Literally the next day, the three adventurers have met each other once again, however, their meeting is not by coincidence as they are the same adventurers in the same Adventurers' Guild. Itsuo and Selene was looking for Christa.
It was a usual early morning in the Kingdom of Reilaea. With the vegetable and meat retailers, as well as the blacksmiths, potion shop and others opening their business to the public. And the civilians who eagerly woke up as early as the sun rises and gave light to the Kingdom, they all began to crowd the streets. The people walked through different directions as they buy, visit, and do other things that are part of their daily life routines. It is an everyday activity in the Kingdom, but today seemed to be rather different.
Today, Reilaea is overflowing with bright, lively atmosphere that spreads all over the city. Not only that, the civilians, the shop keepers, even the knight guards patrolling the streets are in high spirits - Chatting, playing, even just walking around the streets, everyone and everything seemed to be in a good mood.
"I know the city is quite active during the day but, it's even more active and lively today. I wonder what's happening?"
Even Christa noticed the sudden liveliness of the city as she continue on her walk on the streets, enjoying the nice vibe of everything around her, doing so makes her feel full of energy and enthusiastic.
"All this pleasant atmosphere, it makes me wanna go take a quest for the first time as a Gold Ranked Adventurer. In fact I'm going to get one now!"
Christa spoke in a vibrant tone. She makes her way to the Adventurers' Guild as she was about to take a quest, a solo quest for the first time as an Adventurer and a Gold Rank. It was her plan for today, supposedly.
"Christa!"
She arrived at the front of the Adventurers' Guild, only to find Itsuo and Selene rushing towards her.
"Eh? Itsuo, Selene?"
The two came face to face with her, but after sprinting in such a speed as if they are being chased, Itsuo and Selene tried to catch their breath as they perform quick, rough breaths.
"Hey, I became a Gold Rank now, thank you. But you know, if you just accepted my offer that time, it would've..."
Before Christa could finish her words, Itsuo grabbed her red hooded tunic, as if he was trying to pull her forcefully.
"Eh, Itsuo? What's wrong?"
"Please..."
"About your offer to us back then... Will you give us another offer?"
Confusion takes over Christa as the two former party members gave her a wretched and desperate look while they spoke to Christa. With no clue of what's going on, Christa questioned them.
"What's going on?"
"We will explain everything once we get to my home. Will you come with us?"
Itsuo answered Christa by asking her a question.
"Eh..."
Confused, Christa agreed to Itsuo and they went to his home, a small neighborhood housing by five families located at the northeast of Reilaea Kingdom, outside the borders of the Reilaea City. The place was quite peaceful unlike the largely populated city as the number of people living together in their neighborhood are only 17, the place was also dimmed due to it being under the shadow of the mountain that hides their houses to the light of the sun.
"Eh... This place is quite nice."
Christa was pleased as she spoke. The three Adventurers have arrived to the neighborhood. Itsuo then told her to follow them as he directs her to his house. As they went pass through the other houses, the eyes of the people peeking at their doors, windows were frozen on Christa as if they are wondering where she came from and what she wants. A few steps later, they arrived at the front door of Itsuo's house.
"We're here."
Christa finds herself standing in one of the small house in the neighborhood.
"Let's go inside immediately."
"Alright."
The three entered Itsuo's house and they followed him to his Mother's bedroom. And when they did, Christa found a woman lying in bed that seemed to be deep asleep that the woman didn't even felt the three coming in.
"Is that your Mother? She looks like she's having a good sleep."
"At a glance she is, but she passed out, and I believe it's been hours since then."
"What?"
Itsuo and Selene slowly turned the woman upside-down, revealing the horrifying sight on the back of her body.
"What is that?"
A wound that seemed like it was made by a sharp pointed sword with dark purple roots that are coming out of it. Much to the horrifying wound, the part of the back of Itsuo's Mother where the roots are extending seemed to had withered as if it was a dirt suffering from drought. Christa continues to observe the wound and the roots, doing so made her recall of the monster in Carmila Town.
"This roots... they look similar."
Christa mumbled in her head as Itsuo began to explain to her the situation.
"It was the day right after me and Selene became an adventurer, when my Mother went onto the forest to get firewood."
