As it turned out, the world would keep running just fine without anyone in it—especially a tiny town.
As the weather gradually warmed, Rose Town's streets grew lively once more.
The ruts of merchant caravans pressed fresh tracks into the mud left by melting snow. Tavern lights stayed lit until late at night, while the clang of the smithy's hammer rang out from dawn until dusk.
And the ones who had brought this vitality were precisely those adventurers returning one after another from their winter hibernation.
They brought back not only shriveled purses and worn equipment, but also rumors from distant lands—some true, some false.
No. 122 Scarlet Waterfall Alley, first-floor kitchen.
Morning sunlight streamed through the window, casting several warm patches of light across the wooden dining table.
"Have you heard?"
Jonathan, the owner of the training grounds, stirred the Wheat Porridge in his bowl with a spoon as he lowered his voice and said mysteriously.
Mrs. Cassandra, seated opposite him and spreading butter over bread, looked up at that. "Heard what?"
"Baron Serina." Jonathan scooped up a spoonful of porridge and blew on it. "Her body was finally found."
Clink.
The butter knife in Cassandra's hand lightly fell onto the plate with a soft sound.
He Xi sat on the other side of the table, calmly chewing his bread as though he had merely heard some insignificant news.
Zoya, seated beside him, slowed her meal slightly. Yet little emotion showed in those beautiful violet eyes of hers.
"Where was she found?" Cassandra's voice was soft, as if she were afraid of disturbing something.
"Over by Holder City. It's a long way from here." Jonathan shook his head. "Sigh, they say that when they found her, the body was tied to a chair—tsk, tsk. Maybe some perverted bastard had—"