Chapter 243 (Patreon)

After their mini trip in the town, they went straight to the Saltrain village. It was dusk when they finally arrived at the village, the two wagons rolling slowly along the familiar dirt road as the sky bled into shades of orange and violet, the sun sinking low behind distant hills. The lanterns had just begun to flicker to life along the pathways, and the air carried the quiet hush that always came before night fully claimed the land. Kana felt it immediately, the immediate change in the world, the soft pull of darkness on the horizon, and for the first time all day, her chest felt light, her thoughts clear, her body awake.

She felt vigorous again.

She wanted to act. To move. To do something.

She felt she could do anything. Again.

She frowned at the thought, then shook her head slightly. Did I just become a vampire? The idea drifted through her mind uninvited, absurd and confusing, and she closed her eyes for a moment as if trying to chase it away. What is a vampire, anyway? The word itself felt strange, distant, half-remembered, like a story she once heard but never truly understood.

“We’re here!” Suri’s voice burst through the quiet as the wagon finally came to a stop.

She flung the door open without hesitation and hopped down to the ground, stretching her arms wide as if trying to embrace the entire village at once. “It’s been a while!” she said, breathing deeply as she turned in a slow circle, taking everything in. “But there are so many changes here.”

Kana followed her out, boots touching the familiar soil, and a wave of warmth washed through her chest that had nothing to do with the fading sunlight. “I really missed this place,” she said softly, her eyes sweeping across the village. “You’re right. Everything feels… different from what I remember.”

The houses were larger now, sturdier, built with thicker wood and reinforced stone foundations, no longer the fragile structures of a struggling settlement but the bones of a village that had begun to grow into itself. There was strength in the architecture, confidence in the design, proof that time and effort had reshaped the place. Though the wall was somehow the same, a bunch of thick and spiky woods tied together.

Then Kana noticed the silhouettes ahead.

The village chief stood near the path, beside Boris’ father, both of them watching their arrival. The chief raised a hand and waved, a smile on his face, but something about it felt wrong. Too tight. Too careful. Like a mask worn out of obligation rather than joy.

Kana didn’t hesitate.

She walked straight toward him.

“Uncle,” she said gently, her voice low. “Is something wrong?”

The village chief hesitated, scratching the back of his head, his gaze drifting away for a moment before returning to her. “We should be celebrating your visit today,” he said slowly. “We should be happy.”

Then he sighed, the sound heavy with exhaustion.

“Two people have gone missing this past week, and we still don’t have a single clue where they are. We already hired an adventurer to track them, but so far, there’s been little to no progress.”

Boris stepped down from the other wagon, rolling his shoulders as he approached. “They must be tired of you,” he said casually.

A sharp smack landed on his head.

Thorne leapt away just in time as Boris’ father glared at him. “This is a serious matter,” he said sternly. “I wish it were something that simple. It’s not just us. People have been going missing from the town and even the nearby villages as well.”

Boris’ expression shifted instantly, his humor draining away as he scratched his head. “…I didn’t know it was that bad.”

Suri smirked, leaned close to Boris,”Your Da must have missed you dearly. The sound was louder compared to before.”

Boris stiffened, realizing his father always smacked his head whenever they saw each other after some time.

The village chief shook his head and exhaled slowly, then forced another smile, this one gentler, worn with effort rather than warmth. “It’s cold out here. We should go inside,” he said, before turning to the rest of the group and bowing his head slightly. “Welcome to our humble village. Enjoy your stay.”

But even as he spoke the words, the weight in his eyes told a different story.

Something was wrong in Saltrain.

“I think we visited at a bad time.” Yuri muttered while the other remained silent at the seriousness of the situation.

…

Kana and Suri moved through the familiar crowd like returning echoes of the past, embracing people they had grown up with, hugging faces that had once shared small celebrations, festivals, and scraped knees, while a few older villagers greeted them with the kind of quiet affection that came from watching children grow into something more. Boris, meanwhile, had already been claimed by his old companions, laughter and rough voices colliding as stories and memories poured out of him in loud.

Inside the village chief’s house, everything felt changed.

The space was larger, cleaner, sturdier.

The interior had been fully renovated, the wooden beams newly installed and polished, the floors solid and level, the tables aligned with care instead of scattered in their old disorderly fashion. Nothing was crooked anymore. Nothing was broken. Nothing was patched together with desperation and hope. Kana found herself impressed by the transformation, even as a strange nostalgia tugged at her chest, because part of her missed the old mess, the cluttered warmth, the lived-in chaos that made the place feel imperfect and alive.

An old woman approached them slowly, her back bent with age, her hair a soft cloud of silver, her face lined with deep wrinkles carved by decades of wind, sun, and laughter. Her eyes shimmered with tears as she lifted a trembling hand to wipe them away. It was the midwife, the woman who had likely welcomed half the village into the world.

“It feels like just yesterday,” she said, her voice shaking, “that you three were crying in my arms…”

“Grandma, stop crying,” Suri said quickly, stepping forward and slipping a few coins into the woman’s hand.

