by Phoenix Grey
Cheryl shook her head again. “Extremely Rare.”
He could see that, as well as that the book was of Epic class. It must have cost Janine a small fortune to acquire.
With an inward sigh, he asked his next question, hoping the answer wouldn’t involve any additional unscrupulous monetary compensation for borrowing the book. “Can I rent it? Take it out of the library?”
She shook her head a third time. “You read here.” Cheryl pointed to the floor. “Book. Library.”
Azure could only assume she meant that the book belonged to the library.
Disappointed, he scanned through it for several minutes, though he doubted he’d retain much of what he read. Apparently fearful that he might try to steal the book, Cheryl remained by his side, watching him like a hawk. It made it difficult for Azure to concentrate, and eventually, he conceded defeat and placed the book back on the shelf.
Oh well. He’d have to find another way to obtain a copy. Perhaps he’d tell Ruthren to keep an eye out next time he came around. For as much as they’d seen him on Crescent Island, he had yet to make an appearance in Squall’s End since they’d first arrived. It was kind of strange, and Azure hoped that nothing bad had happened to the traveling merchant.
With no other business to attend to, he thanked Cheryl and ate a few Blue Mushrooms before leaving Hawking’s.
Damn, did Azure ever love the ability to summon his own horse. It took him less than half an hour to reach his destination. There were still a few slivers of daylight left. Had he been on foot, he’d still be walking to the Crypt of the Mystic King. This new spell was a game changer for him.
Immensely happy with how the day had gone, minus the fact that he hadn't been able to obtain a copy of the bestiary, Azure whistled a tune as he headed toward the tavern. It felt a bit odd to have nothing to trade in at the market. The only real disadvantage to traveling by mount was that he couldn’t forage along the way. Still, there was nothing he knew how to make with the alchemy components around here, and they didn’t earn him a whole lot of coin, so it didn’t feel like that great of a loss compared to the time he saved.
Azure traded 2 coppers in at the tavern for a pint of beer and sat down with a meal of stew and a heel of bread. Taking his time, he sat back after emptying his bowl and Analyzed people as they came and went. His friends were nowhere to be seen, but it was a bit early for them to be coming in from their quests.
Once he began to grow bored, Azure retired to his room, only partially regretting not checking out the market stalls for alchemy components. With only 7 gold left, he felt dangerously low on coin. It wouldn't be long before he'd have to quest again.
As luck would have it, Lonnell and Uden returned to the room that night. Azure didn't feel anywhere near as grumpy about it now that he had his bedroll to sleep on. He unrolled it on the floor as Uden regaled him with the story of some boring-sounding Monster quest they had gone on. Everything on the mainland was still fresh and new to the half-imp, and he was taking it all in with wonder. When Azure told Uden that he'd learned the Summon Mount spell, he was all ears and interest. Then the conversation turned toward the fact that the half-imp wasn't making much coin from the piddly quests he'd been picking up.
“That’s why we need to do another bounty,” Lonnell said, though his voice held no hope that Azure would be ready. He was sitting against one of the walls, mashing up alchemy components in his mortar.
“Actually...” Azure hesitated, “I’m starting to run a bit low on coin as well. This bedroll cost a fortune.” He gestured to it.
“How much?” Uden raised an eyebrow.
“20 gold.”
The half-imp visibly cringed.
“Yeah. Needless to say, I’m broke again.” Azure stretched out on the bedroll. While he could still feel the stiffness of the wooden floor beneath his back, the bedroll did provide a slight bit of comfort. It was nowhere near the luxury of sleeping on a bed, though. Briefly, he wondered why sleeping on a bed didn’t provide the same benefit since it was more comfortable. Perhaps the bedrolls were infused with magic? There were still a few things about this world that he didn’t understand.
“We have to turn his quest in tomorrow.” Lonnell nodded toward Uden. “We could pick up a Bounty quest then.”
Azure rolled onto his side to face his friends. “It should definitely be Uden who picks it up. Since he’s a lower level than us, it will probably be easier than our usual bounties.”
