“This is as far as I go, sir.”

Zeke tore his gaze from the majestic mountain range and looked at the person who had come up beside him. Despite not even being ten years old, the guide looked like an old man with gray hair and fur.

“Is this already the spot?”

The boy nodded. “The Danger Zone is right ahead.”

Zeke studied their surroundings. During the last few hours, the desert had given way to a dry savannah bordering a mountain range. But no matter how hard he looked, he couldn’t find a single sign indicating they were about to enter the Danger Zone.

“How can you tell?”

The boy pointed at the stack of scribbles he held in his hand. “It’s the maps, sir.“

Zeke nodded. He had long since inspected the documents the boy carried but couldn’t make sense of them. They were either in code, or the boy had some hidden talents. Zeke thought the second possibility was far more likely. After all, they had reached this point without encountering a single monster.

“Very well,” Zeke said. “Then let’s do it as we’ve discussed. Also, if we aren’t back in two weeks, you can leave without us.”

The boy nodded jerkily. However, Zeke didn’t miss the slight smile that had appeared on his face. Apparently, it wasn’t uncommon for clients to go back on their word when the time came. Zeke had heard countless stories during the past week where such people forced the boy into danger.

Zeke had gotten to know the boy a little during their journey. He had been very interested in learning more about the different regions and Danger Zones, so they never ran out of topics to discuss. From their talks, Zeke had also gotten a glimpse into what it was like to be a guide. The occasional hints and anecdotes in the boy’s stories didn’t paint a pretty picture.

Zeke looked at the two people who were riding up ahead. “You two, stop.”

Gravitas and Vulcanos turned in their saddle, waiting for further commands.

“It is late. We will make camp for the night and continue at daybreak.”

“Yes, Master,” Vulcanos said energetically while Gravitas merely nodded. Neither of them questioned his orders, even though the night was still far away.

His two guards kept watch in shifts, and Zeke was grateful for it. Even though Akasha could warn him, she would only notice an intruder once they were far too close. After all, her senses were restricted to the range of his [Perfect Spacial Awareness].

***

[Notice]

It’s time to get up, Host.