“Hey… Have you heard about the boy?”
“Hm? The crazy white haired kid? Hah, of course! Whole city’s talking about him!”
“Oh, you two met the mutant, too? Kid helped me fix a leaky pipe yesterday morning.”
“No shit? I thought he was in the coal mine since dawn. Foreman said he repaired two support beams and found another on the brink of collapse. Saved a few lives, he did!”
“That can’t be right. I heard he was assisting with the farms within Subterranean Area 3 yesterday morning…”
“I can confirm he was there. Overseer gave him the task of cleaning the livestock pens. Thought it was going to take him the whole day, but he was done in an hour…”
“Bullshit! I saw him delivering supplies to Kilshore’s Inn yesterday morning! No way he could have finished that in time to—”
“Nah, you are all wrong. The kid was in the library yesterday helping the scholars translate elven runes—”
“Goddess strike me down if I’m lying, but I swear he was with the guards out beyond the walls killing the demons that got too close…”
“He can’t be everyone at once!” one of the men yelled, slamming his drink on the tavern table. “You people are ridiculous! Either decide if he’s at the mines, or the farms, or outside the Goddamned walls, but don’t try to tell me he’s at all three places in one morning! Next thing you are going to tell me is that he’s right behind me—”
“Excuse me.”
Everyone jumped when they heard the diminutive voice. All turned their gaze and saw a white-haired boy standing in the middle of the tavern.
No one had even noticed him arrive.
The boy raised an amulet to the man who was shouting earlier. “You dropped this.”
The man blinked. “That— That’s the amulet my wife gave me! I thought I lost it forever! Where did you find it?”
“A cave. It was buried within a nest of spider-rats. They like to hoard shiny things,” the boy politely replied. “They likely nicked it from you when you were working in the mines. I repaired the thread with reinforced strings. It shouldn’t break anymore.”
“T-thank you!” The man gasped. “Um, do you want anything? I have some coin—”
“No need.” The boy shook his head. “I must go. I still have time-limited sidequests to finish. Have a good day.”
The child then bolted out the door. The tavern patrons saw mana pooling into his legs with refined control before he leapt onto the rooftops and began speeding away.
“Is… Is he even getting paid for doing all this?” Someone weakly asked.
“Sometimes. Not all, though.” Another drinker shuddered. “Kid’s crazy. Half the insane stuff he does, he does it for free. The overseers practically have to force his earnings down his throat before he runs off. We have a bunch of people pooling together funds to try to pay him back, too.”
“Half the foremen and guildmasters in the city are trying to recruit him as well. The kid somehow just knows things. Trade secrets and stuff,” another grumbled. “Even the Church and the Chosen Expeditions are trying to get their hands on him.”
“A few of us started a fan club, too. We make a daily list of all the people he’s helped,” a barmaid said, before holding up a white-haired doll. “Here, look. We even made plushies!”
“How?! How has everyone already heard of him?! He has only been here for a month!”
“Hey, can I have one of those? I think my kid would like it…”
~~~
Left to his own devices, Eri bounced all over Kaldreach like a deranged rabbit.
He could scarcely remember the last time he had so many side quests to do. Apparently, he had resolved so many in Footfall that there were none left, save for repeatable minor tasks.
But there was no shortage of requests here. He was juggling so many favours, errands, and messages that it made his head spin with glee.
The flood of XP notifications came nonstop from dawn to dusk as he blazed from one location to another, a satisfied grin on his face.
One moment, he was helping a kid find her lost dog. The next, he was in the mines digging ore and finding rare mana crystals in the veins.
He would wander the desolate streets to help the poor. He would disappear into the subterranean tunnels to hunt rat-spiders and skitterworms. He would break into hideouts and apprehend criminals who had not been convicted yet, only to present such an overwhelming amount of evidence that the Church had no choice but to find them guilty.
There was no rhyme or reason to his bizarre behaviour, no pattern to the people he helped, and no apparent motivation other than an obsession to help as many people as possible in the least amount of time.
There was a sense of growing horror and awe within the city — a realisation that the reason everyone in Kaldreach now knew about the white-haired mutant wasn't because they heard from him by word-of-mouth or by the Church-sanctioned papers.
No, it was because just about everyone had at least one problem, even if it was only indirectly, that was solved by Eri White, the crazed white-haired mutant boy.
One month.
In just one month, Eri had made his name known all throughout Kaldreach.
~~~
[Congratulations! You have reached Level 40!]
[You have hit the Level Cap. Please upgrade your Core to increase the Max Level.]
Eri sighed in satisfaction, slumping back into his bed in his room. “Finally.”
At long last, he had hit the Level Cap.
Coming to Kaldreach was an excellent decision. If Eri had remained in Footfall, it likely would have taken another year before he hit the Level Cap.
