Ding-a-ling—
The clear sound of a doorbell echoed inside the tavern.
As the wooden door of Puki’s House was pushed open, Bianca was hurriedly walking by with a stack of freshly washed wine glasses. She accidentally bumped into the newcor, let out a startled cry, and fell to the ground, nearly letting the glasses slip from her hands.
"Sorry, guest! I didn’t an to!" Bianca apologized repeatedly, rubbing her reddened forehead, feeling as if she had just collided with a steel plate.
"Are you okay?" A gentle voice asked. The newcor helped her up and patted her head.
When Bianca looked up, she caught a glimpse of a tall figure and muttered to herself whether this guest was wearing armor under their robe.
Behind the counter, checking the books, Dylan noticed the light being blocked and looked up with a smile spreading across his face: "Norris, my brother! What brings you here?"
Norris, in human form, leaned lazily against the counter, giving a tired smile: "I applied for a vacation from the boss. I need to co up here every now and then, or else I’ll forget I’m even..."
Norris didn’t continue, but Dylan clearly understood him.
Seeing the deep dark circles under Norris’s eyes, it was clear that his work below was exhausting.
"Now that you’re up here, relax. I’ll get you a top-notch room upstairs with a small balcony where you can lie in the sun!"
"Thanks a lot!"
Ding-a-ling—
The bell rang again, and this ti, a familiar team of adventurers ca in.
"Hey, Bianca!" Vera greeted the little shop assistant as she entered before heading to the counter, "Brother Dylan, do you still have that Whisperer brew from last ti? It was amazing, and this ti we want to stock up on a few more bottles."
The beautiful elf Sirean nodded in agreent: "In all of Mushroom City, your Elf Potion is the most authentic. So I’ve never even seen before. I’m really curious which fellow alchemist from my race ca around here to make a living."
That "trade secret" Dylan naturally wouldn’t reveal. He quickly placed several bottles of "Whisperer’s Brew" in front of Vera, who paid happily.
Fei Ling stepped forward joyfully, pocketing the potions in her waist pouch, which were ant for her as an archery item.
After chatting for a bit more, Vera and the others took their leave.
It was only then that Dylan noticed Norris was still standing by the counter.
"Oh dear, I forgot to show you to your room. Co on!" Saying so, Dylan grabbed the keys and led Norris upstairs.
And Norris, looking at the already closed door, took a while before he followed Dylan, sowhat dazedly, at his urging.
Back at the counter, Bianca crept up quietly, asking in a whisper, "Boss... who was that just now?"
"Norris? Well... sort of a friend of mine."
"Oh, the boss’s friend..." Bianca nodded and then ducked into the kitchen.
Dylan gave his little employee a curious glance and, thinking of Norris’s appearance, seed to understand.
Dylan had never seen the scrawny Norris during his mining days.
He only knew that the current Norris was a robust, tall, and handso young man, at least in his human form.
Shaking his head, Dylan lanted how easy it was to fool a little girl like Bianca.
However, it was others’ business, and Dylan had no intention of saying anything. For him, youth was just like this.
Besides... it probably isn’t possible anyway...
...
Puki’s House was unusually lively today. After sending off several custors who ca to purchase potions, Dylan was unexpectedly approached by a team of official personnel.
At first, he felt a tightness in his chest, thinking so captured Demon Race spy had given him away.
But on second thought, if that were true, the boss would definitely have warned him ahead of ti.
Suppressing the unease in his heart, Dylan quickly plastered on the innkeeper’s signature enthusiastic smile and stepped forward to greet them.
Soon enough, he realized these people were not there for him.
Solalin from the Wing of Judgnt and several governnt officials presented Dylan with a few portraits.
"Excuse , have you seen these people?"
After carefully examining them, Dylan shook his head: "At least they haven’t been to the tavern."
Dylan wasn’t lying; he truly didn’t recognize the faces in the portraits.
"Sir, if I may ask, is sothing the matter?" Dylan inquired cautiously.
Solalin and her team obviously had no intention of keeping it a secret.
"It’s a missing persons case," one of them explained, "These are residents who have recently disappeared. If you have any leads later, you can report them to the City Lord’s Mansion. There will be a substantial reward if the information is genuine."
"I see, of course! Certainly!"
With Dylan nodding and bowing, Solalin and her entourage left Puki’s House.
Dylan’s smile faded as he sat back behind the counter. He recalled the ti he encountered that gang of thugs at Bianca’s ho, and though they weren’t among the missing, Dylan still speculated if these disappearances had anything to do with the boss.
...
With Fish Sail Port officially adopting the Puki Master managent regulations akin to Mushroom City, the city’s public security situation saw significant improvents, and the Wing of Judgnt’s mission to maintain order there was deed complete.
Now, her new assignnt was to assist Fa’er in investigating the series of disappearances in Mushroom City.
Fa’er was concerned that this might involve Demon Race or Cult forces and had specifically invited the Church to participate in the investigation.
Though Solalin repeatedly emphasized the challenge of using her "Realm of Truth" in areas covered by the Fungal Mat, her superiors had the mindset that "sothing is better than nothing, it might just work!" and still assigned her the task.
Given this, Solalin could only do her best.
However, effort doesn’t always yield results.
After days of visits, although many residents recognized the missing from the portraits, no one knew their ultimate whereabouts.
The only clear clue was that these missing people were almost all ruffians and scoundrels.
The citizens providing clues were those who had either suffered at their hands or heard of their misdeeds.
This discovery led Solalin to suspect whether an individual obsessed with extre justice might be "guarding" Mushroom City’s peace in their way.
Such incidents were not without precedent, though the "precedent" was not carried out thoroughly and was soon uncovered by the authorities.
Of course, one couldn’t rule out the possibility of cults, as exploiting society’s fringe characters was their usual trick.
As for the hypothesis of Demon Race involvent, it seed the least likely.
After all, if they were intent on abducting people, they would logically act at the borders rather than venture deep into human territory to kidnap a few civilians.
Regardless, the investigation had to continue, and Solalin was troubled by the lack of progress so far.
And it wasn’t just this case giving her a headache.
After concluding inquiries at another resident’s ho, she was just returning to the street when she suddenly stopped, sensing sothing as she gazed at the narrow gap between two buildings.
Sure enough, a Puki radiating rainbow-glow stood at the crevice’s end, swaying its alluring figure gently.
Solalin fought to suppress the surge of emotions within, silently watching this dreamlike creature until it turned and vanished around the street corner, yet she said nothing.
Such scenes she had encountered nurous tis, but whether it was team mbers, friends, or even superiors who joined her in the search, they all ultimately found nothing.
The fantastical colored Puki seed as if it never existed, and over ti, not only others but even she began to think she was rely imagining things due to her sensitivity to Puki.
As the Puki disappeared, Solalin took a deep breath to gather herself, continuing with what seed like a futile visiting effort.
Unexpectedly, this ti she stumbled upon a potentially useful lead!
A blacksmith shop owner suddenly rembered spotting one of the missing individuals late at night, drunkenly mumbling sothing about "going to the northern ruins tomorrow for so fun."
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