Elydes

Chapter 208: The List

Chapter 208 - The List

The frenetic search following the beast attacks gave way to the preparations for the imminent excavation. Soldiers returned to their daily tasks while mana professionals argued over who would take the lead.

Cant wait to find out how bad of an idea this is

It was odd to go back to the scholars after Kai had a divine revelation that shed light on the mystery. Should he drop subtle hints to lead them to the right conclusions? Or mislead them from the truth?

Under no circumstances could anyone suspect he had struck a bargain with a god. He didnt know half of what was going on with Zervathi and the Hidden Sanctuary realm, and how they fit together. The few clues he got only raised more questions.

He didnt like keeping the truth from Sonya, her head would burst with excitement if she found out about the bargain.

Her reaction would be priceless.Maybe when the Republic finds out

Uh, whats this? Kai raised his eyes from the glyphs he was translating and accepted a stack of papers from Makyn. The first page was blank with a single word in blocky letters: Restricted. With his attention piqued, he didnt wait to leaf through the pages, his eyes widening in wonder.

That's the Red List of restricted items as agreed by contract.

I was beginning to think you had accidentally forgotten. It had escaped Kais memory, though it was a welcome distraction. His attention darted through names and prices. There was an onslaught of rare potions, crafting and skill knowledge, mana ingredients, enchanted weapons and equipment. They ranged from a few silvers to more than one gold.

There was the elixir he bought for the baby. Spirits knew if he would be present for the birth. That was only weeks away now and the Republic wasnt likely to grant him leave. Hopefully, Flynn had found a way to explain his sudden disappearance to his family.

The farther away they stay from this, the better.

He buried the melancholy and scanned the information. There were a few neat items, but nothing that caught his eyethey were still red goods. Makyn had chosen to loom like a statue over him and showed no intention of leaving. Whats the last column of numbers?

Thats the price in contribution credits, its the internal currency of the Merian Republic rewarded for extraordinary service. Normally, youd have to join a branch of the Republic, but youve been granted access so long as youre employed by us. Youve earned thirty credits for your work with the beasts and Vastaire writings.

Hmm Thank you. Kai didnt expect to see a chip from slaying the toad, and he doubted he would if he hadnt asked Makyn.

The soldier gave him a stiff nod. The Republic rewards competence. The army is an opportunity to make a career even if you start from nothing.

Oh, is this another attempt to recruit me? Well, feel free to throw me all the money you want, I wont complain.

Kai chewed his thumbnail to show how terribly conflicted he was. Ill keep that in mind. A credit was roughly equivalent to a silver mesar, though certain items could only be purchased with them.

It was more than the fistful of dust he had expected to receive, but not a sum to leave him breathless. He halted on a page where the prices suddenly skyrocketed. He couldnt recognize half the items listed without the brief description accompanying them. And these are

Thats a partial version of the orange list. Its a show of good faith and trust in your capabilities. Ill need that back when youre done reading, you can come to me if you want to purchase anything.

Do they think they can bribe me with their shiny trinkets? I've gotten my fill with a god, no more pact with dubious individuals till that one is solved.

Hmm His eyebrows climbed up his forehead as he continued to read. While the orange list was shorter, every entry cost at least a gold with many in the tens.

There were better versions of the communication cubes Flynn had tracked down, elixirs to help train skills like Mana Sense and Swordsmanship, manuals to learn particular skills, instructions for professions

They sure keep the good stuff for themselves. Greedy hoarders.

Kai froze on the last page. Seed of Fire: consumable, grants minor increase to Fire affinity - 5,000 credits. There was no price listed in mesars, not that he could have afforded to pay 50 golds. If this list was curated for him, they were trying to awe him with goods he could never afford.

I hate you all.

Makyn leaned to see what had caught his attention. That only works to boost minor affinities and its more effective the lower your value is. Its not worth buying it unless you have money to burn.

That does make me feel marginally better. Youre a terrible salesman.

The higher the affinity, the harder it was to improve. He had to bargain with a god for an elemental boost. If money could get him the same, hed slam his head in the nearest wall. Thank the spirits, things werent that easy,

The list continued with consumables that covered the most common elements such as Earth and Water. No Space, mercifully no Space. Kai silently cursed them anyway.

