The Truth Seekers - Etrian Odyssey: Untold

Chapter 9

Note: Sorry for the wait but I had a lot of studying that I needed to catch up on (which sucked, by the way). To make up for the lack of updates, here’s a slightly longer chapter filled with angst and shippy moments between Jarrett and Galyn. And we get a hint as to why Galyn is so adamant in stopping Mira. I’ll say no more. Let me know what you think of this chapter.

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While it was somewhat satisfying to put Mira in her place, Jarrett was feeling uneasy. To put a sleeping agent in his drink in the middle of a crowded bar was reckless, but Mira wasn’t stupid. She knew what a bar patron suddenly slumping against the bar or table wasn’t anything uncommon – it happened all the time. But she would be the only one who wouldn’t have ‘assumed’ that he was simply drunk and would go about ‘saving’ him in a dramatic fashion.

Why? Well, it was probably because she didn’t like it when someone wasn’t fawning over her. While her true motives were unknown at this point, there was definitely a hint of vanity involved. She was doing what she was doing because she liked the attention.

After all, she was a goddess in some people’s eyes.

And that in itself could be dangerous. Jarrett never cared much for reputations or the judgement of others, but with weapon wielding explorers insistent that Mira was the best thing since sliced bread, some of them might try to restore Mira’s honour.

Or she would whine to them about those meanie White Fangs.

The last thing Jarrett wanted was to be responsible for sending more explorers to the clinic.

However, Jarrett couldn’t help but wonder why. Why was Mira so beloved and worshipped? He had never seen her do anything miraculous or anything of note, really. He didn’t think she was that beautiful. Perhaps he was bias. But was he and his guild the only ones to see Mira for who she really was? To him she was nothing more than a flirt.

How could the rest of Etria not see that?

Jarrett was pulled from his musings when he heard someone wandering about the mansion. The footsteps were quiet, to be mindful of the others who had gone to bed, so he assumed that either Simon or Galyn was up. Not Raquna as she was drunk and when she was drunk, she didn’t have an indoor voice. Not Ricky or Arthur as the two were a little…clumsy at times.

Throwing off the bed sheets, Jarrett slipped out of bed and walked out of his room. As he glanced up the hallway he noticed that there was a light coming from the library and immediately made his way toward the room. He wasn’t remotely surprised to find the orange-haired Galyn leaning over a document laden table. She was still dressed in her day clothes, but her hair from free from the usual ponytail, seemingly yanked out in frustration.

“Hey,” Jarrett greeted as he walked into the room. “You’re still awake?”

Galyn lifted her head up to look over toward him, granting him a small, tired smile before turning her attention back to the papers. “I’m still researching.”

Jarrett figured as much as he ventured closer, coming to a stop near the table. He looked down at all the documents and frowned. “There are a lot of files,” he commented.

“That’s because there’s been a lot of deaths,” Galyn explained with a sigh, running a frustrated hand through her hair. “More so recently than before.”

Jarrett nodded his head absentmindedly. Simon must have retrieved more files from Radha hall himself. “Do you think Mira is responsible for all of these?”

“…Not all, but most.”

It was almost hard to believe.

“How could anyone allow this to occur for so long?” Jarrett questioned with a sense of irritation growing in the pit of his stomach.