The following morning, Aksibilian slowly opened his eyes.
The sunlight coming through the window illuminated the wooden ceiling above him. He remained still for a while, listening to the faint sounds coming from downstairs. There were footsteps, occasional voices, and the sound of something being moved around.
He slowly turned his head toward the door.
’How long am I supposed to stay in this bed?’
With a quiet sigh, he pushed the blanket aside and carefully sat up. His body still felt somewhat stiff, but the pain was nowhere near as bad as it had been before. After checking his bandages, he slowly got to his feet.
He steadied himself against the bed for a moment before taking a few cautious steps.
’Seems like I’m getting better.’
Although he still wasn’t completely recovered, he felt confident enough to leave the room.
He opened the door and stepped into the hallway. The house had two floors, and after making his way down the wooden staircase, he arrived on the first floor.
There, he noticed Angelica.
The girl was busy with something near the table. When she noticed Aksibilian coming downstairs, her hands stopped moving for a moment.
Their eyes met.
Angelica seemed somewhat uneasy. She lowered her gaze almost immediately, avoiding his eyes. Without saying anything, she quietly walked past him and entered another room.
Aksibilian watched her leave.
"...What’s with her?"
He scratched his cheek, not quite understanding her reaction. Then, deciding not to think too much about it, he made his way toward the front door.
The moment he stepped outside, a cool breeze brushed against his face.
The house was situated near the outskirts of Vernerossa, where the buildings were more spread out and the surrounding space was relatively open. Beyond the house, he could see several trees, a small road, and a few wooden fences separating the nearby properties.
Then he noticed someone familiar. Macarius was standing a short distance away, chopping firewood.
He had rolled up his sleeves and was holding an axe with both hands. A small pile of chopped logs had already gathered beside him. Each time the axe came down, a sharp thunk echoed through the quiet surroundings.
Aksibilian slowly walked toward him.
Macarius noticed someone approaching and turned his head. The moment he recognized Aksibilian, his expression brightened.
"Hey!"
He lowered the axe and rested it against a nearby tree stump.
"Why are you coming out of your room? What will you do if your injuries get worse?" Macarius asked. His expression showed both happiness and a little curiosity.
Aksibilian stopped a few steps away and gave him a confident smile.
"No, I’m feeling better now. I can move freely."
"But Grandpa said you shouldn’t move around so freely yet."
"Hey, man, who are you taking me for?" Aksibilian replied, raising his chin slightly. "I’m an awakener too. And besides, Grandpa must be overreacting about a few small injuries."
He even straightened his back a little to demonstrate that he was perfectly fine. Unfortunately, his body wasn’t quite as cooperative as his pride. Aksibilian’s legs wavered slightly, and he quickly shifted his weight to maintain his balance.
Macarius narrowed his eyes.
"Are you sure about that?"
"Of course!"
Just then–
"Ahem."
Someone coughed behind them. It wasn’t particularly loud, but it was enough to make both of them turn around.
Standing a short distance away was the old man.
He looked at Aksibilian with a rather unimpressed expression, his arms resting loosely at his sides.
"I am not overreacting," he said calmly. "And I know you possess some kind of power, but that doesn’t magically make your wounds disappear. You may be an awakener, but that doesn’t mean you’ll recover from every injury quickly."
Aksibilian’s confident expression immediately faltered.
"Ah... No, no. I didn’t mean it that way."
He scratched the back of his head and looked away awkwardly.
"That’s okay. I understand," Grandpa replied.
His tone was calm, although the slight smile on his face suggested that he wasn’t entirely convinced by Aksibilian’s explanation.
Macarius glanced between the two. Then he looked at Aksibilian and grinned.
"See? I told you."
"Shut up."
Macarius chuckled and picked up his axe again. The old man shook his head at their exchange before turning his attention toward the town.
However, before anyone could say anything else, a distant sound reached their ears.
Clip-clop. Clip-clop.
The rhythmic sound of horse hooves gradually grew louder. Grandpa turned his head toward the road.
"Hm?"
Aksibilian and Macarius followed his gaze.
A group of soldiers wearing metal armour was approaching the town center on horseback. Their armour reflected the sunlight, and each of them carried a weapon at their side. At the front rode a soldier holding a banner bearing an unfamiliar emblem.
