The next day, the three of us went to the station at the time Arion had informed us.
When we arrived, Arion was already there, waiting calmly near the entrance.
We approached him together.
"You've arrived," he said curtly.
Without any small talk, Arion handed us each a ticket.
"Thank you," I replied on behalf of all of us.
Arion only gave a small nod, without a smile or further words.
His mood seemed sour, or maybe it was just my imagination?
Next to me, Joshua leaned in and whispered softly, as if he could read my thoughts.
"It seems like our prince is in a bad mood. You'd better not say anything to upset him, Eira-chan. He's scary when he's angry."
"I can hear what you're saying," Arion said coldly, casting a sharp glance at Joshua.
"Hiiekk!"
Joshua immediately hid behind me.
"Ahaha...."
Suddenly, a calm voice called from behind me.
"Oh my, isn't this Miss Eira?"
I turned to see Sir Lawrence from the Church Organization approaching. He wore a long black robe adorned with silver embroidery, exuding an aura of graceful authority.
"Good to see you again, Sir Lawrence," I greeted him politely.
"Are you heading out on a mission?" he asked.
"Yes," I replied briefly.
Sir Lawrence nodded slightly and gave a faint smile.
"I see. Best of luck with your mission, Miss Eira."
"Are you also on a mission, Sir Lawrence?" I asked, curious.
"Yes," he replied, pausing briefly before continuing.
"Recently, a number of human corpses afflicted with the flower curse have been found in Venice."
"Corpses? Shouldn't they have disappeared?" I asked, frowning.
"They should. However, these corpses were found covered in flowers all over their bodies. The cause remains unknown, but we suspect it is linked to the terrorist group Veil of Dread."
"Is it alright to share this much information with us?" Dante asked, a faint smile on his lips.
"It's fine. This information will soon reach the ears of the Eden Organization anyway," Sir Lawrence replied calmly.
"What makes you so sure this is connected to Veil of Dread?" I asked, intrigued.
"At every scene, a mark pointing to that organization was found. It could be a trap, of course, but since Veil of Dread is known for focusing on research into the flower curse and using humans as test subjects, we can't help but suspect them."
"Research into the flower curse, huh...." I muttered.
"Have you ever heard of this before, Miss Eira?"
"Hmm? No, never..." I replied, shaking my head.
After that conversation, the train we had been waiting for finally arrived. I said my farewells to Sir Lawrence, and we boarded the train.
Our journey by train to Cairnfall went smoothly.
"I'll do a quick patrol," Arion suddenly said, standing up from his seat.
It seemed he was acting cautiously after the recent incidents.
"Alright," I responded simply.
Arion then left to conduct his patrol.
"Oh, hey," I called softly.
"What is it, Eira-chan?" Joshua asked, turning to me.
"What do you know about the Veil of Dread organization?"
Joshua gave me a puzzled look.
"Veil of Dread, huh? Why are you suddenly interested, Eira-chan?"
"Just curious," I replied.
Instead of Joshua, it was Dante who answered my question.
"Veil of Dread is a terrorist group that has existed for the past 15 years. No one knows who founded it. They dedicate themselves to researching the flower curse. Other than that, not much is known. What concerns the authorities most is that their research has claimed many victims."
"Are they very dangerous?"
"Yes. The most infamous members of their group are the nine strongest Finire, known as the Eternal Blossoms. So far, only four of them have been identified."
Eternal Blossoms, huh....
I feel like I've heard that name before. I'd better stay cautious. I don't want my identity to be uncovered.
.
.
.
After a train journey of approximately four hours, we finally arrived in the bustling town of Cairnfall.
We decided to split up to handle our respective tasks. Arion went to pick up the car at the Eden organization's branch office. Joshua went to buy a more detailed map of the area and gather information about Clementia, while Dante and I went shopping for supplies for our mission.
Arion had given us a list of items to buy.
Aside from food and drinks such as dried meat, bread, and biscuits, we also needed to purchase herbal medicines or ointments.
Cairnfall appeared to be a busy town despite its relatively small size. Its streets were lined with vendors offering their wares along the sidewalks, from fresh fruits to small pieces of jewelry.
We managed to purchase enough food and drink supplies for the mission.
"Herbs and ointments should be available at that apothecary," I said, pointing to a small shop with a sign reading Apothecary of Cairnfall.
As we stepped inside, a sharp aroma of spices immediately filled the air. Shelves were stocked with various small glass bottles, herbal pouches, and rolls of old recipes.
"Welcome. It seems I have rather unusual customers today."
An old, hunched man with a cane greeted us.
"Unusual, you say?" I asked, slightly puzzled.
The old man smiled faintly.
"It's rare to see someone with an aura like yours, especially you, young lady. You're neither locals nor tourists. Judging by your equipment, I'd say you're Finire. Am I correct?"
"Wow, you're absolutely right!" I answered enthusiastically.
"That's quite an impressive deduction for someone your age."
"Hahaha! Well, I'm just joking," the old man chuckled lightly. "Actually, I noticed your artifact, young lady."
"Ah..." Reflexively, I touched the artifact tucked into my belt.
How embarrassing—it was my artifact all along.
"So, how can I assist you?"
"We need some herbal medicine. Here's the list," Dante replied casually.
"Very well, I'll prepare it for you. You can sit over there," he said, pointing to two chairs in the corner of the room.
"Are you on a mission?"
I turned to Dante for confirmation if I could answer, and he nodded as a sign of approval.
"Yes. We're currently on a mission in Clementia."
"Clementia, you say.… You'd better be careful if you're heading there."
"What do you mean?" Dante asked, probing further.
"People have started talking about strange things—shadows moving at night, whispers that can't be explained, and… the disappearance of several travelers without a trace."
The room suddenly felt quieter than before, with only the occasional crackle of a candle burning in the corner.
Dante leaned back in his chair, his expression more serious than usual.
"Are you saying they just vanished?"
The old man nodded slowly.
"That's right. Some were just ordinary travelers, but others carried equipment like yours. They said they were going to investigate something unusual in Clementia, but after that, no one heard from them again."
He shook his head and let out a long sigh.
"Here you go; it's ready," he said, handing over a small pouch.
"How much is it?"
"Two silver coins."
I took the pouch and nodded in gratitude.
Dante stood up and grabbed our shopping bags.
"Thank you, sir. We'll be careful."