The battle finally over, and after generously using several healing potions on their respective wounds, Logan carefully began tearing off some of the monster's tough scales and sharp fangs. He wanted to take its mana crystal, but it was far too big. Reluctantly, he decided to leave it there. Then, the two of them slowly climbed back up from the gigantic gaping hole left by the battle.
Once they reached the surface, Aria almost immediately collapsed, exhausted, letting herself fall onto the damp ground. Logan, also overwhelmed by immense physical and emotional fatigue, quietly sat down beside her. Around them, the familiar sounds of nature timidly began to return: birds once again sang peacefully, contrasting with the chaos that had reigned just moments earlier.
In this newfound calm, Aria naturally let her head rest gently on Logan's lap, causing him slight surprise:
"You…" he began softly.
"I know, it might be surprising, especially coming from me, but I've grown used to your presence, despite my still lingering trauma. Those atrocious memories will remain forever etched in my mind those moments when I was nothing but a worthless, dignity-less object. And yet, over these past months by your side, your kind gestures, your sincere attention have slowly cracked my barriers. My body and mind have grown used to you, until your presence finally became comforting. Today, we brushed with death together. Without you, I most likely wouldn't be here anymore. And you, without me, perhaps you wouldn't be here either. But beyond all that, I sincerely want our relationship to continue, at least for a while longer. I want to know you better because, in truth, I know almost nothing about you."
Logan, touched by Aria's sincerity and vulnerability, offered her a reassuring smile before warmly replying:
"Your presence is just as pleasant to me, Aria. I'll tell you anything you wish to know about me."
"I still want to thank you one more time," Aria insisted softly.
"You'll have plenty of time to thank me once we've freed your people," Logan answered with gentle reassurance.
"Thank you…" Aria murmured with a peaceful sigh, nestling her head more deeply into the comforting warmth of Logan's lap to fully savor this precious moment.
With infinite gentleness, Logan then slid his hand into Aria's beautiful white hair, softly caressing each strand as if trying to soothe the torments buried deep within her.
And so, in this peaceful setting where the dark clouds had given way to radiant sunshine, they remained together in silence, simply savoring the comforting warmth of each other's presence.
After this precious moment of closeness and rest, Aria and Logan finally stood up, deciding it was time to head back to the city. The return journey was quiet but serene, each absorbed in their own thoughts, the calm surroundings allowing their minds, still marked by battle, to recover slowly. They had to face a few monsters along the way, but nothing too serious.
Upon arriving at the city gates, they immediately made their way to the guild. Barely had they crossed the threshold when they were surprised by the unusual commotion reigning inside. The hall was crowded with panicked adventurers, running in all directions, jostling each other in utter confusion.
"What on earth is going on here?" Logan murmured, intrigued by all this chaos.
It was then that he saw Marie struggling to weave her way through the agitated crowd, desperately trying to reach the duo.
"You're both okay? And what happened to your clothes?" she exclaimed worriedly, looking them up and down.
"Nothing too serious, just a particularly exhausting fight. We're exhausted but alive. But why all this commotion in the guild?"
Marie took a deep breath before explaining in a hurried, stressed voice:
"Well, one of the adventurers who disappeared in recent days returned just a few hours ago. He claims his entire group was wiped out by a colossal sea serpent. Apparently, several other teams met the same fate. Faced with the magnitude of the threat, the guild is urgently organizing a subjugation mission to deal with the problem as soon as possible."
Logan then gave a discreet smile before calmly responding:
"Well, I think that mission won't be necessary anymore."
Marie slightly furrowed her brows, intrigued by his apparent calm, and looked closely at the two adventurers before her. She noted their torn and soaked clothes, their hair still dripping, and Aria's body partially covered in traces of blood. Her eyes widened as an incredible idea suddenly crossed her mind:
"Wait, you… you don't mean to say you've already beaten that sea serpent?!" she cried, unable to contain her astonishment.
Logan, with a mischievous smile, slowly pulled from his item bag an enormous sharp tooth, clearly from a titanic sea monster.
Immediately, silence fell across the entire hall. The adventurers ceased all activity, their gazes now fixed with stunned admiration on Logan and Aria.
"That's really a sea serpent's tooth!" exclaimed one adventurer, mouth agape.
"Incredible, they beat it all by themselves!" marveled another.
"What level was that monster?" asked a third, impressed.
"How in the world did you manage to defeat it?" shouted a voice in the crowd.
Questions poured in from all sides, drowning the two in a true tide of interest and wonder. But suddenly, slow and loud applause resonated throughout the guild, abruptly cutting off all the questions.
All eyes turned to the main staircase, where a tall, imposing man with a solid, muscular build was slowly descending. He wore a perfectly fitted, elegant black outfit, and his piercing gray eyes radiated calm but intimidating strength. His neatly trimmed graying beard perfectly complemented his silver hair. An aura of respect naturally emanated from him, causing the adventurers to respectfully move aside in his path.
