"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 method 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 sometimes 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 somewhat 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 same 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 some 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 mention 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 me a hint when I was about to make a choice, from what I understood of the wild enchantment 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 medieval Earth, where meat 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 time 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.
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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 me. The search was as fruitful as the burnt orchards I mentioned 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 me, 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 something 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 mermaids and their clans, thank you. It also allowed me 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 time 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 meet 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 something to mask his Status. Some values like HP and MP flickered from time to time. This guy was some 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 me 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 something against fairies, you poor mortal?" Nenandil added, already pitying the guy.
"I'm terribly sorry, my Ladies. I swear I mean no harm," He answered as he seemed 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 mesmerized 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 me like that."
He grimaced and mumbled, "I know that very well." Damn, that was creepy. Was he aware of who I was? Without mentioning 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 come 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 home. I helped one group or another, but curse my Luck, I'm always booted out. I'm looking to work for hire. Maybe some 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 me. If you may excuse me," 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 meeting was with him in that tavern. Who was that guy and how did he relate to me? I had to know. I turned invisible and phased out as I went after him.
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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 some rocky hills and entered a cave. Two hundred meters in pitch-black darkness that didn't slow him down, he slouched against a flat wall to rest.
"Damn, why is she after me!?!" He cursed. "Did she figure me out? Is she chasing me?" He shuddered at the thought. The guy was shaking, clearly afraid of us.
I sneered back at her. Nenandil snickered as she blew me a psychic raspberry.
The Neraidaphobe hugged his knees and rocked himself. His breathing was irregular and his fast-pumping pulse told me he was in an irrational flight or fight mindset.
"I know you are there, I can sense you!" He shouted, his baritone voice echoing in the cavern. "Show yourself!"
This kind of thing was a ploy. If someone gullible or unsure of their abilities was really here, they'd show themselves thinking they were caught. If he was truly alone, nobody would appear and he wouldn't have made a disappointment out of himself. The real danger was his current situation. I was right in front of him but I hadn't shown myself neither he had detected me.
"Leave me alone!" He whimpered. "I just want to go home! Stupid world!" He said as he kept rocking himself and swinging his head to look up and down the tunnel.
Nenandil tapped her chin,
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I conjured a phantom choir and a sample of marching band instruments at the mouth of the cavern. Then I blasted it with something only someone from Earth would recognize.
> God save the South, God save the South,
>
> Her altars and firesides, God save the South!
>
> Now that the war is nigh, now that we arm to die,
>
> Chanting our battle cry, "Freedom or death!"
>
> Chanting our battle cry, "Freedom or death!"
The [Scout] jumped to his feet and gawked in the general direction of the exit. "NO! You will never catch me!" He shouted before darting deeper inside the cavern.
I put my fists on my hips,
Nenandil cringed,
I felt the tug again. Go after the [Scout] or miss him entirely, forever. I followed him down the cavern.
We reached a fork in the tunnels, Nenandil pointed in one direction,
The fairy stopped in front of me and held a hand out,
I playfully hissed,
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 me. "You didn't react badly when I took it. It's not Mana Madness. Okay, good. Now, replying to your questions, you're welcome. 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 me, I shouldn't touch it. The [Scout] got away for good, I suppose.
I mean, there's no way I would find him again a third time out of the blue, right?