Ivory Online - The Dragon Knight: A LitRPG saga

by Daniel Annan

  Seeing as it was long overdue, I walked around the tavern, greeting my people who I’ve not yet had the chance to. In RTS games, population meant very little aside from production rates, the more you had the more gold you gained from taxes and the more labor you could put into resource gathering.

  But with the continuously surreal experience I’d had since entering this fully immersive version of IO, my suspension of disbelief had been hardened to rival that of diamond. Some part of me recognized that these people were basically zeroes and ones, but then again, weren’t I also zeroes and ones while in this form? Therefore, it stood to reason that I should treat them as well as I’d expect myself to be treated.

  Using my examine skill to get the names, I met a variety of people including Tarm, the town Blacksmith who managed the forge, Mark, The Captain of the Guard and head of the military within the walls, Madam Heria, the Rector of the fledgling academy and Tani, the head nurse of the new hospital. Since one night was too short for me to get to know these important people, I limited myself to introductions and asking how they felt to be in this town.

  The answers were somewhat pleasing.

  “Well my Lord, myself does say yer town be quite merry indeed. Minds me of the time myself lived in a grand city but simpler and nicer,” Tarm answered, puffing a pipe as he rested his back on the wall. “It smells a lot better too.”

  Tarm was a short, stocky fellow. If his character sheet did not tell me he was human, I would’ve thought him a dwarf. With thickly muscled arms despite his size, he looked like someone I’d have a hard time winning an unarmed fight against. Complete with brown braids and a brown beard so thick he might’ve been Santa Claus’ shorter cousin, Tarm was the ideal depiction of a blacksmith… had he actually been a dwarf.

  “What city did you stay in, if you don’t mind me asking?” I questioned with a raised eyebrow at his unique accent.

  “Well, myself stayed in Coshak, about twenny two miles from ‘ere. Wasn’t a bad place, mind ye, but the crime was a real bad problem. This be fer the thieves guild do make the city their own. Coshak has tried to deny it fer ages, but there be nothing fer it. We the people knew the truth. If yer Lordship was planning on retaining his coffers, I would advise not having dealings with that place. Bad fer savings it is.”

  His elaboration made me ponder for a bit. I had completed the thieves’ guild chain of quests in the RPG version of IO, which eventually led to me becoming the head of the guild and gaining some legendary armor that practically made you invisible. It was useful in IO for many other quests and especially dungeon crawling, but I contemplated the smith’s warning. I had learned a lesson from that red alert that warned me of war between my settlement and the Goblin clan, which was a direct result of my actions and my Seamless ability. Interacting with the thieves’ guild may have repercussions for my town, maybe granting my people boosts to unsavory skills or just generally leaving them with the sudden urge to pickpocket.

  “Thank you Tarm. I’ll be sure to pass by the Forge to learn smithing if possible,” I told him, patting his shoulder amicably.

  “What a mighty strange Noble ye are my Lord, talking to commoners and now wantin’ to learn mundane skills,” He replied with a curious smile.

  I laughed and walked off, bumping into a few people, some a little tipsy and most being right out smashed and on the verge of toppling over. If there was one thing that carried across time, space and code, it was the power of alcohol to unify people and destroy any reason they had after a few bottles.

  It was after a bit of shuffling that I met Mark, our town guard. He was decked out in full plate steel armor, with his helmet off, allowing me to see his face. Surprisingly, Mark was reasonably young, his sheet telling me he was 35 but his face looking like he was in his late twenties. With a blonde ponytail reaching the nape of his neck, strong angled jaws forming a solid butt chin and piercing blue eyes that told of a seasoned warrior, he was a perfect model of the older conception of military discipline.

  “I was one of the original settlers, M’lord. I came here with you as an escort when the Queen, bless her name, granted you hold over this land. I don’t think you would remember however, as you were strangely inactive and very quiet. Still, I am proud to be here and to protect our town with all I have,” He said, his eyes roving the area for threats at all times.

  I wonder how high his perception skill is.

  But he raised an interesting point. I was curious as to how the game planned to handle my sudden cognition this morning – well, a week ago to those who stayed in the city – as there was clearly reason to believe I existed before then. After all, I must’ve somehow summoned Fei and gained enough reputation to be granted this title as well as made the journey here. Mark had answered one of my questions. The other was, how long was I listless? I doubted someone who looked braindead would be a prime candidate for nobility. As I pondered this, a pop up broke my reverie.

  Unique Quest!

  Discover the secret behind your sudden rise to power before entering the world of Ivory Online as you are!

  Rewards: Rise in Rank

  Penalties: None

  “Think outside the box, my puppet. You’re usually good at doing that.”

  I waved it away and posed another question to my Guard Captain. “Which house did I come from? Did we originate our journey from the capital or another city? When was this land conquered and granted to me?”

  “I-I don’t know… I-I can’t seem to remember…” He muttered, clutching his head in obvious pain. “Forgive me my Lord, but can I have a moment to collect myself?”

  “Of course, enjoy the evening Mark. You deserve it,” I replied with a carefully crafted smile that did not reflect my feelings. There was something going on here and I smelled Vena’s evil all over it.

