Chapter 260 Dalufar (Part 1)
The Mysterious Egg.
Ye Ci herself had to admit that her memory was not very well. She would always forget about the many tricks that she had up her sleeves especially in situations when her capabilities alone was able to handle any problems that might arise. The Mysterious Egg was the perfect example. She had forgotten all about the egg after handing it to the Undead NPC. She might not even remember the existence of the egg if she did not come across the Magical Crystals.
After all, Ye Ci was never interested in things that depended on luck. She was a person with horrible luck. She had never once believed that something good would hatch from the egg. It might even be a complete trash. This was why Ye Ci had long since forgotten about the egg.
Well, since there's a lot of them here, and they're essential building fortifications, I might as well bring some back with me and spare some to hatch the egg.
"Is it possible for me to mine these crystals with my pickaxe?" Ye Ci had realized through her conversation with Alaunar that not all of the Doluo Tribe had the rights to enter the Kalidor Volcano, and only members of the tribe that were authorized by Dalufar could mine any ores in the volcano. The ores could only be mined by those in possession of a special pickaxe that was enchanted by Dalufar.
Ye Ci did not know if the rule applied to her as well, which was why she made the decision to ask a local before she wasted her very limited Stamina.
"You can." Alaunar nodded at Ye Ci, "Individuals that are granted permission to mine the Ancient Ores are not allowed to mine any other ores in the cave, but you've been granted special permission by Lord Dalufar, which means that the rule does not apply to you."
"How would Dalufar know if someone mines up something other than Ancient Ores? What if the miners all agreed to lie to him about it?" Ye Ci immediately set to work once she was sure that she was allowed to mine the crystals. Her progress, however, was slow as her Strength was not as great as Warriors or Miners.
Alaunar pointed at Ye Ci's pickaxe with a smile, "Lord Dalufar has placed a special enchantment on the pickaxes. He will know who was doing the mining and what was being mined when they returned the pickaxe to him. It is very unlikely for someone to try something like that."
That old fox has even placed a surveillance magic on this pickaxe! Ye Ci was shocked.
And she continued her mining.
Ye Ci was an inexperienced miner, and the swings of her pickaxe were random. It did not take long before Alaunar started pointing out her mistakes, "You must've been inexperienced in mining, Elf."
"How can you tell?"
"I can tell that you've never done something like this before when I saw you mining outside." Alaunar chuckled. He was a naive child, and due to his interactions with Ye Ci, the boy was no longer as reserved as he spoke, "What you're doing is a waste of good ores."
"Eh?" Ye Ci stood up straight and wipe away the sweat from her face. As someone who was inexperienced in mining, she would of course humbly accept any pointers from a veteran, "Am I not doing it right?"
"Of course. You've been swinging your pickaxe wildly at the ores, and this will shatter them into pieces. Even if you're able to get something out of it, they will ores with low quality. You have to put your back into every swing, aiming at the base of the ore." Alaunar demonstrated a swing with his staff as he stood beside Ye Ci, "With this, you'll be able to conserve your strength and get some good quality ores."
Ye Ci assumed the same posture as Alaunar, and resumed mining for ores just low how she was taught by Alaunar. The result was within expectations. Even when her progress seemed to have slowed, she was able to obtain more ores at higher quality.
The mining was completed within half an hour, and Ye Ci was able to obtain nearly a hundred pieces of Magical Crystals that were very high in quality.
Despite Ye Ci's desire to continue her exploration, the sky had begun to darken and time was not on her side. She led Alaunar to the entrance of the cave, and the boy immediately unequipped his Shaman equipment and stored them into his inventory.
"This is your reward for the day." said Ye Ci as she handed 3 pieces of Ancient Azure Ores to Alaunar.
