Perspective: Conrad Garnier
It was another cold day on a series of cold days.As, I struggled to open my eyes, I found them heavy with drowsiness.I gently caressed my cheek, to clear up the stray droplet of droll still sticking in my cheeks.While, stretching my sore limbs, I let out a satisfying yawn.Leaving my bed, I made my way downstairs, descending each step carefully.Down I saw regina preparing breakfast for us, Regina used to cook for us occasionally. As today we had no guild jobs. There was no rush so, I slept till late.We lived in a two-story building that we bought with the help of my connections when we moved here. Our bedrooms, including mine, Regina's, and a guest room, were on the second floor. The lower floor had a kitchen, dining area, toilet, and bathroom.As I yawned once again Regina scolded me,"Haven't you had enough sleep already,Now freshen up, ..... breakfast is ready".I made my way towards the bathroom and washed myself, then me and Regina had our breakfast together.It was vegitable soup with pieces of loaf. It wasn't that great but I had to praise her, she was staring at me with those puppy dog eyes."The breakfast today... is awesome, the soup is well textured and the vegitables look well chopped".(What am I saying?)I tried praising her but, my attempts were futile.(If you could call those attempts)As she said,"You are trying too hard... Don't worry someday you will praise me with your heart".I complimented her,"Yes keep trying".I don't think that I would ever praise something so bland, she should try her hand preparing something else.After we had our breakfast, I and Regina dawned our gears and headed out in the city.Near the town's square Elkdrack waited for us with Kelvin and that annoying peice of turd Thor Gild."How are you my lady today?". Thor Gild had once again started his nuisance.Regina replied,"Fine".While the rest of us ignored him.I asked Elkdrack,"Did you guys find any jobs worth doing?".Elkdrack with a restless face said,"Nah mate.... all there is, weird plant collecting jobs and becoming test subjects for alchemists?"."It pays well though... wanna do it".(No, I won't become test subjects for someone's strange experiments) I was not that desperate, so I declined."Nope".As we casually took a stroll through the bustling town, Elkdrack noticed someone sitting on a chair outside the winery.The old man appeared fatigued, with his slouched posture and a visibly stressed expression etched on his face.Elkdrack greeted that old man,"Good morning sir".Initially the old man looked confused, then he recognised Elkdrack and only then he greeted Elkdrack along with us.Judging by everyone's expressions and the way they interacted, every one knew him, except me and Regina, so I asked Elkdrack to Introduce us,He pointed his hand towards that old man and said,"He is Sir Lawrence Cromwell .... he is a merchant and father of our auld pal Patrick".Regina leaned closer to me, and whispered on to my ears,"Who is Patrick?".I whispered back,"I don't know".Elkdrack noticed us and said,"Ohh, That's right you guys haven't met Patrick yet, have ya?"."I am sure you all will get along, he is a caring and gentle soul"."Speaking of which".Elkdrack turned towards Mister Lawrence and asked,"Where is he?"."We haven't seen him for two months now".Lawrence replied,"He is at home, in our mansion along ..... with that thing".As he said that his face contorted with fear and dispair.Elkdrack being worried about him asked,"Sir are you okay?".Mister Lawrence started breathing heavily,Elkdrack asked, "Sir do you need water".Elkdrack turned towards Thor Gild and ordered,"Just not stand there like that .... bring him some water".Thor Gild, with extreme haste, went to fetch some water.Mister Lawrence was acting as, if he was going to faint.After Thor Gild bought him some water, his weird outburst subsided.He drank the water and calmed down.Now, I was getting curious too,(Why is he behaving like that?)Thor Gild sighed, placing his hands on Mister Lawrence's shoulder to reassure him, looked straight into his eyes and asked,"Sir what happened .... you can tell us"."Sometimes sharing will make you feel better".He clasped Thor Gild's hands, quivering in fear and asked,"You must save my son, that thing will kill him for sure".Elkdrack attempted to calm him down, once again"Sir take it slow, tell us properly otherwise we won't be able to help ...is Patrick in danger?.... what thing .... please explain it to us".The the old man explained,"For days my son hadn't come out of his room, he would stay in his room and talk to himself, I thought it was some kinda phase of adolescence, he would ask his food to be