The First Request

Ian started by examining the request papers posted at the very top of the board. The higher they were placed, the more difficult the quests seemed to be. Every eye-catching sheet was an advanced or top-tier request.

He scanned a few of the highest-grade ones with curious eyes.

Let’s see… Find high-grade herbs in the Kalain Beach Labyrinth? Next to it is a request for a mage to restore a damaged magic tome. There’s even one asking to capture a large number of lesser black fairies that live underwater.

Every single one required either combat prowess or advanced magical skills. Ian let out a small sigh and lowered his gaze.

Fortunately, the low-grade requests were more ordinary than he’d expected. Things like helping clean a mansion, tilling a gravel field, or babysitting for a day. But the real problem came next. Even to accept a low-grade request, he needed an upfront fee of three to five silver.

Sigh… They’re all such simple jobs, but I can’t even start because I don’t have any money.

As he scanned the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠low-grade requests with regretful eyes, common knowledge he’d never considered before suddenly unfolded in his mind.

The official currency of the Adriant Continent was stones, silver, and gold. However, silver and gold coins weren’t actually made of real silver or gold. They were coins crafted from a copper-like mineral called villis that was common across the continent. Villis was cheaper, harder, and lighter than copper, making it perfect for currency.

Based on the information that surfaced, one stone was worth roughly 120 Korean won. For easier calculations, Ian decided to treat one stone as 100 won. Since ten stones made one silver and ten silver made one gold, that meant one silver was about a thousand won and one gold was ten thousand won. Of course, there were also “Lafian gold coins” made of actual gold, but that was a story for another time—far beyond Ian’s current reach.

Sigh. Anyway… the problem is I haven’t even seen a single stone or silver. If I just had three silver—three thousand won—in my pocket, I could at least try something.

He looked over the low-grade requests once more, his eyes dripping with lingering attachment. Just as he decided he couldn’t waste any more time, he began digging through the very bottom of the board in search of the lowest-grade requests.

Let’s see… lowest-grade, lowest-grade… ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠What? Are there seriously none?

The bottom section was filled entirely with low-grade requests. Cold sweat broke out on the back of his neck from the panic. After searching for a long while, he finally found a single lowest-grade request paper tucked away in the corner at the very bottom. Ian quickly snatched it before it could disappear and began to read.

At the bottom of the request was a simple map showing the location of the Milky Way Forest and a rather detailed drawing of the missing cat. It was a black cat with ears as long and pointed as a fox’s. Unusually, the tips of its ears glowed with a faint silver light, and its eyes were a clear golden hue.

Alright. Finding a cat in the forest should be doable.

He was just about to smile with budding hope when a shadow fell over the request paper in his hand and someone clicked their tongue.

“Tsk tsk.”

Startled, he looked up to see a man who had been examining the board earlier now staring at him.

“Hey, you. You look a bit slow, so I’ll give you some advice—that request is absolute garbage.”

“Excuse me? What do you mean?”

“Look at the breed they’re asking you to find. It’s clearly a Mystic. Those things turn invisible when they get scared and hide in corners. Once they do that, even their owner calling them won’t make them budge.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, really. And on top of that, it went missing in the Milky Way Forest. That place is so bad that even a normal cat would never be found once it goes in.”

Another man who had been looking at the board with him approached, glanced at the paper in Ian’s hand, and added with a sigh.

“Ugh, no sense of professional ethics. Only three gold for finding a Mystic cat? If they really wanted it back, they should’ve offered at least two hundred gold. Even if you rot in that forest for the full thirty days, you’d be lucky to succeed.”

Ian’s face crumpled in shock. But he forced down the disappointment trembling in his chest and calmed himself.

It’s fine. I have a Grade 5 Detection skill. I might as well test out its effects and give it a try.

With a determined expression, he said,

“Even if it’s a garbage request… I still want to give it a shot. Who knows, maybe I’ll get lucky and succeed.”

The men clicked their tongues again and walked away, clearly deciding not to bother with him anymore. The slight goodwill that had been in their eyes had now turned into pity and contempt, as if they were looking at a fool. They soon tore off some mid-grade requests that caught their fancy, registered them with the receptionist, and left without a second glance.

Ian also handed his request to the receptionist. Thankfully, she registered it in the execution log without a word and handed it back. At the bottom of the paper he received, a red [EXECUTION PERMITTED] stamp had been pressed.

“Well then, I’ll see you again this evening.”

At his greeting, the receptionist’s eyes widened slightly. She quickly returned to her expressionless face and nodded.

