Katerin

After walking for hours on end with Raseiniai, it is an obvious that we will eventually need to rest. I pick a spot where one of the last overturned mine cart resides, with somewhat clean clearing near it. The spot has a newly-carved painting on the wall just behind it, resembling a snake.

Too clean, as if someone had cleaned it to sculpt or carve the painting. Undisputable signs of previous activity.

I really do wonder if this cave has indigenous people living inside or something similar.

There is this weird carving of a....snake? And there's some runes below it.

According to what little amount of scribbles I can skim out from the books we take earlier, this one part means this, and this one means that, so the translation must be….

“No stepping onto snakes”?

The writing is a tad bit different, but it seems close enough.

The tribes down below must have been worshipping snakes then, or something similar. Might they have a Servintus Odantus as their leader? It is a possibility. Intelligent dungeon creatures are really rare, but they do exist, and are considered people.

At least, in our small city.

They say most human cities are not as welcoming to other species, especially those closer to the heart of the continent. Racist bunch...

At the very least we are safe in the forest areas. Not only that, Elves are stronger there due to the abundance of natural unstained mana, while humans are less compatible with forest and jungle areas, something about the miasma being natural human deterrent. Not like it deters most adventurers nor merchants though, as natural miasmas are quite easy to overcome.

Yes, even the stained miasma of human cities are overcomeable by Elves, if they are determined enough to get used to it.

“Are you hurt, Rai?”

“No Big Brother, I am still okay.”

“Then go to sleep, we need the energy.”

“Fine.”

And just like that, Raseiniai is asleep. She really is a heavy sleeper, although she can last really long without it too.

I will keep her pure soul stay pure, not until at least several more tens of years.

Should I sleep? I mean, the footsteps we left them are just subtle enough that they will think we really did get out again. Besides, I’m not that sleepy.

Not sleepy, but my eyes are fighting tooth and nails for its breaktime.

I will just, distract myself. Maybe, I will have a look on this runes and paintings, they really are curiously intriguing, like something from a long-lost past, yet still being carried on towards the future.

Now, let us see here…*yawn*

…

…

*slump*

....zzzzzz.....

Dardan

Ugh, it HAS to be US!

Boss’ camp got burned last night, to an entire crisp, WHILE HE’S INSIDE!

The guts of some people…

And it’s US whose blame fell to? RIDICULOUS!

If the pay wasn’t THAT good, I would have deserted since long ago.

And now, with everyone’s morale being lowered by that idiot Boss’ incessant rambling of his tent and whatever shit got burned with his bags of loot, they still expect us to march into a dark ass cave with barely any lighting?

RIDICULOUS! ABSOLUTELY IRREDEEMABLE!

And beyond the cave mouth, why must it be a lot of fucking damp dirt? Dirties my shoes!

I can imagine those two kids getting their feet dirty too, look at those footprints.

Wait, footprints?

Now we really have something going on. The faster I can find those kids the better. I just want to sever my ass with that idiot bandit boss.

I’m so not cut out for this kind of job… My standards are not so low as to kill kids, dammit!

…

Their footsteps lead inside for quite some time. They really outdid themselves with their walking.

Now what in the triple hells we have here?

CONDENSED MANA CRYSTALS?! A WHOLE WALL OF THEM?!

HOLY SHIT I’M RICH!

WE’RE RICH!

RICH AS FUCK!

The crystals are polished to the point that they look like simple javelins, and some are actually stabbed hanging on the walls.

I think we can break some of these, pocket it, and only then report to the boss. Escaping isn’t an option as they had moved in several minutes behind us.

After all, what is a few sticks worth of Condensed Mana Crystal when there’s a boatload more of these? Everyone else can live like kings even when Boss takes 50% of these.

As a matter of fact, though, I think we should just keep to ourselves and send Boss most of it. A market crash will not be good for us, while Boss, as much of an idiot he is, still understands basic economics.

Not being greedy has its merits, after all.

Distributing some of the sticks to the others while dismantling the entire thing, I realize that the emplacement seems overly deliberate. Like as if they really made the crystals themselves, this is what a rudimentary fortification would look like…

…does that mean the kids can conjure Condensed Mana Crystals themselves?!

Holy shit, no wonder they are looking for them.

And when they’re caught, either the boss gives them back or take them for himself, the former being implausible if we really did tell of this information.

We should just not, if we can’t have the kid for ourselves, he should not too.

Actually, just to be save, I’ll take a look a bit further in, just in case they’re laying an ambush. I will also need a little bit of time to rest, away from the hot mess which is that idiot bossy Boss.

….

Huaahh… nothing’s like a little rest away from the commands of that jacked up shithead.

And about the scouting? Nothing, an entire 100 royal cubit and no one’s around. Judging by the footprints, they should be back out, as there are two double-pairs of footprints.