delivered to him, he won't even eat with me, days became months, my house maids started gossiping about him, I grew wary and concerned, so yesterday I finally decided to open the door and take a look at his room, I busted the door open and saw something sinister, something evil in his room, my son had became frail and ragged...... he was playing with that thing".Elkdrack asked, "Sir, what thing".The old man's eyes widened in terror as he recalled,"An Acheri".As, every one heard that name, their face stayed a gape, eyes widened in disbelief and shock by the mere mention of that name.Thor Gild asked "How did it got there?".Elkdrack knowing his friend full well he answered,"Knowing him .... he very well has bought it himself ... like some lost puppy or kitten".Regina interrupted,"That's insane".Elkdrack replied,"That's just how he is, way too much caring for his own good".As I was still hoping it would be a mistake, I asked, "Are you sure it was an Acheri .... It could very well be something else .... l mean we are talking about a legendary Monster here".Everyone knew what an Acheri was, we had heard about it, we had studied about it, during our guild exams, It was a legendary class monster that is said to have appeared in the form of a little girl before many travellers and warriors, but when you look close enough, you will notice their hands and nails more elongated then that of a human and their body is covered in fish scales.Legends say, that they carry souls of little girls, who were harmed or tortured during their time of death.Thor Gild suggested "It must be from that forest ..... you know the forest where no one goes .... the weeping forest .... It is said to be haunted by crying noises".That was quite a bold assessment on his part, but it could be correct because in the past we too witnessed crying noises coming through that forest covered in mist and snow. The guild warned us not to venture there, as in past various adventurers had gone missing.The situation was getting weirder and weirder with every passing second.But,I was the kind of man, that requires to see before believing anything.We had no choice.Elkdrack, besides being a caring person, was also a skilled communicator. He cleverly arranged for us to receive compensation from Mister Lawrence if we successfully eliminated that thing. And when it came to gold coins, I, along with Regina, Thor Gild, and Kelvin, eagerly joined in. Together, we paid a visit to Mister Lawrence's lavish mansion to uncover the truth behind the situation.As we approached the gate, our anticipation grew, our weapons ready for the task at hand. Mister Lawrence had ensured that his servants and gardeners stayed clear, giving us unhindered access to the mansion. The gate itself was an impressive sight, towering in size and exuding an air of grandeur. Peering through its iron bars, we caught a glimpse of the magnificent mansion that lay beyond, framed by a meticulously maintained garden.The mansion, with its majestic presence, stood proudly against the backdrop of lush greenery. The building's beauty was evident, reflecting a perfect blend of classic elegance and modern refinement. Every detail had been meticulously attended to, showcasing the utmost care and attention paid to its maintenance.From the carefully selected color palette that adorned the exterior, to the flawlessly manicured lawn that stretched out before us, it was clear that every aspect had been meticulously tended to. The symmetry of the mansion was perfect, creating a harmonious balance that was pleasing to the eye.As someone who had spent their childhood in a castle, I had an eye for such things, and it was evident that Mister Lawrence's mansion was a testament to meticulous upkeep and a commitment to perfection. It was a sight that evoked a sense of wonder and admiration.The gates were opened allowing us to barge in.Inside the property we started calling his name,I, Elkdrack and Thor Gild shouted his name,"Patrick .... Patrick it's us your friends won't you come out"."Patrick ... Patrick"."We were worried about you".As his room was right on the second floor with the balcony overlooking the garden, we were sure that he could hear us.While we shouted, Regina had been enjoying viewing flowers in his garden.After a moment, of intense one sided shouting, we heard a voice coming from his room.."Go away I don't want to talk to you guys now".It was Patrick, his voice sounded frail and weak.Elkdrack shouted, "No mate ..... we came to see you.... where have you been for the last two months".He disregarded Elkdrack and shouted,"Go away".Thor Gild too shouted "Okay first you show us your face .... we came all the way here ..... not seeing your face won't be worth it".Patrick, upon our persistence, emerged in front of us, clad in his pajamas. His frail and weakened figure revealed a body consisting mostly of bones, barely concealed by the thin layer of skin that remained.Taking a daring leap of faith, Elkdrack mustered up the courage to ask,"I've heard that you've acquired a new pet mate......... Would you be willing to share it with us instead of keeping it all to yourself?"Regrettably, Patrick responded with a hint of disappointment, "I trusted you all as my friends, but it seems like you also came to take her away from me.... just like my father did........ I won't allow it."With determination etched on his face, Patrick retreated indoors, donning his armor and gearing up for a battle. He leaped from the balcony to the ground below, exuding an aura of fury. It was evident that he was prepared to engage in a fight, ready to defend what he held dear.There was still a bit of information that everyone knew but I and Regina were left in the dark of, Patrick was an Orichalcum rank adventurer.Related Chapters
My Infatuation With Death Chapter 9 : Last Resort
Perspective : Conrad Garnier................ useful information. ........................The rank of an adventurer is a direct reflection of their strength and abilities. The higher the rank, the greater the power they possess. It is possible to purchase ranks using gold, but be cautious as it could potentially put you in trouble. By doing so, you may be excluded from lower-ranking jobs and assigned only high-risk missions where your life would truly be at stake. Nevertheless, some nobles still choose to buy their ranks, driven by their desire to maintain their pride.Patrick was different, he was surely a noble but his rank had been well earned, his abilities and skills matched the one truly belonging to Orichalcum rank.The adventurer ranks begin with Rank E and go all the way up to Legendary. Initially, adventurers pass through the ranks of E, D, and C as a formality when starting their journey. However, it's important to note that these ranks do not accurately reflect a person's
My Infatuation With Death Chapter 10 : A New Job
Perspective : Conrad Garnier.................. Inside Conrad's dream ..............(This isn't)(Where am I?)I found myself on a vast snow covered field, snow and snow, as far as the eye could see.(Yet .... I don't feel any cold) An ethereal stillness hung in the air. That was when, the silence was broken, by the distant sound of crunching footsteps, growing steadily closer, as I turned, my eyes widened in both fear and fascination.Emerging from the fog was a black shadow, Its figure morphed and contorted elongating in unnatural ways.It carried a gleaming knife, with a wicked blade reflecting the moonlight, casting an eerie glow upon the snow, as I ran, the contrast between dark silhouette and luminous surroundings intensified, my sense of danger.(The hell...)(Leave me alone)As, I continued to run, my heart raced and the shadow's feature became more discernible. It's hair was of an otherworldly state of Vibrant green, floated around its face creating an ominous aura.It looke
My Infatuation With Death Chapter 11 : Looming Shadows
Perspective : Conrad Garnier As, I glared deep into a never ending hellscape, Thor Gild commented, "If you fell there not even your bones will be found"."I wish .... I could throw you in myself .... but there are too many witnesses".I replied, "Yeah ... you would love that .... won't you?".Thor Gild shrugged.He was clearly revealing his true intentions. so, I had to keep a close watch on him going forward. Sensing the impending danger, I quickly stepped away from the edge, preventing Thor Gild from potentially throwing me into the deep abyss below, as I found myself standing on the brink of an unfathomable chasm.We were traveling for 3 hours straight. Ever since, we left the City of Ustrax this morning.The guild assigned 20 adventurers to this expedition, had some familiar faces and some new ones, that the guild deemed strong enough to let them participate in this wild goose chase.They gave us three carriages worth of supplies and 4 carriages for carrying us . Because we were
My Infatuation With Death Chapter 12 : One Step In
