Chapter 8
What am I doing?
It was perhaps the twenty-third ti Nel had asked herself this question over the course of the day while she smiled beside Da Verilyn at the counter of the rchant stand. As the hours wore on and evening fell, the true power of the ratman stand ca into play.
What had started out as a slightly upscale rchant stand gained in lustre until Nel could only compare it to the outlet of a high-profile atelier in Arwintar. At the centre of the tasteful displays glittering softly under magical lighting stood Da Verilyn, who tirelessly interacted with the seemingly endless flow of custors. The Dragon-turned-Elf was now an Elf-turned-Human…or sothing like that.
This Human form had – at least in Nel’s humble estimation – three tis the impact as her Elven one. People that weren’t even prospective custors crowded around, waiting for the chance to speak with the enchanting woman ‘running’ the rchant stand. For Da Verilyn’s part, she didn’t care that they didn’t buy anything. Everyone received a bit of her attention and ti, walking away with a bit of happiness.
The subdued market gained an energy it probably hadn’t had since before the Eighth Legion was disbanded. n and won ca and went; goods and information flowed freely, and Nel Gran started to comprehend the absolutely ridiculous calibre of Da Verilyn.
Spying? Subterfuge? Who needed that? Certainly not Da Verilyn. The entire world seed to just co up to lay itself bare in a desperate effort to please her.
A voice from under the covered table drifted up at her.
“Officer Gran, if you please.”
Nel looked down to see a bag held up in a ratman apprentice’s paws. She gingerly reached down to pick it up and place it on the counter. The operation of the stand was an intricate thing in itself. While Da Verilyn managed the displays and interacted with visitors, Master Chiru negotiated sales. The apprentice hidden under the table helped with transactions while the other three were in the tent managing inventories.
Even Nel was incorporated. An officer of the Sixth Legion’s Imperial Air Service wing, providing security to…valuable inventories? A guard for a stunning beauty? Or was she there to reassure those who were worried about the ratn? Her presence reinforced the sense of legitimacy that such a high profile business should have; she even cast spells to ensure that asures were accurate and goods were as advertised.
This is probably not what General Ray had in mind…
She was doing what she could to help, but it wasn’t really the sort of ‘help’ that made one stand out. Keeping track of everything that Da Verilyn did was impossible, and it felt like any extra effort she put in in an attempt to assist her would only be an impedint. Nel wasn’t even sure how she would report things. It would be even more boring than a day on patrol without incidents.
There was nothing important of note that soone like General Ray would be interested in; no spies or other agents to identify. Rather than that, everyone had effectively beco a ‘spy’ for Da Verilyn. The range of information that she collected was so broad that Nel couldn’t discern any patterns whatsoever, nor could she rember most of what Da Verilyn discussed with the stand’s visitors.
Nel couldn’t even know what the Frost Dragon had possibly observed, as a Dragon’s senses were far beyond those of a Human. Da Verilyn had recognized Nel’s face from over 5,000 tres away – as long as she had an unobstructed line of sight, she could read things without anyone at all realising that she had.
The tales of Dragons simply didn’t do them justice…or perhaps it was simply Nel who hadn’t truly appreciated what was conveyed. Dragons were wise. Dragons were powerful. Dragons were an existence that stood far above re mortals. The tales did say that, but it felt like no one ever considered what it actually ant. To most – Nel included – it was all shoved aside to make room for the image of a monstrous threat to be vanquished or avoided.
Dragons were simply unfair. And why did people always think that they were always ‘elsewhere’? Looking over at Da Verilyn, Nel wondered if there wasn’t one living cosily in Arwintar unbeknownst to all of its neighbours.
Late in the evening, Master Chiru decided that they had done enough for the day. As Nel helped to put everything away, a wave of dizziness overca her. Soone steadied her from behind, lifting the heavy crate she was carrying smoothly from her hands.
“Officer Gran,” Da Verilyn said, “are you alright?”
“I…thank you. I’m just feeling a bit lightheaded.”
“I don’t recall you eating anything since you arrived at the inn last night.”
