Plundering Worlds: I Have a Shotgun in a Fantasy World-Chapter 50: Night Briefing

[Captain Valen’s Office]

The office was warm when Kael entered.

A fire crackled in the hearth, casting flickering light across the stone walls. Maps hung on every surface—tactical positions, patrol routes, supply lines. A large desk sat in the center, covered in reports and correspondence.

Valen stood behind the desk, arms crossed, his expression unreadable.

The girl from earlier stood near the window.

She looked up as Kael entered.

Their eyes met for a heartbeat.

Then she lowered her head quickly, her hands clasping together in front of her.

Her ears turned red.

Kael closed the door behind him and stepped forward.

"Captain."

Valen gestured to the chair across from him. "Sit."

Kael sat.

Valen remained standing, his gaze steady. He reached for a folded letter on the desk and held it up.

"I forwarded your report on the rune markings to the capital. Three days ago, I received a response."

He set the letter down and leaned forward, palms flat on the desk.

"They want the sample brought back. The head you recovered from the cannibal."

Kael’s expression remained neutral. "Understood. When do they want it delivered?"

Valen’s jaw tightened slightly.

"That’s the problem."

He straightened and crossed his arms.

"The head is gone."

Kael’s eyes narrowed. "Gone?"

"Disappeared. From the sealed storage room in the lower garrison."

Kael’s gaze sharpened. "Internal?"

Valen’s expression remained steady. "The seal held. The lock sat as it was left. The hinges aligned. The room stood as it had been secured."

A beat.

"The air carried nothing. No blood. No disturbed qi. Whoever took it left the space untouched."

Valen’s tone was flat, controlled, but Kael could hear the edge beneath it.

"Someone took it. Or something."

Kael leaned back in the chair, processing.

"When did it disappear?"

"Two days ago. We discovered it missing yesterday morning."

Valen walked to the map on the wall—a detailed layout of Blackstone Fortress and the surrounding region. He tapped a section marked with several red ink crosses.

"And there’s more."

He turned back to Kael.

"People have been disappearing. Five in the past two weeks. All from the same area—Lowmarket District, near the eastern gate."

Kael’s gaze flicked to the map, then back to Valen.

"Lowmarket?"

"Slums, mostly. Laborers. Drifters. People who drift in and out—easy to miss when they’re gone."

Valen’s expression darkened.

"But then a merchant’s son went missing three days ago. That got attention."

He walked back to the desk and picked up another report.

"Your earlier report mentioned that farmer—the one who turned cannibal."

Valen set the report down and met Kael’s eyes.

"I think we have another one. Possibly more."

Kael’s fingers drummed once against the armrest.

"You want me to investigate."

"Yes. Starting tomorrow. Take your squad. Discreet inquiries first—talk to the locals, check the disappearance sites, see if there’s a pattern."

Valen leaned forward slightly.

"If you find another one of those things, bring it back alive if possible. If not, make sure you bring the whole body back this time."

Kael gave a short nod. "Understood."

Valen straightened and exhaled slowly. The tension in his shoulders eased slightly.

He studied him for a moment longer than necessary.

He glanced toward the window, where the girl still stood.

"Good."

Then his expression shifted—just slightly. A faint curve at the corner of his mouth.

"Now. Before you go."

He gestured toward the girl.

"My niece." His eyes remained on Kael. "Does she distract you?"

Kael blinked.

The girl’s head snapped up. Her eyes went wide.

"Uncle—"

Valen ignored her. His gaze remained fixed on Kael, waiting.

Kael glanced at the girl.

She stared at him, frozen. Her cheeks were already red, but now the color deepened, spreading down her neck.

During the briefing, Kael had noticed her watching him. Small glances. Quick. Nervous. Every time he shifted in his seat, her eyes followed.

Now, with his attention fully on her, she looked like she wanted to disappear into the floor.

Kael turned back to Valen.

"She’s pretty."

Her hands froze mid-motion. For a moment, she simply stopped—mind blank, unable to speak.

The flush surged across her face and down her neck in seconds, deepening until she looked like a ripened apple under heat.

Valen’s mouth twitched. Almost a smile.

"Good answer."

Valen walked around the desk and leaned against the edge, arms crossed.

His gaze settled on Kael—lingering. Assessing.

"You’ve changed," he said quietly. "This past week. Your movements are sharper. Your presence heavier."

He paused.

"I’ve seen it before. In knights approaching their first real breakthrough."

Kael remained still.

Valen leaned forward slightly.

"Tell me, Kael. Have you felt anything unusual? In your blood, specifically."

Valen’s tone was casual, but his eyes were sharp.

"A sensation. Like you can feel it moving through your veins. Warm. Pulsing. Like it’s waking up."

Kael held his gaze.

"Not yet."

Valen studied him for a moment.

Then he nodded slowly.

"When you do—and you will—come find me immediately."

He straightened and gestured toward the door.

"That’s all. Get some rest. You leave at dawn."

Kael stood and gave a short bow.

"Captain."

He turned and walked toward the door.

As his hand touched the handle, the girl’s voice came from behind him.

"G-good night, Captain."

Her voice was quiet. Shaky.

Kael glanced back.

She was still standing by the window, hands clasped in front of her, head lowered. But her eyes peeked up at him through her lashes.

Kael inclined his head slightly.

"Good night."

He opened the door and stepped out into the hallway.

Behind him, he heard Valen’s low voice.

"You may leave."

The girl’s voice came, muffled behind her hands.

"I only delivered the message like you asked—"

"And stood there staring at him the entire time."

"Uncle!"

The door closed, cutting off the rest.

Kael walked down the corridor, his footsteps echoing softly against the stone.

His mind was already moving.

Five disappearances.

A stolen head.

Cannibals in Blackstone.

And something—or someone—taking bodies from sealed rooms.

Kael’s hand drifted to his sword hilt.

Tomorrow, he’d find out what.