Perspective: Conrad GarnierAfter hearing that howl we weren't going to back out, even though there could be 50 to 70 wolves waiting for us out there.Why, you ask?Because our convoy was filled with lunatics, lunatics that were dying to show off. It was crazy as most of them were happy instead of being scared.They wanted a challenge, and there in front of us was a challenge, "a challenge where they can go all out."As we stepped into the forest, the loud sound of the wolves howling became even louder. But the strong war cry of the adventurers was even louder than that. I would be lying, If I said, that I wasn't excited, because my heart beat had fastened a million fold and the excitement I felt was immeasurable. We were adventurers afterall, we lived for all that shit.This was etched in our blood, in our soul and in our very being of existence.As soon as we entered the forest, adventurers jumped out of their carts to face whatever was coming.I heard the voice of our expedition l
My Infatuation With Death Chapter 13 : We are not heroes
Perspective: Conrad GarnierThe winds grew colder as we went inside, the trees were so tall and huge that they were blocking all the sunlight, as I felt a chill running up and down my spine, Regina covered me with a shroud.I thanked her, and since she too was shivering in the cold I took her in with me.We snuggled up.The carriage forward was hazy due to the snow storm, that had started when we entered the forest.For a moment there, I felt as If we were the only souls present on the whole world.I knew I shouldn't feel like that since, I regard Regina as my sister but feelings are something you can never have control over.You can suppress them, disregard them but at the end of the day they remain deep inside you buried, yearning to be let out."But Regina is still my sister".The forest was dark, every light from the sun had been obstructed by those huge trees which were stretching to the skies above. It was dark and yet comforting, but our comfort didn't lasted for long, It had o
My Infatuation With Death Chapter 14 : Wasn't enough
Perspective : Conrad GarnierMy hands were hurting, my whole body felt sore, my head felt heavy and my eyes, I was barely able to keep them open. The chilling air caressed my cheeks as I felt extreme fatigue from casting all those spells.My mana pool was almost completely drained, It needed to be recovered, I needed rest, as did other spell casters that were casting spells left and right continuously, a few hours ago. Not only was I extremely hungry, the dead body at my carriage was starting to release a pungent oder.And we were at the middle of a forest that we knew nothing about, at any moment something might surprise us.As I was about to doze off again.It was when he spoke to me, Kyle Bonfrost, he didn't look as beat up as we were, and I didn't remember him doing anything during the fight other than barking orders.He dawned himself with a glistening silver armour, though a little rusty around the corners, his hair was red, he had a well groomed beard adorning his chin, In his h
My Infatuation With Death Chapter 15 : End of Day 1
Perspective : Conrad Garnier"Feed the the horses"."The oats are over at that carriage".Kyle pointed me towards the carrage.I went over that carriage, lifted the curtains and to my surprise, who do I saw?It was Thor Gild,His legs were covered with carefully wrapped bandages, revealing a glimpse of blood, looked like a bite from a Dare wolf, the bandages themselves looked haphazardly applied, as if he had done it himself, It was no surprise that I hadn't seen him the whole day, beside this morning.I said, wearing an obnoxious grin on my face,"So, this is where you were hiding?".He stared at me with the intensity of an injured beast, ready to lash out if I approached any closer. Afterward, he turned his face towards his wound, revealing a pitiable state.He said,"Leave me be".I without showing any pity or sympathy on my part, nonchalantly picked up the bag of oats that I was originally there for.As I withdrew my head back from behind the curtain, he cast a scrutinizing look up
My Infatuation With Death Chapter 16 : Normal
Perspective: Conrad Garnier.It wasn't anything new, Regina used to feed me all the time, on various occasions before, but this time, It felt different. she delicately tore a piece of that loaf, gently dipping it within the savory soup. With grace, she extended her hand towards me, Inviting me. As her lips parted, she softly whispered, "Aaaaa." Compelled by her allure, I willingly opened my mouth, feeling her tender touch as she carefully placed that morsel upon my lips.As my mouth embraced that morsel, that supple bread dissolved, releasing a symphony of flavours upon my tongue, that delectable aroma of the soup enveloped my senses, with each moment of my jaws, I relished in it's taste and at the end I finally swallowed it.Then she scooped a spoon full of soup from the bowl, with chunks of meat inside it, slowly, she extended her hands towards my lips, As her lips once again parted, she softly whispered "Aaaaa".Once again compelled by the allure, I opened my mouth, then she placed