She was right. Swept away by events beyond her control and desperately trying to figure things out, she hadn’t eaten anything since the baked potato in Arwintar.
“Shall we go sowhere for dinner?”
“I can head over to the garrison for so–”
No, she should avoid the garrison. General Ray might have left further instructions for her or left demands for a report with the office. She needed to minimise his influence and personally appeal to Da Verilyn.
Nel nodded silently and she left the plaza with Da Verilyn, one arm in hers.
“Can you still use your Invisibility item?”
“We’re hiding ourselves again?”
“I prefer to avoid complications if possible.”
What complications? They could have been anything from being approached due to her appearance to evading Imperial Intelligence or so powerful, unknown enemies. She didn’t know what could possibly threaten Da Verilyn, but the Sorcerous Kingdom was a powerful nation that should probably have powerful enemies. Else it would have conquered the entire world by now.
They made their way back north towards the central plaza, and Nel could only be astonished at how Da Verilyn wound her way through streets with busy people who weren’t aware of their presence. One thing about Invisibility that its users quickly learned was that, even if people couldn’t see them, they could still run into them – usually at full force. If an invisible person didn’t watch out for themselves, it wouldn’t be strange to get trampled by horses or flattened by carriages.
“How about so bread?”
Nel looked up at the sign of the bakery ahead.
“That’s a bit…”
She couldn’t say it. The bakery was known for being very cheap, but it was also known for using grain from the Sorcerous Kingdom. Rather than try to hide this fact to promote sales, it actively flaunted it. The only custors were those who had fallen on the increasingly hard tis in Engelfurt. Not only did people fear eating cursed food, but purchasing anything from the shop was basically announcing to everyone that they were poor.
Da Verilyn seed to sense her trepidation and they wordlessly walked by, much to Nel’s relief.
“In that case,” the Dragon asked, “what about there? Humans place importance in such places, yes?”
Nel’s eyes widened once she located the establishnt that Da Verilyn was referring to. It wasn’t a place that soone with the salary of a Junior Aerial Mage could afford.
“How about we return to the Angel’s Rest?” Nel did her best not to pull away, “We can get a good al and take it back up to our room. You said that you wanted to continue where we left off last night, right?”
“Are you certain?”
Da Verilyn sohow sensed Nel’s nod through her Invisibility. Upon entering the central plaza, Da Verilyn’s steps slowed. Eventually, she stopped, but Nel couldn’t see the Dragon’s Human form, despite holding onto her. She glanced about nervously, wondering if they were being targeted by so equally powerful being.
“…this should be the Engelfurt Adventurer Guild branch, yes?”
Nel turned her attention to the building beside them.
“Yes, it is…why?”
“It feels rather empty,” Da Verilyn said. “Even if what you said last night was true, there should be work that the Imperial Army can’t handle…”
“How do you know that it’s empty?”
The windows of the Adventurer Guild were shuttered; its door closed. There was nothing to indicate that it had shut down, but it did look rather forlorn.
“I can sense it from here,” Da Verilyn told her. “There appear to be two receptionists, one person sitting in a back office and three fellows drinking around a table. They do not appear to be very happy.”
“Did you want to take a look inside?”
What was she saying? Da Verilyn already knew what was going on inside.
“There is so business that I have with the Empire’s Adventurer Guilds,” Da Verilyn started to move again, “but this one appears to be a waste of ti. Continuing what we were doing last night carries far more benefits.”
Business with the Adventurer Guild? Co to think of it, the Sorcerous Kingdom now had so sort of new Adventurer Guild. An Adventurer Guild for monsters…if Human Adventurer Guilds commissioned their Adventurers to hunt monsters, did a monster Adventurer Guild commission their Adventurers to hunt Humans? Or maybe she was here on a job to destroy Human Adventurer Guilds or kill a specific Adventurer. Or a list of them that had crossed her monster employers in the past…
Considering how insanely stealthy and powerful she was, Da Verilyn was the perfect assassin. She could probably snatch the Emperor right out of his bed and no one would even notice until they were long gone.
