Night had settled over the forests surrounding Lurolona Village, wrapping the recovering land in silence broken only by distant hammers and the soft chorus of insects hidden within the grass.

Far beyond the trees, warm lanternlight flickered between unfinished homes and newly rebuilt roads. Even this late, parts of the village remained awake. Workers repaired damaged walls beneath torchlight while patrols moved carefully along the outer paths surrounding the settlement.

Lurolona was alive again.

Barely.

Burned foundations still sat untouched beside newer buildings. Entire sections of forest had yet to regrow after the Waves. Many of the demi-humans living there still carried the look of people waiting for disaster to return at any moment.

And outside the village walls, distrust remained common.

Human adventurers passing through Melromarc often avoided demi-human territories entirely. Some out of prejudice. Others out of fear of the Shield Hero’s growing reputation. Rumors spread constantly through taverns and guild halls: that monsters gathered near Lurolona, that Naofumi’s followers attacked hostile travelers, that demi-humans there despised humans after generations of persecution. Most of it was nonsense. But it kept outsiders away.

A small campfire crackled quietly beneath the trees, its orange glow illuminating travel gear, weapons, and the exhausted remains of another long journey. The forest air carried the scent of damp earth and pine while the distant sounds of the village drifted softly through the darkness.

Then—

a sudden shift in the bushes nearby.

Subtle. Controlled. Not a monster. A figure stepped silently from between the trees.

Raphtalia emerged into the edge of the firelight with practiced caution, one hand resting near the sheath of the katana at her side. The warm glow reflected softly against her amber eyes while the night breeze moved through her long chestnut-brown hair and the fur of her demi-human ears.

She had likely noticed the camp hours ago. And watched it even longer.

Her expression remained calm, though careful suspicion lingered beneath it. Outsiders camping this close to Lurolona usually meant one of two things:

A traveler who didn’t know where they were.

Or someone with intentions the village couldn’t afford to ignore.

For a few moments she said nothing, quietly studying the unfamiliar adventurer sitting beside the fire.

Behind her, hidden deeper within the darkness of the trees, faint movement suggested other village guards watching from a distance as well.

Lurolona had survived too much to be careless anymore.

The fire crackled softly between them as Raphtalia finally stepped closer into the light.