“What? When did that happen? Wasn’t he supposed to be with you?” Ludwig asked,
Kaela shot him a glare, her fiery eyes narrowing. “Hey, statements like that can cause trouble if heard by strangers,” she snapped, her voice low but laced with irritation. “You need to watch what you say, especially now.”
Ludwig raised his hands in a placating gesture, realizing his mistake. “Right, right,” he said, backtracking slightly. “What I meant is that he was supposed to be on your team. What happened?”
Kaela’s expression darkened, her usual chaotic energy replaced by a rare seriousness. “Yes, that was the plan,” she said, her voice tense. “The problem is that he went missing this morning, shortly after the names were revealed. I don’t know if he got scared or if something worse happened.” She clenched her fists, her frustration palpable.
[Quest Update!]
The Student Council is worried about the disappearance of one of its members. Help them find out the truth behind the disappearance.
Reward: 1 Corrupted Soul.
– Progression to the next part of the Student Council questline.
Ludwig dismissed the quest notification, his mind already racing through the possibilities and theories of what could have happened. He turned back to Kaela and Mina, his tone steady but urgent. “What are you planning on doing?”
“We need to do a thorough search,” Kaela said, her voice firm. “We informed the teachers, but some of them aren’t interested. They’re saying it hasn’t been long enough for him to be considered missing.”
Mina stepped forward, her calm demeanor a stark contrast to Kaela’s intensity. “We’re gathering all the Student Council members,” she explained. “We’ll be doing a full search of the academy. Every building, every corner—we’re leaving no stone unturned.”
Ludwig nodded, his resolve hardening. “I’ll help, then,” he said, more out of need since the quest requires him to. “What do you need me to do?”
Mina gave him a grateful smile. “Good. You’ll be teamed up with Minerva. She’s with the group that’ll be searching the forest perimeter. We’ll be looking into the female dormitory, Danny and Ravi will search the male one. The rest of the Student Council will be searching through the academy buildings and checking the logs of anyone entering or leaving the academy today.”
Kaela sighed, running a hand through her hair. “It had to be today when shit happens,” she muttered, her frustration evident. Despite her usual bravado, Ludwig could sense the underlying worry in her voice. She might act tough, but the disappearance of a teammate—no matter how temporary—clearly weighed on her. Especially a member of the council.
Ludwig tried to offer some comfort, his tone softening. “We’ll do our best. He’s probably left the academy to tend to some personal matters. Maybe he just needed some time alone.”
Kaela shook her head, her expression grim. “I wish it were that simple. Professor Silva said he didn’t see anyone leaving the academy via the teleportation gate, and the academy’s gate guard also said no one had left. So he should still be here.”
“Right, then,” Ludwig said, excusing himself to join the search. As he turned to leave, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was deeply wrong. Esteban’s disappearance felt too sudden, too suspicious. And with the recent murders still unsolved, the timing was anything but coincidental.
***
As Ludwig left the room, Mina turned to Kaela, her brow furrowed with concern. “What do you think?” she asked, her voice low.
Kaela shook her head, her expression thoughtful. “Not him. Definitely not. He doesn’t have any bloodlust or signs of struggle. I saw him this morning; he looks almost exactly the same. If he had tried to ambush or kill Esteban, he’d at least have signs of combat on his body. Esteban isn’t easy to ambush.”
Mina nodded, her shoulders relaxing slightly. “Then there’s hope he’s still somewhere and is probably just lost or busy taking care of some matters.”
“I wish that was the case,” Kaela replied, her tone heavy. “But his contact device is offline, and he wasn’t seen entering his room since this morning. Something’s not right.”
“Let’s just keep looking,” Mina said, her voice resolute. “We’ll find him.”
“Yes,” Kaela agreed, though her expression remained troubled. “Hopefully, he’s safe.”
***
Ludwig arrived at the academy’s forest entrance, where Minerva and Danny were waiting. The forest loomed ahead, its dark canopy stretching endlessly into the night. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and pine, and the faint rustling of leaves added an eerie soundtrack to their mission.
“I thought you’d be at the boys’ dorm,” Ludwig said when he saw Danny.
Danny turned to him, his expression serious but calm. “I suppose you met Mina and Kaela,” he said. “Yes, I’ll head there soon. Regardless, three groups of two will be combing the forest. Keep tabs on each other and keep your communication devices on. Ludwig, I suppose you have your own?”
“I do,” Ludwig said, pulling out the device his master had given him. The small crystal glowed faintly in his hand, its surface cool to the touch.
