[Raul's POV]
In the game Path of Destiny, there are countless side quests available for players to level up so their characters can defeat stronger enemies as the story progresses. Some quests are light and relaxing, but quite a few are horrific and brutal. We originally created these quests solely to ensure players wouldn't grow bored if they hit a wall in the Main Quest.
To that end, we designed these quests with a bit of excess to make them more engaging. However, this world is a reality. The cruel and terrifying quests we designed are becoming real in this world.
Just now, Emilia summoned me to her office. She gave our group a mission to investigate reports of several missing residents from a village located 30 km north of the Fortress City of Cataluna. Will I witness once again the impact of this dangerous and cruel world of our creation? To see the humans living here suffer because of a world filled with monsters and terrifying demons.
Sephira's death was only the beginning of my suffering—the weight of guilt for creating such a wretched world. Nevertheless, I will continue to do my best to fix it.
After traveling for over two hours in a horse carriage, we finally arrived at a village called Virahon. Several residents greeted us as we entered. Our destination was the residence of the village head. Typically, a village in this country would be led by a Baron; however, this usually only applies within the territory of a Count. A Marquis only has two Barons as subordinates, and both are stationed in the small towns of this region.
"Greetings, young ones. What brings you to our small village?" asked an elderly man walking with the help of a wooden staff.
"We are part of the Patrol Unit from the Fortress City of Cataluna," I answered him. "This morning, a report reached us regarding several missing residents in this village. Is that correct?"
"Ah, it is true. We sent that report yesterday," the old man replied. "My name is Meyaro—the Village Chief of Virahon. Come to my house to discuss this."
I and the other members then followed the old man to his residence. Upon arrival, I ordered the other members to wait outside because the Village Head's house was too small to accommodate everyone.
"Please, come in. I apologize that my house is too small for all of you," Meyaro said with a hint of regret. Entering his home, he invited me to sit and served hot tea and food that looked like sweets. I drank and ate both to show respect to the elderly man, even though I have little liking for sweet foods.
"Well, how should I begin..." Meyaro muttered, as if trying to recall something. "It started five days ago. Several villagers who went to the river to fetch water and gathered firewood in the forest did not return."
"Roughly what time of day do the villagers who go to the river and the forest perform these activities?" I asked him.
"The villagers usually go to the river to fetch water for bathing before sunrise, and in the late afternoon, they go to the forest to find firewood to keep warm when night falls," Meyaro answered.
"Have any residents disappeared at times different from these two cases?" I asked again to be sure.
"I believe so. Two women suddenly disappeared while working in the tea plantation during the day, three days ago."
Hmm... is it just a coincidence? If I recall correctly from the game, the ones who will eventually wreak havoc here are demons of the Vampire race. Aside from vampires of ancestral descent, they cannot go out during the day due to the sun.
"Are there any signs of monster attacks?" I asked him, confirming.
"I think not," Meyaro replied. "Even if this were the work of a monster, we would have found tracks near the places they disappeared."
The security force this village possesses only numbers 50 personnel. According to the Village Chief, twenty people are currently searching for the missing residents, and the remaining thirty are focused on patrols. They are currently concentrating their search around the foothills of the Montana mountains. They have searched the forest, but not very deep. I suspect they are afraid of being attacked by monsters if they stay there too long.
Currently, I have only brought ten members, including the mage and one Priestess, Ariel. If we are only facing slave traders, then our current numbers should be sufficient to defeat them.
"In that case, we will attempt a search around the Mazovia Forest," I told Meyaro.
"Do not go too deep into that forest," Meyaro warned me. "Even though there haven't been many monster attacks lately, deep within that forest, many monsters still roam."
After gathering sufficient information, my members and I left the Village Head's house toward the Mazovia Forest to look for clues. I predict this is either the work of slave traders or the demons who have come here looking for Brian.
Human slavery is strictly forbidden in countries that worship Goddess Diana as their primary deity. However, the practice is still carried out illegally. They trade human slaves in places called black markets. To access the black market, one must obtain a membership card and an Anonymous mask from a black market agent. They will first check the background of anyone wishing to access their business to ensure no government spies enter to dig for information about their illegal activities.
