Chapter 119: The Haunted Mill

Chapter 119: The Haunted Mill

"Rain, you can take a look at the related information for this bounty order first."

"This was originally a bounty, but it has been posted for a long time without a solution, and now it has become a mysterious incident that requires official intervention from the Empire."

"This is one of the several mysterious incidents I've selected from the regions under the jurisdiction of Maiester County. Once a mysterious incident is resolved, the merit reward can be three to five times that of a regular incident, or even more."

"Rain, considering that you have already entered the Extraordinary rank of Knight and possess a Radiant Stone weapon, I believe this task won't pose a significant challenge to you as long as you exercise caution and prioritize safety."

Rain nodded, not objecting to Sheriff Hamilton's arrangement.

With the Radiant Stone weapon, the 'Glint Greatsword,' on his back and his Knight's Plate Armor, he felt somewhat prepared for any evil that might be the source of the mysterious incident.

Rain took the bounty order and carefully examined it. After a while, he exclaimed in surprise, "I never thought ghosts actually exist!"

"Although it's possible that ordinary people might exaggerate, these things do exist, but they are extremely rare, so most people treat them as legends."

"In fact, ordinary bounty hunters wouldn't even consider accepting such a bounty. Firstly, they don't have the ability to eliminate these ghostly creatures, and instead, they would be putting their lives at risk, making it not worth the effort."

"Secondly, those who can eliminate these ghosts are generally known as Demon Hunters, and they are even fewer in number than the ghosts themselves." Hamilton explained.

"Demon Hunters?" Rain repeated the term to himself.

He wondered if the Demon Hunters in this world also used a combination of a silver sword and a steel sword.

"Yes, it is said that to become a Demon Hunter, one must awaken a certain Extraordinary trait. As for the specifics, I'm not entirely sure."

"Of course, aside from Demon Hunters, there are also people within the Church who can eliminate these ghosts, but in the entire Maiester County, there is only one cathedral dedicated to the Wind and Sea Goddess."

"Those with the ability to exorcise evil are mostly high-ranking members of the Church, and unless the mysterious incident occurs within the County City, they usually don't get involved."

"The same goes for the advisors of the great nobles."

Rain nodded in understanding. Those with such abilities were rare and held high positions, so it was no surprise that they wouldn't take on such bounties.

"Sheriff Hamilton, then I'll make some quick preparations and head to Agatha's Mill as soon as possible."

"Oh, right, Rain, I have a bottle of 'Holy Water' here from the Buffalo Cathedral in the County City. If the entity is a vengeful spirit or some other form of evil, the 'Holy Water' should be quite effective against it."

Hamilton thought for a moment and then took out an oval-shaped glass vial from his drawer.

The liquid inside was clear and had a faint bluish tint.

Rain took the vial and examined it carefully. He could sense a subtle energy within, but it didn't seem to pose any threat to him.

"Thank you, Sheriff," Rain said, bowing slightly to express his gratitude.

It seemed that Hamilton had given careful consideration to Rain's first mysterious task.

After leaving the office, Rain thought for a moment and realized that he didn't really have much to prepare.

The 'Glint Greatsword' was already on his back, and he was wearing his Knight's Plate Armor. As for shields, ever since he acquired the Extraordinary trait 'Iron Skin,' they felt a bit redundant and might hinder his use of the dual-bladed greatsword.

After some contemplation, Rain concluded that he could choose to depart immediately.

It was only around nine in the morning, and if things went smoothly, he might even be able to return before evening.

Since this was an official task, Rain didn't hesitate to ask the guards at the Administrative Hall's stable for a warhorse.

With a light nudge, Rain mounted the horse and prepared to leave.

Just then, a carriage arrived at the entrance of the town's administrative hall, and Rain casually glanced at the emblem on the carriage—it was the noble crest of the Habs family, featuring 'a diving raptor.'

Although Rain was a bit puzzled, he assumed they were here to see Sheriff Hamilton and didn't pay much attention, intending to ride away.

"Excuse me, is this Sir Rain?"

Just as Rain was about to depart, a voice called out to him from behind, belonging to a middle-aged man with a shaved head, wearing a black robe, and a formal smile on his face as he stepped out of the carriage.

"Yes, who might you be?" Rain responded.

"Sir Rain, I am Miles, the steward of Baron Alonso, the eldest legitimate son of the Habs family."

'Alonso'? Rain's pupils constricted at the mention of the name, as he was well aware of the man but didn't know the purpose of his visit.

The steward, Miles, maintained a formal smile and continued, "Previously, there might have been some misunderstandings between us, but that's all in the past now."

"This time, Baron Alonso has entrusted me to invite you, Sir Rain, for a conversation. If it's convenient, please join me in the carriage." Miles gestured toward the carriage with a smile.

