Yutta opened the letter the diplomat left for him quickly Ria was looking over his shoulder just as eager to read it.

/Lord Yuuta my name is Barret Revouli. I was tasked by Your father to find your fiancés missing family members. I have located them in the city of Querth not far from the border. Please meet me at the Bear river inn in Querth at your earliest convenience. Lady Vermillion's father Amrik, is currently working for what we would call a noble in Hartford as a personal cook his name is Cassius Grexis. You will have to meet with him personally to make arrangements. Her brother Ash has taken up work as an adventurer he has a permanent position as a bodyguard for a wealthy merchant in the city. I have more information but I'll wait to explain when we meet. I have no plans on leaving Querth or the Bear River Inn. I will be waiting for you Young lord.

Your Humble Servant,

Barret /

Yuuta finished the letter quickly but saw aria struggling to keep up so he waited for her to finish. Every time it mentioned something about her family she would squeeze his shoulder.

"I can't believe it Yuuta he actually found them. For some reason, it didn't feel real until now you know?" She said a giant smile plastered on her face.

"Yea I get that sometimes stuff won't hit you till it's right in your face. Like I'm sure it won't hit me that we're getting married till you're walking down the aisle."

Ria almost coughed up her water she was taking a sip off. Her face turned a light shade of pink. "Jeez Yuuta always saying something embarrassing like that." She tried to play it off but her smile was impossible to miss.

"Anyways we're 3 days away from Querth if we stay in this stupid carriage," Yuuta said putting his plan into action.

"Or we could be there today if we fly." He said nonchalantly shrugging his shoulder.

Ria started laughing "Could you be any less obvious. Is it really that terrible being alone with me?" She pretending to be fake offended.

"Of course not I've just been spoiled with flying and using gate. Plus I don't ever think I've taken you flying before aren't interested?" He said poking her side.

She started rubbing her chin like she was thinking about it. "Well, I guess I am. The faster we get there the better anyways."

She jumped down from the carriage stumbling a couple of steps. Yuuta quietly chuckled earning him a death stare.

He threw their belongings in his pocket dimensions is what he begone to start calling it. He got directions from his driver to Querth and was all set to leave.

"Hold on tight ok, don't want to drop my cute fiancé." Earning a giggle out of Ria she complied gripping tightly onto him. Deciding to be nice he started slowly limiting off the ground first a couple of meters slowly working his way above the trees they were surrounded by.

Ria kept her eyes closed her tiny hands shaking and turning white from how hard she was gripping. "Hey calm down I got you Ria open your eyes the view is beautiful.

Yuuta wasn't wrong they were currently surrounded by a mountain range on their right side. Their left side was trees as far as the eye could see the main path they were just on ran right through the middle.

Ria slowly opened her eyes audibly gasping as she took in the view. "See not so bad right it gets better too I know it can be a little disorienting it takes some time to get used to it." Ria nodded her head in agreement "It really is amazing I'm a little jealous now."

"I'm gonna start moving now I'll use a wind barrier around us so you won't feel the wind." Covering both of them he started flying towards Querth.

*****

Yuuta started to get nervous that he couldn't see the city as the sun was getting low. "I'm gonna go faster so brace yourself it's not gonna feel great." He warned Ria before breaking the sound barrier. Ria let out a yelp but quickly buried her head into his chest as the speed started to pick up.

Yuuta's eyes darted around looking for the city. He was going so fast the trees were blurs of green. On his left side, a clearing barely registered as he slowed down to get a better look. A small smirk appeared happy to see the small village.

Turning back he slowly lowered himself and Ria to the ground a good distance from the village. Ria still held on tightly to his shirt even though they were on land now. She definitely wasn't used to this. Constantly being in a new place with new people. Traveling like this was new to her it put her on edge but almost in a good way. It made her heart beat fast her nerves on edge waiting for what was coming next it was exhilarating to her but at the same time extremely scary.

Yuuta could feel her unease and out his arm around her bringing her close. "Don't worry I'm right here nothing bad is going to happen." He said casually.

"I know I'm just a little nervous I've never done anything like this." She said a little shyly.

"Yea I get it I'm a little nervous too being in a new country is a little weird let's hope this village isn't as creepy as Rudon." He was trying to make a joke but it made both of their skin crawl thinking back to it.

They slowly approached the clearing, large wooden logs barricaded the outskirts of the village. A couple of towers stood above the fence it was hard to make out but Yuuta could see movement in one of them.

