"You’re also a foreigner, aren’t you?"

…

It only took a day to reach the borders of Xerick Village. The dwellings were only small to medium sized cottages made of wood and straw, which looked like pieces of chocolate from afar.

"From afar, it seemed peaceful," Kristov uttered, "But I heard from the tavern in Marcissa that there is a rumored artifact hidden here. Everyday, strangers visit the village to rummage through haystacks, destroy farms, and some even barge into the cottages. That's why there is unrest."

Frion asked, "I do not see any mercenaries around. Do they not have a military or any group assigned to protect them?"

Kristov shook his head, "When the rumors spread, the leader of Xerick Village mobilized the army to check on everyone's house. But as days went by, the mercenaries got annoyed with the leader and killed him. Perhaps, they succumbed to greed, wanting to acquire the said artifact."