After the New Year celebration, Hikaru was eager to embark on another adventure, especially now that he was a D-rank adventurer. However, knowing how tiring adventure expeditions are, he decided to take a week off from adventuring to let Lydia rest. During his downtime, he complemented his routine by learning another basic illusion magic spell with Loyd, adding a touch of magic to his daily activities.
One sunny afternoon, during one of his training sessions, Hikaru sat cross-legged in the living room of the Purple Walnut while holding a small mana crystal in his right hand. In front of him lay a parchment with a magic diagram sketched out in meticulous detail. Loyd stood nearby, his posture relaxed, arms crossed.
“You can’t truly call yourself an illusionist until you’ve mastered at least one inducing spell and the dispelling spell,” Loyd said with a smile, looking at Hikaru. “Mastering the [Sleepy Touch] sleep-inducing spell in such a short time is impressive. Now, the next step is to focus on mastering the dispelling spell, and you’ll be well on your way to becoming a true illusionist.”
Hikaru nodded, his brow furrowed in concentration as he tried to memorize all the sigils in the diagram. He then closed his eyes and silently cast the spell. A faint blue shimmer of mana transferred from his right hand to the mana crystal could be seen, but as the crystal still retained its blue color, it was clear that his attempt to dissipate the mana inside the crystal was unsuccessful.
“Good, good,” Loyd encouraged. “Now, practice this diagram consistently, and you’ll master the dispelling spell in no time.”
Hikaru immersed himself in his practice while Loyd left him alone to manage the shop. Unlike physical training sessions, illusion magic practice didn’t require constant supervision. Hikaru practiced diligently until dinner time.
Meanwhile, Lydia stood in Clay’s office inside the palace. The room was softly lit by elegant chandeliers, casting a warm glow. A grand mahogany desk stood at the center, neatly organized with documents and maps. A roaring fire in the marble fireplace added warmth, its light dancing across the room’s ornate decor.
Clay, seated behind his desk, closed the file he was reading and looked up at Lydia. “Thank you for coming on such short notice, Lydia,” he said.
Lydia bowed slightly. “It’s my pleasure, Your Highness. How can I assist Your Highness?”
Clay handed her a parchment. “An apprentice witch named Anne has lost an artifact given to her by her master. Based on the description, she’s likely one of the witches living in the High Elf settlement within the Misty Grove Forest. She posted a job at the adventure guild, seeking bodyguards to help her retrieve it. This should be a B-rank mission, but I’ve instructed the guild master to classify it as a C-rank mission and hold it for an adventurer named Hikaru. Your task is to guide Hikaru to voluntarily take the mission with you.”
Lydia hesitated. “Why do we need to involve Hikaru? I can handle this mission alone.”
Clay shook his head. “No, this is a B-rank mission. According to your reports, Hikaru has proven himself a reliable partner. Both of you, as a team, are the best fit for this mission. We need his help.”
Lydia thought for a moment before asking, “Okay, your Highness, but why do we need to get involved with her missing artifact?”
Clay’s expression grew serious. “According to Jesper’s report, Kaito had lived in the settlement in the past and had utilized the services of a certain witch, who should be Anne’s master. Your real task is to get close to Anne, gather any information about Kaito, and, if possible, recruit her as one of our assets, like Hikaru. Given her age, she might be less guarded than her master.”
Lydia nodded, understanding the gravity of the mission. “Understood, your Highness. I’ll make sure we succeed.”
Clay smiled, a glint of determination in his eyes. “I have no doubt you will, Lydia. Good luck.”
----------------------------------------
The next day, Hikaru was following his usual morning routine. During his physical training session with Lydia, she uncharacteristically brought up a new topic. “Hikaru, why haven’t we been taking on any adventure missions lately?” she asked, her tone unusually curious.
Hikaru found her question odd. In his mind, he thought, ‘Why is she asking this? All the rewards from our missions usually go to me. If we don’t do any adventures, her mission of protecting me becomes much easier.’
He looked at Lydia and said: “I’ve been thinking about that too, Lydia. I really do want to go on more adventures, but I also wanted to make sure you had enough time to rest. I know how exhausting those missions can be.”
Lydia gave him a reassuring smile. “Thanks, Hikaru, but my hands are itching for a new adventure. How about we check out the guild after training today and see what missions are available?”
The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
Soon they finished their physical training routine, Hikaru and Lydia took a moment to catch their breath. The morning sun filtered through the high windows, casting a warm glow over the stone platform of the training hall.
“Ready to head back to the Purple Walnut and gear up?” Lydia asked, wiping the sweat from her forehead.
Hikaru nodded, a determined glint in his eyes. “Absolutely. Let’s get prepared and then head to the guild.”
The two of them made their way back to the Purple Walnut. Hikaru went straight to his room to gather his gear, while Lydia checked their supplies to ensure they were well-equipped for any challenges.
They left the Purple Walnut and took their carriage to the adventure guild. Hikaru felt a familiar rush of excitement as they approached the entrance.
Inside, the guild was alive with the hum of conversations and the clinking of armor and weapons. After exchanging greetings with Tiana, the guild receptionist, they made their way to the mission board.