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Chapter 82 : Serpent's Gaze
Perspective : Lucius SinclairI still don't know why I did that. I guess I was too bored with the routine ass stuff I did all day.Talking to people bleh !Something new and exciting, just the thought of that, maybe, caused my legs to follow suit.Following the noise I reached the location of its origins.And what I saw?Those two people, that weird women and that man, were facing off with some nasty looking individuals."Wait! I recognised them! I know them"."That insignia"." That's the insignia of the group called 'Serpent's gaze' "."Or am I getting It wrong, No I don't think so".I thought out loud,Percival responded,"Indeed and that person wielding that huge cleaver, I think they call him Baldwin".Surprised that Percival knew of such people, I asked,"You know them"."How?".He responded,"Ah yes ... I witnessed him once, Killing and brutally decapitating one of his victims".I was honestly surprised, he never told me about that, just what else he was hiding from me, It's n
Chapter 81 : A knot
Perspective : Lucius SinclairThat was the most idiotic conversation I had ever heard, I thought the guy was dumb then damn, the woman buds in and guess what? she has got nothing on him. She own herself was in a whole new level of stupid.It's like they were caged birds, first time in the open, as if they didn't knew how the world worked. Now, that I think about it, they never did tell me and neither did I bothered asking, but sure as heck they acted like that.Witnessing that, Percival commented, "She is ripping them off."I responded, "Well, I'd say they deserve it."Percival observed their behavior and mentioned, drawing an assumption from it, "Must be new around here."I responded accordingly, confirming his assumption , "You bet, who says room with a view, every room has a view."Then Percival slowly whispered in my ears, his voice filled with hesitation and concern, "Should we intervene?"I responded sternly, my words laced with indifference and detachment, "None of our
Chapter 80 : Stupid World
Perspective : Lucius Sinclair"Violence" is the term ingrained in human nature. I will go as far as to say that's what defines our very being, our stupid self serving ignorant being.Violence is an act often used as a means of last resort, when all our efforts to get through them are useless, that's when violence is utilised and yet it's funny that, it's not used that way, it's never used that way.How utterly stupid, well that's humans I guess, an organism who puts their feelings above all else, an stupid organism who thinks the best way to exist is by becoming a "Cog" in a self serving machine.And yet they forgot to account for the fact that a "Cog" is nary a significant nor a remotely crucial component of a system, well not much crucial when there are so much to go around, how utterly stupid. They forget or simply ignore the fact that they are replaceable, and there are so many of them that replacing isn't even an issue, forget about having spares, it's one thing to have spares an
Chapter 79 : Return Journey - III
"Halt," Ikbal's authoritative voice rang out, slicing through the conversation like a sharp blade. The intensity of his command reverberated through the carts, causing a shiver to run down the spines of those who heard it. As Ikbal firmly tugged on the reins of his horse, the animal let out a startled squeal, bringing the entire convoy to an abrupt stop. Confusion painted the faces of everyone present, their brows furrowing in bewilderment. Spotting Kyle slowly approaching on a separate horse, Ikbal's gaze locked onto him with a mixture of recognition and concern. His words spilled out urgently, the weight of the situation evident in his tone, "Stop.... halt! halt!" Kyle, caught off guard by the sudden halt, arched an eyebrow in confusion. His puzzled expression prompted him to ask, "What happened?" Placing his fingers against his forehead, Ikbal mulled over his response for a moment before replying, his voice tinged with a touch of uncertainty, "My wind magic is picking up on
Chapter 78 : I don't care
