At night, a figure wearing a cloak arrives at the front of Yarpen's home.
“Come in”
The cloaked figure became stiff but relax, she walks toward the door and opens it. Two dwarves and a child were already waiting for her.
The cloaked figure became vigilant.
“Don’t fret, they’re allies. They are going to join the fun as well”
“You never told in the letters”
“I never told anything specific in the letters, I only said I can help you capture the Salamandra base, not who will join or how I will help you capture it”
“Hmph, point taken.”
The woman closes the door and pulls out her hood to reveal a short black hair elf woman.
“Your name?”
“Viritia, a half-elf.”
“Please take a seat”
“No need for courtesy, I’m here for business.”
“Okay then”
“Now, how could you help us captured the Salamandra?”
“Simple, I will give you all their mages members name, their trade, and transaction place.”
“And what's their role?” looking at the two dwarfs
“These two dwarfs will focus on salamandra influence inside the city.”
“Then what is it you want from this “cooperation”?” the woman never believe the girl will just give the information for free. She also has her doubts about how their commander can fully trust this little girl so much.
“Simple, I want a cut in the trading industry you’re going to capture in the hands of Salamandra."
"Hmm can be arranged, but the mage...I don’t think dealing with mages were easy."
“Well, if you can’t take down their mages then there was no reason for us to cooperate is it not? I’ll find another helper then”
Viritia frown trying to see the cons and pros in this situation.
First, taking down the Salamandra influence and capturing the trading route as their own was a big boost to their economy.
Second, taking the criminal syndicate will cleanse most of the bad influence on Vizima making the other native elf take a breath of fresher air.
Although she didn’t want to admit it, knowing who was the leader and killing the source was a very tempting offer. Although they, Scoia'taelt never care about local influence, they cared much to their compatriots living here.
Thinking of this, she just sighs.
“Fine, you got a deal”
Zoltan approach her and gave her the scrolls, she opens it and frowns.
“Trouble” she mutters as she saw a very familiar name
“Sorry but this information was very important to us, I will inform you tomorrow night after the decision was made.” Then she left the house quickly.
“Well, I thought she was going to bargain”
“She’s an elf dufus, elves don’t do bargain.”
“Hmm, right because they are rich. Ha coming to elves living in carts.”
Zoltan stretch
“I’m tired as shite, need to fucking rest.”
“Right, tomorrows a big day, where need to meet our brothers for the plan.”
“C’mon young lad, time to sleep.” Zoltan grabs her like a princess and brings her to the room.
Yarpen watches this and shook his head.
“He needs a woman, maybe he needs some loving care too” he murmurs imagining the woman he hired and grin lecherously.
-
The next day, a particularly strange thing happen. All Yarpens acquaintance was invited for a drink on his home, although they were scratching their head thinking of the reason for the sudden occasion, they just shrugged their shoulders. Well as long as its free beer, who cares?
So a house full dwarves were seen in the broad daylight, although it’s strange to see this on this day, no one seems to find it strange.
-
Yarpen looks around his brothers drinking of dwarf spirit freely, he can’t feel his heart sinking fast as his hard-earned orens was squandered in this group of bastards. But he reminded himself that he had done this for greater good…and greater orens.
He looks at Zoltan and nod, Zoltan nod in return and close the door.
The dwarfs became curious about what’s happening as they look at Yarpen who brought the wooden cup down the table.
“Brothers, I would like to talk to you so lend me your ears.”
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
The dwarfs mutter quietly.
“I would like to thank you for coming here despite what’s happening outside, to that I would like to toast you of my sincerity.”
“Stop talking poetry Yarpen, it doesn’t suit you!” one dwarf shouted
The other dwarf laughs loudly.
“Yeah, stop that, you don’t fit to be hierarch, because the dress won’t fit you mate.”
“Snort, shut up you pricks!”
Every dwarf gawks and laugh out loudly.
“Fine, it doesn’t suit me being polite then.”
He brought the cup to his chin and gulp it whole then he brings it down forcefully, making the table rock.
“Listen you damn fuckers, I have a proposition with you, this will be a job of a lifetime, if you do this with me, you won’t only have orens, you will also have the respect of every non-human out there even the prideful snits of those Scoia'taelt will praise us to high sun.”
Then everyone became silent, look at each other in dismay.
“Caught your tongue aren’t you? Curious?”
“Well is it dangerous?”
“Well do you think its rainbow and unicorns?’
“No?”
“Bloody hell no dimwit, this mission will be dangerous, and cause the death some of us.”
The dwarf looks at each other and hesitated.
“Hmph, cowards who only know how to crawl into their mother’s skirt!” looking at those dwarf hesitating in the face of danger makes him irritated. He hates cowards after all.
“Fuck you Yarpen, don’t lump us with those have tiny dicks.” An acquaintance of Yarpen shouted.
“What do you say?!” a dwarf beside him shouted with his saliva.
“What, you’re going to fight?!”
Instead of answering, the dwarf rushes forward and wields his fist. Then he accidentally hit someone.
“Sor- “
The one hit by the dwarf hit back. Then like a chain reaction, the dwarf's rumble began.
“Stop, you bastard! What are you doing?” Yarpen tried to stop the fight but he was swept, forced to join in the process.
“Sigh” men” a girl sitting in the middle seat away from the rowdy dwarfs, beside her was the middle-aged woman who was sending glance at Zoltan occasionally. The woman introduces herself as Leah, was a prostitute who met Yarpen occasionally for thirst sexual encounters. But despite that, she was a good woman and a good listener, she can be treated as a friend as she advises her about men and her experience making her blush with shame with her lack of adventure. She was only forced into this sort of job because life is shite.
