Rise of the Nightmare Crestmaster

"Langston huh, well I guess we better get going after lunch and get all the information today get the ghost exorcised tomorrow and get out of here." Cole said eagerly.

"I take it you don't like the heat much, huh?" Frank asked.

"Oh, yeah I with Cole on this one it's not just the heat but the moisture too." Hellen didn't make a secret of her distaste as she fanned herself with her hand.

"Well, it's good you guys are so eager but if we are not ready then we might delay, there's still time to do this when we're absolutely ready and prepared."

Aldrich was just as eager to finish this but as the leader and as someone who explored the nightmare town, Voros, he knew when to slow down and prepare first before doing anything drastic.

"Jeez, you sure know how to bring the mood down," Nathan said as he chuckled.

"Okay, I think we're all done eating so let's get going."

After asking around town for Langston they were pointed to one of the houses that was close by the docks. It had a red painted door and clay seagulls on the windows.

Aldrich knocked on the red door three times.

The door opened and he was greeted by Irene's cheerful smile which broadened the moment she saw him.

"Al-"

*cough*

"Miss Irene Langston?" Aldrich asked loudly.

Irene then remembered what they agreed on and straightened her expression, well at least she tried to, "yes, who might you be?" She asked stiffly.

"I'm Aldrich and we're the adventurers that took on your quest, do you mind of we come in for some questions?"

"Eh, um, no-no not at all." She stammered like she was trying to stifle a laughing that was threatening to break out.

Aldrich sighed and since the others had his back and couldn't see his face he winked at her causing her to blush and almost break her role.

Not everyone had the acting skills of Yasbel which couldn't be helped, but it also made Aldrich want to tease her more to see more of her reactions.

Aldrich and Irene agreed on this plan before the exam itself began and she she left to come here back then, of course she came on the landbound route.

Naturally the agreed upon plan was for them to act as if they were strangers to keep this whole thing under warps.

Aldrich was especially happy to see that Irene's expression has improved significantly, her skin was back to normal and her eyes were a vibrant green.

It was worth it to let her keep the mental protection necklace.

"Oh, please take a seat here and let me call my father." Irene lead them to the common room.

It was decorated with statues of fish and there was even a portrait of a strong looking man holding a huge shark in a chokehold above the fireplace.

Of course Aldrich already knew that Irene's father was a fisherman but he was clearly passionate about it to a certain extent.

The smell of the house was clearly perfumed to smell like this when a fisherman lived here.

"Hey, did anyone else think that girl acted a little strangely?" Emma asked.

"Yeah, I thought so too," Nathan chuckled, "could it be that she has something to hide?"

Aldrich clicked his tongue, these guys are overthinking, "you guys are reading too much into it, she made the request form the guild she wanted us here, she has nothing to hide."

"Relax Aldrich," Cole looked at him and rolled his eyes, "it was clearly a joke."

Aldrich laughed awkwardly, damn he was too self conscious.

Aldrich was saved when he saw a tall man with a heavy build and thick arms enter with Irene. He was the same man in the portrait. His beard was not too long and light blond, his hair was pulled back.

"Adventurers, I'm called Huzon. You answered the call much faster than I expected, for that you have my gratitude," the man shook hands with them all and took a seat himself.

Irene served tea to them as Aldrich replied, "not all, it's our duty to lend a hand when we are called for."

Huzon nodded, "I assume you are here to ask about the situation, I will cooperate with what I know. To be honest my daughter was the one that suffered the most and she only came back a week ago."

"It's fine just tell us what happened no matter how insignificant it may be," Aldrich replied hoping to get at least some clue.

Huzon recited what happened to Irene and how she got help from a 'neighbor' and finally how to resolve the matter, which was by destroying the haunted object.

"So it's just straightforward, the object shouldn't be too small nor too big so it wouldn't be that hard." Cole concluded after hearing the story.

"But…"

Huzon suddenly interrupted, and looked conflicted, "adventurers, I know this might sound purely emotional but… my father, I know him, he wouldn't do anything like that. Causing harm to his own granddaughter, even if he became a ghost he would never do something like that."

Aldrich didn't refute, not because he agreed with Huzon but there was no point since he wouldn't be able to reach a common ground with him regarding that argument.

"Well, first why don't you tell us about the lighthouse, why is your father's ghost haunting it? You must have some guess right?"

Huzon's face darkened upon hearing that question, and he spoke with unwillingness, "that lighthouse used to be ours, my father's to be exact he loved it and treasured deeply. It was passed down in our family generation after generation.

But when the activity of the pirates increased so much, it became useless and had to be shut down. That could be a reason."

Aldrich nodded. But Huzon wasn't done yet.

"But more than that, the reason is probably because he ended his own life there in the lighthouse."