"Halt!! State your business" the voice echoed out of the watchtower. A shadowy figure walked forward revealing himself. His appearance caught Yutta off guard for a second but regained his composure just as fast. Blood red scales covered parts of his face and arms. Other than that his appearance was of a normal human. His red hair and eyes made his scales stand out even more in the orange sunset.

"We are traveling to Querth and needed some directions!" Yuuta yelled out to him calmly. Ria stood close to him.

The scaled man seemed to relax and had a small smile. He signaled to somebody below him and the large gate started to open 4 more guards were waiting with there hands on their swords ready to draw. Yuuta tensed immediately pushing Ria behind him she didn't resist following his directions. His hand now on his katana.

All 4 of the guards looked to be the same race but with different colored scales. The guards sensed his tension causing a younger woman with blue scales covering her arms and legs to speak up. "No need to worry it's just a precaution. We have had some goblins try to raid or village the past few nights.

Yuuta relaxed a little but was ready to fly off with Ria at a moments notice. "I understand my name is Yuuta Vermillion and this is my fiancé Ria." Yuuta introduces the two. Ria showed herself and gave a small wave before hiding again making the guards laugh at her shyness.

The blues scaled girl introduced herself as well. "Nice to meet you my name is Azure, please follow me it's customary that guests speak to the chief." She motioned for the two to follow her. The more curious villagers came out of their building to greet the white-haired man and his cat eared companion.

They were all extremely welcoming, surprisingly the adults all waved and said hello as little kids followed behind the two trying to get a better look. One little snuck his way through the guards and pulled on Ria's black and dark blue dress.

The guards went to shoo the kid off but Ria stopped them kneeling down to the short green scaled boy and gently rubbed his hair. The young boy went bright red at being so close to the beautiful woman. A small giggle from Ria made the embarrassed boy run back to his friends who were ready to make fun of him. All the little girls following could be heard talking about Ria's cat ears and how cute they were.

Yuuta couldn't help but smile at his beautiful fiancé. Even when she was nervous her kindness shined through. "You seem to have a fan club should I be jealous?" Yuuta whispered into her ear before giving it a slight nibble making her stiffen a little.

A slight tinge of pink covered her face as she giggled from the feeling. "Maybe he was pretty cute." Ria shot back with a smirk. Yuuta gasped pretending to be fake offended by her comment. The guards seem to relax considerably at how the two where acting.

Though the citizens and guards tried to not show all of them were on edge from previous days events. Being in constant danger would do that. Passing through the wooden huts and buildings they headed to the building near the middle of the village.

Azure knocked on the door and another guard greeted her leading them inside. A thin curtain divided two halves of the room. A voice gave them permission to enter the curtain was slowly drawn to the side revealing the second half of the room.

An elderly lady sat quietly eyeing the two guests a small smirk on her lips. Like the rest of the denizens, the elderly lady had black scales matching her black hair and eyes. Giving her a pretty ominous look Yuuta thought that she could stare into your soul was an accurate way of putting it.

Azure motioned for them to sit on the pillows in front of the elder. The blue-scaled girl introduced them to the elder. "Chief Cerra this Yuuta Vermillion and his fiancé Ria." After a moment of silence, the elder was still looking them over.

"Welcome to the village of Zygos you two." She said politely.

"Thank you for your hospitality I understand your village has been under attack these past nights yet you still open your home to us I'm grateful." Yuuta was a little proud of how well that came out.

Ria followed "Yes we are really grateful I hope we don't cause unwanted trouble." She said with a sweet smile. Yuuta squeezed her hand reassuring her that she was doing fine.

"No need to worry living this far out in the woods comes with its own challenges. A group of goblins have made there home in a nearby cave. We could have easily taken some goblins out us Savra are strong warriors but they seem to be lead by a hobgoblin. Putting is in a pretty dangerous predicament." Yuuta hadn't seen a Hobgoblin before but he remembered seeing a request on the b rank board to kill one. Looking at the guards they definitely looked strong but B rank monsters were on another level. "Hmm that does seem troublesome I've never seen one but I do know they are a b rank monster." Yuuta started contemplating if he should just go kill it for them.

"Troublesome indeed but not your problem. Are warriors have always answered the call we will not fail. Anyways I understand you're heading for Querth and needed directions? All you need to do is walk down the main path right outside the village for around 2 more days and you will make it. Hmm... The sun has started setting feel free to stay the night we have a couple of empty huts you can use for to feel tonight" Azure poured tea while they talked quietly handing it out.

