章節 24: Chapter 24: The Righteous Druid Part 2
I have been staying in Rabata for almost two months now.
I will summarize what has happened so far.
Firstly, I met with Rabata's ruler and received a modest reward for "saving the city". Ten gold coins were quite a substantial amount. Thanks to me, a mine that was nearly useless could be redeveloped, so this reward seemed only fair.
The mercenary guild had given me a total of five gold coins as a reward. The original contract was for three gold coins and fifty silver coins, but they added a bonus. They even offered to hire me, which I declined of course. Staying in Rabata would prevent me from progressing with the main quest.
As I had expected, the merchant guild wanted to hire me too. They seemed interested not only in my combat skills but also in my ability to handle plants. More specifically, the merchant guild was interested in selling the "Purification Tree" I had grown. This could also have been profitable, but I refused. The Purification Tree was not yet something I wanted to use in that way.
The miners' guild, grateful that I had purified the mine so that they could work again, gave me white steel as a token of their gratitude. Although white steel wasn't the most suitable metal for a druid like me, it was a very fine metal. I sent the white steel I received as payment to the forge to commission a shield for El.
Lastly, the temple…
The most powerful presence in the port city of Rabata was the temple of Donar, the god of rivers and seas. They were the first to come and want to talk about the "purifying tree" I had created, but I already had other plans in mind.
"It's been a long time since we've seen a druid."
The first priest to meet with me was not a priest of Donar but of Lynshaka, the goddess of forests and the earth. An old man wearing the green priest's robe symbolizing Lynshaka looked at me and smiled faintly.
"Well, most druids don't like cities, you know."
I made a light-hearted joke as I handed the priest a cup filled with herbs.
"Let me get straight to the point."
After taking a sip of the herbal tea, the priest nodded his head.
"I would like to entrust the management of the 'Purification Tree' to the temple of Lynshaka."
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that all eyes in Rabata were currently on the "Purification Tree" that grew from the mine.
The rumors that the "Purification Tree" created by the [Saint of Purification] and [Nemesis of Evil], would protect Rabata from evil were no longer just rumors but had become a fact circulating through the city.
Naturally, this led to speculation about who would manage the Purification Tree.
Rabata was dominated by the temple of Donar, and because of this, it was naturally assumed by those within the Donar temple that they would manage the Purification Tree.
But I thought differently.
I need to increase Lynshaka's influence.
The power of a deity relies on the presence of its believers.
This was also true within AOE's system. Players could choose their "deity" and the number of followers determined the deities' hierarchy of power.
The players who had chosen the most popular god as their main god received blessings, or what we called "buffs".
Players who chose Eoen's signature god, Arzan, received buffs day and night. It was not something to be ignored.
As a druid, the deity most related to me was naturally Lynshaka, the goddess of forests and the earth.
The more followers Lynshaka had, the more buffs I could receive.
The problem was Lynshaka's current standing.
She is a minor deity at best, worshipped by hunters…
The first step was to increase Lynshaka's influence.
The titles of [Saint of Purification] and [Nemesis of Evil], the Purification Tree that sprouted through the mine, and numerous rumors.
Now was a very important moment to spread the name of Lynshaka far and wide.
I planned to naturally boost Lynshaka's name by entrusting the care of the Purification Tree to Lynshaka's temple.
Naturally, the Donar temple would be displeased.
However, I had a plausible excuse for that.
It wasn't the sacred radiance of the sun or the holy waves of the sea that were purifying the mine at the moment.
It was the Purification "Tree" I had raised. And so, it was a tree.
"The tree can only be properly cared for by Lynshaka's temple"
To my statement, the priest seemed to ponder for a moment without responding.
I leisurely drank some herbal tea while waiting for his answer. The herbal tea was quite sweet, possibly due to the addition of honey.
"…We think so too."
It was a satisfying response.
"However, we cannot ignore the opposition from the Donar temple."
"Don't worry about that. I have a plan in mind."
"A plan, you say?"
I looked at the priest with a slight smile.
"There will be a test to select the temple that will manage the Purification Tree."
"A test?"
"I will soon leave this city, so it's only natural. But we can't just choose anyone, can we?"
"Indeed."
"That's why I'm thinking of holding a test where you care for a purification plant for a week."
"Ah…"
"What is needed to maintain the purifying power of the purification tree is 'holy water'…"
At those words, the priest's eyes widened as if he had realized something.
"Yes, you're thinking exactly right."
After completely emptying my teacup, I slowly raised my head.
"The holy water of the Donar temple is seawater, or in other words, saltwater."
"Ah…"
"You can't grow plants with saltwater, even if it is considered holy water."
"I hadn't expected you to have thought that far."
Instead of responding, I just smiled broadly.
"Then, I'm counting on you."
***
A few days later.
A purification tree management test was conducted under the supervision of the Lausian temple, which worshiped the goddess of temperance and order. From the Temple of Donar to the Temple of Arzan, the Temple of Kerayion, the Temple of Daewar, and the Temple of Lynshaka. Several temples participated in the purification tree management test.
"Master! The results are in!"
"Speak."