The tears vanished instantly, replaced by a wide, toothless grin and a burst of laughter that echoed through the room. “You understand how the world works now,” the old woman said cheerfully, peeking into her purse. Then she squinted at Kana and Boris. “And what about those two?”

Kana and Boris exchanged a glance, then stepped forward together, offering their coins with forced smiles that were far too obvious.

“You three grew up well,” the old woman said warmly, her fingers curling protectively around the purse as she chuckled.

The village chief cleared his throat, drawing the room’s attention back to him.

“I heard from Aldo,” he said, his voice steady, “that you may be recruiting someone from the village to help watch over the orphanage.”

Kana nodded. “Yes. Uncle Aldo recommended Edar. Where is he?”

The village chief sighed, the sound heavy and tired. “Edar?” he repeated slowly. “I’m not sure how he’ll help Aldo, but if he recommended him, then there must be a reason. However…” He paused, his expression darkening. “We have a problem.”

He hesitated for a breath.

“The two missing people,” he said quietly, “Edar is one of them.”

A flicker of guilt passed through Kana’s chest. “Would that change if Aldo were still here?” she asked softly.

The village chief shook his head. “I doubt it. They were only planning to visit the town,” he said, his voice lowering. “The two of them went to get some booze…” He hesitated, then added quietly, “…for me.”

Boris’ ears twitched. “Oh,” he said smugly. “I told you I’m right.”

The village chief ignored him.

“Since you need him,” he continued, “we will increase the reward on the adventurer post. We’ll go to the town and update the request, but that may take a few days.”

“No need,” Kana said calmly.

She lifted her hand and pointed toward Suri, who was in the middle of animated conversation with their old friends, laughter spilling from her in bright bursts as she spoke about life in the capital.

“She’s the best at searching,” Kana said.

Then she paused, a memory surfacing.

“Maybe second best,” she added thoughtfully.

The image of Pit crossed her mind who specialized in tracking skills.

The village chief frowned, his gaze shifting toward Suri as he watched her chatter endlessly with the villagers, animated, expressive, completely at ease.

“You’re sure?” he asked slowly, uncertainty lacing his voice.

Kana’s eyes remained serious, “Very sure.”

All of a sudden her heartbeat began to accelerate, not with panic, but with a cold, focused certainty, the kind that settled deep in the bones rather than rising in the throat. The memory from the previous night surfaced clearly in her mind, sharp and undeniable. When her [Night Awareness] had been active, she had heard them speak. A new batch. The words had been casual, transactional, spoken without weight or remorse. The last batch had already been sold.

She hadn’t known who that last batch was.

But now, standing in the village chief’s house, surrounded by familiar faces and old memories, the answer felt suddenly and terribly close.

When the [Barbarian] nomads tortured them to get information, they had mentioned mines.

Sold to mines.

She gulped. Hopefully, they were still somewhere they could reach. Hopefully, they were still not too late. Hopefully, the two Saltrain villagers were still alive.

Without hesitation, Kana unrolled the large map across the table, the parchment spreading wide beneath her hands as torchlight and lantern glow spilled across the inked terrain of borders, ridgelines, and mountain chains. “Suri,” she said calmly, her voice steady despite the storm gathering behind her eyes. “Come here.”

Suri turned, blinking, then crossed the room. “What is it?”

“I want you to search for the missing villagers,” Kana said, her finger tracing along the jagged lines of the mountain ranges inside the empire’s borders. “They’re likely being forced to work somewhere in these mountains.”

Suri hesitated, her brows drawing together as she followed the map with her eyes. “Are you sure?” she asked carefully. “That’s far, and it’s not part of the kingdom anymore.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Kana replied without hesitation. Her voice carried no anger, no drama, only certainty. “We’re going to rescue them.”

For a moment, the room was quiet.

Then Suri nodded.

“I’ll send my illusion scouts immediately,” she said, already looking focused now. “Since it’s night, I’ll give you an update by tomorrow, its too dark to see anything.”

The village chief grimaced, unease cutting across his features. “Kana,” he said slowly, “it sounds like you already know what’s happening and what you are doing. But crossing the border without permission can get you killed. The empire doesn’t take kindly to intrusions.”

Kana turned her head slightly and looked at Rin. “I know a capable merchant who can secure border permissions for the empire.”

Then, silently, another thought followed.

Not that it matters.

I’ve already crossed it once. And no one noticed me.

“Don’t worry, uncle,” Kana said calmly, turning back to the village chief. “The empire’s land is too vast for them to guard every path..”

Boris’ father remained silent, his expression tight with doubt, worry carved into the lines of his face as he watched her.

Because this wasn’t just bravery.

It was reckless. Too dangerous for their young age.

Still… Kana seemed always going to solve any problems in the village like she always did. He would listen to his gut this time. If there was any person who could pull this off, it would be Kana.

Post note:

Most of the village chief's air time was smacking Boris’ head. 😂Hope you enjoy the chap! 🙂