Ch. 371: Chapter 371-380
Chapter 371 I Look Forward To A Jolly Cooperation!
The next day, Lux returned to Leaf Village and went to look for Nevreal and Robin in the inn they were staying at.
He still wore a disguise, of course, and Cedwyn had already informed Nevreal about this matter.
"It's good to see you again, Lux," Nevreal said with a smile. "It has been several months since we last saw each other."
"Indeed, Sir Nevreal," Lux replied. "Let's get down to business. Why have you come to look for me?"
The Half-Elf didn't want to make small talk and decided to take the initiative to get straight to the point. This way, he would have a better understanding of the real reason why the middle-aged Dwarf was looking for him.
"Getting straight to the point as soon as we meet." Nevreal smirked after hearing Lux's words. "Well, I don't really mind. But, before that, allow me to introduce you to Robin. He is my current employer, and we need your help in order to do a few things for us. Naturally, the rewards will be sufficient, so you don't have to worry about the proper compensation for your services."
Lux gave Robin a side-long glance before shifting his attention back to the middle-aged dwarf.
"Can't you just ask the 'Order' about it?" Lux asked.
Nevreal shook his head. "The Order of the Griffin answers only to the King. No one can command them except him."
Lux blinked as he pointed at his face. "Um, are you forgetting that I am also part of the Order?"
"It's fine, you are still considered a Trainee." Nevreal waved his hand, as if to brush away Lux's claim as one of the official members of the Order of the Griffon. "You're still not a full-fledged member of the Order. Do you really think it's that easy to become one of them?
"Only when all the members have agreed that you have met the necessary qualifications would you be able to meet the King and officially take an oath of loyalty. Then and only then will you become an official member of the Order."
Lux pondered before nodding his head in agreement. Since the Order of the Griffon was the Dwarf King's personal secret forces, it was only natural to swear an oath of loyalty to him before officially becoming one of its members.
'Well, it's not like I'm keen on swearing an oath of loyalty to the Dwarf King,' Lux thought. 'I guess being a trainee is good enough.'
After settling this issue aside, Nevreal then told Lux why he came to find him.
"Right now, Robin's father is looking for the one who will inherit his position as an official in the future," Nevreal explained. "Because of this, he set up a Merit System for his four sons and two daughters. All of them are eligible to inherit his position as long as the accomplishments they make benefits the Kingdom of Gweliven as a whole. Do you follow me so far?"
Lux nodded to acknowledge Nevreal's question.
"Because of this Merit System, Robin's siblings have set out to the various parts of the Kingdom in order to accumulate Merit Points. Unfortunately, the Young Master is currently in last place because he has not been able to rack up achievements during this period of time."
The Half-Elf glanced at Robin and gave him the "Bruh, why are you so useless?" stare, which the brown-haired Dwarf ignored.
Robin just looked at Lux, as if trying to check whether the Half-Elf was really capable of getting him sufficient Merit Points to stay in the game.
Lux rubbed his chin as he pondered whether he should accept Nevreal's proposal or not.
In truth, what Lux wanted to do at the moment was to go to Karshvar Draconis and start the construction of his Guild Headquarters, as well as add the other guild facilities like a Smith, Bestiary, etc. He had only set this agenda aside for now because he promised Iris that he would stay with her for a week while waiting for Eiko and Vera's revivals.
"I'll think about it," Lux replied after pondering for a few minutes. "I am currently dealing with important things on my side, so I can't agree to your request right away."
Robin, who had expected Lux to accept Nevreal's offer right away, looked disgruntled after hearing the words "I'll think about it".
For the brown-haired Dwarf, this was as good as telling him "I'm not interested", making him feel that he had wasted his time coming to Leaf Village.
"I see." Nevreal played with his beard as he observed the Half-Elf who looked disinterested in his proposal. "How about I throw in another bonus for you? You just made a guild, right? How about I give you enough funds to help build your Guild Headquarters? How does that sound?"
This time, Lux's interest was piqued. In truth, building a Guild Headquarters required a lot of money.
As of the moment, Lux only had a little over 2 million gold coins in his possession. This was a high amount of money, enough for him to go to auctions to buy a few Mythical Grade Items. However, this amount of money wouldn't be enough to support a big guild, especially if he were to hire workers to install facilities like the Smith and Bestiary.
After checking his Elysium Compendium to know the cost of building one of those facilities, Lux's wallet itched.
500,000 gold coins.
That was the price for building a Smith or a Bestiary.
The Guild Headquarters, on the other hand, could be made from cheap materials, making it less expensive. Even so, the cheapest was 500,000 Gold Coins, and it was just made of wood!
Lux could afford it, but he owned a Mythical Guild.
If there came a day when the members of other guilds visited his headquarters, they might find his cheap headquarters laughable.
Colette's sister, Aina, who was the Guild Master of Eternal, had their headquarters built in marble, which cost her around 3 million gold coins.
Such expenditure wouldn't have been possible if Aina didn't have a strong backing, indirectly showing how prominent her family was.
Nero's Headquarters, on the other hand, was made from bricks. Although it was the second cheapest option available, it still showed that he had the capability to gather enough funds on his own without asking the Guardians for help.
This also earned him the recognition of his Guild Members, as well as the Elders of Wildgarde Stronghold.
Lux didn't treat Nero as his rival, so he didn't mind using the funds of others to build his Guild Headquarters. Since Nevreal had presented him with such a juicy option, why would he reject his offer?
"It's a deal!" Lux grabbed hold of Nevreal's hand and shook it. "I look forward to our jolly cooperation!"
"I knew you were a very sensible lad," Nevreal smiled as he shook Lux's hand. "Let's discuss the price for the construction of your Guild Headquarters after you finish the mission that I will ask of you first. As long as you manage to do this, I'll shoulder the construction of your Guild Headquarters."
If the middle-aged Dwarf only knew that Lux would demand almost half of his fortune, he would definitely crush the hand of the Half-Elf that he was shaking right now, and spit on Lux's face for trying to scam him in broad daylight.
Fortunately, he didn't know, preventing a blood bath from happening in Leaf Village at that point in time.
Chapter 372 Not All Treasures Are Silver And Gold
After finalizing the details of Nevreal's proposal, the Half-Elf went to look for Cai.
He had left the Boar to stay in Leaf Village because it was getting bored of Barbatos Academy. The Boar didn't like to be confined indoors and preferred being out on the fields, enjoying the sights and sounds of the scenery around her.
Since a day had already passed in Elysium, the Half-Elf deemed that it was time to check on whatever Cai was doing and ensure that it wasn't causing trouble for the villagers.
Fortunately, Lux didn't need much effort to search for the Boar. He could hear its laughter from miles away.
"Just what have you been up to, Cai?" Lux asked as soon as he saw the Boar, who was currently surrounded by several Dwarf children.
"My Daddy! You came at the right time," Cai said as it made a gesture for Lux to hurry up. "Come! Look at her. Isn't she the most adorable creature ever?"
The Boar lowered its head and showed Lux the sleeping baby slime who rested on top of the Boar's head.
