The Smiling Death

A wooden carriage rumbled along a narrow path that could hardly be called a proper road.

The route cut through the heart of a dense forest, where towering ancient trees stretched high into the sky, their thick branches weaving together to form a natural canopy overhead.

Sunlight filtered through the gaps between the leaves, scattering patches of golden light across the uneven ground.

Four sturdy brown horses steadily pulled the carriage forward.

Every now and then, its wooden wheels struck rocks or deep ruts in the dirt path, causing the entire carriage to jolt gently before continuing onward.

Unlike the luxurious private carriages used by nobles, this was an ordinary passenger carriage meant for common travelers.

It was simple in design but sturdy enough to endure the rough forest roads.

Inside, nearly ten passengers occupied the wooden benches lining both sides of the carriage.

Among them sat a group of five young students from Arcadia Academy.

Amon let out a nostalgic sigh as he looked out the small window at the passing scenery.

"This really reminds me of my childhood."

A mischievous smile appeared on Aisha’s face.

"Oh? So Uncle Amon suddenly started reminiscing about his younger days?"

She deliberately emphasized the word uncle to tease him.

The five of them were seated together on one side of the carriage.

It was swooden carriage with above part covered with leather fabric.

Marcus sat closest to the half open section from where people could enter.

It was close by half wooden gate.

Next to him was Amon. Beside Amon sat Seraphina.

Eliana occupied the next seat.

Finally, Aisha sat at the very end, leaning comfortably against the side of the carriage.

At her other side was coachman.

Amon clicked his tongue. "What did you just call me, Wolf?"

Aisha smirked triumphantly.

"You heard me perfectly. Uncle Amon."

"Tch..."

Amon decided not to continue arguing with her.

He waved his hand dismissively.

"Whatever."

Then his expression softened with nostalgia.

"When I was little, my family always traveled in carriages like this whenever we visited another town."

Then he continued, "There weren’t any railway stations nearby, and the closest teleportation gateway was too far away."

He laughed helplessly.

"And even if there had been one close to us...My family couldn’t have afforded the travel fees of teleportation gate anyway."

Eliana listened quietly before smiling warmly.

"That’s true... But things are different now."

Her long platinum-blonde hair flowed freely over her shoulders, gently swaying whenever the carriage bumped over the rough road.

Her beautiful blue eyes rested on Amon from Seraphina’s other side, while her adorable pointed elf ears twitched lightly.

Amon nodded with a grin.

"You’re right. I’ve somehow ended up with several rich friends."

He placed a hand over his chest dramatically.

"What a lucky man I am."

Marcus snorted from his side.

"So? Don’t expect me to pay your travel expenses."

Aisha immediately nodded in agreement.

"Exactly. Neither will I."

Eliana giggled.

"I might lend him some money..."

She tilted her head playfully.

"But only if he gives me something in return."

Amon raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? And what exactly would that be? Princess Eliana?"

She smiled innocently.

"Maybe...You could entertain me."

The carriage hit another bump, causing everyone to sway slightly.

Amon leaned back against his seat before replying with a deadpan expression.

"I’m not going to dance around and shake my waist just to entertain you."

He placed a hand dramatically over his heart.

"I already have Sera. She’s my only true friend."

He turned toward Seraphina with an exaggeratedly pitiful expression.

"Isn’t that right, Sera?"

Seraphina looked at him with her usual calm gaze.

She wore a simple blouse tucked into fitted trousers, paired with leather boots suitable for traveling.

Her golden-blonde hair had been tied into a loose ponytail, and her golden eyes shone with gentle warmth.

She nodded without hesitation.

"Of course. I’ll always be your friend. So don’t worry."

A victorious grin spread across Amon’s face.

"See? I told you."

Aisha clicked her tongue.

"Tch. Seraphina...You’re far too generous with this commoner. You’re spoiling him."

Seraphina simply chuckled softly instead of responding.

Seeing that, Amon looked even more pleased with himself.

Across from their group sat five other passengers.

Three men and two women.

All of them appeared to be well over thirty years old.

Judging by their simple clothing and weathered appearances, they were ordinary commoners traveling between villages.

