Devil's Path (Genshin Impact x OC)

Chapter 20: Where I Am Missing

Opening 2

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Having received a call from Katheryne, Lucius arrives at the Adventurers' Guild in Sumeru.

Katheryne: Lucius, perfect! I have a commission here that has your name written all over it. In fact, I'd even go so far as to say you're the only one for the job.

Lucius: Only me? What makes this commission only for me?

Katheryne: For starters, this commission is also probably not nearly as intimidating as what you're expecting. All it asks us to do is to find a missing person.

Lucius: A missing person? So what makes it a job for me only?

Katheryne: I came across this commission while reviewing our backlog not too long ago. It seems simple, but our records indicate that over a dozen successive efforts to complete it have all ended in failure, despite attempts by several accomplished and renowned adventurers. With the reputation of the Adventurers' Guild and the performance of the Sumeru branch at stake, it's in our best interest to assign this commission to the adventurer with the highest completion rate over the past few years...

Lucius: I mean, it's not guaranteed that I'll complete it.

Katheryne: Hehe... All I'm asking is for you to give it your best shot. If it proves to be beyond your capabilities as well, I'll talk to the commissioner about canceling the commission.

Lucius: Alright then. Who exactly am I looking for?

Katheryne: This commission was jointly issued by the residents of Vimara Village. They say one of their own villagers has gone missing... But the problem is... They don't know the missing person's name. They can only provide information about his general appearance.

Lucius: Eh? That's... odd. Is this a prank?

Katheryne: Unlikely. Several villagers came by to issue the commission, and judging by their appearance and tone of voice, they seemed incredibly sincere. It certainly didn't seem like a joke to them. Besides, putting up a commission requires a processing fee. There aren't many upsides to a prank that costs Mora to carry out.

Lucius: True, that would be a little strange...

Katheryne: In any case, it would probably be best to go to Vimara Village and ask around first. The Adventurers' Guild does have some information on hand, but I would say anything you can learn directly from the villagers would be far more reliable. The best way to avoid misdirection is to go to the source.

Lucius: Very well.

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Arriving at Vimara Village, Lucius approaches a merchant named Bahram.

Bahram: Hello there! You looking to buy something? I do business in this area...

Lucius: Oh, no thanks! I'm here on a commission for the village.

Bahram: Ah, so you're here about that, then... (sigh) You're not the first, that's for sure. We've certainly made a lot of trouble for you all. To be honest, we aren't holding out much hope. Many adventurers have made their way out here, confident they'd be able to help us, only to leave soon after with nothing to show for their efforts. We've pretty much had it up to here in questions, and the area around the village has practically been overturned in search of clues. But, no one has been able to make any headway...