Summoned with an SSS-Rank Portal Skill

They were released from the cell and were now helping the captain of the guards with the investigation. Her name was Katia, and she was truly glad they were there to help her.

"I have few guards under my command, and they are always busy making sure the rest of the city is safe, so I actually don't have that many people to help me with this," Katia said.

They all sat at a table to discuss their next steps and what they should do to find out more about the stolen ship and the missing person.

"Should we split up?" Seraphina suggested. "And also, Hemlock is not in good condition to get himself into danger, so it would be best if he avoided helping us until he got better."

Hemlock complained, but it was not a lie. He was indeed in bad condition and wouldn't be able to help much if a fight broke out.

"He can stay with me," Katia said. "We can work for information together, and I can protect him if anything happens."

"Thank you," Seraphina said.

"What can you tell me about the guy who's missing? Who was he anyway?" William asked.

For him, the key piece of information was the missing person.

"He was responsible for taking care of the ships, including yours. So, either he was the one who stole it, or the person who stole it is the same one who kidnapped him. And this must have happened during the night, as no one has seen a thing," Katia explained.

What was truly bothering William was the fact that someone stole the ship and no one saw a thing. More importantly, a ship as big as the one Hemlock had certainly drew attention, and it required a large crew to sail it.

How did a single person steal it? If it wasn't a single person but another crew, how did no one see it?

With that assumption in mind, William was certain that if the person was alone, then it was a mage. Someone with access to magic could get the ship moving.

In the end, William was tasked with finding more information about the missing person. He went alone.

What he knew—which he learned from Katia—was that the man was called Luke, and he lived alone on the island. He didn't have any family, and only had a few friends.

So, William decided to look for these friends Katia mentioned. They should be the only ones who knew something about him, or who would miss him after he got kidnapped.

One of Luke's friends lived in a small cabin outside the city. He was a fisherman who had a small boat and made his living through fishing, and sometimes acting as a guide to people who wanted to visit the nearby islands.

William arrived at the small cabin and saw Luke's friend fishing on his boat right in front of his house. The boat wasn't that far from the shore.

"Hey," William yelled.

The man had his eyes half-closed because of the sun, and he focused on trying to see William who was on the land screaming for him.

"Who are you?" the man yelled back.

"I am here to speak with you about Luke. Can you come over?"

When he heard the name Luke, the man frowned, not knowing what had happened to his friend. He returned to the land with his small wooden boat, carrying his fishing supplies as well as a bucket with some fish in it.

"Did you know that Luke is missing? There's a chance he got kidnapped," William said.

"Kidnapped? What do you mean? What exactly happened?" the man asked.

William talked about the missing ship and the missing person, Luke. He asked the man if he knew anything about his friend or when he had last seen him. Any information was crucial, and William hoped the man knew something that could help him.

"I saw him two days ago…" the man said, "We were planning a trip to a nearby island…"

That instantly raised a question in William's mind. 'A nearby island?'

If Luke and his friend wanted to go there, it would be best to have a ship. So, the chance of Luke being the one who stole Hemlock's ship looked more and more real.

"A trip?" William pressed, "Why? What's on this island?"

The man shifted uncomfortably, avoiding William's gaze. "Just... just a fishing trip," he mumbled, clearly hiding something.

William wasn't convinced. "A fishing trip that requires stealing a ship?" He narrowed his eyes, "There's something you're not telling me."

The man hesitated, clearly torn between loyalty to his friend and the weight of the situation. Finally, he sighed, "Alright, alright. There have been rumors... rumors of mermaids."

Mermaids? William was taken aback. "Mermaids?"

"Yes," the man said, "Legends say they inhabit the waters around that island. Luke was... obsessed. He was convinced they were real."

William considered this new information. It was a long shot, but it could be a lead. "This island... can you take me there?" Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire

The man, relieved to have shared the burden, readily agreed. "Of course, I know the way."

Before venturing to the island, William decided to return to Katia and Hemlock, to update them on his findings. He relayed the information about Luke's possible motive and their planned destination. Katia, intrigued by the mermaid tale, agreed that it was worth investigating.

However, when William returned to the fisherman's cabin, he found it empty. The man, along with his small boat, was gone.

He scoured the small cabin, his eyes scanning every corner, every shelf, every nook and cranny. He rifled through drawers, peered under the bed, and even checked the fireplace for hidden messages. But there was nothing. No maps, no notes, no indication of where the island might be.

Why did the man run? Did he have something to do with the ship theft? Or was he just scared that William might do something to him? Frustration gnawed at William, but he refused to give up. He had to find that island, and he had to find Luke.

Suddenly, the cabin door creaked open, and a figure stepped inside. William whirled around, his hand instinctively reaching for his sword. It was the fisherman.

"You scared me!" William exclaimed, his voice laced with relief and annoyance. "Where were you? I thought you ran away."

"Run away? Of course not," the man said, a hint of indignation in his voice. "I was just checking some other locations that I know Luke goes to sometimes, and I didn't see him there."

"Can you take me there too?" William asked, his eyes fixed on the man, searching for any sign of deception.

"Sure," the man replied, his gaze steady.

William wasn't entirely convinced, but he decided to trust his gut. Even if the man was lying, William was confident that his heightened senses could pick up on any clues in these locations that Luke frequented. It was a chance he had to take.

"Let's get to the boat, then," William said, eager to start his exploration.

They closed the cabin and went on the boat. The small boat cut through the calm waters, leaving a gentle wake behind. The fisherman, with a practiced hand, guided them towards their destination.

"These islands are usually deserted," he explained, his voice carrying over the soft lapping of the waves. "Just a few fishermen like me venture out here sometimes." He pointed towards a cluster of rocky outcrops jutting out from the sea. "That's one of them. Luke liked to go there, said it was peaceful."

William observed the island with a keen eye. It was a barren, windswept place, with little vegetation and a rugged coastline. Not exactly a paradise, but William could see the appeal for someone seeking solitude. He focused his senses, trying to detect any trace of Luke's presence, any lingering energy that might betray his recent visit.

The boat gently bumped against the rocky shore, and William jumped out, eager to explore. He scoured the small island, his eyes scanning every rock, every crevice, every patch of sand. He searched for footprints, broken branches, any sign that Luke had been there.