Hikaru scanned the mission board, his eyes narrowing as he read through the available postings. “There are some interesting ones here,” he said, pointing to a few. “What do you think, Lydia?”
Lydia glanced at the missions Hikaru pointed out but then shook her head. “No, let’s not pick the regular ones. How about this one? Helping a damsel in distress sounds more heroic, don’t you think?”
Hikaru followed her gaze to the posting she was pointing at. “But the post states the destination is in the deeper part of the Misty Grove, even further than the High Elf settlement!”
“Ah, come on,” Lydia said, her eyes gleaming with excitement. “A bit of adventure won’t hurt. The reward is also significantly more than other C-rank missions! Besides, this person named Anne will be our guide. So, what do you think?”
Hikaru paused, considering her words. ‘Weird, since when does Lydia care about the reward? She usually gives it to me anyway,’ he thought. But her enthusiasm was infectious. “Alright,” he said, a grin spreading across his face. “Let’s do it. A new adventure it is!”
With a shared nod of agreement, Hikaru and Lydia selected the mission and approached Tiana, the receptionist. Tiana, a woman with sharp eyes and a warm smile, looked up from her desk.
“Taking on a new mission?” Tiana asked, her eyes flicking to the posting in Hikaru’s hand.
“Yes,” Hikaru replied, handing over the parchment and his adventurer card. “I’d like to register for this one.”
Tiana took the parchment and quickly recorded his name. As she did, a fleeting thought crossed her mind. ‘Why did the guild master specifically instruct me to allow only Hikaru to register for this mission? It’s unusual.’
After finalizing the details, Tiana handed back the parchment. “Good luck, and be safe out there,” she said with a smile, masking her curiosity.
----------------------------------------
Once they were outside the guild, they took their carriage to the hotel where Anne was staying to get further details about the mission. The carriage ride was brief, and they soon arrived at a quaint inn with ivy creeping up its stone walls.
As they entered the inn, they were greeted by a cozy atmosphere. The lobby was warmly lit, with plush armchairs and a crackling fireplace. Hikaru approached the front desk and spoke to the innkeeper.
“We’re here to meet Anne,” he said, showing the mission parchment.
The innkeeper nodded and pointed to a table near the window, where a young frostfolk woman with auburn hair sat, nervously fidgeting with a pendant around her neck. Hikaru and Lydia walked over to her.
“Anne?” Lydia asked gently.
The young woman looked up, her green eyes wide with a mix of hope and apprehension. “Yes, that’s me. You must be the adventurers from the guild.”
Hikaru smiled reassuringly. “That’s right. I’m Hikaru, and this is Lydia. We’re here to help you retrieve the artifact.”
They took their seats, and Anne began to describe the situation. “The artifact was given to me by my master. It’s called the Cloak of Shadow, and I was supposed to safeguard it. But it was stolen again by someone from the Skinwalker village.”
“What do you mean stolen again?” Hikaru asked, eyebrows raised.
Anne sighed, her frustration evident. “This artifact, along with my bag, has been stolen twice before by them. Each time it happened while I was on a hunting expedition, camping outside with some goblins from the High Elf settlement. They always claimed they found it lying in the forest and demanded a free chimerization ritual from my master in exchange.”
“The first time it was stolen, my master forgave my carelessness,” Anne continued, her voice growing more anxious. “But the second time, I was heavily punished. I can’t even imagine what will happen if my master finds out it’s been stolen a third time.”
“How do you know it was them who stole your bag?” Hikaru asked, curiosity piqued.
Anne sighed, a mix of frustration and determination in her eyes. “We witches can track others as long as we have their DNA and they aren’t protected by any kind of warding stone. Whenever they steal my bag, they always leave some fur or hairs behind, knowing I would track it back to them.”
Hikaru’s mind wandered for a moment. ‘So that’s how Kaito knew my location!’ he mused silently.
Lydia crossed her arms, her expression skeptical. “So, what exactly do you want us to do? Blaze into their village and take your bag back by force?”
Anne shook her head firmly. “No, no killing. My master and I have a friendly relationship with the skinwalkers. In fact, it was my master who transformed them into skinwalkers through chimerization rituals. I need you to defeat their champion in one-on-one unarmed combat.”
Lydia raised an eyebrow. “And if we defeat their champion, they’ll just hand over the bag?”
Anne nodded. “Yes, that’s their way of determining who’s right and who’s wrong. But it won’t be easy. The first time, I brought a High Elf soldier from the settlement, and he got defeated. The second time, I brought the strongest veteran High Elf soldier I knew, and he was also defeated. This time, I decided to turn to adventurers because I’ve heard you guys are strong.”
Hikaru and Lydia exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of curiosity and determination. “Alright,” Hikaru said, “We’ll take on the challenge.”
After discussing the mission in detail, Anne looked at them with a determined expression. “I’m ready to guide you through the forest. I know the area well, and I can help you navigate through the forest.”
With their plan in place, Anne gathered her belongings and checked out of the hotel. They then took their carriage to the West Bailey Customs Checkpoint before heading towards the Misty Grove Forest.