That morning, the sun rose slowly. It lit up the rocky road leading to Veredale. Laguna, Julia, and Eve got off the carriage in a quiet spot on the edge of the forest. The gentle breeze blew the fallen leaves while the scent of morning dew still lingered in the air.
There, Eve knelt before a grave they had just dug. Inside lay the stiff body of her best friend, the only survivor with her from the destruction of her tribe. Eve shook as she filled the grave with dirt. Laguna and Julia stood in silence behind her.
"Our tribe... is no more," Eve's voice trembled as she began to tell her story. "The Demon King's army came to our village without warning. They slaughtered everyone there. My father, mother, friends, all scattered before my eyes. Only me and him... managed to escape."
Julia covered her mouth, shocked by Eve's story. Laguna remained silent, focusing on the sounds around her.
"We thought we were safe when humans found us. At first, they were so kind. They gave us food, shelter… even promised protection. I had a strong belief that they were sincere." Eve clasped her hands together, her tone turning bitter. "But it turned out to be a trick. They took us somewhere else, to a city we didn't know, and that's where we met Olsen. One of the slave traders."
Julia swallowed; her feelings were a mixture of anger and sadness.
"They sold us for money. At that moment, we were no longer safe children. We became merchandise. Sold to whoever would pay the highest price." Eve took a deep breath, her voice full of hatred.
Laguna stared at Eve with sharp eyes, assessing the Dark Elf girl. "What do you want to do now?" he asked.
Eve turned to him, her eyes full of determination. "I will have my revenge. No matter how long it takes, I will hunt them down to the roots."
Laguna gave a small nod. "Then do it your way."
After saying that, he turned around and walked toward the horse-drawn carriage. Julia looked hesitant, looking at Eve, who was still lying in front of her friend's grave. After a few steps, she rushed to follow Laguna, then leaned closer to him and spoke in a low voice filled with concern.
"Is it okay, Master? Leaving her alone? Why don't we take her?"
Laguna sighed and replied in a low voice, "That's too risky. What kind of person would immediately trust someone who just fought with them? Besides, she's a Dark Elf. Many humans want other races to be slaves. Taking her will only add to the trouble."
Julia seemed dissatisfied with that answer, but she didn't argue. The two of them climbed onto the carriage, preparing to continue their journey. But before Laguna could control his horse, Julia called out in a loud voice, "Wait a moment, Master!"
She jumped off the carriage and opened one of the provision boxes. She took out some food and hurried back to Eve, who sat in silence at the grave.
"Although it's not much, please take this, Miss," Julia said with a soft tone, handing him the food box. "Thank you for saving me earlier. If Miss Eve hadn't helped Master Laguna last night, he might have been hurt even worse."
Eve glanced at Julia, unsure of the girl's true intentions. But, after a few seconds, she took the food box in a measured manner. "Th… Thank you," she said in a gentle voice. She said, "If you don't want to burden your master, protect yourself." Her tone showed irritation.
Julia's eyes widened in surprise before she smiled with a radiant expression. "Of course! I'll try harder!" she replied with enthusiasm. "Then, we'll go first."
She bowed to Eve before turning around and rushing back to the carriage. Eve watched the girl leave with a small smile that she could hardly hold back.
Laguna glanced at Julia but said nothing. He pulled the reins and continued their ride to Veredale. Eve sat on the grave, holding the food box Julia had given her. The sun shone with a gentle warmth in the sky above.
Laguna and Julia finally arrived at Veredale Village. This village had a large area of land, but it was unusual that no plants were growing there. Even the weeds looked dry and dead. Although the village was quite crowded, many residents were seen begging for food on the side of the road.
However, before she could do so, Laguna stopped her.
"Wait, Julia. Don't give them the food."
"Why, Master?" Julia was confused because she knew that Laguna was not a petty person.
"If you give it to them now, there is a chance that our horse-drawn carriage will be looted. Let's try to meet the village chief first."
It was not difficult for Laguna to find the Village Chief's house. The house was located on a hill, not too far from the center of the village.