"Impressive, truly impressive," he declared in a deep, confident voice as he slowly advanced toward Logan. "You're Logan, if I'm not mistaken?"
Soon, he stopped directly in front of the young man, his deep, analytical gaze locking onto Logan's, who firmly held his ground, intrigued to know the intentions of this mysterious man.
"And whom do I have the honor of addressing?" Logan asked politely, curious about the obvious respect this man commanded as adventurers stepped aside in his path.
"Ah yes, you've only been here a few months; it's natural you don't know me yet. I'm Stanislas, the master of this guild," the man replied with a warm smile, extending his hand toward Logan.
"Pleased to make your acquaintance," Logan answered sincerely, shaking the offered hand firmly.
"The pleasure is mine. I've heard much about you from Marie's reports and praises of your feats. In fact, might I invite you and your companion to my office? We'll be more comfortable discussing there," Stanislas suggested.
"Gladly."
Logan and Aria then followed Stanislas, with Marie quietly joining them. They climbed several flights of stairs before entering a large, meticulously organized office. At the center of the room stood a table surrounded by inviting armchairs, perfect for discussion. The decor was completed by shelves lined with numerous books and a large window offering a view of the bustling street below. Stanislas's personal desk, covered with neatly stacked documents, testified to the seriousness of his work.
He invited them to sit in two comfortable chairs facing his desk, while he took a seat behind it. Marie remained standing near him, attentive.
"First of all, I want to make it very clear that I tolerate no discrimination against demi-humans or any other race different from my own," Stanislas announced with sincere gravity.
"Why tell me this right away?" Logan asked, intrigued.
"Marie informed me you share this conviction. It's a good common ground to start our discussion, especially since your partner here is a beast-woman. I want to avoid any unnecessary animosity between us," Stanislas explained calmly.
Logan cast a quick glance at Aria, nodding slightly in approval.
"Let's get straight to the point, shall we?" Stanislas proposed, folding his hands before him.
"Of course."
"As Marie mentioned, several groups of adventurers have mysteriously vanished in recent weeks. One of them returned very recently, injured and traumatized, claiming to have been attacked by a colossal sea serpent. In total, we've lost more than fifteen teams, each consisting of five adventurers. We are convinced they were all victims of this monster," Stanislas explained seriously.
"We could have met the same fate. I was convinced that no monster in this region normally exceeded rank D or early C."
"Exactly. That's what makes this situation particularly worrying and strange. Nothing like this has ever happened before," Stanislas said, slightly furrowing his brow.
"Is there a dungeon nearby that could explain the presence of such a monster?" Logan asked, thinking aloud.
"No, none that we know of. Did you notice anything unusual in the forest during your mission?" Stanislas asked curiously.
"Nothing abnormal, except that the serpent we fought was clearly still a baby," Logan replied calmly.
"A baby? How can you be sure?" Stanislas asked in surprise.
"Since my arrival, I've studied many books about monsters. Adult sea serpents are much larger and typically reach a level close to 400. The one we faced was only around level 120 and only one year old," Logan explained confidently.
Stanislas remained pensive for a moment, slowly stroking his beard before turning to Marie:
"Marie, how many kilometers away is the nearest sea?"
"Thousands of kilometers, sir," she promptly replied.
"Given that enormous distance, I believe this monster was intentionally placed in the forest."
"Your hypothesis is very plausible," Stanislas agreed gravely.
"But for what purpose would someone do that?" Marie interjected, perplexed.
"Have you recorded any other similar incidents recently?" Logan asked, his mind already racing.
Without answering immediately, Stanislas pulled several sheets from a drawer and laid them out on the table before them.
"Recently, we've seen several unusual attacks on convoys, kidnappings of minor nobles, as well as unexplained deaths of experienced adventurers in typically safe areas. These events are increasing dangerously," Stanislas explained.
"Were there any survivors among these attacks?" Logan asked.
"Unfortunately, none," Stanislas replied sadly.
"You have guilds in other countries, right? Surely you communicate between them. Have other regions experienced similar incidents?" Logan continued.
"Yes, indeed. Similar phenomena are multiplying in all major countries. For example, recently near the country of Leonis, a village was attacked by gargoyles," Stanislas added grimly.
"Was there a dungeon nearby or an area known for frequent attacks?" Logan asked intently, seeking possible connections between these mysterious assaults.
"No, that's the problem. Do you think you have a lead?" Stanislas asked, intrigued.
"I just need one more piece of information: is Ria also experiencing an increase in such incidents?" Logan inquired.
"No, there have been no mass incidents there," Stanislas replied.
"Alright, I believe I've found a common thread between all these events," Logan said pensively.
"Share your thoughts with us," Stanislas encouraged.
"My hypothesis, with the little information we have, is that all the targets of these attacks were human. Isn't it strange that the only country escaping these incidents is the one that does not practice any discrimination against other races?" Logan explained.
