"You killed it? A fairy tiny like you killed it?" The [Guild Master] debriefed us. "It's right here, but I can't believe it." With a sigh, the human man produced two large bags of coins from his storage. " Here's the bounty for killing it, and here's the smaller bounty for providing the thod to defeat such creatures. The Mantursine was rather unique but we had reports of other demonic creatures wearing the pelts of others."
Calling a monster demonic was like calling it monstrous too in this continent. With this much miasma floating in the air and sotis crossing the mountains, everything was a bit devilish. Even the people. I scooped my prize, {Appraising} the bags to see the value of contents as I did.
"Thank you. Now, can you grant us the permit to cross the mountains?"
We could always fly over them, but it was less boring to play along and interact with the people. It was one of the keys to keeping my sanity sowhat intact after all these centuries and Lorna's biggest concern. I had to engage with the commoners, walk in their shoes, be part of this world. Otherwise, I'd ascend to the sa place the uncaring Pantheon now sat at.
"You earned it along with our eternal gratitude, little fairy. But would you please reconsider and sell us the body?"
The guy wanted to mount the Mantursine as a trophy.
"I need the Core and a few organs. I can sell you the body after I dismantle it, I can even do so taxidermy and reassemble it."
"No, the buyer wants it whole."
No way I'd leave such a precious Core behind. My only doubt was between eating it or adding the Mantursine to my list of summons. I had already re-allocated the al'Mi-raj and Khytaurpodi and was on the lookout for any third or fourth-tier dragon Core. But after the dragons vanished from the world to prepare for our epic fight, dragon Cores were as rare as non-monstrous chicken teeth.
The [Guild Master] gave us our travel permit and we left through the window. As I flew over the village, I felt a tug from the coin. It was pointing away from the demon side of the continent. I showed it to Nenandil.
"It isn't Lorna," the fairy remarked. "Who could it be?"
I sighed with a half-shrug, "No idea. But I feel bad to ignore it. I think we should investigate."
Excited, the fairy wished to brave the unknown, "Let's go on an adventure then! What mysterious place will this coin lead us to?"
Not to ntion demon hunting for Exp grind was exactly as boring as it sounded. We flew up and south-east-ward, guided by the coin. It didn't point like a tracking locator and only gave a hint when I was about to make a choice, from what I understood of the wild enchantnt my fairy powers granted the item. After I committed to following the guidance (or not), it would stay as idle as any mundane item.
Despite the epic guidance from the Coin, it was still like searching for a needle in a haystack. Or whatever it pointed at in a bunch of small kingdoms. While Pekothas vast distances led to the formation of massive countries and Auvanini's rather peaceful and idyllic old-world vibe led to stable nations, here in the Scorched Continent animosity and the ever-present threat of demon cults and raids from your neighbors led to small city-states and tiny kingdoms.
It also led to a slew of other problems like over-militarization, over-taxing, and technological backwardness as production and non-combat Paths were shunned upon. Most people had both default Paths allocated to different combat styles, the few that bought the chance to have a third or fourth diversifying into spellcasting or support.
Drawing a contrast with dieval Earth, where at was hardly ever present at a peasant's table, here it was fruit and vegetables that were the province of the upper echelons. The rationale was simple, people killed monsters all the ti and edible monsters were sold to feed the masses. Nobody had room for an orchard and whoever had one should better be ready to defend it from attackers. Most were burned to the ground out of sheer envy.
We spent a few months searching the countries and city-states for whatever the coin told us to find, while the enchanted living magical item kept mum. It was so fond of its secrecy that I couldn't see the Perks it was buying with the Exp it leeched from . The search was as fruitful as the burnt orchards I ntioned earlier. What was fruitful was the fact I could summon pristine produce to bribe soldiers and guards to leave us alone. Mirina would be proud of , I hadn't murdered anyone since we arrived.
One day, on a coastal city on the continent's northern shores, we visited the wharfmaster to see what was for sale at a good price. It was sothing I did to guarantee I had a good (make it humongous) supply of mundane resources, food, and materials for whenever I needed it. I wished no more issues with feeding rmaids and their clans, thank you. It also allowed to learn and buy the local specialties at very low prices.
As I left the wharfmaster's warehouse, Nenandil called my attention. "The Neraidaphobe is back!" She gasped.
