Daybreak.

As the light of the sun starts to enter the young cleric’s room, a different kind of light starts to emanate at one corner of the room, where the farmer vanished. This awakens the young cleric who barely slept through the night.

“Oh good, you’re awake.” The farmer, who appeared just as the light dissipated, said while looking at the young cleric sitting upright on the bed.

“Did someone from the guild come already?” He asked while taking out some packed boiled crops in his sack.

“I don’t think so.” She replied in a sleepy voice.

“I see… here, I brought some boiled potatoes and corn in case you don’t like the food here.” The farmer said, placing the food he brought on the table.

“I’ll just head out real quick to gather information.” The farmer said, but upon opening the door, a young man waiting outside greeted him.

“Uhmm, the guild supervisor wanted me to fetch you.” The young man said. The farmer quickly glances at the young cleric who was hurrying to eat her breakfast.

“Okay, we’ll be there in a few minutes.” The farmer said to the young man.

“An ancient ruin deep in the forest east of town, you’ll find him there.” The farmer remembered how the supervisor said it with a straight face, not even a single hint of emotion on his face.

“Geez, is that guy even human? The only time he ever showed emotion was when I was being rude to the guildmaster!” The farmer remarks as they walk through the forest, heading in the direction they were told.

“Something in your mind?” The farmer notices how the young cleric seems to be lost in her own thoughts.

“Huh? Ohhh, it’s just… strange” She said.

“What’s strange?” The farmer asked.

“A mage, doing investigative work.” The young cleric replied with skepticism in her voice.

“How so?” 

“Well back in the capital, most investigators are either rangers or scouts. This is the first time I’ve heard of a mage investigator.” The young cleric explained.

“I guess that would make sense, rangers and scouts do have a knack for tracking and gathering information, they also have keen senses to detect enemies and traps from afar.” The farmer remarked.

“Now I’m intrigued about this investigator mage” He added.

With the help of a map and directions from the guild, the farmer and the young cleric were able to reach what seems to be the gate of the said ruins. It was an arc made out of stone with two dragon statues on each side, with moss and vines covering mostly the entirety of it; in fact, the plant life was so heavy in that area that they were only able to see it because they were given a heads up on the place. 

“This must be it.” The farmer said while continuing to follow the pathway from the gate leading to the main entrance of the ruins.

“It’s an underground dungeon right?” The farmer said to the young cleric, confirming the details they were told about.

“Uhmm, yes, that’s what the guild clerk mentioned.” The young cleric replied as she followed the farmer.

“Have you ever been in one?” she added.

“No…” The farmer gave a short reply but looked as if he had more to say, wondering whether he should talk about it or not.

“But I had a friend who had been in one.” The farmer continued.

“Had?” The young cleric wondered to herself. Judging from how the farmer was reluctant to give that information, the young cleric drew to the conclusion that the friend he’s referring to had died; making it awkward for her to ask for more information.

“I’m sorry.” It was the only thing the young cleric could utter.

“It’s okay, we’re not really that close.” The farmer replied, sensing the awkward tension.

“He didn’t die in one of those dungeons, at least that's what I think.”

“He told me about how dangerous dungeons are, especially the underground ones, and that I should stay away from it.” The farmer said.

“I’ve heard of how dangerous they are but the information about dungeons I have are just general information taught during my stay at the temple, so I don’t really know much about dungeons aside from the presence of traps and monsters.” The young cleric said while recalling her education.

“Well, from what he said, adventurers who die inside the dungeon become one of the monsters cursed to roam inside for eternity…” The young cleric looked horrified as the farmer continued to relay the information he got from his friend.

“I guess that would make sense why the difficulty of a dungeon would increase every time a party of adventurers were to fail in conquering it.” The young cleric remarked as the two approached the main entrance of the ruins.

“Wait!” The young cleric called out before the farmer could enter the dungeon.

“What?” He replied.

“Shouldn’t we have a plan or something?” The young cleric, ever so prudent, suggested.

“I’ll be in the front and try to disable any traps and kill any monsters. Just stick close to my back so I can protect you easily, okay?” The farmer instructed.

“Okay.” The young cleric looked worried but she knew that there’s really nothing they could do at that point. Although she knew how dangerous a dungeon is, it was only when she saw the real thing and felt the atmosphere that it started to sink in to her; it’s not just the traps and monsters that will attack them but the mental anxiety caused by the claustrophobic atmosphere of the underground dungeon. 

“Why do you look so tense?” The farmer asked.

“If there are monsters and traps, I’m sure that that investigator mage would’ve taken care of it.” The farmer reassures as he starts to descend to the underground dungeon with the young cleric following closely.

Using the sacred cudgel, the farmer taps the floors and the walls cautiously to detect any active traps. Though the underground cave is supposed to be a maze, it wasn’t hard for the two to follow the investigator mage’s tracks; they just followed the lighted path and the fresh corpse of the monsters they saw. Because of this, it didn’t take too long for them to be able to catch up to the person they’re looking for. 

