Wizards, and Knight's Guild, Holyland.
In the middle of the darkness of the night, two horses trotted into the Holyland and headed directly to the Guild Peninsula that housed all the central headquarters of the Continent's Guilds. The biggest of them is the Wizards and Knights' Guild, called Sacred Arms.
Two men in clergy robes rushed into the enormous fort and slammed their fists on the reception table, alerting the staff and the various Wizards and Knights.
"We are Archpriests Mace and Brock. Change the Goldstown exorcism job to S rank. The Bishop sent by the Church has also died." Archpriest Mace shouted, his face looking tired from the journey.
The old man staffer's face paled too. "By the Solis, why did you come so late! The School of Dawn took the assignment notice for the test of God's Favored. Why did you not get the job updated this whole year?"
The two Archpriests stumbled back in fear. Indeed, they had not updated the job details in the guild after the town's chief applied for help. Instead, they went through the Church's internal system to call for help.
Archpriest Mace faced Archpriest Brock. "I will head to meet the Headmaster of the School of Dawn. You rush to report to Saint Wazir's office. Ask for a Guardian of Light to help this time."
"Wait!" The staffer stopped the two. "Lord's Bard took the job. I was there in the Inquisitor army when we found him years ago. Go to Inquisitor Camp. They will help you fast."
Heeding the advice, the two rushed out quickly. Then, deciding not to go to the school, Archpriest Mace rushed to Saint Wazir's office. It was inside the Pope's Palace on the outskirts and oversaw the administration of the Holyland and the clergy.
However, when he tried to meet with Saint Wazir, he learned that the man was away on some work.
But he felt some respite after learning that a new team of three Bishops under the leadership of an Archbishop was dispatched to Goldstown to help quickly mine the gold to reduce the losses faced in the past year. It was a purely political decision because the Gracia Kingdom was important to the Church.
'I hope Lord's Bard does not enter that cave before help arrives.'
…
Goldstown
In the middle of the rain, Sylvester and the rest donned their official robes and armor. They didn't know how to find the missing girl, but they were obligated to at least help.
Sylvester decided to use his past life's experiences, skills, and this life's gifts to get to the bottom of this situation. However, he had some doubts after listening to Chief Marigold's story.
"How many people live in the town?" He questioned.
"Three thousand, Lord's Bard. Most of us here are miners, but we're on the verge of starving because the vile creature has occupied the mine for over a year." Marigold answered hastily.
"Since when did these kidnappings start?"
Marigold thought about it for a second. "I believe it has been going on for three years now."
"Fifteen years!"
Suddenly, a new man barged into the monastery and spoke up. This one seemed like a warrior with a tall, burly body and a white beard. His eyes were sharp as a hunter. "I am grateful for your holy visit to this cursed town, God's Favored. Please shine the light of Solis on us."
Sylvester ignored the pleasantries. This was getting annoying to him at this point, as every single man or woman thinks he has some divine powers to alter reality.
"You are?"
"I am Leeland Roger, Chief Lawman of the town and younger brother of Marigold. I have noticed these kidnappings for the past fifteen years, my lord. Marigold dismissed my concerns back then, so I kept records silently. The first case appeared fifteen years ago when a woman went missing while working in the corn fields. Then abductions gradually increased, from once every two years to one every year, then three every year and slowly a kidnapping every three days, which is the case right now." Leeland smartly answered with facts and figures.
'Wait a minute. In corn fields?'
He caught on to something. "What was the time when the first woman was abducted?"
"In the afternoon. I vividly remember the day she stayed behind to work on another patch of land while the rest went to rest due to summer heat."
After hearing this, a new theory started to take hold in Sylvester's mind. But he could not announce it yet without any proof. "Let's go to your house. We should look for clues as to where she was taken to."
"Into that cave, where else?" Chief Marigold clamored. "Why are we wasting time? We need to get in there and save her. J-Just show us your miracle and…"
'Does he think I'm god?' Sylvester frowned. The expectations these people were putting on him were too much.
"There is a possibility she's still nearby. We need to find the direction the creature took her so we may rescue her. The more you cry here, the less chance of finding her alive, you decide now."
Marigold's brother came forward to help. "Follow me."
Sylvester glanced at the Knight and Clergyman wizards that came with him as examiners. "Sir Melodious and Priest Broly, am I still being examined? Because I might need your help to save the girl."
