The forest trail was quiet. Birds chirped in the trees, and sunlight broke through the leaves above.
A fancy carriage rolled slowly along the dirt road.
Around it rode six knights in armor, swords at their sides. A few adventurers walked behind, keeping their eyes on the woods.
Inside the carriage, things were less serious.
"This is completely ridiculous," said a round man with a red face, dabbing his forehead with a silken cloth. "All this security? For what? Do they think we're crossing a battlefield?"
A knight sitting opposite him replied calmly, "With demons appearing more often, this is the minimum safety we can allow, sir."
The noble scoffed, waving a hand. "Oh please. I'm just a man of taste, not royalty. This armor clinking all around is headache enough."
Across from him sat a young adventurer, arms crossed, staring out the window.
He has no idea how close danger really is, the young man thought. He thinks gold can protect him from everything.
