Chapitre 8: Chapter Eight: Massive Fortune
- Inside the Morning Glory Inn -
The Morning Glory Inn, a gathering of adventurers both novices and veterans alike. A rest stop for those that are about to leave on their quests or when they have finished their said quest. With the inn being visited by many adventurers, they have both quality and thrifty options for both sides of adventurers. To those on the more successful side, more quality rooms, and food. To those on the more unfortunate side, some economy saving rooms and food were available as well. Because of the steadily increasing people becoming adventurers, they had to upscale their establishment. Now a building of four stories, its hub became more spacious with an increase of tables and chairs to accommodate its guests. As an inn for adventurers, it has seen its fair share of troubles that adventurers themselves have caused. Friction between certain groups or people often led to many fights and scuffles. The worst was when a group of A-ranked adventurers exchanged some blows. To say the least, the walls of the establishment had to have some construction work to be done after that day. The proprietress of the Morning Glory Inn, a long-lived elf who goes by the name of Sylvia Whisperwoods, had put a harsh half a year ban onto the two opposing groups.
Sitting at a table the three, Linda, Leonard, and Dianne, are eating their meals and going over their spoils. On the table lies some of the scattered materials and plants that they gathered. Herbs that took on a blue hue with crystalline leaves, a few rough chunks of pale green-bluish ore, and a few raw sapphires.
"How much you think we're gonna get?"
Leonard, taking a swig of his ale, asks bluntly. Both the pale green-bluish ores and sapphires are the ones gathering all three of their attractions.
'If this is mithril, we can probably get a few gold coins," Dianne states. "The raw sapphires would go for somewhere close to a gold coin."
"That's a large amount of money for what we just did." Linda points towards the herbs. "What about those?"
"That...honestly I have no idea."
Dianne picks up one of them by the stalk and raises to eye level. From its own weight, it bends downwards and its leaves shake lightly.
"I'm not proficient in herbalism so I don't have the knowledge to identify this herb."
She starts to fiddle around with the herb in her hands. After a short time, she places it back down on the table.
"Best place would be the apothecary, that's the best place to know what exactly this herb is."
"Nothing else I guess." Leonard gives a shrug. "I don't really like that old guy though."
"Are you still hung up on about that?"
"What kind of guy uses his customers as his guinea pigs?!."
"Eh, at least it didn't kill you. Besides you got a discount later though right?"
"That still doesn't mean it's okay!"
Dianne, ignoring the meaningless back and forth between siblings, once again rummages through their rucksacks. She then happens upon a spherical object within. With curiosity, she pinches it between her index finger and thumb and brings out. It was like a glass marble, only the space inside it seems to refract and bend lights as it looked a lot similar to the effect that a beautifully cut gemstone would have.
"Hm?"
However, peering through to the center of the object a strange symbol is suspended. Even when Dianne spins and rotates it, the symbol magically stands upright. After scrutinizing it a bit more, a realization strikes her core. Her breath comes to a halt, her hands shake. Eyes widening, staring at the mystical glass marble in front of her.
"A rune gemstone..." Dianne mutters softly.
A precious and rare commodity. Its use spans greatly across any conflict. The versatility and strong synergy that it provides greatly enhanced its demand. Its price would always be staggering and depending on the abilities it gives it could exponentially rise. It was not unheard of an adventurer finding themselves a rune gemstone and becoming rich overnight. It all depended on the type of rune is sealed inside. From the coloration and visual image of it, there is a high likelihood of it being the water element.
"Leonard, Linda." Dianne places the gemstone onto the table. "Look!"
Both of them quickly stop their argument and turn their heads towards Dianne. Following where her arms, they spot the gemstone. Its lustrous azure sparkle drew their gazes into its depths.
"What's this? Isn't this just another sapphire?"
Picking it up, Leonard takes a close look at it.
"It's quite big, so maybe we can get a better price for it."
"You idiot! It's not a sapphire!" Linda snatches it. "What kind of raw sapphire you find would look like this!"
"What is it then?"
"I don't know. Dianne already knows so she'll tell us."
A lengthy sigh escapes Dianne. She could not believe the two siblings did not know what a rune gemstone is. A precious resource such as a rune gemstone and they could not identify its distinctive traits.
"It's a rune gemstone," Dianne speaks. "You know those things that all adventurers hope to find in their questings."
"In particular, I believe that gemstone is of the water element." Dianne continues. "You know what that means right?"
Following soon after, their faces turn rigid and in disbelief. A minor tremor manifests in the hand of Linda. The reason why rune gemstones were high in demand; everybody could use it as long as one got their hands on a gemstone. It belonged in a different category from magic, though their uses were quite similar. Within each rune lies a power that the rune possesses. Depending on the person's aptitude, they could activate up to a certain limit and usage per day. There were normally five tiers of abilities that the runestone could activate. The lower the tiers the weaker they are but the more amounts of daily usage you could use. It is said that there is even the case where a whole town in the past became decimated from a tier five rune ability.
"We're..." Leonard clenching his fists. "RICH!"
He shouts towards the heavens. Everyone in the inn's lobby heard the outburst and curiously looks over to where the three were situated at. Feeling embarrassed, Linda reels the standing Leonard back down onto his seat.
"Hey! Keep your voice down!"
"But sis! We're gonna be so rich!"
"I know that, but just shut up for now!"
After calming down the trio went back into their talks. Likewise, the people around them returned back to their own conversations and businesses.
"Right, if we sold this we could become richer but," Dianne pauses. "I think we should keep it for ourselves."
"If one of us can heal, our quests could become easier."
"I see, I see." Linda nods. "I can agree with that."
"You guys sure about that? I feel that we can probably do better with selling it..."
"With a person being able to heal, I feel like we would be able to pick up better quests with better pay."
"Not only that, with it we can move up the ladder rank with more ease and working with others could work out better."
Leonard sinks into thought. His brows furrowing and quivering every so often and his eyes closed. A good minute or two passes before he reopens his eyes.
"I still think that we should sell it but since you're the brains of our group it's your call."
"Alright, then it's settled." Dianne smiles. "Now shall we decide which person gets it?"
The two siblings, in sync, turns towards the other. A grin breaks out between the two of them. Reading each other's thoughts they turn to Dianne. Their smile grew bigger, almost from ear to ear. Dianne became confused. She did not know why they were smiling so much.
"Obviously," Leonard speaks first, then Linda. "It's going to be you!"
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone