"This is Baal, a Little Fairy," Ethan briefly introduced Baal, then delved into the main topic.
"I visited Sean's mansion but didn't come across the grim scene you described. There wasn't a single female Hero's body in sight, just a layer of ash on the floor. Everything else appeared pristine."
"I wasn't lying," Veronica quickly clarified.
Ethan shook his head, replying, "I'm not accusing you of falsehoods. I'm merely stating a fact. Our enemies seem far craftier than we anticipated. However, our efforts weren't entirely fruitless. Look at this."
"Look at this."
At Ethan's words, Veronica's gaze was drawn over.
He held a piece of paper in his hand with a peculiar totem drawn on it, shaped like a boar skull with horns.
This was exactly the totem mentioned by Little Fairy Baal.
"Yes! It's this one!"
Veronica's excitement was palpable, her eyes widening in confirmation.
"The pattern I saw on the naked female Heroes in Sean's mansion looked exactly like this."
"It seems so, the Elders are indeed up to no good," Ethan sighed.
Now, he was utterly convinced that this was an ungodly ritual taking place, who the object of the ceremony was, no one knew.
It could be a demon in hell or some evil being.
However, no matter what, pursuing this further would surely be troublesome. Veronica became hesitant.
After their intimate encounter, Veronica had developed unique feelings for Ethan.
She feared the power of the Elders and tried to dissuade him, "Perhaps we should let this matter rest. Sean is always cautious, but this time, he's performing such a sinister ceremony with the Elders. He must have prepared thoroughly."
Veronica made sense, but Ethan shook his head in refusal.
"The Elders? I would like to see whether their schemes are more cunning, or my power is stronger."
Ethan clenched his fist, an awe-inspiring aura radiating from him.
This caused Veronica, who was standing by his side, and Baal, who was suspended in mid-air, to feel a wave of fear.
Only then did Veronica recall that Ethan was a rank S Hero, a powerful existence among Heroes.
"So, what's your plan?"
"After the Elders left, all the evidence was destroyed, Sean disappeared, and we couldn't find any trace of them."
Veronica sounded a bit disheartened.
Baal settled down on Ethan's shoulder and proposed his idea, "Why not ask someone? There's a saying in my clan, 'Where there's an event, there's evidence.' We don't know what this totem is, but maybe others do."
Baal's words left Ethan and Veronica deep in thought.
"That could indeed be a solution," Ethan paused for a moment before continuing,
"But who would know? That's another issue. The Blackstone Kingdom has just been established and many enemies are lurking in the shadows. If I stay in Stone Rock Harbor too long, there could be trouble brewing in the Kingdom."
"Ethan, I might know someone..."
Veronica suddenly started speaking, albeit somewhat hesitantly.
"Go on." Ethan urged.
Veronica nodded slightly, "In Stone Rock Harbor, there's a man known as the 'Drunkard.' He loves to drink, and he's tipsy all day. But I've heard whispers that he's the most learned man in Stone Rock Harbor, even possessing knowledge about ancient rumors. Maybe we could ask him."
"That seems like a good idea."
Ethan nodded, curious about this learned drunkard, a man with a story.
"But let's not rush."
Veronica wasn't as optimistic, "While the Drunkard is learned, he has a bad temper. Hardly anyone can bear his company for more than three minutes. If we try to ask him questions, there's a high chance we'll be thrown out."
"Is that so?"
Ethan stroked his chin, slightly perplexed.
"Mm-hmm, according to the locals, that's the kind of person this learned drunkard is. However, he's a big fan of alcohol, so maybe we could win him over with fine wine."
"Then it's settled."
Ethan nodded and said, "It's already getting late, we'll look for him tomorrow."
Subconsciously, Veronica glanced out the window; indeed, the sky was dark and the twinkling stars could barely be made out.
"Let's rest for now."
Veronica agreed with Ethan's plan.
As she finished speaking, she felt a flush of heat radiate through her body.
She had rested all afternoon, and now she was bursting with energy.
"Should we try again..."
Veronica's hand reached towards Ethan's chest, attempting to slide into the gap of his clothing.
But she was caught by Ethan and pulled into his embrace.
"Now is not the time," Ethan replied, looking at Veronica with a smile. "If you really want to, once we've dealt with this matter, I'll ensure you have a real blast."
