What transpired truly shook me. And that's an understatement. After all, it's not every day you kill three people, especially earthlings. Of course, I had no choice; I couldn't have acted differently. Moreover, I had to dispatch two of them instantly. My combat experience clearly indicated that Pyotr Grotter and Bushe George were out to kill, as they attacked first. I have no scruples about their demise - it was pure self-defense on my part. But the situation with Molly Moon was far more complex. Could I have left her alive, moreover, since she essentially confessed to embarking on a path of murder and sacrifice? And she had begun killing earthlings already. Had I released her, she would have certainly continued. There can be no doubt about that. And going by the insight of "my past self," with which my current self agrees, anyone who embraces the priesthood of Da'Nnan is an enemy of their kind. A traitor to humanity. Thus, by killing this psychopath, I did right. Nonetheless, I currently feel heavy-hearted.
This nauseating feeling was further compounded by the fact that my meeting with Arien did not go as initially planned. Yes, I accomplished my main objective, but several secondary ones got botched. For instance, I failed to explain to the future Goddess of Natural Magic the importance of admitting warriors into her guild. I simply didn't mention this detail at the outset, and then we didn't converse at all. Plus, it's not a given that Arien will decipher my scribbles in her notes. She might just toss those pages once she realizes someone dared to edit her work. I know for sure she can't stand that. Especially when such audacity happens without her permission. Additionally, I wanted to discuss and share knowledge about Ain with her, but it just didn't happen. However, I can't consider my meeting with Arien a failure. The main objectives were met. And more importantly... I managed to restrain myself and not fall for her again, not letting passion consume me. This was my greatest fear.
But now, I perfectly understand why I fell for this woman in the Last Cycle. She's extraordinary! Magnificent and brilliant in every sense. And what, and more importantly "how," she does in bed, the passion with which she surrenders to her emotions – it's simply indescribable. Despite my rather vast experience with women, I've never met anyone who could even remotely approach Arien in this regard. A night with her feels like making love to an element, as fluid as Water, as fervent as Fire, as changeful as Air. If I didn't have the "vaccination" of future memories, I, like any other man, could simply lose my head after just one night with her. In just a few hours, she managed to drain me, wring me out dry, even with my Adamantium Body! No, for sure, I wouldn't risk diving into those waters again. Arien is like a drug. You get hooked, and you're done for. It took the "past me" almost half a year to "break free," and that only happened because there was "too much" of her for me.
I perfectly understand why people fall in love with her, whether they're men or women. Even now, completely unaware of her future divinity, she resembles the embodiment of the Element. As beautiful and dangerous as the perfect storm. Stand in her way, and she'll sweep you off, crush you, and discard you like a broken mannequin on the sidelines of life. I was right to flee before she woke up. My instincts and self-preservation sense told me to make the right choice. To get out of her room and even leave the city before she opened her eyes.
Moreover, had I stayed in Katiyer, perhaps Molly Moon and her cronies would have found another target. Who knows how many they would have killed before someone stopped them? I fear the count might have reached dozens or even hundreds. I was lucky that they chose to attack me at the very beginning of their "career" as minions of the Sidhe deity. Molly Moon, no matter what she thought of herself, hadn't come to her full strength; she lacked experience. Who knows how our encounter would have ended had it occurred, say, in six months? An experienced priest near a true altar, even a fragment of such altar, is at least two steps above their rank. Moreover, priests, if they follow their deity's path, gain achievements much faster than regular people. It's quite possible Molly Moon was very close to Steel. And I was merely lucky that we met before she Elevated. Because it's one thing to deal with a Bronze priest while being at Wootz, and quite another is to face a Steel-ranked priest who is near an altar and following their deity's path, thereby almost reaching Sapphire in power.
Nevertheless, the ambush set up by Molly Moon and her accomplices worked to my benefit. Not only did I gain the forgiveness of the Light and several achievements and became somewhat richer as a result of it, but it also truly shook me up. And this jolt brought the realization that my immediate plans needed revision.
Originally, I planned to take a shortcut through the forest, reach the main trade road, turn south, and reach the town of Beziu, where the minor temple of Sundbad was located, and then jump to Deytran. I had the funds for such a jump. But after recovering from my encounter with Arien, I suddenly realized this plan was no good.
