"So you are, or were a kobold?" the elf in front of her asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Ves'ra asked back.

"No it is not. You look like a lizardmen," he said.

Ves'ra looked at the elf in front of her like the idiot he was.

"We look completely different!" She stated. "Lizardmen are some of the most ugly creatures I've ever met, they're too massive, their scales are too big their teeth look weird and their snout is all wrong," she explained. “Humans like you are just strange, but lizardmen are ugly.”

"Humans look nothing like us, but I see your point,” he said. “Say, you wouldn't be up to kill a bunch of them for us?"

"No. I don't involve myself in wars," she stated.

"It's not a war. There's not much fighting going on," the elf lord contradicted.

"A war does not need a drop of blood to be shred to be a war,” she stated. “I don't involve myself in killing other intelligent beings if I can avoid it.”

“Are you sure? Everyone has a price, what is yours?” he asked.

“I don't care about your human money. I don't need it, and do not see any value in it,” she stated.

“There are other ways to pay someone than money, name your price,” he said.

“You don't have anything interesting enough to even start considering that, no powerful monsters, and neither magic to speak of,” she stated.

“You don't know anything about our city though, you came here regardless,” he said.

“I know enough. The only halfway interesting thing you have is the shield, but that isn't all that advanced, I've seen better,” she said.

“You seem awfully well travelled for a simple kobold,” the elf lord said.

“I travelled for most of my life. I had to leave my village of birth because I awakened as a mage, not a warrior. So I travelled, explored the world, hunted for powerful monsters and got more powerful myself. I even evolved two times,” she said.

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“And how old are you?” he asked with interest.

“I should be somewhere around four years of age,” she said after a moment of thought.

“FOUR YEARS? YOU'RE JUST A TODDLER!” He yelled.

“Not really. I am a fully grown kobold. It's not my fault you all grow up so slowly,” she stated.

“I see. You do seem mature enough. So, you're here to hunt the earthworm that’s been plaguing the countryside for the last few months?” he asked.

“We are,” Ves'ra agreed.

“Would you mind waiting a bit? Summer is coming fast, and the earthworm is in a quite opportune spot for us, it's right near our borders, so you can think why I have not offered enough of an incentive to kill it so far,” the elf asked.

“I wouldn't mind. If we can spend the summer here, I don't want to do so outside of a city if I don't have to,” she said. “My people could use the break anyways. We have been travelling for quite some time now, and they need a break.”

“Good. Very good. Why do you not need a break though?” he said.

“I have something personal to do. I will have all the time in the world to take a break after I'm finished with that. But that's not a matter that really concerns you. It’s very much private,” she said.

“I see. Will it impact my city?” he asked.

“It won't,” she stated confidently. “So. Seeing as we are going to stay here for a little, do you have any lesser monsters around? My hatchlings need some training for their new forms,” she said.

“You're just offering to hunt monsters for us?” he asked.

“Well, I would send my hatchlings out to hunt regardless, they need to learn. And the best way to learn how to swim is being thrown in the water,” she stated.

“That's really not the best way,” he said.

“I'm going to keep watch of course, but they don't need to know that,” she said.

“Well. I don't know about that, I do not concern myself with monsters that do not impact our safety or our economy. You’ll have to ask the captain of the guard for that,” the elf lord said.

“I will do that. Now, do you have any building we can use for the summer? We can build our own if you don't, we just need some space,” she said.

“We do have some free space within the walls. But do know that every mage living inside the walls is required to help protect it in a time of need,” he said.

“That's fine. But only mature kobolds. I won't have my hatchlings in an unsupervised fight!” Ves'ra stated.

“Who do you think we are? We don't force children to fight,” he said outraged.

"We are in agreement then. Do you have any craftsmen capable of working with roc feathers? We can cobble something together, but we lack true expertise,” she asked.

The elf perked up, nodding.

“I can. We have some of the best craftsmen in thousands of miles, I'm sure they’ll be more than happy to help you out with something as rare as roc materials,” he said.

“That sounds perfect. I’ll find them. Bye,” she said, and turned around.

She marched out of the hall after the talk, more than ready for a good flight. Dealing with humans and their ilk was just exhausting. Her village could wait a little longer.