Once they finally reached the commercial district, Violet found herself surrounded by a dense cluster of buildings, large and small, lining the entire street. There were goldsmiths and craftsmen, carpenters, sellers of fine fabrics and precious garments.The street was crowded, and apprentices rushed everywhere, loading and unloading carts overflowing with goods.

  “This city may be small, but it sure is busy…”

  She walked into the crowd, trying to figure out where the shop she was looking for might be.

  Suddenly, she felt someone bump into her.A group of children ran past her without a care in the world, waving long wooden sticks as they sprinted along.

  “Hey— geez, what’s the rush?!”

  Continuing on, she spotted a sign depicting a roll of fabric and a bottle.

  “Pal’s. Fabrics, Beer, and Spices.”

  When she opened the door, a tiny bell chimed to announce her arrival.

  Inside, countless rolls of fine fabrics were stacked in a messy arrangement, and the display counters were cluttered with strange little jars. Violet leaned closer to read the labels:

  Panic Pepper… Destiny Cumin… Opportunity Oregano???

  At the back of the room stood a plump man with long mustaches and a peculiar hat topped by a small white feather.

  “Welcome!”

  He was stout, and his elegant, high-quality clothes were loose on him, giving him a somewhat comical appearance.

  “I am Pal the merchant. Are you here to sell or to buy?”

  Violet stepped forward, approaching the smiling man and placing the mission request on the counter.

  “We’re here for this.”

  The man examined the paper, then suddenly clapped his hands together, his face lighting up with a broad grin.

  “Ooohhh! So someone finally answered my request! At last!!!”

  His voice was high-pitched and carried a strange accent, and his gestures hinted at a certain refined flair.

  “Yes. I’m Violet, and this is Nainai.”

  The man widened his eyes and leaned closer to inspect them, adjusting his mustache with a delicate touch.

  “Let’s see… a young mage and a dwarf? You two look just like real adventurers!”

  Finally!

  “But that dwarf… may I ask why he’s tied up with a rope?”

  “It's a long story. Anyway… the mission?”

  “Oh yes yes yes, the mission. Now, where should I begin…”

  Violet immediately sensed a long explanation incoming. The man adjusted his mustache again, eyes drifting into the distance as he began recounting.

  “You see, some time ago I was traveling down a road nearby with my cart. Without realizing it, I hit a large stone that got stuck under one of the wheels, making the whole cart jolt and nearly throwing me off!”

  Violet focused on his story.

  “In that moment, I got quite the scare, you know? I almost lost control of my cart and imagined myself face-first in the dirt. A very, very unpleasant experience!”

  “Yes… and then?” Violet kept listening.

  “You see, I was transporting goods of great value: fabrics, spices, beer, and other expensive liquors. There was also a barrel of spirit-wine. A real delicacy, you know? A friend gave it to me, the one who—”

  Oh come on, is he ever going to stop???

  A twitch began at the corner of Violet’s eye.

  “The well… I’d like to know about the well.”

  “Oh, yes. The well. So, as I was saying…”

  Violet began to tremble.

  “So after the cart almost flipped over, a large barrel of spices fell to the ground and bounced. And alas, it rolled straight into that well…”

  “And… you weren’t able to retrieve it???”

  The man grew somber, adjusting his mustache again.

  “I tried, I truly did, but you see… that well is cursed.”

  “Cursed?”

  A cursed well? Is that even possible?

  “Yes. Unfortunately, the well is under a curse. Or a blessing? Oh dear, I never remember the difference.”

  “And what kind of curse are we talking about?”

  Violet knew about curses—she’d studied them in her magic books.

  “Well… you see… it has a terribly foul mouth!”

  “A foul mouth? What do you mean, a foul mouth?”

  “You see, miss, that well has a story…”

  The man re-adjusted his mustache and resumed narrating.

  “…Long ago, an old wizard who lived here in town was returning home after spending time at the tavern. You know… glug glug glug!”

  Pal lifted a hand to his mouth, making exaggerated gestures that made it clear the wizard enjoyed drinking a bit too much.

