The streets of the border town were far calr than before.
Weeks ago, the entire place had been drowning in fear. People scread every night whenever beast roars echoed from the forests beyond the walls. rchants rushed to leave before sunset. Families locked themselves inside their hos while praying the gates would survive until morning. Even the soldiers looked exhausted back then.
Now everything felt different.
The massive walls surrounding the town stood firm beneath the afternoon sun. Workers moved across the stone roads carrying lumber, tools, baskets of food, and newly forged weapons. rchants shouted loudly while advertising monster materials and fresh at gathered from slain beasts outside the borders. Children ran across the streets again without trembling every ti they heard movent near the gate.
Clay slowly walked through the middle of the town while Maid Cy followed half a step behind him.
His hands rested lazily behind his back.
His expression looked calm.
Relaxed.
Satisfied.
This is more like it.
The warm breeze brushed against his face while he looked around casually. Unlike before, nobody dared approach him recklessly anymore. People recognized the Valmont crest on his clothes almost imdiately, and the mont they did, they respectfully moved aside to clear a path for him.
So lowered their heads.
So looked at him with admiration.
Others looked nervous.
Clay liked that balance.
Fear mixed with respect was comfortable.
Not too troubleso.
Not too annoying.
At least nobody was trying to drag him into unnecessary drama anymore.
He glanced toward a nearby stall selling roasted beast at.
The sll was surprisingly good.
"Young master."
Maid Cy’s voice ca softly from behind him.
"Would you like to eat?"
Clay looked at the stall for a mont before nodding once.
"Sure."
The old rchant nearly panicked when Clay approached. His hands shook so badly while preparing the food that he accidentally dropped one of the skewers into the fire.
"S S Sorry!"
Clay stared at him silently.
The rchant imdiately beca pale.
"I did not an to disrespect young master!"
Clay blinked.
Then he sighed.
"You’re overreacting."
"Huh?"
"You dropped at, not a kingdom."
The old rchant froze.
anwhile, several nearby townsfolk stared in disbelief after hearing those words. Their expressions almost looked confused.
Probably because rumors about powerful nobles usually involved cruelty, arrogance, or unnecessary punishnt.
Clay simply took the newly prepared skewer afterward and bit into it casually.
His eyes widened slightly.
"Oh."
He looked at the at again.
"This is actually good."
The old rchant looked like he was about to cry from relief.
"T Thank you, young master!"
Clay waved his hand dismissively before continuing his walk.
Maid Cy quietly followed him while holding the remaining skewers.
From ti to ti, Clay noticed people secretly glancing toward them.
More specifically toward Maid Cy.
Well, that was understandable.
Even while hiding most of her presence, she still attracted attention naturally. Her black hair, calm eyes, and elegant movents stood out too much compared to ordinary people.
Several young n nearby quickly lowered their heads the mont her gaze passed over them.
Clay noticed it imdiately.
His lips twitched slightly.
Good.
At least they know their place.
Then suddenly—
He paused.
His footsteps stopped in the middle of the street.
Maid Cy imdiately noticed.
"Young master?"
Clay did not answer imdiately.
Instead, he narrowed his eyes slightly while staring ahead.
There was a small toy stall beside the road.
Nothing unusual.
Wooden carvings.
Cheap necklaces.
Animal dolls.
Children laughing nearby.
Normal.
Very normal.
Yet for so reason—
A strange feeling crawled inside him again.
That sa uncomfortable feeling he had been experiencing repeatedly these past few days.
Like sothing invisible was quietly waiting for him sowhere ahead.
His brows slowly furrowed.
Again...
Why again?
Maid Cy carefully observed him.
"Young master?"
Clay finally looked at her.
"...Do you feel anything strange lately?"
Her eyes flickered for a brief mont.
But only for a brief mont.
"No."
Clay stared at her for a few seconds longer before looking away.
"...Maybe I’m thinking too much."
He resud walking afterward.
Still, the strange feeling remained inside him.
Not disappearing.
Not weakening.
The two continued deeper into town afterward until they eventually reached a quieter district near the outer walls.
Compared to the lively market area, this place felt more peaceful. The roads were wider, and fewer people walked around. So guards stood near watchtowers while blacksmiths hamred weapons in the distance.