After arriving, Laguna knocked on the door. A few moments later, the door opened, and a fat man with an unfriendly expression appeared. His gaze was full of contempt when he saw Laguna's tattered clothes and a few bloodstains.
However, when his eyes turned to Julia, his attitude immediately changed. He smiled at Julia and apologized for her shabby servant.
Julia smiled with courtesy and said, "The person you call a servant is my master." He is Laguna Ashford. The head of the Ashford family sent him here in person."
As soon as he heard Ashford's name, the man immediately panicked. He rushed to apologize and invited them inside.
"I am Harvey Moses, the current Village Chief of Veredale," he said in a more respectful tone.
Without wasting any time, Laguna asked, "What exactly happened in this village? Why did the village, renowned for its fertility, experience such a sudden decline?"
Harvey shook his head. "I don't know, sir. About six months ago, all the plants here withered without warning. We've tried many methods. We watered them well and plowed the soil to make it loose. Still, not one plant survived. It was as if their vitality had been absorbed by something."
Laguna looked at Harvey with doubt.
[Harvey Moses]
Race : Human
Skills : Bribery Mastery A, Information Manipulation B, Diplomacy C, more...
Attribute :
Str : 6
Vit : 3
Agi : 3
Int : 5
Wis : 3
Luk : 9
Laguna nodded with hesitation. "Okay, so that's what happened. May we stay here for a few days? We are very tired and seem to need some rest."
"Oh, of course, sir! 'Let me take you,' Harvey replied politely."
Harvey took them to a house not far from his home. Once they arrived, he immediately opened the door and invited them in. But when Julia was about to follow Laguna in, Harvey stepped in front of her.
"For Miss Julia, we have prepared our own house. "In this village, unmarried men and women can't live together," he said, looking at Julia with desire."
Laguna put his hand on Harvey's shoulder from behind, gripping it quite hard.
"Move aside. He's my servant. I'll make sure nothing happens."
Harvey tried to stay firm. "I'm sorry, sir, but in this village, men—"
Laguna interrupted him with a sudden remark. "Then, what if we live under one roof? Are you going to kill us?"
Laguna's sharp gaze made Harvey freeze and lower his head in fear. In a soft voice, he finally said, "Okay, sir... have a good rest."
Harvey grumbled as he returned home. Meanwhile, Laguna and Julia entered their house without any trouble.
Laguna and Julia entered the house that had been prepared for them. The room was simple, with only a wooden table, a few chairs, and two small beds in the corner of the room. Julia put her bag on one of the beds and looked at Laguna, who looked pensive.
"Is something wrong, Master?" Julia asked in a worried tone.
Laguna sighed and sat on the wooden chair, rubbing his chin. "Yes. This village seems strange, and the Village Chief seems to be hiding something."
Julia sat across from Laguna, clasping her hands in her lap. "Master, you mean about the land that can't be planted?"
Laguna nodded. "Not only that. If this land is truly dead, why do the villagers find ways to survive here? And more than that, the Village Chief's expression when I asked about it seemed hesitant. As if he wanted to hide something."
Julia thought for a moment, then said, "Maybe they have no other choice. Leaving the village without certainty could be more dangerous than staying."
Laguna offered a slight grin. "Sounds reasonable. Let's see how it goes. For now, let's take a break. We'll find out more tomorrow."
Julia nodded in agreement, although her mind was still filled with curiosity.
Laguna stood up and twisted his waist. "But before that, please help me move some things from the horse-drawn carriage here."
Julia stood up and replied with enthusiasm, "Of course, Master!"
They went out of the house and started moving some things from the horse carriage into the house. While the two were busy, in the distance, Harvey Moses was spying on them from behind the window of his house. His small eyes narrowed, watching Laguna and Julia's movements with great calculation.
"Keep an eye on them," Harvey said in a low voice.
A black shadow stood behind him. Its face was hidden in darkness. Only a faint silhouette showed in the dim room light.