"Well, we have plans on leaving today, my lady." Gray disclosed his intentions to Stephania. "Are you going to be okay here? We could stay for another day if you want and we're not much in a hurry at heading on to Flocaster."

"I appreciate your concern, Baron Gray." Lady Stephania smiled and a.s.sured the elf. "But I'll be fine from here. The captain promised that he will send out more patrols and increase village security in addition to bringing some of the guards to be stationed here inside the Manor. You don't have to worry about me anymore and proceed with whatever business that you wish to conduct. After all, you've done more than enough in rescuing me from the depraved hands of the kidnapper, and I don't want to trouble you any longer."

"If you're sure," Gray said with a slightly concerned tone. If Stephania is okay with him leaving her village, then he supposed that it's fine. His help is no longer needed here.

"First things first, let's have lunch together before you depart." Stephania offered. "A stomach filled up with delicious food before the journey is a nice and practical way to start. Also, I wanted to have one last chat with you and your companions since I very much enjoy the one that we did last night during dinner."

"It would be our pleasure." Gray smiled in agreement, seeing no reason to deny the Lady's kind gesture, and he was also getting a little bit hungry, to be honest.

Gray then faced his companions and told them to make their preparations so they can leave this early afternoon, right after having some nice lunch with Stephania.

***

With Gray and the others, all gone in the morgue, the Diener Maynard who was responsible for tending to the kidnapper's corpse shall heed with the Lady's command.

A few moments ago when the Diener encountered Lady Stephania and her companions, the Lady instructed him to dispose of it somewhere far from the village now that the corpse is no longer of use.

Aside from the intended effects of u003cOrceth's Tearsu003e, it also allows turning the physical body back to its crystal form, for mere convenience.

Such convenience included the carrying of the corpse, where it would be obliviously easier to transfer a corpse in its small crystal state than a significantly heavier physical body.

Maynard cast the mentioned spell, returning the corpse back to is crystal appearance. He then called one of the villagers working as part-time to tell him to dispose of the body away from the village.

The worker is seen to be wearing a simple blue tunic and long brown pants. His face is obscured with a hooded cowl and a masked bandana, fit for his work station at the morgue where he's required to work with the dead bodies, meaning such tedious task is accompanied by the inevitable foul stench. He's also seen equipped with a pouch bag on his right hip.

"This is the corpse of the kidnapper who attempted to take the good lady away," Maynard said. "He does not belong to the graveyard where our honourable ancestors and families are buried. As such, you are to dispose of him away at the outskirts of the village for we don't want a reminder of this man who has committed a grave crime before his demise."

"As you wish." The villager nodded in agreement as he received the crystal and looked at it with utmost intent and carried it with care. His curiosity, however, was piqued at how this kidnapper suffered his untimely fate, so he asked. "If it's of no trouble, may I know how he exactly died? Did the guards go too far in torturing him? Our good lord Stan abhorred such misconducts after all."

"No, it was not caused by them." Maynard pondered for a moment before conveying his answer. In a short while, he saw no harm whatsoever in telling a small part of the story. "Thanks to the visiting Baron, we were able to find out about the kidnapper's cause of death. Lord Gray mentioned that magic was the cause of the criminal's demise using an obscured Magic Circle activating upon death, the very moment when he was about to confess his client's name."

Magic, huh." The worker muttered softly, his right fist clenching tightly after hearing about the incident. "That's indeed unfortunate, well, for the kidnapper that is. I really thought that it was the guards who performed the foul deed and were abusing their authority. I'm relieved that it's actually not the case. Anyway, thanks for telling me Master Maynard, and I'll be heading out now so I can comply with your task as soon as possible."

"Yes," Maynard said with approval. "You are free to leave."

The worker bowed his head once more before departing the building.

"Huh, what a nice young man." Maynard smiled in response. "Wait… what was his name again? Conrad, maybe?"

The Diener after his contemplation, simply dismissed his self-questioning, thinking that he can ask the young man once he got back from his task.

Oh, how wrong he is…

***

With the performance of his oh so 'task', the 'worker' left the village and find himself in the distant outskirts after about an hour of walking. He then went off-road on the woods and lean back against a ma.s.sive tree for some short rest.

With no one to witness him, he instantly changed from the peasant attire that he wore, now sporting a black light armour set. The clothing is of leather material, ideal for stealth and agility. The chest piece possessed a hood, but it was currently down to reveal his familiar handsome face with messy black hair and a pair of blue eyes to compliment with.