“Are you calling me weak?” The half-imp narrowed his eyes at Azure.
“Yes.” He didn’t bother sugarcoating the response. It was true. In comparison to both Azure and Lonnell, Uden was incredibly weak.
“Then I guess you’ll just have to protect me,” the half-imp’s voice raised a few octaves as he pretended to be a damsel.
Azure rolled his eyes.
“Do you think Janine would want to join us?” Lonnell asked, which surprised Azure.
“Probably not.” Thanks to him. He cast a side-eye at Uden.
“We won’t need her anyway.” Uden waved the suggestion away.
“Maybe not.” Lonnell cocked his head to the side. “But it would be good to have her along, just in case.”
“Just in case of what?” The half-imp knitted his brow.
“You haven’t done a Bounty quest yet. They’re not easy.” Azure sucked in a breath, remembering everything he and Lonnell had been through so far.
“Even if they give you an easy one, we could probably use the help,” Lonnell told his brother.
“If you say so.” Uden sounded disinterested in the idea.
“I’m assuming you know which room she’s in.” Lonnell looked at Uden. “You should go ask her if she wants to come along.”
“I think that’s a job better left to Azure,” he quickly diverted.
“Maybe so,” Azure agreed. “It’s a bit late, though.” He tilted his face toward the window. Moonlight streamed through. Their shadows were painted on the walls by the lantern light.
“Better the chance that she’ll be in her room...unless she stayed out on a quest overnight,” Lonnell said.
“Perhaps.” Azure sighed as he sat up. “So which room is she in?”
“First floor. First door to the right,” Uden informed him with the slightest smirk. “Did you know that she doesn’t pay rent?”
“What?” Both Azure’s and Lonnell’s gaze shot toward Uden.
“Nope,” he mused, staring up at the ceiling. “She does quests for the innkeeper, and he lets her stay for free.”
“Do we have that option?” Azure and Lonnell exchanged a glance.
“I’m afraid not.” Uden rolled over onto his side, sounding apologetic for whatever reason. “Anyway, you should go before it gets too late. Dwarves are notoriously grumpy if you wake them.”
“Thanks for the warning.” Azure rolled his eyes as he pulled himself to his feet, expecting this to be a complete waste of time.
He left the room and headed downstairs, a bit jealous that the dwarf didn’t have to struggle to afford rent like they did. Perhaps that’s why all she had to do was Monster quests day in and out.
Azure hesitated before knocking on the door, Uden’s words playing through his mind about how she might be grumpy if he woke her. But it wasn’t just that that made him pause. It was also how Janine had treated him the last time they had spoken. There was definitely a rift in their friendship after her liaison with Uden.
Knowing that stalling wasn’t getting this over any sooner, Azure forced his fist to connect with the wooden door, rapping on it firmly enough that it should wake even the most deeply slumbering dwarf. No footsteps approached from inside. He tried again, knocking so hard that his knuckles hurt. When he still heard nothing, he assumed that she must be out for the night.
Azure turned to walk away. Once he had one foot on the stairs leading up, the door opened. Janine peeked her head outside, looking groggy.
&nb
sp; “Azure?” She clutched a sheet to her chest.
He flushed for second, his brain tricking him into thinking Janine was naked. Then he realized she was wearing a skin-tone shirt.
“Did I wake you?”
“Yeah. What do you want? And how did you...” she paused. “Uden. Yeah. Never mind.”
Azure didn’t bother beating around the bush. “We’re going to grab a Bounty quest tomorrow and were wondering if you wanted to come.”
“What kind of quest?” Janine rubbed one of her eyes, clearly still half-asleep.
“I don’t know yet. We’re going to have Uden pick it up since he’s the lowest level among us. It shouldn’t be too difficult if they match it with his level.”
“Oh.” She frowned. “So it’s not just going to be you and Lonnell?”
