Sasha’s “proposal” was for me to leave the Royal Capital and lay low for a while until the heat died down. This plan had two specific aims.

The first was to cool the fervor of the Shield of the Sky, who were still stubbornly keeping me in their sights. According to Sasha, the guild was in the middle of a rapid expansion, and their internal cohesion was non-existent.

To unify their disjointed ranks, they had branded Berserker Walt—me—as a "common enemy," using my infamy to maintain the guild's morale.

It was infuriating and absolutely unforgivable. However, I was outnumbered. I was a lone man working the underworld; they were an S-rank Adventurer's Guild that represented the country. They weren't an opponent I could hope to beat by picking a fight.

"If they don't see any results for a while, the Shield of the Sky will give up and look for a new target," Sasha had said.

The second objective related to the troublesome item currently sitting in my Storage Space. Apparently, Sasha had found someone who might be capable of sealing the Fragment of the Evil God residing within the Vessel of the Evil God.

I was currently heading toward the place where that person lived.

"Man, this is far... I hope I'm on the right track."

I had spent five days traveling west from the Royal Capital by shared carriage, followed by three days on foot. I had long since strayed from the main road. The grasslands that had once seemed to stretch on forever had gradually withered, the greenery giving way to the dull brown of exposed soil.

The dry earth eventually turned sodden, making my feet feel heavy as mud began to cake onto my boots. Every few steps, I had to strike my heel against a roadside stone to knock the muck off.

I was barely making headway. I really didn't want to camp out in a place like this... I was desperate for my destination to finally appear.

By the time every step I took resulted in a wet squelch from beneath my feet, I finally saw it.

Dusk Hollow Wetlands. Commonly known as the "Poison Swamp."

The person who could potentially seal the Fragment of the Evil God supposedly lived here.

After squelching along for a bit longer, a house finally came into view. It was a reasonably large building, raised up on what looked like stakes driven into the earth. A proper swamp stretched out right beside it.

What constitutes a "proper swamp"? It’s hard to put into words, but that’s the only way to describe it. The air was heavy, the moisture clung to my skin, and the bog felt so dense it was as if the swamp itself were alive. It was, for lack of a better word, extraordinarily swampy.

Repulsed by the instability underfoot, I trudged forward until I finally reached the front of the house.

Now, I wondered just what kind of person lived—

"Old Man! An intruder! Should I kill them!?"

A sharp voice, clear as a ringing bell, pierced the silence. No sooner had a second-floor window been flung open than those dangerous words came flying out. The voice belonged to a girl with silver hair, pale skin, and crimson eyes. She looked to be about fifteen years old.

"Old Man! Hurry! It’s that! Over there!"

The "that" she was referring to was me. The girl was pointing at me so forcefully she looked like she might tumble right out of the window.

"Old Man! Are we killing him or not!? Which is it!?"

The girl glared at me with her red eyes while she waited for the person she called "Old Man" to appear. A moment later, a haggard-looking man with white hair appeared in the shadows of the window. He adjusted his glasses as he peered down at me.

"It is rare for anyone to visit such a place. What is your business?"

He spoke with a voice far more powerful than his appearance suggested. I began to recite the cover story I had prepared.

"I am Walt, a Herbalist. I heard that rare plants grow in this area and came to investigate. I'm researching new medicines."

The expressions of both the girl and the old man softened slightly. Just as I thought—people were generally well-disposed toward the Herbalist job.

"Hmm... looking closer, he does seem like a good person. My Sharp Intuition tells me so! Old Man, for now, let's lean toward 'not killing'!"

"As you wish."

It seemed my life had been spared from behind that window.

"Guest Walt! I grant you permission to set foot in our home!"

The girl disappeared from the window as soon as she finished speaking. She was likely heading for the front door.

I squelched my way over to the entrance and waited. I could hear the sound of hurried, bustling footsteps on the other side. Then, the door was flung open with great force.

"Walt, you’re quite tall! And your skin is dark!"

What kind of manners was it to lead with a shout about my physical traits? The girl standing before me was about two heads shorter than I was, dressed in shabby clothes, and looked incredibly frail. I caught myself worrying if she was even eating enough.

"Young Lady. It is rude to comment on someone's appearance so abruptly."

The old man stepped up behind her as he spoke. He was a bit shorter than me with a slight slouch, and like the girl, he was dressed in simple, worn-out clothing.

"I am Neneva."

"And I am called Graymond."

Neneva puffed out her thin chest with pride, while Graymond bowed even lower.

I looked between them. Which of these two possessed the power to seal the Fragment of the Evil God? Based on appearances alone, neither of them looked the part.

"Please, come inside."

Graymond gestured for me to enter.

"I wonder how long it’s been since we used the drawing room! This is getting exciting!"

Neneva vanished into the depths of the house. She was likely heading toward the drawing room she was so excited to use.

"Come, this way."

I made sure to thoroughly scrape the mud off my boots before finally stepping into the home of Neneva and Graymond.