by Sergei Katz
— Did you like being a raven? — I was surprised.
— To be honest, yes, I did. You can fly! The world looks quite different from a height, and new ideas start surfacing in your mind! — Terin's eyes faded dreamily.
Then the world announced a new message:
The world has met its first Grand Master Blacksmith!
— Wow, it looks as though we nailed the witch just in time, — I smiled. — You became not only the first Grand Master Blacksmith, but also the first Grand Master in the world!
— Wow! — The dwarf was jumping up and down full of joy. However, having calmed down a bit, he told me: — We did not kill the witch though. We killed her familiar, and even then not quite. After some time it will come to life again, so the body needs to be burned until the fire goes out. She was controlling me through this fire. I don’t understand how does the witchcraft work exactly, but what I do not understand is why my flesh was fed to the fire on a daily basis.
— Of course, — I sighed. — One enemy more, one enemy less...
— Dream on! — The dwarf laughed. — You're her number one enemy now, and if you ransack her tent, she will be after you for the rest of your life!
— Of course I'm going to ransack her tent! It’s my loot and it belongs to me. By the way, I wonder what skills do you have now? What can you do for me?
— If you provide me with a forge then I'll make you anything you want! I'll help you for the rest of my life, not for free, of course, but you can always count on a good discount. — Terin replied.
I got an impression that Terin was torn between a dilemma of innate dwarven greed and pride in his craftsmanship, but pride in his craftsmanship won out in the end, and he looked at me straight into my eyes. If I wasn’t mistaken, I felt that he would have been happier if I had declined his offer.
“Oh no, Grand Master Blacksmith, you owe me your life. You are not going to get away with just giving me some discounts!” — I thought to myself.
— Thank you Terin, the Skillful One of the Agatha Dust clan, from this day, as a sign of respect for you and your skill, I will, whenever possible, order all blacksmith's works exclusively from you.
I could see the disappointment on his face, because he had hoped to get away with just doing a couple of jobs for me.
— So, what can you do? — I asked.
— I am now capable of doing so much that Master Finn himself would work under me to learn my crafts. And there is so much more! I swear by my glowing beard that this is true! The simple fact that I'm the first Grand Master in the world means that everything that I do gives me bonuses to my ability! And now, for becoming the first Grand Master Blacksmith in the world, I have been awarded even more bonuses. I'm definitely the best blacksmith in the world now! — The dwarf ran up to me and hugged me so tightly that I could hardly breathe. — If only I had a smithy to work in right now ... — he exuded.
When the dwarf released me and the air returned to my lungs, I noticed that the rest of my group was slowly recovering. I could hear groans coming from myPhasm. It seemed that my pet was feeling all the delights of a hangover for the first time in his life. The dwarf, behaving like a loving mother, carefully wrapped his arms around Little Morph and suddenly came up with a flask of drink from out of blue.
I felt Alex’s eyes upon me and asked him: — How are you feeling?
— I’m okay, — the young boy smiled, as if he had been waiting for this question. — By the way, what kind of arrow saved us?
— Ah, this one, — the boy took out a red arrow. — I only have one. It has a capability to cause serious injury, and can be used until it breaks, but I try to keep it back for emergencies because I can only use it once every twenty-four days.
— That’s a shame, — I sighed, — but now I understand why you didn’t use it before, — and, making sure that everyone else was alive and kicking, I went to pillage the tent.
To be honest, I didn’t even really know what I was taking: some flasks with slimy liquids, a lot of bottles full of the blood of different animals, some other pieces of minerals and different containers full of dust. I also took some tools, most likely of an alchemical nature, and a lot of empty containers. The only hiding place I could find was under a stool. It was a casket which was buried in the ground, containing some of Terin’s feathers from back when he was still a grey raven.
— It seems like that’s all, — I looked around for the last time in search of any more loot, and then left the tent.
Upon seeing me, Little Morph made a happy noise and alighted upon my shoulder. My Copper Wing chose this moment to be the best time to demand attention to his feathered personage, and at the same time to demand his favorite delicacy.
— Go on, you deserve it!
I also gave food to the rest of them.
The dwarf looked sadly at the berries, and his gaze was full of disgust:
— Forgive me, friend, but I have eaten more than enough of that crap for a lifetime! I would give anything for a delicious piece of meat, or maybe five.
— Can’t see why not make some now? At least that will give me a chance to practice my cooking skills. Alex and Copper Wing, you go find the meat and we will get the fire going. After we have finished we’ll go back to the tavern.
— Let’s do it then! — Terin exclaimed.
CHAPTER 22:
THE USUAL CONCERNS
As soon as the tavern appeared in sight, the dwarf began to sprint. My Copper Wing and Little Morph decided that this was a game, so they rushed after Terin.
— What's with them? — The boy was surprised.
— Our new acquaintance has most likely rushed off to get some booze, and these two dunces, — I pointed out at the creatures that had just left us, — are just having fun.
A sly grin appeared on the boy's face:
— Let's get there first! — he said, then also took off after the steadily disappearing group.
