Menace

A large group of NPCs walked in columns–men, women, and children alike–and they were flanked by armoured soldiers. They moved at a steady pace, with a number of carriages grouped in the middle. Their clothes were a mix of tattered garments and simple attire, blending seamlessly with their surroundings. Weariness was etched on the people’s faces.

The sight was peculiar to Verona and Maya, who had never encountered such a large gathering of NPCs before.

“It seems they’re headed for Delphiron as well,” Verona observed.

“Something’s wrong, though.”

“Right.”

They emerged from the dense Belphiron Forest, the trees fading behind them as they stepped onto the vast, green pastures, slowly approaching the NPCs. The sun shone brightly over the landscape. The city of Delphiron stood in the distance, its walls rising majestically, and the white tower of Alcidon stood tall–a beacon of power, a symbol of the Duchy of Delphiron itself.

As they observed the NPCs from afar, Verona attempted to check their status using the virtual interface, but they were too far away to reveal any information. Curiosity and concern compelled him to approach them, with Maya following closely behind. Their eyes scanned the NPCs, trying to identify any players among them, but none looked like one.

Even if he missed one or two, they should recognise Verona or Maya by their attire alone–or even by their titles. So far, nobody did.

As both closed the distance towards them, some people started to notice their presence and glanced in their direction. Their eyes widened in surprise. Soft murmurs soon spread through the crowd.

“What’s going on here?” Maya whispered, her voice barely audible amidst the growing noise.

“Don’t ask me.”

“They looked a little bit too human for mere NPCs, don’t you think?”

“I don’t know, but we have to act normally.”

Although they appeared like ordinary people, there was something peculiar about them—the way they acted and moved felt to Verona as if they were more than mere lines of code. He had noted such behaviour from the first time he saw them, but it became evident after he witnessed it closer.

Their behaviour and expressions seemed remarkably authentic, unlike the typical scripted responses of NPCs in the game.

“Adventurers!”

Suddenly, one of the NPCs shouted–a young man with ragged clothes. His voice echoed through the air, drawing the attention of those around him. Verona and Maya looked at each other, confused. Other NPCs looked at them in unison; some even halted their march. A few awkward seconds passed until Verona raised a hand to recognize him.

"We need help." The NPC continued, his voice trembling slightly. "Our town was attacked by an abyssal monster!"

Verona and Maya exchanged surprised glances.

“...Abyssal monster?”

“Yes.”

"Are you absolutely certain?" Maya questioned.

A male soldier in armour nodded as he joined the conversation. "Yes, it's true. We barely escaped with our lives."

Verona and Maya sped up their steps. As they became closer to him, they were able to see his ID.

Soldier (???)
???
Lv. 37
Men-At-Arms

The soldier lifted his helmet to reveal his middle-aged face with a beard. “I’m Captain Alaric. I’m in charge of guarding the convoy.”

“Verona, and this is Maya,” Verona introduced, gesturing to Maya beside him.

Maya exchanged a polite bow with the soldier. Then he noticed the soldier’s status changed as well. Verona seemed to be intrigued by what he saw.

Alaric
Captain
Lv. 37
Men-At-Arms

Verona noticed the soldier took a long stare towards Momo, who was still sleeping peacefully on his back. He decided to steer his attention towards something that he wanted to know.

"Where do you come from?”

“We’re from Alberta,” Captain Alaric replied, his voice calm despite the urgency of the situation.

“Tell us more about the attack. When did it happen? Did anyone get hurt?"

"They ambushed us last night," Captain Alaric explained, a hint of sorrow in his eyes. "It happened so suddenly, and we couldn't stand a chance against it. More than a hundred people lost their lives, and many others are still missing."

Verona held his breath for a moment after hearing the account. The soldier proceeded to share their harrowing event of the attack. He described how the monstrous entity emerged out of nowhere, wreaking havoc and causing destruction. He described it as a giant insect with large scythes, its size similar to that of a bear.

Despite Verona’s extensive knowledge of Regnalia, he could not recognize the monster the soldier referred to. It was the first time he had heard of it.

“The town priest and some town guards sacrificed themselves so the other citizens could escape. Thanks to the mayor, we’re able to save as much as we have right now.”

“Where’s the mayor?” Maya inquired, her voice sympathetic.

“He’s wounded and hasn't yet recovered. Right now, he’s on one of the carriages.”

“How bad is it?”

Captain Alaric paused for a moment, a flicker of pain crossing his face. “He lost his right hand.”

“...My condolences.” Words escaped Verona’s mind for a moment. “...Are there any similar attacks on other towns as well?”

“I don’t know.” The soldier shook his head. “This might be the first incident.”

Verona and Maya exchanged concerned glances, the implications of this information gnawing at their thoughts. The existence of abyssal monsters in Delphiron was unprecedented, not even in the game’s entire history. He asked himself whether this was a product of the expansion pack as well.

“...We’ll look into this,” Verona said, his voice resolute. ”We’ll do everything to help.”

“Thank you," Captain Alaric replied with gratitude.

Just as Verona was about to speak further, a sudden blink sound was heard, revealing a new notification in front of him. He reacted by looking at Maya, and her sharp gaze reply confirmed that she also had seen what Verona just saw.

A New Quest Has Been Accepted!

[Abyssal Monsters Investigation]
Difficulty: ★★★★☆