He would have to properly thank Elen when she returned. He had earned quite a fair sum of coin; maybe he could buy something nice.
Or maybe…
Eri grinned. Night had fallen, and he was back in his room. He had time to browse. “System, open Shop.”
[Opening System Shop]
[Please select category: Equipment, Consumables, Materials, Arts/Spell Books]
“Consumables. Go to alcoholic beverages. Show me the higher-end products.”
The Matron enjoyed the occasional drink. Perhaps he could find a rare vintage for her to enjoy.
[Understood. Displaying…]
/-/
Brandy of Virellian
Violet-hued wine aged in moonstone casks (10000 Heroism Points)
Sunblush Nectar
Gold-honey mead chilled over glacial snow (13000 Heroism Points)
The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
Bloodwine of Aethermere
Dark, rich, brewed with starlight (14500 Heroism Points)
Cindervale Ember Whiskey
Smokey—
/-/
Eri recoiled. “M-maybe something more affordable,” he interrupted before the System could list ever-increasing prices. “Anything within 1000 Heroism Points?”
He had about 14000 Heroism Points, but he wasn’t going to spend them all on a gift. Heroism Points were a precious currency; not only did he need them to upgrade his magical Core, but he also used them to purchase supplies from the Shop, like Health Potions and crafting materials for his explosives.
The System Shop was a handy thing. The items it sold far surpassed the variety that could be found in any bazaar or market. Elen once helped confirm that the inventory on sale held ingredients that were so rare, they were particularly extinct.
“If you ever find yourself retiring the Chosen business, you should go work at the Aurelian Auction,” the Matron had said, her voice wobbly with awe. “You would become richer than kings in a heartbeat.”
The problem, however, was that the System Shop only accepted Heroism Points as currency (he could trade his Heroism Points for local coins, but not the other way around). That meant that anything he wanted from the Shop, he needed to spend Heroism Points.
And it wasn’t as if the System offered the best deals. While the variety on sale was incredible, the prices were far less so. A single Health Potion costs 20 Heroism Points — a sum that would take several Side Quests to earn — while the local markets would usually sell one for 50 copper coins — the same price as a three-night stay at a nice inn.
Eri hoped he would be able to purchase an exotic alcoholic brew that could not be found in Kaldreach, but the options available for sale at 1000 Heroism Points were disappointingly common. He would be better off buying them in real-world breweries.
Just as he was about to close the interface, a sudden thought occurred to him. “Can I use my Villainy Point to purchase instead?”
[Negative. Villainy Point cannot be used to purchase items for the Shop.]
Yeah, that figures. He had probably asked this before, but had forgotten about it. “Alright, close interface—”
[New update]
[An item has just been made available for purchase through Villainy Points]
Eri paused. “What?”
[Displaying…]
/-/
The First Sinner’s Vintage
Black as the First Sin; Aged for five thousand years. (1 Villainy Point)
/-/
Eri wordlessly stared at the display.
“... This just suddenly became available? Like, a minute ago?” he asked.
[Yes]
“And it only costs one Villainy Point to purchase?”
[Yes]
The first item that he could ever buy with Villainy Point, and it just so happens to be a drink, right as he was shopping for one?
Eri scoffed. Sure, that’s not suspicious at all. But…
It’s only one Villany Point. I have over a million of them unspent…
[Purchase? Y/N]
Eri exhaled. “Fine.”
[Y/N]
[‘The First Sinner’s Vintage’ added to inventory]
Eri pulled the bottle from his inventory pouch — a strange, bottomless leather sack the size of his fist that appeared whenever he wished.
It was a superbly convenient artefact — spatial magic was incredibly rare in the current era. Eri had it for as long as he was alive, so he chalked its existence as yet another powerful peculiarity of the System.
The bottle was heavy — far more than a regular wine bottle. It was also beautifully decorated, and as the description says, the contents behind its glossy surface were wholly black, so much so that it appeared to be absorbing light.
No, scratched that, it was absorbing light. The room was falling into pitch-black darkness, despite the candle lit on the table and the moonlight shining through the window.
Eri hastily placed the bottle back in the bottomless pouch. The moment he did so, the lighting in the room returned to normal.
“Definitely not drinking that,” he murmured, heart pounding. Perhaps he could still show it to Elen after she returned — she might have some insight into the bottle’s origin.
It would likely be another two weeks before she returned. Her friend’s expedition would take two weeks to reach the more corrupted steppes to the North, then two weeks to hunt the needed Gold Cores, then another two weeks to return to Kaldreach.
He had more than enough time to think of a gift. For the moment, he should rest.
Except… He was too restless. The strange darkness brought forth by the demon bottle made his heart pound. He couldn’t relax.