— Well, do what you want, but I’m good, — I shouted after him.
Ten minutes later I entered the tavern’s main hall. As I expected, the dwarf had taken one of the larger tables. A mountain of meat was already piled up in front of him, along with a large jug of some kind of drink. Judging by the way my Phasm was sniffing at the jug, the drink was definitely alcoholic. My pet had definitely become addicted to alcohol, but the good side was that when he was drunk he wasn’t afraid to fight, so I decided that I needed to keep a couple of bottles of spirits at hand for the future. When I entered the room, the dwarf already had company of a couple more dwarves, and they were deep in conversation.
Meanwhile, I approached the hostess.
— Good day to you, — I greeted Martha.
— Good day to you to. I can’t believe how everything has turned out. — Her face was shining with delight. — The Fortune Teller told me that if I could hold on until the first Grand Master appeared in the world without going bankrupt, I would own one of the ten best taverns in the world. Who was to know that the raven was actually a dwarf, and that he was the only one who could save me from failure? Everyone came just to see how he behaved when he was drunk. Now he has become the world’s first Grand Master and on top of that he’s a Blacksmith. Most importantly, he still persuaded me to allow him to build a smithy here. Such a naive soul - I need this forge even more than he does! People will queue up for the services of such a Master Craftsman, and while they do so they will spend time in my tavern as well. Please don’t mention this to him under any circumstances. — Suddenly, the future oligarch had come to her senses. — If he realizes how much I need him, then he will rob me blind, just like your pets do when they want more chewing fruits.
— Okay, I won’t say a word, but just remember, we saved him, and only thanks to us has he become the first Grand Master in the world, — I gave the hostess of the tavern a meaningful look.
— I get it, — the hostess's voice was filled with a professional sadness. — But times are hard ... I haven’t even paid
my builders yet.
I nodded understandingly. Seeing that I sort of agreed and wasn’t demanding any money yet, Martha relaxed a little.
— Do you think that I am some kind of monster? — I smiled. — I won’t ask you for money. I think one double room will be enough for us.
— Of course, of course, — the hostess said cheerfully. — I know that you’re going to stay here for another night.
— Yes, — I smiled again. — Just keep the room for us on a permanent basis. I'll come back regularly because, as you may know, we are now friends of Terin.
The hostess’s face turned pale instantly. On the one hand, she was strangled by greed, and on the other, there was a risk that I could dissuade the dwarf from building a smithy right here on the spot.
— You’re a manipulating bum, — Martha sighed. — Well, that’s my fault for treating you like a fool. Yesterday, I thought that you were clueless when it came to business negotiations. To be honest with you, a double room would be a fair price to pay for what you’ve done for me. Here is the key; room number 7 is yours for now. I'll renovate everything when I save some money up, and then I'll give you a permanent room, and move all your belongings into it personally.
— Thanks. — I picked up the key she threw to me. — Tell me, would it be okay if I planted some new seeds in the garden? I've been wandering around for a while, collecting cuttings and seeds, and I want to see what they might produce.
— You have my total support, — the innkeeper replied excitedly. — Just keep anything poisonous well away from anything edible. It would be nice if you showed me what you want to plant, just in case I might be of any help.
— I have tons of them after wandering around the forests for nearly a month. Take a look at some of them. — I took out a couple of cuttings and three kinds of seeds, adding: — Do not be afraid, all the plants are either edible just like this, or can be used in cooking. I have no intention of planting the other ones yet.
— Very impressive, — the woman's eyes gleamed. — I don’t recognize any of them!
My quest was updated, and I was added 5 units for each of the plants studied by Martha.
— All of them look nutritious too, and I really hope that they will be happy growing in my garden, although the chances are small, of course. What level of Agronomist agility have you reached? — The innkeeper inquired.
— I just got to the beginner level.
— Okay then, — the hostess of the tavern sighed, a little disappointed. — Well, then you will need to wait for a moment.
A minute later, Martha returned with a small flask filled with green liquid.
— Drink up!
I had to force the contents of the flask down my throat.
Your “Agronomist” ability has been increased to 50% of beginner level. The effect will last for 3 hours.
— Now get a move on, before I change my mind! If at least something of what you plant does not take root, it will cost you money.
Without wasting a moment, I flew into the courtyard like a bullet. On the way through, I gathered some water from the well and ran straight to the garden with the bucket.
Right next to the gate leading to the growing beds stood a wooden box full of garden tools. Everything you could wish for as a gardener was there: rakes of different shapes and sizes, secateurs, trowels, equipment for weeding and much more. The first thing I did was put the bucket of water down next to the growing plot of land that I had decided to plant out, and then I came back with the box of tools. The Moon Flower brightened up: its opinion had to be taken into account whenever it came to plants. If I ignored one of its suggestions, it grew a spike on one of its branches and gently pricked me in the back. If I kept ignoring it, it pricked me so hard that my life points began to decrease at a rate of ten units per second. So, it was better not to ignore it. The Moon Flower’s help proved to be invaluable. It clearly indicated which plants should be planted and which ones should not, and sometimes even suggested the best way to take care of them. I was so carried away by the work that I didn’t even notice Alex approaching me.