Then—
Boom.
A loud sound echoed sowhere far outside the walls.
Clay stopped again.
Several guards imdiately looked toward the distance nervously.
Maid Cy’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Clay looked toward the direction of the sound.
"...What was that?"
One of the guards hurriedly bowed.
"Probably another beast conflict outside the outer traps, young master."
"Probably?"
The guard stiffened.
"We are investigating it already."
Clay stared toward the horizon for a few monts.
Then—
Another boom echoed faintly.
This ti stronger.
His expression slowly beca strange.
Not fear.
Not nervousness.
Just confusion.
Why do I feel like trouble always appears the mont I start relaxing?
Beside him, Maid Cy quietly observed the distant horizon too.
Inside her mind, countless thoughts moved rapidly.
Could it be another evolved beast already?
No... impossible.
Unless...
She quickly stopped her thoughts before they went further.
Because if Clay noticed her becoming too alert, he might start asking questions again.
And right now, she absolutely did not want that.
Clay suddenly sighed heavily.
"I knew it."
Maid Cy blinked once.
"Knew what, young master?"
"That peaceful life is fake."
"...Fake?"
Clay nodded seriously.
"Every ti I start relaxing, sothing explodes sowhere."
He looked genuinely disappointed.
Maid Cy stared at him quietly before lowering her head slightly.
"...Young master dislikes conflict that much?"
Clay looked at her like the answer should have been obvious.
"Of course."
Then he frowned.
"Fighting is exhausting."
Maid Cy beca silent.
Because those words sounded absurd coming from soone who punched the forr Bersuka Warchief to death physically.
Yet sohow—
When Clay said it, it sounded sincere.
He truly looked tired of trouble.
Tired of chaos.
Tired of things dragging him around.
The more she stayed near him, the more difficult it beca to understand him completely.
A person terrifying enough to make Warchiefs kneel before him.
Yet also soone who complained about wanting peaceful sleep and comfortable als.
It was strange.
Very strange.
Then suddenly—
Clay spoke again.
"Maid Cy."
"Yes, young master."
"If another annoying problem appears..."
He narrowed his eyes slightly.
"...handle it before it reaches ."
Maid Cy nodded imdiately.
"As you wish."
Clay seed satisfied by that answer.
Good.
That was exactly why having a competent maid felt comfortable.
He no longer needed to personally deal with every irritating little matter himself.
The two eventually continued walking again.
As they moved across the streets, more and more people secretly watched them from afar.
So whispered quietly.
Others quickly moved aside.
A few children even pointed toward Clay excitedly before their parents hurriedly lowered their hands.
"Young master."
"Hm?"
"The townspeople seem to admire you greatly."
Clay looked around lazily.
"...Really?"
"Yes."
He stared toward a nearby group of workers carrying stones.
"...That’s troubleso."
Maid Cy blinked once.
"Troubleso?"
"If people admire you too much, expectations increase."
He sighed.
"And expectations beco responsibilities."
Maid Cy quietly listened.
Then Clay continued speaking.
"I already have enough problems."
More than enough.
Maid Cy suddenly felt sothing strange in her chest after hearing that.
Because despite all his ridiculous strength, despite all the fear he inspired in others, there were monts where he sounded unexpectedly human.
Almost ordinary.
Like soone tired from carrying too many things alone.
She slowly lowered her gaze.
Young master...
anwhile, Clay kept walking while remaining completely unaware of her thoughts.
Then—
He suddenly paused again.
This ti longer.
His eyes slowly narrowed.
Maid Cy imdiately beca alert.
"Young master?"
Clay looked ahead silently.
Far away near the northern road, several travelers were entering the town gates.
rchants.
Soldiers.
Carriages.
Nothing unusual.
Yet among them—
For a brief mont—
Clay felt an uncomfortable sensation crawl across his spine.
Like sothing dangerous had quietly brushed past his instincts.
His brows slowly furrowed deeper.
"...Strange."
"What is it?"
Clay kept staring toward the distant crowd.
"...Nothing."
But inside his mind—
Why does it feel like sothing is coming closer?
The feeling was faint.
But it was there.
And for so reason—
It annoyed him deeply.
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