  I patted him on the back and left him to his devices, my attention taken elsewhere as I sought to mingle with my subjects and discover the key individuals who formed the various pillars in this small society. A few handshakes and amicable greetings later, I did happen to meet someone of interest.

  “So, in a feast where every man, woman and all in-between is either drunk, dancing or generally making merry, I find a lone woman sitting out here sticking her face in a large tome,” I commented with amusement, taking a seat opposite the woman in question. She was painful to look at and not in a bad way. Her character sheet told me two things I already knew just by looking at her. She was an Elf and the Rector of the Academy. Her name was Heria and she was definitely a sight to make any eye water. With flowing black hair that wasn’t as uniform as Mira’s, mixed with burning red eyes that spoke of intelligence, she was visual perfection. She was lithe, not overly endowed but not lacking, with pale skin and full red lips that drew my eyes for far too long. If Keith were here, he’d describe her as ‘the kind of woman you marry first and ask her name after the ceremony’.

  She tore her eyes off her book to regard the one who would disturb her. Her eyes widened slightly when she saw it was her liege, then narrowed down in displeasure regardless. Too see her lips pinch like that… God, if this was what the real power of women looked like, then we were lucky they aren’t interested in world domination.

  “Yes, My Lord. I find this outdooring to be very boorish, but etiquette demands I attend. Still, since I possess no aptitude towards debauchery and general foolishness, I opted to seclude myself here and further my pursuit of knowledge for the betterment of the community as a whole,” She said, returning her gaze to her book as if to end the conversation. I was sure she thought I was some above average noble whose intelligence barely allowed him to follow her earlier reply. Sadly, I was an intellectual who could speak the Queen’s English almost as well as the Queen herself.

  “Hm, I can quite understand your disparagement at the festivities that are ongoing, but would it not be peculiar for one of our venerated mainstays of society to segregate herself in such an anti-social manner? It might serve to create a hedge between yourself and
those who serve you. Especially when such spearhead is as striking as yourself,” I contended with a smirk.

  Her eyes narrowed once again, but a faint twitch of her lip told me she wasn’t as annoyed as she made herself out to be. I’d rather say she was slightly intrigued by the man she was bound to serve. All the better because I was definitely, totally, one hundred percent intrigued by her. So far, I had seen only humans in the town, with Tarm being the closest thing to a dwarf. To see a full blown Elf however, was as surreal as it was enticing.

  “Hm. When we traveled here together, I took you for a braindead dolt who had acquired power through politics. It seems there is more to your appointment than I thought,” She retorted with a frown, closing her book as she’d realized I wasn’t going any time soon.

  Her sharp words made my smile widen even further. It seemed she was more than just a pretty face too. With such a blunt personality, I could already envision the kind of fun conversations we’d be having.

  “I was simply listless at the thought of not being near you during the journey,” I whispered softly, looking right into her eyes.

  Instead of backing down or looking away, she stared right back. “Well, then that should explain your sudden cognitive performance, shouldn’t it? I worry for our little hamlet as it’s leader can only think past a few steps if not in the presence of a woman,” she countered, putting her book to her side. Her lips were now curled upwards into a slight smile. Even with her eyes still boring into me, she was clearly enjoying my company.

  I wonder. Did she seclude herself because she felt that she would be alien in most conversations with others?

  I certainly knew the feeling. Keith and I did not go to the same boarding school, so I was largely on my own during my senior high days. It was how I met Alan and Kathy. Originally, people were interested in me because I looked nice and was smart, but never stuck around when they realized just how smart. No one wanted a friend who heavily overshadowed them in anything, so they left. I ended up keeping to myself since some of the sendoffs were not as pleasant as others. I made it a point to drop by and visit my Academy’s rector for a chat every now and then. She could certainly use the banter.

  “Then I shall make it law for my Rector to stay as near me as possible. Would that not solve the issue of my astuteness?”

  “Only as far as a child can throw a stone, My Lord. I’m starting suspect that these issues may be much more serious than I first assumed.”

  We continued to banter for a few minutes, each reply getting wittier and a little more snarky than the last, even though her demeanor softened towards me. By the time I left, I was greeted with a very exciting prompt.

  __________________

  Your relationship with Heria has moved from Indifferent to Attracted.

  A person who has been charmed by your charisma easily finds themselves attracted in the case of the opposite sex and sometimes of the same sex.

  “I wonder how your lips taste….”

  __________________

  Well, it seemed like my visits to the academy would be more fulfilling than I otherwise hoped. Seeing as I was outside the tavern already, I decided to take a short break from the merriment, having greeted almost everyone I could greet.

  Fei, I’m taking a stroll to collect my thoughts. Could you check on Clarent for me?

  Sure, but don’t take too long! This party seems fun, Master!

  I walked through the alleyways of the town, whistling to myself as I noticed the general cleanliness of the area. Refuse had been tightly packed into cotton woven trash bags and placed in a pot similar to a cauldron, but with a lid. I guessed it was the medieval equivalent of a garbage can? The alleyways were pretty wide, with a footpath that had seen more than a few pedestrians. The general state of repair made me feel a bit happy, even though it was probably a direct result of Mira’s work.