She looks around the rowdy bunch punching each other face, she just shakes her head and releases a lightning shock around her, making all dwarf stun for 3 seconds.
“Now you all shut up to me!”
The dwarf becomes terrified and looks around vigilantly.
“Yarpen, continue.”
Yarpen cough embarrassingly and look around.
“Well, why don’t you all bastards sit down for a second before I talk?”
The dwarf looks at each other and shrugged their shoulder and follow.
Yarpen just sighs and starts to explain the reason for this meeting.
-
After explaining his plan, all the dwarf eyes became vicious and their eyes gleam with cunningness.
“So that’s my plan. Who wants to join me?”
Everyone raises their hand in vigor.
“Where are we going to start?”
“We will meet a member of Scoia'taelt tonight to discuss our cooperation as for when are we going to start, we will tell you as soon as possible, what you need to do is convince your trustworthy dwarf brothers and sister and ask if they are interested in joining us. But be warned, this operation must be a secret, no humans and other non-human must know of our plan or else we will be in danger.”
All the dwarfs' nod in understanding.
“Now go, leave this place before I kick your arse”
The dwarf starts leaving, muttering to their selves.
Yarpen sigh and look at the thrown cups on the ground.
“Bastards never thought of cleaning before they leave.”
“It’s not my part of the job right?” Leah said
“Don’t worry love, your job was- “
“Cough”
“Was to take care of this little girl” Yarpen said bitterly
“Right, that’s what I thought too,” Zoltan said
Yarpen just grunt.
“Now, Zoltan, bring me a quill and empty parchment. It’s time to draw a map.”
Zoltan looks around the wooden cabinet for a quill.
“You can already move your body?” Yarpen ask strangely
“Not yet, but the one that’s going to draw a map is you, you’re the one who knows this place the best since you have been living here for years.”
“Eh, probably right.”
“Here”
Zoltan brings things to the table.
“Can you draw?”
“Can manage probably”
“As long as its readable, it doesn’t matter if it looks like crap.”
Yarpen snort
“I’ll show you crap.”
-
10 minutes later.
“There, see for yourself.”
Yarpen brought the parchment to her front.
“Well, you can draw” she whistle looking at the detailed map
“Told ya”
“Then it should not be a problem pinpointing their headquarters then.”
Then she sent images of salamandra hideout, based on the maps on the game.
Yarpen watches the map on his mind and frowns.
“So that’s how it is.”
“Now what is left the Scoia'taelt and their decision.”
-
The night came
A shadow figure appeared in the front of the house again, this time, she directly enter the house without knocking,
The elf removes her hood and looks at the three-person in the room.
“We have decided”
“In what?”
“We're going to join your mission, in exchange, help us kill Jacques de Aldersberg.”
“If we do that, the order will turn against us,” Yarpen said
“Well, at least kill some of his guards, then our assassin can kill him.”
“I don’t think you can kill him with just simple assassination,” Joan said
“What do you mean?”
“Jacques de Aldersberg was a source”
Viritia eyes shook
“A source you say?”
“Yes, an ordinary mage won’t stand a chance against him."
“Why didn’t you say earlier?” she frowns looking at the girl
“What? You plan to kill him like how they kill king Vizimir?”
Viritia shakes her head.
“Looks like we need to change our plan”
“Don’t you have mage?”
“You think mages are cabbage?” she looks at the child sneeringly.
“Hey, no need to raise your hackles. Just asking.”
Viritia calm down and look grimly
“We have some mage true, but since the Thanned island incident, our mages became few due to imprisonment. Only a few elves mages managed to escape the lodge and exposition of their whereabouts was that last thing on their mind right now.”
“Then?”
“We can only help you with the other mages, but a source was trouble we don’t want to mess with.”
“Fine, let’s forget him for now. Let’s talk about the plan of attacking their hideouts.”
Viritia nods, Zoltan spread the parchment drawing on the table, drawing Viritia eyes on it.
“That is…?”
Vizima approaches the map on the table touch it as she appreciates the fine drawing.
“This is amazing; very detail I say.”
“I draw it” Yarpen push his chest proudly
Viritia nod in awe still looking at the map, then she notices some parts of the map was encircle.
"I assume that was the headquarters of the Salamandra?”
“Correct”
She looks at the various place they are located with, some outside the skirt of the Vizima, some inside the district even the order temple was among the list.
“And the location of the mages?”
“Let your mage locate them”
“Alright, what you have done was enough.”
“Need the map?”
“Can I borrow it?” she asked hopefully, having a detailed map will help in their operation.
“It was prepared for you, take it as a gift of our cooperation”
“Many thanks then.”
Viritia rolls the scroll and put it inside her pocket.
“One week from now on, we will officially start and you guys will focus on the village outskirt of Vizima. Avoid killing innocent civilians as possible.”
“That we will try.”
Then she bows on courtesy
“Thanks for your hospitality, I must go now, we need to map out the area and prepare our attacks.”
After the elf leave the three of them began to talk.
“So how do we handle Jacques de Aldersberg?”
“We don’t, he still needs to live temporarily”
“Do you have a plan for him?”
“Yes, he still has his used, killing now will just destroy my plan in the future”
“What is your plan by the way?” Zoltan asks curiously.
“Hehe, that’s a secret,” she said cheerfully