Chapter 0039

Leviene rushed back to Honored Lady Valdis of Tainsoar to turn in her quest. Considering the way they met, Leviene figured Valdis doesn’t stay in one place for very long.

Whoever created the idea of the wandering quest giver should be shot. Search the map three times over for the NPC that only spawn at certain times of the day then go awandering to dangerous place for reasons only the developer knows and expect you to help them out.

If it wasn’t for the experiences and convenience, Leviene would never take the quest. There had to be other quest in the area for Leviene to be tempted. Then after going through all the trouble the NPC disappears when Leviene tries to turn in her quest.

Silly NPC.

Leviene has a guild filled with lazy people ready for deployment. She’d like to see the NPC hide from that!

The lazy guild members never told her she can look up the NPC route, spawn time, quest chain and any other pertinent information on the internet by the quest name. It might have made their lives easier had they done so but they rather be pestered by Leviene rather than go through what the guild leader and her council had in store for them.

“Valdis, Valdis, look! I have your amulet.” Leviene eagerly present her achievement like a child presenting her straight A report card to her parent, all smiles filled with anticipation for praise.

Reality and expectation are not always the same.

Honored Lady Valdis of Tainsoar’s tail wrapped around the small Perrian Let, acting like a splint to straighten her spine while her hand grabbed her chin.

Huh, where did that tail come from? Did all psychos have a tail? Madalinos have one. Valdis has one. Wait. She has one. She not a psycho! Ah forget about it.

“Child, one must always be mindful of etiquette and decorum. Those with title shall be address as such. One never knows how they earned it. My title is an Honored Lady. You shall address me as Honored Lady Valdis of Tainsoar. Do not shorten the title. It is disrespectful.”

Leviene have never notice how eerie Honored Lady Valdis of Tainsoars eyes are. Humans have one eye color. It does not change. If one have blue eyes, then it remain blue throughout their entire lives. It might look different depending on the light but that is all.

Honored Lady Valdis of Tainsoar eyes change from midnight blue to brown, to black to a galaxy with a sea of stars in them.

Amazing.

“How much does it cost to buy an eye customization like that?”

Survival Instinct to Brain: How many time have I told you to take control of that mouth and seal it up tight? I have to work overtime because of it.

Brain to Survival Instinct: If I could, I would have done so a long time ago.

Survival Instinct to Brain: Then think of something!

Brain to Survival Instinct: The enemy is too strong. I can’t think of a plan. What about you? What should we do?

Survival Instinct to Brain: What else? Run!

Leviene was just about to make out like a bandit and flee for her life when Honored Lady Valdis of Tainsoar cocked her head in puzzlement, “What are you talking about?”

In for a penny, in for a pound. The stupid mouth that needs a muzzle, “Your eyes change color without rhyme or reason. I was wondering how I can get something like that?”

“You can see it?”

“Yeah. Our faces were like 3 inches apart when you began your lecture. Wait, 3 inches. Gahh, don’t tell me you’re after my first kiss! I’m not interested in women lady!” Leviene tried to jump away from the dangerous woman. Emphasis on the tried. She’s still entangled in Honored Lady Valdis of Tainsoar’s tail. All her squirming made the tail tighten, like a python squeezing the life out of its prey.

“What does your sexual preference have to do with me teaching you proper etiquette?”

Survival Instinct to Brain: What the hell were you thinking? Lesbian? Seriously?

Brain to Survival Instinct: I was working on an escape route. I thought you were in control.

Survival Instinct to Brain: It wasn’t me. I have better sense than that. We’re alive aren’t we?

Brain to Survival Instinct: If it wasn’t you and it wasn’t me, then who was it?

Mouth to Brain and Survival Instinct: Hello.

Brain and Survival Instinct: AHHHHHHHHH!

“We were too close. Ever heard of personal space?”

“I prefer the hands on approach. Now tell me, can you see when my eyes change?”

“Yes. How do you do it? Where can I buy the effects? How much does it cost?” Leviene peppered Valdis with questions after question, not giving her time to answer.

