After leaving the A rank party, I aim for the deep part of the labyrinth with my former students
"Everyone, wake up!"
I jolted awake at Marina's panicked voice and forced my mind to clear within the count of three.
It was an essential lesson hammered into me by Mamal-san during our adventurer preparatory training—the "Adventurer’s Code."
"What’s wrong? Are we under attack?"
"No, it’s not that, but Silk is missing! And so are Tymus-san and the others!"
"What… did you say?"
Still struggling to grasp the situation, I grabbed my deep crimson outfit and stepped out of the tent.
It was still dark, but the faint glow of dawn peeked through the gaps in the trees.
"How long has it been?"
"Probably about an hour. Tymus-san came to get Silk, and then…"
"And Tymus-san and the others?"
"They were camping right nearby, but now they’re gone!"
Hearing Marina’s explanation, I sprinted toward the clearing in the trees.
The Dark Elf security rangers had set up camp only about twenty yards ahead.
When I arrived, all that remained were the remnants of a campfire and a simple tent—no sign of the Dark Elves.
"What’s going on? Where did Silk go…?"
"I don’t know, but there’s a high chance they ran into trouble. Nene, I’m counting on you."
"Got it."
I watched as Nene swiftly climbed the tallest tree within sight, then reached into my magic bag and pulled out a fist-sized pouch.
This disposable artifact had become almost unnecessary since Nene joined our group, but right now, it seemed useful.
"Activate."
As I scattered the fine white sand from the pouch, it spread out and revealed the footprints left behind.
Originally, this artifact—"Footprint Trail"—was designed for dungeons, allowing adventurers to retrace their own steps and avoid getting lost. However, it was just as effective in tracking missing people.
This was the unexplored "Amber Forest".
No one else should have left footprints here—except us.
"Judging by the size, these belong to Silk. Nene, see anything?"
"There’s something strange a little ahead!"
The footprints led in the direction Nene pointed.
It looked like multiple sets—Silk’s, as well as those of the Dark Elves… but something was off.
We hadn’t walked there yet, so there should have been five sets of footprints—Tymus and his three companions, plus Silk.
But there were six.
Someone else had been here.
Had they met up with another ranger? That was possible, but the extra footprints didn’t match their boots.
…I had a bad feeling about this.
"Did you find Silk?"
"What the hell is happening?"
"I don’t know. But they definitely went this way."
After confirming that Rain and Jamie had joined us, we followed the trail further.
By the time we reached the spot, Nene was already investigating a suspicious tree.
Before us stood an unusual structure—a mass of intertwined trunks and roots.
Peering inside through a gap, I spotted remnants of blankets and food scraps.
"This… doesn’t it look like the cage we saw at the Elder’s residence?"
"Yeah, it’s shaped exactly like the one I cut through."
"Rain, can you use the 'Seeker’s Compass' to track Silk?"
At my words, Rain hurriedly pulled out the "Seeker’s Compass", only to shake her head.
"It’s not working. Probably because of the dungeonification effect."
"What the hell is going on…?"
"It’s Ilwen Pearlwood."
As if answering my question, the trees rustled, and someone emerged before us.
A familiar face—one of the Dark Elf girls—bowed her head slightly in greeting.
"Saisaria?"
"It’s been a while, everyone."
Saisaria was the Dark Elf girl who had helped us during our coastal investigation.
Without her, that mission wouldn’t have gone so smoothly.
"Why are you here?"
"There was some trouble in Amberle, so I rushed to find you. Ilwen Pearlwood, who was supposed to be under house arrest, has disappeared."
At her words, a chill ran down my spine.
If this was connected to our current situation, then Silk had likely been kidnapped by Ilwen.
And judging by Marina’s story, our supposed allies—the security rangers—were cooperating with her.
"From what I gather… it seems I was too late. My apologies."
"No, it’s fine. You mentioned that you were once part of the security rangers, right? Could we possibly ask you to guide us?"
"…What happened to Tymus and the others?"
"After luring Silk away, they disappeared along with her. Even with an artifact, we can’t seem to track their footprints."
The "Footprint Trail" artifact covered a fairly wide area, but the footprints simply ended here.
Hearing that Tymus had vanished, Saisaria's expression darkened slightly. But she quickly turned back to me, her face now sharp and resolute.
"They must be using the power of the spirits to obscure their trail. It may not be perfect, but as a former security ranger, I can at least guide you through the forest."
"That would be a huge help. I want to save Silk—please lend us your strength."
As I bowed my head, Saisaria gave a small nod and then closed her eyes, as if listening to something.
Moments later, she turned in a specific direction.
"Everyone, please prepare to depart. I will call upon the earth spirit, Gnome, to help us track their path."
"Understood. Everyone, pack only what’s necessary—we need to move quickly."
With a collective nod, the group rushed back toward the camp to gather their things.
"Sorry to put you through this, Saisaria."
"No, this is my duty. Besides, I cannot forgive what Tymus and the others have done."
"We can’t be sure they’ve betrayed us just yet…"
"No, Tymus and the others have betrayed our clan. They attacked and captured our designated guide, Kijim, in order to aid Ilwen Pearlwood."
"What…!?"
Saisaria lowered her gaze, her shoulders trembling slightly.
I wasn’t sure if it was out of anger, but I now understood—this wasn’t just about helping us. She had come for her own reasons as well.
"I’ll go get ready. I’ll be back soon."
"Alright. I’ll reach out to as many earth spirits as possible to track their movements. Once everyone is ready, we’ll begin the pursuit."
I gave her a firm nod before sprinting toward my tent.
I told myself to stay calm, but I couldn’t stop my heart from racing.
As I tightened the belt of my adventurer’s gear, I silently prayed for Silk’s safety.
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