"Hmm..." Rain contemplated the offer.

Was he worried about an assassination attempt?

The other party wasn't foolish enough to attempt an assassination in front of the town's administrative hall, with numerous guards around.

This time, it seemed like they were here to recruit him, but could a single phrase of 'misunderstanding' really gloss over a previous assassination attempt? Rain decided to listen to what they had to say, regardless of how extravagant their offer might be, and first gauge their intentions.

"Of course!" Rain jumped off his horse and walked over, while Michelle enthusiastically opened the carriage door for him.

As soon as Rain stepped into the carriage, he froze.

The next second, he finally reacted and slowly sat down on the carriage seat, which was wrapped in brown lambskin.

Across from him sat a pair of beautiful twin girls, dressed identically in white off-the-shoulder long dresses with a beautiful thing that Rain had never heard of.

Noticing Rain's slightly shocked expression and his subsequent glances at the twin girls, Michelle smiled and nodded slightly.

It seemed that her arrangement had indeed pleased this 'Farmer's Son'.

Her previous judgment was that since this 'Farmer's Son' had such extraordinary talent but had never displayed it, it was likely that he had a special affection for Miss Clara. Otherwise, it would be difficult to explain this situation.

In any case, there was a saying that went something like, 'Two is better than one'.

It seemed that the effect was not bad.

"Sir Rain, Baron Alonso greatly admires your talent. If you agree to become a follower of Baron Alonso, these two beautiful girls from the Crab Claw Peninsula will be your maids."

"Also, Sir Rain, there is a set of equipment specially prepared for you here."

"Wait, Steward Michelle, if I heard correctly, did you just say 'follower'?" Rain frowned and interrupted Michelle's enthusiastic explanation.

"Yes, if you become a follower of Baron Alonso, all your cultivation expenses will be covered."

"I'm sorry, but I must decline." Rain shook his head in refusal.

What a joke.

If Rain had previously been unclear about the difference between a follower and a guardian knight, but after Hamilton's explanation, he now understood it very well.

Being a follower seemed appealing, as the master would provide food, accommodation, and cultivation resources. However, the consequence was a lack of autonomy.

This conflicted with Rain's pursuit of controlling his own destiny.

Therefore, Rain refused without hesitation.

"What!" Michelle's expression was like a duck whose neck had been pinched, and the twin girls beside her also covered their mouths, looking at Rain in surprise.

Michelle paused for a moment and said, "Sir Rain, I think you should carefully consider the Baron's suggestion."

"Thank you, but no need!"

"Steward Michelle, I have something else to attend to, so I'll take my leave now." Rain turned around and walked out of the carriage.

Rain was well aware of what his refusal would mean, but he was not afraid.

At the same time, in the luxurious underground hall of a mansion in Myester County City.

A tall knight carrying a scythe-shaped weapon was reporting respectfully:

"High Priest, the cause of Mort's death has been investigated. It is said that he was killed by a certain Rain."

The knight handed a parchment to the High Priest, who was seated in a large armchair. In the light of the wall lamps, the parchment cover clearly bore Rain's name.

"Also, due to the exposure of the outpost near Shangjin Town, we have lost more than twenty 'materials'. There won't be enough time for the Black Flame prayer ceremony, so we can only speed things up with a blood sacrifice."

"Regarding the choice of location for the blood sacrifice, please instruct us, High Priest." The knight continued.

"Oh! The new knight from Shangjin Town? What a coincidence."

"Have you heard about the location? A malefic knight has appeared near Shangjin Town. This might just be our chance."

"Are you suggesting Shangjin Town, High Priest? But isn't it a bit too close to the county city? And the Habsburg Manor is also located in Shangjin Town." The knight hesitated for a few seconds before speaking.

"The Wind and Sea Goddess Church will likely send people to investigate the malefic knight incident in Night Song Forest. At that time, the defensive forces of Shangjin Town will be redeployed, creating a perfect opportunity."

"As for the movement of personnel at the Habsburg Manor, leave it to Baron Alonso."

"As you command, High Priest."

After declining Michelle, Rain quickly rode his horse to Agatha Mill, located not far from the county city.

According to the jurisdiction, this place was no longer under the jurisdiction of Shangjin Town, but rather the outskirts of the county city.

The mill's location was excellent, backed by a grassy hill and facing a vast wheat field. It was the perfect spot for a mill.

However, even during the harvest season, there were few people on the path leading to the windmill.

Rain guided his horse towards the mill.

As he approached, he saw three tall tower-shaped windmills. Only one of them was in use, while the other two were completely idle.

At that moment, a round and chubby man ran over, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end