Hacking the Game Didn't Go as Intended [Part Two]

CHAPTER 208: Dark Upheaval & The Valendor Mountains

Josephine held her bow, eyes closed. "They were sold to keep the business afloat," she murmured. "And with the newly arrived elves, some of that coin was donated to the orphanage."

"I see," he said, noting the one dagger still mounted on the wall.

As he stepped outside, the thought lingered. With the erratic hours, the lack of commissions, and an empty stockroom, it's no wonder business has slowed. Even if they reopen tomorrow... will things really go back to the way they were?

DING!

[The linked-quest «Gathering Glacium Heartwood» has been received.]

[Gathering Glacium Heartwood]

Type: Linked-Quest

[Quest Difficulty: B-

The femur bone acquired from Demon General Zar'ignar is incredibly dense. To generate enough heat in the forge to reach its smelting point, Tiphanna requires Glacium Heartwood—a rare and potent fuel harvested from Frost Treants that roam the icy wilderness northeast of Lunarel.

Clear Conditions: Assist Tiphanna in procuring Glacium Heartwood from the Frost Treants.

Rewards:

▪︎ Affinity with Tiphanna +10%

▪︎ EXP +25,000

▪︎ 145 Gold

Quest Failure:

▪︎ Tiphanna will not be able to craft a weapon using the Volturax's tail

▪︎ Affinity with Tiphanna -30%]

DING!

[You have accepted the quest «Gathering Glacium Heartwood».]

***

After leasing two capable horses from the stables, Daisuke and Tiphanna wasted no time charting their course and setting off north of Lunarel. The partly cloudy sky offered a fleeting sense of warmth, but the biting wind from their galloping steeds made the air feel as if it had plunged well into the single digits.

For two and a half hours, they pressed onward, passing through several small villages and traversing miles of untamed wilderness. With each stretch of rugged terrain conquered, the distant, snow-capped mountains loomed ever closer—no longer a mirage on the horizon but an imposing reality.

Soon, the rhythmic pounding of hooves slowed to a trot as they neared the base of the mountains. After securing their horses in a sheltered grove and prepared a complementary Rebel Incense received from the stables, they pressed forward on foot.

Tiphanna casually flicked a flintnut into her mouth and began chewing, savoring its crunch. Then pulled a stainless steel flask from her cloak and took a hearty gulp of ale.

"Kyaa~" she exhaled, cheeks flushed with satisfaction. "Nothing beats a good drink to warm you up in the cold."

"...Okay," Daisuke drawled, declining her offer for a sip. "But what's with the flintnut? Seems a bit... routine."

"Huh?" Tiphanna exclaimed, a touch of disbelief in her voice as if his question was absurd. "How can anyone have ale without a flintnut? It's the perfect combo!"

Daisuke eyed her with a weary smirk. Maybe in your world, he mused, before his expression softened. Still, it's nice to see she's finally comfortable enough to relax and be herself around me.

The Valendor Mountains.

The air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of pine and wet earth. The terrain shifted beneath their boots; where grass once thrived, the earth was now dappled with patches of fresh snow.

Frost clung to the edges of ferns and shrubs, shimmering under the muted light, and the occasional gust sent a flurry of white dust swirling into the air like tiny frozen spirits.

The deeper they ventured, the more the wilderness transformed into something out of a dream. The trees—some evergreen, others skeletal and bare—stood still, their branches bending under the weight of snow. Streams trickled beneath thin layers of ice, their glassy surfaces reflecting the sky.

A large lake stretched out ahead, its surface a mosaic of ice and water. Beneath the surface, fish swam languidly, their sluggish movements a testament to the bitter cold.

Turtles, their shells dusted with frost, basked on the exposed rocks. Mist curled at the edges where warmer currents met the cold, giving the illusion of breath exhaled from the land itself.

Daisuke exhaled, watching his breath dissolve into the frigid air. "I've seen my fair share of landscapes, but this... this feels unreal."

Tiphanna, walking beside him, cast her gaze over the untouched expanse. "Nature definitely has its way of making us feel small," she murmured.

Daisuke hummed in agreement, his gaze trailing upward. Above them, icicles hung from overhanging cliffs like daggers. A hush had settled over the forest, the only sounds being the crunch of their boots on snow and the distant whisper of wind through the treetops.

"It's peaceful," he admitted after a moment. "Almost makes me forget we're here to hunt something."

Tiphanna chuckled, the sound warm against the cold air. "Don't let your guard down. Beauty like this often comes with teeth."

Daisuke smirked. "That's the fun part, isn't it?"

"Sure, if you can classify being eaten alive as fun."

Exhaling into her palms, the petite elf rubbed her hands together, trying to coax some warmth into her frozen fingers. Then she gently massaged her flushed ears that were exposed to the biting cold.

Daisuke noticed the subtle discomfort on her face just as she made the gesture. Without a word, he reached into his inventory, pulled out a fleece-lined beanie, and approached. Her eyes widened in surprise, cheeks flushing a deeper shade as he carefully placed the hat atop her head.

Tiphanna clutched the headgear with both hands like an embarrassed child, her gaze fixed firmly on the ground as Daisuke quietly walked away.

It was a strange sensation—being treated so gently. There had been a time, long ago, when she had been pampered and cared for, but that memory seemed like a lifetime ago. As long as she could remember, she had been fiercely independent and often brash and outspoken. It was far more common for her to lose her temper than to submit or show vulnerability.

But then there was Haxks Starfrost.

The enigmatic figure who had once held her life in the palm of his hands. His eyes, molten gold and sharp as a blade, had utterly humbled her, but she had since learned the truth.

He wasn't the monster she had imagined. Behind that dark aura, crafted from his past trials and suffering, there was kindness—a kindness she hadn't expected. That chilling presence she had felt from him in the manor had usually been aimed at evil. Unfortunately, she had initially been mistaken as an accomplice of such evil.