Alaunar was shocked. He shook his head in protest, "But I've already received a lot of rewards from you..." he had indeed received a lot of equipment and skill books from Ye Ci which were deemed very valuable by the tribe. It was a boon that Alaunar himself did not expect. The 3 Ancient Azure Ores that he received from Ye Ci was more than he could have dream of, and this filled his heart with guilt.
"Just take it." Ye Ci did not wish to waste her energy on such trivial matters. She knew that the equipment and skill books that she gave to Alaunar would not fetch a good price in the outside world, but were able to increase the loyalty of Alaunar when given to the boy. These items meant nothing to her, "Can those things fill your belly with a warm meal? Don't you have a mother at home to take care of?"
Ye Ci was so sensible that Alaunar found himself unable to refute her words, but his heart was still full of unease, "B-but that's just too much. My salary is 50 Ancient Crimson Ores per month, if you give me that..."
F*ck! Nuoba you bastard! The fees you charged me per day is the monthly salary of Alaunar! Aren't you earning a little too much out of this? Ye Ci's inner anger was not reflected by her appearance. Whatever, these ores are useless when I get out of here anyways.
Ignoring Alaunar's protest, Ye Ci shoved the 3 Ancient Azure Ores into his hand. The duo then ascended the volcano.
Nuoba was already waiting for them at the village entrance. He stole a glance at Alaunar who was cowering behind Ye Ci and smiled, "How's your day, Elf?"
Ye Ci tossed two pieces of Ancient Azure Ore at Nuoba, "I'm going to be hiring him for 3 more days."
This caused much confusion to Nuoba, and he stole a glance at Alaunar. The boy is still annoying as ever, and very weak. Just what does the Elf see in him? Ye Ci's action was incomprehensible to Nuoba. After all, NPCs like him were not as intelligent as Dalufar.
"Did he cause trouble for you?" asked Nuoba with confusion clear on his face as he stuffed the Ancient Azure Ores into his pocket.
"Nope, he was quick on his feet and a good guide." Ye Ci narrowed her eyes as the ghost of a smile appeared on her lips.
"You seem to have earned quite a good profit today, Elf," said an elderly voice. Ye Ci shifted her gaze, and saw Dalufar making his way towards her. The Doluo tribesman, including Nuoba and Alaunar immediately bowed at their chieftain.
Ye Ci bowed at Dalufar as well and replied with a smile, "Yes, Mr. Dalufar. I'm certain that I'll be able to afford that harp very soon."
The smile did not leave Dalufar's face as he shifted his gaze from Ye Ci to Alaunar, then to Ye Ci again. The then gave Ye Ci a meaningful look as he spoke, "It seems that you've found a treasure that you like as well."
Ye Ci's eyes narrowed. Why does it feel like the old man knows that I'm interested in Alaunar? Despite the lack of obvious hints, but Ye Ci's told her that it was the beginning of a Hidden Quest. Dalufar is trying to figure out what my attitude is towards Alaunar. If I want to take him with me, I'll definitely need his permission to do so. But will he allow me to do that? What do I have to do to make it happen?
A Hidden Quest of such nature did not allow the player the luxury of taking their own sweet time to think. After all, players might incur the anger of NPCs if they did not respond to a question quickly. Ye Ci was quick to make her choice of words after a brief moment of pause, "A treasure will always be a treasure. Even if it was hidden beneath layers of dust, even if I did not come across the treasure today, I'm sure it will eventually shine bright like it was meant to be." said Ye Ci with a smile as she caressed Alaunar's head.
Dalufar was apparently satisfied with Ye Ci's answer. He nodded at Ye Ci and spoke to Alaunar, "If it is possible, Alaunar, are you willing to accept this Elf as a guest in your house?"
"Are you sure about that, Lord Dalufar? I'm afraid that my house is not a place fit for such an esteemed guest." Alaunar was shocked to see the smile on Dalufar's face.