“Ever changing eye color is a sign when … a player reaches a state of … enlightenment of sorts. It can not be bought. It can only be earned.”

A deflated Leviene, “Oh.”

“Now where was I?”

“Accepting the Amulet of Endless Love and giving me the experience and quest reward.” Leviene all but pushed the Amulet of Endless Love into the hands of Valdis… no it’s Honored Lady Valdis of Tainsoar. Leviene doesn’t need another lecture. Or another almost-but-not-quite-kiss.

Though the comment about her first kiss is moot. She kissed her younger brother on the mouth when he was a baby. She was 2 years old. Her daddy told her the stories a million times.

Honored Lady Valdis of Tainsoar had a complicated expression when she held the Amulet of Endless Love. “How did you get the amulet?”

“I walked in and got it of course.” Leviene was puzzled. Why was the NPC asking all these weird questions?

“What about the barrier and the traps?”

“Huh? What barrier? What traps? I just walked into the room, pick up the amulet and came right back out. Was I supposed to disarm traps and break barriers?”

“The Amulet of Endless Love is encased by a 12 layer barrier that prevent player from stealing it with 13 of the most complex traps set by a master thief. Not anyone can just go grab it. It’ll take a team at level 7000 at least 3 hours to disarm the traps and break the barrier without alerting the guards.” Honored Lady Valdis of Tainsoar stared at Leviene as if she was looking at a precious treasure. How powerful this innocuous player had to be to accomplish something that was almost impossible for Honored Lady Valdis of Tainsoar to do herself?

Honored Lady Valdis of Tainsoar knew the team has to be at least level 7000 to be able to even get near the Amulet of Endless Love. She’s been trying to steal it from that bastard for the longest time. To prevent an all out war that can crack the foundation of Arashia, the System mandate that any political maneuvering, backstabbing or thievery shall be done via proxy.

Originally those in power used the inhabitants of the Arashia. They even contracted the work for ‘players’ from the outer layers. The average level of the group Honored Lady Valdis of Tainsoar sent to ‘acquire’ the Amulet of Endless Love was 7300.

“Oh. I didn’t see any of that. I asked the old man if it was alright if I take the Amulet of Endless Love for a quest I am doing. He said he’d let me take if I promise to introduce one of my female relatives to him. I agreed and he gave me the amulet.” Leviene’s blithe response nearly made Honored Lady Valdis of Tainsoar speechless.

“You...you..you sell out your family like that?”

“Do you know what kind of demons my family have?” By the flabbergasted expression, Leviene knew Honored Lady Valdis of Tainsoar didn’t understand her family situation at all. She can’t blame her. Who could understand what she has to go through?

“The bastard have a particular taste. He likes women who resemble his long dead wife. If they act differently from his perception of her, he torments them until they go insane!”

“Oh good. I’ll introduce him to the relatives I hate.”

“Child, I’m trying to tell you I wouldn’t want to sick him on my worst enemy. You should be so cavalier about this.”

“Look lady, among my family Erica is considered the weakest, then there is Anya and Carrie. Anya is so beautiful she’s a super model when she’s a baby. She may be weak but everyone around her is strong. They can kill you before you even think about harming her. She’s like an orchid growing in the middle of a pack of zombies. I’d say beast but yeah her protectors are dumber than dogs. Or is it a rich person at the center of a circle of bodyguards? Whatever.

“Carrie is a virginal tramp. Oxymoron I know, but that is what she is. She lead men on like a bear to honey and hangs them out to dry. They are already strong in their own way. Even Erica. She created her own company fresh out of college and it is making millions. Yeah she brags about her six figure income, but you know what? She has a steel like determination and the desire and grit to make it to the top. And these three are the weakest women in my family. The others are freaking scary. So what if I introduce them to a pervert. I’d feel sorry for the pervert. Yeah, the guy might be as old as dirt, but you think my relative can’t eat him alive? Ha!”

“Child, you might regret your action today.”

“Not really. I don’t think he’ll so bad once he meet his true love again.”

“...”

“Love changes everyone, even someone older than dirt and powerful enough to co-create a world.”