'A Gold Slime?' Lux blinked once then twice before shifting his gaze back to Cai. "Where did you steal this child? There are no Gold Slimes in Leaf Village."
"Hehehe!" Cai lifted its chin up, almost making the baby Gold Slime, who was sleeping on its head, fall off. It was quite obvious that it was feeling very happy about its latest companion.
"What you say is true," Cai said with a smug look on its face. "There has never been a golden slime in Leaf Village. However, all of that changed today! Fei Fei was just born, and it just so happened that she was born from the egg that I chose! This must be fate at work. I'm destined to become rich!"
Lux just smiled at Cai's bragging before appraising the golden slime. He was quite curious about what its ability was because this was the first time he was seeing one.
—-----
< Fei Fei >
"Not all treasures are silver and gold."
– Named Slime Monster
– Golden Slime
– Rating E
Progress ( 0 / 1000 )
Health: 500 / 500
Mana: 500 / 500
Strength: 3
Intelligence: 10
Vitality: 10
Agility: 3
Dexterity: 3
Special Abilities: Treasure Hunter [EX]
Active Skill: Dig, Payday
Passive Skill: Golden Body
Title: Golden Girl
Note: Do you know Da Wae?
—-----
< Payday >
– Fires a golden coin at a target, dealing +100 physical damage.
– If the target is carrying gold coins, Fei Fei would steal a random amount between one gold coin to a hundred gold coins.
—-----
< Golden Body >
– Gives Fei Fei immunity to Status Ailments.
—-----
< Golden Girl >
– Doubles the experience gained when eating a Beast Core
—-----
Lux, who had just finished reading Fei Fei's information, felt that the golden slime was literally born as a money making creature.
'For some reason, I feel that she fits Cai perfectly,' Lux mused.
Cai liked to collect treasures, and even went as far as to shamelessly ask others to give it items, just like what it did to the gnome, Sherlock, when they challenged the Gate of War in the Sacred Dungeon.
"Isn't she so adorable?" Cai asked. "I'm sure that Eiko and her will become the best of friends. Just like me and Iris, who are the bestest friends ever."
Lux just smiled and didn't make any comments. Deep inside his heart, he also wished that Eiko and Fei Fei would become good friends. After all, Cai was part of his guild and would be traveling with him most of the time.
"By the way, Cai, there is someone who commissioned me to go on a quest," Lux said. "Do you want to come?"
"Um? A commission?" Cai's interest was piqued. It had long wanted to explore the Kingdom of the Dwarves, but it didn't want to go alone.
The Boar was too embarrassed to trouble Lux to give it a tour of the Dwarven Kingdom. Because of this, it wanted to look for a traveling buddy, but unfortunately, they were few and far in between.
Cai wanted to drag Keane with it, but the skinny swordsman preferred to stay in a peaceful and quiet places to meditate, in pursuit of the peace he was looking for.
Now that an opportunity had presented itself in front of it, Cai readily accepted Lux's invitation without batting an eye.
"So, where are we going?" Cai inquired. "Fei Fei, we are going treasure hunting. Time for you to wake up."
The Gold Slime opened her eyes and scanned her surroundings before yawning.
"Da Wae?" Fei Fei asked.
"Yes! We are going treasure hunting!" Cai replied. "We're going to look for treasures!"
Once again, the Gold Slime looked around her. Seeing that there were no treasures around, she once again closed her eyes to sleep.
Lux, who saw the sleeping baby Slime, chuckled.
"Fei Fei has just been born," Lux said. "Give her a few more days to adjust before you go treasure hunting."
The Half-Elf had already experienced taking care of a sleepy Eiko when she was just hatched from her egg, so he was more than happy to impart his knowledge to the Boar, who was trying to coax the sleeping Slime to wake up.
"Fine." Cai sighed. "So, when do we leave?"
"We leave in three days. That will be enough time to make the necessary preparations.
"Three days? Got it! I'll stay here in Leaf Village for three days."
"Okay." Lux smiled. "I'll go back to Barbatos Academy and ask Keane if he wants to accompany us."
The Boar nodded. "Make sure to drag Little Swordy with us. That guy hasn't gotten much sunshine these past few days."
Lux chuckled. He was amused to see Cai treating Keane like some kind of plant that it was taking care of.
Before Lux left the village, he turned around to look at Cai in the distance, who was now surrounded by Dwarf children who wanted to ride its back.
Cai had fallen in love with the small Dwarf village and had gotten chummy with a few of its residents.
Perhaps the Dwarves also felt that Cai didn't mean any harm, so they accepted this strange and chatty Creature into their village, allowing it to freely roam wherever it pleased.
Chapter 373 The Fairy Princess Of Leaf Village
"Grandma still hasn't come out of the coffin," Iris said while resting her head on Lux's chest.
Lux tilted his chin down and kissed the blue-haired lady's head before wrapping his arms around her.
"Perhaps, she needs more time," Lux replied. "She forcefully broke her recovery to help me against the Ranker who bullied me. It would be best if she rested more in order to recover as much as possible."
Iris nodded and allowed Lux's warmth to wrap her in a loving embrace.
The two of them had just finished making love with each other, and both were still naked. Iris felt a bit sad because she knew that when morning came, Lux would have to return to Elysium again in order to carry out his responsibilities as a Guild Master.
Although she would miss him, she understood that this was something that the Half-Elf needed to do.
Eiko slept peacefully in the basket that they had placed on the table beside the bed.
At first, Lux and Iris only wanted to kiss and cuddle with each other. But, before they knew it, their clothes were already strewn on the floor. The two sought each other's warmth and love, and Iris had to cover her lips, not wanting to wake the baby Slime by her pleasure-filled moans that were about to escape her lips.
"When do you plan to return here to Barbatos Academy?" Iris inquired.
Lux pondered for a bit before answering Iris' question. He didn't really have any specific timeline in mind, but in order to give his fiance some peace of mind, he decided to set a schedule of when he could visit her in Barbatos Academy.
"A month from now," Lux answered after making a rough estimate inside his head. "I will first deal with the mission that Nevreal has given me. After that, I will create my Guild Headquarters. This will take a lot of time, so I won't be able to return right away."
Iris hummed as she lightly patted Lux's chest with her soft and delicate hand.
"To think that you would be able to become a Guildmaster in just a short period of time," Iris said softly. "I'm very proud of you, Lux."
Lux sighed before thanking Iris for her praise.
He, too,didn't think that he would be able to become a Guild Master of his own guild. However, his guild wasn't just an ordinary guild, but the one and only Mythical Guild in the world.
The Half-Elf then moved his hand to caress Iris' back, moving downwards as if to trace her young and beautiful body that belonged only to him.
"Since we won't be seeing each other for a month, shall we…"
Lux smiled mischievously as he gave Iris' backside a light squeeze, making the blue haired lady raise her head to look at him with a face filled with injustice.
"What are you going to do if Eiko wakes up?" Iris lightly pounded Lux's chest, but deep inside, she was very tempted to say yes to her fiance's invitation.
"Then I guess you will just have to do your best to not wake her up," Lux whispered directly to her ears.
"Don't worry, I'll make sure to plug both of your lips, so Eiko won't hear a thing," added Lux, his forehead against hers.
