Chapter 3: The Man Who Guards the Silence

  A gentle breeze brushed against the window, carrying the scent of snow and pine into the room. The warmth of the fireplace wrapped around me, steady and comforting. Morning arrived quietly, just like every other day in this peaceful house.

  Father had already left to gather firewood and hunt. Downstairs, Merry—no, Mother—was preparing breakfast. My wounds had healed enough for me to move freely, though weakness still lingered in my body. I felt restless. Sitting still no longer suited me.

  I went downstairs, only to find myself standing around with nothing to do.

  It was boring.

  Mother noticed immediately.

  “Are you bored?” she asked with a gentle smile.

  “…Yeah,” I replied.She paused for a moment, then gestured for me to follow her. We walked to the back of the house, where she opened a narrow wooden door I had never noticed before.

  “There’s something down here,” she said.

  An underground staircase revealed itself.

  “A library,” she explained. “If you’re bored, you can read.”

  Curious, I followed her down.

  The air was cold and stale. The room looked as though it hadn’t been touched in years. Dust coated the shelves, and the scent of old paper filled the space. With Mother’s help, I lightly cleaned the room, clearing just enough dust to make it usable.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  And so, I began to read.Day after day, I lost myself among the books. I learned about this world not through battle, but through words. Monsters. Magic. Magical beasts. Demon Lords. Adventurers and heroes.

  Fantasy.

  In my previous life, I had been thirty-five years old. As a teenager, I had consumed countless fantasy novels, manga, and anime. Because of that, understanding this world came easily.

  Yet one title caught my attention.

  The Fallen Lord of Darkness.

  There was no explanation. No story. Only the name.

  That silence disturbed me. From the books, I learned there were four continents: the Human Continent, the Dwarven Continent, the Elven Continent, and the Demon Continent. We lived in the Human Continent, in a land called Tantamanzy, specifically in its southernmost region.

  Few people lived here.

  Because this land bordered the Demon Continent—Dyarchy.

  When Father returned that evening, something in his presence felt different. The next morning, he told me I would go with him.

  To the forest.Before we left, he handed me a short sword. Mother watched us go with a gentle smile. Father carried a long sword strapped to his back, his eyes constantly scanning the surroundings.

  The forest was silent.

  Snow covered the ground, softening our footsteps. Father moved as though the forest itself accepted him. After some time, he stopped and began setting a trap with practiced ease.

  It felt as though he already knew prey would pass through that spot.

  We didn’t wait.

  Instead, we went deeper to gather firewood. Suddenly, Father raised his hand .

  I froze

  A rabbit stood near a snow-covered bush.

  But it wasn’t normal.

  Small horns curved from its head.

  In that moment, I truly believed it.

  This was a fantasy world.

  Father lifted his bow calmly. No hesitation. No wasted movement. The arrow flew true, striking the rabbit cleanly.

  It fell instantly.

  As I stared at the horned rabbit lying lifeless in the snow, a thought crossed my mind.

  We live so close to the Demon Continent… yet we’ve never seen monsters near our house. Not in the forest. Not even once.The thought lingered as we picked up the rabbit and headed back toward the trap.

  That was when the forest changed.

  The air grew heavy.

  I brushed aside a snow-filled bush—

  And stopped.

  A massive shadow stood before us.

  A giant demon bear.

  Its mouth was soaked in blood. One of the trapped animal’s legs lay crushed beneath it. The prey had already been eaten.

  Father stood perfectly still.

  I stepped toward him.

  “Don’t come,” he shouted.But my body moved anyway.

  Then he looked at me.

  My breath vanished.

  That single glance crushed my will. My legs refused to move. It felt as though death itself had fixed its eyes on me.

  Father slowly unsheathed his sword.

  The sound was calm.

  In less than a second, the bear’s head flew into the air.

  Blood stained the snow as the massive body collapsed.

  Silence returnedOnly then did I understand.

  Why there were no monsters near our home.

  Why the forest felt peaceful despite being so close to the Demon Continent.

  It wasn’t luck.

  It was him.

  I stood there, frozen.

  The man beside me was not just a hunter.

  He was the reason this place remained safe.

  And he was my father.