"Thank you very much for the help and the kind offer we'll be happy to stay the night." Yuuta took her up on the offer Ria just nodded her head quietly as she sipped her tea.

The elder gave a somber smile it seemed she wanted to ask something but was hesitant. "Young man..... before you leave may I ask one thing of you." The elder bowed her head in respect knowing that asking a stranger for something was very rude. Azure spoke up "Grandma please don't bow to a stranger you are our leader we can handle our business ourselves!" Her voice getting louder with each word.

Yuuta gave a smile back " Of course! if it's within my power I'll be happy to help." He bowed back putting them back on equal grounds.

Azure looked to Yuuta in shock surprised he do such a thing. "I was going to send one of my warriors to Querth to ask the guild for help but I fear that would put us one fighting body down. I can't send a villager they wouldn't stand a chance if a monster made its way to the path. Even though Adventures do their best there's just to much land to cover and monsters slip through all the time. Especially on this part of the path the mountain blocks wandering monsters and almost pushes them back into the path. We could try to hold out till an Adventurer passes through but that could be days or weeks away. Since you're heading to Querth If it's not to much trouble would please put in the request when you make it. We don't have a lot of gold for the reward but hopefully, it's enough." Her shaky hands dipped into a decorated pouch pulling out 5 gold coins. "We do our own farming and hunting so we don't need much help from the outside world but we keep enough gold in case of an emergency such as these. I know I'm asking a lot of someone I just met but I can't leave us even more unprotected by sending a warrior away. At any moment that Hobgoblin can knock down our barricade!" The elder voice turned pleading as tears filled her eyes. Yuuta could tell she was trying to hold them back.

"I have been the chief of this village for 50 years I can't let it fall on my watch please I beg you!" She bowed once again conveying just how desperate she was.

Ria leaned over and whispered into his ear "It's your decision but you can help them right? I mean you will right?" She said with a scratchy voice her eyes moist clearly moved by the elder's story. That had more of an effect on him then the chief.

"If it's what you want I would be happy too." He whispered back kissing her cheek again. "Thanks, Yuuta I don't want to put you in danger but I can't help but feel for her." Ria was always a sucker for a sob story she couldn't help it her empathy was on another level.

Azure looked on in confusion as her chief begged for help while the two strangers were flirting. She was about to speak up for disrespecting her grandma but Yuuta spoke first. "No need to for the request my lovely fiancé convinced me to help. Well, to be honest, I was going to do it anyways but she looked so cute I couldn't refuse." Yuuta laughed as Ria elbowed him for being embarrassing.

"I may have left out in the introductions that I'm an adventurer as well. I'll be happy to take care of your goblin problem." The chief finally looked up with a small look of confusion.

Her confusion was broken by laughing Azure's laughing "Good one you an adventurer? I bet you barely know how to use that sword on your hip. I mean you don't even have leather armor did you just become an E rank? That hobgoblin would use you like a toothpick. How could a weak twig like you do anything to that hulking beast? " She was about to continue her barrage of insults but a small cup went flying into her head knocking her on her ass.

The chief and Yuuta both looked over to the fuming Ria a look of pure rage on her face. Azure quickly recovered and drew her sword (Things are getting out of hand quick) was all Yuuta could think to himself. "Yuuta offers to help you and you spit in his face!" Ria yells at the blue haired girl. The chief got up as quick as her old bones would let her and stood in front of her granddaughter. While Yuuta went to calm down Ria. Ria instantly relaxed when Yuuta stepped in front of her but still looked like a feral cat her hair standing on end. Yuuta started laughing hard as she looked on in confusions "ahhhaha I can't believe you did that you actually threw a cup at her head!" He was gasping for air as the situation calmed down.

Ria seemed to snap out of her anger realizing what she just did. "Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god why did I do that I just remember being so angry then everything was blank ." She tried to make sense of her actions while Yuuta was crying laughing. Azure didn't find it as funny but the chief seemed to say the right thing to calm her down.

Ria quickly apologized to both of them. "I sincerely apologize for my behavior I don't know what got into me." The chief only smiled and lightly chuckled as Azure grimaced rubbing her forehead.

"It's ok child, Azure was being extremely disrespectful I apologize as well no harm no foul." The elder seemed to shrug it off so everybody else followed.

Yuuta pulled out his guild card and handed to Azure. "My names Yuuta Vermillion A rank adventurer At your service."