Iris sighed in her heart before raising her head to offer her soft lips to the man she loved.
A second later, the Half-Elf pressed his lips over hers. While making sure that Iris upper lips were occupied with his own, he lifted her leg with his right hand and slipped his… inside of her.
Soon, muffled sounds escaped Iris' lips. Fortunately, it was not loud enough to awaken the sleeping baby Slime.
The two continued to make love under the blanket, doing their best to enjoy their last night to the fullest, while hiding from Eiko's gaze, who was resting peacefully inside her basket.
—------
"Well then, I'm off," Lux said while hugging Iris. "Don't miss me too much, okay?"
"I'll try not to," Iris replied with a smile. "You too, Eiko. Take care of yourself, okay?"
"Ma!"
Iris kissed the baby Slime's cheek, to which the latter returned with a big smile on her face.
"Keane is waiting for me in his room," Lux patted Iris' head like he used to do every time he left. "I promise to return as soon as I can. I'm sure that the next time you see me, Grandma is already back."
Iris nodded. "That is for the best. When that happens, we can have that picnic we have in mind."
"Sounds like a plan."
"Mmm."
After giving his fiance one last kiss, Lux reluctantly left her room and went to look for Keane, whom he had informed beforehand that they would be leaving today.
Eiko, who had finally adapted to her body after a few days of being born, was quite excited to go back to Elysium.
Although she would miss her Mama, the baby Slime wanted to become stronger than ever. In order to do that, she must go with her Papa to Elysium and get as many Beast Cores as she could. With her own strength, she would take revenge on the Ranker that killed her, while protecting one of the most important people in her life.
—--------
Just like always, Lux, Eiko, and Keane, arrived at the plaza of Leaf Village.
The sun had just risen, and the faint smell of freshly baked bread could be smelled in the air.
"Pa!"
Eiko happily looked around from the top of Lux's head. This was her first time in Leaf Village after a few months.
She gazed at her statue, which was also perched on the head of Lux's statue, making her feel giddy.
Since Eiko was in a good mood, she started to sway from left to right on top of Lux's head while singing a song.
"La~ Lalala~ Lalalalala~"
The Half-Elf chuckled as he walked towards Grandma Annie's house, which he assumed to be the place where Cai was currently at.
Along the way, several Slimes poked their heads out of the houses along the way and looked at the blue Slime on top of Lux's head.
All of them were the Slimes that were born in Leaf Village, and they could vaguely feel a sense of majesty radiating from Eiko's body, who was still singing on top of Lux's head.
A moment later, the sound of singing resounded in Leaf Village as the baby Slimes, who heard Eiko's singing, started to sing as well.
Chapter 374 Do You Know Da Wae?
"La~ Lalala~ Lalalalala~"
"""La~ Lalala~ Lalalalala~"""
"""La~ Lalala~ Lalalalala~"""
Everyone inside Leaf Village was quite surprised that all the Slimes started singing.
It was similar to listening to a choir singing at the same time. This was the first time they saw and heard the baby Slimes singing together, so it made everyone wonder what was happening.
After hearing the Slimes singing along, Eiko giggled as she jumped up and down Lux's head. She didn't expect the other Slimes to sing with her, and this made her very happy.
Lux, on the other hand, already had a suspicion on what caused that to happen, but he kept it inside his heart. It would not be good to expose Eiko's current ability to anyone because it might cause chaos inside the Village. He would keep his lips shut tight and act oblivious to what was happening around them.
When they neared Grandma Annie's house, the singing stopped, making the villagers think that the Slimes were just in the mood to sing together, and left it at that.
After entering the candy store, the Half-Elf immediately heard Cai's words that were filled with excitement.
"Um? Why did you stop singing Fei Fei?" Cai asked. "Go on. Sing more. I'd love to hear you sing again. You too, Cora, Nora, sing together with Fei Fei! The more the merrier!"
The three baby Slimes giggled together as if they found Cai's words very funny.
Laura and Livia, who were also in the store, picked up their Slimes and urged them to sing as well. However, Cora and Nora simply smiled at their Masters and swayed their bodies left and right, as if they were dancing, making the two little Dwarves giggle.
Because the three were too occupied talking to their Slimes, they didn't notice that Lux, Eiko, and Keane had already entered the store.
"Good morning everyone," Lux said. "It's fine weather to go on an adventure, isn't it?"
"Good morning, Sir Lux," Laura greeted the Half-Elf with a smile. "Are you planning to go on an adventure today?"
"Yes," Lux replied. "I might also take your Big Brother with me, so if he doesn't come back anytime soon, you and your sister shouldn't worry too much, okay?"
"Un!" Laura nodded her head in understanding.
Livia, who was paying close attention to the discussion on the side, also nodded her head.
The Half-Elf was their benefactor, so the two girls trusted him unconditionally.
"Eiko! Allow me to introduce you to my new friend," Cai said with a smile. "This is Fei Fei. Say hi to your big sister, Eiko."
The golden slime looked up at Eiko that was perched on top of Lux's head. Cai usually minimized its size whenever it was indoors, so it was only around a meter tall at the moment, making it shorter than Lux.
The blue slime and the golden slime stared at each other for a few seconds before Eiko took the initiative to greet Fei Fei.
"Hello!" Eiko said.
Fei Fei, who felt Eiko's special characteristics, smiled and greeted her back.
"Sis!" Fei Fei replied.
Cora and Nora, who were also seeing Eiko for the first time, greeted the Fairy Princess as well.
"Eyah!"
"Eyah!"
Eiko giggled as she also replied to the two Slimes with an "Eyah!"
Soon, the sounds of "Eyah! Eyah!" was heard inside the Candy Shop as the baby Slimes chatted with each other.
(A/N: Eyah is the universal language of babies.)
"I don't really know what they're talking about, but since they look happy, it's fine!" Cai, who was closely observing the adorable Slimes, wanted to join the conversation, but since it couldn't speak baby language, it only listened to the happy chatter between them.
"Well then, it's time to go," Lux said after giving the Slimes a few minutes to talk. "Say goodbye to your new friends, Eiko."
Eiko nodded and looked at Cora and Nora with a smile. "Bye bye!"
"Bye Bye!"
"Bye Bye!"
The two Slimes also bid their farewell to their new friend. Although Eiko wanted to talk to them more, she was also excited to start her adventure with her Papa.
"Let's go, Fei Fei," Cai said as it urged the golden slime to perch on top of its head.
Fei Fei nodded and crawled up, until it was perched on Cai's head.
Several minutes later, the group finally left Leaf Village before heading North East to visit the Barony of Wolfpine.
According to Nevreal, this location was currently suffering from an unnatural drought. It had been a year since it last rained, and the ponds and rivers had all dried up, affecting not only the farmers, but also the people who lived in the barony as well.
The middle-aged man insisted that if the matter was not handled soon, the people would have no choice but to migrate and look for another settlement, leaving the Baron who ruled the lands behind.
Lux wasn't an expert in this stuff, but since the funds of his Guild Headquarters were at stake, he decided to give it a try.
