Morning, Main Town of Vintermoor
The morning in the Main Town of Vintermoor began with chilly air and clear skies. The winter sun shone on the still-snow-covered streets. White smoke could be seen rising from the chimneys of the wooden houses, as merchants began to open their shops.
Damian and his friends walked down the town's main street.
Rin observed the atmosphere around her with admiration. "This kingdom is truly different," she said. "I've never seen arrogant nobles. I even saw some nobles shopping at the market earlier."
Liam nodded, pointing to one of the stalls in the distance. "Yes. I even saw someone wearing expensive robes haggling over the price of a wolf pelt. This is the first time I've seen such nobles."
Damian smiled slightly. "That's the culture in Vintermoor. Noble titles don't mean much here. People respect those who are skilled at hunting, can protect the kingdom, and have proven their strength."
Then they continued on their way...
"Fang & Frost" Hunting Equipment Shop
A small bell rang as Damian and his friends opened the shop door.
The interior of the shop was filled with various hunting gear. Thick leather jackets hung neatly on the walls, while bows, spears, axes, and hunting traps were arranged on wooden shelves. The scent of leather and wood filled the room.
A large man with a thick beard approached them, wiping his hands on his leather apron.
"Welcome!" he greeted politely. "Looking for equipment for the Hunting Game Festival?"
Damian nodded politely.
"Yes. We'd like to buy some hunting gear for the competition."
The man examined Damian from head to toe. A few seconds later, he laughed out loud. "Hahaha! Are you the one who wants to go hunting?"
He pointed at Damian. "You're so skinny."
Damian blinked slowly. Before he could respond, Liam stepped forward, annoyed. "Hey! Watch your mouth! Master Damian's body is well-trained, you know!"
The shop owner crossed his arms over his chest. "Well-trained?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "I don't see any muscles. This isn't a tea party, kid. In Vintermoor, hunters are usually bigger than their coats."
Liam immediately snorted. "Then let's prove who's stronger!"
Liam even started rolling up his sleeves.
Damian quickly grabbed Liam's shoulder. "Enough, Liam."
"But he insulted Master Damian!" Liam said, annoyed.
Damian tried to calm him down. "We came here to buy equipment, not to compete for muscle."
Liam still looked annoyed, but eventually took a few steps back.
Damian calmly looked back at the shop owner. "I'm used to being doubted," he said with a faint smile. "People usually change their minds after seeing me fight."
The shop owner was silent for a moment. Then he laughed even louder than before.
"Hahaha! Good!" He patted Damian's shoulder hard enough to nearly knock him off his feet. "I like kids like you. He may be small, but he's got guts."
Damian just smiled slightly as he straightened his coat. Behind him, Rin watched the scene with a gentle smile. "Damian really has his own way of dealing with people," Rin said quietly.
Tessa nodded along, crossing her arms. "Yeah. It's strange," she muttered. "But somehow, almost everyone who initially looked down on him ends up liking him."
Liam nodded enthusiastically. "That's why he's Master Damian!"
Damian immediately turned his head with a blank expression. "Liam… don't start again."
"Okay, Master Damian!"
That statement only made the shop owner laugh again, and the atmosphere inside the shop became much more relaxed than when they first entered.
Explanation of the Hunting Game
After purchasing equipment, Damian and his friends continued chatting with the shop owner.
Liam, who had been curious for a while, finally asked, "If I may ask, could you explain a little about the Hunting Game?"
The shop owner immediately smiled broadly. "Of course! The Hunting Game is the pride of the people of Vintermoor. This festival is held once a year. Hunters from all over the kingdom, even from outside Vintermoor, come to participate."
He pointed to a large map hanging on the wall.
"All participants will hunt snow monsters in the Northern Forest. Each monster has a different point value. The stronger the monster defeated, the more points they earn. Whoever accumulates the most points will be the winner."
Tessa was slightly confused.
"Snow monsters? You mean the monsters that actually live there?"
The shop owner nodded. "That's right. They do live in the forest outside the kingdom. Oddly enough, their numbers have increased quite dramatically in the past few months. Therefore, this year's Hunting Game is expected to be much more difficult than in previous years."
Liam immediately crossed his arms excitedly. "What's the prize?"
The shop owner smiled as he pointed to the noticeboard behind him.
"The grand prize is a thousand gold coins, the title of Strongest Hunter in the Kingdom of Vintermoor, and one request that will be considered directly by the kingdom."
Liam's eyes lit up. "A thousand gold coins?! If I win, I can buy half the weapons shop!"
Tessa immediately glanced at him. "Still not learned from yesterday's incident…?"
Liam started to get scared and hid behind Damian. "Sorry, Tessa…"
Damian just chuckled. "The prize is indeed attractive," he said. "But if I win, I'll probably send the money to Frostvale. It's been a long time since I sent a gift to my family."
Rin looked at Damian with a gentle smile. "You're always thinking about your family, huh?"
Damian shrugged softly. "I just want them to know I'm okay."
Liam patted Damian on the shoulder with a wide smile. "Then I have to win too! I can't wait to hunt snow monsters!"
Tessa took a deep breath. "Gosh… you two really can't stay away from battle."
Rin closed her notebook. "Still, this festival is a great opportunity. We can participate as participants while gathering information. If there really are people working for the Demon Lord in Vintermoor, they'll likely take advantage of an event this big."
Tessa was silent for a moment before finally nodding.
"…Okay. But remember, we're participating for the mission. Not because I support your madness."
Damian smiled mischievously. "Then let's just say we all have the same goal."
Tessa snorted softly. "Hmph."
Damian glanced at her with a smile. "You're actually starting to get interested in joining, aren't you?"
The atmosphere immediately fell silent. A small flame began to burn in Tessa's palm.
Damian and Liam looked at each other.
"Uh oh…" Liam muttered.
They both immediately took a step back.
"Sorry, Tessa…" Damian said quickly.
"Yes! We apologize!" Liam continued without waiting for the fireball to fly.
Seeing their reaction, Rin simply covered her mouth and chuckled, while the shop owner also laughed at the antics of the four Zephyrus students.
"Ha ha ha! You guys are truly an interesting bunch."
Night, on the Other Side of Town
In an old building in a corner of Vintermoor Town, only a single small lantern illuminated the dark room. Its dim light reflected the silhouette of a man standing silently in front of a cracked mirror.
His entire body was covered in a black robe. The hood covering his head made his face difficult to recognize. However, beneath the hood, a pair of small horns could be seen protruding from his head.
The man held up a black necklace with a red stone in the center. Gently, he pressed the stone.
Click.
A faint red light radiated from the necklace. A few seconds later, the horns on his head slowly disappeared. The figure in front of the mirror now looked like an ordinary human.
He studied his reflection for a moment before smiling faintly.
"The hunting festival…" he murmured.
"The perfect place to prove who the true hunter in this world is."
He adjusted his hood and looked back at his reflection.
"I will win the Hunting Game."
His smile slowly widened.
"And from there… I will slowly begin to rule the Kingdom of Vintermoor."
Outside the building, the night wind was blowing harder. Snow continued to fall relentlessly, covering the deserted city streets.
Soon, the bells from the city tower tolled softly, breaking the silence of the night.
The hunting festival in the Kingdom of Vintermoor… was only two days away.