A day had passed, and Arthur had made it to the foot of the mountain, where he was greeted by a town. It had a big entrance with a sign reading 'Eira Village'...
"Eira Village? It looks somewhat big to be called a village."
Arthur entered the village. It was somewhat populated, but still small enough to a degree that most people knew each other. Everyone looked at Arthur as he walked down to the nearest inn. People whispered in each other's ears.
"That must be an adventurer!"
"He looks quite young and handsome!"
"Is he strong enough to take down that S-Class monster?"
Arthur's cheek had a scar. His eyes were an ocean-like blue. His clothes were quite shabby and dirty. Over the years of intense training, his shoulders became broader. He had a lean and muscular physique. His height had become average. His hair was scruffy and long.
"How much to stay the night?" he asked the woman behind the counter.
"35 bronze sigil."
Arthur had carried around a little bag to carry the money he earned from doing quests. In it were 3 gold sigils. 20silver sigils. 25 Bronze sigils. He handed most of the money he got from quests over the years to Sedah.
Note:
1 silver sigil = 10 bronze sigils
1 gold sigil = 10 silver sigils
Arthur handed over all his bronze sigils and one silver sigil. In turn, he was given a key to the room he'd be staying at. He then went upstairs, opening his room door. He saw a simple bed. He closed the door and slept peacefully.
"Arthur, I'm sorry for-" he had heard a woman's voice in his dreams. The only word he could make out was an apology, not knowing what for.
He then opened his eyes in the middle of the night, completely dark. Strangely, he felt somewhat sad. One single tear ran down his cheek. He became confused. After a bit of thinking, he passed it off as nothing and went back to sleep. Peacefully and uninterrupted.
Arthur slept until he was fully rested and recovered, ready to go hunt.
"Before I head to the mountains, I'm gonna explore this village."
Arthur walked by market stalls, and a salivating aroma of pastries caught his nose.
"Something smells delicious!" Arthur's belly growled.
He ran, following the smell to the stall.
"How much?" Arthur had already put his hand in the little sack he carried his sigil in.
"That'll be 3 bronze sigils, but since you are so eager, if you pay 7 bronze sigils, I'll give you three." The market owner gave a deal to Arthur with a welcoming grin on his face.
"I'll take it!" Arthur readily gave one silver sigil and received 3 bronze sigils back.
"Thank you for your purchase! I hope you come back to buy some more!" The stall owner waved his hand goodbye as Arthur left to continue exploring. He had put two of the pies in the bag he carried on his back, eating the other one as he walked.
"This is delicious!" He thought to himself as he stuffed his face with a meat-filled pie.
"Where should I go next? Ah! The tavern might be useful in getting information."
He entered the tavern, and in his view, he saw a few tables filled with some adventurers and chairs along the counter. A man was wiping down glasses with a cloth. He seemed to be a bartender. Arthur then sat along the counter.
"What would you like to drink?"
"Water's fine." Arthur quickly replied, remembering that traumatic experience with the barbarians.
"I haven't seen you around before, you an adventurer?" The bartender had said as he passed a glass of water to Arthur. He was experienced in discerning people's personalities, their jobs and what kind of life they may have lived. He's been doing this for some years now, talking to many different types of characters that had previously entered his tavern.
"What's your name adventurer?"
"Arthur. Can I ask you a few questions about this village and the quest I recently picked up?" He handed the quest paper to the bartender.
"Sure, go ahead."
The bartender could tell with ease that Arthur was friendly. He thought to himself that even someone inexperienced at reading others would be able to effortlessly determine that Arthur was good-natured.
"Why is this village called Eira?" Arthur asked purely out of curiosity.
"Well, you see this village has existed for quite a while. Long before an old man like me was here, haha! Anyways, a long time ago this village was quite small. The people of this unnamed village had caught a disease, an unknown disease, but the symptoms were horrible. It started with a fever. Then the victim would feel as if they were being burnt.
They cried out in agony. Soon after, blood would start leaking from their mouth, eyes, nose and ears. They tried to cry out in agony but soon came to realise they had lost their voice. It succumbed to half the village, and it was still spreading. Isolating the victims didn't work. No source was found. It was completely hopeless. It would've wiped out the whole village.
However, a goddess descended to the humans, hearing their cry, and with a wave of her hand, she had cured everyone. The villagers had felt cold as she did it. Describing her to have blown over a cold wind, that just magically healed everybody. It wasn't just the disease but blindness and physical injuries.
Every villager was enchanted and hypnotized by her beauty. Wearing a white veil and a white dress. Long blue hair. Her eyelashes were long, and her eyes were so pure. Most of all they were grateful. A kid crying with joy then came running up to her, hugging the goddess's leg. 'Thank you for curing my mommy! What's your name, sweet lady?' She then replied 'Eira' as she patted the kid on his head. 'You can call me Eira'. Thus the name 'Eira village'. People believe her to be some sort of ice goddess."
Arthur listened, engaged by the story, the bartender could see admiration in his eyes.
Arthur, with great excitement, replied, "That's so cool! Is it really true? Do you think it's true? This goddess is really nice!"
The bartender was overwhelmed by his reaction. "Ahem! If you want my personal opinion I think the story is probably -"
Arthur was now raring to go up the mountain and headed out straight away before the bartender managed to reply.
"Wait! Don't you have other questions?!"
It was too late, Arthur was too excited and motivated to hunt this monster to help others.
"Ah! Kid, you forgot your quest paper?!... I guess it's too late." The bartender smiled to himself. "Whatever that kid does, he'll be happy, I'm sure of it." The bartender muttered under his breath.