"Of course. Think of it as a mission I have for you." Dalufar nodded. Despite Ye Ci's impression that the old NPC was a powerful and intelligent individual that was a force to be trifled with, Dalufar was unusually kind towards his tribesman, "I've sent some guards to deliver the necessary materials needed to host our guest to your mother. Go, be on your way now."
Alaunar nodded and spoke to Ye Ci, "My house is at the northeastern corner of the village, Elf. I'll head back first to set things up. I'll be back for you once I'm done."
Ye Ci nodded as Alaunar sprinted away with glee.
Dalufar was still staring at Ye Ci. "Your calm appearance cannot hide the desire in your heard." he observed silently.
It took a short moment for Ye Ci to recover from the shock when she heard the NPCs words, "I have nothing to hide from you, dear Mr. Dalufar."
"Your eyes remind me of my brother." Dalufar did not immediately respond to Ye Ci's words. He stared at Ye Ci for a long moment before finally speaking up, "His eyes were always filled with a strong sense of longing and desire as well." and he let out a sigh, "I hope that you can get what you want."
Ye Ci bowed deeply at Dalufar as he left. As she stood up straight, she could hear the hushed voices of Nuoba's men with her superior hearing.
"Lord Dalufar is making up excuses to look out for Alaunar's family again! It annoys me!"
"I know right! That boy is useless, but he's receiving extra care from Lord Dalufar just because his mother is a widow!"
"Why do we have someone so weak but yet so shameless in our tribe?"
......
Chapter 260 Dalufar (Part 2)
The whispers of the Doluo tribesmen immediately quieted down when Ye Ci cast her glance at them. She then looked at the direction where Dalufar had departed, and thoughts began forming in her mind.
Dalufar must've known something... He wouldn't have said something like that otherwise... Ye Ci was not worried at all by the fact that Dalufar knew that she held an interest in Alaunar. Her thoughts were on something else. The "treasure" that he meant was definitely Alaunar, but why would he refer to him as one? Is it because of the fact that Alaunar's father died in battle? No... It can't be... Orphans and widows are very commons in tribes like this, but why is Dalufar paying so much attention to the boy?
Could it be that....
A sudden realization dawned upon Ye Ci. She remembered that Alaunar had secretly observed Dalufar as he practices his spells at night, and was able to learn quite a number of Shaman skills. Dalufar is boss-tier NPC that was at least level 120. Someone like him would definitely notice the presence of Alaunar. He did not stop Alaunar from peeping, and it could only mean one thing! Dalufar knows that Alaunar is a Shaman! Not only that, he's allowing Alaunar to learn the skills of a Shaman from him!
The mystery was finally revealed.
Ye Ci knew not of Dalufar's thoughts, but she was certain that her discovery was the key to her success in recruiting Alaunar.
It was obvious that Alaunar and his mother were greatly cared by Dalufar. The meat and other items that were sent to the family small tent had taken up almost one third of its space. Alaunar knelt by the pile of goods with a frail looking woman. She was the mother of Alaunar.
Alaunar jumped with excitement when Ye Ci appeared, and he immediately introduced Ye Ci to his mother. Alaunar definitely got his genes from her. Thought Ye Ci to herself as she stared at the Doluo female before her. Unlike the rest of the Doluo tribe, her build was slender. "Thank you for your care of Alaunar, o' esteemed Elf." the woman greeted Ye Ci with a soft tone, and a warm smile on her face.
Ye Ci cast Detection on the woman. Perhaps due to her relationship with Alaunar, the woman's intimacy with Ye Ci was at Intimate as well, giving her access to her stats. The woman's name was Yolan, and she was a lvl40 NPC specializing in construction and engineering. Ye Ci's heart leapt as she laid her eyes upon one of Yolan's traits: Servant.
Unlike Alaunar, Yolan was an NPC without combat capabilities, which meant that she could not be hired as a mercenary. It'll benefit Upwards Ho! greatly if I can get them both! Mused Ye Ci.