"So these attacks would be orchestrated by other races against humans… That's plausible. Aria, as a beast-woman, what's your opinion?" Stanislas asked, turning to her.
"I don't need to remind anyone of everything humans have inflicted on other races. It would make sense for a group to emerge with the goal of taking revenge on humans. And given past barbarity, they wouldn't lack support," Aria replied without hesitation.
"I see. I'll draft a report based on this hypothesis and launch an in-depth investigation. Regarding the sea serpent, did you leave the body there?" Stanislas asked.
"Yes. We'd like you to recover the body so we can receive our reward," Logan replied.
"Of course. We'll offer you 60 gold coins. Does that suit you?" Stanislas proposed.
"Perfectly," Logan replied.
"Very well. Now that this matter is settled, Logan, I advise you to be careful about whom you openly share your views with," Stanislas warned, suddenly more serious.
"My views?" Logan repeated, surprised.
"Yes, avoid openly showing your opposition to racial discrimination. Such an attitude is perceived as a threat by the kingdoms and especially by the Church. Their enemies generally don't live long," Stanislas cautioned.
"I've never openly displayed these feelings," Logan protested.
"Perhaps, but you don't hide them well, and your emotions are hard to control. A slave trader was recently killed without leaving any magical traces. That was you, wasn't it?" Stanislas asked insistently.
"How can you be so sure?" Logan asked cautiously.
"Marie discreetly followed you that day, fearing you might make a mistake. She saw what happened when that young girl begged you for help," Stanislas revealed.
"I… I couldn't take it anymore. I had to do something."
"Logan, taking action is necessary, but not recklessly. Do you know what happened to the slaves after the merchant's death? They were all executed," Stanislas said gravely.
The window behind Stanislas suddenly shattered as the office and walls trembled under the pressure of Logan's anger, his eyes glowing an intense red.
"Logan!" Aria cried, worried.
"This is exactly what I meant. You must learn to control this rage. If you don't, it will be your downfall," Stanislas stressed sternly.
After a moment, Logan calmed down and asked in a low voice:
"Why were they killed?"
"With no apparent culprit, they were deemed responsible for their master's death. Who else could have been accused but those he had enslaved?"
Logan clenched his teeth, painfully realizing his act had cost other innocent lives.
"I share your hatred for this injustice. I once had a demi-human friend, Ana. She was killed in front of me by a member of the Church. Her last words were: 'Don't die needlessly.' Despite the rage I felt, I held back," Stanislas revealed, his eyes filled with hatred.
He sighed before continuing:
"You were lucky to fall in with us. Otherwise, you might have been accused of heresy and killed. In the future, be extremely careful," Stanislas advised seriously.
Logan, finally calm, declared with determination:
"Thank you for your advice. From now on, I'll act more intelligently, but I will never remain passive in the face of injustice, even if it means standing against the entire world."
"Very well. In addition to your monetary reward, you'll be promoted to rank C, and Aria will receive a guild card at rank D," Stanislas announced with a smile.
"Aria can really get a card?" Logan asked in surprise.
"Absolutely. We have adventurers of all races, just not in this kingdom. She'll have to pass as your slave, unfortunately. The guild is autonomous, independent from the kingdoms and the Church, but we try to avoid any conflict," Stanislas clarified.
"I understand," Logan accepted reluctantly.
"We'll meet again soon. It was a pleasure to meet you, Logan. I look forward to knowing you better," Stanislas concluded warmly.
"Thank you," Logan replied with gratitude.
They parted ways, Logan promoted to rank C and Aria officially receiving her card at rank D. They also pocketed their gold reward for subjugating the sea serpent as well as for various monster materials, totaling a well-deserved sum of 68 gold coins.
After their departure, Stanislas remained alone in his office, lost in thought, slumped in his chair, eyes fixed on the ceiling.
"I never thought I'd meet people again willing to fight for their convictions. I keep thinking back to that fateful day, looking for all kinds of excuses. Maybe if I had acted differently, if I had fought for her, Ana would still be alive and by my side today. But if there's one thing life has taught me, it's that every man can be offered a chance to redeem his mistakes, provided he has the courage to seize it. One day, my time will come, and I must be ready for that moment, because nothing is ever truly too late."
Night slowly descended upon the city, bringing an end to this long day full of events. In the shadows of a dark alley, several hooded figures dressed in black whispered discreetly.
"The sea serpent has been eliminated much earlier than expected," a low, deep voice announced.
"Who's responsible?" another voice asked, worried.
"An adventurer named Logan, accompanied by his slave, a beast-woman," the first replied coldly.
"Should we eliminate this adventurer?" a third voice asked impatiently.
"No, we have far more urgent objectives to accomplish. How are we progressing with gathering the monsters for the attack?"
"Everything is nearly ready; they will soon all be assembled and ready to deploy," another figure replied confidently.
"Excellent," the voice in the darkness concluded with satisfaction.
-----
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