The Truth - Part 3

"Should we split up?" Lyrika posed the question to the group.

It was clear they needed to investigate things. They needed to get a better understanding of what had happened to the village, garner information on the new chief, and how they were still surviving with hardly any guards.

Mainly they needed to confirm whether what the current chief of the village had said was true.

While, it was possible that the allure of the three gorgeous girls talking to him may have caused his tongue to slip, giving them honest information. It was also possible, that what he was smarter than he looked and gave them falsehoods. Or it was possible he didn't know any better.

So, to start, they figured that talking to the locals was the best bet.

"Do we need to?" Olivia replied, given that, when you looked around, there really were not many of them to talk to.

If anything, there were probably only a dozen or so people left in this village. There was no point asking the two guards that were with the chief, as that could just arouse suspicion among them, so all they had left were a few farmers and some shop owners.

How shops were still open with so few people they did not know.

…

Realising there truly was no need to split up for this task, they headed over to the farmers to get their take on things.

To which, after they finished shivering at the looming sight of Olivia, they got a reply that they were unsure if they wanted it or not.

"It is as the chief said. Our previous chief left taking all the abled-bodied men and a good number of the women. His and the actions of the new chief are what is keeping our village safe."

It was basically what the chief had said before.

They tried asking for more information about what happened, but it was really word-for-word what was said before.

…

After that, they then visited some of the shops in the village. There was a grocery store, which seemed to double up as a store selling general odds and ends. Then there was the blacksmiths which had merged with the stables next to it. Given the number of people left, it kind of made sense as stores were put together so that they actually had more stuff to sell and keep the businesses going.

They perused their wears but found it all to be very lacking. Counters within the general grocery store were empty, and what was present, amounted to only a few items of each thing.

Where in Teagan's village there were dozens of waterskins and tinderboxes, here there were only four of each. It was as if they just could not restock the place.

Even the section for fresh fruit and vegetables was empty. How could this place be part grocery store?

They questioned the owner and received the same response as the farmers. When asked about their stock, they explained how they were just waiting on new stock to fill up the place.

That was possible, but it didn't fit right.

They also said they had hardly any need for items. With so few people in the village, there was no need to buy all manner of things to fill up the store. It would only be necessary once the previous chief returns have aided the new chief mission and succeeded in bringing the other beast-kin village together.

It felt like a flowery and rehearsed response for this sort of question, but it would seem that was all they were going to receive.

…

Heading over to the blacksmith's stable, they yet again found the same situation. There were only a few blades and armour lying about for people to buy, and there were no Umbrea in the stable.

The blacksmith again, said pretty much the same things as the rest did…almost word for word. It was very clear that these people either had no idea what was going on and were just following the same story from someone, most likely the man currently acting as chief in this village. Or they knew, and again were keeping schtum about it.

Whatever the case, it was clear that talking to these villagers was going to give them nothing.

This meant they had to go back to the age-old investigation tactics.

Snooping.

…

At first, they decided to snoop around the buildings which would be easy to do so.

The farmhouses, barns, blacksmith/stable, general/grocery store. All of these were open to the public or were easy to get in without being seen, and so made it easy for them to investigate.

Two of the group, generally the light of foot ones which was Lyrika and Ameril, searched around these places, while Olivia and Philly kept the occupants talking.

Well, Olivia kept them talking, with Philly chiming in with random comments. It did also help that for some, the fear they felt made them more…inclined to answer all her questions lest the big bad Orc kills them. Not that it helped with the important questions about the village though.

As they kept them talking, Ameril used her sneaky lockpicking skills, and was able to open up any locked rooms, while Lyrika snuck around and looked through any documents, cupboards and the like for any information about the village.

They travelled all around the village going into the easy-to-enter locations, but really they came up empty. The only things they did find were letters from people that sounded like they were travelling with the new chief. They talked about how great it was to travel and see the other villages, and about how more and more were joining the alliance, all giving them hope that the beast-kin could come together and become great again.

It all sounded positive and like they truly meant it. None had anything damning to say or any specifics about what they were doing, so it was quite a bust. All it did tell them was that the ones who had left the village to join the new chief believed in him and were fine with what he was doing. Whether they knew his end goal or what he was doing to his 'wives' remained to be seen.

…

Having exhausted all these places, and the day coming to a close, there really was only one place left that they could go.

It was a place that none of them really fancied going to for a few reasons. One of which was because of the lecherous man that lived there.

But, it seemed like they would have actually to take the man up on his request for dinner.

That was sure to brighten his mood at having three gorgeous girls wining and dining with him.

Olivia had to wonder though if he realised his invitation to the girls meant they would be bringing her as a plus one. He probably did, but hoped that she wouldn't. That was sure to put a smile on his face.

…

"I am so glad that you…all, decided to take me up on my invitation of dinner."

Yeah, he was not happy to see the hulking half Orc in his dining room.

"Please, take a seat and the meal shall be brought out shortly"

The chief sat at the head of the table, which was to be expected. It was also clear to see that he had really made the previous chief's house his own.

Baroque oil paintings of himself hung on the walls all around the room. Each of which were of him in various poses, with differing expressions. It was a horrible sight, showing how vain he was. Between them were wall sconces that kept the room illuminated, as well as providing unwanted light to the visages of the man making it easier for people to see.

The large carved oak, or maybe oak-looking wood as Olivia had no clue if that sort of tree was in this world, they were sitting around was a sight to behold given how immaculate and gorgeous it was. There was some wear and tear on it, showing its age, but was a lovely work of craftmanship and had been thoroughly repaired over the years.

The room itself was rather bare, where it seemed it was just for function over anything else. If the pictures were taken down, it would really increase the property value.

But while the room and the pictures were a hot topic, what actually overshadowed this was the two women who sat next to the chief.

"Ah, but before that. Allow me to introduce my secretary Beatrix and my treasurer Kathleen. Both of whom are…instrumental in keeping my village strong and secure."

They were older than him, that much was clear. Not by a large age gap, probably several years if anything, but what was clear was that you could see how uncomfortable they were.

It was possible it was because of the monster at the table, but given how they had hardly looked up from the carvings on the wooden table, even after the chief had introduced them, Olivia wasn't even sure they had noticed she was there. It was rather…disturbing.

She just hoped that it was because of her being there that was causing them such discomfort, and not because of some other reason. A reason such as the chief who had introduced them.