Kya was honestly pretty satisfied with her day.
After retrieving her dagger, and downing another health potion, her vision had fully returned, and her arm was… usable. It was still covered in deep gouges from the spikes on the Alphas back when it rolled on her, but fortunately the bleeding and most of the pain had stopped.
She was definitely annoyed with the potions doing less than they used to, and of course she was annoyed with the pain and slow recovery speed. And, okay, if she was being honest, there was the aspect of diminishing returns that promised a longer road than earlier anticipated to earning the power and rank she wanted to be able to walk with confidence in this world.
But to be even more honest with herself, she was okay with that. She had found through the use of her abilities and the rush of gaining experience a true and genuine enjoyment. She would undoubtedly prefer it to stop maiming her with the more complex fights, and she also wanted some way to better gauge her magic to stop the bleeding eye syndrome that plagued her as of late. But those were minor things to her. As long as she could be healed afterwards, and as long as she won the fights, it was unquestionably positive in her eyes.
For example, from a single quest and one day's work, she’d made noticeable progress.
- - - - -
Character Screen
* Name: Kya Ophelia
* Race: Human/Founder
* Race Benefits: Loot the Corpse, Identify, Translation
* Class: Space - 1-Star - 23%
* Class Abilities: Push and pull - 71%
* Class Benefits: Aura, Inventory
- - - - -
Her ability’s percentage had risen quite a bit, but more telling was her class. Six percent after one quest didn’t seem too bad, not at all. Although she knew that would inevitably slow down as well, she would simply have to compensate by fighting stronger and tougher opponents herself, and by training with her abilities and weapons.
Closing out her menu, and continuing on, she started to jog after the most recent potion had made her feel more or less healed.
She looked around, truly glad she'd killed those asshole dogs. A large chuck of the land behind her and as well as the farmland ahead, was utterly unusable. She had surmised they were in spring right now, which would have been the start of planting season back in her world. Though, judging by the two meter tall stalks of gold she could see in other areas, that wasn’t really the case here. Either way though, the family would be screwed if they didn’t get some sort of financial support.
Kya had gotten a really good impression from Arthur when they’d spoken in the guild hall a couple days back. She decided as she approached the massive farmhouse that she would try and give them a bit of money. True she didn’t really know them all that well, but she did know what it was like to struggle, and to go hungry. She was doing pretty well for herself and would earn a fair amount of money from the quest, probably five or six agrens, so it wasn’t like she was really struggling for money, to say nothing of the hoarder's nightmare that was her inventory right now.
“New to do list, sort through and organize inventory space” she muttered, hopping over the low stone wall that bordered Arthur's land. She then had a small laugh at how well she was adjusting to this life. It wasn’t like her old one had been bad. Well…
Those were thoughts for later.
Knowing full well that “later” would likely never come except at the bottom of a bottle.
But she was already thinking in terms of the foreign currency, checking her status screen for updates, and was about to complete a quest contract for the guild. She wondered then as she slowed to a walk on the gravel pathway to a large farmhouse on the hill if the magic or process of her arrival had made any changes or had any lasting effects on her mind.
She had long concluded this wasn’t some dream or hallucination, but she meant with her ability to cope and adapt. She hadn’t really needed any sheltering or down time to recover. Even after that horrid ordeal with the spiders, she’d spent hours lying awake in the rain until morning. But she hadn’t had nightmares or flashbacks to that night since gaining her class.
She neatly boxed this train of thought away to be continued later, actually intending to further this one, as she approached the large wrap around porch and hanging swing. These simple additions made her feel intensely nostalgic, remembering the hanging swing from her own childhood in her front yard.
Taking a moment before knocking on the door, she leaned against the railing and observed the land ahead, bathed in lights from the descending suns. It was idyllic, like something a country singer would write about. The blight of the burned crops somewhat ruined the image, but she could easily imagine what it should look like, waves of golden grain with a couple large and ancient trees scattered around providing shade while they worked. She could even see a couple of tool sheds dotting the fields, long and low with red tiled roofs.
Kya took a deep breath, appreciating the scene for what it was before turning and wrapping on the door with her knuckles. It was only a handful of seconds before a child opened the door.
Or, what she had at first taken to be child.
“Can this one help tha young miss?” growled a voice like a piece of sandpaper with a smoking habit had learned to speak. He, for the creature was unmistakably a male, stood at maybe three feet and some change. He had a closely shaved beard of deep amber, and eyes like coal. Not just black irises, but entirely black void eyes, no sclera at all. Otherwise, he appeared humanoid, just short and stout. Meaning this was, unquestionably, a dwarf.
- - - - -
Taln Seven
Race - Dwarf
- - - - -
There were several different things drawing her attention at this. Firstly, was that he was given a race identifier rather than a class one. She wasn’t sure if it was because he simply didn’t have a class or if it was due to him being specifically a dwarf. She’d have to identify Arthur when she saw him to test this.
But more interestingly for her was the name, why was he-
“Miss? Is something the matter” His grating voice had gotten slightly higher in octave, and she assumed he was simply confused at her standing there silently staring into space instead of answering.
“No, no, nothing matters. Is Arthur here? I need to speak with him.”
