Gathering Husbands with a System in a Game Like World [BL]
Chapter 12: An Expedition

Chapter 12: An Expedition

The first light of dawn had not yet reached the town. Most people were still asleep. Only a few lanterns remained lit along the streets, their warm glow shining on the damp roads from the night’s rain.

Inside a modest inn room, Kai slowly opened his eyes. For a brief moment he simply stared at the wooden ceiling above him.

"Morning already."

He stretched his arms before sitting up on the bed. Today would be different. His first official quest as an adventurer. His first real journey into the wilderness. His first chance to prove that he belonged in this world, not just as someone who remembered a game, but as Kai Valerius himself.

He climbed out of bed and began preparing. His dark traveling clothes were neatly folded beside the bed. The charcoal-black cloak he had bought the day before rested over the chair. Kai fastened it around his shoulders and pulled the hood over his silver-white hair. Only the lower half of his face remained visible. Perfect.

Reaching toward the table, Kai packed the several pieces of bread, dried meat, and waterskin into his travel bag. The next instant a silver magic circle briefly shimmered beneath his right ring finger. The bag disappeared, stored safely inside the Ring of Infinite Storage.

Kai couldn’t help smiling.

"...I still don’t think I’ll ever get used to this."

The system answered immediately.

[Host has utilized the Ring of Infinite Storage five times since acquisition.]

Kai blinked.

"You’ve been counting?"

[Affirmative.]

"...Please don’t."

Silence.

Kai laughed quietly before leaving his room.

Outside, the morning air felt crisp and cool. Kai walked through the gradually waking streets, reviewing everything in his mind. Twenty-six days. That was all he had before the Imperial Academy entrance examination. Not enough to become the strongest. But enough to become stronger than he currently was.

The system appeared briefly.

[Preparation Progress: Remaining Time – 26 Days. Current Evaluation: moderately Nice Start.] It dissapeard. Kai sighed.

By the time Kai reached the Adventurer’s Guild, the sky had begun glowing orange. Unlike the previous day, the guild hall was quiet. Only a handful of adventurers sat at the long wooden tables. Most were finishing breakfast they had either brought with them or bought at the guilds restaurant. Others sharpened weapons while discussing thier missions.

Near the entrance stood a notice board. One parchment had been marked with a red ribbon.

Escort Request

Destination: Emeraldwood Forest.

Client: Lucien Ashcroft.

Status: Accepted.

Kai opened his eye in surprise, his client was literally his husband candidate. He gulped as he approached the gathering group. There were already several people waiting.

The first was a tall man in his early forties with short dark hair streaked with gray. A longsword rested comfortably against his shoulder. His weathered face carried many old scars. Even standing still, he radiated authority and Experience.

The system identified him.

[Darius Voss. Race: Human. Adventurer Rank: C. Occupation: Expedition Captain.]

Standing nearby was a young woman adjusting the string of her bow. She wore green leather armor suited for moving quickly through forests. She flashed Kai a friendly smile. Beside her stood a broad-shouldered man carrying an enormous shield nearly as tall as himself. He appeared intimidating at first glance until he yawned loudly. The final adventurer leaned casually against a pillar while spinning a dagger around one finger. He had Sharp eyes wearing a sharper smile than the rest.

Kai walked toward them calmly.

"Good morning."

The captain gave a short nod.

"You here for the escort mission?"

"I am."

"Name?"

"Kai Valerius."

The captain’s eyes dropped toward the bronze badge pinned beneath Kai’s cloak. The engraved letter was unmistakable. F.

The dagger-wielding adventurer laughed.

"...You’re joking."

Kai turned toward him.

"No."

The man pushed himself away from the pillar.

"Felix. E-Rank."

He crossed his arms.

"This isn’t an herb-picking trip."

Kai answered calmly.

"I know."

Felix frowned.

"You do?"

"I accepted the quest after reading its description."

The captain remained expressionless.

"Have you fought monsters before?"

Kai considered the question carefully.

"...Not many."

An honest answer. Darius sighed.

"I appreciate honesty. But this forest isn’t forgiving. If things go badly... know when to run."

Kai nodded respectfully.

"I will."

"tch!"

The broad-shouldered shield bearer finally spoke.

"I’m Rogan."

He smiled warmly.

"As long as you don’t do anything reckless, we’ll get along."

The archer gave a small wave.

"Mira. Nice to meet you."

Kai returned the greeting.

Before anyone could continue, the guild doors opened once again.

