The crowd pressed closer to the square as the riders stopped at the gate. Dust drifted through the air, turning the sunset into a dull orange haze. People whispered and pushed forward, trying to see the man who led the hunting group back. I stayed near the edge, watching from a quieter angle.
The leader stepped off his horse. He moved like someone who had trained every day of his life. His coat was worn but clean, and the sword at his side seemed like an extension of his arm. The townspeople lowered their heads as he passed. Some even touched the ground in respect.
"The Protector is back," a woman whispered beside me. "Thank the heavens."
So that was what they called him.
Protector.
Not a title given lightly.
He scanned the crowd, checking the faces as if counting who was safe. His eyes passed over me for a brief second. It was only a glance, but something about it felt sharp. Not threatening. Just… aware. As if he paid attention to details most people ignored.
I held my breath without meaning to. When his gaze moved on, I felt a strange pull in my chest. Not fear. Something closer to understanding that this man altered the shape of this town simply by being alive.
People around me whispered his name: Ardon Vale.
One person said he reached Tier 1 before turning twenty. Another claimed he was already close to Tier 2. They spoke of him like a shield walking among them. A few children peeked out from behind adults, eyes filled with admiration.
Ardon spoke with the council, his voice steady.
"The Ridge Beasts are cleared for now," he said. "Two packs. Both dealt with. No injuries among us."
Ridge Beasts.
So that was what the creatures on the road were.
The whispers grew louder.
"I knew it would be Ridge Beasts."
"They come down every early winter."
"What if new types appear?"
"Unknowns are always worse."
Somewhere in the back of the crowd, someone muttered, "Pray we never meet a Hollowback or a Shade-drifter. Only Tier 2 can handle those."
There were classifications for monsters.
Known threats.
Unknown threats.
Some too dangerous for this town to face alone.
This world was not peaceful. It was shaped by danger at its edges.
As Ardon continued speaking, I watched the threads around him. They were pulled tight and clean, unlike the loose threads around Tier 0 Holders. His body moved with practiced ease. His presence alone carried weight.
It was the first time since waking here that I understood how wide the gap was between a trained Holder and ordinary people.
When the gathering finally thinned, I slipped away before the streets grew crowded again. The memory of Ardon's gaze stayed with me. I did not know if he noticed something in me or if it was only my imagination, but it made me think about my situation more clearly.
I had transmigrated into a world where another version of me existed. Rolen's boy. A person with a life and a name people already knew. If that was true… then the same rule must apply to the one person who mattered more than anyone else.
Lila.
she had to exist in some form in this world.
The threads inside me pulsed faintly as if agreeing.
I walked through the quieter streets, looking for clues. I listened to families calling to each other, to merchants discussing relatives, to children shouting names at the end of lanes. Every sound mattered now.
I approached a woman arranging vegetables outside her home. "Excuse me," I said. "Do you know anyone named Lila in this town?"
She shook her head. "We have two Lilas in the next district. One is married. The other is just a child. Why do you ask?"
"I'm looking for someone," I said simply.
A shopkeeper nearby overheard. "You mean Lila Maren? She works at the weaving hall."
Another man leaned in. "There's also Lila Crowfoot. Her family lives near the old mill."
None of these names meant certainty. But it gave me a starting point.
If I existed here, even in a different form, then she might exist too. Maybe older, younger, changed in ways I didn't expect. But she would be here.
I planned my search carefully.
First the weaving hall.
Then the mill.
Then the other districts if needed.
I would not fail her again. Not in this world. Not in any world.
As I walked back toward Rolen's small house, I noticed movement near the far end of the road. A group of council runners were posting something on wooden boards. People stopped to read the notices.
One of the runners called out loudly, "All Holders are required to visit the council hall at midday tomorrow! There will be new safety instructions following the Protector's report!"
People murmured nervously.
New monsters.
New dangers.
New rules.
The air felt heavier than before.
I tucked the lemon cloth deeper into my pocket and kept walking.
Tomorrow would bring answers—about the town, the dangers outside it, and maybe even about Lila.
One step at a time.
This world was opening itself, and I had no choice but to follow its threads.