Chapter 2 What binds us 1

The table greeted him with the aroma of freshly cooked food, prepared by someone who loves what they do. Someone who puts all their knowledge, passion, and effort into every dish.

A large turkey leg, with the appetizing color that comes from perfect cooking, was on one plate. On another, a delicious beef stew, with tender pieces of carrot and potatoes, was filled to the brim. A soup full of steaming vegetables filled another…

“Do you have to wake up so early, Ryo?” Lihua asked.

“It’s a habit.” The squirrel jumped onto the table after Ryo sat down and began eating an apple.

“Maybe we should join him. We’ll be passing by anyway.”

“That’s true, but have the goddesses’ followers granted access yet?”

“It seems Wolsey already granted it,” Ren replied to Herwin.

“Hindbert again?” Ryo asked.

“Yes.” He asked me again if we wanted to join his expedition.

A little girl, barely over a meter tall, with two pigtails and a childlike voice, approached the table.

“Here. The check.”

“Oh, little Lisa is getting cuter and cuter.” Lihua stroked the girl's head with a smile.

“Hehehe. Am I cute?” The little girl blushed.

“Of course!”

“Hehehe.”

“Don't bother the customers, Lisa.”

“Daddy!” The girl ran off and hugged her father.

“I hope I didn't bother you.”

“Not at all, don't worry,” Herwin told the girl's father.

“Right, I have to go play with Ada! I'm off, Dad!” Lisa ran out of the place.

“Wait! Ahhh… this girl…”

“It's hard being a father, Isn't it?” Lihua comforted the cook.

“Can I ask you something, Jeff?”

“Sure.” Although they weren’t the only ones there, the place wasn’t very crowded yet.

Jeff approached.

“Do you know any honey merchant named Nick?”

“Nick? Hmm… I think he’s a small trader. I don’t know much, only that he’s relatively new to the honey business. I’ve never seen him.”

“…Thanks.” After paying him, Jeff returned to the kitchen.

“Nick?” Herwin said.

“A man who asked me about the rumors of the disappearances.”

“Right… We’re here. I’d forgotten.”

“It seems the rumor from the western regions of Gredard has reached this part of Midgard.” Ren remembered hearing about this “monster.”

“There’s a rumor that it actually originated here,” Ryo mentioned.

“Hmm… Weren’t those just made-up stories?” Lihua looked incredulous.

“Some people believe these kinds of stories.” “We don’t know if they’re lies,” Herwin told Ryo, his usual expression leaving one unable to decipher whether he was simply serious or dismissive.

“There’s no evidence other than words that this monster exists.”

“Nor is there any evidence that it doesn’t.”

“So it could be anything?” Lihua asked, confused.

“Basically. For now, it’s both.”

“And what did it want?” Ren asked.

“I don’t know his true intentions. But he wants someone to deal with the monster. What do you think?”

“I don’t like leaving things unfinished. Let’s see if this monster is real.” Although he didn’t show it, Herwin seemed still interested in the rumor.

“How much will he pay?” Lihua asked.

“I won’t mention it.”

“We still have some funds. And if we accept Hindbert’s offer, we’ll travel to Laram for free. We could agree to save more and arrive in Rinham comfortably.”

“So everyone agrees?” Everyone looked at Ryo in agreement.

“Good. Let’s go see what this merchant wants.”

“I’ll go to the guild to find out some new information.” The elf left.

“Go with Lihua, I’ll stop by with Henry for some potions.” After Ren mentioned their plans, everyone set off for their destinations. The noisy city never rested. People crowded the merchants' stalls. Adventurers frequented the blacksmiths', alchemists', and other artisans' stands. Locals frequented the stalls selling food, clothing, and medicine. Children ran throughout the town. The occasional cat wandered by. The blue sky was gentle.

Ryo and Lihua asked around a bit and soon found Nick's shop. The dark green bee symbol on its facade was unmistakable.

A bell rang as they entered, but no one appeared.

“Is this it?”

“According to the directions, yes.”

Ryo was about to ring the bell, but before he could, an older woman came out.

“Do you need anything?” The woman seemed too old for work.

“...Is Mr. Nick here?”

“So you'll be taking care of that thing?”

“...We don't know yet.”

“Heh, heh, heh, heh. Well said, young man. Come this way, the master will be here in a moment.”

The old woman smiled at them and led the way.

“Hey, Ryo, this old woman is a little creepy,” Lihua whispered in his ear.

“Ouch!” Ryo nudged her.

When they reached a room that seemed to serve as a reception area, the old woman left them.

“There are snacks on the table if you'd like some. I'll serve them with some tea, or would you prefer some water?”

“Water is fine.”

“Good.” The old woman left.

After she left, Lihua took a snack, but Ryo stopped her.

“What's wrong?”

“You're too trusting, Lihua. We don't know who we're dealing with yet.”