"Captain, what should we do now?" Viera asked.
"We will search for clues of the missing villagers in the forest five kilometers north of this village," I answered her. I then looked at all the members present. I think this will be a valuable experience for them if we truly end up fighting slave traders.
"I only want to say a few things to you all," I said in a serious tone. "If your life or the lives of your comrades are threatened, I want you to not hesitate to kill your enemy."
I know that words alone won't suddenly make them mentally strong enough to kill another human. They are still young and untrained in facing this kind of pressure. I was merely reminding them of the consequences of having hesitation in battle.
"Captain, are we going to fight criminals?" Piers asked, looking nervous.
"Most likely, yes," I replied. "But I hope we truly only encounter criminals this time. We don't know how bad the situation might become later."
What I am worried about is running directly into those demons. However, considering it is daytime, I suspect that won't happen. After giving some directions, my members and I left the village for the Mazovia Forest.
This forest serves as a buffer zone between the Aragon Empire and the Republic of Venetia. No one claims this forest because it is difficult to settle due to the many monster nests and the significant cost required to turn the forest into a habitable place. After walking for nearly half an hour, we finally arrived at the edge of the Mazovia Forest. Towering trees blocked our view into the deep woods.
"Viera, Piers, and Tazz will be our Vanguard. Tom and Jerry will be on the right wing, Vista and Tianna on the left wing, and I will be the Rearguard." I instructed them to form a formation while exploring the forest. "Ariel and Barney, you stay in the center of the formation."
The reason I am at the very back is to monitor all movements of the group and command them according to the tactics I will choose based on the situation. We began to enter the forest, with Viera acting as our guide at the front. Besides her Silent trait, she also possesses a Profound Codex called Hunter. With this ability, she is more sensitive to the surroundings than anyone else. That is why she is perfectly suited to be the Scouter for a group.
Tazz is a Paladin; his role in this group is to be the Tanker to hold off large numbers of enemies, while Piers is tasked with supporting them both if something happens.
"Monsters! A pack of Red Cheetahs!" Vista exclaimed from the left wing.
"Tazz, Piers, assist them! Viera, Barney, provide long-range support!" I ordered.
"Ready!"
"Understood, Captain!"
They all began to carry out my orders. Tazz immediately stepped forward to block three cheetahs at once, Vista was seen fighting one, while Piers helped Tianna, who appeared to be struggling against one of them.
"Four more coming! 100 meters at 10 o'clock!" Viera warned the group while grabbing an arrow from her back.
"Water Bullet!" Barney quickly fired his magic, but unfortunately, it missed.
"Magic Arrow!" Viera loosed an arrow that embedded itself exactly in the neck of one of the cheetahs.
However, the three remaining cheetahs were about to attack Piers and Tianna, who were still fighting. I hurried to activate Acceleration and kicked a cheetah that was jumping to pounce on Tianna, sending it flying into a tree.
- Miauuw!
The remaining two cheetahs jumped toward me, but I nimbly evaded them.
- Bam!
I struck the neck of the cheetah, knocking it unconscious. Seeing its companions fallen, the last one tried to flee, but I quickly caught its tail with both hands.
- Miauuww!
The large cat shrieked as I swung its body around and slammed it hard into the ground. Looking around, I saw that all members had finished off the cheetahs they were fighting, except for Tazz, who was still struggling with three.
"Piers, Vista! Help Tazz!"
"Right away, Captain!"
With the help of his two comrades, Tazz was finally able to defeat the three cheetahs that had been surrounding him. After a few minutes of fighting, all the monsters that ambushed us were defeated. No one sustained serious injuries, only Tazz received a shallow gash.
"I will heal you, Tazz," Ariel said, approaching him.
"Don't heal him," I ordered her.
"Why? He's injured, isn't he?" Ariel asked, pointing to the cut on Tazz's leg.
"That wound won't hinder his fighting," I answered. "Save your Mana; you will need it later."