Nevreal had a suspicion that someone was manipulating things from behind, making the people of the Barony of Wolfpine suffer.
The Half-Elf's job was not to only investigate the cause, but to also capture anyone who might be responsible for making such a thing happen.
Since he was holding the Emblem of the Order of the Griffin, the red-headed teenager had the authority to ask the Baron to allow him to command the guards that kept the law and order of the city that was currently facing a challenging decline.
"Let's go, everyone!" Cai shouted excitedly as it took the lead. "We're off to another adventure. Right, Fei Fei?"
The Golden Slime pondered for a bit before voicing out her thoughts to her Master.
"Do you know Da Wae?" Fei Fei asked.
This was the only phrase that it could say at the moment, but it was more than enough to make Cai's body stiffen.
"Actually, I don't know Da Wae," Cai replied as it scooted back beside Lux, who was seated on top of his Thunder Warg King, Jed. "Do you know Da Wae?"
"Of course." Lux smirked.
With the Elysium Compendium in his possession, he could even know the shortest route to arrive at their destination.
Even so, according to his estimate, it would still take them two days before they arrived at Wolfpine Barony since the nearest Teleportation Gate available to them was a dozen miles away from the drought-stricken town.
They had no choice but to travel on their mounts until they arrived at the nearest city after using the Stronghold of Norria's teleportation gate.
Chapter 375 Whisper Of Ruin [Part 1]
Two days later, Lux and his friends arrived at the Wolfpine Barony, where they were tasked to help with the investigation of the cause of the drought, which Nevreal believed was an unnatural one.
On their journey, Lux and Keane received suspicious stares from the Dwarves they met on the way.
Since Lux was wearing the Mask of Thousand Faces, he looked like a chubby Human teenager. As for Keane, he was simply Human, which was quite rare within the Dwarven Kingdom of Gweliven.
In the Dwarves' eyes, Lux and Keane were like rare creatures that they were seeing for the first time. This was also why, on their way to the Wolfpine Barony, the patrolling guards of villages and towns they had to pass through would stop them almost every time.
Fortunately, Thoram and Keelan had given them letters of identification, similar to passports, allowing them to pass through the territories along the way.
To the Half-Elf's surprise, none of the Dwarves thought that the talking Boar that was traveling with them was strange. It seemed that for the Dwarves, a talking Boar was more normal than two Humans on a sight-seeing tour within the Kingdom of Gweliven.
"We finally arrived," Cai said as it looked at a city from atop a cliff. "That's the Wolfpine Barony, right?"
Lux nodded. "Yes."
"It's a lot worse than I expected," Keane commented.
Cai and Lux both agreed with Keane's statement. When they neared the Barony, the ground was so dry that cracks could be seen everywhere.
It was as if they were looking at a vast expanse of wasteland. Clearly, none of them believed that anybody would be able to live in such conditions.
According to Nevreal, the Wolfpine Barony used to be a very beautiful place. It was a city that had many rivers, ponds, and lush greenery. But now, all of those had dried up.
"Let's go," Lux said as he urged Jed to run towards their destination. "Let's get to the bottom of this."
It didn't take long for them to arrive at the entrance of the walled city. Just as they expected, all of them were stopped at the entrance by the City Guards, who found them suspicious.
However, after seeing the recommendation letter and knowing that they, the Humans, had come to investigate the source of the drought, the Dwarves reluctantly allowed them to pass through the gate to meet with their Baron.
"What can these Humans do?" one of the Dwarf Guards asked as they looked at Lux from atop the city ramparts. "The Mages from the Capital have already come here and conducted an investigation, yet none of them found anything suspicious and declared this drought to be a natural phenomenon."
"Just let them do what they came here to do," another Guard commented. "We won't lose anything by having people investigate. Who knows? These Humans might be able to do something that our Mages weren't able to accomplish."
"Do you really think that's possible? Those are royal court Magicians. If they can't do anything about this drought, no one can."
"Well, the moment those Mages weren't able to do anything about this drought, I stopped thinking of them as a big deal."
"Shhh... did you forget that they left four of those Mages here to constantly replenish our water supply with Water Magic? Be more cautious about what you say."
"You have a point. It will not happen again."
Lux, who had a good sense of hearing, was able to hear the conversation of the guards on the ramparts.
'I see, that is smart,' Lux thought. 'Replenishing the water supply with the help of four magicians is good. Now I understand why they have been able to survive this long.'
Due to the current lack of water, each family was given a quota of water that they could use everyday. They would line up every morning carrying wooden buckets, while the Royal Mages filled the fountain in the plaza with water, allowing the Dwarves to take a few buckets back home.
This was not a long-term solution for the problem, but it was enough to allow those who chose to stay in the Barony to survive until the Mages returned to the capital city to resume their duties.
After entering the city, the three didn't go straight to the Baron's residence, but instead, went to the Adventurer Guild first.
Keelan had asked Lux to pass a letter to his acquaintance in the Wolfpine Barony. The Dwarf told the Half-Elf that it would make things easier for the latter's group to gain the support of the Adventurer's Guild since they knew more about the surrounding territories than they did.
"So, your names are Lucien, Keane, and Cai. Well then, since Keelan sent you guys, I guess you're capable enough to not die here, right?"
Lux, Keane, and Cai, looked up at the Bearkin that towered above them.
"I'm sure that Keelan had already mentioned my name to you guys, but allow me to introduce myself formally," the Bearkin said with a smile. "My name is Pan De Monium. Since it is a mouthful, just call me Boss."
"Okay, Boss," Cai replied. "Boss, can you tell us what happened here? Even rumors are fine too."
"Hah! Feeling chummy with me from the get go?" Boss gave Cai a thumbs up. "I like! Okay everyone, please sit. This will be a long story."
Perhaps due to the fact that he barely had anything to do, especially since most of the adventurers had left the Barony to go to more prosperous locations, the Bearkin happily engaged Lux and his friends in conversation.
"Actually, before this drought started, there was an incident in the city that I think is related to the current dilemma we are facing," Boss said with a serious expression on his face. "It was said that a pregnant Dwarf came to the city to look for the Baron's second son to ask him to take responsibility for getting her pregnant. The Baron's son denied it and even accused the lady that she was just spouting nonsense.
"When the pregnant lady was forcefully dragged away from the property, she had a miscarriage which caused quite a stir in the city back then. The next day, the lady went to the plaza to make a declaration. She said that since the Baron's son killed her child, she would make sure that this Barony would cease to exist.
"After that, no one saw her again. Some say that the Baron's son hired mercenaries to kill her, while others said that she was last seen in the Dark Plains, directly North from here. That place is said to be a cursed land, and everyone who had gone there never returned again. I don't know whether these rumors were true, but the lady losing her child was a fact, and her cursing this Barony was real as well."
Cai, who was listening to the story, ground its teeth in irritation.
"What a scum," Cai scoffed. "I don't feel like helping this Barony anymore. Come, Let's go back to Leaf Village."
Lux was tempted to say yes to Cai's declaration, but he had a job to do, so he coaxed the angry Boar to wait until the Bearkin finished his story.
