"Have you seen this man?"
The old librarian squinted his eyes as he looked at the picture on Momo's phone, "Ah, yes. I remember this man coming in and reading a ton of books. Are you looking for him?"
"Nope." Momo chuckled, "But if you know what kind of books he was reading, do let us know."
"I mean, there were a lot." The librarian squinted as he thought it over, "Let me bring you some."
"Okay!" Momo gave the librarian a thumbs up and returned to the table where everyone else had already picked out a couple dozens of books to thumb through.
"What's with all these books?" Roland frowned as the quite literally flipped through his book, "There's like a few pages missing from all of them."
"Ah, apologies." The librarian called from behind a bookshelf, "There was an infestation of moths a few years ago and we just haven't had the time or funding to replace the inventory!"
"Wow, that sounds like a huge hassle." Helena replied as she looked up from her book, "You can't get any new books donated?"
"Ah, no, it's fine, the library's doing well enough to not bother."
"All these incomplete books must certainly be an issue though. Don't you want to replace them?"
"No, it's fine. We're still making well enough to get by."
"Really? People are paying for damaged books?"
"Oh, you know…it's still usable."
"Uh huh..." Helena's eyes squinted.
"Suspicious?" Roland whispered.
"Highly suspicious." Helena nodded, "Something's going on."
"Hm, there's some discrepancies with these books that Roko apparently read." Kaguya reported, "As expected, there's a lot of local historical records. But there's some...fictional novels along with them? At least, I'm assuming this, 'The Stars of the Seas' is fictional."
"You're not sure?"
"Well, this is a pretty normal smut novel so far, it's just…a little weird?"
"How so?"
"Well the protagonist is taken over by a ghost who goes on to live his life, leaving the real protagonist feeling trapped in his own body that he can't control."
"Weird. What happens next?"
"Not sure. A lot of this has also been eaten."
"Why're you still reading it then?"
"Well, Darcy is about to meet the ghost inside Ben and the ghost seems particularly interested in smashing her just to spite Ben. Oh, Darcy is-"
"I don't care." Momo sighed, "Can we focus on tracing Roko's trail?"
"That's what we're doing." Helena replied, "We're reading what Roko's been reading."
"No you're not, you're looking right at me." Momo frowned.
"Look again." Helena smiled as she looked directly into Momo's eyes. And one of her drones popped up from behind her book to look at her too.
"...You're holding a conversation with me AND reading?"
"Admittedly, not something I've had much practice with but I'm working on it." Helena grinned.
"I have no idea how Roko read THIS much in one day." Kaguya sighed as she leaned back as well, "I don't even know if the five of us can cover everything."
"That seems logistically impossible to be true." Roland frowned.
"To be fair, we don't know if he read the entire thing." Helena sighed as she put down her book as well, "Maybe he only checked the ripped pages?"
"How'd he check something that's missing?" Roland shook his head.
"I dunno." Momo mused, "Is there a common thread among them?"
"Again, how would we know what's on a page that we don't have?" Roland scowled.
"Well, let's look at these books." Helena said, spreading the books they've gathered out on the table, "Anybody see a common theme?"
A while passed as everyone ran through the titles on display here. There was a pause for thinking before Mikado spoke up,
"They're all sea or ocean themed."
"I mean, some of the fiction is yeah." Momo nodded, "But there are some historical records here. That's not really sea themed just because this town's called Seawood."
"Hmmm..." Kaguya mused, "This is a lot of sea themed literature though. Did they emerge because this town's called Seawood?"
"Huh..." Helena spoke up as something clicked in her head, "You know...for a place called Seawood, there's not actually any body of water nearby is there?"
Everyone turned to look at her as they thought it over.
"Yeah...I..." Momo scratched her head, "I guess not."
"Why is that?" Roland nodded.
"Perhaps the country went through a drought that deprived them of their water?" Momo suggested.
"I don't know...there's not really any signs of a drought around here." Kaguya frowned.
"Hmmm..." Helena thought it about it hard. Harder than Roland ever saw her attempt. Until she finally looked up, eyes sharp as she turned around and shouted, "Hey! Why is this place called Seawood?!"
The librarian looked up, startled at Helena's outburst, "Wh-wh-what uh...what do you mean?"
"I mean, this place is called Seawood right? But I haven't seen any 'sea' around." Helena crossed her arms.
