Chapter 15: Lost People
I ventured into the streets of Lilith and Drynsoll at the first light of morning for shopping. There were shops selling various things around, and we headed towards Eris's Blacksmith, recommended by Malik for buying armor and weapons. The streets of Drynsoll seemed hidden behind a light mist in the early hours of the morning. The streets were filled with historical buildings carrying the traces of the past. Stone-walled shops, iron gates, and wooden signs were like time capsules. The first light turned the stones of the streets and the walls of the buildings into a golden hue, creating a magical atmosphere.
Eris's Blacksmith stood out among the other shops. It drew attention with its doors adorned with ironwork and the blacksmith symbol on it. The stone floor in front of the shop was worn over time but still stood strong. Iron showcases displayed various armor and weapons. Behind the showcases, a large iron table with distinct traces of hammer sounds and the heat of the iron in the fire caught the eye.
Entering the shop, we were greeted by Eris:
Eris: "Welcome, what can I do for you?"
"Hello, Malik sent us here; he said you are a skilled blacksmith."
Eris: "Or are you Daichi? Malik talked a lot about you; I guess you had some tough moments in the labyrinth?"
"What about you?"
Eris: "Am I sent by someone? No. I am a local here. When you first arrived, there was a big commotion in the city, but we couldn't imprison or kill so many people, so accepting you didn't take too long."
"Yes, I guess people from your world don't have the abilities we possess."
Eris: "Yes, that's true, but it doesn't mean we are weak. Some of us are born with what you call abilities, and others strengthen themselves through hard work or make pacts with gods. I guess the ones who sent you here are like that, am I right?"
"I think you're right. I'd like to talk more with you later, but for now, I have a few requests from you."
Eris: "Sure, there's nothing I can't do."
"I can't claim to have a strong build or a good class, so I want you to make me a light but sturdy sword. Similarly, I want a light and durable armor."
Eris: "Hmm, I understand what you want to some extent, but I'm not sure if I have enough materials to fulfill your requests. I can order the materials, but it might take a few weeks for them to arrive, and it could be quite expensive for you."
"I think I can arrange something for the materials. Can you wait for a moment?"
Eris: "Wait?"
Using my Portal ability, I opened a portal to the village where construction was still ongoing. I picked up some wyvern scales and bones without drawing too much attention and returned through the portal.
"Would these be enough? I thought a wyvern bone might be useful for you, as it is lightweight and could potentially serve a purpose in crafting."
Eris: "A Wyvern? Where did you find these? Anyway, I won't charge you for these, but I need some time to work on your requests. The sword and armor I make for you will be one of my best works."
"That's great. Thank you for everything. Also, how long will it take for everything to be ready? There's a tournament I plan to join soon."
Eris: "Are you talking about the big tournament in the city? Well, considering you can slay a wyvern, I think you can participate. Don't worry; I'll have everything ready by then."
"Great, by the way, we can continue hunting monsters to get stronger and earn some more money."
Eris: "In that case, I have a suggestion for you. The Lirius family has been looking for skilled warriors for a long time for a mission. Dolares, the daughter of the Lirius family, is a close friend of mine. They are still looking for someone, and according to her, the reward for the mission is quite high. No hunter who went on this mission has returned, so people hesitate to go, but for adventurers like you who can defeat a wyvern, it shouldn't be too difficult."
"What is the mission about?"
Eris: "No, Dolares didn't tell me even when I asked. I think it's some significant family matter. If you want, I can arrange a meeting for you next week when they return."
"Can't you arrange it sooner?"
Eris: "Sorry, the Lirius family is one of the largest trading establishments in the city, and they often have many dealings with other cities. So, they frequently go out of the city, just like they are doing now. But they'll be back in a few days, and you can meet them when they return."
"Okay, thanks for your help."
After talking to Eris and learning about the location of the Lirius family and when they would be available, Lilith and I went to the Adventurers' Guild. Until the Lirius family returned, we continued our missions, trying to earn as much money and experience points as possible. Within five days, I reached level 52. Upon reaching level 50, I gained an active skill related to my class. Excluding the Portal ability, this was my first active skill, and I could use it for offensive purposes, I suppose.
During this time, I visited Eris to inquire about using the blacksmithing tools, and he confirmed that I could use them. By experimenting with the things I read in the book, I crafted some simple daggers and armor pieces, gaining the [Blacksmithing] skill. This skill helped me with blacksmithing, showing the durability of materials, how to forge them, and other information, but it didn't help me create legendary swords or anything like that.
Eris had mentioned that with hard work, I could acquire abilities, but gaining these abilities didn't make me incredibly powerful all at once. Although we could develop faster than the people in this world, becoming extremely powerful overnight was not possible. Still, I had to do my best. I took a sword from Eris's shop for practice and, by applying what I learned from the book, gained the [Sword Mastery] skill.
