Chapter 73 Kieran

Suzuka stepped out of the elegant guild building, with the sun slowly beginning to dip behind the rooftops. The day was quickly coming to an end, and the evening was closing in. She made her way back to the Mystic Oasis Inn, her thoughts wandering. 

To her relief, she noticed that David, who had been following her lately, was nowhere to be seen. The sky overhead was starting to look cloudy and dark, foretelling the approach of rain. With a quickened pace, Suzuka hurried back to the comfort and safety of the inn, hoping to beat the impending storm.

Suzuka arrived at the inn, the perfect refuge from the sudden rain shower. As she entered, the gentle pitter-patter of raindrops could be heard tapping against the roof, signaling the start of the downpour.

 Seeking shelter, she decided to make the most of the situation and treat herself to a warm meal and a relaxing hot spring bath. The sound of raindrops drumming against the windows provided a soothing background as she settled in for the evening.

 The thought of soaking in the hot spring and letting the tension of her journey melt away made her all the more eager for the experience. She was grateful for the timing of her arrival, as the inn offered the perfect respite from the rain.

Suzuka had just finished a satisfying meal and was ready for some relaxation. She made her way to the bath area, taking a detour to the dressing room to shed her clothes and wrap a fluffy towel around herself.

 The hot spring was empty, with just her enjoying the warm waters. The peacefulness was only interrupted by the sound of the rain tapping against the roof and a rumble of distant thunder. It was a welcomed sound, as it added to the calming ambiance. 

Suzuka relaxes in the warm water of the bath, only her eyes and nose visible above the surface. She has created a makeshift roof above her head by draping a soft, fluffy towel over her hair, protecting herself from the gentle rain that falls outside. 

The sound of the raindrops hitting the surface of the water is like music to her ears, soothing and calming after a long day. The warmth of the water envelops her, easing any tension in her muscles and leaving her feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, enjoying the peace and tranquility of the moment. As she relaxes in the comforting embrace of the water, she listens to the gentle patter of raindrops as they fall upon the surface, creating a melodic symphony of sound.

 The warm water and soothing rain combine to create a peaceful, rejuvenating experience, and Suzuka sighs contentedly as she basks in the calming ambiance. It's the perfect way to escape the stress of everyday life and let go of any worries.

The sound of the rain tapping against the surface of the water added to the calming atmosphere, lulling her into a state of peace. She closed her eyes and let herself drift off, completely at ease and soothed by the gentle sounds around her.

Suzuka was in a peaceful slumber, as she rested in the warm embrace of the hot spring. She drifted off into a deep sleep, hours slipping by as she basked in the soothing heat. But suddenly, the tranquility was broken by a loud thunderclap that echoed throughout the area, jolting Suzuka awake. The sudden noise was enough to startle her, and she sat up with a gasp, her heart racing as she tried to orient herself. The storm outside was raging, the thunder rumbling as rain pelted. 

Suzuka stepped out of the hot spring and made her way to the dressing room, where she dried off and got dressed. She then headed back to her room, feeling relaxed from her soak in the warm waters. With a content sigh, she slipped back into bed, eager to get some rest.

The next morning, Suzuka awoke to the sound of rain tapping against her window. The storm outside was still raging on, with a light rumble of thunder accompanying the pitter-patter of raindrops. Despite the weather, Suzuka felt well-rested and refreshed, ready to start the day.

As she arose from her bed and completed her morning routine, she couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement. This was the perfect opportunity to put her new raincoat cape to the test. The cape was a recent purchase from Walter, the blacksmith. She was eager to see just how well it would hold up against the elements.

With a spring in her step, she made her way to the exit of the inn, her cape securely fastened around her. She pushed open the door and stepped out into the cool, damp air. The sky was overcast and dark, but she felt a thrill of anticipation nonetheless. With her raincoat cape, she was ready, she decided to go to the guild to give Lisanna a visit.

Suzuka was walking towards the guild building, enjoying the sound of raindrops tapping against her raincoat cape. She loved the feeling of the rain and the way it seemed to wash away all her worries. Despite the weather, she felt content and at peace.

As she walked, she noticed that the streets were deserted. Everyone else was hiding from the rain, but she relished the peace and quiet. The sound of thunder echoed through the city, but she wasn't afraid. Instead, she felt a thrill of excitement at the power of the storm.

She arrived at the guild building, shaking the rain off her coat. As she stepped inside, she was greeted by the warmth of the fire, and the friendly face of the attendant at the reception desk. 

She made her way to the attendant, "Hello there, I am looking for Lisanna. Is she around?"

The attendant answered, "Hello, I'm afraid not, I have to inform you; because of the storm all quest activity will be halted for a short time period for safety reasons. No new quests will be issued unless you are here to turn in your finished quest. In that case, you can consult with me."

Suzuka said, "I will come back tomorrow then, bye."

She walked toward the exit when she saw Kieran, the adventurer she met at Dr. Jenkins's office. Their eyes met and Kieran greeted, "Hey! Hello there, 2 stars. How are you doing?"

