'Sure thing. But are you sure you want to trade for silver? Your leg seems to be badly hurt, would you like to exchange a hundred iron ingots for a healing apple?'
"I can't afford to waste money. My leg will heal on its own, no need for medicine."
'This injury is beyond the natural regeneration of your bloodline. The mountain bull isn't known for its strong regeneration ability. Your leg will need months to heal without external assistance.'
"Give me my reward!"
Fine, if she wanted to ruin herself! I dropped a silver ingot and let it fall down to her. It accelerated while falling and well, a silver ingot (5 kilograms) dropped from 300 meters. You could imagine what happened.
With a bang, the ingot made a sizeable indent into the ground next to the cloaked figure. The sound made her jump.
I was slightly disappointed by her following reaction. She just took the silver ingot and left without another comment. She'd be back.
The cloaked figure reappeared after four days. Limping even more than before, forced to use a thick cane to support her weight. She stopped short a meter before me and remained silent.
'Did you really think I wouldn't recognize you if you hid under a cloak. You are the only one around with an awakened bloodline of a mountain bull. You're not fooling me, I know it's you Nerida.'
"So you really knew all along... Why did I even bother hiding?"
'That's my question!'
"I don't even know anymore... So, I heard you're recruiting talents. Do I qualify?"
'Why would you need to work for me? You are the mayor of this town, you don't need money. Why did you even hunt that panther?'
"I'm no longer mayor. Without your backing and the townspeople blaming me for your reaction... Let's just say I was replaced before I even knew it. Also, the money isn't for me, it's for the orphans. The new mayor decided that feeding and housing the orphans of our clan was unnecessary. The others from the clan gave up on the orphans as well and the clan is no more."
'So now that your clan is no more you come back to me and expect me to take you in? Okay, I accept you.'
"Figures. Why would you accept me after I- Wait, did you just say you accept? Why?"
'I don't really have a reason. If U had to name something it would be the fact that you had little influence on things that happened. Had you told me about the noble's plans in advance, I would still have underestimated him. And even if you had tried to help your power would have made little difference. I have insurance this time so accepting you is no problem. Just swallow this leaf and it will be done. A little warning, if you betray me it will cripple you.'
She swallowed the leaf without hesitation.
Two healing apples and some rest later her leg was also good as new. Her leg had looked gruesome, half her calf had been missing and the wound had been heavily inflamed.
'Also, I think you should bring the orphans here too.'
"They're just children! You can't recruit them!"
'And why not? They will have a better future under my care and they will also have a place to stay. As for you, I'll need you to break through for me and reach viscountess maga.'
"Don't say that so casually. I have been stuck at this bottleneck for too long. I'll get the kids."
She returned soon after with the orphans and they all swallowed a leaf. Thereafter, I sent them to settle in some of the empty island houses and focused on Nerida once again.
Her bloodline was the mountain bull, an earth attributed beast. Thus, I just assumed that earth apples would let her attain her breakthrough.
She looked at the brown apples with some suspicion but changed her opinion after taking a bite. Not long after, Nerida sat down cross-legged and energy ripples were spreading from her.
Then with a blast of magic around her, Nerida broke through and was now an early viscountess maga.