"Did he accept the request?"
Sebastian, the butler of the Reinsfield family, sat by the window of his rented room at the inn. The view overlooked the quiet town below, its streets bathed in moonlight. People wandered aimlessly, unaware of the weight on the butler's shoulders. The silver glow reflected in his pale blue eyes as he spoke into a small, enchanted mirror resting in his hand.
"Not yet," he answered calmly. "He said he needed time to think it over."
"I see," replied the voice on the other end. "Did everything go smoothly with William Jaeger?"
Sebastian hesitated. "I'm not certain, sir. He seemed... intrigued, but at the same time, he just…"
"Hm? What is it, Sebastian?"
He thought back to the look in William's eyes. They were distant, conflicted, almost hollow. It was like staring at a reflection of himself.
"He looked like someone who wanted nothing to do with his family," Sebastian said quietly. "As if knowing meant nothing to him... like if the past was a burden he'd already cast aside."
"That's preposterous," his master said sharply. "It's his family history. No matter the circumstances, surely he would be interested to know about his bloodline."
"He might be suspicious of us knowing more than him about it."
"That is an important factor to consider, but sooner or later he had to know about his family secrets. The Jaegers are filled with many secrets. He can't keep himself distant from them forever."
When Sebastian had explained the history of the sword, the temple, and how it all connected to the Jaeger name, William seemed visibly uncomfortable. Detached, even.
"There was something else," the butler added. "Something he said… it caught my attention."
"What did he say?"
"He mentioned... not being pure. It seemed like a comment about his bloodline. But he didn't elaborate. He was cryptic about it."
A pause. Then his master murmured, "Then what I was told must be true…"
Sebastian's eyes widened. "Master... do you know something?"
"There have long been rumors surrounding that family, Sebastian. As I mentioned, that family has many secrets. If we had a choice, I'd say it would be best to avoid them entirely. But, unfortunately, we don't have the luxury to do that."
Sebastian already knew the rumors. Everyone in the higher circles did. The Jaeger family was as infamous as they were celebrated. The same name that echoed through the kingdom in praise also came attached with whispers about scandals, betrayal, even accusations of forbidden practices. None were ever confirmed, but the Jaegers had never tried to deny them either.
They lived above it all untouched, unbothered, and yet, in their time of need, the Reinsfield family had no other option but to reach out to William, the only Jaeger remotely accessible.
Sebastian looked back at the mirror, hesitating to ask, "…How is she doing?"
"She's been asking for you," his master replied gently. "I told her you'd be here in a few weeks."
Sebastian gave a solemn nod. "I see. Then I'll take no further delays. I'll be at the temple in less than a month."
"A month?" His master sounded surprised. "Sebastian, the trip alone should take far more than that, you're making a trip across the kingdom."
"I have a contact nearby. Once I make it out of the Lost Forest, there's a town not far from there. He'll help me reach the temple within that time."
"…You're going to him, then? The great sorcerer?"
Sebastian smiled faintly. "There really is nothing that escapes you, Master."
His master smirked from the mirror. "I'm simply very good at connecting the dots. Very well, I trust your judgment. If you believe it's for her sake, I won't stop you." There was a moment of stillness, then the master offered a final word, "Goodnight, Sebastian."
The mirror dimmed, and the image vanished.
Sebastian exhaled slowly. He placed the mirror aside and sat on the bed. From a pocket inside his coat, he pulled out a small silver locket. It swung gently in his fingers as he gazed at it in silence.
His mind wandered back to the blacksmith: stoic, distant, unwilling.
I'll find a way to convince you, Mr. Jaeger. Even if I have to use force...
He closed his hand around the locket.
I'll do it all for you, my lady.
***
The blacksmith found himself once again in his grandfather's private study. The air was thick with dust and secrets. He had been searching for hours, sifting through old books, parchment scrolls, forgotten drawers, hoping to find some clue about the sword the butler had mentioned, but so far, nothing.
"There has to be something..." William muttered, flipping through another brittle page. "Or was that weird guy lying to me? No... that can't be it."
William had always possessed an odd talent. He could tell when someone was lying to him. He wasn't sure when it started, but over time, he simply knew. If he hadn't been so bad at negotiations, he might've made a fine merchant.
One thing he was sure of: Sebastian wasn't lying. Everything the butler had said rang true, but even with his uncanny sense for deception, William couldn't fully believe it. Not until he saw the proof for himself.
"Come on," he growled, scanning another shelf. "I know the family likes to keep secrets, but something should be documented. They always dump sensitive stuff in here when they don't want anyone else to find it. So, where is it?"
He searched every corner: bookshelves, desk drawers, behind paintings, even along the floorboards for hidden compartments or loose stones, but he found nothing. Not a single scrap about the sword, the witch, or the temple.
