CHAPTER 38: ORIGIN OF MOONMIST

Rhys found a small wooden desk tucked into the corner. It had a candle lantern on one side and a cushioned chair—not fancy, but comfortable enough.

He scanned the nearby shelves, running his fingers across the old book spines until one caught his attention:

"Chronicle of Moonmist Heart – Volume I"

He pulled it out, blew off some dust, and sat at the desk. Puddle quietly hopped onto the table beside him, curling up like a relaxed pet slime.

The book wasn’t too thick—maybe three hundred pages. Rhys leaned back, opened it, and began reading.

The first Chapters were simple, almost like village records rather than a grand history. They described how Moonmist Heart was founded by a small group of mages and scholars. Back then, the land had been untamed—no city, no roads, only forests and fog.

But they built their home anyway.

The book said the name "Moonmist" came from a rare mana event. On certain nights, when the full moon shone through heavy mist, the whole valley glowed with a gentle silver light. Locals believed this was a blessing from an ancient spirit of balance, secretly worshipped by the first settlers.

As Rhys read on, the stories became more intense.

Around two hundred years ago, a surge of corrupted mana nearly wiped out the city. Black fog poured from the hills, twisting everything it touched—plants, animals, even rivers. Many people died. Others ran.

One mage saved them.

Her name had been erased—forgotten in most records—but she sealed the corruption deep beneath the valley. The book only referred to her as the Nameless White. Some believed she died in the process. Others thought she became part of the land itself.

Rhys flipped to the final Chapters. That second theory came up again.

They said the moonlit mist that now hovered over the city appeared after her sacrifice. People believed it wasn’t just fog—it was protection. A fragment of her soul stretched through the air, guarding the city from future corruption.

Rhys blinked. Half an hour had passed, and he had finished the book.

Puddle was asleep, quietly bubbling beside him.

"Well," Rhys muttered as he gently shut the book, "that explains why this place gets so strange at night."

Just as he stood up, something slipped out from between the last pages and floated down onto the desk.

It was a small, yellowed piece of parchment.

Rhys raised an eyebrow and picked it up carefully.

The paper was thin and delicate, handwritten in fading ink. At the top was a strange symbol—three interlocking moons—and beneath it, a short message:

"When the mists part, seek the soul buried west."

Rhys frowned.

"Where’d this even come from? And west... that’s where the Hills were mentioned in the story. That’s where the corrupted fog came from," he muttered, staring at the old note in his hand.

He had read every page. That message wasn’t in the book. So how had it ended up inside?

But before he could think further, the yellow paper suddenly caught fire and vanished.

"...Guess the legends are true."

A new quest notification blinked into view:

[Hidden Quest: Soul of Moonmist Activated]

→ Objective: Find the source of Moonmist in the hills.

→ Reward: ???

"As expected of a hidden quest—no real details," he muttered, gently placing Puddle back into his heart-space to let the little slime sleep, then stepped out of the library.

The sun was still climbing, and morning light bathed the misty city in warm gold.

"Let’s eat first. No use going on an empty stomach," he said, adjusting his cloak as he headed toward one of the nearby districts.

The game had semi-realistic hunger mechanics. Food didn’t give big stat boosts unless specially made, but it restored stamina and helped during longer sessions.

He made his way through the cobbled streets toward a small rest inn he’d noticed earlier. It sat just beyond the artisan quarter, between a tailoring shop and a compact training yard.

When he walked inside, he paused.

The place was run by beastmen—a rare sight in this part of the world. The staff had furred ears, sharp eyes, and long tails swaying behind them as they moved around the room.

Beastman-run inns were known for hearty food and no-nonsense service.

Rhys sat near the back, by a window that overlooked a quiet koi pond.

A waitress came over—tall, with sleek silver fox-like features and emerald eyes.

"Morning, traveler," she said, handing him a wooden menu. "Anything in particular you’re craving?"

Rhys looked over the list. The food was different from the usual city meals.

Grilled Thornback Lizard with Red Spice Oil

Wildroot Stew with Mana Beans

Suncrust Bread with Drizzle Honey

Smoked River Beast Meat on Flamegrass Skewers

Fried Eggcap Mushrooms with Chilli Dust

Each dish had minor effects—not full stat boosts, but slight benefits like quicker stamina recovery, slow mana regen, or light cold resistance.

He ordered the Wildroot Stew and Flamegrass Skewers, and added a Moonpetal Tea for the flavor.

When the food arrived, it was served on carved stone plates, still hot and steaming.

The stew was thick and earthy, filled with root vegetables and tender meat that nearly melted in his mouth. The skewers were spicy and slightly crisp, with a satisfying crunch outside and juicy warmth inside.

Rhys leaned back, full and pleased. "That hit the spot."

He cleaned his hands, stood up, and paid the silver fee.

As Rhys stepped out of the inn, his stomach full and his mind alert, the morning mist had already begun to rise higher, curling through the alleys and rooftops of Moonmist Heart like soft fingers. Sunlight shimmered faintly through it, but to the west—just beyond the city’s edge—the mist grew darker.

That was his direction.

The cobbled streets gave way to mossy stone paths, then to worn dirt trails as the buildings thinned. Soon, the distant silhouette of the forest rose before him, a thick wall of trees that loomed like silent watchers.

At the edge of the treeline stood an old wooden arch—half-broken, overgrown with vines.

The game’s interface pinged softly in his vision.

[Entering: Black Moon Hollow]

Recommended Level: 30 – 80

Warning: Area contains fusion-class environmental mana zones. Proceed with caution.