Chapter 618: Stake

Amon got up from his seat, paid the bill and began looking around for Arnold.

‘Where the hell is that bastard?’ His eyes swept across the crowded tavern, searching between the tables and drunken customers.

Then he spotted him. And what Amon saw was something he never could have imagined.

“M-Ma’am, I need to go. Please, let me leave.”

Arnold was trapped beside one of the tables.

A woman who appeared to be in her forties had one arm wrapped firmly around his shoulders, holding him close as though she had no intention of letting him escape.

She had dark-brown hair, slightly tanned skin, and a somewhat chubby figure. A few wrinkles had formed around the corners of her eyes, suggesting her age, but her expression was lively and far too enthusiastic for Arnold’s liking.

“Oh~ Come on, boy~” She leaned closer with a playful smile. “This lady just needs someone to warm her bed. I’m feeling awfully lonely tonight.”

Arnold’s face was filled with pure discomfort.

Amon immediately covered his mouth with his palm.

“Pfft…”

His shoulders began trembling. He tried desperately to hold it in.

“Pfft… hahaha!”

Amon couldn’t endure it any longer.

“Hahahaha!”

Arnold at the sound of laughing suddenly turned toward him. Despite the tavern being loud, the laugh of Amon was something he could hear clearly since he was close.

“Hey, you! Help me, Amon!” The woman tightened her hold on him. “Why are you trying to leave? Stay with me, young man.”

Amon pointed at Arnold while laughing even harder.

“HAHAHAHAHAHA.”

Several customers sitting nearby glanced between Amon and Arnold.

“Looks like Brenda caught another young man tonight.”

“And he’s a handsome one, too.”

“Yeah. Poor fellow. I almost feel sorry for him.”

“Almost?”

The men laughed among themselves.

“Tonight might be Brenda’s lucky night.”

Amon finally managed to calm his laughter. He looked at Arnold again. The expression on his friend’s face was priceless.

Arnold’s eyes were practically begging for help, while genuine terror could be seen in them.

Amon knew better than to make things worse.

This was still a village.

Arnold couldn’t simply beat up a random villager, especially when they were here to investigate something. If they caused trouble, they might attract the attention of the entire village.

Fortunately, Arnold suddenly managed to slip out of Brenda’s grasp. The moment he was free, he dashed toward Amon.

“RUN!”

Amon blinked.

“What—?”

Arnold grabbed his arm and pulled him along. Still slightly drunk, Amon stumbled after him as the two rushed toward the tavern’s entrance.

“Hey! Stop, my boy!”

Brenda’s voice echoed behind them.

Neither of them looked back. They sprinted out of the tavern and continued running through the dark streets of Leonera.

Only after putting a considerable distance between themselves and the tavern did Arnold finally stop.

He bent slightly, catching his breath.

Amon stopped beside him and looked back toward the tavern.

Then he turned toward Arnold with a grin.

“Brother, weren’t you supposed to ask around about the village and gather information?”

He paused.

“So why did you end up seducing that woman?”

Arnold’s lips twitched. The annoyance on his face was unmistakable.

“I didn’t seduce her!” He straightened his clothes. “I simply wanted to ask her a few questions. But the moment I started talking to her, she began touching me inappropriately.”

He clicked his tongue. “Then she started saying that if I spent the night with her, she’d tell me everything she knew.”

Amon stared at him for a moment. Then his grin widened. “Hahaha! Man, aren’t you lucky?”

Arnold’s expression darkened. “Please on’t start, Amon.”

“That woman was practically throwing herself at you.” Amon laughed. “You had a chance to lose your virginity.”

“Shut up!” Arnold’s face turned slightly red from irritation. “I have no interest in doing anything with a woman like that.”

“Hehe. Alright, alright. I’ll stop.” Amon raised both hands in surrender.

After a moment, his expression became more serious. “But enough joking. Did you get anything useful from her?”

Arnold’s expression changed as well. He looked back toward the tavern.

“Unfortunately… not much.”

Amon’s smile faded. “Then we’re going to have to find another way to investigate this place.”

The two exchanged a glance before turning their eyes toward the dark streets of Leonera.

