Vol. 2 - Chapter 29 – Dahlia's Tears

Meanwhile, as Mathias and the kobolds went toward the Groove, an area covered in very healthy looking grass that's fed by a nearby aquifer of clean spring water, inside another zone closeby, the human party was bathing in the warm spring water, which was taken as a big surprise. Paula, and Vivian were in a separate part of the baths, wearing nothing but their Eve Clothes, revealing their curves, especially the huntress who could be proud to boost quite the bosom and buttocks.

"Vivi, have you heard those kobolds' panicking voices talking in their native language?"

"Shhh, they returned and it seems there are three more people they brought about."

"[Hunter's Senses]."

Casting a spell on herself, Vivian could hear clearly the commotion on the green place the kobolds were so proud showing off to them, and even the baths, which were clean and held a basic architecture to them, that was practical, separating the genders, but also allowing a common ground.

Nevertheless, Vivian managed to pick Vek's voice explaining something in the human language, she could understand, and it was about a type of flower who had magical powers and it was something their tribe took great care of, along with asking the Mountain Spirit for nourishment, and when she heard Mathias reply her cogwheels started turning, making Paula ask her interested.

"What is wrong Vivi?"

"No, nothing. I just heard those kobolds speak in what we players can understand."

"Continue?"

"The leader of the kobolds told that guy, Mathias something about the forested area of their settlement, nothing important. Anyway let's not talk about the game, and bother thinking about that bear monster, and relax. I've never been to a hot-spring, this is a first for me here."

"Hmm, indeed, the feeling is realistic that I can't even deem this as a game."

Yet before they knew it, Anjo's voice was heard, shouting something at the kobolds inside the mixed baths, before water splashed even Vivian's face.

"WOOHOO! MAKE WAY YOU KOBOLD, THIS IS CALLED AMERICAN CANNONBALL!"

"FIRE IN THE HOLE!!" shouted MikeIron before a loud sound of a big weight hitting the water, sending another wave of water hitting the girls head first.

Vivian gritted her teeth, while cleaning her face, glanced in the opposite direction from the mixed baths, and turning her head at Paula, she commented.

Paula also was the same, and seeing Vivian's angry look, she told her in a pacifying tone.

"That's how most boys behave if you don't leash them and leave them to their antics."

"That's not true, most will behave normally without making a commotion, but those idiots think of themselves as some important guys. I am even thinking of leaving this group after we finish the raid."

"Hah, and I thought I would encounter some decent guy, after all, he told me he is from MIT. But his behavior is that of some spoiled fool. Way too immature and stupid at times for an MIT guy.

"No comment. If someone asks me if I know him, I will decline it."

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Apart from the relaxing time of the rest, Mathias arrived deeper in the Grove as the Clerics and Elder called it, and step by step, they reached something akin to a small temple that was covered in the roots of a tree. When Mathias made eye contact with those roots, he went closer and touching them, he was lashed by the Clerics.

"Keep your hands away, human! Those are the roots of the Sacred Tree and an extension of the Gravelmark Mountain Spirit."

Ignoring their remarks, he still touched the roots, and with his memory still fresh about the ring event, and how he had to dig deep and even cut the roots, to get the cursed ring which almost killed him, before shifting his gaze at the Elder who was nowhere to be seen.

Still, his voice could be heard from inside the temple where it was clearly filled with sadness and saying in draconian.

"AHH, the pure Dahlia's Tear, what happened to you? Ohh, Spirit of the Mountain, with what have we angered you?"

Vek, who was beside Mathias, give him a short translation of what the Elder was saying, which made him remark in a stoic manner.

"Haven't I told you I got cursed by the spirit? That damned old ghost is inside this ring as we speak. Hah, let me explain it to you little Vek, you tell the old ones, okay?" mentioned Mathias while showing the crimson ring he tried to remove but couldn't, before Vek who nodded in agreeing, told him.

"I will try, even though you sound believable and genuine, I can tell you that the Spirit is real, I've talked with him."

Like this, Mathias started telling Vek about the ancient tree not too far away from the lake, and went into a fast-paced story about how he was enticed by that spirit they were talking to withdraw the trapped ring, who was bound by the tree roots. He had to cut the roots securing the ring, and it even told the kobold about how the ring had a large mana amount to it that it even shocked him.