The two men looked at each other's faces and sighed. They were not supposed to talk to Sylvester beyond their official capacity, but the situation was too extraordinary now.
"We shall help you in any way you need, Deacon Maximilian. But you should allow us to lead the investigation… as you are not experienced in doing such a thing." Sir Melodious advised.
Sylvester could understand their concern. He was merely an eight-year-old kid. The town's folks listened to him simply because he had the title of God's Favored and the Lord's Bard. He was just a step down from the Pope in their eyes. But for most Clergymen who had not seen him sing hymns, he was a simple candidate who 'might' one day become the Pope.
But he could not accept this outcome as he was over-experienced in doing investigative work in reality. So he gave Sir Dolorem a simple glance since the Knight knew clearly how brilliant Sylvester was.
"Indeed, Sir Melodious. I shall lead the investigation then." Sir Dolorem declared. He was the most senior knight there, after all.
Seeing no objection to it. Sir Dolorem headed out behind Chief Marigold. Sylvester followed just beside him while observing everything.
The rain was still pouring with no end in sight. But they did not have the luxury of getting themselves covered. With various torches and Sylvester's palm emitting light, a crowd of 15 arrived in the house's backyard.
The privy was a simple brick shed with a thatched roof in the backyard. There was also a boundary wall around the whole estate. So the question arose, where did the dark creature enter and leave from?
"Is there any other entry to the estate?" Sylvester inquired.
"No, the main entrance is the only way in," Marigold responded.
'Hmm, how did the girl get kidnapped then? That is when Marigold was sitting in front of the privy's door. There's no window inside either.'
Rubbing his chin, he walked around the privy shed while being drenched in the rain. He looked at the distance between the boundary wall and the privy; it was merely three meters.
"S-Sir Dolorem, can you help me get on top of the privy shed?"
Without saying anything, Sir Dolorem dutifully lifted Sylvester on his shoulder. He was an intelligent man, and he knew something was going on in the favored one's head. Something that he had missed.
Sylvester stood up on Sir Dolorem's armored shoulder and jumped onto the thatched roof of the shed. He didn't walk around on it. Instead, he stayed at the boundary and patted the surface with his hand.
Then as soon as he moved towards the side facing the boundary wall, his hand passed through the roof when he patted it. He pried the area open, and the roof seemed compromised. It opened wide enough for him to jump inside.
He looked at Marigold and asked. "There is loose straw on the roof. Since when has it been leaking?"
"Leaking? It never leaked, my lord."
"Master Maximillian, are you suggesting the creature took the child from the roof?" Sir Dolorem inquired.
'Hmm, I should check that as well.'
Not replying, he jumped from the roof by first hanging and quickly headed to the exit of the house. Everyone else followed him behind to the outside of the boundary wall.
Sylvester walked straight towards the wall closest to the privy and started to look around on the muddy ground with the help of his light magic. He walked around for a dozen minutes, inspecting every inch of land, sometimes even crawling on the ground.
Everyone quietly watched—Sir Dolorem in assurance, the Town's folks in hope, and the two examiners in confusion.
"What are you looking for, my lord?" Leeland Roger asked, wanting to help.
But Sylvester didn't reply as his face slowly turned into a deeper frown the more he looked around. He even started to mark a few spots by planting twigs.
The whole thing went on for an entire hour. By the end, Sylvester looked like a swamp monster, his face, body, and clothes fully covered in mud, sweat, and rain.
But only he knew how satisfied he felt at that moment.
He walked to Chief Marigold and sang a few lines of hymns to show his divinity and give a clue to what he was about to say—making it more digestible.
He closed his eyes, raised his right plan, and basked the crowd in light as the halo appeared behind his head, making him look divine. In response, the town folks kneeled and silently prayed.
♫Solis guides those who pray and ask.
There exist faithfuls hidden under a mask.
So let his holy light fall on your hearts.
Accept the knowledge that he imparts.
Against the truth that is concealed.
In his guidance, now the sinner is revealed.♫
When he stopped singing and opened his eyes, he seriously addressed the crowd with his findings. "The creature of darkness is not the sinner here, for there exists someone more corrupt near. Chief lawman Leeland, the one behind all the abductions is someone from this town itself. Because, as you said, the abduction happens in the daytime too, and I believe no creature of darkness dares roam under the warmth of Solis.
"Look at the markings on the mud. There are impressions of boots, likely belonging to the sinner, and he has no thumb in one hand."