SIGILBORNE: The World Beyond

A Curious Discovery

"...I take back what I said."

Arthur's words lingered in the passage as the last of the spikes settled into the opposite wall.

For a moment, none of them moved.

Eiran slowly released Seren's arm, making sure she was unharmed before turning his attention toward the mechanism. Arthur, meanwhile, stared at the narrow openings from which the spikes had emerged.

"That was close," Seren murmured.

"Too close," Eiran agreed.

Arthur brushed the dust from his clothes. "I was sitting down. How does a person even get attacked while resting?"

"Apparently, quite easily."

Arthur gave him a displeased look, but Eiran was already examining the wall. The spikes had retracted after striking the opposite side, leaving only the narrow slits behind. He inspected the surrounding stone, searching for a trigger or some indication that the mechanism might activate again.

Nothing stood out.

"Maybe it's broken now," Arthur suggested. "The ruin is ancient. Perhaps it only had enough power for one activation."

Eiran glanced at him. "You're awfully eager to trust it."

"I'm eager to leave it alone."

Seren looked at the spikes embedded in the stone. "Should we move somewhere else?"

"That would be wise."

They had barely taken a few steps when a faint clicking sound came from behind them.

All three stopped.

Arthur slowly turned his head. "Please tell me that was something else."

A small section of the wall shifted inward. The movement was accompanied by a low grinding noise, and a narrow compartment gradually opened beneath the slits where the spikes had emerged.

Eiran watched the opening carefully, expecting another weapon to emerge. The compartment was small, barely large enough to fit a person's hand. A poison dart or some other concealed mechanism wouldn't have surprised him.

But nothing came out.

Instead, something moved inside.

A tiny head poked through the opening.

Eiran blinked.

The creature was roughly the size of a squirrel, though its appearance was unfamiliar. It had soft-looking fur, a slender tail, and small rounded ears. Its bright eyes reflected the light from their lamps as it cautiously peered into the chamber.

Arthur lowered his shoulders. "That's not a weapon."

"I can see that."

The creature stepped out of the compartment and landed on the stone floor. It sniffed the air, then looked around as though trying to understand where it was.

Eiran crouched to observe it. "How did something like this get inside the wall?"

"Maybe it wandered into the ruin and got trapped," Arthur suggested.

"That would explain it."

The little creature suddenly darted toward Seren.

She barely had time to react before it climbed up her leg and scrambled into her arms. Her eyes widened as it nestled against her chest and began licking her palm.

"Ah…" Seren looked down at it. "Hello?"

Its tail swayed happily.

She hesitated before gently stroking its head. The creature leaned into her touch, apparently content. A moment later, it climbed onto her shoulder and began licking the edge of her mask.

Arthur leaned closer. "It seems to like you."

Seren smiled faintly. "I think so."

"Let me see."

Arthur reached out a finger. The creature immediately turned away, slipping behind Seren's neck. He tried again, but it dodged him just as quickly.

Arthur stared at it. "Really?"

Eiran watched the exchange with a hint of amusement. "What is it with your luck with secret doors?"

Arthur shot him a glare. "I'm beginning to think everything in this ruin has a personal grudge against me."

Seren let out a soft giggle. The little animal rubbed its head against her cheek, seemingly pleased with her reaction.

Eiran stood. "We should leave. We've already spent enough time here."

Arthur glanced at the creature. "Are we just taking it with us?"

"It seems to have chosen Seren."

"That doesn't answer my question."

Seren carefully adjusted the animal on her shoulder. "I don't think it wants to stay here."

Eiran looked back at the compartment. The hollow behind it appeared empty, and the mechanism had gone silent. There was no obvious reason to leave the creature behind.

"Then let's bring it along," he said. "We can figure out what it is later."

Arthur sighed. "Fine. But if it turns out to be another trap, I'm blaming both of you."

The three gathered their belongings and headed back toward the main chamber. The ruin had grown quieter since their arrival, though a few adventurers and scholars were still examining the walls and recording their discoveries. The trio passed them without drawing much attention and eventually reached the surface.

The sunlight was a welcome sight.

Seren's companion remained perched on her shoulder, occasionally shifting its paws or rubbing against her hair. She kept one hand near it to prevent it from falling.

Arthur stretched his arms. "I'm never going to complain about ordinary roads again."

Eiran glanced toward the town. "Let's return to the guild. We still need to sort out a few things before leaving."

"Hopefully, none of them involve more traps."

"Your luck might not be that generous."

Arthur groaned.

Back inside the ruin, a scholar sat alone beside one of the walls. He had spent most of the afternoon examining the inscriptions, comparing the unfamiliar symbols against several older texts. The language was ancient, and much of the writing had been worn away, but he had managed to decipher a small portion.

His fingers traced the final line.

The scholar's expression changed.

He leaned closer, brushing away the dust covering the stone. Enough of the words remained for him to understand their meaning.

An ancient beast sleeps within.

His eyes moved to the next line.

No matter what happens…

The scholar swallowed.

Do not let it out.

He stared at the inscription. For a moment, he remained perfectly still, listening to the silence around him. Then his gaze shifted toward the passage the trio had taken.

A faint sound echoed somewhere deeper within the ruin.

The scholar slowly rose to his feet.

"…What have they done?"

---

The guild receptionist looked up when Eiran, Arthur, and Seren entered.

"You're back! I was beginning to wonder whether the ruin had swallowed you."

Arthur gave a tired smile. "Not quite. Though it did try to stab us."

The receptionist blinked. "Excuse me?"

"Long story."

Her attention shifted to Seren's shoulder, where the little creature was resting.

"Oh? What's that little fellow?"

Seren gently stroked its head. "We found it inside the ruin."

The receptionist leaned forward to get a better look. The animal sniffed her hand but remained beside Seren.