Hearing my command, Ariel simply looked down and returned to her position in the formation. After defeating those monsters, we continued deeper into the forest. Our journey was halted a few times by monster attacks, but luckily we only encountered packs of Level 3 monsters or below.
After searching for nearly two hours, we finally found a lead.
"Captain, come here," Viera said, pressing her ear to the ground. "I hear footsteps about 300 meters to the north."
"Alright. You and I will check it first. The rest of you, wait here until we return," I ordered.
Viera and I then moved cautiously to the north. Human footprints began to appear as we moved about a hundred meters. Not long after, we heard the sound of people talking. We found a human camp. There were several wagons carrying large crates and a cage filled with people.
"How cruel..." Viera muttered.
I turned to see what she saw. Several men were busy violating two defenseless women. Both tried to resist, but the men struck them until they fell to the ground and continued their depraved acts.
"What should we do, Captain? I estimate their numbers are around 30-40 people," Viera asked for my decision.
They were confirmed to be slave traders. It seemed they wanted to head to the Republic of Venetia through this forest before the Imperial security forces could catch up with them for kidnapping villagers.
"Call the others here while I think of a strategy to raid them," I ordered her.
"Alright, I understand."
After Viera left, I began to formulate a plan. If we waited for reinforcements, these slave traders would surely have escaped across the border. It would become an international incident if Imperial patrol officers entered the territory of the Republic of Venetia, even for an arrest. Our numbers were only ten people, not including Ariel. We wouldn't be able to capture or execute them all if these slave traders chose to flee rather than fight us.
Not long after, Viera and the others arrived.
"We will capture or execute these slave traders for violating Imperial law," I told them. "Show them no mercy and do not hesitate if they resist, understood?"
They all nodded at my words.
"Alright, I will explain the strategy to you."
I then looked toward Ariel, who appeared very nervous in this situation.
***
[Ariel's POV]
Why does it have to be me...?
I am only a Priestess and not suited for this. However, when I tried to complain about the decision, Raul simply replied:
'Your face is very innocent and you look like a weak, helpless woman. Those slave traders definitely won't be able to resist tempting and kidnapping you.'
He... is using me as bait...
If this were Brian, he would never do this to me. However, seeing the women being violated by them made my blood boil. Their screams, their cries, their desperate faces made me realize that what I was doing was necessary to help them.
"Um... could I ask for directions? I was separated from my group who wanted to pass through this forest to the border," I said, pretending to be lost.
"Ah... look, it seems we have a lost angel visiting us," one of them said, smirking at me.
Several men began to approach; their smiles made me increasingly nervous and afraid after seeing what they had done to those women.
"Hey, pretty lady, come with us," said one man with a muscular build. "I'm sure we can find your friends and do some fun activities later."
As more men approached, I slowly backed away and began to show an expression of fear. I had to lead them as far away as possible so those back at the camp wouldn't realize their comrades were being attacked. While I drew the attention of many people here, Raul and the others would sneak in and take down the slave traders one by one from the opposite direction to remain undetected.
"Hey, with a body and face this good, she'll definitely be worth a high price at the black market later."
My body trembled when I heard one of them say that. Honestly, I only just learned about the horrific activity of human trafficking from Raul earlier. What they are doing is truly unforgivable.
"You are all disgusting..."
I glared at them all.
"You are all barbaric demons wrapped in human skin. People like you will rot in prison and will never be allowed to roam free again."
After hearing my words, they went silent for a moment, then burst into loud laughter as if my words were just a joke.
"Hahahaha!"
"Hahahaha! Thanks for the compliment, Miss!"
They were all beyond saving. The hearts of these men were closed off by evil, and they enjoyed performing these horrific acts.
"We'll have some fun with your body before selling you to rich businessmen!"
One man jumped toward me, but I managed to evade. I then turned and ran as fast as I could.
"Hehehe~ so we want to play tag, do we? We'll grant your wish!"
I heard one of the men shout from behind. There were about a dozen of them; I couldn't possibly escape on my own. I had to trust him; if he was late, these men would strip me of my purity.
"Got you!"
