Chapter 19 - CHAPTER 18

The dungeon was a bit dark with only a few torches that lights it. The group walked inside the dungeon and passed a few prison cells on the way to the very end of the room.

They stopped on the very last prison cell on the right and in front of Eli is a man with a sack that covers his head. His hands are tied up in a chair where he's sitting on. The cell is not covered in blood but you can see a few wounds on his body.

"We tried making him talk, but he just doesn't want to", Historia stated. Eleanor looked at the man,
"Can you let me talk to him then?", the 3 people all look at the girl.

"Please. Let me talk to him for at least a few minutes. If you're still worried, you can wait for me here, in the entrance of his cell. Will that suffice?", Historia and Raul looked at each other then at Eli, they sighed and nodded. Eleanor looked at Ren who looked at her worriedly. But he as well nodded his head after receiving a reassuring squeeze on his hands by Eli's.

Raul opened the cell and Eli entered the cell slowly. After arriving in front of the man, she slowly raised the sack revealing his swollen face, he slowly lifted his head up and his dark brown eyes met her lilac ones.

"You've been caught trying to buy information about the person priest Anette examined. You fully know that the Temple strictly doesn't allow revealing a privileged person's identity. So why would you do that?"

The man just stared at her and never opened his mouth. He's not gaged so he's free to speak, but he chose not to. "What is your intention? Or did someone ordered you to do it?", but the man again, just stared at her silently. Eli looked at the 3 people in the entrance of his cell. They just shook their heads.

"He never talked even once. We checked him and his tongue is still intact. He just chose not to talk", Historia said as she extended her hand to Eli, telling her to come out now.

Eleanor was about to go out when she heard a very tiny sound. She immediately looked back to the man with wide eyes. "Eleanor!", Ren shouted when they saw how she lifted the man's head using her hands. She then tilted it from left to right.

But Eli just ignored him and shouted, "Uncle, do you perhaps have any gloves?", the older man went inside the cell with Historia and Ren going in as well after him.

Instead of handing Eli some gloves, he was the one who held the man's face himself. Eli look at him and he nodded at her, waiting for whatever she wants him to do.

"Can you please make him open his mouth?", Raul nodded and with a little struggle he was able to open the man's mouth. They all gasped when they saw his mouth full of blood.

"I still heard him even if he's trying to supress his cough", the girl faced the older woman, "Did you use any potions or poisons on him aunt?", Historia shook her head. Eli then nodded. "Looks like I have a clue on what this is all about", she looked at the man and with a serious voice spoke an order to Raul.

"Please knock him out"

With a single punch on his gut, the man was knocked out. "Please stand aside for a bit", the 3 gave her some space. "I mean, please leave for a bit", they all look at her, their faces showed objection.

"I won't do anything rash, just please…", she looked at them for a long time. She can't use her staff if they're here since they still don't know that she can use or even has a Holy Item.

The blood on the mouth of the man when he supressed his cough was because of a curse. It's not a poison because of what she saw when she tilted his head earlier. There are black pulsing veins on the very side of his neck. Looks like Historia and the 2 boys haven't noticed it yet but she needs to remove the curse from him right now or else he won't survive and they won't be able to ask him as well.

And in order to do that, she needs to use her staff, just like what the goddess Anchora told her. For the staff will boost her healing ability. But she can't get her staff out with them present in the room.

Eleanor's hands then glowed and a ball of blue light came out of her hands. "This blue light is connected to me, it'll vanish if something happens", but the 3 still didn't move.

Eli then sighed and made the light vanish. "Then, can you please turn away for a minute?", they sighed but this time, they nodded and did what she told them. "Please promise me you won't look", they all said 'yes' in chorus.

Eleanor looked at them one more time before breathing in and out. She took her earring and let it sit on her right palm; she then concentrated on that earring and just like what the goddess instructed her, poured out light in the earring.

Her palm produced light and the light was soon absorbed by the earring, and soon enough, the earring glowed and changed into the familiar staff she used while training with the goddess. The 'Staff of Light' appeared making Eli smile. She then pointed the staff on the man. The staff glowed after her hands glow, emanating a blue light. A blue dome-like barrier appeared and surrounded the body of the man.

'Now concentrate on healing him Eleanor, rebuke the curse out of his body', Eleanor concentrated again. And soon, she brightens up when she saw the pulsing black vein slowly vanished from the man's neck. Black smoke came out from him and vanished into thin air just like how his big wounds also vanished.

Eli can't help but fall on her butt when she felt her legs give out after. Her staff then turned back into a simple earring left on her right hand. Hearing her huffing made the 3 people want to look back but they promised her so they tried their best not to.

