Semna and I had bickered, shoved, laughed, and sprinted our way here, but as soon as we arrived, we fell into a heavy silence.

Inside the hall, an odd tension lingered in the air.

Nearly a hundred people had gathered, but all they did was whisper among themselves.

Now that I thought about it, Gaya noona’s comment earlier made sense—the merchant group’s usual flag wasn’t visible.

The Zeroth Merchant Group always carried a red flag, but this one was yellow.

Semna glanced around, probably wondering who to ask about the situation, when her eyes landed on her brother. Her face immediately soured.

Can’t they just get along for once? It seemed like the siblings had quarreled again over something trivial.

Instead of her, I approached Monbin hyung to ask.

“Hyung, which merchant group is this?”

“That’s the Syle Merchant Group ,” he replied in a low whisper, casting a quick glance at the village chief , who was standing off to the side, glaring daggers at the merchant leader.

The Syle Merchant Group? Never heard of them.

“And the Zeroth Merchant Group?” I asked.

Monbin hyung sighed and explained, “During their last trade route, they ran into a pack of yetis and were wiped out. Word is, the Syle Merchant Group took over the Zeroth route—including our village.”

His voice was calm, but I felt a wave of shock crash over me.

The Zeroth Merchant Group had been visiting our village since I was little. They were lively, cheerful people who brought the outside world’s wonders to our snowbound home.

And yet, they had been utterly wiped out in a single moment, gone without a trace.

Semna tugged at my sleeve and whispered, “See? I told you the outside world is dangerous.”

“Semna, this isn’t the time for that,” I snapped.

“Oh… sorry,” she mumbled, her head lowering in apology.

Normally, I’d comfort her right away, but my heart was too heavy this time. I simply averted my eyes.

I had known the Zeroth Merchant Group fairly well. Of course, part of me thought they might help if I ever left the village someday—but that wasn’t all. I’d grown fond of them in my own way.

I closed my eyes and offered them a silent prayer.

Someday, when I leave this place, I’ll find those yetis and avenge you.

“Who gave you the recommendation?”

The village chief’s  deep, commanding voice shattered my thoughts. His towering frame, leaning on his staff like a weathered old tree, exuded a pressure no one could ignore.

But the middle-aged merchant leader, hands clasped casually behind his back, remained calm.

“I’ve already said, didn’t I? I received a letter of recommendation from the Shade Duke’s vassal.”

“The Shade Duke? That’s hard to believe,” the chief retorted.

“Well, I didn’t speak with the duke himself. It was his vassal who handed me the letter. If you read it, I’m sure you’ll understand.”

In the icy tension that followed, the chief took the parchment from the merchant’s hands.

“Why’s he being so cautious?”

Semna’s voice was soft, but it carried a hint of unease. She seemed intimidated by the heavy atmosphere.

I reached out and squeezed her shoulder gently to reassure her.

“Ow! Not so hard!” she yelped.

“Remember when those thieves pretended to be merchants and tried to attack the village?”

“Oh, right. That happened while I was asleep, didn’t it?”

They were probably settlers from a failed frontier village, driven to desperation and taking reckless actions they couldn’t handle. But because of their audacity, we too had to stain our hands with blood. I was just thankful Semna had been asleep and didn’t witness that carnage.

It made sense to stay wary of strangers, especially in this frozen world where goodwill came at a steep price.

Still, as I watched the village chief ’s expression soften while reading the letter, it seemed this time, things were in order.

“You’ve brought a proper letter of introduction. My apologies for the suspicion,” said the chief.

“No need to apologize. Honestly, even I was surprised when the Shade Duke’s household offered me this letter. May I ask, though…”

“That’s a matter we’ll discuss later. The villagers have been waiting long enough.”

True to his words, the crowd was visibly restless. It seemed like nearly everyone had gathered, except for those like Gaya noona, who had duties to keep them at their posts. After all, in our dull village life, a merchant group’s visit was one of the few special events to look forward to.

“Well then, no need to keep them waiting. I grant the Syle Merchant Group permission to trade,” the chief declared.

As soon as the words left his lips, the villagers surged toward the merchant crates, grinning ear to ear.