  “And he fell in?”

  If so, it could be a case of possession. Maybe the wizard’s spirit now haunts the well and prevents anyone from approaching…

  “Oh… no no no, miss…”

  Pal cut her off, continuing his tale.

  “That wizard was an odd fellow, and he went around bragging about having created a strange potion. If I recall correctly, it was called Extract of Consciousness. Yes, yes. I’m quite sure that was the name.”

  “What’s the point?” Violet, who had little tolerance for long-winded explanations, was clearly starting to lose her patience.

  “Well then, let me think…” Pal muttered, adjusting his mustache yet again.

  “…The man had the potion with him, in his pocket, you see. And that night he was so drunk that he stumbled, toppled over the edge of the well, and the vial slipped out of his pocket and fell straight into it…”

  “And then???”

  “Well, ever since that day, the well developed a personality of its own.”

  Violet’s eyes widened.

  “A personality?”

  “Yes, my dear.”

  “The well…?”

  “Exactly!”

  Is he serious? I’ve never heard of anything like this… Is he messing with me too?

  But the worried, earnest look on the man’s face made her pause.

  There had to be some truth to it—and the reward was high enough to justify the risk.

  “That’s it?”

  “Yes, miss…”

  “Where is this well located?”

  Pal pulled a sheet of paper from under the counter and placed it in front of her.

  “Here. I’ve marked its location on this little map.”

  It was a messy, almost childlike sketch. A few squares—likely the houses in the district—and a big arrow cutting across them.

  “You see, that well has swallowed many things over time, and it refuses to return anything to its rightful owners. A true catastrophe…”

  The man stared at her with eyes full of hope.

  Violet considered her options. Cursed or not, a well was still just a well. What harm could it possibly do?

  “Alright. We accept the mission!”

  “Oooohhhh. Excellent. I’ll be waiting here, then. Ah—there’s one last thing…”

  Violet stopped and looked at him.

  “You see, as I mentioned earlier, that well has a terribly foul mouth. It will shout all sorts of nasty things at you if you try to retrieve the barrel.”

  Violet burst out laughing.

  “It’s just a well. What could it possibly do?!”

  With that, she gave Pal one last look as he watched her leave with a worried expression.

  “Alright, let’s see. This way… then over there… Come on, Nainai!”

  The duo crossed dusty streets, dead-end alleys, and even an abandoned garden where an old one-eyed cat stared at them with grave authority, lifting one long sharpened claw in a clear threat.

  After a long detour that tested Violet’s patience, they finally reached the clearing where the well stood.The place was neglected: grass had grown tall and wild. In the center sat the well. Violet approached to inspect it. It was fairly wide, encircled by a low stone wall.

  A wooden roof covered it, and a rusty old pulley hung from the frame, holding a worn-out bucket.

  Violet stepped closer, cautious but seeing nothing strange. Once at the stone rim, she leaned forward, peering into the empty darkness below.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  “Uh… anyone there?”

  No answer.

  Well, let me try again…

  “Helloooooo… anyone down there?”

  Silence.

  Violet pulled out the map the merchant had given her and examined it.

  “Did we get the wrong well?”

  She stepped forward, resting her hands on the rim so she could lean even farther.

  “Heyyyy!!! Can you hear me?”

  Nothing.

  “Did that merchant get it wrong?”

  Violet turned and noticed a small stone near her feet. She picked it up and dropped it into the well.

  “Ow!”

  The voice echoed from inside.

  “Ah, so you are there!”

  Violet leaned further over the rim, peering into the darkness.

  A voice rose from the bottom.

  “Who are you?”

  Violet gathered her courage.

  “Um… good morning. My name is Violet. Are you the well that steals people’s things?”

  “Still with that stupid story? Listen, girl, get lost!”

  Hey, how rude!

  Annoyed, Violet tried again, attempting to keep her tone diplomatic.

  “Well, actually, there’s a problem.”

  No answer.

  “You see… I came here to retrieve a barrel. I know it fell down there, and I’d like it back.”