At any moment, either tomorrow or in a month, Arien, thanks to my hints, could decipher Magevra's Ritual and might send a signal using the communication artifact I left behind. And as soon as I receive this message, I'll need to hurry back to Katiyer. What if I jump to Deytran now, spending most of my funds, and then, say, the day after tomorrow, Arien sends the call? I simply won't have the resources to pay for the return trip. Can I take such a risk? Probably not. Therefore, the plan must be changed.
From Katiyer to Pentapolis, it's roughly three thousand kilometers if you take the straight path. This does not account for the landscape, seas, mountains, swamps, and so on. In theory, if I simply decide to run, in a month, I would reach Deytran on my own. However, this option doesn't satisfy me. Recalling the continent's geography and referring to memories of the future, I devised a more acceptable route and plan.
So, as soon as I reached the trade route, I turned not south towards Beziu but directly west. I intended to head to the kingdom of Lazargit on foot, where there was also a large temple of Sundbad, and from there, with a considerable discount, jump to Deytran. It's roughly nine hundred kilometers from Katiyer to Lazargit, and if one follows the roads and trade routes, this distance will increase by one and a half or even two times. However, I wasn't too concerned about that.
Having adjusted my bags comfortably and switching my spear to a traveling position, I headed west. I ran at a rather leisurely pace for someone of the Wootz rank, just about fifteen kilometers per hour. However, unlike the average person, I could maintain this pace continuously for days without getting too tired and even allowing myself to speed up when necessary.
Furthermore, I would certainly be passing Wootz dungeons on my way, where I could get some achievements by joining various groups of tunnellers. This could be beneficial as well.
Another advantage to my new plan was that I would pass through the Duchy of Rur, famous throughout Ain for its renowned blacksmiths. There, I could buy not just any armor but a truly superior piece, and for an amount even less than what they would ask for in Deytran.
Moreover, it's not a given that this change in plans would significantly slow my progress. Perhaps on this journey, I might find one of Seguna's forgotten altars, encounter Nate before he reaches the Precious Coil, or something similar. These thoughts brought some inner peace, and I ran with a smile on my face, effortlessly overtaking the occasional caravans and lone travelers.
As I ran, I contemplated my meeting with Miranda. About how she had changed and how it would affect not only her life but the global picture. After all, Miranda was quite a striking personality, even among earthlings, and possessed considerable power. What would her destiny be now? Was she serious when she challenged me, or would she soon forget due to her fickle nature? Was it a coincidence how precisely she guessed my path in her contrived tales? Or was it a manifestation of her gift of foresight?
The issue is that no known ritual on Ain allows for determining a person's Talent for Foretelling. These Talent Stars simply aren't visible, and it's impossible to ascertain them for sure. More precisely, there might be some method to determine this Gift, but even my memory of the future held no information on this matter. Still, the way she guessed my fate is simply astounding. Come to think of it, in the Last Cycle, the rumors she spread about "me" were largely based on real grounds. She just exaggerated that "basis" to an indecent degree or completely turned it upside down. Though, in this case, I might be stretching my theory too much.
Nevertheless, I should make a mental note and bear in mind that Miranda might possess a real Talent for Foretelling. If she truly has such a Gift, it will be our trump card in the fight against demons. The only question is whether I've imagined this talent of Miranda's and whether such a Gift can be developed and directed by the mind. But even a spontaneous seer, not controlling their power, can change the outcome of a battle or even a war if you're aware of their talent. I sincerely hope that in her quest for the power to defeat me, she won't meet her untimely end, and we'll see each other again.
The situation with Miranda is quite intriguing. Of all the people, I didn't particularly plan to encourage this girl in her development. I just helped her a bit at the beginning, and that was it. Yet, without meaning to, I profoundly changed her destiny. Was it worth it? And can Arien handle all the challenges of Ain without someone like Miranda by her side? Did I just make everything worse?
