Arshen look walked back to Oak Street, planning to return to the inn to grab his meal before tackling the mission he had just accepted. His footsteps were steady on the snow-covered road, his mind preoccupied with the task ahead.
Upon arriving at Bourguis Inn, Arshen headed straight to the dining room. He ordered mashed potatoes, lamb soup, and a glass of water from Mrs. Dorothy.
"Hap..." Arshen eating his meal eagerly, trying to fuel up for the adventure that awaited him.
...
After finishing breakfast, Arshen returned to his room. He packed a few essential items into his leather bag—some stationery, a notebook, and a few small tools. He knew that an investigation mission required thorough preparation.
Click...
The door to his room closed, and Arshen stepped out of the inn. He unfolded the piece of paper Leroy had given him. It contained the address and details of the mission: *"Investigate the house at 21 Dove Street. Document all rumors and the history of the house, and most importantly, ensure the safety of the property."*
Arshen chuckled softly as he walked briskly over the white snow.
Investigating a place like this will take time and effort, but 10 pounds is a decent amount for a simple investigation. I wonder why no one else has taken it?.
He thought to himself.
As he walked, he passed by a clothing store. His eyes were drawn to the various outfits displayed in the window.
"Hah~" he sighed, pausing briefly to admire them from a distance before continuing on his way to 21 Dove Street.
Thud ...
Arshen finally arrived at Dove Street. While the area wasn't much different from Oak Street, it had more rental units than the inns and hotels that dominated Oak Street. The houses here were built with neat and precise architecture, giving the street an elegant feel.
Before he knew it, Arshen was standing in front of 21 Dove Street. He paused before a large house with a small garden in the front yard and a sturdy fence surrounding it. However, the house looked dilapidated and almost uninhabitable. The windows were shattered, the walls were overgrown with wild plants, and piles of leaves had accumulated in the corners.
Swish—
A cold wind brushed against Arshen's long coat as he stood there. Suddenly, a strange feeling washed over him, making him feel slightly dizzy and giving him a headache. "Sstt... Is the alcohol still affecting me? Am I really that weak against it?" he muttered, trying to shake off the uneasy sensation.
Carefully, Arshen examined every detail of the house. "It seems like this place has been abandoned for a long time. I wonder why it was left like this," he thought. "I should probably gather information from the people living around here first. There must be rumors or unusual stories about this house."
After glancing around, his eyes landed on a candy shop across the street. He walked over and turned the doorknob to enter.
Ding...
A small bell rang as the door opened. The sweet scent of various candies filled Arshen's nose. He closed the door behind him and glanced at the counter, where a woman with bluish-black hair and round glasses sat.
Arshen looked around, observing the assortment of candies on display. "Welcome, sir. How can I help you?" the shopkeeper asked, setting down the newspaper she had been reading.
"Yes, I'd like to buy some candy. Did you make all these yourself, miss?" Arshen asked curiously.
"Yes, I made all of these myself. What kind of candy would you like, sir? The chocolate ones are popular with kids and teenagers. Or perhaps the ginger candies, which are quite popular in this cold weather?" the woman offered, adjusting her glasses and smiling warmly.
"I'll take the ginger candies, one pack," Arshen said.
"Alright, just a moment," the shopkeeper replied, bending down to grab a paper bag and filling it with a few ginger candies.
"That'll be 1 Pearl and 25 Cents. Will there be anything else, sir?" she asked, handing the bag to Arshen.
Arshen took the bag and handed her a 2 Pearl bill. "Here you go. Keep the change," he said.
As the woman counted the money, Arshen leaned on the counter and asked, "Miss, do you know any rumors about the house across the street?"
The shopkeeper froze for a moment. With a strange look in her eyes, she handed Arshen his change. "That place is dangerous, sir. You should stay away from it, or misfortune might befall you."
Misfortune? Is that some kind of bad rumor about the house? Yeah i think, I need to document that too
"Do you know anything about it, miss?" he asked, pocketing the change along with the bag of ginger candies.
The woman stared at Arshen from head to toe, her dark eyes behind the glasses filled with hesitation. Arshen felt uncomfortable under her gaze but forced a bitter smile.
"My name is Lily Krostalea. I've lived here for about 12 years now. Are you a newspaper reporter or something, sir?" she asked.
"Something like that. My name is Zodiac Moriarty," Arshen replied.
"Mr. Moriarty, as I said earlier, that place is truly dangerous. But if you're still curious, I won't be responsible for what happens to you next," Lily said seriously.
Why do I feel so uneasy? Is that place really dangerous? But my 10 pounds..., hmm~
Arshen bit his lip, hesitating. After a moment of thought, he said, "Go ahead, tell me. I'll take my chances."
Lily sighed and began her story. "Alright, it all started 25 years ago when a wealthy tycoon bought the land to build his residence. But after the house was completed, his company went bankrupt, and he had to sell the house to a rich man named Hendrick 15 years ago. I don't know much about him since I hadn't moved here yet, but there were many rumors. Some said he was a member of a cult that worshipped an evil god. Others claimed he sacrificed his own child to gain magical powers that made his business successful."
"And then? Why is the house abandoned now?" Arshen asked, intrigued.
Lily adjusted her glasses and looked at Arshen seriously before continuing. "About seven years after he moved in, bad rumors started spreading. The church eventually stepped in and conducted a thorough investigation. A year later, his company went bankrupt, and he died in a gas explosion. But rumors say he died because of the evil god and met a tragic end."
"After that, new rumors kept popping up. One of them claimed that anyone who tried to enter the house at 21 Dove Street would be cursed by the evil god, and a few days later, that person would die a horrible death. The church investigated the rumors and confirmed that the place was safe. But by then, the rumors had already spread too far, and no one wanted to live there or disturb it. That's why it's been left abandoned to this day."
Arshen pinched his chin, noticing a contradiction in Lily's story. "Hmm... You said the church confirmed the place was safe, so why did you earlier say it's dangerous?" he asked.
"Who knows? Maybe the rumors are true after all. Besides, no one who's entered that house has ever come back alive—except for the church officials who investigated it," Lily replied. "And there are still many other bad rumors surrounding that house, enough to make it more than just dangerous."
Arshen seemed deep in thought after hearing Lily's explanation. But he quickly snapped out of it and said, "Thank you for the story. Have a good day, Miss..."
He bowed his head slightly and walked out of the candy shop. Lily simply stared blankly at the departing figure of the man in the long brown coat without saying a word.
Ding...
The bell rang again as Arshen stepped outside. He returned to 21 Dove Street, which was just across the road. He noticed an empty bench in front of the house and decided to sit down for a moment. Leaning back, he pondered the story he had just heard.
If this place is dangerous, why did the church say it's safe? Maybe the rumors are just deeply ingrained in the people here. Or maybe this Hendrick guy was just hated by the locals
Suddenly, an overwhelming drowsiness came over him. He couldn't fight it and closed his eyes, falling into a deep sleep.
Caw... Caw...
The sound of crows echoed through the quiet Dove Street. The people walking around Arshen slowly began to dissolve into white mist, floating up into the endless sky. One by one, they stopped and stared at Arshen, who was now fast asleep on the bench, their eyes empty.
Crows began to appear in the distance, perching on rooftops and iron pipes. They watched Arshen from afar, as if keeping an eye on him without taking any action.