"It's strange... By the looks of these diaries, Ludas wrote down everything about his daily life," William muttered, rubbing his temples. "Every important event, even the ones I didn't want to know, and yet, nothing about an event as grandiose as sealing the infamous dark witch."
Exhausted, he slumped onto his grandfather's old leather chair at the desk and took a deep breath. He needed to focus. Getting frustrated wouldn't help.
He glanced at the disorganized pile on the desk, a mess left behind from his last visit. With a sigh, he began to straighten the papers. As he moved a small stack of books aside, one title caught his eye.
"The Tears of the Three Princesses... This again?" he said, picking it up. "I didn't get to read it last time, but I'm sure this is some old fairytale."
When he opened the book, a hidden envelope slipped out and landed softly on the desk. Curious, he set the book aside and picked it up. It was addressed to a person named Brusella.
The handwriting was unmistakable Ludas Jaeger. William recognized it instantly.
"Should I open it...? It feels like an invasion of privacy, but... many Jaeger generations have passed. I doubt he'll mind now."
He broke the seal and unfolded the letter. His eyes scanned the page. It was, indeed, written by Ludas and to his surprise, it mentioned many of the same things Sebastian had spoken of: the sword, the battle, the witch.
"So it's true…" William whispered. "He wasn't lying."
The confirmation shook him. All his life, he'd kept his distance from the Jaeger family. Even as a child, he'd felt the coldness, the weight of something unspoken. Then he was sent to live with his grandfather who had severed ties with the rest of the family altogether.
Life with his grandfather had been peaceful, simple, and far removed from the expectations of nobility or legacy. It had been an escape, but now... the past was clawing its way back.
If he accepted Sebastian's request, he would have to face it once and for all. Was it worth it?
"I should just walk away, but... what is that witch hiding? And that sword…"
The letter didn't go into much detail about the weapon itself, or the dark witch. The contents were of that of someone writing to a friend with vague information, but the mystery gnawed at him. What kind of sword could seal such a being? What secrets might be locked away in the witch's hidden library?
"Maybe... maybe there's something there," he whispered. "Something about my curse."
Once he realized, His decision was now clear.
"If I go," he whispered, gripping the letter tightly, "I might finally get the answers I've been searching for... starting with that library."
***
"Master, you're back!"
William slowly pushed open the door, trying not to make a sound, but it was too late. Nicolas had already spotted him.
"Don't call me 'master,'" William said, closing the door behind him.
Nicolas rushed over, clearly relieved. His grin was wide, his energy contagious. "When I noticed you'd suddenly left, I started to worry."
William gave the boy a pat on the head, a rare smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
It was strange, hearing someone say they were worried about him. The last time that happened, he was still a boy himself. Years ago, before his grandfather passed, He snuck out to the forest one night, only to be surrounded by wild creatures. He'd climbed a tree and stayed there until sunrise. When he returned, his grandfather had wept with relief... before scolding him so hard his ears rang.
"I just needed some air, Nicolas. That's all." William paused. "Hm?"
He noticed something behind Nicolas's back.
The apprentice flinched, nearly dropping whatever he was hiding. William stepped closer and caught a glimpse of it.
"Is that…"
Nicolas gave up trying to conceal it and proudly revealed the object, a finished bell.
"Look! I did it!" he beamed. "Come on, praise me for my magnificent craftsmanship!"
William took the bell and inspected it carefully. Every detail was as he had instructed. He flicked it with a finger. The soft, clear chime echoed through the room.
"Hmm… not bad. Sounds just like a real bell," he said with a nod. "Great work. So, you can actually do a decent job."
"That almost sounded like a compliment."
"I'll have you forge a few daggers tomorrow. We'll need them for the trip."
Nicolas tilted his head. "Trip? Wait, does that mean—?!"
"Yes," William said. "We're taking the butler's request."
"I'm going on an adventure!" Nicolas excitedly declared with a fist up in the air.
"We'll be traveling with him. So behave, alright?"
Nicolas scrunched his face in mock disgust. "Ugh. It doesn't please me to interact with such evil creatures, but fine."
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say."
There was a pause. Nicolas shifted, clearly wanting to say something more.
"Listen, about earlier, I wanted to ask…"
A knock at the door cut him off.
They both turned toward the sound, then back at each other, uneasy.
"I'll get it," Nicolas offered, already heading for the door.
William scratched his head. "Uh… sure."
Could it be Sebastian? But it's not the time we agreed on.
"U-uh, Master...?"
William looked up and saw Nicolas frozen in place, trembling. He was pointing shakily toward the entrance.
Standing in the doorway was a young woman with silver hair and crystal blue eyes. Her face was pale, her breath labored. Beads of sweat clung to her porcelain skin, and her hand clutched tightly at her chest. She looked like she was on the verge of collapse.
"Lucy?!"
Just as she was about to collapse, William rushed forward and caught her in his arms.