“No.” He shook his head slightly. “But you should still come along. It will be easy experience. Might as well cash in on it. I’m only doing it because it will be easy money too, but I know you don’t need that.” A trace of jealousy ran through him.
“I don’t know.” Janine averted her gaze. “Let me think about it.”
“It might be fun to break things up,” Azure pitched the idea to her one last time before she could disappear back inside. “I know it gets boring doing the same type of quest over and over again.”
“Yeah,” she agreed absentmindedly. “As I said, I’ll think about it.” Janine paused for a moment, as if mulling the idea over. “I’ll meet you in the tavern tomorrow night with my decision. I’ve had a long day, so I’m going back to bed. Good night.” She didn’t even look at him as she closed the door.
Azure returned to his room, not feeling very hopeful. By the time he arrived, Uden was already passed out on the bed. Lonnell had finished crafting whatever potions he had been working on and was cleaning his mortar and pestle off with a piece of cloth.
“So, what did she say?” Lonnell asked. “You were gone long enough. I assume you found her.”
“I did.” Azure took a seat on his bedroll. “I don’t think it’s going to happen.” He cast a glance toward the sleeping half-imp.
“He messed up, didn’t he?” Lonnell’s head nodded in his brother’s direction.
“He wouldn’t be Uden if he didn’t mess things up.” Azure smirked.
“So then it’s a no?” His shoulders slumped slightly.
“I don’t know yet,” he confessed. “She said he’d tell me at the tavern tomorrow night. She said she wanted to sleep on it.”
Lonnell sighed, placing his equipment into his Bag of Holding and then bedding down on the floor. “I suppose there’s nothing else we can do but wait.”
“I suppose not,” Azure hesitated, wondering if it wouldn’t have been better to send Uden in his stead. At least, they could have talked out whatever awkwardness remained between them. Trying not to think about it, Azure changed the subject. “Since we won’t get our answer until tomorrow night, I’m going to head back to Hawking’s in the morning to turn in my quest and grab another one. Magic School quests have no time limit, so I don’t need to be in any hurry to complete it. Besides, it would be good for me to have one more spell under my belt before we enter whatever fresh hell this quest will entail. And I already made an appointment with the school, so I can’t really bail.”
Lonnell smirked. “You have such an interesting way with words.”
“I meant that I can’t not show up,” he corrected himself.
“Ah.” Lonnell’s head bobbed. “I see. Then we all meet up at the tavern tomorrow night.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
THE REALM – Day 84
Azure woke fully restored and feeling like a million dollars. For once, Uden and Lonnell were sleeping in. Well, Uden was sleeping in. Lonnell awoke while Azure was putting away his bedroll. Azure told his friend to go back to sleep as he slipped out the door, but he knew that Lonnell wouldn’t. More than likely, he’d rouse his brother soon, and they’d head to The Adventurers Guild. It was none of Azure’s concern what they did with their day. He had other business to attend to.
He ate his breakfast at a leisurely pace and then made it to magic school with time to spare. Mareike greeted him with the same mental haziness of a stoner, gesturing for him to take a seat across from her. He handed over his quest paper, not bothering to say anything.
“How did she take the news?” There was no sympathy in the professor’s voice. She seemed too preoccupied with trying to find her stamp.
“How would you have taken it?”
She simply nodded, locating the stamp under a pile of papers and using it to messily stamp the word 'Complete' on top of Azure's quest paper.
Congratulations! Magic School Quest: Bearer of Bad News has been completed.
You have delivered the painful news of her father's demise to Twahallul Frozentale. She is heartbroken, but time heals most wounds. For your efforts, you are rewarded 195XP.
“There you go,” Mareike chirped with a smile. Then she just sat there staring at the stamped word for several seconds.
“So...can I learn my next spell?” Azure broke her from her thoughts.
“Next spell?” Mareike’s eyes shot up to meet his, full of confusion for a moment before they cleared. “Oh, yes. More spells.” She shuffled through the papers on her desk, pulling one out, looking at it with a cocked head, then sticking it back in to find another. Azure wanted to roll his eyes at her disorganization but refrained. Finally, after what was entirely too long, Mareike slid a few unrolled scrolls in front of him.
