Chapter 9
Knock Knock
"..."
"Isabelle, breakfast is ready"
"....."
Knock Knock Knock
"Isabelle?"
".... I've lost my appetite"
".... Can I come in?"
"....."
"..... I see. If you need anything, just call me okay?"
"...."
As I heard no response from her, I then went down from the 2nd floor.
"Is she okay?"
Mother ask as she saw came down. Staring at her, I then took a silent sigh and spoke
"She need some time"
With a dejected look on her face, mother then nodded to my words. She then looked behind her as she cross her arms
"... At least she spoke to us"
And went towards the dining room. Seeing her leaving, I then sigh as I stared back, and leave as I went down.
The [Gathering Quest] and [Exploration Quest] that we took last time, was found out to be envelope by magic, [Shift Sight], which whoever look at it, will see something different to what was written, whereas if somebody else other than the 1st viewer, or outside of the circle of the one who looked 1st saw it, they will see the one that was being written, which what happened to us and the receptionist back at the guild.
What we saw was:
*———>[Cave Spider Extermination Quest]<———*
Dozens of {Cave Spider} took refuge to an abandoned Citadel in the south east, threatening a Town that just a distance from where they currently inhabited.
QUEST COMPLETION REWARD:
1 gold coin, 18 big silver coins, and 32 silver coins
[Quest Giver: Town Mayor of Hurlk]
*————~^^~————*
....
*———>[An old Citadel in the South East]<———*
A newly found Citadel, located in the south east of the [Town of Hurlk], is eagerly awaiting for adventurers who shall venture, and explore its mystery
QUEST COMPLETION REWARD:
2 gold coins, and 5 big silver coins
Additional 20 big silver coins, for every piece of information inside the Citadel, and 1 gold coin, for every item found inside of it
[Quest Giver: Adventurers Guild]
*——— —~^^~————*
....
*———>[Nightshade Dandelion Gathering Quest]<———*
Gather 9 [Nightshade Dandelion], located in the east of the [Town of Hurlk]
QUEST COMPLETION REWARD:
22 big silver coins, and 12 silver coins
Additional 5 big silver coins, if the flowers aren't still blooming
[Quest Giver: Madame X]
*————~^^~————*
While the receptionist saw was:
*———>[Blue Roses Gathering Quest]<———*
A young girl from a small village, who wanted to study Herbalism, asked for 10 [Blue Roses] found in the west area.
QUEST COMPLETION REWARD:
10 silver coins
Additional 2 silver coins, and 10 copper coins for every freshly picked, and careful package of those Roses
[Quest Giver: Annete]
*——— —~^^~————*
....
*———>[Mushroom Gathering Quest]<———*
Gather 15 Mushrooms, located in the east side of the city
QUEST COMPLETION REWARD:
12 silver coins, and 20 copper coins
[Quest Giver: Omant]
*——— —~^^~————*
....
*———>[Black Wolves Hunting Quest]<———*
A group of {Black Wolves} is nesting near a small village, located at the south. Their presence is a threat to the Farmers and Woodcutters in the village.
QUEST COMPLETION REWARD:
20 silver coins, and 50 copper coins
Additional 8 silver coins if the {Black Wolves} in that area is completely exterminated
[Quest Giver: Omant]
*——— —~^^~————*
With such magic, none of us could see the hidden trick behind it. The magic used in that paper was quite small, and simply basic, but as none of us know about magic, nor any of us have magic detection, [Pry Eyes] (etc..), we are oblivious to the trap prepared for us.
Sigh
'Though it will be a different matter if I have learned it'
[Life Circulation], the center of existence, and the beginning of life, each person was designed to have it, from a simple Peddler to a Farmer, from a Fisherman to a Knight, each of them, or each us, was born with [Life Circulation], breathing, eating, feeling, seeing, moving, and sleeping. But among a 5 Farmers, 2 of them uses [Life Circulation] as a weapon.
[Mana Circulation] is used by those who studied magic, or those who weilds it, also called as [The Flow of Life], whereas [Vitality Circulation] are practiced by fighters, or warriors, also called as [Strength to Conquer].
People who doesn't know how to use [Mana Circulation] can't detect magic, nor can they weild them, though they can use magic detection, but to only a smaller scale type of magic. Whereas to those who doesn't practice [Vitality Circulation] are vulnerable, or weak to basic attack, like a simple slap from a wooden sword would cause bruises to them, while an Iron Sword is already a death threats.
But there is a type of [Life Circulation] that could do both, [Stability Circulation], also known as [Duality of Existence]. [Stability Circulation] can wield both [Mana Circulation] and [Vitality Circulation], and only Elementalist and Magic Swordsman could practice it.
'Which is I miss'
Elementalist like me were 1st thought of how to use the basic flow of [Vitality Circulation], and then mastering it right after, and when I reach the age of 10, I should be then thought of how to use [Mana Circulation], but fate doesn't play favorites, as before I could reach the age of 8, that town was struck by something unexpected, killing everyone in the process, except for me.
After we took the bait and headed to the trap, we were then captured by those men. 5 hours of captivity, I could hardly remember what happened, with an exception of Isabelle, who saw everything. When I, Sheryl, and Natsumi woke up, we just saw some pile of dead corpses lying on the floor, piled like hays while inside an unfamiliar structure. Isabelle wore a vagrant eyes, as she sat beside the bed that we woken into.
