Chapter 1: Somewhere in the Forest

The Silya Forest was eerily silent. Inside the forest, the cold trees rose high, blocking out the sun.

A white-robed man, scholarly in appearance, walked alongside a companion clad in black armor—his bodyguard, it seemed—through the perpetually snowy ground of the forest.

The deeper one ventured into Silya Forest, the thicker the snow became. In the southern areas, one could still barely distinguish the four seasons, but as they moved northward, the snow grew increasingly difficult to melt. Moreover, the ancient giant trees shielded the sunlight, making the snow along the forest path all the more stubborn to thaw.

The two marched in silence along the snow-covered path, clearly accustomed to navigating the forest’s depths. Though occasionally roars from Large Ghouls could be heard echoing around them, these dangerous ghoul types, usually found in the northern parts of Silya Forest, showed no inclination to attack.

If anything, the ghouls seemed to revere the two men, keeping their distance and merely trailing behind them.

“Hey, buddy, hold up. I’ve found something interesting! I want to drop by the library and give the Silver-haired Woman a heads-up,” the white-robed man suddenly called out to his armored companion, eyes alight with excitement.

“Understood,” the Armored Man responded, halting and scanning the surroundings for threats.

And then, it happened—the white-robed man seemed to meld into his own shadow as if casting some sort of magic. Now, the dangerous forest was left with just the lone Armored Man standing guard.

A moment later, a silver-haired woman, dressed casually, elegantly materialized out of thin air from the empty shadows.

“Long time no see, Blood Witch.”

“Ah, I remember you. Your name is…”

“You don’t even remember my name? How cold-hearted.”

“There’s no need to remember the name of a mere shepherd dog. Guests are coming from the south; you should go welcome them. It seems to be a hunter’s party.”

“According to your message, I only have collaborative ties with the Fourth and Fifth Incarnations. I shouldn’t have to follow your orders.”

“My brother is in that party. If you don’t want your activities in the forest to get exposed, you should hurry up and do as I say, mutt,” the Silver-haired Woman said impatiently.

“Alright, alright, Lady Witch,” the Armored Man replied, raising his hands in feigned surrender.

“Hmph, a dog should act like one.”

“What should I do then?”

“Gather your little lambs and give them a proper welcome. But it seems the Gurenna royal family is also in the party, so don’t go overboard. As for me, I’ll just have a nice little catch-up with my dear brother,” the Blood Witch said cheerfully.

“Oh, then you can handle that ridiculously strong monster.”

“First things first, we need to prepare the welcome area. Hey, shepherd dog, lend me a few lambs.”

The Armored Man whistled, prompting a stir in the forest as a horde of ghouls converged towards their location.

“Oh dear, when did the sheep herd grow this big?”

“Given it’s a request from the Blood Witch, I summoned my entire stock, after all.”

“Smart move! You can take a few useful ones with you; just leave the leftovers for me.”

The Armored Man then left with two red Ghouls and one black Ghoul, leaving the Silver-haired Woman amidst the ghoul horde.

Then, humming a merry tune, the Silver-haired Woman happily led the stinking Ghouls into a slow march through the forest.