In a brightly lit room, they saw a middle-aged man crouched on the floor, as if he’s looking at something.

“That’s probably him.” The young cleric remarked. The man was wearing a mantle with circular glasses and holding what seems to be a wizard’s staff, so it was easy to assume that he’s a mage; but whether he’s the mage they’re looking for is a different thing.

“Hey!” The farmer called but the man remained unfazed, still focused on something on the floor.

“Didn’t he hear us or is he ignoring us?” The farmer wondered before entering the room. The sacred cudgel, still in front of him, deactivated the barrier protecting the room. This alerted the man inside the room and, out of reflexes, shot out a lightning bolt spell.

“Oh no!” The young cleric shouted, panicking that she failed to cast a protection miracle on the farmer. But the bolt lightning disappeared, rather, was dispelled as soon as it reached the sacred cudgel.

“What?!” The man reacted, surprised at what just happened in front of him.

“I know it’s just the weakest lightning magic but my magic isn’t that weak to be dispelled so easily… just who is this man?!” The mage wondered to himself.

“Easy there!” The farmer said as he tried to de-escalate the situation. 

“We’re not looking for trouble, okay.” He added.

“Who are you people?” The mage inquired.

“Wait…” He interrupted.

“Please step out of the room!” The mage demanded.

“Eh? What? Why?” The farmer looked confused.

“I want to preserve this crime scene as much as possible!” The mage blurted out of frustration as the farmer quickly leapt back towards the entrance of the room.

“Sigh” The mage let out a heavy sigh as he cast another barrier to protect the room before going to the two.

“Okay, who are you people?” The mage inquired as he started to calm down.

“Are you the investigator mage of the adventurer’s guild?” The farmer asked.

“I asked first.” The mage looked a bit furious.

“Well…” The farmer took out the necklace with the king’s insignia.

“I see…” The mage replied with a calmer tone.

“So, are you?” The farmer continued to ask.

“Well, some do call me that. What do you need?” The mage replied. The young cleric, who was quietly standing behind the farmer, stepped forward towards the mage.

“We’re the party sent by the king to subjugate the demon king and we are in need of a mage to come with us. The adventurer guild referred you to us and–” The young cleric said.

“Sorry, I can’t join you as I’m currently occupied with my quest.” The mage interrupted the young cleric before she could finish as he already knew where the conversation was going.

“What? But this is the Demon King we’re talking about! If we don't stop him as soon as possible, many people may die!” The young cleric reasoned.

“And I’m currently investigating the disappearances of four adventurers, are you telling me to abandon them not fully knowing what happened to them? They may be dead but they may also be alive, trapped somewhere in this dungeon!” The mage retorted back.

“Look, we get it, the guildmaster already told us.” The farmer interrupted the two before things could get heated any further.

“That’s why we’re here to help you finish your quest, so you can join us as soon as possible.” The farmer said.

“I see…” The mage replied with a slight hint of fury.

“And what makes you think that you can be of some use to me?” He continued, further displaying signs of anger. The young cleric was shaken while the farmer remained unfazed; as he was used to being threatened.

Looking towards the investigator mage’s direction, the young cleric noticed something.

“Is that kind of lighting enough?” The young cleric, referring to the dimly lit room the mage was investigating when they arrived, asked. The investigator mage let out a huge sigh before explaining his situation.

“Right, it is a bit dark considering we’re in an underground dungeon. Aside from that, I can only rely on the candle as a source of light as using more flames will not only exhaust my mana but the oxygen in this room as well.”

“I see…” The young cleric uttered before walking straight to the center of the room.

“Huh? Wait!” The investigator mage called but was surprised to see that the young cleric was able to slip past his barrier, no, it’s not like she completely slipped past it but the barrier was removed… by the farmer, with the cudgel.

“You!” The investigator mage shouted at the farmer, irritated at how he removed his barrier not once but twice.

“What is with that stick anyway?!” He uttered in frustration as he entered the room, casting another barrier before approaching the young cleric who was praying in the middle of the room.

“Stop removing my barrier or I won’t cooperate with you!” He warned the farmer who was just standing at the entrance.

“Holy father, guide us to the light… Bless this chamber with your ever loving grace…”

“Illuminate” The young cleric casted a light miracle to brighten the entire room.

“I see, with this I’ll be able to do my investigations fully without worrying about my mana or the oxygen…” The investigator mage said to himself.

“Okay, I’ll let you guys help but please don’t do anything.” He said to the two.

“And you! Don’t enter this room! Just, guard the room for any monsters or anything” He shouted at the farmer in a demanding tone.

“This looks like it will take a while.” The farmer just shrugged his shoulders before leaning his back to the wall, resting while keeping his senses sharp.