“Big Brother Parker, please come in!”

When the group didn’t move, Mosheler thought they were stunned by his “sister’s” beauty and chuckled as he encouraged them.

He wasn’t entirely wrong—the group was indeed stunned, though it was by Xiningna’s “beauty”.

Along their journey, they had encountered plenty of terrifying-looking creatures, but nothing quite as extreme as this.

The most unsettling part wasn’t just the grotesque appearance—it was how this creature dressed in human clothing and mimicked human mannerisms. The dissonance was profoundly unnerving.

“...Alright.”

After a moment’s hesitation, Parker stepped inside. Zola followed behind him, maintaining her composure as always, and glanced back at Aino and Alea, who were still standing frozen in place.

Aino took one look at Alea’s pale expression and gave her a gentle nudge.

“Let’s go in. Just don’t look at her.”

Aino herself wasn’t feeling great—this thing was definitely a strain on her senses—but the best course of action was to go inside and observe the situation.

After all, while “Xiningna” looked horrifying, her magical aura was weak, no stronger than an ordinary monster.

Alea let out a shaky breath of acknowledgment and reluctantly followed Aino inside.

The house wasn’t spacious, but with so few pieces of furniture, it didn’t feel cramped despite the number of people. However, the interior was peculiar.

Glittering powder was scattered across the floors, walls, and corners. In some areas, there were fine hairs, giving the whole place an eerie and oppressive atmosphere.

What would have been an ordinary wooden hut now felt unsettlingly strange.

Mosheler eagerly invited them to sit and said enthusiastically, “I know it’s not much, but please make yourselves comfortable for the night. I’ll prepare a nice meal to thank you for saving my life!”

Hearing this, Xiningna froze for a moment and turned to Mosheler, asking worriedly what had happened.

“Oh, I was almost killed by a monster today! Thankfully, these adventurers came to my rescue. Big Brother Parker took down the bear with just two spells!”

Mosheler patted his chest dramatically, still shaken from the memory, and launched into an exaggerated recounting of Parker’s heroic feats. He spoke of dazzling swordplay and high-level magic, painting Parker as a near-legendary figure.

Xiningna’s smile faltered slightly, and her gaze shifted uneasily between Parker and the others.

From the group’s perspective, the scene was far from amusing. Having this grotesque creature stare at them with its wrinkled face, complete with three gaping holes, was enough to make even seasoned travelers break into a cold sweat.

Some creatures, regardless of their actual threat level, had a way of eroding sanity.

It was like a phobia—be it fear of insects or tiny animals.

“Ah… are you all magic users?”

Xiningna hesitantly asked, her gaze lingering on Parker. Perhaps it was because Mosheler had built him up as a godlike figure capable of world-shattering magic.

She seemed flustered, as if Parker’s presence had completely disrupted her plans.

“I’ve only picked up a few tricks, hardly enough to call myself a magic user,” Parker replied casually, leaning back in his chair.

“Big Brother Parker, you’re being too modest! Xiningna, let me tell you, back there…”

Mosheler, animated as ever, dove back into his tale. For a boy his age, seeing such feats for the first time—and having the hero sit right in his own home—was beyond exciting.

Xiningna, however, responded absentmindedly, her mind clearly elsewhere. Unseen by the others, she let out a subtle sigh of relief.

So he’s not a true magic user, she thought.

She had been worried her illusions might be discovered, and she wouldn’t have known how to handle it.

“So, where are you all headed? Of course, if it’s confidential, I understand! Important people often have secret missions.”

Mosheler nodded sagely, as if he were privy to some great truths. The imagination of a teenager truly knew no bounds.

Parker chuckled. “Oh, nowhere special—just taking a trip to the Northern Abyss.”

Mosheler tilted his head in confusion.

“The Northern Abyss? That’s really far from here. I’ve heard it’s way up north.”

“Yep, it’s still quite a journey ahead,” Parker replied, his eyes briefly flicking to Xiningna, who stood silently by Mosheler’s side.

“I’d like to know more about your village. Is there anything we can help with?”

This wasn’t a decision made on a whim—the group had discussed it beforehand. They often asked this question to those they encountered, helping out where they could if the problem was manageable.

This village clearly had its issues.

The fact that a monster was living openly among the residents was a glaring red flag.

It was obvious that Mosheler—and likely the other villagers—viewed this creature as a human girl. To Mosheler, she was even family.

The thought of this frail, scholarly boy living alone with such a terrifying being, sharing the intimate interactions typical of family life…

The image was too much to bear. Parker couldn’t help but glance at Xiningna again.

She stood obediently beside Mosheler, maintaining her distance from the group. Her mouthparts twitched, revealing gear-like teeth and strange, elongated appendages spinning inside.

With a better starting point, she might’ve been beautiful in another life.

When Parker posed the question, Mosheler’s face lit up with excitement, though he quickly restrained himself.

“To be honest… life here isn’t like in human towns. Our village is in the forest, so we’re constantly dealing with monsters and non-human creatures. Every day, someone gets hurt… or worse.”

He hesitated, clearly holding something back.

Parker glanced at Aino, who gave him a small nod.

“Are there too many monsters nearby? Talk to your village leaders about which ones need to be dealt with—and can be dealt with. Don’t worry about revenge from monsters after we’re gone.”

Parker leaned back and rubbed his bald head, his tone calm yet confident.

“Once you’ve made a plan, we can spare some time to eliminate them. But we can’t handle long-term protection, so make your decision carefully.”

This wasn’t just confidence in Aino—it was confidence in himself.

For a small village of mostly ordinary humans with only a few magic users, the monsters likely weren’t beyond his ability to handle.

Mosheler nodded enthusiastically, his body trembling as he tried to maintain his composure.

This was monumental.

For the village, it meant their greatest problem might finally be resolved—the constant threat to their lives lifted.

For Mosheler personally, it meant he had been the one to bring these adventurers here. Even if only indirectly, it was because of him that this miracle was possible.

For someone as unremarkable as Mosheler—a boy without the courage to become a hunter or the magic to become an adventurer—this was an achievement he had never dreamed of.

After making sure the group was settled, Mosheler left the house to head to the village elder’s home.