  “No!” The answer was immediate and sharp.

  Violet felt her nerves tighten. She really didn’t want to waste time arguing with a well, but she forced herself to handle the matter calmly.

  “…May I ask why?”

  “It’s mine!”

  “See, that’s exactly the problem. That barrel isn’t yours! Its rightful owner wants it back, and—”

  “Go to hell!”

  The insult hit Violet straight in the chest and froze her in place. The twitch in her eye returned with vengeance.

  “Oh no, that’s it. Who do you think you are? You’re just a well! You can’t keep everything that falls into you!”

  “Of course I can, girl. Ever heard of gravity? Good. Now get out of here.”

  Violet was seconds away from a full-blown meltdown.

  “Listen here! You’re giving that barrel back right now, or else—”

  “Or else what? What do you think you’ll do? Scare me with that crow-screech of a voice? You echo in my walls and it’s annoying. Now scram!!”

  A… crow???

  That did it.

  Nainai, curious about all the noise, had stepped closer, peering into the well.

  “And what are you staring at, you walking barrel? Looking for trouble?”

  Violet stepped forward, leaning dangerously far over the rim.

  “Hey!!! Watch it! Leave Nainai out of this!” Violet was seething.

  “How dare you—”

  Suddenly, a powerful jet of water blasted out of the well and hit Violet right in the face.

  She froze in shock. The water was stagnant, slimy, and foul, soaking her completely from head to toe.

  You little…

  She leaned over the well again, shouting furiously.

  “You’ll pay for that! I swear I’ll—”

  Another jet—stronger than the first—hit her full force.

  Below her, the well gurgled with amusement.

  A laugh echoed behind her.

  Violet turned.Nainai was clutching his belly, laughing his heart out.

  “You too??? Aren’t you supposed to be on my side?!”

  She spun back toward the well.

  “Listen here! You stupid pile of moldy rocks and rotten water, I’ll—”

  Another blast drenched her completely. That was the final straw.

  Now I’m breaking you.

  “So you want to play rough, huh??? Fine—your choice! Move, Nainai!”

  Violet shoved the dwarf aside, stuck her staff into the well, aiming downward. Fueled by sheer rage, she unleashed a barrage of violent magical attacks.

  “Ow! Stop—ow! That hurts—stop!”

  Wails of pain rose from the depths of the well.

  Violet, completely overtaken by rage, ignored the well’s cries and kept firing her spells straight into the darkness at the bottom.

  “Ow! Stop! I said stop! Fine—fine!! You win! I surrender!”

  A sudden, violent gurgle echoed upward. Something was rising.

  Violet jumped back, dragging Nainai with her as the dwarf stared at the scene, mouth hanging wide open.

  The well erupted, spewing coins in every direction, then a chair, several empty bottles, and finally… the barrel.

  “Enough! Take whatever you want and get out! And don’t ever come back!!”

  Satisfied and wearing a downright demonic expression, Violet leaned over the rim and yelled into the well:

  “Thanks! And next time think twice before provoking an adventurer!”

  Soaked all the way down to her underwear and lost in a delirious fury, Violet shoved the barrel through the city streets. She kicked it, dragged it, and pushed it with an unexpectedly feral strength, while horrified citizens jumped out of her way to let her pass.

  She’d also attracted the attention of a few guards who approached, drawn by the noise. When they tried to scold her, Violet snapped at them like a demon, her eyes turning blank white and her teeth sharp and monstrous. The guards recoiled immediately, deciding it was wiser to step aside.

  A handful of children—and a small dog—fell in line behind her, imitating Nainai. They followed her in a little procession, chanting and mimicking the thunk-thunk-thunk of the rolling barrel like a sing-song nursery rhyme.

  When Violet reached the shop’s door, she flung it open with a shove and kicked the barrel inside. It flew across the room and landed right in the center with a heavy thud.

  “Oh gods—what is happening?!”

  Pal stared in pure terror as Violet entered the shop, surrounded by a dark aura and still wearing that sinister, demonic expression.