That blackness… It was not normal. It felt familiar, too.
He tossed about on his bed for an hour, futilely trying to sleep, before sighing and grabbing his gear.
It’s late, so most places are closed, he thought to himself as he put on his winter coat over his leather vest. There are a few miscellaneous gathering quests I could still do, though.
There was a potion vendor who wanted Snowblue Flowers — a resource easily obtainable outside the city, away from the corrupted front. Eri could exit via the South Gate and find some within the snow fields. Given how late it was, he was unlikely to find anyone to bother him as well.
Fast and easy. Shouldn’t be a problem at all.
I doubt I’ll see anyone.
~~~
“Faster! Please! We are almost to Kaldreach!”
The young lady's pleas to her weary steeds were worthless. The two horses were moving as fast as they could, dragging the ornate stagecoach through the snow under moonlight.
Dulcina cursed as another arrow landed near her, slicing a thin line across her riding boots. She risked a glance behind and saw her pursuers closing in — near a dozen cloaked figures upon swift horses.
Lifting a crossbow beside her, she fired a bolt at the closest rider. The arrow pierced true, slamming into the body of the horse and causing it to topple, crushing the rider and causing another pair behind to crash into them.
The screams of howling curses were almost louder than the wet snap of bones and tumbling bodies.
“You’ll pay for that, princess!” another rider shouted. “We’ll have you begging for mercy by the end of the night!”
“That’s if you can even still beg once we are through with you!” another laughed.
Dulcina breathed out shakily, keeping the reins on her horse steady as the youth struggled to load another bolt.
How many of them left? Dulcina tried to recall their numbers, but the memory of the ambush on her caravan before was a blur.
It was a bloodbath. Her guards were caught by complete surprise, not just because the brigands ambushed them from the snow, but because half of her own entourage had suddenly turned on her at the same time.
They planned this; Accursed traitors in her own House. Father always had that lingering suspicion, but for there to be so many, and to dare strike so boldly—
A sudden javelin speared through the stagecoach’s roof and almost impaled her. The girl nearly dropped her loaded crossbow and had no time to react before a pair of riders flanked her wagon.
“No more running, bitch! Pull over, and we promise we will be gentle— Arrk!” The brigand had no time to finish before a crossbow bolt punched through his neck.
The rider on the other side leapt onto her wagon. Dulcina raised her crossbow in time to block the shortsword slash aimed at her flank.
The brigand snarled, his blade pressing down on her. “To hell with this! We gave you enough chances! Not even our boss is going to spare you now, even if you beg!”
“House Elathion does not negotiate with scum like you,” Dulcina coldly said, pale eyes blazing before she pulled a dagger from her back and thrusted the blade into the man’s face.
The girl kicked the corpse off the wagon, hurriedly retrieving the reins. Just need to reach Kaldreach’s walls. I already sent word via arcane messaging; Father should be preparing his knights to meet me and—
Before Dulcina could re-centre herself, the wagon suddenly lurched to the side.
Someone had just jumped onto the back of the wagon.
Heavy footsteps behind her. Dulcina turned and pulled her rapier out, futile as the act was.
“Whew, finally caught up to you!” A massive bear of a man pulled back the curtain separating them. Blue eyes and a feral grin greeted her. “Good evening, young lady! It was an enjoyable chase, but unfortunately, I cannot let you kill any more of my men. The rest are very eager to meet you, and they can’t have their fun if they are dead.”
Dulcina lunged — a perfect, textbook strike that saw her silver blade pierce the heart of her assailant.
The tip plunged easily through chainmail and flesh. Dulcina felt the metal reach the pulsating life organ. It was an undeniably fatal blow.
It did not matter. The man before her coughed a little blood, then smiled.
“Was that supposed to kill me, or were you just playing around?” the man chuckled, the rasping chuckles sending chills up Dulcina’s spine. “I don’t mind if it’s the latter; I usually let my prey bleed me a little before I have my way with them.”
Dulcina desperately tried to pull her rapier out, but it was stuck.
Horrified, she realised she could still feel his heart beating despite the blade piercing it — powerful tremors delivered from steel to handle.
“But if it’s the former…” The man slowly raised a fist, the flesh of his arm hissing with mana. “Then you need lessons, Lady Dulcina Elathion. If you want to kill someone…”
“YOU SHOULD DO IT LIKE THIS!”
The man punched the wagon’s floor.
And the entire carriage flipped.
~~~
A fair distance away, a white-haired boy suddenly raised his head, pausing in his flower picking as a sudden notification alerted him.
[New Secret Optional Side Quest! ‘Save your first Damsel in Distress!’]
[Warning! You will be severely underleveled for this Quest!]
[Accept anyway? (Quest Rewards will be doubled)]
[Y/N]
…
[Y/N]