"Halbert." The young man uttered his dead friend and fellow guild member's name while eyeing the crystal corpse on his hand with a sorrowful expression, the bangs of his hair covering his sorrow-driven eyes. "I didn't expect that the visiting n.o.ble is a Mage capable of apprehending you and is awake at that time of the night. It appears that s.h.i.+t turned into a troublesome mess in your part."

The kidnapping of the Lady is actually a collaborative task between himself and Halbert, where the former will be serving as a back-up and will bail him out should things did not go as according to plan. The one thing that Luthais does not know is the young man's part in the task, a safety measure in case the client would turn his back in betrayal from the whole agreement and contract.

And boy, was he devastated when he found out about his comrade's untimely death.

At first, he thought that it was the doing of those b.a.s.t.a.r.d guards, where they tortured Halbert for fun and giggles in their sick amus.e.m.e.nt. He then feared that he was too late in saving him. But as it turns out, it was actually some form of sinister magic that played a huge role in this incident, where Halbert died before getting the chance to confess their client's name.

Additionally, he can't intervene at the night of Halbert's capture, where the Baron is witnessed alongside with the guards, and it's not worth the risk. He thought that it would be best to wait for Halbert to be imprisoned where he could free him instead, but such is no longer the case.

"Halbert told me that the client was a Mage, the esteemed Dean from Flocaster." The young man's frown turned more prominent as he thought more about the vile elf. "If anyone were to blame, then it's most likely him… Luthais Faelar."

The name, he uttered every syllable with both hatred and rage.

The general public always thought that the Guild of Shadows is simply a group of crooks and thieving outlaws who'll do anything for the sake of gold and riches, no matter what the cost. They are also a guild of highly trained thieves who knows how to get the job done with brutal efficiency without taking their morals and the dire consequences into account.

But what the people do not know is that the Guild also adhere to a set of values and conducts that separate them from a mere Bandit hunting for the innocent and the weak. No, the Guild is much more than that.

Even thieves have their standards of honourable conduct, no matter how twisted it may be in the eyes of the many. One thing that's for sure is that they value their camaraderie and friends.h.i.+p towards one another, leaving no man behind in their line of contract as much as they possibly can. They also never steal from the poor, and provide some subtle a.s.sistance, especially to the beggars and orphanages every now and then.

The Guild of Shadows is like a Brotherhood, the one aspect that makes them comparable to the Warrior's Guild. Every member of the Shadows are treasured, and their precious lives can never be replaced. That's the decree that every Master or Mistress of the Shadows have emphasized to their subordinates in every generation of thieves to promote a harmonious working environment amidst the disorder of crime and mayhem.

"The death of one Shadow demands the dark honour of blood; paid with the price of disgrace, degradation, and dishonour, all for the eternal suffering that would ensure even after the offender's pa.s.sing from this cruel world." The young man closed his eyes while reciting one of the doctrines presented in the Shadow Tapestry.

The young man gave one final bow of respect to his friend's crystal before withdrawing it inside his Inventory, where he will be taking it to the Guild Priest for a proper burial, and not to be disposed of like trash as ordered by the Diener.

"May you walk in peace among the Shadows, Halbert Payton." The young man gave his last sincere words to the departed.

With his mourning concluded, the young man decided to return back to the Guild as the mission is already forfeited.

Sure, he can resume it by a.s.suming the mantle more directly and kidnap the Lady instead in Halbert's place, but the Shadow no longer is affiliated with the quest the moment when Luthais' magic was invoked.

Blood and Shadow demand the elf's demise, and protocol dictates that the quest for dark revenge should be consulted first with the Mistress. As a result, the young man will beg for the Mistress that it will be he who will be performing the deed as a form of shadowy retribution and redemption for failing the mission itself.

And by the dagger shall Luthais fall under the subterfuge of Connor Raulf, that he promised until his dying breath.

u003cQUEST FAILED!!u003e

u003cA Lady's abductionu003e

u003cQuest Summaryu003e

u003cQuest Completionu003e - Help Halbert in case he failed his task. [X]

___

u003cQUEST START!!u003e

u003cBlood and Shadowu003e

[The death of one Shadow demands the dark honour of blood; paid with the price of disgrace, degradation, and dishonour, all for the eternal suffering that would ensure even after the offender's pa.s.sing from this cruel world. Those are one of the binding words that are found at the Shadow Tapestry which every Guild member of the Shadows strictly follow. As such, you are to first head back to the Guild and consult with the Mistress of Shadows regarding this disquieting affair. From there, she'll provide you with more of what you are going to do.]

u003cQuest Completionu003e - Speak with the Mistress of Shadows and get her permission to do the honour of shadow vengeance.

u003cQuest Bonusu003e - (???)

u003cQuest Rewardsu003e - (???), (???), (???)