— Alder!
— Yes? — I looked back at the boy.
It looked like he had called me several times already, but I had been so engrossed in what I was doing that I hadn’t noticed.
— I'm sorry, Alex, I hadn’t noticed you. I was completely absorbed in what I was doing.
— Yes, I realized that, — the boy chuckled. — I’ve called you five times already, and I was afraid to touch you; you seem to be under some form of enchantment, and as for your flower - it's as if it is communicating with you! At first, I thought it was just an ornament or an amulet of some kind, but it seems that it’s actually alive.
— Yes, it is indeed alive, — I laughed. — It really is something else, and when it wants something it won’t take no for an answer. Having said that, apart from plants, it has no interest in anything else. So, why did you come here?
— Well ... it's time to leave, — the boy hesitated. — We've been stuck here all morning.
— Sorry, I forgot to tell you ... — I came back to my senses. — We'll stay here today; we need to rest a little, because we've been travelling for a long time. Also, I need to pump up my talents as an Agronomist, and at the same time improve my cooking skills. I need these abilities, and I don’t know when I will get another chance to improve them. On top of that I want to make sure that Terin will settle down here and actually build the smithy. This is also in our best interests, because then he will be able to make something for us. It’s foolish to have the Grand Master Blacksmith as a friend and not to take advantage of his skills, especially since he proposed the offer personally. He also promised to make something for you.
— Yes, that's right, — the boy sighed. — Only I need to hurry. The wandering stone should change its location soon, and nobody knows how far it will move this time.
— I see, but when we talked about my help, I immediately said that I would be the leader of our team, and now I have decided that we will stay here until tomorrow. So, keep yourself busy training for now, or try to develop new abilities that could help us on the road. Later I'll be practicing my culinary skills and, if I'm lucky, I can cook food along the way and get some extra bonuses, so with fewer stops, our journey will take less time.
— I understand everything that you’re telling me, — Alex's voice sounded tense. — But the witch told me that I had to find the stone before it jumps for a third time. The stone is about to jump, I'm sure of it.
— Maybe then it's better to wait here after all, or it could appear in the opposite direction after all.
— No! The direction won’t change, but the location will, and we will run out of time before the stone jumps again! Please understand, Alder, I’m not undertaking this journey just for fun. We are friends, and have saved each other’s lives more than once. Remember, we only survived the fight with the witch thanks to me. And after all we’ve been through do you really prefer to dig in the ground with your stupid flower, rather than help a friend?
— Alex, you are absolutely right: we are friends, and you really did save us all, but my intuition says that this is what I need to do, and I believe it unconditionally. It has never failed me in this world. — I tried to stay calm and speak in a flat voice.
— That’s not fair! Your intuition tells you what’s best for you! What about me? My life depends on whether I find this stone or not!
I had never seen Alex act this way before – his eyes were burning full of anger. The boy was literally spitting out the words, as his hands reached for his bow. Tension was hanging in the air, and I automatically reached for my sword. Seeing the movement of my hand, the boy turned pale, and only then realized that he was holding the bow in his hands.
— If that’s the way it’s going to be, then I'll go on alone. Thank you for helping me to get this far. — The boy’s voice was completely devoid of emotion. He threw the bow over his back in a single mov
ement and started moving swiftly toward the forest.
My Copper Wing, who was incredibly nosy by nature, had been flying in a circle above us during the argument. Catching his gaze, I indicated that he should come down to me. The Copper Wing landed neatly between two growing beds.
— Did you hear ... the conversation?
The Totem nodded.
— Just great, — I sighed. — Fly after him, but in a way that he doesn’t notice you. If something happens that he can’t cope with, help him. Come back in the evening.
My Copper Wing nodded understandingly and flew up into the sky. With his support in this forest, I was confident that Alex would have no problems. Having solved the problem with the boy, I quietly continued with my gardening. It occurred to me that it might be an excellent idea to have a supply of our own favorite delicacies, and I tried to plant chewing berries. Three attempts were a complete waste of my efforts. No matter what I did, the plant refused to take root. The Moon Flower was watching my attempts patiently, and even gave me advice. But after the third attempt, it expressed its displeasure with a slight tingling of the thorn in my back.
— Okay, so either I don’t have enough talent yet or it's just not a suitable place for the chewing berry bush to grow.
I kept experimenting with other plants. To be honest with myself, without the Moon Flower’s advice, I didn’t think that more than a couple of plants would have taken root. However, almost every attempt was successful, and the flower never allowed me to plant the same plant more than once. I was sure that if someone saw how I communicated with a barely swaying flower, they would have considered me insane. I couldn’t have argued with them, but in some unimaginable way the gentle movements of the petals and stamens made everything clear to me. I didn’t even have to guess, I just knew that I got everything figured out correctly. Plant after plant ... I completely lost track of time. And then the gong sounded!