Damned bastards, the Merian Republic is on another level.

While it burned to admit, there was no point denying reality. These were the advantages of joining a large organization rubbed in his face, though only a select few might afford the benefits.

Kai was ready to put down the list when his eyes widened at the very last line. Distilled Essence (Orange): grants 1000 XP upon first consumption - 1 gold/100 credits. Youre kidding me! How's that even possible?

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

I thought it was a myth.

You drink it and gain a boost to progress your grade, Makyn unhelpfully provided. The ingredients, professions and production methods are a state secret, but you might learn them one day if you join the alchemy branch.

Yeah, no thank you. Id be surprised if theyre allowed to see the sky without an army of guards.

One gold coin for 1000 XP was a steep price, even putting together every chip he had ever earned, he wouldn't get more than ten. His hands clutched the paper crumpling the edges. Does this mean that if someone has 300 gold mesars to burn they could skip Orange ?

Hows that fair? Cheating brats.

You only gain the full benefits from the first couple of elixirs. Makyn doused the fire of injustice with his impassive tone. They lose most of their effectiveness after twenty, and stop working after fifty.

Its completely fair then! Woe you for only getting what? Twenty-something thousand free XP? Cmon Kai, take a deep breath. Together Orange is more than half a million, so its not too much.

Makyn showed the slightest smile as the world crumbled around Kai, and the soldier wasnt done torturing him. That is unless you change to a different recipe. There are other similar potions held by a few organizations and old families, though they all suffer from the same problem and are generally more expensive to make.

If only I could get my hands around your necks. I. Hate. You. All. So. Much.

Is that how you reached yellow so young? Kai stared daggers at him.

Im thirty-eight, there are many younger than me, and no. My family wasnt that rich. I was born at the last stage of Red and climbed from there. Makyn lowered his voice. You should also know that using more than a couple bottles of Distilled Essence will cut the status feats you get from the Guide. Though most people dont care much about Fate.

That did make a difference for him. Kai chuckled. You really are the worst salesman on Elydes.

Makyn pursed his lips. Stop speaking nonsense and tell me if you want something. I have other duties to attend to.

Of course, sir. You showed me these lists with no ulterior motives whatsoever. Kai reciprocated the honesty.

You are limited to two purchases on the orange list. And keep in mind it may take some time to receive the items. Makyn fell into his monotone voice.

Hmm Kai browsed the pages. He wasnt short for money, but neither was he swimming in it. There was nothing he needed in the red list, his attention moved to the orange pages. Ignoring the half he couldnt afford, it left about fifty items to consider.

What do I need? Definitely to fulfill Zervathis bargain, nothing else matters if I fail.

There was a lack of manuals on how to access hidden realms and free chained godsa truly embarrassing oversight. No information on Space Magic or dimensions either.

Two books caught his attention: The Seven Pillars of Faith: treaty on the gods - 1 gold/100 credits, and The Lost Sister: a study of the effects of Fate - 2 golds/200 credits.

What are the odds that they contain useful information besides religious preaching? I need better odds than that.

Given the steep prices and limited purchases, Kai couldnt justify going for them. He wasnt going to find the information he needed on the list of the Republicat least not on the orange one.

He didnt need a weapon either, his sea serpent sword was far better than anything on sale. It was too soon to buy the potions to discard his profession, he hadnt made a decision yet. The alchemy and enchanting materials were also of little use since he wasnt going to get many chances to craft.

That left a few defensive enchantments and a slew of potential potions with the most disparate effects. Kai gave the papers back to Makyn. Ill need some time to think about it. No more getting pressured into hasty decisions, he could afford to wait a day or two.

*

A thin drizzle covered the jungle, slipping over the tree canopies in large drops. A line of mana professions and elite soldiers marched towards the ruins, followed by a small contingent of blue uniforms led by Valela.

Kai walked somewhere in the middle. The other scholars hadnt been invited, leaving him the odd one out. The weather was pleasant to stave off the heat now that he had the elemental reserves to shield himself. For the other mages not so much. A few had water-repellent robes or rigid umbrellas, the others slumped forward, spewing complaints about lacking civilization.

