Hero's POV
I was being led to the dining area by the family butler. Our speed was neither fast nor slow which gave ample opportunity to see the decoration that had filled the hallway.
There were expensive looking paintings and other pieces of craftsmanship hanging on the walls, blatantly displaying the family's wealth and power.
It seemed that only he was being invited to have dinner. He really didn't know he should be happy or sad because his party members weren't invited.
He would have loved it if they accompanied him. Since these people were the sole source of entertainment while they were on the road.
But then again he did want them to embarrass him in front of the count.
'It's not like they are gonna starve. But it seems that the count might have some other agenda other than good will in his mind.
It's not like I have seen the script before, I should go with things I guess. Afterall the hero's job is to accept requests.
But this time something feels off. Should I break the rules and contact others.'
Finally the hallway came to an end as he saw a big door in front of him. The butler stepped forward and pushed open the door.
Inside under the light of a glittering Chandler a long table was placed. There sat the family of the count.
He also saw the young man who invited him to the mansion. It seemed like he was a part of the count's family.
He walked towards the table and gave a small nod in order to greet the count.
End of Hero's POV
In the dining hall the count and his whole family including Mikhail and Irene were waiting for the hero.
After he had arrived everyone's attention was fixed on him.
' So this the hero, I didn't expect him to look so ordinary.'
Irene thought to herself after looking at the hero. She had heard several remarkable tales about the hero. So she thought he might be some mysterious and other worldly existence.
"Don't worry your thinking is not quite far off.", Mikhail whispered to her.
Since he was sitting beside her it was easy for her to hear.
"Eh?", she turned to look at Mikhail in confusion.
"Hero, I welcome you to my humble home, I hope you are able to make yourself comfortable here."
"Yes, thank you for your hospitality."
After several plesanties took place between the count and the hero, they soon jumped to their main agenda.
"Hero, would you like to stay in my mansion for a few weeks or longer? I assure you that you would love this place."
'We have had a long journey so staying for a few weeks is not a bad idea. Well the count has his own reasons to have me here too. I will just go with the flow for now.'
"Yes, we will be in your care then."
"Great, let's celebrate this joyous day with champagne."
'With this my first cooperation with the hero would be set in stone.'
With this the dinner ended on a productive note.
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Mikhail's POV
"System is the hero staying here part of the script."
[Host the count wants to hire the hero in his army to defend his lands against the Duke's army]
"I see, it's not like an army would be able to defeat the hero. It's almost 12, system is the mission over?"
At the same time he said that the grandfather clock in the room started to make its 'dong' sound.
[Mission completed: Host you have successfully survived the encounter with the hero, you have unlocked a secret mission
New mission has started:
Mission: Midnight hour of the graveyard
Duration: 6 hrs
Reward:??????
"What is this system, first you delay my rewards now you are giving weird ass missions.
The Midnight hour of the graveyard hmmm? Sounds kinda fun.
If I am not wrong there is only one graveyard for the entire village, on its southern corner to be precise. It's one of the places I have seen in my last visit to the village. Well it's not like I have been inside, I only saw it while passing by.Its quite big since it's part of the New gods church so it was hard to miss.
Lol I don't know why anyone would call their own gods old and New."
[Host the old gods have been the pillars of society since the dark ages, it is said the royal family rule through the mandate of old gods
In addition to them there are two more groups the namely the church of Cocoon of rebirth and the Church of sky and moon
There is the church of the unthinkable, they are the only cult that had successfully transition from the a cult to a church which has been accepted in several kingdoms
Ofcourse not to mention the countless other cults out there which are banned and have a bounty on their followers head]
"Wow system that's a lot of gods. I really don't know if it's better to have faith in no one or in the unthinkable."
[Host the people of this time are going to several hardship they need a moral pillar to support them]
"Yes if you give the money oh I mean donations you could buy happiness.
But why do they call their god the unthinkable?"
[That's because they would go insane the more they learn about their own gods, this church is also the strongest of them all in combat terms]
"When your faith is going to turn you insane then you know you should change it for something else.
Well enough theology we have discussed the system give me the mission details."
[Host since this a special mission the details cannot be given]
"Useless system..."
***********************************************
Midnight in Irene's room
Irene's bladder was hurting bad which was making her unable to sleep.
"This is bad I have to go to the toilet. I shouldn't have drank so honey tea and milk after dinner but the servant kept on insisting upon giving me more and I did not have the heart to let down.
It is also the first time that somebody had cared so much for me. "
She got up from the bed and open her drawer to get a candle. little did she know thew servants thoughts were far from pure.
At night the halls were just too dark to walk so a candle was necessary. Normally everyone of the count's family had their room in the second floor. Everyone had their own rooms except Irene which is why she had to assigned a new room on the third floor.
Lighting the candle up she moved outside. But something was different this time. The halls were just abnormally dark and the candle light was able to illuminate only 1 feet of diameter around her.
"Why is it so dark today? It's not this dark usually." little did she know that the intentionally didn't light up this floor in order to cause her trouble.
Cold wind started blowing trying to end the small flame dancing on the candle.
Irene cuped the little bud of fire to protect it from getting blown off. She didn't want to stand in the dark in this creepy atmosphere.
'This way doesn't have any windows, so why are there such strong winds inside?
I should finish quickly and get back to my room as soon as possible.'
Irene was a bit afraid but that fear was overwhelmed by the thought of her losing her hold and no.. she didn't even know what to think about it.
Apart from the creepy atmosphere there was nothing wrong she finally reached so it didn't take much time for her to reach her destination.
"Phew.... That was really scary."
But she just touched the door knob to open the door knob. A strong gust of wind blew her candle off.
All of a sudden it was all dark, the sudden lose of light blinded her.
This gave her quite a fright she tried to twist open the door in an adrenaline rush.
She felt something soft brush her hand as she was opening the door. It was hairy and felt like human skin.
Her face went blue in fear. Slowly as the door the door open her was able see what was inside the toilet.
In the light moonlight she saw the families interior of the toilet, there was a a seat with a hole which was connected of the septic tank in the basement.
There were not pipelines, and everything went free fall. This was the third floor and it was quite high.
But what she was seeing now challenged her entire logical thinking. She could see something black poking out.
As she saw it closely she saw several strands.
IT WAS HAIR!!!!! LONG HAIR!!!!!!
There was someone there, she froze in horror as she saw what seemed like a head slowly rising revealing a pale white faceless face.
Time seemed to have stopped as she maintained eye contact with the eyeless face.
But suddenly....
"Hey are you okay, what are you looking at so intensively?"Mikhail's voice came from behind her. the loudest scream after coming to this world.
'Fuck everyone is about to get up I will be late for the special event in the graveyard."