster shows up this close, it means we've wandered into its territory—and where there's territory, there's a den.

I scanned the dark forest again, letting my eyes adjust.

There.

A cliff, barely visible through the trees.

"Elena, this way," I said, keeping my voice low.

We walked toward it slowly, carefully, my aura lamp casting a faint glow across the jagged rock face.

And just as expected… there it was.

A cave.

Wide enough for something as large as that bear, sheltered, and positioned high enough to avoid ground moisture. Anyone could tell it was a perfect den.

"Stay close," I whispered.

We stepped inside, and I spent a few minutes checking every corner.

Nothing.

The bear hadn't returned yet.

The air carried a sharp, animal scent—earthy, musky, a little overwhelming at first—but not unbearable.

And thankfully, there was a way to make it manageable.

I flicked my wrist, releasing a thin trail of purified wind magic to disperse the lingering odor. It wasn't perfect, but the air felt noticeably lighter.

"How about staying here tonight?" I asked, looking back at Elena.

She gave the cave a quick once-over, then nodded.

"Seems fine. A bit cramped, but it'll keep the wind out."

Cramped was an understatement.

The cave was barely large enough for three people sitting shoulder-to-shoulder.

But with just the two of us…

"It'll do," I said quietly.

We began settling in, clearing the floor of loose stones and brushing aside old leaves.

The faint glow from outside cast long shadows across the cave walls, and the air carried that heavy silence only deep forests had—soft, cold, and strangely comforting.

It wasn't ideal.

But after a day like today, even a bear's den felt like a safe haven.

For tonight, this would be our shelter.

And tomorrow, we'd be back on the move.

But still, I wasn't done yet.

There's still some more left to do.

I opened my spatial storage and took out a handful of items I'd thrown inside over the past few weeks.

"…What even is all this?"

Stacks of magic-infused papers spilled into my hands—some old, some new, some crumpled from being shoved inside in a hurry.

Right. I'd been preparing for emergencies, storing bits of magic into these papers whenever I had the chance so I could turn them into scrolls later.

Not the most elegant method, but practical.

I sifted through them, pushing aside attack spells and utility charms until I found the ones we actually needed.

Purification magic.

And alert magic.

Perfect.

I tore the purification scroll first.

A soft, white light rippled outward, washing through the cave like a gentle breeze.

Whoosh…

The thick, stale air vanished in seconds, replaced by something clean and cool.

Finally, I could breathe properly without feeling like the smell was personally attacking me.

"Much better," I muttered to myself.

Next was the alert magic.

I walked back to the entrance of the cave, knelt down, and activated the spell.

A thin, invisible layer of magic spread across the entrance—quiet, unnoticeable, but ready to notify me the moment anything passed through.

With that done, the cave was officially secure.

I returned inside, the dim light from a mana lamp casting soft shadows along the walls.

From my storage, I pulled out a thick, warm blanket—the same one I'd impulsively bought because it looked "comfortable enough for camping."

Wrapping myself in it now, I suddenly understood why adventurers kept praising good blankets like they were divine relics.

Warmth spread across my body instantly, sinking into tired muscles and loosening tension I didn't know I had.

"…Ah. This is it."

My eyelids grew heavy without warning.

This feeling—this tiny cave, the soft glow of magic stones, the crackle of a distant stream—it all wrapped around me like a cocoon.

Adventure.

Romance.

The little moments people dream about when they imagine life beyond city walls.

I let out a slow breath, feeling my body sink deeper into the warm fabric.

Yeah… this was definitely it.

The kind of comfort that made your eyes naturally close…

The kind of peace that made you forget, just for a moment, that the world outside was full of monsters and madness…

As I enjoyed the quiet comfort after class, Elena suddenly tapped my arm.

"Hey, Louis…"

I glanced over.

"What?"

"About what we talked about earlier."

Earlier?

It took me a moment to remember—ah.

My comment about going on adventures someday.

Why was she bringing that up again?

I stayed silent and waited for her to continue.

"Do you think…" She hesitated, fingers fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve. "Do you think I could go on adventures too? Someday?"

Her voice was unusually soft.

She must have been thinking about the stories I told—about traveling, fighting monsters, exploring the unknown.

I shrugged lightly.

"If you want to, you can."

"But… wouldn't it be dangerous?" she asked, brows knitting together.

"Of course it's dangerous."

Her shoulders dropped, but I wasn't finished.

"But that's part of the romance, isn't it?"

She blinked, surprised.

I leaned back, looking up at the drifting clouds beyond the window.

"Yeah, it's risky. You saw how today went—camping in the forest, dealing with beasts out of nowhere. And that's nothing compared to what real adventurers face."

I paused, letting the thought settle.

"But that's what makes it meaningful. The things you get after pushing through danger… they're worth it. That feeling of achieving something nobody else could? That's what makes adventures special."

Elena stared at me for a long moment.

Then a small, almost shy smile appeared.

"…Then maybe… someday, I will too."

Her voice was quiet, but there was a spark in her eyes—one that hadn't been there before.

A spark of someone dreaming of a bigger world.

And maybe… someone wanting to walk a bit of that road with me.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.