With this skill, my strikes were more deliberate, and I could see more easily which areas of the opponent to attack for an advantage. While these skills didn't make me overly powerful, they made me stronger than I was yesterday, so even the smallest help could be valuable. Throughout the week, I spent my time in Eris's workshop crafting swords, practicing, and completing missions to earn money and experience points. Finally, it was time to talk to the Lirius family.
We set out for the Lirius mansion, and on the way, Malik joined us. I had told him about this mission while we were in the tavern, and he agreed to join. Lilith, Malik, and I arrived at the front of the Lirius mansion.
We stood in front of the magnificent mansion of the Lirius family. The mansion, with its high walls, elegant architecture, and grand garden, stood out. Two guards standing at the front approached us and asked who we were. Malik mentioned that Eris directed us, and we expressed our desire to meet
with Dolares. The guards invited us inside, making eye contact with each other and welcoming us.
As we stepped into the mansion, we encountered an atmosphere where wealth and grandeur merged. The Lirius family guided us into a spacious room through a long corridor. Upon entering, we met Dolares sitting in the middle of the elegantly decorated room. The young woman possessed not only beauty and grace but also a powerful presence. Dolares greeted us, "Welcome, Eris told us you were directed to us. You must be Daichi, Lilith, and Malik, right?"
"Yes, that's correct. Is there something we can help you with?"
Dolares: "Yes, there is. But first, I must tell you something. Our little brother, Rael, mysteriously disappeared a few days ago. All we have is a mask from one of those who took him."
Dolares showed us the mask on the table, noticing the strange symbols and mysterious aura it carried.
Dolares: "We need your help to find the owners of this mask and rescue Rael. I want to protect the honor of our family and see my brother safe. I offer you this mission."
When Dolares mentioned the disappearance of Rael and the mysterious mask, Malik looked at me. I understood the situation. I had previously told him about this mission when we were in the tavern. He whispered to me that the mask matches the one worn by the men who took Aiden. Why they would abduct a child was a mystery.
"I accept your mission, but first, I want to ask you something. Did your brother have any prominent abilities?"
Dolares: "Abilities? Well, he's a skilled trader, considering he's from our family. Would that be of any use to you?"
Trade? Was his ability worth trading for at an auction? Or did they abduct him for money, even though powerful nobles were supposed to support them?
"All right, for now, that should do. We will do our best to find your brother."
Before leaving, I gathered all the information about Rael and entered his details into my Mini Map ability. This way, if we found him while wandering around, we could potentially locate the hideout of these masked men and maybe even find Aiden.
If we could complete this mission, we might gather a lot of information about this secret organization. Without wasting time, we took action. Running randomly through the city streets and hoping to find something on the Mini Map wouldn't get us anywhere. I knew this from the unsuccessful attempts to find Aiden using my ability while searching for lost animals. Either he wasn't in the places we searched, or there was some condition blocking my ability.
We arrived at the last place Rael was seen. It was a temple, and according to Dolares, Rael was devout and frequently came here to pray. Hoping to find something, we began to look around. After a while, we felt like we were being watched by some people. They seemed unlikely to reveal themselves, so I made a plan. We would leave Lilith alone here and pretend to leave the temple with Malik. If these people were enemies, they would definitely attack Lilith when she was alone.
Lilith's innocent and delicate beauty in white attire might make her appear vulnerable, but underestimating her would be their biggest mistake.
To execute the plan, Malik and I hid somewhere and soon heard rising screams. When we returned to see what happened, the situation unfolded just as we expected. There were several men lying on the ground, and these were the masked men Malik had encountered before.
Approaching one of the lying men, I removed his mask.
"Do you remember the child you kidnapped? His name is Rael, and also a blond man you abducted some time ago, he's quite powerful, with silver armor and yellow hair, his name is Aiden. Where did you take them?"
Masked man: "Hahaha, do you know what you've gotten into? All of you will die-."
I unsheathed my sword and slashed his throat. Then I moved to another lying man.
"Hey, we are also sent ones like you. So, why don't you do us a favor and tell us where you took them?"
Masked man: "D-Did you think you could scare me-"
I cut his throat as well and proceeded to the last lying man.
"Hey, why the resistance? Just tell us where you took them, and I won't kill you."
Masked man: "I-I don't know who he is. Our team is only tasked with capturing abandoned children and women. H-Hey, I've told you everything, so you won't kill me, right?"
"Of course, I won't kill you. I always keep my word. Lilith, you can devour him."
Lilith: "Yayyy, I haven't eaten human in a while, and I won't feel guilty eating such a scumbag, hoorayyy."
Masked man: "W-What are you saying? What eating! HEY, COME HERE!"
Lilith turned into a snake and swallowed the masked man in a single move.
Malik: "H-Hey, buddy, I know she's your girlfriend or something, but she won't eat us, right?"
Weekly Power Status
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