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Leylin stretched his body lazily inside the carriage. His muscles were stiff from days of travel, and the confined space made movement difficult.
"Where are we now?" he asked, his voice calm but firm.
The butler, Dicus, was busy rummaging through a stack of maps and notes. The sound of parchment rustling filled the enclosed space.
"According to the markings on the map, we should have already entered Eastwoods Province. This is Roran City, which is situated at the provincial borders," Dicus responded after a quick glance at the map.
"Roran City, huh?" Leylin muttered.
It was a small city, positioned towards the west of Extreme Night City. The journey had taken several days, but he had chosen this place for a reason.
Distance.
Being far from the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy meant he wouldn't have to concern himself with the ongoing conflicts there. The further he was from the academy, the less likely he would be caught in any unnecessary trouble.
Another, more crucial reason was his blood experiments. Conducting them near the academy would be too risky. The presence of other Magi, as well as their restrictive rules, could hinder his research. Here, however, he had more freedom.
Ever since leaving the academy, Leylin had felt as though invisible shackles had been removed. Like a caged bird finally set free, he could now operate without the constraints of the academy's rules.
He reached forward and opened the carriage door. A gust of cold wind blew inside, bringing with it the scent of damp earth and burning firewood from the city. The air was crisp, and the sky overhead was painted with the last hues of evening light.
Leylin's sharp eyes scanned the city beyond. It was a little desolate—fewer people, poorly maintained roads, and farmers tending to fields nearby. The city walls were old but sturdy, with guards stationed at the entrance, their spears in hand.
"I can put the mission on hold for a while," he mused aloud. "Or better yet, hire people to complete it."
Right now, his priority was setting up a base of operations.
"First, find us a place to lodge in. We'll set off tomorrow morning," he ordered.
The Great Knight nodded, and with a crack of the reins, the black-colored horse carriage moved forward.
As they entered the city, the guards at the gates straightened their backs, their expressions shifting to ones of respect. A noble's carriage was not something they saw every day. To the common folk, anyone traveling with armed guards and a personal carriage was a figure of authority.
The commoners nearby quickly moved aside, their gazes filled with a mixture of curiosity and fear.
Leylin stepped out briefly, his long black robe flowing behind him as he surveyed the surroundings. He then turned back to his retainers.
"Both of you go tomorrow to hire some people," he instructed Butler Dicus and the Great Knight, Saeed.
With two Knights and the Butler as his core retainers, adding a few more men from Roran City would complete his personal force. These hired hands could handle tedious tasks and even assist with investigations.
For tonight, however, he would rest.
Leylin had his dinner brought to his room instead of dining in the common hall. As he ascended the stairs of the inn, flanked by his knights, the atmosphere in the establishment grew tense.
Many of the patrons, dressed in coarse brown and gray robes, shrank into the corners, avoiding eye contact. Their gazes carried a mix of respect and fear.
At dawn, Saeed and Dicus set off for the employment marketplace.
The marketplace was located near the city lord's castle, a place with decent public security. As they entered, merchants and traders immediately swarmed them.
"Sir, may I help you with anything?" one of them asked, eyeing them with a practiced business smile.
Dicus ignored most of the noise and stated coldly, "My noble master needs a group of mercenaries. Their task will be to escort us to Extreme Night City and serve as guards for his estate. The contract duration will be at least two years."
The merchants quieted slightly, recognizing that this was no ordinary job request.
After some negotiation and investigation, they decided to hire the Roran Hawks mercenary group.
It was a small, locally known unit, with no more than thirty members. They weren't an elite force, but they had a reputation for discipline and reliability. Most of them were Preparatory Knights, making them useful enough for Leylin's purposes.
Leylin wasn't hiring them purely for protection—his primary goal was information gathering.
Recently, a peculiar event had taken place near Extreme Night City. A vast area of vegetation, roughly the size of a small village, had suddenly withered. The unnatural phenomenon had raised concerns among the locals.
The next morning, while the mist still lingered in the air, a creaking sound echoed through Roran City as its massive gates opened.
A large horse carriage emerged, flanked by a dozen mercenaries wearing battle-worn armor. They carried metal spears and bows, forming a protective escort around the carriage.

At the front of the group, Saeed led a handsome brown steed. Behind him, a young mercenary carried a red flag embroidered with the image of a hawk—the insignia of the Roran Hawks.
Meanwhile, the second knight, Abid, rode close to the carriage, having given up the driver's seat for a more active role in their defense.
The journey to Extreme Night City would take approximately seven days.
True to their reputation, the Roran Hawks proved efficient. They knew the route well and were able to locate inns and safe resting spots, eliminating the need to set up camp.
Leylin spent most of the journey inside the carriage, immersed in his studies. He had brought several texts on rune carving, as well as notes on his recent experiments.
By the time they neared their destination, he was confident that he had made significant progress in refining his technique.
Seven days later, the group finally reached their destination.
Leylin pulled back the hanging screen of the carriage window, peering outside.
The sky was filled with heavy clouds, their dark forms layered together, completely blocking the sun. The ominous sight made the surrounding landscape appear even gloomier.
The bushes and grasses nearby cast long, eerie shadows. A suffocating stillness filled the air.
Leylin narrowed his eyes.
Something about the environment felt… wrong.
The reports of withering vegetation hadn't been exaggerated. Even from this distance, he could see patches of land that appeared barren, devoid of life.
What could have caused such an unnatural occurrence?
Leylin's mind raced through possibilities.
Alchemy? Forbidden rituals? Some form of biological experiment?
Or was it something else entirely?
He exhaled slowly, his expression unreadable.
Whatever the case, he would soon uncover the truth.
Extreme Night City is enormous. These mysterious happenings only belong to a small portion in the eastern part. Normally, people do best to detour around that area.
"Butler, Where is the forest where the mysterious sightings have been reported?" Leylin leaned against the side of the door as if he was enjoying the scenery and asked Dicus.
"Young Master, The eastern part of Dark Night Woods closer to the core of the city" Dicus looked at Leylin and he lowered his head and said, "Dark Night Woods had an abundance of certain herbs. Ever since the withering event, however, the supply of herbs in Extreme Night City has decreased by 30%!"
"Is that so?" Leylin smiled. Extreme Night City was considered a large city in Eastwoods Province and one of the pillars of its economy was the herb industry. Now, it seemed that most likely the City's Lord and his officers were worried about the situation, this is why a mission was posted to Abyssal Bone Forest as well.
"Dark Night Woods? I'll remember it!" Although the woods in the kingdom were rather dangerous, this was only true for normal humans. Leylin even traversed his academy's Abyssal Bone Forest, so naturally he was not worried about the petty dangers.