Clearly, this story was still not finished, so he wanted to know everything before he made a decision.
Chapter 376 Whispers Of Ruin [Part 2]
"Well, I do understand that this is not a good story, but there is more to it," Boss stated after seeing the reaction of his guests.
"When the rivers and ponds within the territory started drying up, the people of the Barony feared that a curse had befallen the land. Although the people weren't superstitious, everything was going south, so they started putting blame on the Baron's second son, forcing the Baron to take the matter in his own hand.
"He ordered his son to go to the Temple to confess all of his sins to the Clerics and be cleansed from his filth. However, all the rivers and other sources of water continued to dry up. Things started to become chaotic then.
"The fields became barren, and even if Water Magic was used, the land remained dry and cracked. The forest surrounding the barony slowly lost its lushness, until the trees have turned into dry husks.
"The way things happened was very unnatural. Even if there was a drought, the trees wouldn't die like that. The animals migrated, leaving nothing for the people to hunt. With no food and water to sustain the Barony, many people decided to leave.
"All of them cursed the Baron's second son for what was happening, making the latter unable to step foot outside their residence in fear that he would be mobbed by the townspeople. Even the Guards turned a blindeye whenever the Baron's son was getting attacked. Truth be told, the respect that people had for the Baron is gone. Even I don't give a damn if their entire family were to suddenly kick the bucket."
Cai, who had been keeping quiet, stomped its foot in excitement. It was very tempted to charge at the Baron's Residence to demand justice, but after hearing the story, it felt a bit better knowing that the Baron had lost everyone's respect.
"This is what you call Karma!" Cai stated. "This is what you call Divine Retribution! Hah! Serves them right. Those bastards deserve to get mobbed!"
Just as Lux was about to voice out his opinion, a series of words appeared in front of him, making him hold back the words that he was about to say.
—---
< Emergency Quest! >
< Whisper of Ruin >
Mission Rating: SSS
– A bereaved mother left the Wolfpine Barony to take revenge on the people that killed her child. She knew that she was powerless to do anything on her own, so she decided to seek the help of a powerful Warlock who lives in the Dark Stepes, located in the Dark Plains.
– The Warlock agreed to her request. But, in return, she has to help him break the seals that bound a creature that had been locked away for centuries.
– You and the members of your group that have entered the Wolfpine Barony are now under the influence of the Curse of Ruin. Until you clear this mission, this Curse will follow you until death.
< Quest Objective >
– Find the Baron's second son and stop him from leaving Wolfpine Barony within the next 72 hours.
– Do not attack the Creature of Ruin. The quest will automatically fail if you, or any of your members, harmed the creature in any way possible.
—----
< Mission Rewards >
– The Curse of Ruin will be lifted.
– Your lives will be spared.
—----
< Curse of Ruin >
– An unnatural drought will follow you wherever you go.
– You will not be able to sire any children for life.
– You will be fated to die a dog's death.
—----
< Will you accept this Quest? >
< Yes / Yes >
< P.S If you don't accept this, you will die, so Yes is chosen as the default answer. >
—---
"...Sh*t," Lux muttered as he looked at the unreasonable quest that was in front of him.
"That's right!" Cai nodded its head because it thought that the Half-Elf was agreeing with its statement earlier. "The Baron's second son is sh*t! Um? Why did your face suddenly become pale? Are you okay?"
Lux used both of his hands to rub his face in order to calm himself. This was his first time receiving an SSS-Rating quest, which meant that this was a very serious mission, which also meant that this was a matter of life and death.
He had faced many close calls in the past, but nothing compared to this one. Each mission gave him the option to reject it. But, this time around, refusal meant death.
How could he possibly choose death?
Lux ignored Cai's question as he spent a few minutes regaining his composure. When he felt that he was calm enough to talk, he gazed at the Bearkin in front of him and asked him the one question that mattered the most.
"Boss, do you know a monster called the Creature of Ruin?" Lux asked.
The Bearkin's body stiffened when he heard Lux's inquiry.
"Creature of Ruin? Isn't that just a fairy tale?" Boss replied, but if one were paying close attention to his words, a trace of anxiety could be heard in them. "It's just a story to scare little kids when they're not listening to what their parents say."
Lux smiled bitterly after hearing the Bearkin's reply.
'What Fairy Tale? That creature will soon come here!'
The Half-Elf was very tempted to shout out loud, but he grit his teeth and endured the urge.
"By the way, where did you hear about this Creature of Ruin?" Boss asked. He no longer had an easy-going attitude and it had been replaced by a solemn expression that made Cai feel as if the Bearkin would suddenly attack them without warning.
Lux could tell that the Bearkin was hiding something, so he started to weigh the pros and cons of whether he should share with him the information he just received from the quest.
"Boss, let me ask you a hypothetical question," Lux replied.
"Oh? I like hypothetical questions," Boss stated while showing his canines. "Go on. I promise to give you a hypothetical answer as well."
The Half-Elf stared at the Bearkin, whose eyes had locked unto his body, waiting for him to ask his question.
"What if I tell you that the Creature of Ruin is real?" Lux asked. "And if we don't do something, you, I, and probably all of the people in this Barony will die. My question is this, will you help me keep this calamity from happening?"
Boss laughed after hearing Lux's question. A moment later, he reappeared in front of the Half-Elf and grabbed his robe before raising him high up in the air.
The Bearkin pulled Lux closer to him until their faces were only inches apart from each other.
A bestial growl escaped Boss' lips before he bared his fangs at the red-headed teeanger, who was struggling from his grasp.
"Who are you, and how do you know about the creature of Ruin?" Boss asked with bloodshot eyes. "Did HE send you?"
The Half-Elf didn't know if he made the right decision by telling the Guildmaster about the Creature of Ruin. However, one thing was sure.
The Bearkin knew something about the Creature of Ruin, and he needed to pry the answers from the Guildmaster's mouth, before he faced the monster, who was about to bring ruin, not only to him, but to the entirety of the Wolfpine Barony.
Chapter 377 Curse Of Ruin [Part 1]
The Bearkin's grip on Lux's clothes was so tight that no matter how much he struggled, he couldn't break free.
Eiko, who was perched on Lux's head, glared at the Bearkin and then spat a Water Ball on the Bearkin's face, making the latter lose his balance which, in turn, allowed Lux to drop on the ground, coughing.
"Oi! What do you think you're doing?!" Cai, who had been frozen due to shock earlier, finally regained its senses and stomped its feet in anger. "If you want to fight, let's fight!"
Keane frowned and remained on his spot, but his hand was now gripping the handle of his sword. If the Bearkin attacked any of them again, then he would no longer hold back and draw his blade.
Boss growled, but Cai and Keane didn't back down. Eiko was already glaring daggers at the Bearkin, and tendrils of crimson flames escaped her lips. She was on the verge of unleashing a Dragon's Breath, not caring whether the Adventurer's Guild would be destroyed by her attack.
"Everyone, please calm down," Lux stated after he regained his breath. "Boss, I think we should all sit down and discuss this in a civil manner. If you don't want to cooperate, that's fine. But, I would appreciate it if you don't get in our way later. "
The Bearkin's rank was that of an Initiate. Although he was stronger than Lux and the others, the Half-Elf and all of his comrades were not afraid of a showdown.
