章節 251: Word is...

The ride after the incident was pretty tense, and things didn't relax even after the group had exited the mountain passage and reached the grassy plains of the Rift. To help Charlotte relax, he replaced her as the cart driver, allowing her to take a nap while resting her head on Tiffania's lap... Jealous.

Half a day later and Michael was already getting bored again, so he decided to try something he'd only thought of recently... He has Illococoo sit next to him as he pulls out some sheets of parchment from his inventory.

"What's this, big bro?" she asks in a terribly adorable voice dripping with curiosity.

Michael smiles, "These, are copies that a vampire had made of a word wall... Since you're a Rhyme... Lizard." Illococoo puffs her cheeks at that but he continues, "You might be able to understand it. This is the language of the dragons, so I figured you'd be the best suited for it." he says, causing the girl to forget his earlier faux pau and glare down at the parchment.

"Dragon language? There are dragons in this world!?" she asks and Michael nods, unconsciously rubbing her head as if she were an excitable puppy. Though, strangely, he could feel someone glaring at the back of his head... He turns, only catching a glimpse of movement from Tiffania, the girl looking at the nearby scenery despite her hair still moving...

Ignoring that for now, he turns back towards the dragon girl next to him, "Yeah, they're not like the things back home though, these ones can talk, and each of their words literally change the fabric of reality... At least, that's what I think happens. They've been extinct for thousands of years so, no one really knows anymore. Anyway, as I was saying, if you are able to learn this language, you'd be the strongest person in Skyrim!" he says only being partly truthful, he didn't know how powerful the Thu'um was compared to the game, so maybe he was wrong on this front...

Stars seem to shine in her eyes as she hears this, her fists clenching in front of her as if she were trying to grab and pull determination into existence. "R-really!? Even stronger than you, big bro!?"

Michael slowly nods, "As I am now at least, I can't summons storms, stop time, or sucks the souls out of people with a word... Which is all possible with the dragon language by the way."

His words seem to be the thing that breaks the camels back, the girl quickly snatching the parchments from him and looking through them with an analytical eye. Truthfully, he'd never seen her more serious than this. Even in battle, she seems to treat it all as fun and games, but her face now as she looks through the language? She looked like someone gambling with their soul... Or taking a massive shit...

He lets her concentrate for ten or so minutes before nudging the girl with his elbow, "Think you can learn anything from it?"

Illcocoo nods, pointing at one of the many strange letters, "This one, Su, I think it means... Air...?" she says, almost questioningly. "I need more to know for sure... But this is fun! You'll help me right, big bro?"

Michael nods, patting her head, "Of course Illu, just try not to get too caught up in it." he points a thumb over his shoulder at Tiffania and Charlotte, "You don't wanna end up like those two nerds who just read all day."

Illococoo laughs and nods, "Never! So booring!"

Tiffania just gives an exasperated smile, "She won't grow up if you keep teaching her like this, Michael." she says before focussing on Illococoo, "And I promise, you'll be a 'nerd' like us one day."

"Noo! I refuse!" Illococoo announces while crossing her arms, turning away with a mock huff.

Michael smirks, "Oh... Then I guess you won't need these anymore." he says, reaching for the parchment filled with the dragon language.

"W-wait!" she exclaims, keeping his hand at bay, "You're being meaaaaan!"

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

With that, Illococoo hopped into the back of the cart with the others, leaving Michael to drive the cart through the lonely Rift plains...

"Awwoooooo! For the longest tiiime! Oooohoooohooo! For the longest-aweooooOooo!"

"Jitterbug, che-che, Jhitter-bug, che-che, you put the boom-boom into my heart!"

"Partner, please, just stop with this racket..." Derflinger begs, the unfamiliar songs might've sounded good... If there were sung by an actual bard, but Michael certainly wasn't that!

"Karma Karma Karma Karm Karma Chameleon! You come and goo, you come and gooooooo!"

Finally, Derflinger has Illococoo slam his hilt onto the side of the cart a couple times, somehow knocking the senses out of the blade... Nevertheless, Michael continues his songs to tide away the never-ending boredom that is carriage driving...

"Never gonna give you up! Never gonna-" Michael's singing is interpreted by a sudden shout from the side of the road.

"Hells no woman! There's no way we're going down there! I agreed to dig and excavate for you, not fight off a hoard of undead monsters!" a Nord man states, coming from a campsite set up outside a large cave entrance, followed by many of his compatriots, all of which were carrying mining equipment.

Chasing them was a Dark Elf woman wearing a dress particularly unsuited for this area... Long skirts weren't helpful when wading through tall grass and dungeons... Still, she hurried after them looking particularly cross, ready to draw a dagger on them even, despite how outnumbered she was. "YOU! I hired you to work, and work you will!"

"Or what!? What can you do to us that the hoard of horrors in that cave can't?" one man angrily retorts, emphasizing his point by jabbing his pickaxe in her direction.

The woman scowls but halts and crosses her arms, realising that there wasn't anything she could do to them. Plus, she was a Dark Elf in Nord territory, it probably wouldn't end well for her if she antagonized them any further... Though, apparently scorned women aren't the most restrained people. "Fine then! Run like cowards!" she spits on the floor, "Your ancestors would be ashamed! Milk-Drinking whelps the lot of you!"

One of the men chuckle, "That might be, but we'd be ALIVE whelps! See you oblivion you squinty-eyed vampire!" he says, stomping off towards Riften while the others follow, leaving the woman dumbly standing there.