Though moist, the party’s return to Valor on their raft was safe, smooth and comparably fast. Upon their return, it was decided that Gilbert and Anastacia would handle the exchange with the person who had given the quest to The Guild, while the rest of the party headed to the inn for a rest.

The directions on the quest notice led the pair to another inn, a bit further inside the city than the one they lived in. The building itself was slightly larger than Rosie’s inn, but according to Gilbert, had less than half as many rooms. Its immaculate outer appearance imitated the architecture of the nearby guild office, and the establishment was obviously aimed to a higher-class clientele than the bunch of ragtag drunkards Anastacia was living with.

The stark difference in the sheer amount of class between the inns couldn’t have been more apparent the second the pair stepped into the entrance hall. Instead of the homely wooden interior, the scent of delicious food and pipe tobacco, they were met with a sterile, marble encrusted hall that had an echo of a much larger room. Instead of several tables for groups of adventurers to enjoy their time off together, there were expensive decorations ranging from paintings to frankly ugly vases. Behind a polished granite counter, sat the sole employee responsible for reservations, an older female elf with a flawless red velvet uniform and an uptight aura. She took one glance at the adventurers and clearly judged them harshly.

“Can I help you? You do not look like our typical clientele, are you perhaps lost?” She asked and tried very hard to not sound extremely rude.

Gilbert handed over the quest notice. “We’re here to see a scholar by the name of Mikhail Grenn. We’ve completed a quest for him.” He explained.

“Oh… That certainly makes more sense.” The elf sighed in relief. “Master Grenn has informed us that he was expecting adventurers. Please follow me to his quarters.”

The elf’s gait was elegant yet stern as she walked upstairs to the third floor. It was clear from the unnaturally quick pace that she didn’t want rowdy adventurers like Gilbert and Anastacia standing around in her establishment.

Anastacia tugged Gilbert’s sleeve. “Why do so many elves have sticks so far up their asses?” She whispered.

“It comes with the age, when you live for three hundred years, everyone under eighty seems like a dumb child to you. They’re not bad people, just from a different generation.” The old adventurer explained and chuckled at the observation.

Anastacia accepted the answer and decided to not hold it against the clerk, though she was reminded of another elf. “Even the guy who owns a clothes shop on the main road, near the guild office?”

Gilbert clearly knew the elf in question. “No, that guy is younger than me and a complete asshole. Rosie almost choked him out once because he refused to make adjustments for some tunic she had bought.”

“Rosie’s great.” The necromancer said, remembering wanting to do the same herself.

They arrived at a door near the end of the corridor. The elf knocked on it. “Master Grenn? There are some adventurers here. They wish to talk to you about a quest.”

After what sounded like a rather laborious journey for the room’s resident, t0he door opened. Behind it was an ancient-looking dark elf. His red eyes were slightly cloudy and dark skin full of wrinkles and spots. “Have you completed it? Did you visit the fortress?” The scholar asked.

Gilbert nodded. “Aye. We’ve been there.”

Mikhail smiled excitedly and turned to the inn keeper. “Miss, could you be so kind as to get us some coffee?”

The elf nodded and hurried off.

The dark elf gestured for the adventurers to come in and journeyed back to a comfortable-looking armchair that was surrounded by books and scrolls. The room itself was about three times the size of Anastacia’s room and all the furniture were beautifully crafted and decorated, as opposed to the cheap but sturdy ones in her room.

“I am Mikhail Grenn, one of the leading experts on machine fortresses and the simulacra. I assume you’ve found out what made those creatures gather around the fortress?” The scholar inquired, still full of excitement.

“The goblins found a way in and started worshipping something they found inside. Anastacia here also found a way in and can tell you the details.” The old adventurer explained briefly and pushed the necromancer forwards.

Mikhail eyes widened after hearing that Anastacia had been inside. “Is this true?! You were inside the fortress?! Anastacia, was it? You must tell me every last detail. There are only a handful of people who have ever been inside an inactive machine fortress.” He demanded and scrambled for a quill and paper to take notes.