“Good,” Danny said, nodding. “Share your contact information with Minerva. Two other groups have already entered the forest. I’ll be heading to the dorms now. Keep an open eye and be careful.”
“Will do,” Ludwig said, nodding as Danny turned and walked away, his figure quickly disappearing into the shadows.
As Danny left, Ludwig moved closer to Minerva, who seemed slightly nervous. Her hands fidgeted with the hem of her robe, and her eyes darted toward the dark forest ahead. “Yo,” Ludwig greeted, trying to lighten the mood.
“H-hey, Ludwig,” she replied, her voice trembling slightly. She forced a smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes.
“Not having much fun, are you?” Ludwig teased, hoping to ease her tension.
Minerva let out a shaky laugh. “Fun? Really, Ludwig? Someone is missing, and they might even be… dead. And look at us here, going into the big, dark forest! At night! Looking for them!” Her voice rose slightly, her anxiety spilling over.
Ludwig chuckled, though he understood her fear. “Didn’t you say you’d be fine going through the dark forest if it was with a brave and strong young man like me?” he said, his tone playful.
Minerva gave him a look, her cheeks flushing slightly, but she couldn’t help but chuckle. Ludwig found it cute and laughed it off, hoping it would ease her tension. “Let’s head in. Stay close,” he said, his tone softening.
“Give me a second,” Minerva replied, pulling out a small lantern from her bag. She held it up and whispered, “Blue Flame Light.” The lantern flickered to life, casting a soft, blue glow around them.
“What’s that?” Ludwig asked, intrigued by the device.
“Something Danny gave me,” Minerva explained. “It brightens our surroundings for about five meters, but anything beyond that range can’t see our light or hear our footsteps. It’s supposed to keep us hidden while we search.”
“That sounds awesome,” Ludwig said, impressed. The lantern’s glow was soothing, and the idea of moving undetected through the forest was reassuring.
“Yeah, what’s not awesome is us looking for a freaking serial killer inside a dark forest,” Minerva said, her tone a mix of sarcasm and genuine worry. “But hey, I hope nothing happens tonight.”
Ludwig shrugged, his expression calm. “We’ll be fine. Let’s just focus on finding Esteban.”
Minerva nodded, though her grip on the lantern tightened. “Don’t leave me!” she called out as Ludwig began to move ahead, her voice tinged with nervousness.
Hours passed as the groups combed the forest, calling out Esteban’s name without any response. The night grew colder, and the forest seemed to close in around them, its shadows deepening with every step. Minerva periodically checked in with the other groups, but there were no updates. The search yielded nothing, and frustration began to set in.
“Ludwig,” Minerva said, breaking the silence as they paused near a cluster of trees.
“What is it?” Ludwig asked, his eyes scanning the area with his undead vision. The forest was eerily quiet, save for the occasional rustle of leaves.
“We’ve spent four hours looking,” Minerva said, her voice tired. “Danny asked us to head back. No matter where Esteban is, he shouldn’t be this deep in the forest without us finding any traces of human footprints.”
Ludwig nodded, though he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. “I suppose you’re right,” he said, his tone reluctant.
“Also, someone wants to talk to you,” Minerva said, handing Ludwig the communication crystal.
“Yes?” Ludwig asked, holding the crystal up.
“Hey, Ludwig,” Kaela’s voice came through, her tone unusually serious. “You have anything to do tomorrow?”
“Watching the matches, that’s about it. Why?” Ludwig asked though a sense of unease crept over him.
“Good. You’ll get a better spot watching the matches—with me, in the arena. You’re joining my team,” Kaela said, her tone leaving no room for argument.
“Now, hold on a minute!” Ludwig protested, his mind racing. He hadn’t planned on participating in the tournament, and the idea of being thrust into the spotlight made him uneasy.
[Quest Update!]
You have obtained 1 Corrupted Soul.
You are asked by your classmates to join them in the upcoming tournament.
Enter the tournament and show your strength!
Reward: 10 Corrupted Souls!
You cannot refuse this quest!
The moment the screen flashed in front of his eyes, Ludwig felt a strange force take over. His body moved on its own, his mouth forming words he hadn’t intended to say.
[Necros’ Blessing has activated!]
“Sure, I’ll be there,” the words came out of Ludwig’s mouth despite his will refusing.
Minerva looked at him, confused. “What was that about?”
Ludwig sighed, his expression a mix of frustration and resignation. “Looks like I’m joining the tournament after all.”