After all, Lux could easily summon two Initiate Assassins of his own, and when that happened, even the Bearkin would find it hard to defend against their all out assault.
Boss then took a deep breath before taking the chair that was blown away and sat down on it. His table had been destroyed when Eiko blasted his face with a Water Ball since his body crashed on top of it.
"First tell me, Did HE send you?" Boss asked. His gaze never left Lux's face, looking for the slightest change in his expression.
"First, who is this HE?" Lux asked. "I was sent here by Sir Nevreal to investigate the cause of the drought. I don't know if he's the one you are referring to, but I'm here because of his request."
The Bearkin heaved a sigh of relief after hearing the Half-Elf's reply. He was referring to a different person. If that person was the one that sent Lux, then the Bearkin would definitely start packing and flee the Wolfpine Barony in haste.
"Then, how did you know about the Creature of Ruin?" Boss inquired.
Lux crossed his arms over his chest before he held the Bearkin's inquiring gaze.
"I'm a Foreigner, we have records of this stuff," Lux replied.
Cai, who was listening by the side, glanced at Lux in surprise.
"We do?" Cai asked.
"Yes," Lux replied. "You're just too lazy to ask your Elders for information."
Cai pondered for a moment before nodding its head. It was too lazy to read any information regarding Elysium and preferred to just explore at its own pace.
The Half-Elf was just b*llsh*tting his way through this because he just wanted to get this mission over with. But, deep inside, he wanted to slap his pig teammate who didn't know how to support the people on its own side!
The Bearkin still looked at Lux with suspicion, but since he didn't know much about Foreigners, he decided to put the matter aside for now.
"Okay, what do you know about the Creature of Ruin?" Boss asked.
Lux shook his head. "I don't know anything about it. However, I have a feeling that it is an incredibly strong creature."
"Hahaha. Incredibly strong creature?" Boss laughed out loud after hearing Lux's reply. "You have no idea how strong this creature is. There's a reason why it is sealed in the first place in the Dark Plai:"
The Bearkin immediately shut his mouth because this was an information that he didn't plan to say. He just got carried away when he found out that Lux thought that they were just dealing with an ordinary strong monster, like a World Boss.
Lux knew that the Bearkin still held a lot of information, so he tried to try a bluff to make the latter spill the beans.
"I already know that the Creature of Ruin is sealed in the Dark Plains," Lux replied as if it wasn't a big deal. "Actually, the seals have already been destroyed. The Monster is even on his way to this town as we speak. However, even if we leave, we are already under the Curse of Ruin, so even if we run to the ends of the world, nothing can save us. However, the situation can still be salvaged if you cooperate with us."
The Bearkin's face became extremely pale after he heard the words "Curse of Ruin".
He immediately took something out of his storage ring and held it in the palm of his hand. The thing he took out was a purple orb and, at first, there was no immediate change on its surface, but several seconds later, a golden eye appeared in its depths, and started to look around, making the Bearkin drop it in shock.
"It's true!" the Bearkin exclaimed as the purple ball rolled on the floor until it hit Lux's foot. "I am cursed!"
The Bearkin covered his face with both of his hands, as he started to mutter something very quickly in a language that Lux was unable to understand.
Although he had no idea what the Bearkin was saying, he felt like it was a prayer to protect him from harm.
A few minutes later, the Bearkin sighed before looking at Lux with a fearful gaze.
"Is there a way to break this curse?" Boss asked.
Clearly, he knew from the start what this curse was about, and he wanted to break free from it as soon as possible.
"I know how to break it," Lux answered. "But, before that, tell me everything you know about the Creature of Ruin. make sure to not miss a single detail, or none of us will be able to make it out of this alive."
The Bearkin clenched his fists as if he was fighting a great internal struggle inside his heart.
However, this lasted only for a few minutes before he finally unclenched his fists with a sigh.
Now that he had confirmed that he had indeed been cursed, he had no choice but to believe the Half-Elf's words, or else, he would risk receiving the entire condemnation of his Clan for failing to do his duty as the Guardian of the Seals of Ruin within the territory of the Wolfpine Barony.
Chapter 378 Curse Of Ruin [Part 2]
"First, the Creature of Ruin is one of the Four Calamities in the Arondight Territory," Boss replied. "My clan is in charge of protecting the seal in the Dark Plains. However, a year ago, there was this weird Dwarf that suddenly appeared in the Dark Stepes.
"He seemed pretty harmless and just stayed quietly in his hut, so I didn't bother him much. However, after the incident with the pregnant Dwarf, things started to change for the worse. I thought that it was because of the seal, so I went there to check on each of their locations.
"The seals were still in place, but I could vaguely feel that the Creature of Ruin was starting to wake up from its slumber. If that thing really broke free, then we have no place to hide in this world.
"Perhaps you foreigners can escape, but we can't. This is why this Monster was sealed hundreds of years ago by my ancestors. The monster was that destructive. It can suck the life force out of the land it walks on, leaving only a vast wasteland where nothing can grow."
Lux who was listening to the Bearkin's narration frowned.
"If such a creature did exist, why seal it when you can just kill it?" Lux inquired. "I find it hard to believe that this kingdom didn't have the means to kill a monster of that Rank."
Boss shook his head before telling Lux why the Kingdom of Gweliven couldn't send anyone to fight it.
"This Creature of Ruin's Rank is on the Calamity Level," Boss explained. "You need at least a dozen Saints in order to beat it. And even if it is defeated, all those who fought against it would be cursed, making them unable to sire any children and an eternal drought would follow them wherever they go.
"But, that is not the worst part. The worst part is that this creature is able to revive itself after three years. Once it revives, it would appear randomly within the Arondight Territory. Only one creature of its kind can exist at a time, so once it is killed, a new Creature of Ruin will take its place.
"This is why, although it can be defeated, it can never be killed. That is why everyone decided to seal it, along with the three other Creatures of Ruin, using the full might of the Kingdoms within the Arondight Domain. Now that one of them has been freed, the Kingdom of Gweliven and its allies must mobilize their Saints, in order to seal it once again."
Lux finally understood why the mission rating for the quest was SSS.
'The quest rewards said that if I managed to fulfill the requirements, the Curse would be lifted and my life would be spared,' Lux thought. 'I am fighting against a Calamity-Rank Monster, and even if the Saints of the Kingdom of Gweliven mobilized, it was still a creature that even they didn't dare to kill no matter what.'
The other warning on the quest about not attacking the monster in any way, now made sense.
If one dared to attack a Calamity Ranked Monster, a calamity would fall upon their heads, in a literal manner.
"Boss, I have a plan, but you will not like it," Lux said as a primer before telling the Bearkin what they should do in order to lift the curse that had been placed on their bodies.
Just as he expected, hesitation appeared on the Bearkin's face after hearing the thing that they must do.
"Kidnapping or killing the Noble of a Kingdom is a very serious offense," Boss stated. "Even if we succeed in capturing the Baron's second son, we will be butting heads with the Nobility, and this will definitely not end well."