It was the afternoon, but the sun is still up in the sky, bringing light and also giving a nice view of the scenery in the mountain and the forest. Itsuo and Selene are on their way back into their homes. At the same time, Itsuo's Mother was in the forest as she gathers firewood for tonight. Of course, she didn't expect that something dangerous was lurking behind the trees. Some time later, Itsuo and Selene arrived, parting ways as they both went into their homes.
"Let's go and take a quest together tomorrow, Itsuo."
"Yes."
Itsuo hurriedly went inside his home where his little sister is sitting on the table waiting for their Mother to finish cooking. There, he went and announced to his Mother that he got a Silver Rank as an Adventurer.
"Mother! Me and Selene got evaluated today, and we both got Silver Rank!"
"Ah, that's good to hear. I'm about to finish this, go sit there together with your little sister, we're going to celebrate your evaluation tonight."
His Mother gave him a bright smile. However, Itsuo felt something odd on to his Mother. She was acting strange, it's like she's in some sort of pain. Itsuo thought he was just seeing things at first, until in the middle of their dinner, suddenly, his mother groaned as she fell on the floor and her food at the same time.
"Mother! Mother!"
Itsuo tries to talk to her, but all she could do was shriek in pain as she tries to touch her back, after noticing, Itsuo pulled the shirt back up and there he found out that his Mother was aching from a painful wound. He hurriedly went outside to call the elder in their neighborhood for help. The elder examined the wound and determined that it was from a sting.
"Sting?"
"Yes, a sting from a Wither Bee."
"Wither Bee? You mean that giant bees that lived in the mountains and preys on humans?"
Itsuo found out the cause of the wound, but there are no herbs or oils around the area that could help his Mother from the pain that she's enduring. And so the elder suggested to buy the potion that can cure stings, pain and so on. But the potion is too expensive, and they don't have enough money to buy it. That's when he thought...
"I'm going to take a quest."
But Adventurers could only take quests during morning when the Adventurers' Guild is open, and so he had to wait until the next day comes.
"That's when I met you both, huh?"
"Yes. Thanks to you, we get to buy the potion. I thought Mother would be okay once she drink the medicine, but I was wrong."
Itsuo responded to Christa as tears suddenly started gushing out of his downcast eyes.
After buying the potion from the alchemist potion shop, Itsuo and Selene immediately head back to their home. He went straight to her Mother as his little sister grasped tight their Mother's hand who continues to suffer in pain. He then gave his Mother the potion, she drank the medicine, and a few moments later, her Mother gradually stopped from moving, her face that bears the expression of utter pain was replaced with serene and calm look. And eventually, his Mother fell asleep.
Itsuo felt something huge was lifted off his shoulders as he watched his Mother sleeping comfortably. Itsuo thought it was over, but tomorrow morning, Itsuo found out that it was the complete opposite.
"Mother, breakfast is ready, I made them today. And Selene is coming with fresh baked bread from the city, she said she'll give some for us!"
Itsuo went to call her Mother who she thought was in good condition as he made the breakfast for the three of them, Selene, who went to the city came back with a basket containing a freshly baked breads to share to Itsuo and his family.
"I'm back, Itsuo?"
"Oh, Selene, come in."
"Pardon the intrusion."
Itsuo invited Selene inside, then, she placed the basket right in the middle of the table where they were supposed to spend the morning together with Selene and everyone in his family. Everything seemed back to normal, the days where they would sit in front of the table, eating together, laughing together with each other. However, things won't go as Itsuo expected.
"Where's your Mother, Itsuo."
"Eh? She still hasn't come out yet? I called her out already."
Itsuo tried to call his Mother once again in a loud tone, but there was no response at all. Then suddenly, he felt a chill ran down his spine as he continue to wait for his Mother to come, but there was really nothing, not even a sound could be heard coming from the bedroom. That's when it hit Itsuo to go to his Mother. He ran towards the bedroom, and when he did, a heart-wrenching sight of his mother lying on the bed with her back facing upward, revealing the wound that looked far worse than the first time he saw it.
The skin around the wound began to wither as the dark purple roots appeared out of the blue, stemming from the wound itself. It was then Itsuo realized, that the situation was turned for the worst.
"Mother!!"