Rastel's heart skipped the next two beats as he heard the mage's question.
'He really couldn't have found out anything right?'
Trying to retain some semblance of control, he replied with a confused face.
"I don't think so sir, this doll has been with us for a very long time and we have never seen anything weird about it."
"Hmm…."
The mage hummed as he looked at Amba again.
Showing a slight smile, he handed Amba back to Myra who clutched him happily.
"Sorry about that, it just caught my interest for a minute so I might have been wrong."
He apologized sincerely.
"Curiosity is not a sin sir."
Rastel took on a profound tone.
Although he was mostly care-free towards such things, he had to be polite in this situation so as to not appear suspicious and draw too much attention.
Especially when facing a probably very powerful mage who could sense something different about Amba.
The mage smiled and nodded approvingly.
At this time, grandmaster Vulcan suddenly took a huge swig out of his mug and chipped in.
"Even if it is not a construct, the material it is made of is surely unique. Can't recognize it for the life of me and that's saying something. Should probably have Lolo look at it later, he should know."
"Even you can't recognize it grandmaster Vulcan?"
The mage was slightly surprised.
"You shouldn't be so surprised Sacha. A grandmaster may be all that but there are still things we don't know. That is why I have someone like Lolo around."
Just as he finished speaking, a loud voice rang out.
"Vul Vul! Little Vars has woken up!"
The huge frame of the bal wearing a dirty black smithing apron walked in while dragging a clearly unwilling Vars in tow.
Although he didn't outright struggle, everyone in the room could see the obvious reluctance to cooperate with Lolo's urging in Vars's body movement but he could do nothing in front of the bal's immense strength.
Dressed in a plain brown linen shirt and trousers, Vars had his thick hair tied back by the bal which showed his thick brows and rare amber eyes more clearly.
There was a small scowl on his face as he was marched in front of them.
"Look at him Vul Vul, doesn't he look charming like this?"
Lolo cooed as he patted a stray hair strand down.
"Yeah, charming."
The drunk dwarf stifled a hiccup.
"Got charmingly injured and knocked out by himself too."
"Humph!"
A loud snort came out of Vars's nose.
Grandmaster Vulcan gave him a glance that could melt steel as he started berating him from the top down.
"You idiot child! What did you think you were doing, do you even have a brain!? Coming back here dragged around like a sack of potatoes, do you ever think of the consequences before acting!? Oh? You wanted a pat on the back is that it? Well, good job! Good job beating yourself to stupor and becoming someone else's responsibility! Is this what you have learned from me all this while? TELL ME! HAVE YOU SEEN THIS OLD MAN BEEN DRAGGED INTO THE HOUSE ON SOMEONE ELSE'S BACK!?"
Spittle flew out of grandmaster Vulcan's mouth as he raged viciously on Vars's head.
The mage whom he called Sacha just sat there with a helpless smile, he knew how bad the grandmaster's temper could get.
Rastel and Myra on the other hand were confused and speechless as they watched on with blank faces.
The scowl on Vars's face kept getting deeper and deeper until he suddenly couldn't take it anymore.
"YOU SHUT UP OLD MAN! BALUU WAS IN DANGER! WHAT DID YOU WANT ME TO DO!?"
He yelled back at his father.
"TO DO? TO DO!?"
Disbelieve was streaked across the grandmaster's face as he looked at his son incredulously.
"YOU DON'T GET YOURSELF HALF BEATEN TO DEATH IS WHAT YOU DO! WHAT EXACTLY DID YOU THINK WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF THOSE SUMMONED WEREN'T THERE TO HELP YOU!"
He yelled at him covering his entire face with spittle.
Hearing this, Vars fell silent.
"That's what I thought!"
Vulcan said as he sat down with a harrumph and took a big gulp from the mug.
Glancing at the arch mage beside him, he asked angrily.
"Arch-mage Sacha, I guess old Ferud hasn't had a decent meal yet has he?"
"I guess not."
Sacha answered helplessly. He knew better than to oppose the grandmaster when he was raging.
"Good then! You heard that, didn't you? Go get hunting! You know how Ferud's appetite is so don't you dare come back without enough for his meal or else!...."
Vulcan gestured threateningly.
Vars snorted with an enraged look and stomped out of the hall with the pestering Lolo trailing behind him.
"Hey summoned!"
Vulcan's voice snapped Rastel out of his amusement.
"You follow the boy for me and make sure he does as he is supposed to! You guys should hurry up too, I still need the stupid boy to go collect some ores for me from the mine."
DING!
A quest prompt appeared in front of Rastel.
New Quest!
The Grandmaster's Son – Rank D
The dwarven grandmaster Vulcan is worried about his son. Escort him safely to complete his tasks and bring him home successfully.
Reward: The grandmaster's favor.
Looking at the quest details, Rastel nearly burst out laughing from amusement. This grumpy dwarf was really so soft!
