The Alchemist’s Secrets

As Ray ventured deep into the mines the chaos was worse than Ray expected.

The cavernous tunnels echoed with the clattering of rocks and the guttural roars of his massive bull. Demons scrambled out of its path, cursing and shouting as it barreled through wooden supports and overturned mine carts like they were toys.

Ray spotted the beast near a collapsed shaft, its black hide gleaming with otherworldly energy. Its burning red eyes were wild with rage, and the ground shook beneath its hooves.

"Of course you're here," Ray muttered under his breath. He stepped forward, ignoring the wary demons watching from a safe distance.

"Hey!" he shouted, projecting authority. "Settle down, you big idiot!"

The bull's fiery gaze locked onto him, its nostrils flaring as it pawed the ground. For a moment, Ray thought it might charge him, but then it stopped. Recognition flickered in its eyes.

"That's right," Ray said, his tone softening. "You know who I am."

The bull snorted, its massive frame visibly relaxing. Ray stepped closer, placing a hand on its flank. "Good boy," he muttered, stroking its rough hide. "You caused enough trouble for the day."

The nearby demons watched in stunned silence as the once-uncontrollable beast now stood docile. One of them shook his head in disbelief before turning and running back to report to the general.

Ray ordered the remaining demon to scramble off using the curse energy to scare them. As the chaos settled, Ray leaned against the bull's side and sighed. "You're lucky I'm used to cleaning up after you."

The bull gave a low, rumbling snort. From its mouth, the tiny imp Jekkel peeked out, his wide eyes darting nervously around the cavern.

Ray mentally facepalmed himself seeing how these two were driving him mad. He grabbed the little demon as he ordered him to stay there in the cave.

"This is madness," Jekkel hissed. "Madness! Why would you leave Jekkel here? They'll kill Jekkel the moment they figure out I was a deserter!"

Ray crouched, his tone quiet but firm. "Listen, Jekkel. If you stay here, no one will question why you're hanging around. Just stay quiet, and if anyone asks anything, just say, 'Glory to the lord,' or something like that."

Jekkel whimpered, his small, sharp claws fidgeting against the ground, but he nodded, his wide eyes betraying his fear.

Ray glanced at the bull, its massive frame dimly lit by the faint glow of the cavern's crystals. "Stay here and keep an eye on the demons. Make sure Jekkel doesn't mess up. And don't do anything reckless, either of you. I'll be back before they realize I'm gone."

The bull snorted, its crimson eyes meeting Ray's before it settled on its haunches, a quiet but imposing sentinel in the mine's shadows.

Without another word, Ray turned and made his way toward a narrow, hidden tunnel leading to an exit. His boots echoed faintly against the stone as he disappeared into the darkness.

The cool mountain air hit Ray's face as he emerged from the mine, the first light of dawn casting a pale glow over the jagged peaks around him. He stepped onto a rocky outcrop overlooking Ironvale.

From the cliff top, he could see the quiet town nestled in the valley below, its wooden houses and smoke-laced chimneys bathed in the soft hues of afternoon sun.

The peaceful sight stood in stark contrast to the chaos he'd just left behind in the mine.

Ray stood still for a moment, his cloak fluttering lightly in the breeze as he took it all in. His thoughts drifted to the missing villagers—especially Elara.

"Shadows of Ironvale," he murmured, the notification from the guild quest flashing unbidden in his mind. Its sudden advancement to an S-rank felt like a necessary challenge.

He clenched his fists, his jaw tightening. "Elara… wherever you are, I'll find you. I just hope I'm not too late."

Ray turned his gaze toward the town, his resolve hardening. There was no turning back now.

----------

Although his expression soon relaxed as he caught sight of his partner-in-crime standing near the inn, arms crossed leaning against the wall.

"Staring into the distance like that, you'll scare the locals. They might think the great Seraphine's plotting their demise," Ray teased, strolling up to her with his hands in his pockets.

Seraphine turned her head sharply, her icy blue eyes narrowing. "And here I thought you'd never show up," she muttered, though the corners of her lips twitched as if fighting a smile.

"Missed me, didn't you?" Ray said with a grin, leaning casually against the wall next to her. "Admit it, things are much duller when I'm not around."