However, in my position, endlessly tormenting myself with thoughts like "What will happen now?" or "What if I made things worse?" is just a waste of energy. My task is to push earthlings towards development, especially the Shards. And if their fate changes from this encouragement compared to the Last Cycle, isn't that what I aim for? Of course, one shouldn't intentionally harm or hinder others, but I'm not engaged in that. I'm confident Arien will handle everything. As will Miranda, I believe. Both girls have complex personalities, but each has a core strength that even alloyed steel would envy.
While running, I occasionally slowed down or stopped altogether to ask merchants and other travelers about the surrounding areas. Such conversations didn't last long, and I quickly compensated for the delays, temporarily accelerating.
Approximately four hours into my run, I learned of a nearby Wootz-ranked dungeon from a peasant hauling hay to feed his goats. Taking his direction, I turned off the main road and headed for the designated village. Regrettably, this detour didn't bear fruit. Yes, the Wootz dungeon was indeed nearby, but the local tunnellers had cleared it just three days ago. They invited me to join them for the next clearing and even offered me a room, but losing four days for just one dungeon wasn't in my plans. I politely declined, enjoyed lunch at the home of one of the tunnellers, and resumed my journey.
By my estimates, by sunset, I was about a hundred kilometers away from Katiyer. Since the night was cloudless, I decided not to stop for the night, continuing my steady run under the light of Seguna. Occasionally, when the road was empty, I allowed myself triple accelerations.
During this time, I wasn't just running but also training my Auras and Illusion magic, combining two essential tasks. The more I practiced, the clearer it became that I should invest the speed training bonus from the "Movement Against" achievement into Mental magic. Waiting until I get the fourth Star in Runes, which would, by my calculations, not happen soon, might be a mistake.
By dawn of the fiftieth day of my stay in Ain, I reached a town about half the size of Katiyer. Clearly established after the Fall, it lacked towering stone fortress walls and wide cobblestone streets. The settlement seemed like it had been lifted straight from the pages of a medieval novel, though, thanks to magic, it smelled somewhat better. Nevertheless, from tales told by merchants on the road, I knew that in this town, which grew at the crossroads of trade routes, I could resupply and offer prayers. Also, it hosted a full-fledged branch of the Tunnellers' Guild.
In the town named Erol, the only stone buildings were the town hall, the Temple, and the Tunnellers' Guild branch. All other houses were made from thick logs. The streets weren't paved with stone and likely turned into muddy trenches whenever it rained. Fortunately, the sky was cloudless, or I'd be trudging through mud. On the flip side, I had to endure the dust, which was only slightly better. Unlike Tries and Katiyer, Erol wasn't a free town. It was ruled not by a council of citizens but by a certain count whose family had owned it nearly since its founding.
This time, after paying the gate guards, who didn't think to exempt a tunneller from the entrance fee, I headed straight for my Guild's branch. While on the road, I'd concluded that I needed to update my Sign to match my actual rank. And, having a proper meal instead of eating on the go wouldn't hurt, as I was getting tired of dry rations. Plus, catching up on local news wouldn't hurt. Perhaps I'd hear something intriguing?
Approaching the central square, I caught the distinctive scent of eggs frying in pork fat with fresh onions and couldn't resist. I decided to have breakfast first and visit the Guild branch later. The local tavern greeted me with an unusual half-darkness for Katiyer and Tries, caused by the narrow and sparse windows that reluctantly let in the morning light.
While I waited for my order, I called over a young servant boy. Handing him a couple of coppers, I asked him to share the latest news. The very young lad, about fourteen, was more than eager to talk and practically overwhelmed me with information, momentarily reminding me of Aun's chatter. I listened carefully to the boy. The saga of how the miller had punched the cobbler, the outcome of their fight, or who was getting married, didn't particularly interest me. Neither did other similar "news." Nevertheless, even as I ate, I continued to listen to the boy, hoping something of interest might pop up in his talk, which seemed unlikely. I had already finished my milk and paid for my food when the boy suddenly said:
"...and they returned from the vicinity of the Ridge of Stone Monsters as friends!"
At these words, something "clicked" in my mind, and I asked:
"The Ridge of Stone Monsters, are they those famous cliffs that resemble petrified beasts?"
"Yep, that's correct," the boy replied enthusiastically.