The first two were Transmute and Volatile Bolt, which he had seen before. However, the third was something new.
Spell Scroll: Summon Familiar
Quantity: 1/1
Weight: 0.0 kg
Mana Cost: 20
Range: 6 feet
Cooldown: Ten Minutes
Magic Class: Enchanting
Uses: Summon your own personal animal familiar. Familiar will remain summoned for 10 minutes. Familiar grants a +5 damage boost to your magic attacks. You cannot have more than one summon at a time.
Azure screwed his face, thinking about the spell. Considering that he currently didn’t have any spells that did actual damage, it seemed pretty useless to him.
“Will this add magic damage to my spells?” He tapped the paper.
Mareike twisted her neck to look at the scroll for a moment. “Yes. It will add +5 damage to any of your magic attacks,” she read.
“No.” Azure pressed his eyes shut. “I mean will it add damage to spells that don’t typically deal damage, such as my Dirty Move spell.”
“Oh.” She straightened in her desk. “No.”
“Then there’s no point in me having it right now,” he vocalized his thoughts, pulling the Volatile Bolt scroll closer. This one would be far more beneficial to him right now. “I’ll learn this one next then.”
“Okay.” Mareike nodded before turning to the wall behind her and saying, “Bibbity.”
Again the words bobbity boo followed in Azure’s mind. He stood as the wood began to creak and give way to the secret room. They walked inside, and Azure went through the motions of absorbing the spell, feeling the various elements enter him as he gained the knowledge needed to perform the spell.
Congratulations! You have learned the enchanting spell: Volatile Bolt. Though unpredictable, you can count on this spell to deal some serious damage to your enemies.
Well, that sounds a bit ominous. Whatever the case, Azure now finally had a damage-dealing spell in his arsenal.
When it was all done, they returned to Mareike's desk for her to assign him a quest.
Magic School Quest: Thin Out the Gnolls
An alarming number of gnoll guards have been spotted roaming around the small village of Mightrest. It is suspected that they may raid the village soon. Please take care of the menace to protect the vil
lage.
Difficulty: Easy
Success: Kill 10 Gnoll Guards
Failure: Cancel quest
Will you accept this quest: Yes or No?
“This looks like something that should have been submitted to The Adventurers Guild,” Azure pointed out.
“Mightrest is a poverty-stricken village. They couldn’t afford to submit it to The Adventurers Guild,” Mareike explained with a twinge of sympathy. “We get a lot of quests from the smaller villages. And stuff that The Adventurers Guild doesn’t think is worth paying someone to deal with.”
That might explain the last quest, Azure thought. “All right. I’ll take it.” He slid the quest paper off of her desk and stood to take his leave. “I have one more question, though.”
“Hm?” She looked up at him.
Azure lowered his voice slightly. “What race is Cheryl? I’ve never seen anyone like her before.”
“Cheryl is a forestborne. You likely won’t see any in the cities or towns because, as their name implies, they prefer to live in the forest. The only reason why Cheryl is here at this school is because she was a rescue. A wealthy lord had her captured as a fawn to be his daughter’s pet. She was later rescued and brought here because she was too domesticated to return to the wild.”
“Oh. Wow.” Azure couldn’t hide his surprise. That was far more of a detailed response than he had expected from the vague, spacy woman. “Interesting.”
He thanked her and took his leave, opening his World Map as he walked toward the entrance to Hawking’s. From what Azure could tell, Mightrest was almost directly to the southeast a good thirty miles away. Not wanting to waste any time, he summoned Flicker and set out.
The journey took a little over an hour, and the last summon was enough to level up his enchanting skill again.
Congratulations! The skill: Enchanting has reached Level 3. This skill allows you to bring the elements into you to create something new or change the things around you. Continuing to level up this skill will unlock the ability to learn more spells of the same magic type.