A young half-elf entered carrying a leather satchel overflowing with neatly organized herbs and glass containers. Long emerald-green hair rested over one shoulder. Golden-green eyes scanned the room. The moment they landed on Kai, his expression brightened.

"Kai."

Kai smiled beneath his hood.

"Good morning, Lucien."

Lucien walked over.

"I didn’t expect to see you here."

"I accepted the escort request."

"So did I."

The two exchanged a brief laugh. Their easy conversation immediately caught everyone’s attention. Felix looked between them.

"You two know each other?"

Lucien nodded.

"We met recently."

He looked toward Kai.

"And we’ve had a very enjoyable conversation." kai blushed.

The captain raised an eyebrow.

"You trust him?"

Lucien answered without hesitation.

"I do. He notices things most people overlook. And he’s far more knowledgeable than he gives himself credit for."

Kai rubbed the back of his neck.

"You’re giving me too much praise."

"I’m giving an honest opinion."

The captain studied Kai for another moment. Then he gave a small nod.

"Very well. If Lucien vouches for you... I’ll judge you by your actions."

Kai bowed slightly.

"That’s all I can ask."

An hour later the expedition left the town through its eastern gate. By midday they reached Emeraldwood Forest.

Kai stopped walking. His eyes widened slightly. Tall trees stretched endlessly toward the sky. Their green leaves shimmered where sunlight filtered through the canopy. Blue moss covered large patches of the forest floor. Clear streams flowed quietly between clusters of flowering plants. Birds with bright feathers soared overhead. Tiny butterflies carrying faint traces of mana danced lazily through the air. The entire forest was very beautiful.

Lucien smiled.

"Beautiful, isn’t it?"

Kai nodded.

"It feels peaceful."

"It usually is."

Lucien knelt beside a cluster of pale blue flowers.

"Our objective is straightforward. We’re searching for three medicinal plants."

He carefully held up the first.

"Moon Dew Blossoms."

Next came a crimson fern.

"Scarlet Heart Fern."

Finally, he opened a sketchbook to reveal a delicate orchid with glowing azure petals.

"And the Azure Spirit Orchid. These herbs will be refined into medicine for soldiers stationed along the Empire’s northern frontier. They’re difficult to obtain. But countless lives depend on them."

Kai recognized every single one. In the game they had all been classified as high-quality alchemy ingredients. He wisely kept that knowledge to himself. Instead he simply nodded.

"We’ll make sure you find them."

The expedition continued deeper into Emeraldwood Forest.

The further they walked, the denser the trees became. The air felt cool and rich with mana. Every breath felt refreshing. Lucien slowed his pace, occasionally kneeling beside patches of vegetation. His two apprentices, Lina and Theo, hurried after him with notebooks in hand.

"Master Lucien," Theo asked, "how do you tell whether a Moon Dew Blossom is mature enough to harvest?"

Lucien gently lifted one of the pale blue flowers.

"Observe the petals. If the tips have turned silver, the mana has fully condensed. If you harvest them too early, the medicine loses nearly half its effectiveness."

The two apprentices nodded eagerly. Kai listened quietly. Although he already knew the answer, hearing Lucien explain it made him appreciate just how knowledgeable the half-elf truly was.

"Master!"

Lina suddenly crouched beside a cluster of mushrooms.

"I found some Silver Caps!"

She reached toward them excitedly.

"Wait."

Kai’s calm voice stopped her hand. Everyone turned toward him. Lina blinked.

"Yes?"

Kai pointed to the mushrooms without touching them.

"The ones in the center are Silver Caps. But the ones around them aren’t."

Felix frowned.

"They all look identical."

Kai shook his head.

"Almost. The poisonous ones have darker gills underneath. And the stems are slightly thinner. If they’re mixed together during brewing, the potion becomes toxic."

Lina quickly withdrew her hand. Lucien stepped forward immediately. He carefully turned one of the mushrooms over. A moment later he smiled.

"Kai is correct."

Theo gasped.

"I couldn’t even tell the difference..."

Lucien nodded thoughtfully.

"Neither could most apprentice alchemists."

He looked at Kai.

"You’ve studied medicinal fungi as well?"

Kai smiled sheepishly.

"I’ve read a few books."

Lucien chuckled.

"I would very much like to borrow those books someday."

Kai laughed awkwardly. He could have sworn he heard the system act smug.

"I’ll see if I can remember their titles."

The party continued onward. Felix still looked unconvinced.

"Coincidences happen. Anyone can get lucky once."

Kai simply smiled. He had no intention of arguing. Not long afterward his Arcane Eye activated on its own. A faint yellow outline appeared several meters ahead. Information unfolded.