"Interesting. It appears to be Wildlife-class. Nothing unusual about its appearance, at least from what I can tell."

Eiran raised an eyebrow. "You can determine that just by looking?"

"Not always. But it doesn't show any obvious signs of corruption or mutation." She looked at Seren. "If you intend to bring it along, you should consider registering it as a familiar."

"A familiar?" Arthur asked.

"It's a simple process. Registered familiars are treated as adventurers' companions. You won't have to worry about unnecessary fees or permissions when traveling between towns, and you'll be allowed to bring it into most places that permit adventurers."

Seren looked down at the creature. "Would it be all right to register it?"

"Of course. As long as it remains under your care and doesn't cause trouble."

The little animal licked Seren's palm.

Arthur folded his arms. "Well, that settles it. Looks like you've got yourself a companion."

Seren's smile was small but genuine. "I suppose I do."

After completing the registration, the receptionist returned to her desk.

"Now, what brings you here? Looking for a request?"

"Yes," Eiran answered. "We'd like to take something suitable for Bronze adventurers."

"That shouldn't be a problem." She began sorting through a stack of papers. "There are several options. Herb gathering, cleaning work, minor errands, and a few simple escort requests. You could also take on certain hunting jobs, though I wouldn't recommend anything beyond your current rank."

Arthur leaned over the desk. "What about something simple? We don't intend to stay in town for too long."

The receptionist considered his question before pulling out a sheet.

"In that case, I have something suitable. Moonveil Herbs. They're used in several common preparations and can be found in shaded areas near forests. The guild is offering two silver coins for a properly collected bundle."

She placed the request on the counter.

Eiran examined the details. The required quantity wasn't particularly large, and the collection area was close enough that they wouldn't need to travel far.

"How long will it take?" he asked.

"If you know where to look, a few hours should be enough. The herbs are fairly common in the right conditions."

Arthur glanced at the reward. "Two silver for a few hours of work. Not bad."

"Just make sure you collect them properly. Damaged herbs won't be accepted."

Eiran nodded. "We'll take it."

The receptionist recorded their names and handed them the request details. "Good luck. Once you've completed it, bring the herbs back here for inspection."

"We will."

The trio left the guild shortly afterward and made their way toward the outskirts of town. The collection area was marked on the request sheet, a stretch of woodland not too far from the road.

It didn't take long to reach.

The forest was relatively quiet, with sunlight filtering through the branches and patches of shade covering the ground. Eiran checked the request details once more before they began searching.

"Moonveil Herbs grow in shaded areas," he said. "We should look near the larger trees and around the rocks."

Arthur glanced at the surrounding vegetation. "There are plenty of those."

"Then we'd better get started."

They spread out but remained close enough to keep one another in sight. Seren took particular care when examining the plants, making sure to compare each one with the description on the request sheet.

The little creature stayed on her shoulder for a while before eventually climbing down and exploring the ground nearby. It sniffed at the roots of a tree, then wandered toward a patch of moss.

"Don't go too far," Seren reminded it.

The creature paused, looked back at her, and continued sniffing.

Arthur chuckled. "Looks like it listens to you."

"I'm not sure it understands me."

"Still better than some people."

Eiran glanced over. "Are you talking about yourself?"

"I'm talking about you."

Their search continued.

The Moonveil Herbs weren't difficult to recognize once they found the first patch. Their pale leaves stood out against the darker vegetation, and the small flowers growing between them carried a faint silvery tint.

Eiran carefully removed the required amount, following the instructions on the sheet. Arthur did the same, while Seren gathered the remaining herbs and placed them inside the collection pouch.

It took them a little longer than expected, but they eventually collected enough.

Arthur checked the pouch. "That's the last of them, right?"

Eiran counted the bundles once more. "Yes. We have enough."

"Finally. I was starting to think we'd be searching until sunset."

"You were the one who spent ten minutes looking beneath the same tree."

"I was being thorough."

"You were looking at a mushroom."

Arthur fell silent.

With the request completed, they returned to town. The receptionist checked the herbs, confirmed that the quantity and quality met the requirements, and recorded the completion.

"Everything is in order," she said, handing them their payment. "Two silver coins, as promised."

Arthur accepted the reward with a satisfied smile.

The receptionist then updated their guild records. "There. Your request has been completed."

Eiran glanced at the record. "And our activity period?"

"Your two-month period starts from the completion of this request. As long as you complete another guild request before it expires, your registration will remain active."

Eiran nodded. That was precisely what they had intended.

They could spend the coming weeks traveling, exploring other towns, and taking in whatever opportunities came their way. Before the two months were over, they would simply visit another guild branch, complete a request, and earn themselves another period of freedom.

Arthur slipped the two silver coins into his pouch. "So, we're free to go?"

"For now," the receptionist replied with a smile. "Just don't forget the rules."

"We won't."

Seren gently adjusted the little creature resting against her shoulder. "Thank you for helping us register it."

"Of course. Take good care of your new companion."

"We will."

After saying their goodbyes, the trio left the guild and headed back to their carriage.

Arthur checked their supplies while Eiran secured the remaining documents. Seren settled the little creature beside her, where it promptly curled up against her clothes.

Arthur climbed into his seat and looked toward Eiran.

"So, where to next?"

Eiran glanced at the road stretching beyond the town. They had spent enough time here to register with the guild, explore the newly discovered ruin, and complete their first request.

There was no reason to remain any longer.

"Let's keep moving."

Arthur smiled and took hold of the reins.

The carriage began to roll, leaving the town behind as the road stretched toward the horizon.

They had a new companion, a little more money in their pockets, and two months before their next guild request would be due.

For now, that was more than enough.

And none of them had the slightest idea what they had brought out of the ancient walls.