Valor Mortis Bedtime Stories Quest Guide – Storybook Location and Best Choice

TL;DR – Bedtime Stories Quick Summary

• This is Side Quest #16, found in Chapter 7 – Witch Hunt, City of Orphans.
• Start it at the Tribunal Square lantern by talking to the children at a burrow after the burning wood tunnel.
• Find the Bedtime Stories book in the basement of a nearby building full of enemies.
• Return the book to the Mice – then choose to read them the story for the best reward.
• Reward: 1x Tiny Whisker Gift for returning the book, or 2x Tiny Whisker Gifts if you also read to the children (3,000–3,500 Catalysts each).
• This quest also earns Mice friendship points, which matter later in the game.
• The quest is not missable – you can complete it at any time.

The Bedtime Stories quest in Valor Mortis is one of those side quests that feels almost out of place – in the best way. You are deep in a crumbling city full of soldiers and monsters, and a group of children hiding in the walls just want someone to read them a book. It is simple, short, and easy to miss if you are not paying attention to your surroundings.

The book itself is not far, but it is sitting in a building packed with enemies, which catches some players off guard. This guide walks you through every step, including the choice that determines whether you get one reward or two.

Where to Start the Bedtime Stories Quest in Valor Mortis

The Bedtime Stories quest is available during Chapter 7 – Witch Hunt, in the City of Orphans section of the map. You need to reach the Tribunal Square lantern first.

From the Tribunal Square lantern, continue along the main path until you pass through a tunnel filled with burning wood. As soon as you come out the other side, turn left and go up the stairs. These lead to a small balcony.

At the top of those stairs, you will find a burrow – one of the small holes in the wall that the children called the Mice use to communicate with William. Interact with it. Two children will speak to you. They cannot sleep. They had a storybook, but it is gone – left behind inside a house full of dangerous enemies nearby. They ask if you can get it back.

Agree to help, and the Bedtime Stories side quest officially begins.

How to Find the Bedtime Stories Book

The book is inside the large building on the same path through this area. Here is how to reach it step by step:

• From the burrow where you started the quest, head down and follow the road to the left of the stairs.
• You will find a large building with enemies inside. The front door is unlocked – enter through it.
• Clear the enemies on the ground floor. You can use the oil lantern light to navigate.
• Head up to the second floor. Continue clearing enemies as you go.
• In the large room on the second floor, look for a trapdoor in the floor. It looks like a square section you can drop through. Step on it and it will give way, dropping you into the basement below.
• There are enemies in the basement as well – deal with them.
• Search the shelves in the basement. You will find the Bedtime Stories book sitting on one of them.
• Pick it up to add it to your inventory.

That is the full route. The building is on your main path through the City of Orphans anyway, so you will not have to go far out of your way. The enemies are the only real obstacle.

If you want to know more about navigating the areas in this chapter, our Valor Mortis all chapters list gives you a full overview of the game’s structure.

Returning to the Children – And the Most Important Choice

Once you have the book, you need to return it to the Mice. Use the shortcut behind the man in the area to loop back to the children’s burrow quickly. Interact with it and hand over the book.

The children are thrilled. You receive your first Tiny Whisker Gift as a reward for bringing it back.

But then comes the choice that most players do not expect.

The children tell you they cannot read. They ask if you will read the story to them.

You have two options:

• Read them the story – You sit down and read the book aloud to the children. Once you finish, you receive a second Tiny Whisker Gift as an extra reward.
• Say goodbye – You leave without reading. You only keep the one Tiny Whisker Gift you already received.

There is no reason not to read the story. It takes a few extra seconds of dialogue, and it doubles your reward. Always choose to read.

Should You Read the Story to the Children?

Yes, always read the story. Here is why it matters:

Each Tiny Whisker Gift gives you either 3,000 or 3,500 Catalysts when consumed. Catalysts are the main resource for leveling up in Valor Mortis, so getting two of them instead of one is a meaningful bonus, especially in the middle of Chapter 7 when upgrades still make a real difference.

Beyond the reward, reading the story also builds your relationship with the Mice. The Mice are the children hidden throughout the game’s world, and your friendship with them is actually tracked. Completing quests for them, helping them, and making positive choices all earn friendship points.

This matters more than it seems at first. You need at least 10 Mice friendship points before you reach the point of no return in the game to unlock certain late-game items and interactions, including a Giant Whisker Gift that is only available through the Mouse King if your friendship is high enough. The Bedtime Stories quest earns you friendship points, so do not skip it and do not choose “say goodbye” when you have the option to read.

For more on leveling up efficiently and making the most of your Catalysts, check out our guide on how to farm Catalysts and level up fast in Valor Mortis.

Bedtime Stories Quest Rewards

• 1x Tiny Whisker Gift – for returning the Bedtime Stories book to the children
• 1x additional Tiny Whisker Gift – if you choose to read the story aloud (total of 2)
• Mice friendship points – contributing to the Mice relationship tracker

Each Tiny Whisker Gift can be consumed for a significant number of Catalysts. If you read the story, you walk away with two of them, which is a solid bonus for such a quick quest.

Is the Bedtime Stories Quest Missable?

No. The Bedtime Stories quest is not missable in the standard sense. The City of Orphans has fast travel available, so you can return to the Tribunal Square lantern and complete it at any point.

That said, there is one reason not to leave it too late. The Mice friendship system has a soft deadline. All Mice friendship points must be earned before you reach the point of no return later in the game (the area before Napoleon’s Prison and Entropy, neither of which has fast travel). If you have not completed the Mice-related quests, including Bedtime Stories, before that point, you will miss out on the late-game Mice reward.

So technically not missable on its own, but the friendship points it gives you are time-sensitive. Complete it during your natural playthrough of Chapter 7 and you will be fine.

Other Valor Mortis Quests in the City of Orphans

The City of Orphans has five side quests in total. If you are working through all of them, here are the other four alongside Bedtime Stories:

• Monster Hunt – Collect all 17 monster drawings scattered through the City of Orphans and sewers.
• Misericorde – Speak with a man strapped to a pile of wood and help him before it is too late.
• Mummy and Daddy – A quest in the sewers involving a pair of undead and a music box. Be careful not to attack them or the quest fails.
• The Shrike’s Anthem – Find all five anthem fragments hidden in burrows across the Island of Whispers. See our Shrike’s Anthem quest guide for the full walkthrough.

More Valor Mortis Quest Guides

Here are other side quest guides to help you work through the full list:

• Laudanum Quest Guide
• Lullaby Quest Guide
• Sleeping Beauty Quest Guide
• The Scarecrow Quest Guide
• Till Death Quest Guide
• The Curious Case of Seamus Diggory Quest Guide
• The Deserter Quest Guide
• In the Name of Art Quest Guide
• The Lost Boy Quest Guide
• The Oathbound Quest Guide
• An Unheard Farewell Quest Guide
• Homesick Quest Guide
• The Emissary Quest Guide

You can also check our full achievements and trophy list if you are going for 100% completion, and our fast travel guide to make sure you are moving between areas efficiently.

Valor Mortis is available on PC via Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox.

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