1-34 Brief


    <span style="font-weight:400">“What was that about?” asked Lyra as she sat down on the couch provided alongside Erin.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Everything had transpired so fast. Minutes ago, Erin was caught with a breach of privacy but now, she was seated on a cozy couch.


    <span style="font-weight:400">The two weren’t in the Guild Master’s office but a small reception room on the first floor of The Guild building. The only individual present with the two was the reliable andpetent Samira. Immediately after Erin was caught by the scantily d woman for appraising without one’s consent, the two were escorted to this room by Sam. The Guild staff were swift in taking action, almost as if they anticipated the quandary, Erin thought.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Within the small room with ample space, Erin alleviated her vignce and concentrated on her hearing. Going by the sound, Erin could tell Hegan and the dark-skinned woman was escorted to the Guild Master’s office. There were others with them, most probably their bodyguards, Erin surmised.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Sam let off a sigh before taking a seat on a simr couch across from them. “Apologies about that,” she said.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Erin furrowed her brows. She was sure she was the one who was at fault for prying into someone’s personal information without consent but here Sam was, apologizing to her instead.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Sam, spare the courtesy. Just tell us what was that about?” Lyra said.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Sam took a nce at Erin before clearing her throat. “We weren’t actually looking for you.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Both Lyra and Erin drew a nk on their gaze.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Like when you called out to us among the crowd?” Lyra asked?


    <span style="font-weight:400">Sam nodded. “It was never our intention but… we had to know. We just want to gauge the merchants’ reaction.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“The merchant...” Erin raised an eyebrow. “You mean that woman’s a merchant too?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“One of the most powerful. Her name is Iris. Her influence spans to the thrones of kingdoms.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“What’s someone like her doing in a backwater town like this?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Sam shook her head. “We do not know either. She had never been part of the caravans. We were surprised too when we saw her among the other caravans. She was being quite subtly inquisitive about matters she wasn''t known to be involved with. Going by her questions, we assume she is looking for something or someone. Our first thought was—”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Me,” Erin intervened with thest word.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Sam nodded. “They certainly looked surprised at a Fox-kin with three tails but… Lady Iris’ was simply dazed by the unexpected. It told us that you are not the reason for her presence.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“That’s a relief,” Lyra breathed out and leaned her head against Erin’s shoulder, incurring a frown from the Fox-kin.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Sam smiled sweetly at Lyra’s one-sided affectionate disy.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Though it may have nothing to do with her, Erin couldn’t help but be bothered with the presence of Iris. Sam said the woman was looking for something or someone. If she herself wasn’t the reason, it was clear to her who was the next person on the suspected list.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Erin said nothing of it, however. It was something she could only discuss with the Guild Master alone behind closed doors.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“That Iris… what is she?” Lyra asked a question Erin was also dying to know. “She’s certainly no human or Fae.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“She’s an Umbrun.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">While Lyra could only blink emptily at the revtion, Erin nodded knowingly albeit with amazement.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Lyra looked at Erin in surprise. “You know what’s an Umbrun?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Erin had an offended look. “I’m not as daft as you think I am.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I am of the same belief as Miss Lyra here. I didn’t think you would know about Umbruns when even Miss Lyra doesn’t.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Who said I don’t?” Lyra shot Sam a nce.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Do you?” Sam merely smiled back.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Lyra clicked her tongue as she remained silent.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Though Erin had nodded as if she had personally known an Umbrun, the truth was far from that notion. Umbrun was just another myth in her former world. A figure from fairy tales. Umbruns were the antithesis of Elves. While Elves were known to be graceful and elegant, Umbruns were vulgar and brutish. Before meeting Iris, Erin had thought them to be Demon-kin but the nuancey in their conducts and some of their minor outer features.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Still, Erin didn’t have a good feeling about Iris.