This ti I turned around. The human with the crew cut hair was so nondescript I could swear he was disguised. Or he had a cognition-inhibiting Perk. Either way, he was suspicious as heck. The fact he was staring at us slack-jawed also didn't help. There's Neraidaphobia, and there's being rude.
"Hey, you!" I called him out as we flew to et him. The guy didn't move. He didn't blink. He just stared at us. "Yes, you! What's your problem, fairy ate your tongue?"
> Level 154 Human (Scout)
He also had sothing to mask his Status. So values like HP and MP flickered from ti to ti. This guy was so sort of spy, I decided.
He bowed, "My Ladies, how may I be of service?"
A court spy, then. He was too polite, too stiff. Or maybe he wanted to believe that and was pretending to be polite and stiff. Huh, what a mystery!
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"Who are you? And what's your problem with us?" I asked.
"Do you have sothing against fairies, you poor mortal?" Nenandil added, already pitying the guy.
"I'm terribly sorry, my Ladies. I swear I an no harm," He answered as he seed ready to drop on his knees and grovel. "I've never seen the fae folk in my life as there aren't many fairies here on northern Scorched, so I was srized by your beauty."
> Contested Charisma check won.
"Nice try," I snickered at his failed attempt at flattery. "But you'll need to do better if you want to defeat like that."
He grimaced and mumbled, "I know that very well." Damn, that was creepy. Was he aware of who I was? Without ntioning that I overheard him, I asked about that. "If I had to guess, I heard stories of the one who held an elder water fairy as a companion, one sung in many legends and rumored to co back from the dead. The [Siren]. Are you related to her?"
"Who do you work for?"
"Nobody. I am a wanderer, without a place to call ho. I helped one group or another, but curse my Luck, I'm always booted out. I'm looking to work for hire. Maybe so Adventuring party needs a [Scout]."
> Contested (Charisma Willpower) vs (Charisma MInd) test won.
The last check was to see if he was lying. He wasn't and I was sure of that. The guy was refined and had above-average education, reinforcing the hypothesis he was once trained to court duties.
"But I'm sure such distinguished fairies like you have no need of an earthbound wastrel like . If you may excuse ," he bowed and turned away, moving quickly to vanish in the crowd.
We didn't chase him as he was clearly trying to contain his Neraidaphobia.
But the coin tugged again, pointing at where he went. It all made sense. The one in a million random eting was with him in that tavern. Who was that guy and how did he relate to ? I had to know. I turned invisible and phased out as I went after him.
The [Scout] was good at hiding but I was better at tracking him. Now that I studied his magical signature, it was like a bloodhound chasing a scent, but on the Ethereal world. Like a ghost, I watched as he left the port city and tried to lose us in the wild. Poor Neraidaphobe guy.
He hiked quickly for hours until he reached so rocky hills and entered a cave. Two hundred ters in pitch-black darkness that didn't slow him down, he slouched against a flat wall to rest.
"Damn, why is she after !?!" He cursed. "Did she figure out? Is she chasing ?" He shuddered at the thought. The guy was shaking, clearly afraid of us.
I sneered back at her. Nenandil snickered as she blew a psychic raspberry.
The Neraidaphobe hugged his knees and rocked himself. His breathing was irregular and his fast-pumping pulse told he was in an irrational flight or fight mindset.
Nenandil protested.
I replied.
Nenandil cringed,
We reached a fork in the tunnels, Nenandil pointed in one direction,
I gushed.
The fairy stopped in front of and held a hand out, She protested.
I handed over the coin. "Fine!"
She waved her hand. "There, I dismissed the tracking spell. That guy is lost forever. You won't find him again."
I groaned.
"Say, 'Thank you, Nenandil.'!"
"Thank you, Nenandil. Can we leave the cave now? Can I have my coin back?"
She stared at . "You didn't react badly when I took it. It's not Mana Madness. Okay, good. Now, replying to your questions, you're welco. Yes, we can leave the cave. No, you won't have the coin back until your next life."
She tossed the coin inside the item box. I could take it out but it was a matter of principle. Until she allowed , I shouldn't touch it. The [Scout] got away for good, I suppose.
I an, there's no way I would find him again a third ti out of the blue, right?
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