[Terrain Analysis. Soil Integrity: Extremely Low. Hidden Sinkhole. Estimated Depth: 9.4 meters. Probability of Collapse Under Human Weight: 98%.]

Kai immediately raised a hand.

"Stop."

The group halted. Darius turned.

"What is it?"

Kai pointed toward an ordinary patch of fallen leaves.

"Don’t step there."

Felix sighed dramatically.

"Another coincidence?"

Kai picked up a nearby branch and tossed it onto the leaves. The ground instantly gave way. The leaves collapsed into a massive pit hidden beneath them. Everyone stared. Theo swallowed hard.

"That would’ve been me."

He had been walking directly toward it. Rogan let out a low whistle.

"Good catch."

Even Felix’s confident expression cracked slightly.

"...Alright. That one wasn’t luck."

Darius glanced at Kai.

"How did you notice it?"

Kai had already prepared an answer.

"The leaves were too neat. The ground around them had settled differently. And there weren’t any animal tracks crossing that area."

The veteran captain looked at the pit once more. Then back at Kai.

"Sharp observation."

Kai simply nodded. Inside, he silently thanked the Arcane Eye.

The atmosphere within the group subtly changed. Nobody openly praised Kai. But they began paying attention whenever he spoke. When he suggested avoiding a narrow path because the rocks looked unstable, Darius checked. Kai was right. When Kai pointed toward a cluster of glowing flowers hidden beneath thick bushes, Lucien hurried over. His eyes lit up.

"Azure Spirit Orchids. They’re perfect specimens."

Theo looked at Kai in amazement.

"How did you even see those?"

Kai shrugged.

"I happened to notice a faint blue glow."

Lucien laughed softly.

"I’ve spent years searching for herbs. And yet you spotted them before I did."

Felix scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"...Guess I judged you too quickly."

Kai smiled.

"It happens."

Felix grinned.

"You’re surprisingly easy to talk to. I expected some spoiled noble. I’ve met enough of those."

Kai chuckled.

"So have I."

The entire party laughed. The tension that had existed since the Guild slowly disappeared.

As the group rested beside a clear stream, Lucien sat beside Kai.

"I’ve been wondering something."

Kai looked over.

"Hm?"

"You know far more about herbs than an ordinary adventurer. And earlier you identified poisonous mushrooms at a glance."

Kai smiled.

"I enjoy reading."

Lucien raised an eyebrow.

"Only reading?"

"I’ve always believed knowledge becomes useful eventually."

Lucien nodded thoughtfully.

"I couldn’t agree more."

The half-elf smiled warmly.

"I’ve rarely met someone my age who enjoys learning as much as you do."

A familiar notification appeared before Kai.

[SSS-Rank Husband Candidate: Lucien Ashcroft]

[Affinity Increased: 8% to 11%]

[Reason: Shared intellectual interests and growing trust.]

Kai pretended not to notice the window. Instead he accepted the cup of water Lucien handed him.

"Thank you."

"My pleasure."

For a brief moment neither of them spoke. The silence was not awkward. It was comfortable. There was a quiet understanding between them, a shared curiosity that felt easy and natural. Kai found himself noticing the small things — the way Lucien’s eyes softened when he smiled, the gentle way he handled the herbs. Lucien, in turn, kept stealing glances at Kai, clearly enjoying their conversation more than he let on.

As the expedition resumed, Kai instinctively slowed his pace. His Arcane Eye had activated again. This time it was not highlighting herbs or dangerous terrain. It was focused on the muddy ground ahead. Kai crouched. There, pressed deeply into the damp earth, was an enormous footprint. At first glance it resembled that of a wolf. But it was far too large. Nearly the size of a wagon wheel.

The Arcane Eye displayed a red window.

[Warning! Unknown Monster. Estimated Threat Level: B-Rank. Warning: Extreme caution advised.]

Kai’s expression grew serious. Darius noticed immediately.

"What did you find?"

Kai slowly stood. His eyes scanned the surrounding forest.

"...Tracks."

The captain walked over. His face hardened the instant he saw them.

"...Those aren’t supposed to be here."

The cheerful songs of birds suddenly ceased. The buzzing insects vanished. Even the wind seemed to hold its breath. An unnatural silence settled over the forest.

Rogan tightened his grip on his shield. Felix’s hand instinctively moved to his dagger. Lucien slowly closed the lid of his herb basket. Every instinct they possessed screamed the same warning.

They were no longer alone.