The village looked peaceful on the surface. But somewhere beneath that peaceful appearance, something was clearly wrong. And

“Oh, also. I got some information,” Amon said suddenly.

Arnold’s expression immediately became more serious. He turned toward Amon and stepped closer. “What is it?”

“Hehe. Let’s walk. I’ll tell you everything in detail.”

“Sure.”

The two of them left the tavern and began walking through the quiet streets of Leonera.

The village was completely different at night.

The busy roads they had seen earlier were now almost empty. Most of the villagers had already returned to their homes, leaving only the occasional light shining through a window.

Above them, the night sky was clear and beautiful. Countless stars glittered across the darkness, while a bright full moon hung high above the village, bathing the rooftops and streets in pale silver light.

As they walked, Amon told Arnold everything he had learned from the villagers.

He explained the story about the witch who had supposedly lived in Leonera more than a hundred years ago, the strange incidents surrounding her, and how the villagers eventually captured and burned her.

Arnold listened quietly without interrupting.

When Amon finally finished, Arnold frowned slightly.

“Hmm… So you think there’s a possibility that the evil thing hiding in this village is a new witch?”

“It’s a possibility.” Amon shrugged. “I’m not a hundred percent sure. But don’t you think it makes sense? A witch who was supposedly capable of placing curses on people… What if that curse actually became real after all these years?”

Arnold remained silent for a few moments. “There is a possibility,” he eventually muttered.

The two continued walking.

Amon suddenly stopped. Arnold took another step before realizing his companion was no longer beside him. He stopped as well and turned around.

“What is it?”

Amon didn’t answer immediately. His eyes were fixed on something ahead.

Arnold followed his gaze. They had arrived at the village square.

During the day, the square had been filled with villagers moving around, but at this hour, it was completely deserted.

Unlike most village squares, there was no fountain in the center.

Instead, a large metal platform stood there. And in the middle of that platform was a thick metal stake. They had seen it during day but didn’t focus much.

Dark burn marks covered the ground around it, while the stake itself was stained and weathered from years of exposure.

Amon slowly walked closer. “This is the place,” he said quietly.

Arnold looked at him. “The place where the witch was burned more than a hundred years ago.”

Amon’s gaze remained fixed on the stake. “According to what I heard, the villagers built this platform afterward and placed the metal stake here as a reminder of what happened that day.”

He swallowed. For some reason, standing there at night made the story feel much more real.

During the day, it had been nothing more than an old tale told by villagers.

But now the empty square, the pale moonlight abd the cold night air during summer. And that lonely metal stake standing in the middle of the square.

Everything combined to create an unsettling atmosphere.

Amon felt a faint chill run down his spine. Fortunately, there was a massive building only a short distance behind the square.

The Temple of the Goddess of Light.

Its tall structure was clearly visible even under the moonlight, offering at least some comfort in the otherwise eerie surroundings.

Arnold stared at the stake for a moment longer. “This place gives me the creeps,” he muttered.

“Same pinch.” Amon rubbed the back of his neck before glancing toward Arnold. “Should we… explore a little more, or just get some rest for tonight?”

Arnold looked at him.”I think we should return to the inn.”

He turned his gaze toward the empty streets. “Let’s take things slowly. It’s not like the System gave us a time limit. We don’t need to complete the mission tonight.”

“Yeah, I agree.”

Amon yawned. “Besides, I drank way too much beer. Right now, I just want a nice, comfortable bed.”

Arnold sighed. “You’re hopeless.”

“Hehe.” Amon smiled.

The two turned around and began walking back toward the inn, leaving the strange platform and metal stake behind.

Their footsteps slowly faded into the distance. The village square became silent once again.

Not even the sound of wind.

Someone quietly stepped into the square. The figure wore a brown hooded cloak that concealed their entire body.

Their face remained hidden beneath the hood as they slowly approached the platform.

They stopped directly in front of the metal stake. For a long they simply stared at it.

Their body suddenly shivered. The person clenched their hands beneath the cloak, their gaze never leaving the old stake.

Then, without saying a single word, they turned around.

Their face was still hidden in darkness. They quietly walked away from the square, disappearing into the silent streets of Leonera.

The metal stake remained behind. Standing alone beneath the moonlight. Just as it had for more than a hundred years.