The morning after his unexpected encounter with Corny Hormen, Louis found himself standing in the town chief's mansion once again. He had barely finished breakfast when a messenger arrived, requesting his presence.
Now, as he stood before Sansor Hormen, the town chief smiled warmly.
"Louis, I still cannot thank you enough for saving my daughter."
Corny stood beside her father, beaming. "Papa, give him something cool!"
Sansor chuckled before gesturing toward a nearby servant, who carried a small wooden chest and placed it on the table. The chief unlocked it and turned it toward Louis.
"As a token of my gratitude, I want you to have this."
Inside the chest, three items lay neatly placed:
A pouch filled with gold coins.
A finely crafted dagger with a silver blade and black handle.
A small enchanted pendant with a blue gemstone.
Louis raised an eyebrow. "What's all this?"
Sansor smiled. "The gold is a personal reward. The dagger is made from Wyvern Steel—lighter and sharper than most weapons. And this pendant…" He picked it up and handed it to Louis. "It's an enchanted Wind Pendant. It can help you move faster in battle by reducing air resistance."
Louis took the pendant and inspected it before nodding. "I appreciate this."
Sansor placed a hand on his shoulder. "No, Louis, it is I who am grateful. If you ever need anything, you are always welcome here."
Corny grinned. "Yeah! You're my hero now!"
Louis chuckled lightly before stepping back. "I should get going."
Sansor nodded. "Take care, and may fortune favor you."
With that, Louis left the mansion and made his way back to the Adventurer's Guild.
Summoned by the Guild Master
As soon as Louis stepped into the guild, he noticed a familiar face waving at him from the bar.
"Oi! Louis! Over here!"
It was Betty, already sipping on some juice. Louis walked over and sat beside her.
"You're in a good mood," he noted.
Betty smirked. "Got my reward from yesterday's hunt. I also heard about you saving the town chief's daughter. Nice job, hero."
Louis shrugged. "I just happened to be there."
Before Betty could respond, a guild attendant approached them.
"Mr. Louis Corbin, Miss Betty, the Guild Master has requested your presence."
Betty raised an eyebrow. "Again? We were just there yesterday."
Louis sighed. "Let's see what he wants."
A Dangerous Mission
Inside the Guild Master's office, Gregan Luthar—the town's guild master—sat behind his desk, arms crossed. His sharp gaze settled on them as they entered.
"Good. You're both here."
Betty leaned against the wall. "What's so urgent?"
Gregan slid a sealed document across the desk. "I have a mission for you two. A dangerous one."
Louis picked up the document and read the details.
Mission: Investigate the Disappearances in Valecrest Village
Location: Valecrest Village (2 days' journey)
Objective: Investigate reports of missing people and strange monster activity.
Reward: 5 gold coins per adventurer upon successful completion.
Louis frowned. "Missing people?"
Gregan nodded. "Valecrest Village has reported multiple disappearances over the past few weeks. Hunters and travelers have gone missing, and those who returned spoke of… shadows moving in the forest at night."
Betty narrowed her eyes. "Shadows?"
"Yes," Gregan said. "We believe it may be the work of a high-ranking monster, possibly an A-Rank or even S-Rank creature. That's why I'm sending you two."
Louis crossed his arms. "Shouldn't an experienced party handle this?"
Gregan smirked. "Normally, yes. But after seeing you take down a Titan Bear, I believe you can handle it."
Betty sighed. "So, when do we leave?"
"Tomorrow morning. Prepare yourselves."
Louis and Betty exchanged glances. This wasn't going to be easy.
Into the Unknown
The next morning, Louis and Betty stood at the outskirts of the town, just before the Safe Shield—the magical barrier that protected the town from beasts. The glowing dome shimmered faintly under the sunlight, stretching as far as the eye could see.
Betty adjusted the strap of her quiver and sighed. "Alright, once we step past this, we're on our own. No guild protection, no instant backup."
Louis nodded. "We'll manage."
With that, they stepped through the Safe Shield. As soon as they did, the air around them felt heavier, colder. The warmth of the town was gone, replaced by an eerie silence. The only sounds were the rustling of leaves and distant howls of beasts lurking in the deep forest.
They began their journey toward Valecrest Village, following an old dirt path. The road was rough, and along the way, they noticed abandoned wagons, claw marks on trees, and scattered bones—clear signs that something dangerous had been hunting in the area.
After two days of cautious travel, they finally arrived at their destination.
The Vanishing Village
When they reached Valecrest Village, a chilling sight awaited them. The village was completely silent.
The dirt roads were empty. The wooden houses, though intact, had their windows shut, and curtains drawn tightly. There was no sign of movement—no children playing, no merchants selling goods, no villagers working in the fields.
Betty tightened her grip on her bow. "This place feels… dead."
Louis frowned. "Something's wrong. Let's see if anyone's inside."
They approached the nearest house and knocked.
No answer.
They knocked again, harder this time.
Still nothing.
They moved to another house and tried again. The same result.
"They're hiding," Louis muttered. "But from what?"
Before Betty could respond, a voice called out from behind them.
"You kids shouldn't be outside right now."
They turned quickly, hands instinctively moving toward their weapons.
A middle-aged man with a neatly trimmed beard and tired eyes stood before them. He wore a thick cloak and held a lantern, despite it being daytime.
"Who are you?" Betty asked cautiously.
The man didn't answer immediately. He eyed them carefully before speaking. "I am Eldrin Vale, the village head."
Louis reached into his pouch and pulled out the sealed document from the Adventurer's Guild. "We were sent by the guild to investigate the disappearances. Here's our permit."
Eldrin took the paper, inspected the seal, and sighed. "So, they finally sent someone… You shouldn't have come."
Louis narrowed his eyes. "Why?"
The village head glanced around nervously before stepping closer. In a low voice, he said:
"Because when night falls… the shadows come to take us."
Betty and Louis exchanged uneasy glances.
Something was very wrong with this village.
And whatever was happening here—it was only just beginning.
To be continued....