"And is this Ridge close by?" I inquired.
"Well... sort of... close... It's almost exactly two day's journey to the south," the boy answered, scratching the back of his head. He then added, "They say some of the cliffs there look like they're studded with the swords of ancient heroes. Of course, those swords have long since turned to stone, and you can't pull them out of the rock..." He leaned closer and whispered in my ear, "Because anyone who tries to pull out those stone swords will instantly die in excruciating pain."
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"I know that," I waved off his warning, "I've heard; I just didn't think it was so close to Erol."
"It's close, it's close," the jubilant boy immediately nodded, receiving a coin from me worth ten coppers.
Ordering the tavern owner to prepare a basket of travel food for me and promising to come back for my order a little later, I left the tavern.
Interesting. Very interesting. Perhaps I should make a detour? After all, obtaining an artifact not just of Adamantium rank but which is also - according to legends - crafted by Eyrat the Just himself is quite tempting. Even though this artifact is completely useless to me personally, as well as to most earthlings, it does not negate the fact that it is, damn it, a Divine Artifact! Maybe I should take it? It's been lying around for two thousand years, waiting for a worthy owner... As for it being unnecessary and even harmful to me, it's just a question of where or to whom to send it afterward. At worst, it could be sold, fetching enough money to easily buy a town much more beautiful than this Erol. Although... No. Selling such an item for any amount of money is the height of folly. Moreover, thanks to the "memory of the future," I have an idea of who might be able to wield it without fearing for their life. Tempting. It's certainly worth making a detour, even if it costs me a few days.
Although, in the Last Cycle, the "Boundless Pride" was found by one of us only at the end of the first year after the arrival. But I've witnessed more than once that the story is unfolding differently this time. And it's quite possible that, by taking the time to head to the Ridge of Stone Monsters, I'll simply be wasting my time... Because some cunning earthling might have already "beaten me to it" in this cycle. This really might be the case, but I simply cannot resist trying to get the "Boundless Pride." My hands are even itching with anticipation.
Just how much does the "memory of the future" hold within? After all, until the boy mentioned the Ridge of Stone Monsters, I hadn't "recalled" the "Pride" at all. But as soon as the lad spoke of a previously "unknown" place to me, something in my head seemed to click, and another memory box opened.
No.
Definitely.
I've decided.
I'll invest my learning bonus in Mental. Enough putting this off.
At this thought, as well as because of the slight anticipation of holding the legendary sword in my hands, even if just for a moment, my face involuntarily broke into a smile. With this open and genuine smile, I stepped over the threshold of the Tunnellers' Guild branch.
My good mood and the sincere smile on my face, alas, didn't last long. As soon as I entered the main hall of the local branch of the Tunnellers' Guild, I found myself right in the middle of a scandal.
Behind the solid doors of the Tunnellers' Guild, it turned out, a rather noisy quarrel was taking place. And, what's worse, three earthlings actively participated in this scandal. They could be easily recognized by their matching cloaks with a symbolic depiction of an atom, as it's drawn on the covers of school textbooks. Moreover, I knew one of them. He was in that group of mage-scholars who perished in the demonic fire due to betrayal. In the Last Cycle, "we" had even debated with him on abstract topics several times. He was an incredibly stubborn, insistent, yet somewhat otherworldly man, slightly obsessed with science.
Since I didn't stand out among the locals as a foreigner - thankfully, I had the sense to remove and pack my gambeson into my backpack before approaching the city gates - I could have easily passed by without paying attention to others' disputes. And that would have been a completely normal act from the locals' point of view. However, judging by the tone and the words reaching my ears, the earthlings were facing some serious troubles, to put it simply: prison or expulsion from the guild.
"Good morning!" Approaching the counter, I greeted the on-duty elderly Wootz warrior. "Can you tell me what's causing the commotion?"
"I haven't seen you here before." Instead of answering, the on-duty steward gestured toward the Book.
Judging by his appearance, this warrior had a good time last night and was now suffering a mild hangover, which made him reticent and grumpy. The local assistant girls, somewhat frightened by the escalating scandal, huddled against the walls in fear, not even attempting to approach me, as local etiquette demanded.