She snorted softly, shaking her head. "Dull isn't the word I'd use. Exhausting, maybe." But her voice was lighter now, a flicker of amusement breaking through her earlier unease.

Ray's grin widened. "Exhausting, huh? I'll take that as a compliment." He shifted slightly, glancing at her face. "You look like you've seen a ghost, though. What happened ?"

Her expression darkened as she exhaled slowly. "It's about Elara. I've been looking into her disappearance, and something's… off."

Ray tilted his head, his teasing tone softening. "Off how?"

Seraphine uncrossed her arms, her fingers brushing her spatial ring as if seeking reassurance.

"Elara wasn't just some random villager. She was 17, full of ambition. She wanted to be a miner and worked as an intern for one of the locals."

Ray raised an eyebrow. "Pretty unusual for a girl her age in a place like this."

"She wasn't ordinary," Seraphine said, her voice quieter now. "But when I went to her employer's home to ask questions, I found him… dead."

Ray's smile faded. "Dead how?"

Her jaw tightened, and her voice dropped further. "He was decayed and desiccated, almost like those two farmers we found at the royal cathedral."

Her voice faltered as she remembered the event which started it all. "But this wasn't as advanced. It looked like… something drained the life out of him, but it didn't finish the job."

Ray whistled low, rubbing the back of his neck. "That's… disturbing. And too specific to be a coincidence."

He looked at her, his expression serious. "If it's the same as the farmers, we're not dealing with natural causes here. Someone's pulling the strings."

Seraphine nodded. "Someone… or something. Either way, this is deliberate. Which means—"

"Someone local is involved," Ray finished, his tone sharpening. "And if they're working with whatever's behind this, they'd need supplies and most importantly a workplace for specialized stuff."

"There's only one place in this mining town that could provide that."

"The alchemist," Seraphine said immediately, her eyes meeting his.

Ray grinned, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Smart as ever. Let's go pay them a visit. Maybe they'll have answers."

Seraphine glanced at him as they started walking. "You sound like you're looking forward to this."

"Hey, I just like solving mysteries," Ray said with a shrug. "And I enjoy seeing you glare at suspicious people. It's very intimidating."

She gave him a sideways look, her lips curving into a faint smirk. "I'll make sure to save a glare just for you later."

"Looking forward to it," Ray replied, his voice teasing.

----------

Ray leaned against a weathered lamppost, fingers tapping impatiently on a virtual screen. The faint glow of his messaging interface hovered before him, words forming as he dictated silently.

"Cassandra, meet me near the alchemist's shop. The missing girl's case might be linked to him."

The reply came almost instantly, her tone practically dripping through the words:

"Oh, that explains why he is acting so strange . Thanks for the heads-up."

Ray frowned, narrowing his eyes at the message. What's she up to now? he wondered.

Cassandra's involvement always came with a twist, and more often than not, it left him scrambling to figure out her endgame.

By the time Ray and Seraphine arrived at the alchemist's shop, the door was already ajar, the faint smell of herbs and chemicals wafting out.

Inside, they found Cassandra leaning casually against the counter, her amber eyes gleaming with that all-too-familiar mix of mischief and calculation.

"Cassandra," Ray said, stepping inside with Seraphine close behind. "What are you doing here? I thought we were meeting outside."

Cassandra turned, a slow smile spreading across her face. "Oh, you took too long. But by the time you messaged, I was actually inside this cozy shop."

The alchemist stood behind the counter, his wiry frame visibly trembling. His eyes darted between the newcomers and Cassandra, his hands nervously fidgeting with the hem of his apron.

Ray shot Cassandra a sharp look. "What did you do?"

"Me?" she asked, feigning innocence. "I just had a friendly chat. Turns out, he's been keeping some fascinating secrets."

She pushed away from the counter, stepping aside with a theatrical flourish. "Go ahead, ask him yourself."

The alchemist stammered, "I-I told her everything. Please, I don't want any more trouble!"

Ray blinked, then turned to Cassandra, who looked far too pleased with herself. "How?" he asked, incredulous.

Cassandra shrugged, her smile widening. "Let's just say he was very… cooperative."

Ray remembered that she had not became the greatest manipulator in his past life for no reason, "Alright," he said, turning to the alchemist.

"Start from the beginning. Tell us what you told her."