Lux nodded his head because he had already expected something like this to happen. However, he also knew that the Bearkin would agree to his plan in the end.
When one's own life was threatened, they would definitely prioritize their own. Also, if they told the aristocrats that all that was needed to appease the Creature of Ruin and prevent it from destroying the entire Kingdom of Gweliven was to hand over the Baron's second son who committed a crime in the first place, would they object?
The Half-Elf was sure that if the King were to choose between his Kingdom and the life of one scum, he would definitely choose the former and ensure that his citizens wouldn't have to worry about the Creature of Ruin that was currently headed to the Wolfpine Barony.
While Lux was trying to convince the Guildmaster to cooperate with him, several carriages, which were escorted by mounted guards, entered the gates of the city.
The emblem embedded on the side of the carriage held the crest of the Royal Family of Gweliven.
"Did we finally arrive?" a young lady with light-brown hair and green eyes asked.
One of her maids nodded her head in affirmation.
"We have arrived, Your Highness," the Maid replied. "This is the city that belongs to the Baron of the Wolfpine Territory."
"Well, it's about time. My brothers are already racking up achievements, and I need to catch up no matter what."
"Don't worry, Your Highness. We have brought experts in the field and hired the best Adventurer Party in the kingdom. With their help, we might be able to solve the drought problem, allowing you to gain favor in His Majesty's eyes."
The pretty princess smiled like a flower because she felt as if she had gotten her second wind. She was one of her father's favorites, which was why she was allowed to participate in the battle for succession.
Now that a golden opportunity had arrived, she would be a fool to not take the chance to get ahead of his brothers, who were currently competing with each other.
"Send a rider to the Baron's Residence," the pretty Princess ordered. "Inform them of our arrival. Make sure to tell them who I am, so that they will prepare the welcome I deserve."
The maid bowed respectfully before replying to her Master's orders. "Yes, Your Highness."
Chapter 379 A Variable Has Appeared [Part 1]
"As an individual, I would like to help you kidnap the Baron's second son. Unfortunately, I can't do that," Boss stated. "I am a Guildmaster of the Adventurer's Guild, and I can't ruin my organization's reputation because of my personal desires. But, that doesn't mean that I can't help you in other ways."
The Bearkin knew how serious the situation was, so he had already thought of a way to help Lux without jeopardizing the organization he belonged to.
"I promise that I and the other adventurers remaining in this city will not get in your way," Boss said. "Also, if the Baron ever asks us to pursue you, we will accept his orders on the surface, but we will not act on it."
Lux nodded. "That's fine. As long as the Adventurer's Guild doesn't get in our way, then that is already a big help to make it easier for us to reach our goal."
The Bearkin rubbed his chin as he looked at the Half-Elf. Now that they had both exchanged information, all that was left to do was to decide on what both of them would be doing next.
"All we need to do is keep the Baron's second son here in the Wolpine Barony for three days, right?" Boss inquired.
"Yes," Lux replied. "It is my guess that if he leaves Wolfpine Village during those three days, the Creature of Ruin would chase him, and in turn, it would pass through villages, towns, and even cities, leaving a trail of destruction behind. We must not allow such a thing to happen."
Boss sighed as he nodded his head in agreement. The Kingdom of Gweliven only had two Saints at the moment.
These two Saints had lived their lives away from politics, and didn't meddle with the affairs of the Kingdom of Gweliven, but during times of need they would appear to lend their hand.
However, even if they worked together, just the two of them would not be enough to stop the Creature of Ruin that had only been sealed by the combined might of all the Kingdoms within the Arondight Territory.
"I will also inform the Main Headquarters of the Adventurer's Guild in the capital city," Boss stated. "They will be the one to relay this information to the King's ears, allowing him to act accordingly. But, I just want to confirm one thing. Are you sure that the Creature of Ruin has broken the seals that bound him?"
"I'll be perfectly honest, I'm not really sure," Lux replied. "But I assume that it is so."
He only assumed that the Creature of Ruin had broken free due to the information about the quest that was available to him.
Boss frowned as he contemplated whether he should send word to the capital or not. He had only met Lux lately, and he didn't know if he could be trusted. Nevertheless, this news was simply too big to ignore, so he decided to only send a message to the capital after he personally checked if the seals were really broken or not.
"Okay, I will take my men to check the seals in the Dark Plains," Boss said. "This will also be a good excuse so that the Baron won't be able to contact me."
"Sounds like a plan. We will be staying at the White House Inn," Lux commented. "If the seals are broken, make sure to inform us as soon as possible."
"Okay. That sounds reasonable."
"Thank you."
After reaching an agreement, Lux and his friends went to the White House Inn to book three rooms.
Since they needed to stay for three days in the Wolfpine Barony, that also meant that they had plenty of time to investigate and snoop around the Baron's Residence to look for the whereabouts of the Baron's second son.
When Lux was in the privacy of his own room, he summoned Ishtar to give her an order.
"Ishtar, scout the Baron's Residence and check how many guards they have," Lux ordered. "Make sure to include detailed information about how strong they are. Look for possible escape routes while you're at it. We will need this information if we are to sneak in inside their residence and kidnap the Baron's second son."
"Understood, Master," Ishtar replied before opening the window of the room.
A moment later, she turned into a black mist and disappeared completely.
This was the first time that Lux and his friends had been to Dunspear City, so after two hours of rest, they went out to explore the city to get a better understanding of the current situation of the people that lived there.
"As a Nomadic Tribe, we've seen many places," Cai said as it walked beside Lux. "But, I've never seen something as tragic as this."
Lux agreed with Cai's statement because everyone in the city was currently living pitiful lives. No matter where they went, they could only see the exhausted faces of the people that lived in the city.
No smiles could be seen and no laughter could be heard anywhere.
Simply put, the Wolfpine Barony was simply surviving due to the support of the Royal Family.
There were food supplies that were transported to the Barony from the nearby territories, but it was not enough to allow the people living here to eat properly.
Even the Tavern where they stayed didn't give out nor sold any food. The only way to eat was to hunt, but hunting was also extremely hard due to the current circumstances.
After strolling for a few hours, the three returned to their tavern to rest. They brought plenty of supplies with them, so they weren't worried about food and water.
Just as they entered the Tavern of the Inn, they heard people chatting with each other while eating peanuts.
"Have you heard? A Royal seems to have arrived in the city today."
"Really? Do they have that much free time to visit this desolate place?"
"It's true. I saw their carriages earlier and they were headed to the Baron's Residence."
"Weird. I don't see any good reason why a member of the Royal Family would visit that bastard Baron who raised a scummy son."
"Hush... you already know what happened to the people that opposed the Baron's son. If you don't want to disappear mysteriously, you will keep your opinion inside your head and deal with it accordingly."
Lux frowned after his ears picked up the gist of the conversation.
'A variable has appeared,' Lux thought as he made a gesture for Cai and Keane to sit at a table near the Dwarves, who were happily chatting about the new arrivals in their city. 'This is bad. If a member of the Royal Family had arrived, that meant that they brought Elite Guards with them.'