Back at the Angel’s Rest, Da Verilyn ordered two als. They were the hearty ones that those who perford heavy labour preferred, piled high with roasted potatoes, cured and roasted ats, and rich gravy. Then, the Dragon paid for both of them.
“W-wait,” Nel said, “I can pay for my own al.”
Nel’s hand went to the purse in one of her belt pouches. A sinking feeling filled her as she felt how empty it was: she sent most of her salary to help her family since her basic needs were provided by the army. What was left amounted to pocket money for the occasional indulgence. Expenses surrounding the operation of a noble house – even a minor one – built up quite rapidly.
The earnings of arcane casters provided for a more than a comfortable living, but she had more than just herself to support. Everyone in the family had to pitch in to maintain House Gran, or their ventures would collapse and a lot of people would be out of work.
“You’ve more than paid for your al already.”
“…I have?”
“You cast thirty-one cantrips and First-tier spells, plus four Second-tier spells while helping out with the stall today. I’m not sure what imperial rates are, but that’s two silver, five copper for the cantrips and First-tier spells alone going by the rates in E-Rantel. Do you take trade currency?”
Nel’s ‘pay’ appeared on the counter. Weren’t Dragons supposed to be greedy? Aside from that, even if she was released from her usual patrol duties, as an imperial officer her mana still belonged to the Empire. They went up to their room and, after wrestling with herself for a few monts, she placed the coins on the table between them.
“I can’t accept these,” Nel said. “I’m being paid by the Empire to do my job…well, this isn’t my usual job, but I’m still working. If anything, my spells are services being rendered to you by the Imperial Air Service. It’s alright if my expenses are being covered, but I can’t just pocket the rest.”
“I see,” Da Verilyn said as she settled into her seat. “You know, Lady Zahradnik and her friends would like you, I think.”
“Who is Lady Zahradnik?”
If Da Verilyn was a Knight from the Sorcerous Kingdom, was this Lady Zahradnik a Noble of the Sorcerous Kingdom? A monster Noble? Or would that be a Lord-type Demihuman…
“She is the Baroness of Zahradnik,” Da Verilyn told her. “I believe her territory once went by the na of ‘Warden’s Vale’, but it is only a small part of her title now. Hmm…her land is about as wide and long as the distance between this city and the border.”
A Baroness with that much land…shouldn’t she be a Countess instead? Unless…
“Is she a Noble from the border?”
“Why yes – are you familiar with them?”
“The Empire has a lot of border lords,” Nel said. “They’re basically the backbone of the Imperial Army. Almost all of them beco commanding officers or captains of elite companies. At least half of the Great Imperial Knights in every generation of Emperors are from border houses.”
“An army full of Lady Zahradniks,” Da Verilyn mused. “It’s a wonder that the Empire hasn’t conquered all of its neighbours with how long it’s been around for.”
Nel furrowed her brow as she nomd on a roasted potato. Imperial border lords were certainly more powerful than the average legionnaire, but she didn’t think they were that strong. Maybe this ‘Lady Zahradnik’ was a monster, after all.
“At any rate,” Da Verilyn continued, “Lady Zahradnik and her friends are all very, how do you say it…austere when it cos to their duties and business affairs. Dragons always keep their word and pay their debts, but they’re a whole other creature entirely.”
With her stuffed mouth, Nel could only nod slowly in response. The stories sotis said things like that. Even the evilest Dragon kept their promises and paid their debts. At the sa ti, repaynt could co in an undesirable or even horrific form, so the Heroes from the tales had to be very shrewd when dealing with Dragons.
According to her instructors at the Imperial Air Service, Frost Dragons were evil, feral and vengeful. Da Verilyn, however, was gentle, kind and forthright. Nel couldn’t help but like her. Maybe Frost Dragons weren’t all the sa, or maybe Da Verilyn was just a very special Frost Dragon.
Wiping her lips with a napkin, Nel took a deep breath, steeling her resolve.
“Da Verilyn, there is sothing I need to ask of you.”
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