Swiftly controlling his emotions, he bowed solemnly to the dwarf as he accepted the quest.
"Not to worry grandmaster Vulcan, I will bring him back safely."
"Safely? Who said anything about that?"
Vulcan argued as he took a swig from his mug.
Rastel just smiled as he turned around with Myra happily skipping beside him while holding Amba in her arms.
"Huh, children nowadays are just thinking whatever they want to. Who said anything about protecting that hot-headed fool?"
Vulcan said once again as if seeking reassurance from his friend.
"You definitely didn't grandmaster."
Sacha answered with a wry smile.
"I damn well didn't!"
Taking another huge swig, the grandmaster sighed in satisfaction.
________________________________________________
Waving his hands, Rastel put the books he was holding into his inventory as he went looking for Vars and the bal.
He hadn't walked for long down the corridor when he saw Vars pulling absentmindedly at an elegant metal bowstring while Lolo's huge frame was fussing behind him as the bal adjusted a huge sack that Vars wore on his back.
Giving a small smile, he waved at them.
"Your father said I should keep you company."
Vars looked at him with silted eyes.
"He said you should watch over me?"
Remembering what was on the quest information, Rastel chuckled a little.
"It doesn't really matter does it, I'm honestly not very keen on staying around him too long after all that."
Hearing this, Vars's face softened a bit.
"Me and you both."
He muttered under his breath.
But Lolo caught it.
"Oh poor little Vars dear you really shouldn't say that! You don't know just how much your father cares for you."
The bal chided him gently.
Vars didn't respond but kept adjusting one thing or the other on his bow, and then checked the quiver full of arrows on his back.
A helpless look appeared on the bal's rocky face as it dipped its hand into the pocket of the large apron it was wearing and fetched out a handful of ores which it tossed into its mouth.
Before they set off, Rastel was quick to ask of them.
"Is it possible for us to get some black cloaks?"
He pointed at himself and Myra who looked up with confusion on her face.
Seeing the inquiring look on both Vars's and Lolo's face, he laughed awkwardly as he confessed a bit.
"The truth is there might be some people looking for trouble with us so it's for just in case."
A bit of understanding showed on both their faces but Lolo still couldn't help saying.
"Oh you silly thing, no one would find trouble with you in Eadon with Vul Vul around. Not even the town lord himself would dare."
Lolo laughed out.
Although Rastel was also currently sure of this, he didn't think players like him would be that disciplined to this world's hierarchy.
And there was also the situation of his position been exposed which would make it harder for him to move on when he wanted to leave the town.
He doubted that their enthusiasm over Amba would disappear just like that.
After he insisted a bit, they relented and brought them over to a store like room where Vars handed them two plain black cloaks with large hoods.
One was significantly smaller which was meant for Myra. Rastel guessed that it was probably meant for either the grandmaster or some of his dwarven relations.
Donning the heavy black cloak and making sure his tail was securely tucked inside, he drew the hood over his head and was sure that it would be hard for anyone to easily see what was beneath unless they used some observational skill or similar.
Looking at Myra, he saw she was holding Amba close to her chest with the large cloak sleeves covering most of his small figure.
She looked up at him and said excitedly.
"You look like one of those mysterious characters from my sister's stories!"
'That's okay, as long as you don't change the way you call me from hero to mysterious character. That would be too long and not as impressive.'
He thought to himself as he drew her hood down.
"This way, we can both be mysterious characters."
He gave a small chuckle.
Myra seemed to be really excited with the idea of wearing a cloak.
Holding her free hand, Rastel turned to Vars and Lolo who was still munching on some ores.
"Okay, we are ready now."
Vars nodded and then led the way.
Instead of following through the main hall, Vars had them follow a series of short corridors which led them to a small iron door that also led outside.
Lolo waved them a safe trip and headed by inside after fussing over a brooding Vars a bit which fed Rastel's amusement some more.
Lolo fitted the role of an overly concerned mother too much that the stereotype was hilarious!
Immediately Lolo left, Vars took off the ribbon that tied his hair back and allowed it to cascade over his face.
He put the ribbon securely into a pocket on his trouser before opening the door with a series of complicated locks.
He stepped outside with Rastel holding on to Myra's hand following right behind him.
The door automatically locked behind them with the numerous locks turning into place.
Feeling the evening sun on his face, Rastel breathed in the air of the first town he had ever visited.
Vars's face was scrunched up as there were some of the townspeople walking by that were looking in their direction or him in particular while whispering things under their breath.
Concerned over how Rastel would interpret this, he glanced behind him slightly to try and gauge his reaction but was confused to see that he wasn't even paying attention to the townspeople at all.
Rastel was looking all around the town, his head swinging back and forth like a tree in the wind trying to observe as much as he can.
If someone could see under his hood at present, they would see the deeply intoxicated look on his face as he murmured continuously in deep excitement.
"Oh shit! Oh shit!! Oh shit!!! Oh shit!!!!...."