Weelll...I kinda wanted to bail since long ago, though. And its not like they will check anyways.

“Rodik!”

“Yes, scout master?”

“Report back to the boss, we have interesting findings. Tell him we found the kid's tracks, condensed mana crystals, and where they went before."

“Yes, scout master. Then I shall.”

Yes, good, walk away, you damn bootlicker. While you’re away I shall pocket as much crystals as we can.

I mean, regular mana crystals ain’t worth jack, they can even grow overground if the mana is dense enough. But condensed ones? They only grow underground, on specific hotspots, like near a dungeon core pedestal or really small pockets of underground mana-infused lakes.

Granted they’re not as uncommon as one might think, but they’re just that hard to acquire, even when we eventually spot some of them. Directly fighting a dungeon core is as hard as it sounds, but when is found inactive local markets will crash like a lamp knocked by the roof of a tavern.

And with low supply and high uses their prices jumps as high as a dragon launch. Alchemists everywhere on the continent uses these crystals for, well, alchemy. Not to mention how these crystals can power mages up through reverse mana-induction.

Short version, we’re rich.

Ah, there’s the return envoy. I shall slip away later, once we’re back here and get all distracted by the crystals. I’m not risking my life and conscience taking away two poor kids for political usage, or worse, boss’ personal money maker and possibly anything else he wants them to be.

But a hustle’s still a hustle.

….

Of course, IT HAS TO BE ME!

MEE!!

What’s the deal with that bastard, bossing me around like I’m not going to backstab him or something. What a power tripped piece of shit!

This room is empty, no two sides on it. There’s an empty hidden compartment, but that’s it. It’s an abandoned room, it’s dusty as hell for a reason!

He’s really THAT dense! Lords forgive, what an asshole. Never listens to people of their field.

If you’re going to pay me for scouting you better LISTEN!

Actually, you know what, great, I'm bailing out.

“If you really still want to deny then search towards the deep, maybe they really are that clever, I don’t know.”

“Yes, maybe they really are. Now, SCOUTS!”

“Yes sir!” “Yes sir!” “Aye sir!”

“Search the immediate outer vicinity, we’ll be back in several days.”

“Yes, sir!”

Hohohoho… Yeess… YEESS!!!

HE IS THAT DAFT!

Thought I will just go on and do what you say, huh? Even when you're right to send me out, you forgot about one thing; not all of us are loyal.

Obviously, I’ll just run away with the loot, no use licking a dirty scumbag’s boot.

Besides, with all the crystals’ worth inside my bag I can retire into a peaceful life!

Buy a plot of land and a village, be the new baron, rule the land. And with my money I can actually retire!

SPLENDID!

….

“WHO ARE YOU GUYS TO BLOCK MY WAY OUT?!”

“Orders, sir, we are to not let anyone out, not even you.”

“Bullshit, the boss himself ordered us scouts to scout!”

“Orders are orders, sir. Or we’re forced to maim.”

Dammit, now I’M the one to fall into his trap.

“Listen here now you little shits, I got something that the boss had took all for himself. Know what this is?”

I grab a regular mana crystal and show it to them. Its blueish pink hue gives no one a surprise.

“Yes, a mana crystal. Don’t tell me you’re going to attempt on a pathetic one.”

“Obviously, no. It will not be a pathetic one, at least. Now, compare it to this one.”

I take out a little piece of the condensed crystal. The darker blue hue can be easy to miss in this damp cave with little lighting, but once one touches it, none can deny the difference.

“This is….” “No way!”

“Yes, way. Now, I’ll give you each an entire fistful, but only if you agree to desert with us. You have families to feed, don’t you guys? With the money acquired from it you can go and run, away from this hot mess of a place. Buy some land, build a house, grow a farm, anything.”

“Well… uhh… but we, uhh… but…”

"If we run now, we can outrun him you knooow...?"

Heh, easy. It’s not like I’m wrong though, only the most desperate or unlucky gets roped in on that idiot’s businesses.

“Grrhh, fine. The sooner we leave, the more distance we can put behind him. However, you better lead us two to the edge of the forest. I’m getting the spooks here.”

“Same here.”

“Fine, whatever, just make sure to keep up.”

No guaranteeing if they’re going to backstab me once they’re out of the forest. They agreed with my scheme to run away, after all, and once one does it once, they will surely do it again.

Heh, how hypocritical of me. Can't blame me though, backstabs and betrayals are too convenient, and addictive. I get loyalty and its fundamentals, but with people like Boss, there will be no loyalty if he doesn't have quite a lot of family members hostage.

And thank goodness I have none on mine.

Anyways, I’ll make sure to leave these two in the dust in the middle of the forest.