In a certain location outside of Town Allure, there was a ravine that was so deep that rays of the sun never reached. The inside of the ravine was filled with high-quality water that possessed unnatural minerals that were connected to the entire town itself.
It was, of course, possible that an air pocket had given way to this enclosed space in the ground. However, there was just one other irregularity sitting in this ravine, the fact that it is man-made. Atop of the ravine was a cabin, whom where the conductor lives
It became quite obvious that the ravine was powered by a man with water manipulation. Calix and I managed to arrive at the ravine before sunset, it was conducted by a man in a red suit.
"Greetings Lady Roxy, I suppose that you've been sent by the bureau, perhaps?"
The man in the red suit was no other than the conductor himself. Luke Granhart. A former member in the Yellow Flower Guild.
Luke Granhart was the older twin brother of Luke Granhart, he'd left the guild ever since I left the town to find Cassius. Now, he works as a town's conductor of the Town Allure's water supply. And by surprise, his human skill was to control and manipulate any kinds of fluids possible. He will make good use of his human skill for his own good.
The reason why he left the guild was simple. His brother, Luck Granhart, was affected by the disease himself, Luck was in a coma several days prior to the event. The disease was so severe that his brother was bedridden, even so that he wanted to save his brother's life. So he applied himself as a conductor of the water supply.
"Lady Roxy, I didn't recognize you from afar. I like that dress of yours. You look like a beautiful lady."
"Thanks, Luke. It's nice meeting you over the past few weeks. No wonder you've become the conductor of the water supply."
"Yeah, Lady Roxy. No worries."
Then, Calix and his men and I went inside the log cabin. It was cozy inside of this cabin, a fireplace and a cozy sofa was present. Apart from that, he prepared himself a simple tea.
We sat at the sofa then Calix began asking me questions.
"Roxy, do you happen to know this man?"
"Yes Calix, he is one of my guildmembers. Don't just be rude and greet him."
"O-Oh okay, Roxy."
Out of instinct, Calix and his other party members greeted Luke as usual, it was an unexpected reunion for a vice-leader like me.
Then I sipped a cup of lukewarm tea. It was similar to Mya's tea, but more complex than ever. We began explaining the diseases caused to Luke in order to address and investigate.
"Lady Roxy, were you sent by Lord Phillip?"
"Indeed Luke, we've been aware about the contaminated waters from the water supply of Town Allure. May we suggest investigating this ravine all by ourselves."
Then, Luke took some of the bread that was served on the table and munched it in an instant. Then he listened and I continued.
"The contaminated waters were the source of monster carcasses that were diluted onto the water supply. Have you searched through the ravine, Luke?"
"Oh no Lady Roxy, the ravine was so deep that light can't get past. It was meters deep in that ravine, I'm very sure that monsters were lurking down."
Luke also addresses that his water manipulation only works on small layers on the ravine, where the main water supply was properly stored. But the limit of his human skill is that the range was limited, and it can't reach to deeper levels on the ravine.
And as such, the ravine consists of two levels. One shallow water and the deep waters. Luke can manipulate the shallow waters freely, but the deeper levels are much harder. The deeper waters were located at the deepest parts of the ravine itself, where light can't get past. Luke cannot go there because high-level monsters were lurking at the bottom levels.
Since Luke was just a bronze-ranked adventurer, he cannot fight them off properly. He would just risk his life over that.
"Luke, what monsters are in the ravine?"
"From what I recall, there were zvarts and goblins."
Goblins are low-level creatures, so there is nothing to worry about. But zvarts are a huge threat.
"Luke, did you say zvarts?"
"Do I have to repeat again? Lady Roxy?"
Zvarts are no joke, they are mid-level monsters that have sharp claws and huge fangs. Similar to goblins, but are stronger.
It was said that when goblins developed enough power, they evolved into zvarts, at which point they took up new lives among the darkness.
There were three zvarts types: fighters, guards and archers. I could handle the fighters and guards in much the same way as I handled their lower level goblin counterparts. The problem would be the archers. They were fewer in number, but they attacked from a distance, letting loose arrows as they hid in the brush.
What made them truly problematic was that they covered their arrowheads in their own fecal waste. A hit from those arrows was toxic. They were extremely dangerous, and through adventurers called these archers "shit slingers" as the name suggests.
I had learned all this from an old servant at Flower Manor who, in his primer, had been an adventurer. At dinner, he often regaled more with tall tales and exaggerated stories of his past adventurers, but I enjoyed them all the same. I realized I owed him a grateful thanks.
"Well, let's get things settled." Calix replies
The group left the log cabin and proceeded to the ravine itself. It is a bottomless pit, neither of us could see the surface clearly. It was pitch black, so dark that rays of sun couldn't illuminate the deep ravine. I knew the source of the disease lurks behind the shadows.
"So Roxy, what should we do then?" Calix asks a question.
As I was thinking of a plan to investigate the bottomless ravine. Plasma suggests a plan through my rent-free head.
"Roxy, I think that you need to descend the ravine smoothly."
"How tough?"
"I saw a rope inside the log cabin, strong enough to endure your weight, Roxy?"
"Good idea."
As Plasma's delirious plan suggested, I returned to the cabin and asked Luke once again.
"Oh, you came back Lady Roxy. What brings you here?"
"Perfect timing, do you have a sturdy rope, Luke."
"Indeed we have."
Luke goes to the cabin's storage room and picks a bunch of old ropes that can withstand my weight. It was a sixty-feet rope that is the same altitude as the ravine itself.
"Thanks Luke."
"No worries, the reason you're here is to save the town, am I right?"
"Huh, how did you know?
"I've seen an heroic act on you, Lady Roxy. I've known you better."
After that, I left the cabin once again, holding a rope that was as long as the ravine. Then I met Calix again, with a confused face on his face. So I briefly explained it.
"Calix, attach this rope onto a nearby boulder. I will go to the ravine myself, you three will be on the lookout."
I lend out an awkward smile while Calix lends out a shocked face.
"Are you sure, Roxy? Can you still fight with the dress you're wearing."
Calix was still worried about my attire, it wasn't an adventurer outfit. I was currently wearing a dress.
"Yes, I can still fight with this. Don't worry about me. I'm a gold-ranked adventurer you know."
After I said that, the other men finished tying the boulder. As it did, I immediately latched onto the rope and prepared to descend. The rope was tougher than a rock, so I was not worried about the rope's sudden break.
Then I descended.