Without getting into unnecessary disputes, I removed the Sign of the Tunneller from my chest and pressed it to the Book. In that very instant, a ripple ran through the Sign, and it acquired the characteristic shade of wootz.
"Oh, look at that!" The on-duty steward immediately broke into a smile. "Elevation?! Congratulations!" And right away, he leaned under the counter and fetched a half-consumed bottle of wine. "This calls for a celebration!" Without asking me, the grey-haired warrior generously filled two mugs to the brim. "Well, let's get acquainted! Arnim Jungir," he introduced himself and practically shoved the second mug into my free hand. "To Elevation!"
He greedily drank the wine in two gulps, and an evident relief showed on his haggard face. It seemed he had been waiting for an opportunity to drink and gladly took even such a fleeting excuse, like the Elevation of an unknown tunneller. Not wanting to offend the man, I took a slight sip of what, to me, was an overly sweet wine. I was just about to move my hand away from the Book when the Divine artifact suddenly addressed me. Since I was registered as a noble, the Book requested a clarification:
"Raven, son of Alexander, state your family name," it echoed in my head.
"Alexandrite," I blurted out, taken by surprise.
"Recorded," and my Page instantly "updated."
"Hmmmm," the steward voiced his displeasure, looking at me instead of the book.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Arnim Jungir. I am Raven Alexandrite.”
The steward grunted and glanced at the open Page, seemingly cross-referencing the details, then nodded in satisfaction.
"Going to finish that?" He immediately inquired, eyeing the mug I'd set aside.
"Too sweet," I grimaced in response.
"Well, if you don't mind..." I didn't object, and the steward drank from my mug, emptying it instantly. "Ah, that's good!"
"So, will you finally tell me what that argument is about?" I gestured over my shoulder.
"That… They showed up at night and have been arguing ever since. I'm thinking of sending for the local sheriff; they've become a nuisance. I recognize five of them, Bronze tunnellers from Doumen, a village near our town. But the three in matching cloaks are unfamiliar to me. Still, the Book accepted them, which means they're also tunnellers but not from around here. And where are you headed from, anyway?"
"I'm coming from Ilomen, following the Sundbad's path."
"I once knew a tunneller from there named Grontor."
"You mean 'know'?" I feigned surprise. "He's still called that. He's alive and doing quite well."
"Oh, have you seen him? How is he?"
"What could happen to him? A tunneller and sheriff in one, living the good life," I grinned, and my companion broke into a broad smile.
"Yes, that bug won't miss out on his due. The man has a business acumen. I respect that." Pouring himself some wine, he raised his mug, saying, "Well, here's to Grontor," and took another drink.
At that moment, a rather hefty middle-aged woman with a Steel Sign approached the counter and sat on a stool next to Arnim.
"Will you ever stop?" she exclaimed irritably, looking at the bottle of wine in the steward's hand, and quietly tapped the counter with her palm.
"Oh, come on, Lordara," Arnim waved her away as if swatting an annoying fly. "We're celebrating an Elevation here." He nodded towards me.
"Lordara of Marishal," the woman promptly stood up and gave me a graceful bow. "I'm on duty today with this drunkard. What did I do to anger the gods with such a fate..." She rolled her eyes theatrically.
"Raven Alexandrite, following the Sundbad's path," I introduced myself again.
"Did you find the sheriff?" Arnim grunted at his partner without even trying to excuse himself.
"The elected sheriff is out of town, left somewhere last night. His assistant said he won't be back until the day after tomorrow," Lordara replied calmly.
"And what are we going to do about this then?" The on-duty warrior threw his hands up in exasperation. "They don't even think about stopping, just keep on arguing. It's a complicated matter; we can't solve it without the sheriff."
"Maybe we should turn to the count? He can judge or send his own judge," the woman behind the counter quietly suggested.
This simple proposal set off an actual fit of rage from Arnim, and he yelled:
"Allow some count's lackey to judge a tunneller?! Over my dead body! Not on my shift!"
"Lordara," I turned to the woman, "can you tell me what's going on? Why is there a dispute among the Bronze men? Is it about locals fighting over something with the newcomers?"