  Thinking about Mira made me frown a bit. I still wasn’t quite reconciled with her revelation earlier. Still, the logical part of me understood her actions, but I wasn’t made of pure rationality. The more human part of me felt a sharp distaste at exiling those women for defending their person. I mean, worst case was I die and come back? They didn’t have that luxury. If something attacked them out there, they won’t spawn back here. The chances of that may be low, but they still existed. Then there was her ‘loyalty’ to her liege.

  Let’s be frank, this is a battle royale for player characters devised by Vena and her team. Her words were ‘the goal is the same as any battle royale, ascend as quickly as possible and wage war on other continents to claim victory’ which implied that I’d eventually gain control over this whole continent, with only the means being in question. If I chose to overthrow through war or sabotage, Mira’s loyalty may be a factor that would work against me.

  As far as I could tell, I couldn’t get rid of her as well. Since she was posted by my superior to watch over me, even showing such dissent may have me marked as dangerous. So I’d maintain the status quo and let things run as normal for now. Mira had done a fine job building up our little town so far and there was no reason to believe she’d want my downfall if I toed the line. What she did have no business knowing, was what I did when I was out there knocking up babes and defeating monsters.

  Unfortunately, I have been made aware that my Seamless ability will inform anyone considered to be a citizen of this city of notable events I performed when out adventuring. So… I was finally seeing the disadvantages of this God-like ability.

  “Well, it’s not that bad. I’ll just have to find a way to work around it,” I muttered to myself, frowning at the hurdle this might pose.

  Suddenly, I caught a red outline in the corner of my vision, my perception ability telling me something was out of place. It was turning my body to investigate this problem that saved me in hindsight. Similar to the events of a few hours before, I noticed a dagger hurtle towards me, my body moving with precision to arrest the offending material from the air. But that ability did not save me from the follow up that plunged into my abdomen, easily piercing my apparel and sending waves of fire from the point of penetration throughout my body.

  I fell to my knee, clutching the weapon that had penetrated my body weakly, feeling my strength leave me. I noticed my HP bar drop slowly as the seconds wore on, not comprehending how this was possible. Even in the case of internal bleeding, the game’s healing factor should repair that damage.

  “So the mighty Lord goes onto his knees when met with a force he cannot match. How poetic,” came the singsong voice of my assailant, wreathed in the shadows.

  Words failed me, as he only thing currently exiting my mouth was gobs of blood and hacking coughs. My legs buckled, forcing me to drop completely to the ground, my back thankfully resting against a wall.

  “So here comes the part where I explain my reason for sucker punching you in an alleyway. Who the hell even walks in a deserted alleyway at night, when there’s no one around for almost a mile? Idiots that’s who. Frankly, you deserve this for making it too easy for me,” they spoke on, my eyes barely able to trace the movements of the shadow through the gloom if not for the still glowing outline.

  “Hm, you can see me then? But not fully. No, you can see my outline. Good eyes. Might take them as a trophy after I’m done. Now you’re wondering why I’m going on and on with this inane babble while you’re leaking like a teenage boy looking through his first nude mag. Let me explain, cuz it’s pretty simple. I’m a player character, if you hadn’t already guessed.”

  A player character? So soon? It hadn’t even been a full day for me! And how was he able to do this? I was completely immune to poisons of any nature. More importantly, how did he even get into my town? How did he arrive here? How did no one notice him? And how did he know I was also a player character? The questions rattled through my mind faster than I could follow.

  Fei! Where are you! Fei!

  “Oh don’t bother. I know about your tiny familiar. I’ve been doing recon on you for a
week, from the moment your continent spawned, I watched your character develop. The concoction that is wreaking havoc inside you has cut off your mental connection to your familiar for the time being. You see, one of my earlier targets was also immune to poisons due to some boon that Vena chick gave him. So here I was with a conundrum and a desperate need to solve it. But you know what they say, where there’s a will, there’s a way,” the Shadow paced around, coming closer and closer to the light of the moon with each step. The fuzzy outline could not tell me whether they were male or female though their voice hinted at the former.

  “I needed to put him down so I could rant a bit before shoving his balls so far up his ass they came out of his mouth half digested. So I found a loophole. A bit of an epiphany really. You guys are immune to poisons right? But you still accept concoctions that qualify as medicines. So what if I created a concoction that is recognized by the game as a medicine but functions as a poison? How would that work? I don’t know if you have the alchemy skill, but the general rule of thumb is that the nature of the concoction is decided by the major property of the mixture.”

  “So yes, my dear stupid friend, you can have a combination that is 99.9% good and still die from the 0.01%. Frankly, it’s a pretty stupid mechanic, but then again, it’s not stupid if it works… for me,” He finished, finally stepping into the moonlight.

  My eyes widened in recognition of his character. He was dressed in a full body leather outfit colored black, with a hood and a mask being the main eyecatch. Daggers glinted in the gleaming rays, arrayed over his torso in bound straps. Throwing knives, what he hit me with. Not an inch of his skin was displayed, giving him an almost inhuman feel. His mask was carved into the two faces of drama, one side embodying the comedy half which was that of a laugh and the other of tragedy which was that of a crying face.