He bowed his head slightly, before asking “Who shall I say has called for him?”
“Kya, from the guild. I’ve completed his contract.”
He bowed further still, then closed the door with a click and she heard his footsteps receding.
She wondered idly at the weight and density of the man, as despite being so small, his footsteps had caused thuds in the solid stone floor.
It was several more moments before faint, but quick footsteps could be heard, and then the doors swung open to reveal Arthur standing framed within.
“Ma’am, it is so good teh see yah again.” He said with a broad smile “I apologize fur takin so long, Talk shoulda let yah in right away and given yah a drink, please, come come.”
And with that, she was ushered into the home, and straight into the gorgeous kitchen of the house, which she was starting to reclassify in her mind as more of a manor house than a farmhouse.
It was humble with its showings of wealth, but even having virtually no exposure to the culture of these people, she knew that homes this large and this well furnished less than an hour's train ride from the city walls… well these had to be up there as far as property value goes. Maybe he wouldn’t be too poor if the harvest didn’t grow so well this year.
Arthur sat her at the head of a long and polished wooden table the color of milk chocolate and went over to ring a small bell. Barely had the sound left the air when a second dwarf hurried in from deeper within the house. This was a female dwarf, or she thought so at least, as she had no beard and was a bit less rugged in appearance. She still had the pure black eyes of the other dwarf, and still not a class when she identified her.
- - - - -
Hada Eleven
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Race - Dwarf
- - - - -
Again with the odd numbering on the names. She was definitely going to ask about that when she got the chance, Arthur was busy instructing the new dwarf, Hada, to make them some refreshments and snacks as quickly as she could, and then start on an early dinner. Speaking of Arthur, though
- - - - -
Arthur Daris
Class - None
- - - - -
“So why are humans and elves shown class, but dwarves just show race?” she thought to herself, before Arthur turned back to her.
“Again, I apologize for Taln earlier, and for the unprepared welcome you’ve had since arrivin on mah door step, ma’am” He said, giving her a genuine look of embarrassment.
“Please, Arthur, it's no trouble at all. I got to enjoy the view from your magnificent front porch after all.” she said, giving him a reassuring smile to put him at ease.
“It was a much better view before them blasted hound dogs came here and scorched half the land I own, but I believe Taln mentioned that yah solved that little problem?” As he said the first half of the sentence, an unnerving look of raw hatred crossed over his normally passive and fatherly face, before it faded just as quickly as it had come. Instead, he finished the sentence with such a look of hope and kindness that Kya wondered if she’d been imagining it.
Deciding she was just tired from the long night into day, she simply replied “Yes! I’m happy to tell you I’ve eliminated the entire pack of hellhounds, as well as the alpha that had set up a little ways from here. And I am sorry about your crops and the land, will it be useable for crops again or do you have to do something because of the flames?”
“Hehehe!” He laughed with joy “They got whats comin’ to ‘em! I’m glad it was you what took the money we all put up for the contract miss, I know the guild will take a cut of it, but still, I’m glad it was you. Excuse me a moment” he said, before turning and calling “Hada! Them dogs are dead, lets celebrate with those dwarven rolls I like!”
The small dwarf replied quietly, standing on a ramp that ran the length of the countertop giving her access to it “Of course, sir” and while her voice was similar to Taln’s, it was definitely much lighter and less heavy on the gravel. Still, she thought the diminutive reply was a little off, almost somber.
However, she wasn’t able to ponder on it long as Arthur turned back to her and kept talking, answering the question she’d asked earlier. “As for the land itself, won’t be much of a problem, not at all I dare say. I paid hand over fist for them fancy life arrays from the city to ensure better crop yields, and after I left the guild hall a couple days back, I went and inquired on them for that very thing. They told me I’d be alright if I let the soil rest for the next month or so before usin’ it again, which is fine with me. I might try plantin’ some hardier stuff there later in the season to make a little somethin’, but I reckon I can take the hit and come back next year with an even bigger harvest.”
As he finished speaking, Hada came over with glasses and plates and put them out for Arthur and Kya, respectively. Next, she placed three small hexagonal rolls on each with what looked and smelled to her like pigs in a blanket. Arthur rang the small bell again that was sitting at his side, and called “Taln, bring the Crelue Violet!” before replacing the bell.
Hada bowed low to the ground and said “The food won’t be ready for a while yet, please enjoy the finger food while you wait, and I apologize for the delay.” Again, her voice was so meek and timid. It sounded like someone put a piece of granite in a woodchipper, but still.
Kya believed, and was ready to die on this hill, that the way a person treated their inferiors told you more about them than anything else. This was why when Arthur simply waved her away without a response, the warm first impression she’d had of him faded to a more ambivalent view of the man. She didn’t sense any hostility towards the dwarf, nor were there any signs she could see of obvious mistreatment, but the simple fact he had servants like this at all was… Well, Kya didn’t fucking like that. But he was a somewhat older man so maybe he just needed the help. Besides, this was his house, not hers. She wasn’t about to come in here and tell him how to live his life. If he wanted to hire servants to help him, who was she to say anything about it.
