With a silver coin in his pocket and corn between his teeth, Enzo left the village with a smile—vaguely aware of the storm waiting at the guild.
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Upon reaching the guild headquarters, he just barely stepped inside before a group of adventurers approached, eager to mock him.
"Behold, the mighty Iron Enzo has returned!" one of them shouted.
Laughter erupted throughout the guild hall. Even some of the receptionists giggled at the taunt.
As usual, Enzo ignored the man mocking him—simply walking past.
The adventurer sneered and continued. "The reason you have a 100% completion rate is because you're too scared to take on harder quests."
Enzo sighed, slightly annoyed. He glanced at the receptionists' desks and noticed the guild leader nearby.
Then he glanced back at the man.
"And you? You only have a 55% completion rate," Enzo retorted. "You don't fear failure because you're used to it."
The guild fell silent in shock. Even the adventurer's friends held back their laughter.
Hansel, the most beautiful receptionist in the guild, let out a soft scoffing laugh.
"Pfffft"
Embarrassed and furious, the adventurer clenched his fist and swung at Enzo. Before the punch could land, the guild leader slammed his hand on the table, silencing the room.
"Enough," the guild leader said sternly.
"Tch" the adventurer clicked his tongue and went outside.
Then Hansel motioned for Enzo to come over. As he approached, she suddenly grabbed his sideburn and pulled it upward.
"You should stop provoking people and making your sister worry," she scolded.
"Aaaaagh!" Enzo yelped in pain.
Laughter once again filled the guild hall, even the guild master couldn't help himself but chuckle.
The guild master approached Enzo. "You should stop provoking people."
"But he started it," Enzo argued.
The guild master scratched his head. "Weeeeeeell, I don't know what to say about that." With a shrug, he walked back to his office.
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Later that evening, Enzo lay on his bed in complete silence. His mind drifted back to the past.
Ten years ago…
Enzo was a bright child, kind to his elders, and obedient to his parents. His village was small and isolated, far from any other settlements or the adventurers' guild.
Occasionally, adventurers would visit, resting at the local inn. Whenever they did, Enzo eagerly listened to their stories about completing quests. He found their tales fascinating and learned that adventurers were jack-of-all-trades, doing various jobs for fair compensation.
This gives him the idea to solve their problem in their village— Monsters stealing their crops and preying on them.
However, the villagers were poor, and merchants rarely stopped by. They also struggled with crop thieves—monsters that stole their harvests. Lacking manpower, they couldn't stop the creatures.
Frustrated, Enzo urged the village chief to post a request at the adventurers' guild. But due to the small amount of money to offer as a reward, no adventurers accepted the quest. That night, the crop-thief monsters raided the fields, stealing 80% of the village's food. Hunger loomed over them.
A few days later, Enzo decided to take matters into his own hands. He set traps in the forest and managed to catch a wild chicken. Proud of his success, he bashed it with a rock, killing the chicken, and carried it back to the village.
That was when tragedy struck.
A chorus of screams pierced the sky. Flames consumed the village as a pack of monsters stormed through, tearing homes—and people—apart.
"Mom! Dad!" Enzo cried, his voice shaking with despair.
The monsters heard him. Their glowing eyes turned toward the lone survivor.
Panicked, Enzo ran. Tears streamed down his face as he darted into the forest, the creatures in pursuit. He weaved between trees, trying to widen the gap. His lungs burned, his legs ached, but still, he ran.
Then, he reached a river.
With no other option, he leaped in.
The strong current carried him downstream. He struggled to stay afloat, gasping for air. Rocks jutted out from the water, and he did his best to avoid them—until one struck him hard.
Dazed, Enzo's vision blurred. Just as unconsciousness was about to take him, something within him awakened. A strange energy surged through his body, strengthening his muscles and hardening his skin.
A Magic
His newfound durability allowed him to survive the rapids. Eventually, the river grew shallow. Crawling to the river shore, he collapsed onto the grass, exhausted and coughing water.
Then the silence hit him.
Everyone was gone
His parents. His neighbors. His village
All gone.
Why?
Because there were no adventurers.
Because the reward was too low.
Because they were poor.
The truth hits him hard, all he can do is cry—alone and broken.
When the tears finally dried up, one thing remained within him: a burning resolve.
"If no one else would protect them, then I would."
From that day on, he became determined to become stronger. He didn't dream of glory or riches.
He dreamed that villages would not suffer the same fate his village had.
For the next years, Enzo lived alone in the forest, training his body and honing his newfound magic.
He vowed to become strong.
At twelve, he finally left.
Enzo arrived at the grand entrance of the Kingdom of Lunaria. Guards stood watch, collecting toll fees.
"That'll be five copper," one of them said.
Enzo patted his pockets. He had nothing.
The guard clicked his tongue. "Tch! A country bumpkin. And stupid, too."
Enzo lowered his head, about to turn back, when he bumped into someone.
A beautiful young woman stood before him smiling brightly.
She had warm brown eyes that sparkled with kindness, and soft chestnut hair that framed her gentle face. Her presence radiated warmth—like a sun shining through the parting clouds.
"Hello," she greeted with a radiant smile. "What's your name?"
Enzo froze. She was breathtaking.
"E-Enzo," he stammered.
"I'm Hansel. Pleased to meet you."
Without hesitation, Hansel turned to the guards. "He's with me. He's my little brother."
The guards exchanged glances but didn't question her. Hansel paid the toll, and together, they entered the kingdom.
From that day on, Hansel took care of Enzo. She worked different jobs until securing a permanent position as a receptionist at the Adventurers Guild. Meanwhile, Enzo, too young to become an adventurer, took on small cleaning jobs around the kingdom. He waited until he was of age before finally registering as an adventurer.
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Present Day
A knock on the door brought Enzo out of his thoughts.
"Enzo, dinner's ready," Hansel called.
"I'm coming," he replied, shaking off the memories.
They sat together, sharing supper. The warmth of the meal and Hansel's presence eased the weight on Enzo's mind.
"How was your quest?" she asked.
"Of course, it went well!" he replied, grinning.
A comfortable silence settled between them before Enzo spoke again.
"Thank you for everything… Sister."
Hansel's eyes softened. Without warning, she pulled him into a tight hug.
Enzo's face turned red. "I-I'm already an adult! Stop that."
Hansel giggled. "I'm still your older sister, you know."
Enzo sighed but didn't resist. For all his strength and training, there were still things that made him feel like a child.