"Oh. Dearie, that's just a name." The librarian laughed softly.
"Momokami is named after Momo and Okami." Momo countered, "You don't name a county just anything. It's bad for business."
"I think you can, actually." Roland muttered to himself.
"Uh...uh..." The librarian looked surprisingly distressed by the question, "Well...it's a funny story really."
"Do tell." Kaguya insisted.
"Well uh...we actually did used to have a river."
"A river?" Momo frowned, "Where? I haven't seen it."
"Well that's the thing." The librarian nodded, "It disappeared when the gods left."
"When the gods left?" Helena blinked.
"Yes, that's right."
Helena turned back to her group and sat down.
"Team, what do we think of this?" She whispered.
"I mean...it's possible." Kaguya winced, "The gods were full of surprising powers. I'd wager they could give and take away an entire river."
"Without any signs of there being one?" Momo frowned.
"I mean, it's been a while since they left." Helena grimaced, "Maybe the ecology adapted."
"So what, do we just give up on this line of reasoning?" Roland asked, barely paying attention.
"Hmmmmmmmm..." the three girls all looked conflicted, "I dunno. This feels like a lead."
"What do we do then?" Roland yawned, "You wanna go look for a river that's not there?"
Helena ground her teeth as she did her best to think of something, "What DO we do?"
"Well, we're following Roko's trail right?" Kaguya suggested, "Let's think of it this way; What would Roko do in this situation?"
With this suggestion, Helena went back into thinking. Deep thinking before she snapped and turned back to the librarian, "Hey! Got a source?"
"A source?" The librarian blinked, "For the old river legend?"
"Exactly."
"That's...just kind of a well known local story." The librarian shrugged, "I don't think we need any real source for it. No real point you know?"
"No, I can't find a mention of a river in these books." Kaguya said as she thumbed through one of the books, "Do you have a source?"
"Really?" The librarian didn't look all that shocked to hear that though he did start pretending to think, "Let's see...if it's a folklore then you can try asking the local church for details."
"The church?" Helena frowned.
"Y-Yes. Though I can't guarantee you'll get an answer."
"...Good enough. Come on guys, let's go." Helena motioned to the rest of the group to leave.
"What happened to finding out what was on those missing pages?" Roland rolled his eyes.
"Roland, you can't find out what's on a missing page. They're missing. Duh."
"YOU-" Roland growled as he stopped himself from getting too angry, "You're lucky you're cute."
"That's my first compliment in years." Helena smirked, "Kudos."
"In years?" Momo scoffed, "Damn, Roland fumbling."
"Roland mad fumbling." Helena laughed.
"Roland the fumbler." Kaguya chuckled.
"Aight, I'll fumble...your...nevermind." Roland muttered.
"Do tell, Roland. What you gonna fumble, king?" Helena smirked.
"I said nevermind!" Roland snapped.
In the middle of the city stood a stone chapel. Large, grand and intimidating, light flowed through the stained glass on all sides, lighting almost every shadow inside with a different color. With rows of wooden pews and a grand stage full of idols and symbols. Who or what these idols were, their group was too ill-informed to tell but that didn't matter as they approached the priest giving prayers in front of the large statue of a god.
"Hello there!" Helena greeted cheerfully.
"Hello." The priest stood up and turned around with a warm smile, as if he knew they were coming, "How may I help my lost little lambs today?"
"Little condescending but okay." Helena smirked, "We wanted to ask about an old folktale that we heard about?"
"A folktale, my child?"
"...Yeah. Something about a river that a god took back or something?"
"Ah yes, the old legend." The priest smiled as he looked up as if he was reminiscing, "The God of Water, Zaffira Morgana, lent us her power in days of drought, providing us with a river that brought peace and prosperity to our small land. However, when she left, the river dried up and died, leaving us behind to pick up the pieces."
"Uh huh." Helena said, unimpressed, "That happened before either of us were born though. How'd this town survive until then?"
"What an odd question." The priest continued to smile warmly, "We simply did our best and lived day to day."
"But you were in a bind before this god intervened. Surely you must've been in a bind when she left and her gift was taken away."
"Hahaha. As you've said, this was before either of our times. I know not of the struggle that must've ensued but I can tell you this happened and we've evidently recovered, did we not?"
"Hmmm...not very helpful." Momo muttered.