Ian tucked the request into his bag and left the guild with light steps. Outside was still bustling with people. He weaved through the crowd and strode briskly down the street. His eyes, however, darted everywhere, far busier than his feet.

After all, every shop was completely new to him. Bakeries, taverns, and all kinds of restaurants felt incredibly exotic and special.

There were many other stores that caught his eye. The magic tool shop’s display window held colorful accessories and orbs that emitted faint mist or mysterious auroras. In the potion shop’s cases, bizarre plants of all kinds were growing. Tiny silver-glowing flower buds and leaves with red stems that swayed elegantly like fluttering wings were endlessly fascinating.

The weapon shop stood out as well. Sharp blades, shields, and leather armor were neatly displayed behind the front windows. Ian took in all the sights quickly as he walked. When he spotted the market entrance, he inwardly groaned with the urge to explore, but scolded himself—what’s the point of sightseeing with no money?—and hurried toward the north gate.

The northern gate he finally reached was far larger than he had imagined. The iron doors looked at least ten meters tall at a glance. Guards on the wall stood watch with sharp eyes, scanning every direction.

Ian showed his identity tag to the gate guards and quickly passed through. Beyond the gate was a world of nameless trees, fields, and wildflower meadows scattered here and there.

Ian looked around at the clean natural scenery with sparkling eyes, then took the request paper out of his bag. He wanted to check the small map drawn at the bottom.

Hmm… So I just need to head northwest after leaving the north gate, right?

Once he had his direction, he began walking with steady strides again.

How far had he gone northwest? After leaving the lush trees, crossing a meadow of fluffy flowers that looked like baby’s breath, and passing through another small forest, something appeared ahead. It wasn’t a forest at all, but a massive, pitch-black stone wall. The darkness was so absolute that even the bright sunlight seemed to avoid that spot.

Ian crossed a narrow stream with a dumbfounded expression and approached the black wall. When he finally reached it, he realized it wasn’t a wall at all. It was a cluster of enormous trees with jet-black trunks. Even their dense leaves were a deep green so dark they looked almost black.

This is… the Milky Way Forest? Shouldn’t it be called the Dark Forest or Shadow Forest?

Wondering if he had come to the wrong place, he walked along the border of the black trees. But no matter how far he went, no forest that felt like a “Milky Way” appeared. This thicket of pitch-black trees really was the Milky Way Forest.

What the… Did they give it a pretty name like Milky Way because calling it the Black Forest would sound too ominous?

Ian peered deep between the black trees. Nothing was visible—only complete darkness. Only then did he begin to understand the warnings the men at the guild had given him. The Milky Way Forest was truly a place where even an ordinary cat would be nearly impossible to find.

…Still, I won’t give up. I’ll try everything before I quit.

With a tense expression, he quietly chanted the activation for his skill.

“Detection, activate.”

At that moment, he felt a refreshing, water-like energy flow out from inside his body, and a small blue magic circle rose at his feet. Thin oval blue lines spread out around the circle like ripples, moving outward in steady waves.

Ian watched the scene with wide eyes, then pictured the black ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠cat Ella in his mind. The moment he clearly visualized the Mystic breed and its appearance, the magic circle’s light shifted from blue to yellow. The thin lines began sparkling with golden light and vanishing beyond his sight. The real search had begun.

After a short time, the search area was imprinted in his mind like a map.

Perfect. Just like the skill window said, the range is about five hundred meters centered on me. There’s no target in the immediate area.

In the end, he would have to enter this black forest.

It would’ve been nice if I had something like a lantern…

With a small sigh, Ian passed the outermost black tree and slowly stepped into the darkness. The search radius moved along with him.

The inside of the forest was pitch black. Ian moved forward like a blind man, groping in every direction. It was only after his eyes had fully adjusted to the darkness and he could make out the faintest outlines that something changed.

Suddenly, the tree trunks around him began to sparkle as if embedded with jewels. Even the dark leaves started to bloom with star-like dots one by one.

Ian stopped dead in his tracks and looked around with an entranced expression.

The black trees now held the Milky Way of the night sky within them. Moss nestled between the bark emitted a blue fluorescent glow, and every time the wind blew, silver powder hidden ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠behind the black leaves scattered lightly into the air, forming a river of stars. Swarms of firefly-like insects circled around Ian, sharing their delicate, charming lights. The dense branches overhead overlapped so thickly that it felt like standing beneath a deep night sky.

The deeper the darkness, the more vividly the lights inside it burned. This forest did not reject light—it was a secret sanctuary that only permitted its brilliant starlight within utter darkness.