Rusty Willow Inn

Lucian looked around the village that wasn't quite that small either, but still couldn't find the place. Not even getting any weird looks from the residents as travelers were quite common.

'Where is this place.. I should ask someone.'

He approached a middle aged man who was passing through and asked him.

"Excuse me, but where is the Rusty Willow Inn?"

"Are ye fuckin' stupid? Can't ye read? Its literally here." he turned to his left and pointed at it. 

"Thanks, sir"

He stormed off quickly, being angry beforehand and ignoring Lucian's gratefulness 

"That guy could chill out."

Choosing to ignore him, Lucian faced the Inn and went inside. 

Everything was made out of wood and despite it being the morning, it was nearly full of people. Like in his experiences, it had no windows and was lit by lanterns, having even a small stage for a bard but there was none right now and instead there was a lying man on the ground. One can't be sure if he's dead or drunken himself to unconsciousness.

Upon walking in, the bartender and a few drinkers gazed at his direction and continued on doing what they were doing, regarding him as no threat.

He sat on a stool at the end of the bartender's long wooden counter and to his surprise, on his right sat a man that matched the description that Anika gave him.

"What'll it be?" asked the young female bartender.

"Anything that's not alcohol."

Lucian wasn't much of a drinker, thought that didn't mean he couldn't drink when he wanted to.

The bartender didn't seem to care much as she poured him a pinkish liquid into the glass but the guy beside him raised his eyebrow and gazed at him, drinking his beer.

"You Richard?" he asked confidently.

"I am. And you are?" his eyes narrowed and he seemed skeptical.

"Lucian. Anika sent me to help you with something?"

Richard took a larger sip of his beer and his face lightened up. Still being serious, he didn't gaze at Lucian like he will gut him at any given second anymore.

"Ah my dear ol' sister! Should've started with that! Thought you were sent for my rent or something along those lines. Yes, I do require help but I didn't think that it would be the drunkee from the forest!"

"What kind of help do you require?"

"Well you see" he stopped to take a big sip of his beer "Multiple village residents have been goin' missin' lately, one of which who was the sister of my friend Uldric. At first we thought nothin' of it ya know, but then my dear sister's child and her child's husband went missin' and that arose a lot of drama."

"When was it that they went missing?"

"Hm.." Richard stopped to think and drink, having Lucian's penetrating gaze set on him and hearing the other drunk guys speak "It's been about 3 weeks now and we've thought they left somewhere nicer ya know but no we ain't so sure."

Lucian knew he faced unfamiliar territory here, knowing this wasn't a quest in the actual game so whatever he does in this reality now is something uncharted and unexplored. But this technically is his story, his own path and he can choose to do it or not. He's not exactly obliged to necessarily help them for a blade. There's multiple ways to go about it such as stealing it.

"So what exactly do you need help with?" he asked the guy, going to sip on the pink drink which was raspberry juice, and a quite good one at that.

"Searching for them. We even got clues, Uldric and I. If you help us, we'll be in your debt sir-"

"-Lucian. Of Valoria."

Richard took another sip of his beer and tried to recognize the boy but knew that he hasn't met nor seen him before. "Interesting, but I'm not one to care. Hahahaha! Anyway, Lucian, you my friend will help and accompany me on where the clues lead us."

"Okay okay, is there any reward at the end?"

"Of course there is! A slap on the shoulder and a good job!" He'd burst into laughter again and get slightly more serious after a few moments "10 crowns, that's how much we pay you. We don't have much but we try to get by."

"Deal. Your sister Anika already promised me some sword in her house once I help you so that's more than enough."

"Hm alright then. Ye'll need to go around and ask about my sister's daughter named Isolde and Isolde's husband Perrin. Bartender, another!"

Lucian took note of their name and the liberty to remember them, choosing to help them as it was the right thing to do.

"Richard sir, what if they were, and forgive me for saying this, found and killed by monsters?"

The man stopped to sip his beer and placed the giant glass onto the counter, looking down at it "They are my family.. Isolde was a kind-hearted and nice girl and Perrin.. Didn't like him at first but he grew on me. No matter what happened to them, I need to know. I have the right to know. And it's not just me, but Uldric and others who've lost someone."

"I understand. As I said, I will help you but I'm no mutant or superhuman guy, so don't expect me to perform actions unlike those you've seen."

"The fact that a complete stranger is willin' to help me is more than unlike what I've seen. But it's about damn time we get started ya hear? Talk to Uldric first. He's in his house and will give you information he holds. Once you're done with gaining info, we'll meet at Anika's house and depart. It be only us two since the others are scared of what lurks in the darkness."

"Uldric, which one is his house?" Lucian asked the guy, finishing the juice he ordered afterwards. "Oh and I don't have any money..." he said

"It's fine, I'll cover your drink! Uldric's house is near. Once you exit the Inn, turn left and on the left side on the end, before the last building in the block is his house.

"Alright then, I'll see you later Richard."

Richard nodded and drank his beer another time.

Lucian walked out of the Inn and turned left, following the instructions given to him.

"I really hope it's not a monster that's killing those humans and making them disappear. No matter how many games I played and how many times I dabbled in them, It's practically impossible to replicate it without practice. Hope that Richard is a good fighter. But time to continue this quest now."