(Attendances… plz…)
….
How exactly does one comfort a sixteen-year-old girl and two men in their twenties who are acting like their lives are over?
Reinhard wasn't entirely sure, but he figured just listening was a good start.
He sat patiently at a table in the guild hall, letting them vent. For the next half hour, he listened to their increasingly theatrical plans for revenge, which involved snapping the guild master's neck like a twig, burning his office to the ground, and calling him a string of creative names.
When they finally wound down, he spoke up, his voice calm and reasonable. "Don't worry, guys. It's just an investigation, not a subjugation quest. We just have to go, look around, and come back."
"Reinhard, you don't understand," Ellen said, her voice filled with dread. "That forest is packed with monsters!"
"Yeah," Kaval added. "Even though our luck has gotten better because of you, we don't want to push it."
"If it's just about monsters," Reinhard said simply, "I can take care of them."
Ellen looked at him, her expression softening. "I don't know what good deeds I did in my past life to deserve having you with us, Reinhard. But it doesn't work like that… you're just too kind. You have to learn to stand up for yourself, or weirdos will take advantage of you."
Reinhard just smiled. "Believe me, I'm a good judge of character."
"Well, whatever," Kaval sighed, resigned to their fate. "The faster we do this, the faster it's over. Sorry, Reinhard. Looks like we'll have to go to Dwargon after we get back from this mission."
"It's no worry," Reinhard said. "We can go some other time. The sword is just an afterthought, really. I'm not in any great need of it."
"Yeah, we saw that firsthand," Gido muttered. "Don't have to remind us."
It was true. Reinhard didn't need a sword. He was devastatingly effective barehanded. But it just looked strange, punching clean holes through monsters.
Using a sword felt more… proper. And the Dragon Sword Reid was, as he'd said, picky. It would only be drawn for a worthy opponent, like that white-haired demon.
He still wasn't sure if she was actually that powerful… no she was powerful. But still all looked too much the same in front of Reinhard, while he sometimes took his time or he just one shot his opponent directly.
But if the Dragon Sword deemed someone worthy, they were a serious threat, even if they usually died in a single strike.
"Let's pack something to eat and drink," Reinhard suggested, changing the subject. "Or we can just hunt on the way and make a camp."
"You can cook?" Ellen asked, her eyes lighting up for the first time since the meeting.
Reinhard chuckled. "Haha, let's let that be a surprise, shall we?"
"Let's just get this damn mission over with," Kaval grumbled. "We're going to be stuck in the Jura Forest for days."
…
After buying the necessary supplies for a multi-day journey, rations, bedrolls, and extra water skins, the four of them stood at the gates of Blumund, ready to leave the kingdom once again.
This time, however, the cheerful optimism was gone, replaced by a grim sense of duty. They were heading into the lion's den.
The trio's usual mission-start cheerfulness was gone like they show on every quest they have taken in the past three weeks.
A simple monster subjugation was one thing; you knew what you were getting into. But walking toward Veldora's Cave, a place whose mere existence had kept nations on edge for centuries, was something else entirely.
The fact that their mission was "just investigation" did nothing to calm their nerves.
As they stood at the edge of the Great Jura Forest, Kaval turned to the group, his face grim.
"It wasn't such a big deal before," he said, "but now that Veldora's aura is gone, the monsters in this forest are going to be fighting for territory. We need to be ready. We're going to be running into monsters, one after another, on this mission."
"Shouldn't we just use stealth, then?" Ellen suggested, her voice a nervous whisper. "Try to get past them before they even see us?"
Kaval immediately backtracked, latching onto her idea. "Yes! Exactly! Get ready, everyone, because we are going to be stealthy and get this mission done as fast as possible."
…
Back at the Guild Master's Office:-
Baron Veryard, a high-ranking minister from the Kingdom of Blumund, paced nervously across the floor of Fuze's office. Fuze, by contrast, sat calmly on a sofa, sipping a cup of hot tea.
"You don't have to be so worried, Baron," Fuze said, his voice a low grumble. "I have already sent my most capable adventurers to investigate Veldora's cave. I'm sure we will have some good news when they return."
"We have to be worried!" the Baron retorted, his voice tight with anxiety. "For the past month, nothing has gone smoothly! First, Oakhaven village is nearly slaughtered by a demon, then that demon apparently fights something else, and they both vanish. And it all happens around the same time Veldora's presence disappears from the forest! I think we should be anything but calm about this!"
Fuze let out a long, weary sigh. huh Does he think he's the only one who's worried? I'm worried sick, not to mention the looming threat from the Eastern Empire.
"And how, exactly, is you pacing around my office going to help?" Fuze asked dryly.
"I don't know!" Veryard admitted, throwing his hands up in frustration. "We need information! Any kind of information, so we can prepare for what's coming!"
"And, as I just said," Fuze repeated, his patience wearing thin, "I have already sent adventurers to get that information. Just wait a few days, and we will have our news."
"I'm more worried about them making a move now that he's gone from the forest," the Baron said, lowering his voice.
Fuze knew exactly who "they" were: the Eastern Empire. For decades, the only thing that had kept the powerful and aggressive empire from marching west was the Great Jura Forest, a power that made impassable by the terrifying presence of the sealed Storm Dragon. Now that Veldora was gone, it was only a matter of time before they found out and decided to act.
Or maybe they are already on it and are advancing…
"Haaah, I apologize for my outburst," Veryard said, finally stopping his pacing. "It's just been… stressful. I haven't slept soundly in weeks. Thank you again for accepting my request to investigate."
"Don't worry about it," Fuze said, finishing his tea. "I was just as curious about Veldora's sudden disappearance myself. I will inform you as soon as I have something."
….
A/N: Slime… soon…
Melatonin thanks for supporting and beta reading this fic and not to mention suggestions too.
Hoped you all liked the chapter and all.
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