"Do you not have any records of your own history?" Kaguya frowned, "Surely someone must have that period documented."
"That would be out of my jurisdiction." The priest shrugged, "You'd have to check town hall for that."
"I hate bureaucracy!" Helena moaned.
"Said the heir to a monarchy." Roland scoffed.
"Has Roko come here?" Momo asked.
"Who?" The priest asked calmly but for a split instant, everyone could've sworn they saw his eye twitch for a moment.
"He's like a guy except really grumpy." Kaguya chuckled.
"That's very vague." The priest sighed, "Unfortunately, I know exactly who you're talking about."
"Ha HA!" Helena laughed.
"He did come here...before." The priest said with seething anger in his voice, "Asked something similar then left."
"What exactly did he ask if you can be specific?" Kaguya asked.
"Much the same as you, really." The priest shrugged, "About the legend and for details of the aftermath. Which I very much did the same as now, redirecting him to the town hall for details he wanted."
"...So you're saying he left?" Kaguya asked.
"Yes. Indeed." The priest said with a deceptive smile.
Helena stared suspiciously at the priest before announcing, "Team, huddle up."
And as their group very conspicuously joined together for a quick talk, Helena whispered,
"Okay so what do we do now? Do we REALLY want to go to town hall?"
"I mean, I could do lunch instead." Roland suggested.
"Here's the thing though." Kaguya spoke up, "There actually ARE mentions of rivers and oceans in books."
"Huh?" Momo frowned, "You said there were none."
"None of their specific river, no." Kaguya nodded, "But mentions of other bodies of water? Yes."
"Huh. So what does that mean?" Momo asked.
"...It's not the information around water that's being suppressed but of their specific river." Helena mused, "So...what do we do with this information?"
"If it's information around their river that's being suppressed, I don't think going to town hall will yield much results." Momo nodded.
"Okay but why would we stay here?" Roland scoffed, "What are we doing here?"
Roland's pointed question lead to a long silence from all parties.
"Hang on, we don't actually know if the information around the river that used to be here IS being suppressed." Helena pointed out, "At least, not for certain."
"Okay..." Roland frowned, "So what?"
Helena stood back up and turned to face the priest, "What's the name of the river?"
"The...the name?" The priest blinked, surprised for the first time.
"Yeah. If it was a god given river then surely you must've named it."
"And remembered it if it was SO important." Momo added loudly.
"...I don't remember."
"I just said you should remember!"
"Well I don't! It was a long time ago!"
"How'd you forget an entire river?!"
"What do you want from me?!"
"Answers, goddammit!"
"Well I don't got any!"
The priest was visibly angry now and so were the girls as they glared at each other suspiciously.
"What now?" Roland asked, oblivious to the tension around him.
"I don't know." Helena sighed, "We're at an impasse now. Unless we find some other lead or MAKE THIS MAN TALK!" She said loudly at the priest, "We got nothing."
"So what now?" Roland repeated.
"Roland, do you do ANYTHING around here?" Helena scowled.
"I ask the important questions." Roland scoffed, "And keep us moving and focused."
"You just ask questions we obviously don't have answers for!"
"Yeah. They're important questions that determine how we move forward."
"So you're a supervisor is what I'm hearing."
"Hey, someone's got to do it now that Roko's gone." Roland smirked.
"Roko doesn't ask annoying questions, he comes up with the answers!" Helena snapped.
"Speaking of, we could try and find him." Momo suggested, "I know we've been trying to 'let him cook' per say but I think we're in too deep to just drop it at this point."
"True." Kaguya nodded, "But how do we find Roko?"
"They said he went to the town hall." Roland shrugged, "Are we going there?"
"Hmmm..." Helena mused, "Maybe. But I have a better idea."
"And that is?"
"Ragebait."
Helena cleared her throat and began calling out loud, "Oh man, I wonder what Roko's doing? He better not have adopted ANOTHER child!"
"Yeah, I know Corissa's being all sulky right now but having ANOTHER child with her is NOT the answer." Momo grinned.
"Especially when you just keep abandoning them while you go off on adventures." Kaguya added, "Real bad dad behavior."
"He does have a suspiciously large amount of kids for someone who claims to hate kids." Roland nodded, "Is he a pe-"
And immediately a tower of fire burst through the floor, burning up the alter the priest had been praying at in seconds and destroying practically half of the roof of the chapel.