As Anastacia explained what had happened, the old scholar could barely stay still. He quickly pushed aside everything he had on the table next to the armchair and began taking notes. He was especially interested in the skeleton that the goblins had called the sleeping god and sketched its armor and crown based on Anastacia’s description.

“Oh, and I also found this.” The necromancer remembered, took out the book and showed it to the scholar, who gasped for air and slowly accepted the book with shaking hands.

“You… you found this inside?” He gasped.

Anastacia shrugged. “Yeah, the dead guy was holding it. It’s empty but I was told to let you check it out.”

Mikhail opened up the first spread and inspected it thoroughly. He slid his fingers along the edges of the page and smiled excitedly. “My girl, this book is far from empty.” He muttered and placed his thumbs on the half circles on the edges of the page. suddenly blue light patterns appeared all over the pages, forming characters Anastacia had never seen before. “Roughly translated, this book is called ‘The End of Aureun’. I think it tells what happened to the people who build the machine fortresses.”

“Oh. Cool. Wanna buy it?” Anastacia asked, not really understanding how impressed she should be.

The scholar’s jaw dropped. He looked like he couldn’t quite grasp what was happening. “You… You want to sell it? Do you not know how much this is worth? There are in total seven other functional books written by the Aureun in the whole world! I… I don’t have much spare money on me…”

“Hmm… I can’t do much with it and you seem like a decent enough guy so it’d be a shame if you didn’t buy it…” Anastacia was using what meager skills as a merchant she had just to see what the old man would offer. She didn’t particularly care for the book and genuinely found Mikhail pleasant to talk to and his enthusiasm refreshing.

“I… I know! Give me 10 days and I’ll send you twice the quest reward in gold, a royal blessing from my country and a set of enchanted items!” The ancient dark elf tried frantically to come up with anything the girl might be interested in.

“Deal.” The necromancer accepted without haggling. She had no idea what a royal blessing was, but it sounded interesting enough. Mikhail looked like someone had just given him the world and more and making someone that happy was a reward in itself.

Gilbert looked doubtful about the whole thing. “Which country would that be? And how does an old man like you have enough pull to get a royal blessing?”

“Ah… I guess my introduction was kind of incomplete. The Aureun are just my hobby, my vocation is being the mentor and advisor of the great king of Vassund.” Mikhail said without taking his eyes off the book.

Gilbert knew Vassund to be an extremely powerful nation neighboring Mournvalley to the north. It was one of the three biggest countries on the continent and had easily the largest military presence as well as strong alliances. They weren’t generally considered an enemy by Valor, but had in a couple of cases intervened on guild business when quests had taken place in their land.

While the scholar was busy drooling over the book he had acquired, Anastacia whispered to Gilbert. “What’s a royal blessing?”

“You accepted without knowing that? A royal blessing is a boon used by some kingdoms that basically lets you wish for almost anything, and the country will do all it can to make it happen. A blessing from a country as big as Vassund means you can probably take over a small nation if you want to.” Gilbert explained, clearly seeing the trade worthwhile now.

They were interrupted by a knock on the door. “I brought the coffee like you asked, Master Grenn.” The inn keeper said, placed a tray on the table near the door and served everyone a cup before leaving to her duties. The cups were made from some expensive looking ceramics and felt fragile.

Gilbert broke the handle on his cup immediately, but Mikhail told him not to worry about it.

“I can just say that I dropped it since my hands aren’t what they used to be. I owe you and your girl that much.” The dark elf laughed. “That reminds me, I believe I was supposed to pay you for completing the quest too, since I didn’t leave the money with The Guild”

He opened took out a bag full of coins from a chest next to his bed and handed it to Anastacia.

“I hope your travels bring you to Vassund before this old body of mine gives up. You will always be welcomed to the capital as my guest.” The scholar said warmly with a wide and genuine smile on his face.

After finishing their drinks and telling the scholar where to send the payment for the book, the pair left for the guild office to register the quest as complete. On the way there Anastacia remembered that she didn’t ask what kind of enchantment the items would hold.