The twilight hour had drawn near, and the group plus Tsubaki and Mina sat cross-legged in a circle. The initial shock of learning Seikichi's true identity had worn off, leaving behind nothing but bitterness in their mouths. Mina fixed the edges of her yukata's sleeves, shuffling around in her seated position. Tsubaki could tell she was uncomfortable, so she placed a comforting hand on the young girl's lap. With that, Mina began speaking.
"The situation within the village had always been dire for young girls and women; that's because Seikichi believed we were good for business. Over the years, Takabetsu became the number one spot to entertain the men of the neighbouring villages." She paused, taking a deep breath. "Some girls were as young as twelve." Maisie balled her fist as a silent rage ripped through her body. "As the years went by, Seikichi introduced the loan scheme. A poverty-stricken family could take a loan, and when it came to paying back the money, their daughters would pay the price." Hide let out the heavy sigh he was keeping in. They were early in their journey, and little by little, their excitement was being snuffed out.
"So how did the situation go from bad to worse, because this place is definitely cursed?" Bonney commented, pointing back to the river behind her. Mina looked over to the side, bit her lip, then spoke up again.
"The girls who escaped were then captured, and instead of allowing them back to work, they were instead tried and executed. With each girl killed, a new curse was placed on the village. However, five years ago, a small beacon of hope illuminated the village. Seikichi's eldest daughter, Mitsu, had defied her father and ordered him to stop what he was doing. However, it fell on deaf ears. So Mitsu took matters into her own hands. At night, she would disguise herself as a man and help the girl escape, then usher them to join travelling agons. She did this for a year straight before she was caught." Mina paused, taking a deep breath. "In the end, she was executed too. Her curse would damn the life of Takabetsu forever." She concluded the storytelling, then looked over to the group, who all sat there mortified. "Girls who have escaped in the coming years are said to have been helped by Mitsu's spirit, along with the other girls' spirits. Now all that rummages about this village is dying businesses and endless poverty."
"On the other hand, I still don't know what has happened to my guild members," Tsubaki said, standing up and fixing her dress. She then placed her hand over the hilt of her katana and stared at the group. "I genuinely hope Seikichi didn't do something." She added.
"I'm sure your guild members can help themselves." Hide reminded Tsubaki, to which the girl shook her head at the statement.
"They're newbies."
Snap
All of them turned their heads, and Tsubaki's eyes widened as three approaching figures came out of the dark.
"It looks like we found them." She said, an amused look sprawling on her face. Three pale young men, stripped to their matching pale blue boxers, stood before them, shivering and sneezing. Once their eyes landed on Tsubaki, they ran towards her, crying and yelling happiness.
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"Dude, that old man, Seikichi, is a money-hungry freak." One of them spoke up. His bloodshot blue eyes peered into her crimson ones, his maroon-coloured hair flailing around as he spoke.
"Tsu, Tsu...oh God, he...he made us play strip poker and took everything we had. Then he had the absolute audacity to lock us up in a cage!" The raven-haired, green-eyed male spoke up next.
"Then I remembered I had portal magic and got us out of there." The blonde male concluded. Tsubaki patted their heads, gently comforting the men.
"There, there." She gently spoke, soothing them.
"How come I never got that treatment growing up?" Hide asked, feigning bitterness as he puffed out his cheeks. Maisie and Kalthona looked at each other before snickering.
"You were a brat." The swordsman curtly replied. "Anyways, we need to begin our mission of freeing the girls and lifting the curse from the village. Then we bring Seikichi to swift justice."
"Sounds good to me?" The Sabre Soul group said this simultaneously. Tsubaki then turned her attention to the three young men.
"You guys head left from the village; I noticed a waggon parked there. Keep warm in there, and wait for my arrival." She instructed. The three men nodded their heads and left.
"I'll get started on lifting the curse by purifying the remains with the help of Maisie." Bonney said,
"Hide, Lyon, and I will head back to Seikichi and deal with him." Kalthona followed.
"That leaves Mina and me to help the girls escape. I guess we're all set." Tsubaki concluded.
********
Kingdom of Halia
Isaiah sat comfortably in his chair, going over bills and approving job offers. He gently grabbed the cup of tea sitting idly on his desk and took a small sip. His green eyes then landed on a newspaper, tucked quietly behind job posters. He wasted no time picking it up and reading it.
"Tension escalates between the Myan Empire and the Gold State Empire as war breaks out in Wa'naan."
It looks like things are getting worse. How long before they start hiring guilds to fight for them?"He thought, He skimmed through the pages, reading exurbs here and there.
Sultana Zaina has stated that her army will increase attacks on the Gold State's territory of Wa'naan if the empire doesn't remove their military base from her borders. After not adhering to her words, the Hilfa Brigade of the Myan Empire launched numerous attacks on the military base, taking the lives of both military personnel and civilians' lives. The Gold State Empire responded to the attacks with their own, causing the Hilfa village of Na'maal to go up in flames. The L.O. magic council says they are trying to negotiate peace between the two empires as well as halt the empires' expansionist projects. Will the balance of Eldoria be ruined?
Isaiah rubbed his forehead, stressed by the situation at hand. Although both empires were relatively new, the rate at which they were seizing land was alarming. The Myan Empire was more peaceful with their approach, but they still used conniving methods to take over the lands. On the other hand, the Gold State's leadership consisted more of warmongers than actual empathetic humans, ready to use violence at the drop of a hat.
The guild masters knew this war was more than just about land. It was also a war between religions. New Modica vs. Bairaism. Saint Maribel vs. Baira. It was a never-ending war, and one that troubled the balance and peace of Eldoria. In the end, Isaiah knew it was a matter of time before everyone was going to be pouring a drink for the devil.