Second World

The next morning after finishing his martial art training, Brad had still not yet appeared. The guy should be opening his tavern by afternoon. Even though the tavern no longer operated at night, no one was still coming to a tavern in the morning.

So Jack went out to the wilderness with Pandora to grind for exp. Thesylvania was built in an area with sparse and low-level monsters. Jack had to go further to find a decent leveling map. Thankfully, with Pandoraʼs speed, getting to one in a short time was not a problem.

Jack was back again a couple of hours after noon. It was similar to the time when he arrived in this town yesterday, so Bradʼs tavern should be operational already.

When Jack arrived in the tavern, Brad was alone. There was no customer at all this time. Jack felt bad for the guy, but Brad seemed to have gotten used to it. He nodded at Jack with a grunt.

Jack sat in the bar counter chair opposite Brad as he poured a cup of wine. ”Same as yesterday?” He asked.

”Same,” Jack said. While in his mind, ʼYou are already pouring, wonʼt it be awkward if I ask for a different drink?ʼ

Brad put the cup in front of Jack, then said, ”Iʼve only managed to speak to some of the parents. Not everyone is eager to talk about their missing children considering how the fate of those children is still uncertain.”

”I figure as much. Lay to me what you have learned. Anything helps,” Jack said while sipping his wine.

”Open your map,” Brad said.

Jack opened his Map. Brad interfaced with it, putting several custom markers on the map.

ʼA native can mark more than five markings on the map?ʼ Jack asked Peniel through his mind.

ʼYes. A native had no limitations. These markings are mostly related to a quest. Once the quest is completed, the markings will disappear by themselves,” Peniel answered.

After Brad was done, he said, ”These are all the spots I have found out. The missing children were last seen there.”

Jack studied the map. The town was not large. The markers were all over the place, but they were mostly near or average distance from the graveyard he came to yesterday. There was no marker at the farthest part of the town away from the graveyard.

It pointed to the graveyard again. Jack thought he might need to take another look at that place later, but he should talk to the Count first.

”Thank you for your help, Brad. I want to go see the Count now, he should be in his manor at this time, right?” Jack asked.

”He is there most of the time. He rarely comes out except when there are incidents, like another child goes missing for example.”

”They only search for one day? I didnʼt see any large-scale search when I entered yesterday.”

”They had given up on the search before noon. These incidents had happened so often that people almost didnʼt put hope in the search any longer. They just did it because they had to do something. Well, thatʼs my reason anyway, I was also in that search. I had invited Ted and Mirian to come here to drink their sorrow away after that fruitless search.”

”What about the two royal officers you said were stationed here?”

”Those two buffoons will just take action if a monster comes attacking the town. They were involved in the search in the first few years, but they arenʼt doing anything now.”

”Where are they?”

”They should be in their station at the edge of this town. A bit further up on the hill where they could see the whole town and notice if any dangerous wilderness beast comes near. Open your map again, I will mark the place.”

Jack opened the map for him and a new marker appeared.

”One last thing,” Jack said to Brad. ”Do you know of the oldest person still alive in this town? Preferably one who reached a hundred years of age.”

”I know of no one that reached that age,” Brad answered. ”There is a granny I know who was over ninety years old though.”

”Can you mark her address on my map as well?”

Brad gestured for him to open the map again. After Jack got this latest marker, he thanked the bartender and left.

”Why are you looking for the granny? Something to do with the childrenʼs case?” Peniel asked when they were outside.

”No, that one is for Aubelard. However, I have a gut feeling this childrenʼs case got something to do with this vampire we are looking for,” Jack answered.

”What makes you say that?”

”Just a feeling,” Jack said and shrugged.

”So, who are you going to visit first?”

”The Count first. He was more active on the missing cases after all this time. He should have more information, if any,” Jack answered.

The Countʼs mansion was more impressive when viewed up-close. The mansion was built in gothic style using primarily black granite stone. It painted an intimidating presence with its scale. Only half of the building was visible, the other half was recessed into the cliff wall.

Jack had been knocking on the door a few times already. He was starting to wonder if anyone was home when the door opened. A skinny and rather hunchbacked old man in a butler attire greeted him, ”May I know who you are and the purpose of your visit?”

”My name is Storm Wind,” Jack introduced himself. ”I am an adventurer on a quest to solve the missing children case. I believe your Count has been working on this incident for a long time. I would like to help. Can I ask for an audience with the Count?”

The butler scrutinized Jack from the top to bottom, before saying, ”Wait here.” And closed the door.

ʼCanʼt he ask me to wait inside?ʼ Jack grumbled within.

He stood there waiting for several long minutes. So long that Jack wondered if the butler had perhaps forgotten about him. He was just about to knock on the door again when it opened. The same skinny hunchbacked butler was there. He said, ”Please come in. The Count will meet you.”

”Thank you,” Jack said and went in. He followed the butler to the main hall. The hall was mainly dark due to the black stone material. Only a few artificial lights illuminated the large hall, giving it a gloomy atmosphere.

At one side of the hall was a very tall man, he was gazing at one of the paintings on the wall. The butler brought Jack to this person. Jack noticed the man was as skinny as the butler but was younger, Jack estimated from his appearance that the man was in his forties.

”Count Dante, this is the adventurer that wishes to speak with you,” the butler announced with a bow.

The Count took his gaze away from the painting and looked at Jack. Jack made an inspect at the same time, the Count was registered as simply a civilian, same as any other common folks. Meaning he has no battle capacity.

”Greetings, Sir Count. My name is Storm Wind. I thank you for permitting me this audience,” Jack said.

The Count made a gesture to the butler. The butler made another bow before going away.

”Do you like this painting?” The Count asked. Indicating the one he was viewing when Jack came in.

Jack took a look at the painting. It was some sort of unreal illustration depicting a close-up of a couple. The man was behind the woman kissing the neck from behind. The woman seemed to be in a trance from the kiss.

”It is… quite a romantic painting,” Jack answered, which in his mind he actually didnʼt think that at all. Even though the painting seemed to be implying a gentle kiss, romantic was not the feeling Jack derive from the painting. He even felt as if the woman in the painting was unwilling. But Jack didnʼt know how to describe the feeling. He was not an art critic, so he simply said what he thought the Count might want to listen to.

The Count simply smiled at Jackʼs words. He waved at Jack to follow as he brought Jack to sit on one of the sofas in the hall. Jack sat at the other one opposite the count. A small table was between them. There were already two cups of red wine on the table. The Count took one and sipped on it while he gestured for Jack to try his.

Jack didnʼt want to be rude so he gave the wine a taste. It was better than the one Brad served in his tavern. Being rich certainly had its perks.

”I heard that you are interested in the missing cases?” The Count finally talk on the topic Jack came for. ”Might I ask why?”

”I have been presented a quest by one of the parents whose child had gone missing,” Jack answered. ”I donʼt know how much I can help, but I want to do what I can.”

”I see… You are an outworlder, no?” The Count asked.

”Yes,” Jack nodded.

”We did have rare visits by adventurers from time to time, but never an outworlder. I have heard of your kind, but this is the first time I lay eyes on one.”

”We are not that special. We are similar to other native adventurers.”

”Thatʼs not what I heard,” The Count said. ”There were already other native adventurers who tried to help in this case, without success. Perhaps an outworlder is what we need to finally solve it.”

”Iʼm flattered by your confidence,” Jack replied.

”However, I donʼt know how much you can learn from me. Honestly, I am as baffled as the rest of the town. For five years we searched for clues, tightened our security, enforcing curfews, but the children kept missing.. It seems all our efforts are in naught.”

😉