    <span style="font-weight:400">With such thoughts swirling in Erin’s mind, Sam moved on to another topic. “Well, let’s cast those irrelevant matters aside for now.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Just like that?” Erin asked.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Yes, Miss Erin. If you wish to know more, I’m sorry to say that I’m not permitted to tell you anything aside from what I had told you. I hope you can understand. If you’re worried about Lady Iris, you don’t have to. I’m sure she wasn’t actually offended as she is known to enjoy… pulling one’s leg, shall we say.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Erin was a little bit irked at the superficial exnation but since she practically got off a predicament scott-free, Erin epted the change of topic.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Now, judging from your expressions, I assume the two of you have something significant to report?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“We’re not waiting for the Guild Master?” Erin asked.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“The meeting with the two would take an arduous amount of time. He has entrusted me a few of his tasks, including handling and processing your reports.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Erin and Lyra exchanged nces, in which Lyra nodded. Erin thenid the Magic Ry rod onto the table between the couch.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Sam’s eyes widened at the item presented before her. It was apparent she knew what this item might be. “This is—”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“The rod used to control the Dire Wolf. It’s the same tool but this one’s… smaller.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Sam had put on a pair of spectacles before Erin knew it. The lens glowed a faint cyan. “This is unbelievable,” she gasped at the results. “You found this where?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“At the sites where Goblins were sighted. If I have to guess, the sightings and the marks the Goblins left are deliberate.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Deliberate?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Obviously, whoever it is, they have the means to control a being. It won’t be far-fetched to say that the Goblins might be under the same influence. It was a trap. I was ambushed by a puppet, from who I pulled this rod from.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“A puppet?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Some low life bandit I encountered days before. I didn’t give them too much thought because they were in a situation bordering their demise. I didn’t think they would somehow live through that and became a puppet.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Controlling humans...” Sam’s voice turned grave. “And this bandit… is he...”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Dead.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“You’re sure this time?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Before Erin could retort, Lyra cut in. “The bandit is in three pieces. Who knows?” She shrugged.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I see.” Sam merely nodded without minding Lyra’s sudden intercession. “So someone or something might be controlling the Goblins. This exins the Goblins’ odd behaviors.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Erin and Lyra waited for Sam’s verdict. Lyra was trying to get a feel on Erin’s tails for the entire conversation but Erin eventually trapped her hand under her own. It wasn’t aplete loss for Lyra, however.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“It has be more dire than we feared,” Sam finally spoke. “This is a heavy subject. One that I can not decide without the presence of a Guild Master. Putting that aside, The Guild has a request.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“For the two of us?” Erin asked.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Sam glimpsed awkwardly at Lyra. “Sadly no,” she answered.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Lyra leaned forward. “Why?” she demanded.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Before I tell you that, let me exin the situation. This happened long before the confirmation of Goblins. At that time, the Goblins sightings were just whispers and rumors on the horizon. The Guild received a request from a vige nearby, just over the hill after the dark woods. They imed that their livestock and crops were decimated by some small palish green creatures, incessantly every night. Some of their structures were even involved in the decimation. Their night watchmen were killed or gravely injured. The vige is one the town’s major suppliers of milk and eggs. We sent two adventurers to investigate, one of them is Marcus.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“So that’s where he went.” Lyra nodded in understanding. Noticing Erin’s baffled gaze, she exined, “Marcus is the second highest level adventurer in this town at level fourteen.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Yes, he is,” Sam attested. “However, it has been more than a week since he left and we have not heard from him since.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Lyra fell silent. Erin gulped in apprehension.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Which is why we have a request for you, Miss Erin. We’re sending you to the vige.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Me?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“You have proven yourself to be more capable than your level suggests. Of course, you will not be alone in this quest.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Then, why am I not requested?” Lyra questioned.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Sam cast a patient look. “Because we need you here, Miss Lyra. With the Goblins roaming around, we can’t just send off anyone without any consideration for the worst.Your… ability is highly valued.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I wasn’t aware that I’m that highly valued.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Sam smiled. “All of the adventurers are valued profoundly. We just don’t say it to anyone or everyone.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Why not?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Compliments, praises,mendations, they tend to get to the adventurers’ head. You have met Kane, Freed, and Cal. What do you think would happen if we uttered even just a few praises to them?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Lyra scoffed but she got the message. “But what about Nivia? Can’t The Guild send her instead?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Nivia is unavable.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Erin creased her brows. “Exin.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“The merchants have requested her service as an escort. We do not know why but somehow, they caught wind of the Goblin rumors and they are now hoarding the best adventurers to themselves, until they reached the safe borders of the next town.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“She can’t reject it?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“For the sake of this town, she might just have to ept it. A good portion of the town’s livelihood is at stake. These merchants’, their opinions meant a lot. We can’t risk offending them. Besides, her rtions with the merchants will affect the Faerie-kin’s reputation.”


    <i><span style="font-weight:400">Can’t risk offending them… Well, oops. It’s kinda toote for me.</i>