  “You and I need to talk!!!”

  Violet stepped out of the shop with a completely different expression. She was smiling in pure satisfaction, shaking her coin pouch so it bounced merrily in her hand.

  After exploding into shouts, scoldings, and an impressive variety of curses, she had threatened the merchant with a world of trouble if he didn’t agree to her terms.Terrified, Pal hadn’t dared utter a single word—he had handed over far more than the original reward.

  Fifty copper Zinni… a whole half-silver coin!

  Violet walked along, dripping water with every step, her soaked shoes squelching against the ground. Yet she hummed to herself, delighted with her earnings.

  Around her, anyone who saw her coming instantly stepped aside, covering their noses in disgust at the nauseating stench of stagnant well water clinging to her.

  Completely unconcerned by their reactions, Violet made her way across the city until she finally reached the inn.

  “We’re back!!”

  Lost in her own triumphant thoughts, Violet pushed the door open with a burst of enthusiasm as she stepped into the inn.

  “Oh, finally! Welco— sniff sniff sniff.”

  Mela reached the entrance at the speed of the wind.

  “What is that unbearable smell??”

  The dog-girl covered her nose with one hand, tail stiffening as she stared at Violet with an expression halfway between disgust and imminent gagging.

  “Well, you know, Mela, it’s been a long day, but in the end—”

  “Get over here. Now!”

  Mela grabbed Violet by the arm and bolted straight through the inn, dragging Nainai along behind them.

  “Hey, wait—what are you doing???”

  In the blink of an eye, Mela reached a small clearing behind the inn.It was a tiny garden space, and Violet caught sight of short plants and flowers everywhere. Among the scattered items, she also noticed a large wooden tub and several laundry lines stretched overhead.

  “What are we doing here?”

  Without answering, Mela untied the rope around Violet, stripped her with swift, merciless precision, and tossed her clothes into the air.

  “You smell like a sewer Slime! What in the world did you get yourself into?!”

  Before she fully realized it, Violet found herself standing there in only a bathrobe, desperately trying to cover herself.

  “No, wait, I—”

  “I’m not letting you stay inside my inn with that smell on you!”

  “Sniff sniff… No, this stinks too!”

  Violet felt herself being shaken.

  “You—turn around!”

  Mela spun Nainai around to spare him the sight, then ripped Violet’s underdress right off her, making Violet scream.

  “Aaaahhh!”

  Before she could protest, Mela lifted her up bodily and dumped her straight into the wooden tub.

  “Hey—hold on!”

  The dog-girl began throwing bucket after bucket of ice-cold water over her, then attacked her with an enormous, rough bar of soap. The look on Mela’s face was that of someone caught in a cleaning-driven nervous breakdown.

  “Ouch! That hurts!”

  Mela didn’t listen to her at all; she just kept scrubbing and dumping more buckets of water over her.

  Nainai, still turned away, had turned bright red with embarrassment.

  “Sniff sniff… Yes… there we go!”

  Violet had screamed the entire time. Mela was incredibly strong—typical of Therianthropes—and that strength gave Violet absolutely no chance of escape. She scrubbed her so vigorously that Violet genuinely feared her skin might peel right off.

  “Here. Put these on.”Mela grabbed some clothes that had been drying on the lines and tossed them to Violet, who hurried to get dressed, mortified.

  “You really hurt me! Was it necessary to be that violent?”

  “Silence! Sniff sniff… I can still smell it…”

  Nainai, still turned the other way, felt a chill run down his back.

  “Aha—found it!”

  Mela lunged for Violet’s clothes, scooped them up, and headed for an old washbasin. Still caught in her hysterical cleaning frenzy, she soaked the clothes and scrubbed them with soap, repeating the process several times.

  Once she finished—and after giving them a thorough inspection with her nose—she wrung them out with alarming force and hung them on the lines that stretched across the garden.

  “Good! Now you may come in!”

  Back inside, Mela hurried to serve Violet a cup of hot tea.

  “Now, would you like to tell me how you managed to get yourself in that state???”