"Well, it's a trivial matter," the woman waved her hand dismissively. "The newcomers were hired to clear a dungeon and seemed to have completed their task. But they disagreed about the loot. And it's not like they're dividing something valuable! Just a piece of valirium this small," she showed the tip of her little finger, "worth maybe ten gold; that's what they fight over!"
"I don't understand," I shook my head.
"What's there to understand?" Arnim shrugged. "They had agreed to equal shares. And the newcomers want their share in valirium, not gold. The locals oppose it, ready to pay in gold."
"And what was the exact agreement?" I asked.
"There was none! They admit it themselves. They just agreed on equal shares, and that's it."
"Is the price of that valirium piece lower or higher than the newcomers' share?" I clarified.
"Well, it seems even lower..." Arnim scratched the back of his head. "But Botar's team," presumably she referred to the captain of the local tunnellers, "are as stubborn as mules and won't budge."
"Why not just split the valirium according to the shares?" I suggested a solution.
"Both sides are against it. And what's there to split? It's laughable!" The steward grimaced as if he had a toothache.
The situation was, to put it mildly, foolish. But life can be like that, where such nonsense and reckless persistence can get you into such a mess that you can't get out without losing your head. Moreover, as far as I recall from the Charter of the Tunnellers' Guild, the local teams have priority in choosing trophies unless otherwise specified and unless it's a boss trophy acquired by an external team. If it's a trophy from a boss, then things can truly be ambiguous.
"Where did they get the valirium at Bronze rank, even if it's such a small amount?"
"From the Master of the Sleth Cave, it's a large slime, apparently."
"So, it seems simple: whoever killed it gets a share." I shrugged.
"That's the thing, the final blow was dealt by outsiders..." Lordara sighed heavily. "But the problem is, even the outsiders admit that the locals played the main role in killing the Master, and that last blow was, you could say, accidental. That's why they're arguing." The woman crossed her arms. "Well, Botar, it's clear with him; he's an archer, and that valirium is enough for an arrowhead for him... But the outsiders, they're incomprehensible. They mumble in their language, gesture wildly, and roll their eyes but can't give a clear explanation. And they don't want to give up the valirium even for its price in gold."
"Can I talk to them?" I asked the two on duty for permission.
"As if we hadn't tried... to talk..." Arnim rolled his eyes and, without settling for a mug this time, went straight for the bottle. "Go ahead, talk..."
Returning the Tunneller's Sign to my chest, I pulled out the Nobility's brooch from my belt and, fastening it next to the Sign, stepped towards the arguing parties.
"Quiet down!" I shouted, approaching them closely. "What's all this noise about!"
"Who the hell are you..." The last word stuck in the throat of the local team's leader when he noticed the brooch, and he respectfully bowed, as did all the other members of his team. "Master."
"Raven Alexandrite, and I will do the talking," I declared with a firm tone that brooked no argument.
The locals went silent in a respectful bow, but the earthlings immediately grouped together and looked at me with apprehension, clearly suspecting some trick.
"And first, I'll talk to these ones." Nodding towards the earthlings, I pushed this trio in distinct cloaks to the counter.
Since the earthlings had been in Ain for a while, they perfectly understood what the Nobility's brooch meant, especially in a city governed by the nobles. So, they didn't resist and obediently followed me.
"Arnim, give me a key to any free room." And I handed him a silver coin.
"Oh, no need, Om Raven!" Staring at my brooch, the steward tunneller turned as pale as chalk. "No need for money. Uh..."
Having left a coin on the table, I picked up the offered key and, nodding, motioned for the nearby assistant girl to lead us. As soon as we left the hall and reached the desired door, I let the assistant go and instructed the earthlings to enter the room. After that, I entered myself and firmly closed the door behind me. Having turned to the earthlings, who huddled in confusion in a corner, I said sharply:
"So, what kind of mess have you morons get yourselves into here? It's a miracle you weren't killed right at the Dungeon Exit! Where are your brains? There were three of you, but how many of them? Seven or nine?"
"Nine," a young man I didn't recognize quietly squeaked.
He was short but, due to broad shoulders, resembled a cabinet. This likeness was accentuated by his square and somewhat rugged face.