They probably didn’t have much money in their pockets, yet their excitement was palpable.

Semna, no doubt equally penniless, dragged me along, her eyes alight with enthusiasm. She began trying on necklaces and bracelets, holding them up for my opinion.

She was going to pick whatever she liked anyway, so why ask me?

With nothing I wanted to buy—and no money to spend—I hovered behind her. My wandering eyes eventually landed on someone else idling near the Syle merchants.

The man stood out, partly because of his glasses, which were a rare sight. He seemed a few years older than me—around twenty, maybe? He was tall, slim, and strikingly handsome, with pale skin that gave off a frail impression.

Noticing my gaze, he gestured for me to come over.

“Hello,” he greeted.

“Hello,” I replied.

“What’s your name?” he asked, his tone oddly formal and almost theatrical.

Ah, he must be from Gloria, the capital city. City folks are always like this, I thought, stifling a laugh as I answered.

“My name’s Solaire . And yours?”

“I’m Harwin . Nice to meet you.”

Harwin’s eyes scanned my outfit briefly before he spoke again.

“You’re a shepherd, aren’t you?”

“Huh? How did you know that?”

He chuckled softly. “Not just a shepherd—a skilled one, I’d say. You seem to take pride in your work. But you’ve also developed some rough, unpolished habits. My guess is, you’ve got a cute childhood friend who scolds and helps you out, right?”

Caught off guard, I blinked in surprise. Before I could reply, Harwin continued.

“There’s one more thing. Though this might sound intrusive…”

“What is it? Don’t worry—I’m the kind of person who can’t stand not knowing something. I don’t really care about ‘intrusions.’”

“Then, forgive me for being presumptuous, but… you probably lost your mother early in life. And your father might not be around anymore, either.”

My eyes widened in shock.

“How do you know that? Are you some kind of fortune-teller?”

Harwin laughed. “Not at all. This is what we call ‘deduction.’ I can explain, if you’d like.”

On being a shepherd.

“Greendal village is known for its wool, right? The Syle Merchant Group must have come here to trade for it. A boy your age, strong and sturdy, would naturally help with shepherding, so it wasn’t a hard guess.”

Harwin gestured toward my shoulders and arms as he continued.

“You have broad shoulders and well-built arms, which means you’re skilled at your work. Then there’s the fang charm tied to the hem of your pants. It looks like it came from a wolf or a warg. It wasn’t hard to deduce that you personally took down the creature to protect your sheep.”

On pride.

“That fang charm, though—it’s not exactly fashionable. To most people in the village, it probably doesn’t look all that impressive, either. If you’re still wearing it around, there can only be one reason: you’re proud of taking that wolf down yourself. That tells me you’re someone with a strong sense of pride.”

I was amazed by his insight.

Semna  had been pestering me for ages to stop wearing it, saying it looked silly. Now, having a stranger point out the same thing stung a little. Quietly, I unhooked the fang charm and tucked it into my pocket.

Harwin, oblivious to my actions, carried on with his explanation.

On rough habits and a childhood friend.

“Your clothes have patches of wear—on the cuffs, the knees, and especially the elbows. That tells me you’re used to crawling around and running a lot. But your poncho and fur hat are remarkably well-kept, almost out of place compared to the rest of your outfit. That suggests someone else gifted them to you or helps maintain them. And, well… I also happened to see you bickering with that girl earlier.”

On your parents.

“Now, about your parents… I need to apologize again. It wasn’t appropriate to bring it up, especially so casually. My bad habit of getting too focused on details got the better of me.”

“No, it’s fine,” I said, shrugging. “Both of them passed away when I was a baby. I barely even think about it anymore. But seriously, how did you figure it out?”

“Your clothes,” Harwin said, pointing at the stitching on one of my patches.

“The mending is sloppy. If your mother were around, she’d have sewn it much more neatly. That’s what made me think she might not be in the picture.”

He paused, then asked, “Was it your childhood friend who patched them up for you?”

I nodded. He was right. I’d tried asking Gaya noona, who’s great at sewing, but Semna insisted on doing it herself. No amount of arguing could change her mind.

“What about my father?” I asked. “How did you figure that out?”