Suzuka answered, "Kieran, right? My name is Helen, by the way. I'm doing decent. So? What are you doing here, I hear that quests are suspended for the time being."

Kieran said, "I'm waiting on David, he was supposed to be here an hour ago, we were supposed to go on a quest. A kill quest. But he seems to be caught up somewhere."

Suzuka asked, "Do you know David for a long time? He is acting weird and talks strangely with me or Lisanna. And she seems to not like him. I just wanted to know what's up with that."

Kieran, "Well, I can't say that I know him well but I can tell you that he's like that with all the pretty women. And believe me, they all treat him like Lisanna does or worse."

Suzuka, "What's up with that, why? Sure, he acts like a creep and stalks me going home, I think he even peeps at me bathing in a hot spring and talks weirdly with me. But he doesn't seem like a bad guy."

Kieran, "Jeez... that guy. Look, I will tell you a long story, it is not about this David to be clear it is just a famous story around Rockmine town, it's kind of a legend even. So here's how it goes." 

David was a shy man who lived in Rockmine Town, a big and peaceful community. Despite his quiet demeanor, every pretty woman in the town seemed to dislike him intensely. No one could quite explain why, but there was a strange and unsettling aura that surrounded him.

One day, a group of women from the town went missing. As the days passed and no sign of them was found, fear and suspicion began to grip the town. Many suspected that David was behind the disappearances, given the strange energy that he exuded and the fact that every pretty woman seemed to hate him.

One evening, a young woman named Sarah decided to confront David. She entered his home and found herself in a dark and dreary room, with dim lighting and a musty smell. David was nowhere to be found, but as she explored the room, she stumbled upon a hidden door.

She cautiously opened the door and was horrified by what she saw. The room was filled with the missing women, all of whom were tied up and suspended from the ceiling. They were in a state of terror, and their faces were twisted in fear. David was there, too, and he had a wicked grin on his face as he cackled madly.

Sarah ran as fast as she could back to the town, and soon a group of men gathered to confront David. They found him in the hidden room, still cackling, and as they approached him, he suddenly turned towards them and revealed that he was not human at all. Instead, he was a monster in disguise, using his shy and unassuming demeanor to lure women into his clutches.

The men fought the monster and managed to defeat it, but the memory of that night and the horrors of what they had seen stayed with them forever. From that day on, every pretty woman in Rockmine Town hated David, and his name became synonymous with fear and terror.

Kieran continues speaking, "That's how the old tale goes and guess what? Our David is acting just like the David from the tale. So, all of the women have this picture of him as a creep. Sure, no one believes that he is a bad guy or anything like that, in fact, he is a nice guy. But yeah, when women see him running from one gorgeous to another right after they dump him, they spread rumors and shit."

But before Suzuka could say anything she got interrupted by David, he was finally here. David was bruised up like he was in a fight ( or, I don't know, maybe fell off a tree and hurt himself wink, wink nudge, nudge.)

David said, "Kieran, sorry for being late, I had a few stops on the way." But after seeing Suzuka he began to stutter as he stood in her beautiful and intimidating presence, "H-H-Hello Helen, I... I mean... "

 He nervously fumbled with his words as he finally greeted her, "H-Hello, Miss Helen. It's a pleasure to meet you." He couldn't help but blush as he gazed into her eyes, feeling completely out of his element.

As she smiled back at him, She said "We have met before, a few times. Or did you hit your head when you fell off the tree and forgot?" 

David nervously stumbled over his words as he tried to explain the bruises on his body. "What do you mean, a tree?" he asked, clearly confused. But as the realization dawned on him, his face turned red with embarrassment. "Oh, no, you mean these bruises," he stammered, "It's nothing really, just from a fight. It was all just a misunderstanding, I swear."

Kieran interrupted them talking and said, "Hey! Helen, wanna come with us on the quest? It's just 15 silver, this is just a way to brush off some quest numbers from rank-up requirements. So, if you want you can tag along. We split the reward 30-30-40. It's a simple quest, a few goblins stealing chickens, so we go kill them."

Suzuka didn't have any plans and was looking for a quest so she agreed, "Sure, I tag along. I need to rank up to get a better-paying quest, the sooner I am done with low pay jobs the better, also I was on the lookout for some quests so it fits me perfectly."

David, Suzuka, and Kieran had agreed on the quest to put an end to the goblin raids that were plaguing a local farmer. After arriving at the farmer's residence, they were given the task of investigating the theft of chickens that had been occurring for some time now. The farmer explained the extent of the goblin's attacks and their suspected whereabouts, pointing the trio toward a dense forest in the area.

Kieran approached the task with a relaxed attitude, not taking the situation as seriously as the other two. David, on the other hand, was quite jittery, twitching at even the slightest sound, and constantly scanning the surrounding area for any potential dangers. Suzuka walked with a confident pace, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword, a casual look on her face.