“But... they look delicious…” she said with a pleading expression and a finger to her lip.

“You're hopeless.” Ryo told her as Lihua popped a snack into her mouth.

“You're hopeless,” They only had to wait a moment before the doorbell rang.

“I see you accepted my order.”

“Not yet,” Ryo replied to a smartly dressed Nick as he walked through the door.

“Good. You certainly seem like the right person.”

After Nick sat down, the conversation began.

“And your friend is…?”

“Her name is Lihua.”

“Lihua? Are you from the Eastern countries?”

“Yes. Nice to meet you, Mr. Nick.” Lihua continued enjoying the snacks.

“Are you part of a group?” Nick glanced at Ryo.

“Any problem?”

“Not at all.”

“Let's get started,” Ryo said.

“Good. As you know, there's always been a rumor about the mountain monster that carries off lost souls. That's attracted a lot of people who want to hunt it or investigate it. Which wasn't a big problem. But in recent months, it seems this beast isn't satisfied with just a few sad souls; it's started hunting caravans and adventurers, even city soldiers who've gone to investigate. That's a big problem for the citizens and, more importantly, for business. A city that doesn't protect itself is a city that will soon fall ill.”

“I understand what you're saying, but how does this affect your business?”

“Although it might seem like a merchant deals in a product, I actually think a merchant's real business is people. After all, as long as people trust you, it doesn't really matter what you sell them.”

“So you plan to boost your reputation with this.”

“You could say that. If the viscount isn’t doing anything, why not take the opportunity?”

“This opportunity comes at a price.”

“And I’m willing to pay it. What’s your price?”

“We’re not cheap.”

“Twenty large silver coins?”

“Two gold coins.”

“As you mentioned, they’re not cheap… How about… One gold and ten small silver coins?”

“One gold and fifteen large silver coins. Looking at this place, I don’t think you’re short of cash.”

“Ha, ha, ha, ha. Appearances are everything in business. But I agree, that’s the amount. A deal?” Nick held out his hand.

“Fine.” Ryo shook it.

“I hope my eyes didn’t deceive me.”

“Let’s hope not.” After saying their goodbyes and leaving, Ryo and Lihua—who seemed more like a guardian than a companion—headed to the adventurers' guild in search of Herwin.

The guild looked as always, lively and bustling. Adventurers came and went. The receptionists were breathless. Quests appeared, and groups accepted them.

Ryo and Lihua went inside and looked for the elf. They found him sitting at one of the corner tables, talking with a tall young man with short silver hair and a small young woman with maroon pigtails.

“What are you doing here, the monkey girl and the cotton-headed guy?”

“Spoiled as always, half-monster,” the young woman replied to Ryo.

“Hello, Fio, Hallvard.” Lihua, as usual, seemed oblivious to the situation.

“We were just chatting about the new rumor going around here.”

“Rumor?” Ryo and Lihua sat down.

“Yes, it seems the viscount is finally making a move.”

“You don’t have to tell him what we know,” Fio said.

“It doesn’t matter, it’s something everyone’s talking about,” Hallvard replied.

“Rumor has it the viscount is preparing a special mission to hunt the Andleh.” Herwin mentioned.

“And it seems the reward will be very large.”

“Things are going to get interesting.” Ryo grinned.

“Your smile is creepy.” Fio feigned a shiver.

“Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. Well, see you later.” Hallvard and Fio left.

“We have to move before he comes out if we want to have a head start.”

“I agree.”

“So, where do we start?” Lihua asked them.

“I heard the last victim was a woman who lost her husband. Let’s start there.” With Lihua and Herwin in agreement, the three headed to the commoners' quarter in search of the victim's house.

“I'm constantly impressed by how prosperous this city is. The commoners' quarter could easily pass for one belonging to the lower nobility.”

“Beekeeping is very valuable, and when you add the mountains and the fact that it's so close to the ruins of Laram, it's no wonder it's quite wealthy.”

“Besides being on the trade route between Rinham and Gredard. What amazes me, more than its wealth, is the viscount's management in keeping the high nobility away.”

As they approached their destination, they saw three people already there in the distance.

“Did someone get ahead of us?” Lihua voiced the thought they were all sharing.

“Let's see.” As they drew closer, those figures took shape.

Beautiful, wavy hair cascading from her shoulders to her waist, like a magnificent violet waterfall, framed the ethereal face of what appeared to be a sorceress. A fine black dress that hugged her curvaceous figure, a black wooden staff adorned with small silver jewels, and a pointed hat perched upon her seemed to indicate as much.

Beside the mage stood a young woman with a face as perfect as the milky jewel of the sky. Silky, deep chestnut-brown hair reached her shoulders. A pale bow, made of a strange metal, hung on her back.

Speaking with them was an old woman of common appearance.

“Looks like we have more curious onlookers.” The old woman glanced at Ryo and the others.