“That was a general assumption,” Harwin admitted. “Widowed mothers tend to live longer than widowed fathers. It’s a common pattern.”

I was stunned. How could someone glean so much just from a brief encounter?

Harwin, who had initially struck me as frail and unremarkable, now seemed unexpectedly impressive.

“Is it really possible to figure out that much from just these little details? What else can you figure out? Could I learn to do it, too?” I asked eagerly.

Harwin laughed. “From that question alone, I can tell you’re incredibly curious. And yes, you can definitely learn.”

He began counting on his fingers as he explained.

“Every situation presents visible clues. From those, you gather evidence and, using your own logic, piece together the story. That’s how you reach conclusions.”

“Does that mean you can figure out everything?”

“Not everything, of course,” he replied with a smile. “But someone who constantly observes, reasons, and questions will eventually arrive at their own answers.”

His words were difficult to fully grasp, but they fascinated me.

I’d never met anyone who spoke like this.

Still… I didn’t think it was beyond me to try.

I studied Harwin carefully, mimicking the way he’d examined me.

Clues, deductions, conclusions—okay, let’s give it a shot.

“You’re not actually part of the merchant group, are you?” I asked.

“Oh? What makes you think that?” Harwin responded, tilting his head.

Harwin hyung’s expression shifted to one of amusement and intrigue.

He wasn’t the only one enjoying this—I could feel a similar grin on my own face as I eagerly explained my deduction.

“You’re not carrying crates or bargaining like the other merchants. You’re just chatting with me without taking part in anything important. Plus, the merchant leader, who’s confident enough to go toe-to-toe with our village chief , hasn’t said a word about you lazing around. That means you’re not part of the merchant group. In fact, you must be someone so important that even the leader wouldn’t dare say anything to you.”

I paused to take a breath, then continued with my reasoning.

“Also, you look too… weak. Your complexion is pale, almost sickly. No merchant group crossing the harsh snowfields would bring along someone in poor health. So, you’re not a regular traveler. You must have a special purpose for joining this particular journey. How’s that? Pretty good deduction, right?”

Harwin took off his glasses and looked at me carefully, as if reassessing me.

“This is… remarkable. I only gave you abstract principles, and you’ve already applied them so well.”

“So, who are you, really?” I asked, unable to suppress my curiosity.

“Think you can guess that too?” Harwin replied with a smile. “If you get it right, I’ll give you a gift.”

I studied him again. A bespectacled intellectual. Clearly not someone who relies on physical labor. That meant he worked with his mind.

But what kind of work would require someone like him to wander the snowfields?

A government official conducting an inspection? A storyteller? A doctor? A priest?

None of those options felt quite right. He didn’t seem like a wandering knight either. If he wasn’t a merchant or knight, what other reasonable explanation was there for traveling these frozen wastes?

Then it struck me. Could he be like me?

The realization tumbled out of my mouth before I could stop myself.

“I don’t know exactly who you are or what you do, but… you’re someone who came out to the snowfields to pursue something you truly want. Not for money, and not because someone ordered you to do it. It’s something people might call foolish—a longing like the ones in old stories. Something only you want to do.”

Harwin drew in a sharp breath, his already pale face turning even whiter.

“How… How do you… Who are you?”

“You already figured that out earlier,” I replied, grinning. “The shepherd of Greendal village.”

“Right… yes, of course,” he muttered, still shaken.

After a moment’s thought, I decided to share a secret of my own.

“And just like you, I have a longing that leads me beyond the snowfields.”

For the first time, I saw a glimmer of understanding in Harwin’s eyes, as though he’d found an unexpected kindred spirit. He exhaled deeply and smiled.

“I never imagined I’d meet someone with eyes like yours in a remote frontier village like this. What an extraordinary encounter. I’m dying to know what your longing is, but first…”

“First?” I echoed.

“We need to finish this guessing game,” he said, chuckling. “What do you think I do for a living?”

Harwin reached into his coat and pulled out a thick bundle.

“This is what I work with,” he said, handing it to me.

“What’s this?” I asked, examining the unfamiliar object.

“A encyclopedia.”

“Encyclopedia?” The word was entirely foreign to me.