  Violet, still embarrassed, kept her eyes fixed on the cup with a sulky frown.

  “We completed a mission…”She refused to look at the dog-girl, still replaying the humiliation of being stripped and washed like a toddler.

  “I see…” Mela tilted her head.“So you ended up in the water while fighting some monster?”

  “Yeah… more or less…” Violet muttered, blowing on the steaming tea.

  “Well, I hope the reward was worth it.”

  “Oh, yes… it really was!”

  Just thinking about the coins she’d earned instantly lifted Violet’s mood.

  “It’s almost dinner time. Do you two want something to eat?”

  Violet nodded, already imagining the taste of Mela’s stew. The mission had been absurd, yes—but at least it had ended in her favor.As for the conversation she’d had at the Guild, though… she hadn’t managed to learn anything about Sigillaria or the Seal.

  She was right back to square one, with no idea how she was supposed to move forward.

  Mela returned to the table with dinner and took a seat beside them.

  Violet noticed her looking at Nainai.

  “Does he not know how to eat on his own?”

  Violet lifted her gaze toward the dwarf, who was staring blankly at the steaming soup in his bowl.

  “No, I usually help him.”

  “I see…”

  Mela lifted a spoonful of stew and began feeding Nainai.

  “But you run this inn all by yourself? Does your family live here in the city?”

  Still focused on her task, Mela answered briefly.

  “Family? Oh no. I come from a very distant village. My family is still there.”

  Violet decided to press a little further.

  “Do you have brothers or sisters?”

  At that question, Mela tilted her head, thinking it over.

  “Let’s see…” She took a moment.“There were ten of us, counting Mom and Dad.”

  Ten???

  Violet’s eyes flew wide open.

  “Ten? So you have eight siblings???”

  “Well, no, not all of them are still alive.” Mela touched a finger to her cheek as she continued.“Let’s see… Three of my brothers were older and left when I was still really little. Then… oh, right! One of them was carried off by a griffin when he was still small. Nobody ever found out what happened to him.”

  Violet went pale.

  …What???

  “Then let me think… Oh, and the twins left to work as lumberjacks. They’re just a bit older than me. They should be up north now. And then there’s me!”

  Violet couldn’t believe her ears. The casual, cheerful tone with which Mela talked about her chaotic family left her stunned.

  “And the others?”

  “I think they’re still with Mom and Dad…”

  Mela blew on another spoonful of stew before feeding it to Nainai, who was staring at her with the same dumbfounded expression as Violet.

  “And how did you end up here, Mela?”

  “Well, you know, Mom and Dad were always very loving… but also very poor…”

  I know that feeling all too well…

  “…See, we dog-folk have lots of children, but it’s hard to provide for so many mouths. So once we reach a certain age, it’s normal for the older kids to leave home.”

  Violet cut in.

  “But how old are you, Mela?” The answer felt obvious.

  “Me? I’m fifteen.”

  Violet wasn’t surprised—it was clear the girl was still young.

  “And you? Where’s your family?” Mela’s question caught her completely off guard.

  “I… well, I grew up in an orphanage.”

  Mela didn’t seem surprised at all.

  “I see. So you also grew up surrounded by many other children…”

  “Well, yes. At certain times there were a lot of us. But then everyone eventually left…”

  Violet found herself carried along by her own memories.

  “…You can only stay in the orphanage until you’re eighteen. After that, you’re forced to leave.”

  Mela looked at her with a gentle smile.

  “And was it a good place? Did you have lots of friends?”

  Violet thought back to those years, to all the children she’d seen arrive and disappear in cycles.

  “A few… but the headmistress was always very kind, and she never let us lack anything. You know, that’s actually why I decided to become an adventurer. I needed something to do once I had to leave the orphanage.”

  The two girls exchanged a look.

  “You know, Violet… I think the two of us are very similar.”

  Mela didn’t add anything else and went back to feeding Nainai.

  Maybe she’s not entirely wrong…

  The evening went on peacefully, drifting between conversations and a few laughs, stretching late into the night.