The soldiers didn’t appear to be passing through. They were heading directly toward the center of Vernerossa.
People who noticed their arrival began gathering along the road. Some came out of their houses, while others stopped whatever they were doing and approached the town center out of curiosity.
Since Grandpa’s house was situated near the outer edge of the town, with a relatively open view of the surrounding area, the three of them could easily see the soldiers.
Grandpa’s expression gradually became more serious.
"Soldiers...?"
He wiped his hands against his clothes and began walking toward the town center.
Macarius placed the axe against the tree stump and followed him. Aksibilian hesitated for a moment before joining them, walking a little slower than the others.
None of them knew what was happening, but the sudden arrival of an armed group rarely meant anything pleasant.
By the time they reached the center, quite a crowd had already gathered.
The soldiers had dismounted from their horses. Their leader, a tall man wearing slightly heavier armour than the others, stood in front of the crowd. A rolled parchment was held in his hand.
He looked over the gathered townspeople with an expression that suggested he had no intention of wasting his time.
"People of Vernerossa!"
His loud voice silenced the surrounding conversations.
"By the authority of His Lordship, Marquess Vhaedrion Karszeth, ruler of the northern territories, I have come to deliver an official military decree!"
A murmur spread through the crowd.
The soldier unrolled the parchment and began reading.
"Due to the growing threat along the northern frontier and the recent movements of hostile forces, His Lordship has ordered the immediate reinforcement of his armies."
He paused, allowing his words to settle.
"Therefore, every settlement under the authority of House Karszeth is hereby required to provide military support."
Several people exchanged uneasy glances. The soldier continued without paying them any attention.
"Every household within Vernerossa must provide one able-bodied man for military service. Those selected will be gathered and transported to the nearest military encampment, where they will receive their assignments."
A few people in the crowd began whispering.
"One man from every household...?"
"What if there isn’t an able-bodied man in the family?"
"Quiet!" the soldier barked.
The crowd immediately fell silent.
"Households that are unable to provide a suitable recruit must instead contribute military supplies. This includes iron, weapons, armour, arrows, food provisions, horses, and other materials required by the army. The quantity of supplies demanded from each household will be determined by the appointed local officers."
He lowered the parchment slightly and looked across the crowd.
"Furthermore, the town is required to provide a fixed amount of grain and other food supplies for the duration of the military campaign. Any household that owns livestock or possesses surplus resources may also be called upon to make additional contributions."
The soldier’s voice became colder.
"These requirements are not requests. They are orders issued under the authority of His Lordship."
He rolled the parchment back up.
"All households must register their contributions within three days. The appointed officers will begin inspections tomorrow. Anyone who refuses to comply, hides eligible recruits, or deliberately withholds the required supplies will be considered an offender against House Karszeth."
He rested one hand on the hilt of his sword.
"And those who oppose the decree will be dealt with accordingly."
For a few seconds, nobody spoke. The townspeople looked at one another, their expressions growing increasingly troubled.
Some had large families and could spare a man, though the thought of sending a family member to war was hardly comforting. Others had only one adult man in their household. There were also families who barely had enough food to survive, let alone enough resources to supply an army.
A low murmur gradually spread through the crowd.
"Three days...? How are we supposed to prepare everything in three days?"
"My son is the only man in our household!"
"We barely have enough grain for the winter!"
"Does the Marquess expect us to starve?"
The soldier looked toward the crowd, his expression unmoved.
"Your difficulties are not my concern. The decree has been issued, and it will be carried out."
Standing among the townspeople, Grandpa frowned deeply. Macarius, who had been listening quietly, glanced around at the worried faces.
His expression changed.
Only a short while ago, he had been talking about becoming stronger so he could protect people from those who hurt others. Now, he was standing in the middle of a crowd where ordinary people were being forced to give up their family members and belongings.
Aksibilian noticed Macarius’s expression. He didn’t say anything, but his eyes shifted toward the soldiers before returning to his friend.
Something about the situation clearly bothered him.
And judging by the expressions of the townspeople, this decree was going to cause far more trouble than the soldiers seemed to care about.
Macarius turned toward Grandpa.