Talk came in a moment later and poured out a rich purple liquid into both of their glasses from a bottle that was a deep, deep green. “The Crelue violet” he said, positively chewing on each word before getting it out. After bowing in turn, he was about to step out before Arthur said “No, stay in case we need refills.”
Inclining his head, he took up a position off to the side, out of their direct line of sight, but still there if she turned to look over her shoulder.
Curiously, she identified the liquid.
- - - - -
- Item: Creole Violet Wine
- Rarity: 1-Star - Rare
- Description: A fine vintage of alcohol fermented in the Northern Creole mountains. Afterall, if it isn’t from the Northern region of Creole, it's really just bubbling wine. It has been flavored with alohui berries to enhance the natural flavors already present, as well as give it its signature violet color.
- Enchantments: Poison-Alcohol
- Requirements: N/A
- - - - -
Taking a cautious sip, she recoiled back. This was not wine, at least not by earth standards. Wine was supposed to be like what… ten percent alcohol? Kya was never entirely clear on the exact distinctions between a beer, a wine, and liquor, but… that shit was unquestionably liquor. It burned like the hellhounds as it went down, but to be completely fair, it was also quite bubbly and fruity, reminding her vaguely of pineapple. All around it was a delightful drink. Just a strong as fuck one.
Seeing her reaction, Arthur let out a laugh before eating an entire hexagonal roll with a crunch and then taking a long pull from his own drink. Instantly large red spots appeared as his face flushed.
“Not ushed to the Creole, eh?” He said, his words already starting to slur just slightly. She decided that would not be a drink she would have much more of. She would not be staying the night in Arthur's home.
He continued on, eating the rest of his food and finishing his drink. Taln wordlessly stepped forward and refilled his glass. At the same time, he uttered out what was becoming increasingly difficult to understand with both his accent and alcohol coming into play “It mihft be rhude, but are ya’h gomna eat themes?” and pointed to her own rolls.
She laughed and pushed the plate his way, much to his delight as he ate them all up. He talked a fair bit more about farming and life out here, where she learned his wife had died some years ago, only son grown and moved away, leaving just him and the servants to tend the fields.
“How do only the three of you manage all of this land?” asked Kya, curious if they had some manor of magical planting and harvesting.
He just stared at her with incomprehension in his eyes and was about to speak when Hada came and set down two new plates, clearing away the other two in a quick practiced motion. The next moment, Taln came over and deposited a massive amount of bread, what must have been this worlds approximation of mac and cheese, and a roasted bird of some sort, slathered in a thick pungent sauce.
"You arhent one of them Users who only like crystels, rihgt?" Arthur asked with a suddenly wide eyed look of horror.
Laughing, Kya took a massive bite of her roast bird, and said with her mouth full "Nope!"
They both laughed and ate, and talked. Though for her it was more translating and listening than actually talking.
The pair of dwarves stood off to one side and made themselves as inconspicuous as possible. Looking over to Hada, Kya said "Your cooking is phenomenal, thank you for the meal!"
You'd have thought she'd just dropped a flash grenade on the dinner table, none of them moved or responded, the dwarves looking like deer in headlights, and Arthur scowling and breathing very deeply.
Kya wasn't the greatest at picking out social cues, she knew that sometimes she missed pretty crucial information. She wasn't that dense. Trying to waylay any cultural mishap she may have just stumbled upon, she said quickly "And of course, thank you Arthur for your generosity and warm welcome to your home!"
This had a mixed effect on the room. There was still enough tension to hang clothes on, but it did seem to have helped a little.
Regardless, she knew her time had come to leave, and so she stood, Arthur stumbling to his feet after her.
"Again, thank you so much for the meal, and I wish you the best of luck with the rest of your crops this year."
"Noh... thank yuuh fur killin them beastis... I think Taln will see yah out." And then fell back into his chair, snoring softly.
She and Taln walked to the front door, and with a soft creak, it revealed the setting suns and the warm weird lights of their sunset. Turning, she noticed a new scar on Taln's face. It definitely hadn't been there before when he'd greeted her at the door, of that she was certain, for it cut into his beard on the left side.
Shaking her head slightly, she bid her goodbyes, and was walking down the stairs when she turned back. Taln was just closing the door, but just before he was out of her sight, she used identify one more time.
- - - - -
Taln Eight
Race - Dwarf
- - - - -
That... wasn't the same "Taln" she'd seen when first arriving? So then... what happened to him and why were they named with numbers? She'd intended to ask Arthur over dinner about it, but he'd gotten so intoxicated so quickly, she'd thought it wouldn't be the best time to get coherent answers. But there was definitely something... off about this place.
Her narrator seemed to agree.
- - - - -
- NEW QUEST!
Closeted Cultists: You survived the dinner with Arthur Daris, but of course noticed some of the many discrepancies around his property. Why is a struggling farmer living in such a lavish home? Why are his servants so unique in their dealings? And most of all, why were the servants switched out without you noticing?
- Objective: Uncover the secrets to Arthurs Manor
- Progress: N/A
- Time Remaining: 47h:59m:41s
- Reward: Reward dependent upon nature of quest completion.
- - - - -
"What in the world?" Turning back to look at the manor house in the setting suns.