From time to time, they secretly glanced toward the five academy students.

Their refined manners, expensive clothing, and confident bearing clearly revealed that most of them came from influential noble families.

Only Amon seemed different.

Unlike the others, he looked like an ordinary, average looking young man, making him appear much more approachable.

Fortunately Amon had no idea what the other passengers were thinking about him.

At the moment, his mind was focused entirely on the mission ahead.

It was Thursday.

The second month of the semester had already begun.

This month had been designated for practical missions.

Every second-year and third-year student was required to complete their assigned missions during this period.

Those who finished early would enjoy the remainder of the month as free time.

Of course that didn’t mean they could ignore their studies.

A written unit test examination still awaited them after the missions were completed. They would be held in next month.

Fortunately, there would be no practical combat test this time.

Since every student would already gain sufficient field experience through their assigned missions, the academy had decided that only a written examination would be necessary.

Their current destination was Eriye Village.

It was the closest settlement to the Black Raven Hills, where the bandit group which they had to eliminate reside.

The request itself had also been submitted by the villagers of Eriye.

The carriage continued rolling steadily through the forest road.

The rhythmic sounds of the horses’ hooves and the creaking wooden wheels blended with the gentle rustling of leaves carried by the cool afternoon breeze.

Amon leaned back against his seat and gazed absentmindedly through the window.

He let out a quiet sigh.

"...It’s surprisingly peaceful."

Amon found himself wondering what would happen if bandits suddenly emerged from the forest, surrounded the carriage, and attempted to rob everyone aboard.

Fortunately, according to the coachman, such incidents were extremely rare during daylight hours.

The coachman had assured them. That bandits usually strike at nigh, while during the day, this road was fairly safe.

That explanation allowed the group to relax, though they still remained alert.

More than four hours had already passed since they had boarded the public carriage.

Their journey had begun in the city of Sterling, located east of Elarith City. After traveling there through the Teleportation Gateway Station, they had hired this carriage, which served as the only regular transportation to the nearby villages.

The road had been long and uneven, but the peaceful scenery had made the trip surprisingly pleasant.

Finally, after another two hours of travel...

The carriage gradually slowed before coming to a halt.

Thud!

The five students stepped down onto the ground.

They had finally arrived.

The dense forest ended behind them, opening into a vast countryside.

A long dirt road stretched ahead, on left side of main road, winding toward a quiet village in the distance.

The carriage moved straight on main road.

Fields spread across both sides of the road.

Since spring had only recently begun, most of the farmland remained empty, with only freshly turned soil waiting for the next harvest.

Beside the road that parted toward the village stood a simple wooden sign.

The words "Eriye Village" had been neatly carved into its weathered surface.

Beyond the sign, the village came into view.

Traditional wooden houses stood peacefully beneath the warm afternoon sunlight.

Thin streams of smoke drifted lazily from several chimneys, giving the place a calm and welcoming atmosphere.

"It’s beautiful..." Seraphina murmured softly as she admired the peaceful village.

For Amon, villages were nothing new.

He had grown up in one himself.

Normally, a place like this would not have surprised him.

Yet there was one thing that immediately caught his attention.

Something that made this village seem exceptionally beautiful.

"...Cherry blossoms," Amon muttered.

Surrounding the entire village were rows of magnificent cherry blossom trees.

Their pink flowers bloomed in full splendor, covering the branches like delicate clouds.

Gentle spring winds carried countless petals into the air, allowing them to dance gracefully across the road before drifting toward the fields.

Surrounding this open area were dense firest and mountains. Between them stood this beautiful village.

The late afternoon sunlight painted the entire landscape in warm golden hues, making the pink blossoms appear even more breathtaking.

For a brief moment, the scenery looked almost dreamlike.

A gentle smile appeared on Eliana’s face.

"So pretty..."

Aisha quietly looked around the village before stretching her arms.

"We’re finally here."

Marcus adjusted the bag resting on his shoulder and looked toward the village entrance.

"Let’s get moving."

Amon nodded as he admired the scenery one last time.

"Yeah...We’re finally here."

Their first mission from the academy has just begun.