"WHAT THE-" Helena cried.
"No no no no no-" The priest yelped as he turned towards the fire.
"First of all!" A very angry and familiar voice echoed out of the inferno, "It's only been TWO kids! Second of all, I have not officially adopted any of them!"
"He's been in the fucking basement?!" Momo said with nervous laughter, "What the hell, priest?!"
"Screw that!" Roland cried, "What's with this fire?!"
"No no no no no!" The priest continued to cry out in a panic, "Guards! What are you doing! Seize him!"
"You stay out of this. In fact, let me deal with you right now."
And as if in response, the inferno intensified and the chapel began to shake and collapse.
"Everyone, we gotta get out of here!" Momo cried.
"What about Roko?!" Helena cried.
"Do you SEE the amount of power he's emitting right now?! I dunno how he got that but he'll be fine! Let's move!"
At Momo's urging, everyone began running out of the building. At the last moment, Helena glanced back to see the priest who hadn't moved from the fire only for a shadow to jump up in the middle of the flames and decapitate him.
The group escaped the chapel just in time as the entire building collapsed. The group took a moment to collect themselves after their narrow escape just in time for the collapsed debris to burst apart and a lone man emerge unscathed from beneath it.
"Roko!" Helena cried happily as she recognized the figure in front of her, "We've been looking for you!"
"I heard you say 'let him cook'." Roko scowled as he looked down on them.
"Yeah but then we got worried about the kitchen. Anyway, where's the priest? Did you save him?"
"Oh, you mean this?"
And in a horrifying moment, Roko tossed the very dead and decapitated head of the priest onto the ground in front of them.
"Wh..." Helena said, her mind frozen in shock.
"You killed him?!" Momo cried, "Roko what the hell?!"
"You think just because you got a little power you can just start murdering people?!" Roland frowned.
"Guys...look at his head." Kaguya pointed out.
And sure enough, on top of Roko's head was a strange crown they had never seen before. It's central jewel pulsating with strange light.
"That crown..." Helena gulped, "I can feel the power radiating off of it."
"There's no way..." Momo gasped, "Just like the cursed crown we gave him before...could it be-"
"Ahahahahaha! That's right!"
From out of nowhere, a tan skinned and voluptuous demon appeared with a mocking and evil smile, draping herself over Roko as if he was a toy, "I've taken control of your precious Roko. He now serves us demons."
"A demon?!" Helena gasped, "Since when were DEMONS in this equation?!"
"You truly don't know a thing do you?" The demon smiled, "Oh you poor sweet summer child."
"Hey, Roko!" Momo called, "If you're in there, explain!"
"Why?" Roko scoffed with a coldness they were not used to, "I don't have to answer to you anymore."
"Roko?!"
"I've found greater power than I had before, traveling with you." Roko said as Olivia caressed his face, "I no longer need you to figure out the truth."
"The truth?" Helena gulped, "You're still investigating this town?"
"Of course. What do you think the demons are here for?" Roko smirked, "I serve them now and have been given even greater power for my loyalty. Pretty sweet deal if you ask me."
"What do the demons want with this town?!" Helena cried.
"Don't ask me. It's not in my position to know."
"You're just going to hand this entire town over to demons?" Momo frowned.
"If that's what they want."
Momo disappeared in an almost blinding speed. But Roko simply smirked and said, "Olivia?"
The demon snapped her fingers and immediately trapped Momo in a sphere of water in front of them, one of their strongest warriors left struggling to even finish drawing her sword inside the spell.
"I know you've been training to overcome your water weakness." Roko sneered, "But water is more than just surface level. Good job surviving the crushing depths though. I'll have to up the pressure next time we meet."
With a giggle, the demon, Olivia threw the water sphere with Momo in it back at the group where it splashed everywhere and Momo was left coughing her lungs out.
"I'll let you go this time." Roko called as he turned around to leave, "But if we ever cross paths again, I won't hesitate to kill you all. Especially Roland."
"Fuck did I do?" Roland muttered.
"Oh, one last piece of advice though." Roko said as he looked back at them, "And this is genuine, believe me. If you don't want a disaster to occur, tell Corissa to not use sanctuary."
And with that he left, disappearing into a portal of darkness.
For a moment the group simply stood there, stunned by the development that had just unraveled in front of them. Then Helena spoke,
"Aw man...Corissa's gonna be so mad..."