After what happened, we then reported everything to the guild, notifying them about this trap, and asking on how they done it. After a night of investigation, we then found out that Quest we took was envelope with magic, making those who can't wield or see magic, get mislead. Almost at midnight that we found out that the mayor, the townsfolk, everyone of them in that town was already long gone for 2 years, their corpses were found beneath the town, used as a catalyst to make an illusion that they are still there, wondering, existing.
[Soul Fragment Illusion], an illusion where those who have died will still exist, and moves in a monotone action, until the illusion was undone, using those who have died as a catalyst. Those who are under it will see those people, and could even interact with them. The illusion covered the whole town, so by the time we entered in, was the moment we were under it. So all those times, the interview with those trio, the investigation of the Citadel, and the gathering of the [Nightshade Dandelions], were merely illusion created in our mind, while we are unconscious, and defenseless.
And whatever happened there, was hunting Isabelle.
....
"The Quest that was filed went through a process where we inquire the one who asked the Quest, and what was inside the Quest, before we take it, then try to evaluate on how high that Quest was, and how much money should be given, or should be rewarded, but unfortunately, as none of us could use magic, neither I nor Ruby were able to anticipate such event, my apologies"
Father, the Guild Leader then shook his head and spoke, with stoic gaze as he crossed his arms
"It's an unexpected event, not even myself could anticipate it, there's no need to apologize for a mistake you haven't done"
He then took a long pause as he grab a document on his desk, and ask
"Did we found out who is behind this?"
"Unfortunately, we can't. We only know that the group was a rogue member of a mercenary, that turns into a bandit. The time and date when they settled down in that place is still unknown, nor do we know the objective of their work"
"[The Black Wing], an old mercenary group that suddenly vanished from the public, 2 years ago, with unknown reason and cause, and yet we found their members, rogues they might be, but a member is still a member"
"....."
Listening to their conversation, I then ask
"How do we know that their from that gang, nor do we know that someone is behind this, father?"
"Young master, let me explain. This people have a certain tattoo place atop of their thigh, symbolizing their group, a black wing at the left of a Raven skull, which is the name of the their group. And each of those people that was killed by the young lady, was found with a tattoo in each of their legs. The symbol was identical to the group trademark, which indicates that they might be, one of those people. For the rogue thing, we heard it from the other Intel we have, that some group of [The Black Wing], have gone rogue, as they were displeased to their leaders decisions and such, but we don't have any confirmation if that was true"
"I see"
"A group of ex-mercenary who turned into bandits, suddenly settled down to a Town, killed everyone in it, place an illusion magic, and tried baiting people in it, and yet, for years in living and baiting, the only corpse we found were identified as the people in the Town"
He the gaze at me and added
"So where are the people they captured go?"
"...."
"They could have buried the corpses somewhere away from the Town, or maybe sold those captured people in the [Slave Market]. But if the investigation were proven true, that in 2 years of hiding from the prying eyes, capturing thousands of people, where are they now?"
"A report stated that a group of adventure, that was settling in a near village, was gone missing after taking a random Quest from a old man, wearing a dark hood. The adventurers went missing just a day after you took those Quest"
Kath explained
"The illusion magic was quite a mid tier, for a group of rogues who doesn't know magic. The corpse placement is quite precise and devise, with their skulls placed at the center"
"Something that a group of non-magic user, can't possibly do"
Suddenly realizing the puzzle placed, I then spoke
"So if somebody else done this behind the scene, while using those people as a package delivery and a scapegoat, while hiding any means of contact to them, is quite a well praised scheme"
"It is, but ending us with no leads to them"
"Before I forgot guild master, there was a small tunnel found, just near where their leader's room is, it could fit a small critter, maybe a Mouse or a Rat, but it is unknown if that hole has some connection to this group works, should we investigate it?"
"How did you find it?"
"Maybe the young lady was piss or something, but a small crater was made where that hole was, which we directly found. There were no debris blocking it, but one of our member were able to find some critter's footprints"
Father then went on a deep thought, as he covered his mouth with his left fist. He then sigh and stated
".... Just to be cautious, let someone investigate it, while let 3 of our members, those who are good at tracking, investigate the whole area"
"Absolutely"
"Get someone to buy a tool where we could detect any magic in any item, money wouldn't be a problem, so try to buy something that isn't well-known, or conspicuous, a small one that could fit below in each of your desk, removable and advance"
"Yes sir"
After the discussion, Kath then leaves the room, leaving me and father alone. As silence deluge the guild master's room
"How is she doing?"
"Thought quite late, she just took her breakfast, and went back to her room, and holed herself up again"
"Is she still not... Cooperating?"
"If you mean 'opening up', she still isn't"
"..... I see"
"... *sigh* let us not hasten her, she will say it, when she wanted to say it anyway"
Sigh
"Indeed"
....
Afterwards, I then leave the [Adventure's Guild] and went to the Tavern, just a few turns from the guild, on the west area. As I was walking towards the Tavern, passing skme buildings and houses on my way, and some people coming by
"Darling!"
I the halted and turn around, and saw Sheryl and Natsumi in hasten stride, coming towards me. They wore a haggard look, which made me frown and ask in a worried tone, as they reach me
"What is it?"
Panting as they breath, Sheryl then gaze at me with a seriousness and spoke
"Hahh..... Hah... We know what happened, during our captivity"
"What?"