Eleanor then put her earring back on her ear and looked at the 3 who still had their backs on her. "Y-you…you can look now", the 3 look at the man and saw his wounds are healed. "You healed him too?", Ren grumbled.

Eli nodded, "Only the big ones though", she stated before looking at Raul. "Uncle, can you please tie him up real good?", he nodded and Ren helped him tie up the man again. "What are you planning little Eli?", Historia can't help but question the little girl.

She smiled at her and pointed at the man started to regain his consciousness. She came closer to him with the 2 boys and Historia beside her. "You, what's your name?", the man looked at her just like what he did earlier and remained silent.

"Eleanor, he won't…"
"It's okay, to speak now. It vanished, your curse I mean"

All of them look at Eli. The man who's bound by ropes looked at her like he doesn't believe her but the girl just smiled at him.

"Someone ordered you to buy information right? Or, if we think about the curse that was placed on you and about how determined you are to keep everything a secret and not talk….hmmm", Eli thought hard about the situation.

'In novels what do they usually do when there are potions or poisons or curses involved?', the 3 remained quiet and the man just stared at her in silence. She then snapped her fingers like she figured something out.

"You! They inflicted a curse on you to keep you quiet right? Trust me, the curse is gone now, so don't worry, nothing will happen to you anymore", the man hesitated but then Eli spoke again to convince him more,

"The curse, one of the signs that you have it is the pulsing black veins on your neck right? It already vanished", the man's eyes widen, but even though he's still hesitating a bit, he tried speaking.

"I-is it really okay now?", Eleanor nodded at him.

"We'll let you go if we find you innocent so spill everything and we'll spare you", Historia stated making the man flinch a bit. He then sighed when he noticed that his big wounds were now gone, he looked at them and figured out that he was healed by them, that's when he finally started talking.

"I am just a simple farmer from a nearby small village. I live with my wife and 2 children"

"So how did you end up buying information here?", Ren butted in. The man was still hesitating but when his eyes went to Eleanor, her encouraging smile urged him to not worry and continue. He then build up his courage and continued.

"We were living a simple life when monsters made of thorns attacked our village"

"That! The village that was wiped out without any traces! You're a villager from there?", Historia exclaimed that surprised the others. The man nodded slowly.

"Yes, we are a part of that village. When we were attacked, there were men in weird clothes who took us in a hidden place. We were blindfolded the whole way but when they took it out, we're in a big room with some of our villagers in there as well"

"Can you describe their appearances?", this time, it was Eli who butted in. The man thought for a bit then answered.

"They're wearing black suits that covered everything in their body including their face and the only things you can see are their eyes", the man said. This made Eli remember people with the same description. She pulled Historia away from them for a bit.

"Those people, they're the ones who attacked the crown prince before. The incident which caused me to accidentally use my ability in front of the prince before when I came here for help and you sent me to mas..I mean Ms. Meridia in the east", Eleanor said to Historia, trying to make the guild leader remember.

Historia looked at the girl seriously and nodded. She still remembers that day. "So those people and the ones involved with that man are the same", Eli nodded to Historia's idea. The two then came back to the cell.

"Continue", Historia ordered as the man continued again.

"We stayed in that room for we don't know how many days. We were given meals by the guards but those meals are not given to us at the same time each day. There are also no windows in that room so the only way out is the door where men in black suits guard it. The one day, I was taken out from that room. They blindfolded me and when they removed it, I am in a different room. They took some blood from me and assigned me a mission, to buy and collect information about the person priest Anette examined"

The 3 people in the cell all focused on everything that he was saying now. "At first, I declined because I know that it's against the temple and the goddess' rule regarding people given privilege by the goddess. But then, they put me in a magic circle bounded and casted a spell on me, giving me a curse"

"Rebels", Eli and Ren both looked at Raul. The man stopped talking as well. "Rebels, they're people who live in Sirthyna before and was exiled because of how grave their crimes and sins are. They're just called rebels, whether they're wizards, knights, ordinary people, alchemists, or even priests", Raul explained. He then motioned for the man to continue,

"They gave me a curse that's also connected to my family", he then started talking slowly, and the group knows that he's just being wary because of the curse that was casted on him not long ago. And they understand.

"It's okay, take your time", Eli encouraged him again. He nodded and continued.

"The curse that they casted, they said that if I failed to do my mission, it will eat me inside little by little and will spread on my body like a poison. What's worse is that if I mentioned the name of the one who ordered me this mission, I and my family will all die. So even though I failed, I chose not to speak about anything for the fear of my family dying with me. It's better for me to die alone than for them to die too", he then looked down as tears fell from his eyes. The 4 people watched him wept.

