Later that day, Elias came down carrying a large slab of Dire Wolf meat along with some other cooking supplies in his arms.
The group stirred as he called out to them.
"You all must be hungry. This is meat from a Dire Wolf I hunted myself. It should be enough for everyone. Cook it well and eat. You'll need the strength."
Kael stepped forward and gave a slight bow. "We're grateful, Lord Elias. Truly."
Elias waved his hand casually with a small grin. "Just eat and recover."
A woman, probably the caravan's cook, stepped forward shyly and took the meat with a low bow. Elias gave her a nod.
"I'll leave it to you, then."
He turned and began walking back toward the house, with Vael silently following behind.
It was time to complete the system's daily quest.
---
[Ding!]
Daily Quest: "Foundation of the Body" Completed ✅
Rewards:
+1 Endurance
+1 Strength
+1 Willpower
+20 EXP
Elias sat cross-legged in front of the dome, a steady breath escaping his lips as the glowing system screen floated before him.
Unlike the first few times, finishing the quest now didn't leave him breathless or sore anymore. His current stats made the physical tasks much easier to handle.
With a thought, he dismissed the screen, letting it fade from view. His eyes shifted to the edge of the Embergrove ahead. His expression stayed calm and unreadable as he watched.
"Vael," Elias called softly.
"Yes, Master," Vael replied right away.
"Come. Sit with me."
The undead assassin tilted his head slightly, then walked forward without hesitation, sitting down beside Elias.
"What's wrong, Master?" he asked in a quiet voice.
Elias didn't answer right away. He let the silence stretch out a bit before finally closing his eyes for a second. Then, opening them again, he spoke.
"Earlier, you said there was something suspicious about the group."
Vael nodded. "Yes."
"I ignored it then," Elias said slowly, "but I've been thinking. It's better to be cautious. Tell me exactly what you sensed."
Vael's eyes narrowed slightly as he nodded again. "At first, it was just instinct. When I saw Kael and Lord Veran, something felt off. Too calm. Too polished. But when Kael spoke... that's when the feeling got stronger."
"The way he talked—it didn't feel real. It was too perfect. Like a speech he had practiced, down to the pauses and tone. It was like he already knew what you'd ask and had prepared answers in advance."
Elias frowned, thinking it over. He had noticed how calm Kael was earlier, the way he spoke so smoothly. But he had dismissed it. After all, it made sense that someone desperate would try hard to make a good impression.
Still, he said nothing and waited for Vael to continue.
"But that wasn't what confirmed my suspicion," Vael said. "It was when Kael talked about the beast horde."
Elias's eyes sharpened. "Why?"
"Because he lied."
Elias turned fully to him, frowning. "Explain."
"I'm no scholar," Vael said calmly, "but I know what a blade wound looks like. Maybe I can't speak for all of them, but the wounds on Lord Veran? Those weren't made by claws. They were clean and sharp, a cut only a blade could make. Unless there's a sword-wielding beast in the forest, someone isn't telling the truth."
Elias narrowed his eyes, his thoughts racing.
Beast claws were wild and savage—they tore through flesh with brutal force. Even the sharpest ones left messy wounds, deep gashes, or punctures—not clean, smooth cuts. What Vael said made sense. And now that he thought about it, Kael didn't have any visible beast injuries either. Even the marks on his armor didn't look like they came from a beast.
If they weren't attacked by beasts… then who had they fought?
And why lie about it?
Vael continued. "I've also been watching how the group behaves. They're scared of Kael and Veran. It's subtle, but noticeable. They don't look them in the eye. They go quiet whenever either of them walks by. Some even flinch. That's not just respect… that's fear. Something's definitely off."
---
Meanwhile, back at the camp...
The once-quiet atmosphere was now livelier. With Elias's help, the survivors had finally eaten a proper meal, and their spirits were lifted. Fatigue faded. Quiet conversations returned, although they stayed low and cautious under the watchful eyes of Kael and Veran.
The cook from earlier moved around with a small smile, handing out wooden bowls filled with food.
Not far from the fire, Kael and Veran sat together, both of them watching Elias and Vael, who were seated at a distance.
"What do you think they're talking about?" Veran muttered under his breath.
Kael crossed his arms. "How should I know? But I don't like it."
Veran scoffed. "They're suspicious of us. You can see it."
Kael didn't respond. He just stared quietly.
Right at that moment, Elias and Vael stood up.
"They're coming," Kael said.
The camp stirred as the two figures approached. Seeing them, the survivors quickly stood and offered slight bows in greeting.
Elias raised a hand. "There's no need for that," he said with a faint smile. "I just came to check on you all. How are you settling in?"
Kael stepped forward and gave a nod. "We're settling well, thanks to your kindness."
"Good," Elias replied.
Just then, the cook from earlier stepped forward with a small plate. "I saved you a portion, my lord," she said, blushing a little. "In case you were hungry."
Elias gave a polite smile. "Thank you, but I'm not hungry. You should keep it."
"Not even a little?" she asked again, hopefully.
Elias shook his head gently, still refusing.
Kael let out a chuckle. "He feeds us and won't eat anything himself? That doesn't feel right."
Lord Veran stood and patted a leather satchel. "I managed to salvage a bottle of good wine before the carriage was lost. At least share a drink with us, Lord Elias."
Elias shook his head calmly. "I don't drink—but I'll sit with you."
Veran grunted. "Fair enough."
A young man brought over a stool. Elias nodded in thanks and took a seat, his posture relaxed but attentive.
"So," Elias said casually, "how's the living arrangement going?"
Kael answered right away. "It's going fine. We'll pitch our tents when night falls."
"Good," Elias said, folding his hands. A short silence followed.
Then Kael broke it, glancing at Vael. "Your guard, Lord Elias—he's impressive. I can feel his aura. He's strong."
Elias laughed lightly. "He is. In fact, he's undead—just like the Dire Wolf you saw earlier."
A stunned silence fell over the group.
"What?" Veran blinked in disbelief.
The survivors behind them whispered in shock. Some even gasped.
Necromancy was a rare path there were only few of them, and most people went their whole lives without seeing a real undead. Seeing the undead Dire Wolf had shocked them enough—and now they had just learned that Vael was also undead.