Lux had to consider this matter carefully because the appearance of a member of the Royal Family could ruin the plan he had in mind.
As if proving that his thoughts were right, the connection he had with Ishtar suddenly broke, making the Half-Elf's face turn pale.
Before his Nightstalker died, Ishtar was still able to say a few words to him, and those words made Lux curse internally.
"Master, be careful. A Ranker is here!"
Those were the last words that Ishtar said to him before their connection was cut. Clearly, it spelt bad news to the Half-Elf, who didn't expect that someone that powerful would suddenly arrive in the city, before he could think of a way to kidnap the Baron's second son.
'Great, how else could this possibly get worse?' Lux sighed in his heart.
It was at that moment when the door of the Tavern suddenly opened. A Dwarf with green hair and red eyes, who could be considered a mature beauty, walked up to Lux's table and pressed a hand on his shoulder.
"I just killed an Undead earlier, and I followed the faint connection it had with its Master," the green-haired Dwarf said as the grip she had on Lux's shoulder tightened, holding him in a vice grip.
She then lowered her head and whispered in a voice that only Lux could hear.
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't tell the Baron that a Necromancer is snooping around his residence," the green-haired Dwarf said. "If I don't like your answer, I will break your limbs and drag you to Baron, so he can personally punish you for trespassing on his private property."
Chapter 380 A Variable Has Appeared [Part 2]
Murphy's law states that anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.
When people think that things couldn't possibly get any worse, it would get worse.
Lux wanted to slap himself silly for raising a flag for himself, which happened just minutes after Ishtar died.
The rowdy Tavern descended into silence the moment the Dwarf appeared.
The green-haired Dwarf was wearing the coat of arms of the Gweliven Royal Family, indicating that she was one of the personal guards of the Royal.
For most people, this was the highest form of honor, and to some, their uniform was a symbol of power and prestige because only the best would be able to wear the uniform that the green-haired Dwarf was wearing.
"Um, I think you have misunderstood something here," Lux replied. "I am not a suspicious person."
"That is what suspicious people always say," the green-haired Dwarf commented. "Also, even though I've had the opportunity to see Humans in the past, I've never seen one that has ventured this far within our Kingdom. In my eyes, you are the most suspicious people that I have come across, so you better stop spouting nonsense and answer my question."
The Dwarves in the Tavern looked at Lux and his friends with vigilance. Just like the green-haired Dwarf said, having Humans this deep in their territory was not a common occurrence.
Although they didn't make it too obvious earlier, they were quite wary of Lux, and his friends, because they were all Foreigners.
(A/N: Just in case you all forgot, Foreigners is the term Elysians used to describe Solaians.)
Just as Lux was about to take something out of his storage ring, the green-haired lady's grip on his shoulder tightened, making Lux cry out in pain.
"Don't do anything stupid," the green-haired Dwarf said icily. "This is your last warning. If you do something suspicious I'll snap your neck."
Lux wanted to rebuke the Dwarf lady, but since she was a Ranker, he decided to play it safe and just use the lifeline that was available to him.
"I am going to take a golden locket out of my storage ring," Lux said. "After you see it, you will know who I am. So, do you mind if I take it out to show you?"
The green-haired Dwarf pondered for a bit before nodding her head. However, her grip on Lux's shoulder remained firm.
The Half-Elf took out the Golden Locket of the Griffin, and showed it to the green-haired lady, who immediately frowned after seeing it.
Without asking for permission, she took the locket from Lux's hands and observed it with a critical gaze. She rolled it over in her hands, opened it, and looked at it from different angles.
After confirming that the locket was authentic, she handed it back to Lux and removed her grip from his shoulder.
"Let's talk outside," the green-haired Dwarf ordered as she made a gesture for the red-headed teenager to stand and follow her.
"Stay here," Lux said to his friends. "I'll be fine."
Cai and Keane nodded their heads. They had already sensed how strong the green-haired lady was, so they didn't do anything reckless when Lux was being held in a vice grip.
The two knew that even if they worked together alongside Lux, it would be impossible for them to beat the Ranker, who seemed to be employed by the Royal Family.
As soon as Lux stepped outside of the Tavern, a strong gust of wind blew over him, wrapped him up securely, which prevented him from moving. A second later, he found himself flying through the air at great speeds.
"Good, let's talk here," the green-haired Dwarf said after finding a suitable place to talk that was far away from the city. "First, I don't believe that you are a member of the Order of the Griffin. I've met all of their members, so I am sure that you are not one of them.
"Also, I highly doubt that His Majesty would make a Human, especially a Foreigner, part of his private force. You made one mistake, Human. Not all Dwarves, especially those who sit in high positions in this nation, know the existence of the Order of the Griffin. You can't just flash your golden locket thinking that anyone who saw it would recognize it right away."
"E-Eh? But I was told that I should just show it to the guards and members of the military if I ever needed their assistance when dealing with a difficult mission," Lux replied with a face filled with injustice.
"Fool, you are supposed to show your emblem to the secret service that would then contact the authorities to get the support you need," the green-haired Dwarf replied in an annoyed manner. "Didn't they even tell you something so basic?! Who was the one that gave you the golden locket? Was it Galileo? Was it that bastard Charles? Or that snot-faced Nevreal?"
Lux, who had been called a fool, wasn't able to defend himself from the one-sided nagging that was being hurled in his direction.
"Miss, can you calm down first?" Lux asked. "How about we talk like civilized people? Also, why are you so familiar with how the Order of the Griffin works? Are you one of its members?"
The green-haired lady suddenly stopped talking as she glared at Lux, making the latter feel that he was being stared down by a giant, when in fact, he was the one who was taller than the Dwarf, whose glaring red eyes made him feel as if he had stepped on a landmine.
A minute later, the green-haired Dwarf snorted.
"I am not a member of the Order," the green-haired dwarf replied. "But my Master is one of them. This is why I know how they do things from the shadows."
Lux had a feeling that the green-haired Dwarf wanted to become part of the Order, but lacked the qualifications to get the role. He didn't know how the King decided who got to be one of the members of his private organization, so the Half-Elf had no idea why a Ranker like the green-haired Dwarf wasn't one of its members.
"I see." Lux narrowed his gaze. He didn't know if what he was about to do was going to work, but it was worth giving it a try. "Then, since you know of my identity, isn't it about time that you release me? I am on a very important mission, you know? Your interference is making it hard for me to do my job properly."
The green-haired Dwarf once again snorted after she heard Lux's words.
"Like I said earlier, I don't recognize you as one of the members of the Order," the green-haired dwarf replied. "Now, tell me why you are here in the Wolfpine Barony, or else, I'll take you to the Mayor's Residence tied up like the pig you are."
"Sorry, but I can't tell you that. If you want to know why I am here, you should get in touch with Nevreal. He is the one that requested that I come to this place."
"Nevreal? So it's that snot-nosed old man who doesn't know when to call it quits. I see... so this is about the merit system. Now I understand your purpose for coming."
The green-haired Dwarf then smiled evilly as she approached Lux.
"You are here to get in the way of Her Highness' ascension," the green-haired Dwarf said coldly. "Since that is the case, I should deal with you right here, right now."