A little girl entered the tent as Ye Ci engaged Yolan in small talks. The girl was younger, and even thinner than Alaunar. Her steps were unsteady as she hefted a porcelain jar in her hands. Alaunar immediately relieved her of the burden. He walked up to a large tank at the corner of the tent and poured water into the tank from the porcelain jar. He then introduced the girl to Ye Ci with a smile, "This is my sister, Mara."
Mara was even reserved than Alaunar was. A deep blush formed on her face as she stared at Ye Ci and she immediately hid behind her brother. The girl was less afraid after Ye Ci spoke to her in a gentle tone. Due to the influence of her mother and brother, Mara's intimacy with Ye Ci was increased to Intimate as well, enabling Ye Ci to have a glance at her stats. Mara's appearance was a surprise to Ye Ci, as she did not expect Alaunar to have a sister.
Mara had a lower level than Yolan. She was a level 30 NPC, but had mastery in drawing, writing, and potion brewing. The 3 masteries of the NPC was a surprise to Ye Ci. Drawing was a very rare Life Skill in Fate as the ability was only used in the duplication of blueprints that would expand a large amount of time and energy. Writing, however, was much more versatile. The ability was commonly used to duplicate skillbooks. Duplicate skillbooks made by players, however, were often bound to their creators, which severely limited the usefulness of the skill. Mage class players could still earn a living by selling scrolls created with the Writing skill, but it was not easy to level up the ability early game as skillbooks that could be duplicated were very rare.
But an NPC suffered from no such limitations. Their creations were not bound, and if Ye Ci could take the little girl with her as well, she would be able to earn a large fortune by selling scrolls and skillbooks in the future.
Ye Ci's could feel the sensation of a hundred claws in her heart. Oh how I wish that I can take all three of them with me when I leave the island.
As Ye Ci conversed with Yolan, her intimacy with the NPC increased, but not by a lot. She was deeply troubled by such a fact. Can I increase my intimacy with them to Loyal before I leave this place?
Yolan's family was already going to rest for the day when Ye Ci once again logged back into the game after dinner. The woman reserved the best spot for Ye Ci while she and her children rest in another corner of the tent. An old rack was placed in that same corner, and from the books and blueprints that lined each layer of the rack, one could tell that Yolan and Mara were avid readers.
All was quiet. Ye Ci had originally planned to improve her relationship with Yolan and Mara, but both the NPCs were already fast asleep.
Just as Ye Ci was about to log out of the game, she heard a faint sound at the corner of the tent. She turned her head slowly, and noticed that Alaunar was sitting up. He called out to his mother and sister in a faint voice, and immediately stood out to leave the tent when he received no response from the two.
Ye Ci sat up as well when Alaunar left the tent. She stared at the entrance of the tent and followed after Alaunar after entering stealth.
Alaunar was very cautious. The path that he took was a well hidden route that enabled him to avoid all the guard patrols in the village. His destination was an altar-like building. He hid himself behind the building and appeared to be peeking at something or someone. Ye Ci who was following close behind hid in a bush not far away from the boy. She was curious. Is he doing what I think he's doing?
A silhouette that Ye Ci immediately recognized as Dalufar appeared on the altar. The chieftain of the Doluo tribe began practicing his Shamanic abilities after offering a short prayer to the Gods. Alaunar was completely captivated by the display before him, and even began to subconsciously imitate Dalufar's movements. The boy was a fast learner, and was able to learn all of Dalufar's moves, gestures, and tricks in spell casting almost perfectly.
Just then, Ye Ci noticed a sudden movement behind her. She turned around, with her short sword already drawn, and pressed her sword against the person's neck. She let out a sigh after she realized the identity of the person behind her and sheathed her sword, "Yolan, Mara, why are you here?" she asked with a low voice.
"Y-you... You've discovered Alaunar's secret?" asked Yolan nervously. It was obvious that Yolan and her daughter knew about Alaunar's nightly activity.