My body fell to the ground; a man's hand pushed me from behind, causing me to tumble.
"Time to enjoy your body ..."
The man licked his lips with a disgusting expression. If this continued, they would truly take my purity. There were no signs of my other comrades arriving anytime soon. I had to do it; I had to hold them off until they came.
One of them jumped, intending to pin me down. Pointing my palm at the man, I spoke an incantation.
"Holy Wave!"
The man was sent flying by my Divine magic. Seeing this, the other men began to unsheathe their weapons.
"So you can use magic too!"
"Attack that woman all at once!"
The nine remaining men began running toward me. I started gathering mana to activate a Protection to prevent them from getting any closer.
"Holy Circle!"
A semi-circular barrier was created around my body, making the criminals unable to approach. However, they all began to beat on the barrier I created, trying to destroy it by force. What should I do? This barrier won't hold them for long...
"Hit the shield harder!"
"I'll be the first to taste this woman!"
- Crack!
A crack began to appear. My heart beat faster; I didn't know what else to do. I regulated my breathing to handle the situation calmly. However, just as I was about to activate the Divine Chain magic characteristic of the Lusignan family, I saw a black-haired man atop a tree.
The barrier I created finally shattered. The criminals were about to attack me with their swords, but they were all shocked when a black-haired man suddenly appeared and kicked one of them, sending him flying.
"Huh? Who are you!? Don't mess with us!"
However, Raul ignored the criminals' chatter and struck another one in the face until he was unconscious.
"Attack and finish that man!" one criminal shouted.
They began to attack Raul simultaneously. The black-haired man continued to evade the sword slashes they launched.
"Aggghhh!" one criminal screamed in pain. An arrow was lodged in his leg; Viera had shot him from a distance. Thanks to Viera's help, Raul was able to counterattack and take down two more criminals.
"R-run! We're being raided!"
The five remaining criminals then tried to flee after realizing we had ambushed them. However, I had already prepared my magic.
"Divine Chain!"
Chains erupted from the ground and caught the five criminals. They tried to struggle to free themselves, but it was useless; these chains would not be broken by ordinary humans.
The fight was over...
"Ariel, go to the front," Raul ordered me. "One of us is severely injured."
Hearing this, I hurried to follow his words. Not long after, I saw a man lying on the ground; it was Vista. His stomach was bleeding profusely; a woman was pressing her hands against the poor man's wound.
"What happened?" I asked them both.
"It's all my fault. If only I hadn't hesitated to kill them, Vista wouldn't be like this! Please help him, Ariel!" Tianna cried out, beginning to weep.
I knelt in front of the man and placed my palms on his wounded stomach. It was quite deep... I had to activate total healing magic on him, otherwise his life would be in danger. Focusing mana into my right hand, I then spoke a spell.
"Holy Light... Sacrament!"
A light appeared and seeped into the wound in Vista's stomach. Not long after, the stab wound began to disappear, and his body started to regenerate. Vista's expression returned to normal.
"Thank you, Ariel! I don't know what would have happened if you weren't here!"
Hearing Tianna's desperate words, I only gave her a gentle smile.
In this ambush, we killed about 27 slave traders and captured 14 who were unconscious or had surrendered. Raul then ordered Piers and Tom to return to the village to inform them and bring a horse carriage to transport the detained villagers to safety.
There were 17 people captured by the slave traders. I walked over to the two women whose purity had been stolen by those monsters. They were still in shock and traumatized by the horrific events that had befallen them.
"It's okay, it's all over now," I said, trying to comfort them. "You are safe now." I also activated a spell to help them rest more easily.
After waiting for nearly three hours, help finally arrived. Dozens of villagers came along with the Village Chief. They then helped the victims captured by the slave traders onto the carriages to be taken back to the village.
"Thank you for your efforts, Sir Raul," the Village Chief said, bowing his head. "However, out of the 17 victims, only two were from our village."
Hearing this, Raul's expression turned quite grim. That meant there were still several villagers missing, and these slave traders were not the ones who had kidnapped them.
"I have a bad feeling about this..."