Veronica wriggled free from Ethan's hold, changed her position, and wrapped her arms around his neck. She stuck out her pink tongue, lightly licked Ethan's lips, then giggled, "You better remember your words."
"Don't worry, I wouldn't forget such a beauty as yourself," Ethan responded, grinning, as he playfully pushed Veronica onto the bed.
As for Baal, hovering in mid-air, watching the intimate behavior between Ethan and Veronica turned her face bright red.
She quickly covered her eyes with her hands, but the slender gaps between her fingers betrayed her.
"Is this kind of thing really that fun and enjoyable?" Baal wondered curiously.
Comparing her own size to Ethan's - she wasn't even as big as one of his fingers - Baal felt a bit lost.
But then she remembered she wasn't always this small, and felt hopeful again.
"Although becoming the size of Master seems a bit difficult..."
Watching Ethan and Veronica already entangled together, Little Fairy Baal sighed softly.
Then she found a soft quilt, curled up, and fell fast asleep.
...
The morning in Stone Rock Harbor was bustling and full of vitality.
Sean's sudden disappearance seemed to have had little impact on Stone Rock Harbor, but it was undeniable that some smart people were quietly making preparations.
The hurriedly transported goods at the dock were the best proof of this.
"Mmm..."
Veronica woke up in a daze, realizing she was holding onto a burning hot iron rod.
Once she realized what it was, she quickly looked over, only to meet Ethan's bright, sparkling eyes.
"You're really incorrigible, taking advantage of me even in your sleep," Ethan teased with a smile.
Unfazed, Veronica shot back, "Who can resist your charms, and aren't you pretty excited too?"
"Enough. There's work to be done. Dawn has broken, it's time to find our drunken scholar. Hopefully, we can get some information about that green totem from him, otherwise, this will be a wasted effort."
Under Ethan's urging, Veronica quickly got dressed.
Still clad in loose clothing, her top revealed most of her creamy white, delicate skin, and the profound cleavage was particularly eye-catching.
Her lower half was covered with a short skirt, barely long enough to cover her thighs.
Just a slight bend of her waist would expose her enticing forbidden zone from behind.
"Aren't you afraid someone might take a liking to you, dressed like that?" Ethan eyed Veronica with amusement.
Veronica, who was busy fluffing her hair, turned around upon hearing Ethan's comment and retorted, "Isn't that what you're here for? I trust that the number one Hero won't let his woman suffer, right?"
"Naturally," Ethan nodded solemnly. That was one of his staunch principles.
After exchanging a few more words, Ethan, Veronica, and Little Fairy Baal set off.
First, they visited a distillery in Stone Rock Harbor, buying the most expensive bottle of liquor available.
From the chatter of passersby, they learned the location of the drunken scholar - an abandoned hut on the outskirts of Stone Rock Harbor.
Without wasting much time, Ethan hurried off.
Before long, Ethan and Veronica arrived at the outskirts of Stone Rock Harbor.
It was a desolate area, filled with ruins.
It was rumored to be the previous settlement of Stone Rock Harbor, but this theory was not widely accepted.
There might be other reasons, but Ethan had no interest in investigating them.
"Do we have to check each and every one of these dilapidated houses?" Veronica frowned, looking at Ethan.
Ethan raised the bottle of liquor in his hand, popped the cork, and blew gently towards the opening, dispersing the aroma.
He explained, "There's no need for that. Since our scholar is a drunkard, he will come to us once he smells the scent of good liquor."
Things went exactly as Ethan had predicted.
A few minutes later, a beggar-like figure appeared on the ruined street in front of Ethan.
He was dressed in tatters, staggering along while mumbling, "Liquor, I want liquor, I want fine wine..."
"Veronica, are you sure this is the scholar people have been talking about?" Ethan had a hard time believing the disheveled man in front of them could be a scholar.
"Perhaps..." Veronica was also unsure.
As Ethan and Veronica spoke, the drunkard in front of them seemed to hear their conversation.
He suddenly stopped, stood firmly, and his demeanor shifted dramatically, speaking like a true gentleman: "Distinguished guests who have traveled from afar, might you be here to seek the scholar Victor?"
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