"Yup." Ye Ci stared at Dalufar and Alaunar as she answered the question absentmindedly.
"W-will you tell Lord Dalufar about it then..." Yolan grew even more nervous. The panic stricken woman was gripping the hem of her shirt tightly, and Ye Ci was baffled by her reaction. She cast a glance at Yolan, who was begging her in a low voice, "Please, please tell no one about this, esteemed Elf. I know that people like us have no right to become a Shaman, but my son Alaunar is obsessed with the ways of the Shaman. I could not bring myself to say no to him when I saw the hopelessness in his eyes..."
Yolan's voice was soft, and Ye Ci could see tears glistening in her eyes, "I-if you really have to tell someone about this.... I'm willing to take all the blame. Leave Alaunar out of this. Please... I beg of you...." such is the love of a mother for her son.
Even if it was just a game, a mother's love is always touching.
Ye Ci's grabbed hold of Yolan's hand and spoke with a gentle voice, "I've always known that Alaunar is a Shaman."
"Ahh!" Yolan was deeply shocked by Ye Ci's words. The panic in her heart intensified as her body trembled. One could tell from Yolan's reaction that great woe would fall upon this family if the rest of the Doluo tribe learned about the secret.
Her worry, however, was immediately dispelled by Ye Ci, "You don't have to worry about it. I'll never tell a living soul about this. Not even Alaunar himself."
Yolan stared at the Elf standing in front of her with disbelief. She did not expect the Elf to accept her request. The Elf had even agreed to keep the secret. Yolan bit her lip and finally spoke up after a long moment of silence, "Why are you helping me?"
"I'm not helping you." Ye Ci turned around and smiled as she noticed the excited expression of Alaunar, "It's just that... I can understand how it feels. There's nothing that one can enjoy more in this world than having the ability to do something that one loves."
Yolan cupped her mouth. It was apparent that she was deeply touched by Ye Ci's words, and the intimacy level of Yolan and Mara with Ye Ci was immediately raised to Trusted. Their intimacy was just one tiny step left away from 'Loyal'. This was something that Ye Ci had not expected. She stared with disbelief at Mara and Yolan as they spoke to her with gratitude clear in their voices, "Thank you, Elf."
Despite her shock, Ye Ci turned to face Dalufar and smiled at the old man. He knew about the truth all along. There's no way such a formidable Shaman would not notice the presence of me, Yolan and Mara even without wards. He did not call us out, but was instead continuing his practice in full view of Alaunar. This meant that he knew about it! Alaunar might still be oblivious, but Ye Ci had come to the realisation that the skills that were being practiced by Dalufar were low level Shaman skills. This meant that these skills were either unique or were meant as teaching materials.
It was obvious that the latter was the answer.
Dalufar had long since noticed Alaunar presence, and was teaching him the ways of a Shaman in his own way.
The plan was flawless. Yolan was not aware that Dalufar knew about the truth, while Aluanar did not know of the fact that his action was already known by Dalufar and his mother. The chieftain himself, on the other hand, was able to feign ignorance as well.
Ye Ci stifled a laugh. So NPCs are not as simple as we players think they are.
"Let's head back. We don't want to disturb Alaunar." said Ye Ci to Yolan and Mara, "Don't worry, I'm sure that he'll be safe."
Yolan and Mara nodded and left with Ye Ci.
Unbeknownst to anyone, the ghost of a smile appeared on Dalufar's lips just at that moment.
Ye Ci continued her life of mining in the Pitch Black Cave with Alaunar in tow. The boy would equip himself with Shaman gears once upon entering the cave. Alaunar was able to unleash his full combat potential as a Shaman in the cave. He was able to apply the lessons he had learned from Dalufar in combat, and was even able to adjust the chieftain's techniques according to his needs in different situations. Within the short span of 2 days, Alaunar's mastery of his abilities became an envy even to Ye Ci herself.
