Ed's men took him into the fortress interior with a message explaining the situation as best as the merchant could articulate. In the end, we agreed that I would let him go and that once he returned home, hobgoblin in tow, he would send what goods he could and fighters in the future. Thankfully Ed wasn't too annoyed with the sudden guest, but did rely through his men that he wouldn't mind something to make it worth the trouble, fair enough.
Nice that he's appreciating it, and it shows (some) good character, but what's this about a blood debt exactly, do I owe him something?
Neato.
Tell him thanks and that it was an odd pleasure to have his guy here, circumstances being what they are of course. Now tell me what he's offering, Kannor was a spiteful little shit, and it cost me good loot.
Ok, that's giving me implications, ones I'm not sure I can even consider given how I just, blank, each time I think about it, so I won't. Back to the point, what does he have for me, one of two, maybe three things?
Hmm, they're high-grade stuff, but what do they do exactly?
These two felt... different from Astarion and Pandora.
The bull and the machine woman felt familiar in my head, firm, almost like they belonged there, pieces to a puzzle I didn't know I had, I guess. But the [Game] and [Tempering] were not so, in fact, they felt foreign, even alien in my head. It felt like a truth I wasn't meant to know but not because it was inconceivable, instead it felt like it wasn't for me, a story told to the wrong person. And yet, no matter how much I mulled over it in my crystalline head I couldn't quite get used to it being there.
What is it?
I'd complain about it being painful, but that wouldn't be accurate, why exactly can't you do something about it?
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
God that gets more annoying the more I see it, sigh, I guess I'm just going to have to wait then. That being said, will using it at least get rid of this... sensation, it feels like there's a boulder in my brain, but it doesn't hurt somehow.
Small mercies, well that's what I'm doing next level then, I just need to get there.
Kind of speaking of which, I needed to make sure things were kept in order outside, Edward is probably scrambling to do a million different things at once and I doubt Arthur disappearing into the woods helps that much. I'm sure the fortress is sending people out right now, but I think it would be best to help things along, so for now I'd dedicate my time to micromanaging my outside monsters as best I can to get things shipshape. Mainly I'm just waiting for enough tier-one material to make something nice, something I could keep around for emergencies.
Next on the docket, are my hobgobs.
They weren't an issue per se, more that I didn't have anything for them to do. I could shove them into one of the rooms to start cultivating more adapted hobgoblins, but I didn't have much of a need for any at the moment and there was a lot to do outside. Not only did the battle leave many bodies, but there were still plenty of treasures to loot. I doubt most of them would be worth much to me but it would be to my minions and worst case I sold them back to Ed. Speaking of which, I still needed to talk with him about the future, from the whereabouts of Arthur, to how we would proceed, if we can proceed at all.
The wait wasn't very long thankfully, Edward and Arthur's girlfriend entered soon after the message was sent.
Together the two of them bowed but differently, Helvina did a fancy curtsy while raising her clothes slightly while Ed gave a small bow but without much bending.
"Greetings dungeon speaker, we have come to speak with your master as he requested."
The two of them seemed, solemn, the cause of which wasn't that difficult to figure out.
"The master welcomes both of you, but for the talks themselves it is asked that you enter my store so we might have more privacy."
"Indeed, lead the way."
Making it to said store I had them led to a small meeting room I paid a couple of points for. From a small, attached hole a small spherical robot came out with two glasses of wine. They cost me a point a glass, but it felt appropriate to bring stuff like that to things like this, they always did it at the company dinners.
The two of them shared a glance.
"My thanks dungeon, but if possible, Lady helvina should have some water or perhaps bool."
Didn't know what bool was, but the water I could do, actually, I'd one-up him and give him something better.
Giving Ed the extra wine glass, I paid another point to get her a nice tall glass of orange juice.
Ed sipped his drink first, not saying or doing anything for several minutes in awkward silence. After some time of nothing, both began to appreciate their drinks in earnest.
"A rare treat to taste an imperial vintage, never thought a bastard-"
Helvina hit him in the shin before he could finish the sentence, guess she was the serious one for the moment.
"What my brother-in-law means to say is that we are grateful for the sincere treat during these harsh times."
I was starting to like her, we hadn't much time to talk in the past.
"He accepts your thanks and wishes to begin, first, he would like to ask if the keep requires any aid in rebuilding."
"Hn, certainly, but I don't think it would be a good idea."
"May I ask why, surely it is not because it would be monsters that help?"
"That's a part of it sure, but most of the men to make it this far have gotten used to monster help around, no, the real issue is that my men are still recovering from the battle, the stress is making them flighty and stressed."
That's no good.
"Is there nothing we could do to speed up their recovery?"
"Unlikely, my people just need time to unwind, but it would be easier for you to help collect stone or wood for the repairs."
"Done, two teams of hobgoblins will be prepared for logging and the quarry."
"The next topic?"
"The master would like to know the whereabouts of your brother, Arthur."
Both flinched, neither looked comfortable with what needed to be said.
"We... don't exactly know where my brother is, we haven't been able to locate him."
Helvina chimed in.
"Scrying magic and several similar spells and small rituals have failed, at least in part. We are certain he is alive but for unknown reasons, we cannot find his true location, as of yesterday we have been searching for him subtly by having scouts search for survivors who might turn bandit out there."
"Would you be open to monster assistance?"
Both shook their heads.
"No, for the same reasons as before, the men just aren't ready to handle monsters being amongst them like that yet but thank you."
"Who leads the fortress right now then."
"Currently I lead it, not only am I part of the Nightingale family, but I was also chosen by my brother to take over the fortress should it be necessary."
"What then might be done to help find him?"
"Nothing at current, but there is a matter we would like to discuss with your master, regarding Arthur."
Oh?
Ed gave the stage to Helvina.
"Before all of this, I learned I was with child, something I assume you know, and the child is Arthur's."
So, this finally came up, I wasn't sure if I would be involved in this, but I don't have much choice right now.
"For the child's safety, Edward and I agreed to say that the child I Ed's. But only if we cannot find Arthur in time and come up with a solution then."
My non-existent eyebrows would have shot up if I had any, cause that's a wild thing to do. So much could go wrong, not to mention the moral implications of lying to everyone and perhaps even the kid, ignoring the fact that this would be an out-of-wedlock child, a bastard. Given what I've been told over my time here bastards aren't the most liked people despite not being able to control the circumstances of their birth.
"The master is... cautious, but willing to hear more."
I might as well listen to the rest before I freak out more.
"We would like the dungeon to help raise them."
WHAT THE FUCK!