Isnt Water one of the most common affinities, or is it different on the mainland?

Many Earth mages and general mana professionals were soaked like wet cats, a significant blow to their distinguished demeanor. A couple threw him scornful glances, though most didnt notice him.

Maybe theyre just incompetent?

He had seen them raise houses from the ground and move boulders with a gesture, but that was all they did. While the mana researchers spent every day arguing about mana theory and occasionally shaped intricate constructs with no application.

Once Kai got beyond his initial awe, these renowned experts were a harsh downgrade from the all-powerful mage ideal in his head. Virya, Dora and Elijah had performed extraordinary feats with casual ease, and they never emptied their bag of tricks.

I know its not a fair comparison, but theyre disappointing.

Beyond the outer ring of the Vastaire site, most trees had fallen under the rampage of the beast or the axes of the laborers. A field of mud and weeds surrounded the ivory spike where the terragon had made its last stance. A rock path had been erected to give direct access to the underground chamber.

Heading into the dark tunnels, Kai couldnt get rid of his somber mood. Hallowed Intuition was silent, probably it was his dislike of destroying one of the few remaining sites. He vividly remembered the timeless towers collapsing on Yatol as a child.

I cant stop this, but I can make it worth it if I get more clues on the spatial anomalies.

He had debated whether to learn Space Magic, though it would be of little use at a low level, and he had absolutely no skill to discard. His improved affinity helped spot elemental motes, but they were still pitifully scarce outside the summoning chambers.

Itd be a slog to train, and the discard will knock me out two days unless

The mages were setting up their equipment just outside the hall when a young researcher said something that sent them squabbling over their roles. He had seen children with more discipline. Lou walked behind him and poked with his gruff Mana Sense.

Oh, youve gotten sneaky. Though you should really work on that skill. Ill give you a few lessons for old times' sake.

Kai waited a minute before following him into a corridor. The teen led him deeper without exchanging a word till they reached a chamber covered in moss. Valela waited with Ferla at her side, the princess activated an enchanted cube that muffled the sounds and perception around them.

Does everyone have one of these now? Wheres my spy gadget?

You want to talk now?

What better time than when everyone's attention is on excavation? The mages will argue for another hour at least.

Did she set up that argument?

Valela scrunched her brows. Are you alright? My offer to get you out still stands.

Im fine and dandy. Kai hid his worries behind a grin. I simply wish wed be more cautious with the excavation. I thought these mages would be more skilled. Whats the point of their silk robes and shiny tools if their solution is to blow things up?

If only Valela gave him a half-smile. Do you know what defines a mage?

Hmm Kai scrunched his brow. This sounded like a trick question. Their ability to use magic?

Everyone can use magic, you just need to evolve a skill or a profession enough times. What distinguishes mages is flexibility. We can take mana and shape it according to our needs. Valela summoned a flickering light, making it dance between her fingers. Any true magus needs to master at least one field to earn their title, such as a language of power, rituals, unattuned weaving or elemental magic.

She threw a peeved glance at the mossy wall behind his back. The earth shapers here are half-mages. Theyve given up flexibility and specialized their skills to do the heavy lifting. Theyre great at moving and compacting dirt, but if they face any other challenge, theyre helpless like a flipped turtle.

That does explain a few things

Valela blushed. Please, dont call them that. Half-mage can be taken as an insult by some.

He bobbed his head. Ill make sure they dont hear me.

Thats not what I meant. She ruefully shook her head, pulling a hazel lock behind her ear. Anyway, do you have new information?

A few things. Kai recounted the scholars work on the Vastaire and the speculations on the spatial anomalies.

Valela wrote it all down in a notebook. Thatll be useful. Is there nothing else?

Thats all I got. Well learn more today. Or wreck another ruin for nothing and worsen the emergency. Huh that might happen even if they succeed. Guilt prickled him, but they didnt share the blind trust to confess about a divine bargain. The stakes were too high.

Valela peered at him. You know Im trying to help the archipelago.

And the governors interests. Either shes ridiculously perceptive or shes fishing for information.

Ill let you know when we know more. Lets go find out if those half-mages will blow us up or not.