Chapter 61: From Reunion To Warning - Part 1

A certain ominous rumor was spreading in the capital of the central Kingdom of Eileen. From the southeastern territory, a hooded assailant infamous by the name Man-Hunter had been terrorizing every village and town on what seemed to be a direct path toward the capital. Unlike the usual meaning of the term manhunter, this assailant had earned the title through the ominous—no, hideous—crimes it had committed. Instead of hunting wanted men or criminals with bounties on their heads, the so-called Man-Hunter was the one committing the crimes—assaulting multiple men as it made its way from the southeast. Violating and defiling them, robbing them of their chastity, and mocking their dignity as men in every way imaginable— "Please... I think I've heard enough about that hooded assailant," Arezu said, horrified and disgusted as the memories resurfaced in his mind upon hearing the details. "Pfft~..." Lynn, on the other hand, was trying hard to contain her laughter at Arezu's mortified expression. As for their current situation: After receiving a harsh scolding from both Kurea and Sylvia, Lynn and Arezu had left the Adventurers' Guild. Not only to ease tensions among the adventurers still shaken from Lynn's rampage, but also to handle another troublesome matter. Following Sylvia's insistence—or what Lynn would call nagging—they had taken on the bounty-hunting quest she had mentioned. As they walked through the bustling streets of the capital, Lynn reviewed the details on the bounty poster. Which led to their current situation: "So what does this bounty-hunting quest have to do with you, Lynn?" Arezu asked, trying to steer the conversation away from the unsettling topic. "How rude!" Lynn snapped back, pretending to be offended. "It's not just about me—it concerns you too, Mr. Arezu!" The bounty poster contained no information about the hooded assailant's identity or appearance. However, one detail made both Lynn—and Sylvia, for that matter—certain that it involved them both. Even as Lynn held the poster right in front of Arezu's face, pointing at the specific part in question, it didn't help much—Arezu wasn't exactly literate enough to read the unfamiliar word. Growing impatient, Lynn read it aloud for him. "The Duke House of Von Envier... Does that ring a bell, Mr. Arezu?" The bounty-hunting quest had been commissioned by the Duke House of Von Envier—which meant only one thing. "You mean Ms. Liz?" Arezu said, recalling their former party member, the valkyrie adventurer whose true identity was Elizabeth Von Envier, second daughter of the Duke House of Von Envier— "Are you done with your flashbacks, Mr. Arezu?" Lynn asked, walking backward while grinning mischievously at him. Feeling mildly irritated that she seemed to be reading his thoughts, Arezu couldn't help but respond with some annoyance. "So we're going to where Ms. Liz is?" he continued, brushing off his earlier reaction so as not to ruin Lynn's good mood and risk another one of her tantrums. "Well, making an appointment with a Duke's daughter is kind of troublesome. So instead, we'll make her come see us." Whatever Lynn meant by that, or whatever she was planning, Arezu could only hope she wouldn't cause more trouble as he followed behind her. After walking for a few hours, the two finally arrived at their destination—the orphanage in the capital of the Eileen Kingdom. It was one of the many places Arezu had yet to visit during his month-long stay in the capital. And truth be told, he had no idea why they were here. But what surprised him most was the moment they entered the orphanage grounds: the children playing in the front yard immediately rushed toward them. "It's big sister Lynn!" one of the girls shouted cheerfully. "Did you bring any souvenirs?" one of the boys asked, followed by a question that made Arezu flustered. "Is he your boyfriend, sister Lynn?" "My, my... Are you my boyfriend, Mr. Arezu?" Lynn asked, clearly teasing him as she grinned mischievously. Trying his best to hide his embarrassment—not just from the kids' question, but mostly from Lynn's mock flirting—Arezu tried to steer the conversation back on track. "Enough with your teasing, Lynn. Can you just explain why we're at the orphanage?" —"Boo~!"— But his awkward response, paired with his dodging of the question, earned disapproving jeers and teasing not just from Lynn but from the kids as well. Luckily, just in time to save him from further embarrassment, the person they had come to meet finally appeared—though Arezu had been unaware of who that was until now. "Ehh?... Lynn? Arezu? What are you two doing here?" With shoulder-length blue hair and a pristine white vestment that matched her petite frame—just a little shorter than Lynn, who stood around 160 centimeters—yet still managing a mature figure despite her youthful appearance, Arezu immediately recognized her— "Pervert," Lynn muttered, clearly annoyed that Arezu's gaze had shifted so quickly from her to Hannah. "Oi!..." Arezu retorted, already anxious about where this was going. And it definitely went there. —"Pervert!"— The children gleefully echoed Lynn's accusation. "Hey! Kids shouldn't use that word!" Hannah scolded, but the children continued chanting it as they ran around the orphanage. Leaving the kids to their fun, Hannah approached Lynn and Arezu once more, asking again why they had come—something Arezu was still wondering himself. Then Lynn finally said it. "We need to talk to Liz. So can you summon her, Hannah?"