The young woman with the bow frowned at them. The mage wore a mysterious smile.

“Is this the house of the woman who disappeared?” Ryo asked the old woman.

“Hey, we got here first, kid.” The young woman looked annoyed. She glanced sideways at Nix, who was perched on Ryo's shoulder.

“Kid? Isn't she younger than me? Does that matter?” Sparks were flying.

“Yes, yes. Why don't we all go in together?” The smiling mage's voice sounded to Ryo like a soft, unreal melody. He stood motionless for a few seconds, contemplating her beauty. "By the way, my name is Milena, and my young companion is Pandora."

“Tsk. You don't have to tell us our names.” The young woman still frowned.

“Yes, it's better to go in together. With more people, everything becomes more fun." Lihua was amused. "My name is Lihua.”

“Lihua is right. There's no point in fighting. Nice to meet you. My name is Herwin.”

“Ha, ha, ha, ha. Young people these days are very curious.” The old woman laughed.

“My name is Ryo. And you are…?”

“Ha, ha, ha, ha. My name is Berta.” The old woman replied.

“Did you know the missing woman?”

“So you're the famous Ryo…” Berta looked him in the eye. Ryo's gaze narrowed.

He was used to it. He knew they attracted attention and that he'd be easily recognized wherever he went. And although he almost always drew people's attention out of fear, sometimes there were those who looked curious or didn't even notice him, like Nick or Berta...

“I'm sorry, yes, I knew her. She was a very cheerful girl. She always stopped by to buy me apples. It's a tragedy what happened to her. Since she lost her husband in that damned war three years ago, she wasn't the same. She didn't smile anymore, she hardly ever left her house.”

“Did you see anything unusual or strange about her the day she disappeared?”

“No, unfortunately, I didn't see her that day. The last time I saw her, she had a desolate look, although she tried to hide it by smiling. Why don't you go inside and see if anything helps? The soldiers already came and investigated, but they didn't find much. I hope you can solve this and kill that damned monster,” Berta told them.

After this brief exchange, they all went inside.

The moment they stepped inside, something changed. They didn't know what, but something felt different. Perhaps it was the perfectly aligned yet dusty furniture. Or the old windows through which a timid ray of light filtered. Or perhaps it was the few signs that someone had once lived there.

They didn't know what, but something felt out of place in this gloomy setting amidst the bustle of the city.

They searched for any sign, any trace, anything that might invite them to learn more about what had happened. But nothing spoke.

“Anything, Herwin, Lihua?” They shook their heads.

“There's hardly any trace of her here. It makes me wonder if she really lived here,” Herwin replied.

“Heh, heh, heh. The soldiers said the same thing.” Berta seemed to be guarding her late friend's belongings.

“We haven't found anything either,” Milena said.

“There's nothing here that can help, let's go.” Pandora looked even angrier.

Ryo saw a tiny, almost imperceptible creature, glowing with a faint light—resembling a deformed spider with four thin legs—moving along a wall. He followed it.

“Herwin, do you sense anything here?”

“No. I don't sense or see anything.” Herwin approached Ryo, who was staring at the wall.

“...I think I can make out some letters...but I can't make them out…” Ryo examined the dusty wall more closely. If you looked more closely, you could see that beneath the dust there seemed to be marks, like someone writing with their finger on a dusty surface.

“Hmm… Let's see.” Milena approached. "Hmm… I think… there's something…" Ryo and Herwin exchanged confused glances.

“Let's see…” She moved her staff slightly. The small stones gleamed. And what had seemed like faint marks beneath the dust began to glow.

They all looked at the letters that appeared.

“I wonder, am I the only one in pain?

I only see smiles all around me

Laughter as I walk by

Adventures to begin

Not a sign of unhappiness, of heartbreak, of loneliness

Only the melancholic blossoming

The hot cutting

The breeze that carries away the green leaves

The cold fire that whitens the horizon

I am just another shadow

Without a destiny

Without a path

Without a story

Without a motive

Am I alive?

Is a dream?

A sentence?

A sigh?

But I am weak

Weak like anyone else

So weak that I can only wait for you

But I know you will come; today is the day.

Yes, today is the day.

I will wait for you with a smile

Eyes of hope and suitcase of memories.

I hope it doesn't bother, it's small.

I know you will find me

Oblivion is imperishable

But I know you will come

Today is the day.”

Silence thundered.

Ryo's hand shook slightly.

“A shame... A real shame…” the old woman mentioned with her head down.

“Come on,” Pandora said.

"See you later." Milena and Pandora came out.

Shortly after, Ryo walked out without saying a word. The others followed him after saying goodbye to Berta.

The city looked as bustling as ever. People came into stores, children played, some cats wandered around. The enormous castle watched over its streets. The crystalline dome shone. The clear mountains looked impassive next to her. The enormous sun embraced the entire place. Birds flew over the city.