    <span style="font-weight:400">Erin looked away.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“These merchants don’t sound like good people,” Lyra remarked. “And we’re treating them this well because they have gold.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Sam smiled sympathetically. “It’s not our ce to decide where they sit on a moral scale, Miss Lyra.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Lyra clicked her tongue but she slouched back to the couch.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“What say you, Miss Erin?” Sam asked.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“What say I?” Erin questioned back. “Of course, it’s a yes. People’s lives are in danger and I’m the best possible choice to help at the current moment. If I said no, I don’t think I will have a good night''s sleep again.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Thank you, Miss Erin.” Sam bowed from her seat. She sighed in relief. “It would have been problematic had you declined.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Well, I have already epted it. No usementing about a future that will never exist now. Anyways, has it already been decided who will be the ones apanying me?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“It has. Do be reminded, our choices were limited. We didn’t gather the strongest. We gathered the best for the current situation.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Lyra had an adverse reaction towards the ones who were going to be Erin’spanions.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Sam’s smile diminished in vigor.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Kane?” Lyra raised an eyebrow.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“God, no. Of course, it’s not him. Kane and his cohorts can barely trust each other, let alone anyone else.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Then who?” It was Lyra that kept on asking.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“There’s Freed.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Erin’s tails moved before Lyra could, preventing her from rising from her seat in anger. The feat was sudden and astonishing, even to Erin herself. Once again, she acted on instinct.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Sam was startled by the development but she quickly rposed herself. “Miss Lyra, I have to ask you to be calm.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I am calm.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“No, you’re not,” Erin argued.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Lyra had a face as if she had been betrayed but it didn’tst long asfort of Erin’s furry tails was quick to douse her anger.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Continue,” Erin urged.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Sam cleared her throat. “Besides Freed, there are...” She paused and looked at Lyra who was ready to snarl at the next mentioned individual. “Aedan....”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Lyra was about to yell out her disapproval but her voice was muffled by Erin’s tail.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Aedan isn’t an adventurer, as far as I’m aware,” Erin said.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“He isn’t but Mister Geron insisted that his role is essential. He could be of a huge help towards the repairs of the vige’s structures.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Erin held a dubious notion but she didn’t let it surface. It was obvious there was an ulterior motive for that decision but Erin kept it to herself.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“There are also Cal and Selene,” Sam continued.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Erin widened her eyes. “Those two?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Before you dispute, Miss Erin, let it be known that the Guild are well aware of their abilities.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Erin waited for Sam to finish before giving her remark.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I’m sure you are already exposed to Mister Aedan’s capabilities, no?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Erin nodded, incurring a questioning nce from Lyra but that was all she could do as she was still restrained to the couch with Erin’s tails.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“This quest will be a good experience for them. As for Freed… well, you have seen his attitude. I’m sure you know why.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Erin smiled wryly as a response. It was clear Freed was requested to apany Erin to prevent him from making any troubles in the presence of these merchants.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“But what about Kane?” Erin asked. “He’ll cause trouble, more than Freed, I dare assume.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“We trust that the merchants will keep him in line.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Erin raised an eyebrow.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Sam continued. “As long as the merchants keep paying him well, he’ll even wag his tail and bark for them.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“What about Freed then? The merchants can’t do anything about him?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Freed is more worried about where he can sheathe his sword than gold.” Sam smiled wryly. “I’m sure you have already seen the caravans. Merchants have brought along their pretty daughters and beautiful wives, and The Guild doesn’t have anyone to spare watching after him for even a day.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“And someone like that is going to be part of the team?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Lyra nodded furiously as if to agree with Erin’s point.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“You and Aedan are there. Selene is outside his preference. His skills are not extraordinary but he is a little better than the average. Despite what you heard about him, he’s not too bad of an adventurer.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I see...” Erin mused.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Anything else, Miss Erin?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“No,” she answered.


    <i><span style="font-weight:400">Not for now, at least.</i>


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Good. Then you’ll be going to the vige on the morrow. The sooner the better, I’m sure you can understand.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Erin nodded. “ I understand but what of this town?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“The merchants brought their own guards and none of them are callow. The town will be fine during the stay of the merchants. Whoever is controlling the Goblins and monsters, it’s safe to say they have some degree of intelligence. I’m sure they won’t make any move with the merchants’ presence. However, the same couldn’t be said for that vige.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Lyra somehow struggled her mouth out of Erin’s restraining tails. “Then by that logic, I should be able to apany them, right?” She was immediately shut up again by Erin.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Like I have said, Miss Lyra, you are needed here. Though a major clue has been found, the Goblin investigation is still ongoing. Miss Nivia is upied. Miss Erin has been re-allocated. If you’re gone too, The Guild would need to find someone new to confide the Goblin situation in. And we prefer the circumstances being kept under wraps and the knowledge known to fewer individuals.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Hearing her exnation, Lyra eventually relented.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I hope you understand, Miss Lyra. We don’t mean to offend.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Sensing her hostility dissipating, Erin released her restraint on Lyra.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I was under the impression adventurers have a lot of freedom,” Lyra retorted.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“You’re confusing freedom withck of inhibition and regtion, Miss Lyra.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Lyra grumbled but she didn’t argue any further. Not because she understood but simply because she didn’t want to be found out that she understood nothing of what Sam had told her.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I guess that concludes the briefing?” Erin asked.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Sam let out an apologetic smile. “Yes. I am sorry that I couldn’t bear better tidings.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“It’s alright, Sam. I don’t think it’s fair to me the messenger. Besides, we’re not going to war here.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Sam didn’t have anything to say to that. She didn’t want to jinx it.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Anything else I should take heed of?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">There was a brief pause before Sam eventually said, “expect the worst for the vige, though we are obligated to tell you to remain on the bright side.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Hmm,” Erin mumbled in response.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“That’s just the formality, Miss Erin. In truth, like I have already told you, we haven’t heard from the adventurers for a long time, not even from a single one of the vigers. Not even a letter by pigeon. So… with all the evidence considered, the worst is the only thing we could infer.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“If it’s that dire, shouldn’t we move now?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Razor Grizzly,” Lyra answered.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Dusk is near,” Sam said. “Not only is it unsafe to move in the night due to the monsters, mainly the King of the Forest but it would also raise numerous questions for the town folks and these questions often lead to assumptions, and assumptions lead to panic.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Well, let’s hope we’re not toote by tomorrow.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“We can only hope, Miss Erin.”