It's been 10 days since they set out from those old dilapidated ruined village. They travelled through the weeping forest, It was a hard, arduous journey but they managed. With utmost caution and meticulous planning, Conrad and his companions successfully left behind those haunting nightmares. The dawn of a new day emerged, ushering in a fresh chapter full of exciting opportunities in their lives. But this victory couldn't have been possible by the sacrifices of those unfortunate enough to be a part of those nightmares.Now,They had left behind "The weeping forest" the previous day. Now, they were following a road taken by Merchants, and tourists who visit from the capital this time of the year.A road that went through an ordinary forest, and yet they had 4 days until they would reach the city of Ustrax.The Horses were carrying the carts and carriages at full speed, their hooves pounding against the ground, a rhythmic symphony of urgency and determination. On the second Carriage, E
Chapter 77 : Return Journey - II
Ustrax is the name of a legendary dragon who lived in these parts, not the name of the place. At that moment in time, the vessel state of Fasnijan' still existed, before the current Monarchy. However, the area now called the city of Ustrax, along with the snow-covered territory surrounding it, wasn't a part of it. It was an uncharted territory, with no man treading on it for centuries or decades. The frozen tundra was covered with towering trees that blocked sunlight from reaching the undergrowth. It was an area teeming with monsters, and leading them all was the legendary dragon Ustrax.However, after several centuries, during the reign of Edmund the 2nd, King of the 'Sovereign of Fasnijan,' his son-in-law, also known as the 3rd King of the 'Sovereign of Fasnijan' and famously referred to as the 'Adventurer King,' emerged. He possessed legendary adventurer skills and embarked on a perilous journey towards the salted mountain. The snowy mountains surrounding 'the city of Ustrax,' back
Chapter 76 : Return journey.
Conrad, his body weary and mind heavy from the battle, found himself compelled to spend the night at the monastery. Exhausted, he and the others set up camp, ensuring everyone had a chance to rest by taking turns on guard duty. As dawn broke, he was already awake, Conrad's right hand found solace in the familiar weight of his sword's hilt. His weary breath mingled with a silent sigh as his thoughts whispered, "Now let's return back home." The weariness of battle still clung to his bones, and a longing for the comforts of home echoed in his words. "I just want to go home and sleep in a real bed," Conrad uttered, his voice carrying the weariness accumulated over the past few days. The passing of time felt distorted, as he continued, "Can't believe it's only been a few days. It feels like years already ." The weight of recent events settled upon him, and Conrad contemplated his future. "Probably won't take any new jobs for a while now," he mused silently, contemplating the need
Chapter 75 : Echoes of Distortion
Perspective : Conrad GarnierMy mind a drift, My eyes encapsulated in that Muriel, at that depiction, the way they were presented, the way those pictures were drawn, who knows when? and who knows by whom?, it felt so ethereal, so life like, that I became completely lost in it.It was like, I am living that moment, as if those figures drawn would pop out of that wall, it was exhilarating.Surrounded by un readable text, in the middle of that moss covered Muriel, were the depiction of people or beings that lived long long ago, in this very village which is now lone and deserted, it was all so fascinating.Now, I found myself eager to delve deeper into that knowledge, so I consciously blocked out the conversations of others around me. My mind ventured freely, delving into the enigmatic secrets it sought to unravel. In that moment, I entered a trance-like state, completely oblivious to any external distractions, captivated only by the intriguing drawings and carvings before me. With unwave
Chapter 74 : Remnants long forgotten
Perspective : Conrad GarnierElkdrack's face transformed with a mix of surprise and temporary memory lapse, as he sheepishly admitted, "Ohh, I forgot there for a second. That's the reason I brought you here..." His gaze drifted towards a chest in the corner, a chest that seemed to radiate a certain majestic aura, adorned in what appeared to be metal though time had left its marks—the rusted edges and the curious growth of moss. Elkdrack gestured towards the chest and said, his words brimming with anticipation, "That chest over there contains your share of the treasure." With a blend of excitement and remorse, he proceeded to explain the origins of the treasure, his voice tinged with a mix of nostalgia and regret, "When we first entered this place, the altar was buried amidst a mound of gleaming gold coins, alongside an array of mysterious artifacts." He paused for a moment, letting the weight of his revelations sink in, before continuing, "Everyone took their share, and yours..