I left my horse near the decrepit inn… or rather, abandoned it. Who cares? If it runs off, I'll count myself lucky—at least I won't have to pay for its feed anymore.
I walked inside, my legs barely carrying me. It wasn't the late nights that weighed on me, but life itself, pressing down hard on my joints.
Of course, I didn't tie the horse. It's smarter than I am. If it senses danger, it'll bolt and save itself—something I've learned from it recently.
Inside, I passed a few of our men scattered throughout the place. They exchanged glances and pressed fingers to their lips, hissing, "Shh."
I ignored them completely. If silence were enough to save us, we would've succeeded in our mission days ago. All I wanted now was a cup of tea and a few biscuits.
I climbed the rotting wooden stairs, drowsy and restless, my hands buried deep in my pockets. On the third floor, I found Adrian standing in front of one of the doors, surrounded by a group of our armed men, their breathing loud and uneven.
I caught the familiar irritation in Adrian's eyes the moment he saw me. He pressed a finger to his lips, then gestured dramatically toward the door.
"What are you doing here?" he whispered, his voice tight with tension.
I had no patience for all the whispering and overblown caution. I dragged myself forward and kicked the door hard. It flew open with a violent crack, the wooden frame splintering. I heard sharp gasps behind me, but I didn't bother to look back.
Any trace of sleep vanished from my eyes.
There, in the middle of the room, stood a woman—completely naked—screaming at a pitch sharp enough to rival an alarm. Beside her… a naked man desperately trying to wrap himself in the bedsheet, leaving the woman exposed without a shred of concern. Disgraceful.
"You lunatics! Who are you?!" the woman shrieked as she began grabbing whatever she could reach on the table and hurling it at me. A cream jar came flying first, then a hairbrush, followed by a small mirror that narrowly missed my head.
I had no desire to turn into a moving target in this morning farce. I retreated instead, while the poor man continued clutching the sheet and muttering curses under his breath.
I had barely taken cover behind the wall when the rickety wooden chair shattered where I'd been standing moments earlier. Splinters exploded in every direction.
"You're a menace!" Adrian shouted, his voice thick with irritation.
I replied while casually scanning the wrecked room, "Takes one to know one."
I saw his eyes narrow, his hand drifting toward his sword. For a moment, I thought this might finally be the day he took my head. Then—suddenly—the woman's screaming from the room cut off, replaced by a shout from one of our men.
"The target! He escaped through the adjoining room!"
Everything flipped in an instant. Leaving behind the ruined room and the naked woman, we all rushed to the window just in time to see the man's shadow sprinting across the fields. Without hesitation, we jumped from the third floor, one after another.
I landed in a heap of rotten hay—my usual luck, it seemed. I scrambled to my feet and took off after the fleeing figure. With every step he took, his shape began to change, shrinking, warping. Moments later, there was no man at all—only a sly red fox darting toward the forest.
"I hate foxes," I muttered as I ran after it. "Deceitful, slippery creatures that turn every mission into a living nightmare."
"Don't you dare cause any more chaos, you fool!" I heard Adrian shout from behind me.
I wished I had something to throw at him. Instead, I made do by deliberately slamming my shoulder into his as we ran.
"Say that to yourself, you arrogant bastard!" I shouted back at him before veering away, pushing myself harder as I chased after that cursed fox.
We plunged into the forest, and an unsettling feeling crept over me—like something was watching, waiting. Our pace slowed, step by step, until we came to a complete halt in the middle of the thick fog. I could hear the men's ragged breathing all around me… something terrible was about to happen.
I turned toward Adrian, who looked angrier than usual. Suddenly, he swore under his breath. "Damn it!" Then he barked another command, louder this time. "Fall back! Now!"
Normally, I argue with Adrian about everything. But when he raises his voice like that, I know it's about staying alive. So I was the first to turn and break into a run.
We didn't know what was happening—until we heard the animals roaring behind us. It seemed that the wretched fox had called in every creature in the forest to help it escape.
Yes. I really do hate foxes.
"Kill the animals!" one of our men shouted as we ran.
I stopped for a split second and turned to stare at him, the rest of the men doing the same, disbelief written all over our faces. Kill all these animals?
Even in my shock and fear, I knew it would wipe out the entire ecosystem of the area.
I ignored the man's stupidity and broke into a full sprint. My life was on the line—damn it! Panic took hold of me completely, and now I was screaming like a madwoman as I ran.
I know Adrian will mock me for months, but I don't care. Staying alive matters far more than my pride right now.
I came to an abrupt stop—so sudden I lost my balance and hit the ground. The very next moment, Adrian, who'd been right behind me, crashed down on top of me.
The bastard is heavy on both my heart and my body. I shoved him off to see what was happening around us.
Wonderful. We were now completely surrounded by a pack of enraged predatory animals.
Yes, I admit it—my legs were shaking with fear. Maybe I should've stayed in the carriage like Adrian ordered me to last night. Damn my stubbornness and pride.
My mind raced, hundreds of thoughts flashing and vanishing in seconds. Without realizing it, I'd already pulled my bow and arrows from my magic ring and aimed one of the arrows at the beasts.
"You idiot, don't—! Your arrows—"
Naturally, I ignored his shouting and loosed the arrow.
I hate to admit it, but Adrian is right when he calls me an idiot. Gods above—how did I forget my arrows are infused with fire magic?
The flames didn't hesitate. They erupted with savage hunger, devouring everything in their path. Trees turned into blazing torches, dry grass into fuel for the hell my foolish arrow had unleashed.
The animals that had been threatening us only moments ago were now seized by blind panic. They scattered in every direction, mad with terror. One massive buffalo, its eyes wide with fear, charged straight toward me.
I was certain my end would come beneath its hooves—if Adrian hadn't grabbed my arm and yanked me backward at the last possible second.
"Insane!" he shouted in my ear as thick smoke closed in around us. "Is it possible for five minutes to pass without you causing a disaster?!"
Our men were screaming—some from the flames, others from the rampaging animals. It was pure chaos.