As expected of an NPC... With the aid of the system, he's now a top-tier Shaman. Ye Ci would of course be jealous of Alaunar's spontaneous growth.
This of course benefitted Ye Ci greatly. Her role as the main DPS in the party was slowly being replaced by Alaunar. As long as the duo engaged less than 3 monsters in combat at a time, Alaunar was able to easily dispatch his opponents. Ye Ci's only job in the party was to collect the loot drops and mining for more ores. As an NPC, Alaunar's level was not limited by a level cap. After 3 days of adventuring in the Pitch Black Cave, he was already a level 69 NPC, and his equipment was also significantly upgraded.
The drop rates of Ancient Ores from the Magma Golems in the Pitch Black Cave was high, but were mainly Ancient Crimson and Azure Ores. Ye Ci had obtained nothing above the quality of Ancient Golden Ore. She was extremely distressed. I need 2,000 Ancient Golden Ores to get 20 Ancient Emerald Ores, but I have only 200 of them at this moment. I wonder when I will be able to leave this godforsaken place..
Ye Ci was able to maintain a healthy relationship with members of the Doluo tribe during her days on the island partially due to the fact that she was a guest of Dalufar. She would speak to the chieftain everyday, and she was surprised to find that Dalufar had begun treating her warmly.
Another day had ended, but this was a particularly bad day for Ye Ci. She was only able to obtain 80 odd pieces of Ancient Golden Ores, which was a far cry from the 2,000 pieces that she needed. She would hand her pickaxe to Dalufar everyday, who will then enchant her pickaxe for her work on the next day. Her visit to the chieftain's tent was already a norm, and this is the time that Ye Ci was looking forward to every single day. Her prestige with the Doluo tribe was already at the level of 'Renowned', and was a stone's throw away from reaching the prestige level of "Revered". Try as she might, she was not able to raise her prestige level any further. Despite the lack of special events, it did not mean that Ye Ci would give up for such a chance.
Dalufar offered Ye Ci a smile as he took the pickaxe from her, "You've been to the Doluo tribe for quite some days now, Elf. I have a question for you. What do you think of the Doluo tribe? Are you willing to answer my question?"
Two options immediately appeared before Ye Ci: 'Yes' or 'No'.
Ye Ci's heart leapt. This could be the chance that I'm waiting for! If I can give him the answer that he's looking for, I might be able to benefit from it! And Ye Ci immediately selected the option 'Yes' without a second thought. She bowed at Dalufar and spoke with a respectful voice, "Dear Mr. Dalufar, before I answer your question, I have something to tell you."
"What is it?"
"I'll answer your question with full honesty, but an honest answer might not be a pleasant one. I hope that you will not be angered if my answer is not pleasant to your ears." Ye Ci's gesture carried a meaning of its own. It would effectively establish an agreement between herself and Dalufar that was enforced by Fate's system. If Dalufar agreed to such a proposal, Ye Ci's reputation with the Doluo tribe would not be affected.
This was a trick that was frequently employed by players in Ye Ci's last life, but she was certain that such a method had not been used in her current life.
"Of course, Elf." Dalufar nodded at Ye Ci.
A system notification immediately rang out in Ye Ci's ears, signifying that the agreement was in effect. Ye Ci would not be able to lie, and Dalufar would not be able to reduce her reputation with the Doluo tribe.
"What do you think of the Doluo Tribe?" asked Dalufar.
"It's a tribe that is secluded and yet not secluded at all," Ye Ci replied with a smile, and she began her explanation when she noticed the confused look on Dalufar's face, "The location of your tribe is secluded, but many of your tribesmen lead lives just like an outsider would. Your way of life might be primitive, but you're quite advanced in terms of economics and military technology."
Dalufar nodded with satisfaction at Ye Ci's answer. He followed up with a few more questions and received truthful, objective answers from Ye Ci. Some of her answers were rather sharp, but this did not cause any displeasure for Dalufar.