"We still don't know if what you're saying is all true, so we'll investigate everything first. Don't worry, the curse really is gone, so nothing will happen to you or your family. Raul, please put him in a different cell. I'm sorry but you'll have to stay there until we have proven that you're innocent", the man nodded at Historia as Raul guided him into a different cell where there is a small bed where he can sleep.

Historia then proceeded to go out of the dungeon with Eli and Ren following her. "We'll investigate this case first. You two go get some rest, especially you Eli. I just chose not to talk but I noticed your complexion earlier, you're looking quite pale so please rest. Ren…"

"I'll escort her to her room ms. Historia", the guild leader nodded at Ren as he supported Eli's body and proceeded to escort her on her designated room.

Ren and Eli walked through the hallways in silence. They just went towards Eli's room without saying anything. Eleanor is busy thinking about the real identity of the men in black suits while Ren on the other hand is busy thinking about everything.

After arriving in front of the girl's room, Eli bowed and thanked Ren for escorting her. She was about to go inside when the young man grabbed her hand stopping her. Eli looked back at him and saw how serious his eyes are.

"That man in prison, he's captured because he's caught buying information about a person who received privilege from the goddess right? He violated the rule that the goddess created to protect those people she'd given privileges", Eli silently looked at Ren as he continued talking.

"But I was wondering why….why? Why did the guild capture him for that? He violated one of the most important rules of the temple, so I would expect that the temple would be the one who would capture him. But why is it the guild?"

Eleanor started biting her lower lip after listening to Ren talk. Looks like a lot of hypothesis came into his mind. "I kept quiet earlier because I know you'll open up to me when you're ready, but please at least answer this question of mine"

Eli gulped.

"The guild, it is not their responsibility to capture someone who violated a law from the temple, but they captured him because he's buying information about a privileged person, and that person coincidentally is someone who priest Anette examined, which means, he's buying information about you. And noticing how this information is connected to you and how the guild has been treating you so far, you're someone important to everyone especially to the guild master to the point that anything connected to you matters to them. As a conclusion, please tell me, did the guild capture him because you're connected to this issue? Or is it….did you perhaps told them to catch people who buys information about you?"

Ren held Eli's arms firmly. She stared at his eyes as he stared at hers. They just stared at each other in the hallway in silence. Eli looked at him and with a serious face stated,

"Yes, I did asked them to capture anyone who might ask, collect, or buy any information about the person who priest Anette examined in the east. And well, it looks like aunt Historia caught up about things and predicted that the person whom Anette examined is me or at least connected to me and did her best to help me"

Ren slowly released Eli's arms. "I told her to capture them because I know that Anette examining me like that would cause people to be curious about me, I just don't want trouble to find me again or the people around me because of that", Eli added.

Ren nodded. He then sighed and patted Eli's head. Smiling at her not with the jolly smile of his that he usually shows her but with a gentle smile that is one of Eli's favorite about him.

"If you also need my help, don't hesitate to call unto me for help. Don't push yourself so hard, okay?", he said as his pats on her head turned into strokes. Eli smiled back at him and nodded.

"Well then, go get some rest", Ren said as he left Eli standing in front of her door. The girl then entered her room and immediately shut the door, leaning on it. She slowly slid down and put her hand on her chest.

"It kinda hurts now. Haha, I never thought using the staff for real will be kinda painful. Looks like I really need to train more", she laughs to herself, trying to ease the pain through that.

She then slowly came towards her bed and laid down, letting her body relax there. She looked at the ceiling and into the window where light from the sun is coming in.

"That man told us a lot of things today. I got a lot of clues about the INTRUDER", she got up again and reached down under her bed, taking out a bag and opening it. Inside the bag is a green notebook with a bookmark on it.

Eleanor opened the book where the bookmark is and got her pen from the bag as well. It is a pen with a blue feather. This pen is similar to the ballpen she uses in her first life as a student. The ink comes out naturally, but the only difference is that this pen's ink never runs out. There's a magic potion inside the pen that produces ink to the pen, thus the ink doesn't run out.

She checked the door and the windows before proceeding to write on the blank page of her book.


********************************************** 'Winter of Year XXXX in Sirthyna.
CLUES OBTAINED REGARDING THE INTRUDER:
-The men with black suits that attacked the crown prince and I before in the bakery is connected to THEM.
-The INTRUDER has rogue Sirthynians on their side.
-The INTRUDER is someone who cast curses to people to let them do their bidding.
-The INTRUDER is connected to the monsters that appeared in some parts of Sirthyna
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Eli shook her head when a hunch came into her mind. She then added something on the list that she created.



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-The INTRUDER helped/ is responsible in making those monsters?
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