"Nine of them to your three. Did you study arithmetic in school? Can you count to ten? Why on Earth did you decide to throw your weight around?"
The one known to the "past me," Justius Avogadro, as soon as he heard my words spoken in relatively clear English, let out an exclamation and, turning to the other earthlings, shouted:
"Guys, he's one of us!"
"One of you, one of you…" I switched back to the common language of Ain. "They could've easily killed you, idiots! And they still might! The locals might drag you to the county court, and if they don't hang you there, they'll rob you blind!"
The three young men just stared at me, mouths agape, blinking in surprise.
"How have you fools managed to survive here for a month and a half?" I couldn't help but roll my eyes, just like Arnim used to. "Is this tiny piece of metal, barely enough for an arrowhead, worth all these disputes and quarrels? Especially when no one is swindling you, and you'll be given an equivalent share."
Apparently, my words deeply affected the third guy, tall as me but much skinnier, with a hairstyle resembling a bird's nest.
"Worth it? Worth it?" He shouted, pulling out a small ingot of valirium that looked more like a long, thin nail and started pointing it at my face. "Do you even understand what this is?!"
"Judging by what they told me at the counter, it's valirium." I almost stepped back from the earthling's assertiveness but caught myself just in time.
"Valirium, let it be dirtium or even mithrilium," the skinny one continued in a high pitch, "I don't care what they call it! Look!" Holding the piece of metal between his fingers, the earthling whispered, "Discharge." Flashes of tiny lightning ran between his fingers, enveloping the metal. "See? See this?"
"I see what?" I asked for clarification.
"Superconductivity! Natural superconductivity! At room temperature!!! This is groundbreaking! This needs to be studied! This will turn everything upside down, it's just..."
"Stop!" I shouted, grabbing him by the collar and shaking him so hard that his teeth rattled, and he bit his tongue hard enough to draw blood. "Turn everything upside down where? On Earth? Ask yourself: where's Earth, and where are we?" I looked around at the silent earthlings and continued, "Have you looked at the sky at night? Did you recognize even one constellation or star? Thought so. This might be a breakthrough in superconductors on Earth, but here it's just valirium, meaning regular iron that formed from ore mined near a natural source of magic." Remembering something, I continued, "Moreover, this isn't a regular superconductivity. Valirium only conducts magical energy well. Whether it would do the same with electricity, I don't know."
"Even more reason," the skinny one lisped from his injured tongue, "we shouldn't give it to the locals. We need to study it, run experiments..."
All three of them must be crazy - the others nod in agreement with his words. And then it dawns on me.
"Wait. Quiet. Are you superconductivity specialists?"
"He is." Justius confidently pointed at the young man whose feet were dangling off the ground because I was still holding him up.
"What's your name?" I asked.
"Jacob Dalton." The young man retorted defiantly, suspended in the air.
"So you, Jacob, are a specialist in superconductivity?"
"I was a senior lab assistant at MIT working on this topic!" He replied even more confidently. "And I know that I need to figure out how this works!"
"So, a lab assistant..." I said with a predatory grin. "You must have followed the scientific literature on superconductors, right?"
"Of course!"
"Can you name the last article you read on the subject?"
"High-temperature superconductivity based on hydrides!" Jacob answered promptly.
"I believe there was an article in 'Science', if I'm not mistaken," my voice grew more sly.
"That's correct!"
"There was also a spread with a photograph of a very beautiful woman, if I recall..." I clicked my tongue a little provocatively.
"Beautiful?!!" My provocation worked, and Jacob became even more animated. "That's Ariel Marchal, a scientist, not just a beautiful woman! Her article is a real breakthrough, and her beauty has nothing to do with it! I admire her mind, not her..."
As he continued to protest, I gently set him down on the ground and began demonstratively brushing imaginary dust off his cloak.
"So, you're familiar with that name?"
"Of course!"
"Do you want to meet her personally?"
"What?" Jacob's voice went from an angry roar to a quiet squeak.
"So here's the deal, young men." I wrapped my arms around all the three earthlings and seated them on the bed, "I have a business proposition for you..."