Wind blew dust around the cliff, but this time it felt solid, real. Solved realized he had left the illusion.
Ahead stood the cave, its gate looming, iron warm with a faint glow. He muttered, "As usual…" and stepped closer.
Then it came—the familiar sound that hadn't rung in what felt like eternity.
[ENIGMA SYSTEM ACTIVATION]
Loading...
Solved barely blinked. He wasn't impressed.
[TRUTH SIGHT: ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN]
[LOCATION: Cave]
[DETAILS: Gated, Warm iron, Life form detected.]
[ANOMALY: Spatial Distortion]
[CONCLUSION: Barrier-Level Magic Detected, Prisoner Possible: Elera]
"Elera..." Solved's eyes hardened. "The real one this time, right?" He glared at the gate. "Don't think I've forgiven you for abandoning me… coward."
He moved closer, but his body screamed otherwise. Bandit wounds. Sailor cuts. Cassie's blows. They hadn't healed—only stacked. His vision blurred, the ground tilting beneath him.
Still, he forced his legs forward. Step by step, until the cave loomed before him. Its darkness stretched endlessly, and from within came a faint, broken sound—sobbing.
[TRUTH SIGHT: EMOTION SCAN]
[TARGET: Elera]
[EMOTION: Fear]
[INTENSITY: High]
His breath came ragged as he leaned against the gate for support. "Finally…"
"Elera," he called into the shadows. The sobbing cut off, silence filling the cave.
"If you can hear me…" He glanced at his trembling hands, blood smeared across his skin. "…your father sent me. I've come to save you."
The silence deepened. She was inside. Just too afraid to answer.
Solved leaned heavier into the iron bars, breath ragged. "Your father's worried sick. At one point, I thought his hair had gone gray from flour dust."
He smirked, wincing as his side throbbed. "Maybe from you too… He surely regrets ever letting you be used as collateral."
He slid down, back resting against the cold gate. "But trust me—it wasn't his fault."
The system chimed in his head.
[TRUTH SIGHT: EMOTION SCAN]
[TARGET: Elera]
[EMOTION: Hope, Happiness]
[INTENSITY: Light]
A faint smile tugged at Solved's bloody lips. "You know what?—nah, it was his fault. Who in their right mind uses a priceless diamond as collateral for a handful of silver?" He chuckled, the sound breaking into a cough.
[TRUTH SIGHT: EMOTION SCAN]
[TARGET: Elera]
[EMOTION: Hope, Happiness]
[INTENSITY: Medium]
[CONCLUSION: Curious]
Silence… then the faint scrape of movement from within the shadows.
Solved lifted his head, vision swimming. "Come on, Elera. Don't leave me talking to a wall here." His voice softened, the humor fading into something raw.
"I'm bleeding like a stuck pig, but if you stay in there, scared, then I'm the one who'll think you don't exist."
The sobbing had stopped completely. A smaller voice echoed back, trembling but near the gate now: "…You really met my father?"
Solved raised his head, vision blurry, but then he saw her—
Auburn hair, loose and tangled, falling half across her tear-streaked face. Her dress was simple, a faded green linen smock, the hem dirtied from the cave floor, sleeves frayed where she must've clutched them too tightly. She looked fragile, but her eyes—red and glistening—still held a spark of life.
He smiled weakly. "Yes…"
She burst into tears—this time, not of fear, but relief. "Thank you… I thought… I thought I'd never see him again." She wiped her cheeks with the back of her arm, smudging dirt across her face.
"You'll see him," Solved said, dragging himself upright against the gate, scanning for weaknesses in the iron. "We just… need to get you out of here."
He gritted his teeth. Come on, System. Don't fail me now. You owe me one.
[CASE CLOSED: The Miller's Missing Daughter]
[Target: Elera Millwright, Age 16]
[Status: Found]
[Reward: 150 EXP, 50 Gold Pieces, Local Reputation]
Extra Points Obtained:
[INVESTIGATION: +20]
[DEDUCTION: +5]
[INTUITION: +5]
[AUTHORITY: +2]
[COMBAT: +20]
[EXP: +70]
[LEVEL 1: 220/50 EXP]
Leveled Up!
[LEVEL 2: 170/100 EXP]
Leveled Up!
[LEVEL 3: 70/200 EXP]
Solved blinked at the glowing screen. "Yeah, yeah—show me something useful for once."
[Reward: Truthforged Key]
Solved let out a breathless laugh, head tipping back against the bars. "Finally. Took you long enough."
[Reward: Truthforged Key]
[Effect: When used, becomes the original key of the door or gate. Works even on magic-reinforced seals.]
The key materialized out of thin air in his hand, warm and weighty.
It clicked as he slid it into the gate's lock—shimmering once before turning with finality.
"Yes…" Solved gasped, as the gate creaked open.
Elera stepped out, her auburn hair falling over her tear-streaked face. Relief shone in her eyes—until they fell on his body.
"You're hurt… are you okay?"
He forced a faint smile, though the blood on his lips betrayed him.
"Come on… let's go."
But his vision narrowed, dark edges creeping in.
"One more step…" he muttered, trying to weave forward.
"Wait!" Elera cried, rushing to his side as he staggered. She tried to hold him, but his knees buckled beneath the weight of exhaustion and wounds stacked one atop the other.
He hit the ground hard, his hearing fading into silence.
Her voice reached him, desperate, calling his name—but it was muted, like echoes underwater.
The last thing he saw was her face hovering above his, wide-eyed and terrified.
Then—darkness swallowed him whole.
---
Peep.
Peep.
Peep.
The sound continued to echo in his head, pulling him back from the void. Consciousness returned in fragments, heavy and reluctant.
He forced his eyes open, lids trembling.
The familiar blue glow of the system shimmered before him.
"What again…" he muttered, shutting his eyes as if sleep could drown it out. Just let me rest.
But the glow pressed against his eyelids, insistent. With a groan, he opened them again—only to see the system text floating before him.
[Enigma Seed: Host healing complete.]
He gasped softly. Thank God…
Then it popped again.
[5 NEW CASES AVAILABLE]
Solved's eyebrow twitched. "Seriously? Not now!" he grunted, throwing his head back against the pillow.
Slowly, he pushed himself up, adjusting the rough pillow beneath his head. Relief washed over him—until the realization struck.
His gaze darted around to find himself in a chamber unlike anything he'd known.
Tall windows let in streams of light, falling across stone walls draped with crimson banners.
A canopy bed held him, its sheets soft as silk. Golden trim lined the furniture, and the faint scent of incense hung in the air.
It was no doubt—a royal palace room.