"It's the Lynshaka's temple!"
As I had expected, the Lynshaka temple passed the test.
That takes a weight off my shoulders.
With this, Lynshaka's standing in Rabata, where the Donar Temple once dominated, was slightly increased.
As the Purification Tree's fame spread, so too would Lynshaka's influence grow.
This, in turn, would naturally increase the benefits I received.
There is still a long way to go.
Due to the request from Rabata's ruler to verify if the Purification Tree had firmly taken root, I found myself obligated to stay in Rabata for the next two months. It was a favorable situation for me since I was assured that all my expenses during the stay would be covered. This arrangement allowed me to save money, continue my training, and also provide time for El and Ayla to undergo their training and regroup.
Upon hearing that I would be extending my stay in Rabata for another two months, the Lynshaka temple was overjoyed. Perhaps their relief stemmed from the reduced likelihood of any harm coming from the Donar Temple with me here.
Every day, I offered prayers to Lynshaka and took care of the Purification Tree. The tree had become quite renowned and it was attracting many visitors daily. It seemed my presence as a druid alongside the majestic Purification Tree, radiating divine energy, left a profound impression on the people here. Although I was merely fulfilling my duties, I would often find offerings gathered around after my prayers. Well, for me it was just a small amount of money, so I donated it all to the Lynshaka temple and used it to increase my contribution to the temple.
"Master, a ship from the Echaits Union has arrived!"
One of the good things about Rabata was that it was a port city with an easy supply of goods. Now that I had both time and money, I planned to craft totems for El and Ayla to use. A ship from the Echaits Union arrived just in time, so it would be very easy to obtain materials. El and I headed toward the vibrant marketplace with enthusiasm.
"I need a pair of snow mountain eagle's eyes and a bundle of abyssal shark's teeth, all of the highest quality."
The merchant's eyes widened in recognition upon seeing me, and he nodded in acknowledgment.
"Just a moment, please."
He soon presented a pair of ice-clear snow mountain eagle eyes and a bundle of sharp abyssal shark teeth.
The quality is good.
Although these items were difficult to obtain, their quality was exceptionally high. Indeed, the goods from across the waters are of a different caliber.
"Do you have golden silkworm cocoons as well?"
"I can only sell three."
"I would like to purchase five, if possible."
"Hmm…"
It was clear that the merchant was conscious of the fact that I was the renowned [Saint of Purification] and [Nemesis of Evil].
After all, fame is good in many ways.
"In light of your efforts for Rabata, I will make an exception this time."
The merchant took out golden silkworm cocoons, the size of a finger and glowing golden, from a locked box and carefully wrapped them in a clean cloth.
"Thank you. May Lynshaka's blessings be with you."
After bidding him farewell, El and I returned to the inn.
It was time for the tedious task of manual crafting.
– Thud!
I took out the Obsidian Alligator leather necklace that I kept in the space ring.
This was a bonus item I received from Solen's materials shop on a previous visit.
Crafted from the finest obsidian alligator leather, the necklace shimmered with a jewel-like glow.
"Alright, let's get started."
I meticulously engraved tiny druidic runes onto each sharp abyssal shark tooth. Then, I affixed each tooth onto the leather necklace, finishing it off by applying glue made from the antlers of a dawn forest deer.
Finally, after reciting the spell and infusing everything with magical power, the totem was completed.
[Totem: The Steadfast Patience has been completed.]
[Steadfast Patience] is a totem that increases attack power as the wearer's health decreases. It was a perfect item for Ayla, who often finds herself on the front lines of battle.
The totem intended for El required even more effort and care.
First of all, the task of extracting thread from a golden cocoon itself was incredibly difficult. It took two whole days just to boil the cocoon, which says a lot. The cocoon would either melt or harden if the temperature was even slightly too high or too low, so I had to take turns with El standing guard by the pot through the night.
Of course, the silk drawn from the golden cocoon was not only stunningly beautiful but also incredibly strong. It was so durable that it couldn't be cut by just any ordinary knife.
After threading the thin golden silk through the eyes of a snow mountain eagle engraved with druidic runes and letting it dry under the moonlight for about a week, a splendid totem was completed.
[Totem: Predator's Eye has been completed.]
[Predator's Eye] was no ordinary totem. It was an item that enhanced "understanding" which was something more important than attack or defense power. By wearing the [Predator's Eyes], you could understand the essence of your opponent and attack more effectively. It was, you might say, an essential item for El who was still lacking in experience.
"Go on, try it on."
El carefully hung the [Predator's Eye] on her ear.
"You might not feel it right away, but you'll see its effects once you're in actual combat."
"Thank you, Master!"
…There was no need for thanks. If El could quickly attain the skills of <Silver Lion Reinhardt>, the benefits would be mine. This was all an investment in the future, so to speak.
"Ayla, come here too."
-Sniff sniff.
Only after I had secured [Steadfast Patience] around Ayla's neck did my shoulders feel lighter. This set the stage for them to become even stronger.
I declared to El and Ayla in a stern voice.
"Now that your totems are ready, tomorrow begins your hellish training."
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票