"So, in that way, that old ghost which sounded like a pitiful woman at first, who wanted to be rescued from her prison, made me act, and when I got the ring out, and placed it on my index finger, everything went terrible wrong, and I got cursed by that ghost I've been talking which sounded exactly as what you've heard."

Vek had his crocodile-like snout opened, with his eyes surprised, only after some long seconds did he process all the information Mathias fed him, before asking back.

"Did the roots of that ancient tree look exactly like the one covering the temple?"

"It is spot on. My assumption is that the tree was drying the ring of the mana, and feeding it down that temple it spread out its roots. There's only that place it is mana infused, right?"

"From what the Elder told me, yes. There are only magical plants inside the temple that our tribe has been growing for generations, from healing plants to magic plants."

"Ahh, that old ghost not only that it damned me, it also got you into a tricky situation. Let's go tell the Elder before he consumes himself too much." mentioned Mathias after doing a small sigh, as he walked toward the entrance of the temple, and barely high enough to pass his head.

When Vek saw the three old kobolds gather around a place, he sighed and started talking with them using the draconic, and immediately their attention was captured back to the young kobold. They started having a back and forth using their native language, and their talks got so intense that the two clerics pointed their staff angrily at Mathias, as if they wanted a piece of him.

But Vek, waved his small hands to dissuade any of the aggression on himself, and continued telling the old kobolds in a calm voice, what Mathias felt was the story he told them, things continued in that route until Mathias heard the Elder sigh, and tell him in the common language.

"Does that ring really contains the spirit of Gravelmark, no, the old ghost you've mentioned to little Vek?"

"Yes, it does, but that shameless ghost is now sleeping or God knows whatever he is doing down his rabbit hole. I would have wished he would come to explain himself to me and you, since I want to be selfish and remark that I almost got killed, you imagine an Immortal as me, an outlander, say this, it means die for good."

"Damn it. We can't do anything about it. Dahlia would slowly lose its powers, and its mana required for the Draconic Rites of Passage for a future chosen one wouldn't be possible."

Hearing the old kobold say that, Mathias raised his hand casually to attract the attention of the kobolds, and told them in a calm voice.

"Elder, I have a proposition if you would want to hear it."

"What is it, young human?"

"If I understood well, the power inside Dahlia isn't yet enough to awaken that ritual for your race, but the plant is still precious nonetheless, and I have a use for it."

"..." the Elder remained quiet, as if signaling Mathias that he wanted more details or some explanation since he wasn't a fool, just to give away something his tribe groomed for so many generations.

"I need Dahlia for my wife, Elder. She has been scarred by the magic she learns, and even the divine powers of the High Paladin inside the strongest church, serving Rebecca wasn't enough to heal her scar and flesh wound. Yet, there are alchemical ointments, who in theory are capable of healing anything that is concerning a flesh wound. If it is possible I would want that plant, obviously not for free. Nothing in this world is free."

Listening to Mathias's explanation, and reasons for desiring Dahlia's Tears, even the Clerics lowered their aggression and were looking at Elder Morlk for an agreement.

"What can you offer my tribe that will help me assure that the future generations don't miss out on awakening their ancestral bloodline?" inquired the Elder, while Mathias went into a deep pondering before a click in his mind happened, and he started spreading out all the Equipment Items he garnished after all his journey from Cidarian going as far as the depths of Gravelmark Mountains.

There was even the [Rare] rated dagger called 'Fang of the Enforcer' that had some good stats, with high attack power, and boosting the agility of the wielder, with a toxic effect on it along with a chance of delivering [Paralyzing] debuff.

One could even say it was a match made in Heaven for an assassin class if the dagger landed on their hands. Then there was the sword he received from Evander, 'Sword of the Betrayer', along with other items, from the boars composing at least three Gragger Boar Armor sets, and other parts scattered around, with different pieces.

"So many artifacts." exclaimed the kobolds, in amazement by the equipment Mathias has shown them, which made him feel slightly shameless because his own equipment was worth for certain the value of this gear he showed the kobolds multiplied by ten times or a higher number.

Elder Morkl, went forward and touched the armor made from the leather of the boars, and could feel the resistance and strength, followed by what advantages this type of armor would offer in a confrontation with future enemies.

"Little Vek, go take in your hand that dagger, and tell me how it feels." told the old kobold, while Vek nodded and from Mathias's 'Treasure Trove' the small creature took in his hands the dagger which made it seem it was a sword in the kobold's hands.

Vek slashed the air, checking the flow of the strikes using the dagger, and was surprised to see how smooth and quick the strikes were.

"Better than my weapon, Elder. This is an artifact that could serve as the tribe's heirloom for generations."

"I see. What about that sword little Vek. Mind giving it a try?"

Placing back the dagger from the trove, Vek tried to take the sword in his small hands, but the overall build of the sword was too large for the kobold, turning his attempts into failures."

"I can feel this sword is stronger than the dagger, but I am too weak to use it."

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Mathias watched the kobolds calmly, while the old kobolds made Vek try the armors and also the weapons he managed to get from the mountain bandits which the young kobold fulfilled the system requirements of usage. Like this, minutes passed and not hurrying the kobolds to get his answers, they stopped from their checks, and with Elder Morlk stepping forward to be face to face to Mathias, he heard him declare.

"Young human, my tribe will trade Dahlia's Tear with the dagger in the shape of a fang, four swords, five chest armors, helmets, and trousers."

Surprised by the small requirement, he looked down at the kobold, and inquired to make sure.

"Elder, you also need the boots in order to receive a magical effect of the equipment. Are you sure, you don't require them?"

"It is fine. No need, young human. Unlike you humans, we kobolds don't need footwear, it would hinder our strong legs and weaken us."

"Then take some more of the armor pieces to make up for the boots." added Mathias, not being shameless enough to scam the kobolds, and spit on their pure conceptions of trade."

The kobolds couldn't say no to this generosity and took the offer, and after they selected their armor pieces, he took back the items the kobolds didn't want, especially the Epic Rated, which was like a relief since he intended to use it in the future.

What followed next was, the kobold Elder walking toward another location of the temple, where he took a spider silk fabric and returning back he used that fabric to wrap it around the plant so desired by Mathias and many other magicians for his plethora of unique effects, that it made the plant a Legendary one, only heard in legends.

"Here is the flower, young human. I hope your wife will be healed after you make that potion." said Elder Morkl while handing Mathias the plant, where instantly the notification window of the system appeared, announcing.

[You have received 'Dahlia's Tears' after you initiated a trading exchange.]

[Charm has increased by 15 points.]

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Opening the information, for the flower, he was pleased to see that it was the legit one, gaining even the confirmation of the system.

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[Dahlia's Tear]

Rating: Legendary(Downgraded) -> Unique

[Description: The flower of the World that has been fed in its growth stage rich mana that could be only found in the veins of the Earth. The rarity of the flower and the miraculous stories the people shares on the flower gave the flower another effect, enhanced by the belief of the people, always mentioning its name.

Effect: Each of the flower petals can boost significantly the intelligence on the constitution of the user. Used in healing wounds, assisting in mana tasks … ]

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'Indeed, it was as back then, does this mean that in the Beta Phase the Elder picked the plant ahead of time just to secure my goodwill? Such a shame, I wonder how this flower would look when reaching its final growth stage.'

'Still, nothing to regret about it, this flower is the key plant in the alchemical ointment for Fay's scar. Now, I will need to search for three more rare plants, before I could make the ointment.'

With his own thought sorted out, still impressed by the description of the plant itself, he turned his attention back to the kobolds, and while bowing his head for a bit, he told the Elder.

"It has been a pleasure trading with you Elder, and I hope my gear will be sufficient for your people."

Elder Morlk, nodded his head in a pleased way, himself too satisfied by the trade and Mathias's gracious acts, before he mentioned to Mathias as if he requested him of something.

"They will be put to test when your adventurer party will go to fight the monstrosity the evil human created."

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Feeling that something was about to happen with that comment from the old kobold, instantly the sound of the system rang in his mind, notifying him about a new quest that was triggered.

[You have received a quest!]

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[Defeat the Undead Beast Iljnoks.]