What If - ENG

Chapter 1 - Her Curse and Wish

The morning sunlight coming through the cracks in the window woke up a woman. A young woman with long black hair, black irises and a burn mark on her left eye. Even so, the woman's face was still very beautiful. She slowly woke up from her sleep and gently rubbed her eyes. Her slightly messy hair and the innocent expression on her face when she woke up, could not hide her beauty.

"Hoamm... Where else should I look for that person?" she muttered as she opened her bedroom window and let the warm sunlight fill her room.

Shizue Izawa, that was the name of the beautiful black-haired woman. A woman who had experienced a lot in her lifetime, a strong woman who was even called a hero. Until one day, people referred to her as the "Conqueror of Flames".

Shizue smiled gently at the sight of the birds chirping in the morning, and the gentle breeze that cooled her face. After enjoying the beauty of the morning, Shizue then got up from her bed and went to the bathroom to get ready. 

After that, Shizue hung her sword behind her and then picked up her mask. No, that mask didn't belong to Shizue but to someone who saved her. A hero who came to free Shizue from the chains that once bound her.

Shizue put on the mask, before she stepped out of her room. Shizue went down to the ground floor of the inn she was staying at, and ordered a piece of bread and tea for breakfast. After breakfast Shizue went to the Adventurer's Guild in Blumund Kingdom, when she got there, Shizue saw people still talking about the disappearance of the Storm Dragon Veldora.

'Do I need to check the Jura Forest too?' thought Shizue who was a little curious about the disappearance of one of the disaster-bringing creatures. Shizue then walked to the front of the mission board to fill her free time, but she didn't find a single mission that suited her.

Instead, Shizue saw a group of 3 adventurers walking down from the Guild Master's room. Shizue unintentionally listened to the conversation of those who were given the mission to go to the Jura Forest.

'Maybe I can join them to go to Jura Forest' Shizue thought and walked after the three adventurers. 

"Are we really going to that forest again?" one of them complained.

"What can I say, it's a direct order from the Guild Master" replied the female adventurer among the three of them.

"Excuse me, can I join your group?" asked Shizue who was trying to get their attention. Hearing someone trying to talk to them made the three adventurers turn their heads towards Shizue.

"Hm, who are you?"

"My name is Shizu, I'm also an A rank adventurer. I accidentally heard that you guys were going to the Jura Forest, and I originally wanted to go there myself. So I decided to go with you guys, is that okay?" replied Shizue while showing her adventurer card.

The three adventurers then turned around and started whispering among themselves before they faced back towards Shizue.

"We're fine with that, after all it would be better if there were more people. Welcome aboard, Shizu-san" said the male adventurer who was the leader of the group.

"Hi, Shizu-san. My name is Eren, and that one is Gido, and our leader is Kaval" said Eren while introducing her colleagues.

"Shizu-san, sorry in advance. Do you mind if you wait for us at the gate? You see, we're not ready yet" Kaval asked.

"No problem, but don't make me wait too long" replied Shizue.

After that brief conversation, Shizue began to walk towards the royal gates to wait for Eren and the others. As they promised, they didn't keep Shizue waiting long and soon caught up with her. Seeing Team Kaval coming towards her, Shizue turned around and walked ahead of them. And on that morning, the four of them entered the Jura Forest with different purposes.