The old man stood quietly beside them, his gaze fixed on the soldiers. His expression was difficult to read, but Macarius had spent enough time in his house to understand his circumstances better than most. Even without knowing every detail, he had noticed how much the old man struggled to manage his daily needs. His body was frail, his movements slow, and the decree would demand far more from him than he could easily provide.
Macarius glanced at the soldiers again.
"Hey! Can I attend instead of someone?" he suddenly shouted.
The soldier who had been announcing the decree turned toward him, narrowing his eyes.
"Who are you? Are you from this town?"
Before Macarius could answer, Aksibilian grabbed his arm.
"Hey, what the hell are you saying? Attend instead of someone? Are you out of your mind?" he demanded, his voice sharp with anger.
Macarius turned toward him with a bewildered expression.
"What do you mean?" he asked, pretending not to understand. "What’s wrong with that?"
"What’s wrong with that?!" Aksibilian repeated, his grip tightening slightly. "Who exactly are you planning to attend for? Weren’t you struggling to fight even a few goblins just days ago? And now you’re suddenly volunteering for military service?"
His voice grew louder with every sentence. He looked genuinely furious, though the worry beneath his anger was difficult to miss.
"Macarius, you don’t need to do that," Grandpa interrupted. His brows were drawn together as he looked at the young man. "I can manage things on my own, too."
"No." Macarius shook his head. "It’s something I decided by myself just now."
"You decided just now?" Aksibilian stared at him in disbelief. "What the hell are you even thinking?"
Before Macarius could respond, the soldier spoke again.
"Hey, you three!" His attention shifted between them. "You aren’t from this town, are you? Who are you? Are you enemies?"
His hand moved to the hilt of his sword, and the surrounding townspeople grew noticeably quieter.
"No, no! They’re not from this town," Grandpa quickly explained, stepping forward. "They’re my guests. They were just passing through."
The soldier gave the three of them an irritated look. His hand remained near his sword for another moment before he finally relaxed.
"Then tell your guests to learn their place. This war isn’t something outsiders can stick their noses into."
He glanced at Macarius once more, then turned away.
"We’ll wait for the results. Make sure everything is ready."
With those words, he mounted his horse and rode off with the other soldiers, leaving the townspeople behind. For a moment, nobody spoke. The crowd remained gathered in the town square, their faces clouded with worry.
Aksibilian slowly released Macarius’s arm and looked at him with an expression that promised the argument wasn’t over. Macarius, meanwhile, kept his eyes on the departing soldiers.
***
"I don’t understand you. What are you even doing?" Aksibilian asked furiously.
He watched Macarius climb the stairs toward the second floor, his expression growing darker with every step. He was still struggling to understand what had gotten into the young man. A moment ago, Macarius had been talking about becoming stronger, and now he was volunteering for military service as if it were nothing.
Angelica was also watching them. She stood near the entrance, quietly observing their conversation. Her eyes followed Macarius as he disappeared up the stairs, but she didn’t say anything.
"Macarius, you don’t have to do something like that," Grandpa said. His voice was calmer than Aksibilian’s, but there was a hint of concern in it. "We aren’t even that close for you to feel obligated to do something like this."
Macarius stopped for a moment.
He lowered his head, saying nothing. His fingers curled slightly, as though he was struggling to find the right words.
Then he looked toward Aksibilian.
"Come with me."
Without explaining further, he continued upstairs.
Aksibilian frowned but followed him. The two entered the room where Aksibilian had been recovering. As soon as the door closed, Aksibilian turned toward him.
"Now talk. What’s the problem with you?"
He folded his arms, staring directly at Macarius.
"I can’t understand you. Why are you suddenly acting so strangely? You were just talking about hunting monsters and becoming stronger. Now you’re volunteering to go to war for people you barely know?"
Macarius hesitated.
"It’s just..." He glanced down at his hands before continuing. "Because I received a message."
"Received a message?"
Aksibilian let out a small laugh.
"From whom? Did the System tell you to go to war?" He chuckled again, but the amusement quickly faded when he noticed Macarius’s expression.
The young man wasn’t joking.
Aksibilian’s smile disappeared.
"...How?"
"I don’t know. I just received some kind of message."
"Just tell me already. What kind of message?"
Macarius took a brief breath before answering.
"A Divine Commission."
Aksibilian’s eyebrows rose.
"Divine Commission...?"