Chapter 22: Chapter 22: Following a Lead

Given that the only time Kain felt a draw to a potential contract, it had ended up being a dead egg, he began to wonder if his affinity was related to the dead. Although an undead affinity shouldn't result in a large number of empty affinity eggs, Kain was grasping at straws, hoping that the "empty" eggs actually contained either invisible or ghost-type spiritual creatures.

However, undead creatures are extremely rare, and finding invisible ghosts will be astronomically more difficult.

Fortunately, Kain already had a lead. He heard rumors that one of the local mercenaries went crazy and is refusing to leave his home after seeing a ghost in the woods to the city's east. As for the source of this information, of course it was Cherry. The little gossip knows practically all of the news in the city.

'Hopefully, it doesn't get that brat into trouble one day,' Kain thought.

Kain packed a bag with a week's worth of food and water, a compass, camping gear, a first aid kit, and a long knife for self-defense. Thankfully, all high schools had mandatory combat classes for all four years. Hopefully, considering that he isn't venturing far from the city, he won't have a reason to use any of the techniques he learnt.

"Hey Cherry! Come here for a sec!" Kain beckoned her over after he left their home and saw her playing in the front yard.

Bending down to her eye level once she came over, Kain then proceeded to pull out a map of the woods surrounding the city. "Your big brother Kain wants to try and find the ghost-type spiritual creature you mentioned to me before. That mercenary that told you that scary story, do you happen to remember any of the details about where he saw that ghost in his story?" Tilting the map towards her.

"Nooo! Why would you want to go find that scary ghost big brother Kain! What if it eats you?!"

"Because," Kain replied making sure to adopt a soothing tone, "that ghost may be super important for your brother. Also, your brother is now an official beast tamer,"—not really—"A measly ghost wouldn't be able to hurt me." Actually a well-placed banana peel could hurt me, which is exactly why I need to fulfill my initial contract urgently.

"Really?" Cherry asked hesitantly. Kain nodded.

"Well I don't remember everything he said, but he did say that after slipping on a patch of wet mud while following along the river to the east, he fell into a hole in the ground. But the hole wasn't scary, it even had a hot tub!"

"Do you mean a hot spring?" Kain clarified.

"What's that?"

"Well it doesn't matter, please continue."

"He said that he began to swim in the hot tub and it felt amazing. However, after a while he said he heard a woman crying, and then a woman with straight black hair popped up from the water right next to him!"

"And then?" Kain probed after she fell into silence.

"And then he said that he got so scared he ran back to the city."

"Excellent! How long did he say it took him to return from that hot spring?"

"That I know! He said he ran so fast he reached the city in only an hour. But I'm not sure if I have all of his story correct. You should ask him yourself?"

'I would. But he's refusing to leave his home and turning away everyone who tries to meet with him. Everyone except Cherry, I guess."

"Thankfully the ghost doesn't seem to be too far from the city, I should be able to get there and back within a day. Thanks Cherry!" Kain turned to leave when he felt tiny arms wrap around his legs.

"Be safe…" muttered a tiny tearful voice.

"Don't worry, I'll be back soon."

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