The city was not particularly large, but the residents were ecstatic. When word spread that a dungeon was sprouting on Malaska Plain, several merchants rushed inside. A guy approached the caravan while examining the surroundings. "Good to see you all arrived safely," he said, then bowed to them.
"As scheduled, we arrive on time; where should we stay?" The guy grinned and motioned for the caravan to follow him.
They arrive at the local inn and instruct the members of the caravan to stay and rest for a while, and before daybreak they must be ready to go to the Malaska Plain.
The little girl made use of this opportunity to stock up on extra supplies for her personal survival and be ready for the forthcoming dungeon adventure. Thankfully, the guild has already paid them in advance. She is determined to become a great courier and the world's greatest sage one day. This is the life she desires, and she feels she should have it at any cost, even if it means dying in the process!
She understands it's difficult to perform such things, but now that she possesses the Sage's grimoire, she'll be able to accomplish them. So, certainly, she will make a blood sacrifice in order to unlock the full potential of the cursed book. It's not like she'll murder everyone, but if it's necessary, she'll do it.
But if someone else wants the grimoire she's holding, they should take it now rather than later. This world is a cruel place, especially when it comes to killing innocent people.
There's only so much one can take before becoming ill, and as a courier, she's seen her fair share of deaths.
-----
The little girl returns to the inn that the guild leased for them after purchasing what she requires. She entered her room and looked around.
There are four beds that appear to be comfortable. But her dilemma is that she can't read the cursed book since there are other people in the room with her. It's been a few days since the old man handed it over to her.
Her hands are still sore from being torn apart when she opened the cursed book. But not as much as they do now.
Her previous few days while traveling had been awful, but she didn't believe she'd ever be this sick of them. Because learning experiences what she lack.
Her body was already begging her to lay down somewhere secure and sleep, but she didn't want to. She reasoned that rather than sleeping, she should read the Sage's diary to learn how to become powerful. And it appeared like fate or destiny had been on her side for the first time in her life because she discovered something that might aid her.
If she can only comprehend what's written within, this book will alter everything. Her hand shook, and she was nearly tempted to open it right now. She knew it was too soon, and she wasn't prepared, but her curiosity had always outweighed her morality.
"I need to go find another place to stay," she concluded, and she began to leave the inn.
-----
"I just remember I don't have any money," the young girl stated, perplexed. She had completely forgotten that she had run out of money as a result of her previous buying binge.
"What if I go back?" She paused for a moment and stood in front of an inn, saying, "No, I can't, even though it's free lodging; I can go back there, but I don't know what will happen if I open the cursed book in front of others."
She took a glance at the inn's sign before deciding to enter. She approached the receptionist and inquired about the availability of a horse stable. "Yes, we have," said the receptionist.
"Uhm, I don't have any money; can I stay there for the night?" The receptionist examined the young girl from head to toe before choosing to contact the establishment's owner.
After hearing the receptionist's explanation, the owner agreed that she could only remain for one night. The young girl was overjoyed and attempted to hug the owner, but he refused.
She proceeds to the site of the tack room as her room for tonight after thanking the innkeeper. "Wow, that was a lot of fun!" She looked around and realized several of the saddles on the horses were unusual.
She moves her gaze to another room, where she observes a man asleep on the bed. She then turns to face the corner, where two saddled stallions await. "They had to be the ones in here," she says as she approaches the horse in front of the other, which is standing at attention.
She decides to sit on his back because he appears to be relaxed. As it begins to move, the horse neighs.
"I'm not going anywhere; just relax," she murmured softly as she patted its neck. The horse soon begins to move slowly towards the exit. She cautiously dismounted the horse as she approached the exit.
"Hey, what are you doing?" The guy cried at her as he awoke from his dream, "Nothing, I just tried what it feels like to ride a horse." The man carefully studied her. "Really? Who are you, anyway?"
The little girl said honestly, "The owner allowed me to stay here for one night because I don't have money."
"Hmm..."
"Is that so?"
"But don't do it again; I thought you were a thief."
"I'm sorry," she said.
"Anyway, stay there," he said, pointing to the haystack floor. "Thank you," she murmured with a grateful grin.
After a few hours, darkness falls, and the crescent moon emerges. The little girl paused for a moment to ensure that there was no one else around.
When she realized she was the only one in the room, she unlocked her bag and took the cursed book out. She then flicked it open, and a hand grabbed her full face immediately and tried to rend it while grabbing her within the book.
She still can't get used to the discomfort, but she did her best to bear it. It didn't matter what happened to her as long as she could get through this torment. Her discomfort is almost excruciating right now.
She managed to hang on. And a scream from her lips, which helped her relax a little and allow her to breathe more normally.
After awhile, the anguish subsided, and she opened her eyes, trying not to weep or move too much.
She peered at the person lurking on the tree branch—a man dressed in a black hood, a bird mask with glasses, and a dark blue scarf.
His eyes are the only thing visible on his face, looking blankly at her. And she can sense the coldness of death surrounding him.
This individual is one of them. He is a renowned sage and one of those who have been living in seclusion for much too long.
"We meet again, little lamb," he says, putting his finger to his mask and motioning for her to be silent.
"Why and what are you doing here, Mr. Screw?" she asks softly. He didn't immediately answer, his gaze not quite meeting hers.
His hand reached into his pants pocket, which he fiddled with eagerly as if it contained some weird object rather than an empty space.
"Why do you ask?" His voice was almost as soft as hers. She could hear him but couldn't comprehend him out of curiosity. "Because I thought you and I were friends."
That last thing she practically whispered, as if she was speaking to someone who could comprehend the language but couldn't respond.
"Delusional bi-beep."
When she heard what he said, a chill ran up her spine. Even though she couldn't comprehend the last thing he uttered because of a strange sound, nothing less, she felt hated.
*****
A man in a gorgeous frock with a pink ribbon was enjoying his prize wine on the kingdom's boundary, on the fringes of the Burtone area. "What do you need this time?" he said to the shadow lurker that appeared in front of him. "Master, I want to deliver this message," the shadow lurker said, drawing a red drop of blood.
He grinned and closed his eyes for a minute after receiving the blood drop. "So he already gave the book to someone; I hope he is the one." He motioned his hand to the shadow lurker to depart by flipping his fingers. "This is irritating. I don't know why that book is important. It's just a book about someone we didn't know if he was real, if he still existed, or what he did in the past."
He stood up and walked to the hallway. When he reached the end, he touched the wall, and a staircase magically appeared. He walked down and visited the prohibited chamber, which was located in the most prominent and darkest corner of his home, after getting the news.
A dreadful sense persisted inside his heart as he entered.
"A catastrophe... the master will die," he mumbled. "Now I remember who she is," he wailed, gripping his chest.
"I can't bear this pain anymore," he said, running towards the exit. When he walked out, he was back to normal, as if nothing had occurred; even his tears had vanished.
"This room... why am I here again?" he said with curiosity, and while carefully inspecting the entrance, "I feel I've forgotten something." When he tried to enter again, a spiritual bird messenger emerged from his side. "Hmm. I guess I'll enter it next time." He walked away from the exit without looking back.