The first thing she did when she went back into the game was to go back to the orphanage.
She decided that she would straight ask her if she could help her. No more beating around the bush. No more waiting for it. She was ready to snatch the quest if the need be. It was the only one in the whole of Helbens other than the chain quest they were doing that could make them stronger and that had a four day limit to complete and it wasn't really that much work.
Maybe she wanted to desperately get that quest, but more than that it was the anger. The anger of not being able to refute her words, anger at having gone through so much, yet not even being able to save herself, let alone her brothers, anger at her inability to do anything right in her last life, anger at every single thing out there.
And it was the anger that as she stood outside the orphanage.
She went inside the doors. The same off-white walls greeting her, she made her way to the dormitory where she met the Doctor last time.
Just like the last time, she was in the same room, on the same bed, and again bandaging somebody. The only difference this time was that instead of the teen girl, it was a little boy.
Doctor Maria was just done when the door opened, she saw a familiar face and the kid right next to her hurriedly jumped up from the bed and ran up to the elf girl.
"Preppy sispa." He said only two words when he looked at her and raised his hands, asking her to pick him up.
Yet, it were only these two words, coming with a pure, innocent smile, that all her anger dissolved into nothingness. Rather she felt peaceful.
'That's… right, isn't it? I have to save them. My brothers. Phyllis. Alma. Everybody. I have to protect them, I can't let my emotions take over. That would just drive me mad again.'
She took the kid in her arms. The kid gave her a little peck on the cheek and said, "Preppy sispa, don be sad."
Swara had a genuine smile on her face when she said, "Sister won't be sad."
The kid was so happy on listening to her words, that he made a delighted face and wrapped his little arms around the base of her neck.
She just smiled and slowly ruffled the kids' hair.
Doctor Maria looked at the scene and said, "Toroff, go and play with the others. Don't bother the lady, and don't get hurt again." Surprisingly, she looked rather gentle today.
The kid pouted and then tried to get down by himself. Swara put him on the ground and then he ran away to where the playing ground probably was.
There was no one in the room other than the two women now.
After a bit of awkward silence, Maria finally spoke up, "I'm sorry for yesterday. I might have been too harsh."
"It's fine. Even if it was harsh, it was the truth, no matter how I look or act, the fact that I'm a hero won't change, and neither will your dislike for them." She said without any emotions in her voice.
"Also, I would like to ask for your help in something." She said, not being able to match her eyes with the young elf.
'Huh? What? I am just getting it? Really? That's it? What even changed from yesterday? I was angry today? She won't do that just to apologize, would she?'
She decided that whatever it was, she wasn't going to let go of the opportunity. So she said, "Sure, what is it?"
"Can you promise you won't tell anyone about this? That I was the one who asked you for it? I don't know how but you know that I am here, but I don't want anyone to know about my existence." She pleaded.
"Yes, I promise I will not tell anyone about you being here, at least not until I have completely."
Well she had to tell her brothers something when they would ask her where she got all the stuff that she would get after fighting that boss and also completing the quest, and it wasn't like any promises or oaths made in the game would not exist in reality too. They were going to, so she had to choose her words carefully.
She swallowed her tongue, "No, that won't do, I need you to absolutely not tell anyone about me."
Swara made an exasperated face, "I will only tell my brothers. Don't worry about that please."
The older elf sighed, "Fine, I guess. I'll accept that."
Then she started with the story behind the quest, "You may or may not know, but my mother, her mother, her mother and so on. I come from a long line of Doctors.
A long time ago, when I had just inherited the legacy of my mother as a Doctor, my first patient was a man named Clovos. He was a mid-level official in the elf army, a spy actually, and a good and loyal one at that. He was captured on a mission and tortured for information; yet, he didn't give up any until rescue arrived, but by the time they crossed the borders again and I was called to see his case, it was too late.
He had too many broken bones and muscles ripped apart and as it looked like, they would have probably killed him if the rescue team would have been even a few seconds later. Unfortunately, it was one mistake on my side that made him change. I supplied him with too much life force and the elf spy turned into an undead with greater power than when he was living, wreaking havoc in the whole camp.
He ran away, killing any and all things in its path, until he crossed into the Human Kingdom, where they sent a Veteran Mercenary group named the Pouncing Tigers.
After a fierce fight and losing a lot of members, they were finally able to put him down in the Grendort Dungeon, west of the coastal city of Rolpuns, where his soul is bound to one of the Soul Stones.
I don't ask you to locate the Soul Stone and destroy it because I know it's almost impossible to find one and there is no known way to break one.
I ask that you defeat him once and give his soul a few moments of respite.
Can you do that for me? Young hero?" She asked her, there was a tinge of regret in her eyes.
"Quest Received: Defeat Clovos
Difficulty: S
Recommended Player Level: 10
Quest:
1) Defeat Clovos the Undead Assassin. He is the Dungeon Boss of the Grondurt Dungeon.
Rewards: ???
2) (Sub-Quest) Complete the quest alone.
Rewards: +1 Favour of Tendia
Time Limit: None
Accept Quest?"
"Yes I will, I promise to defeat him." She said with a determined face.
"Quest Accepted."
"Thank you, please come with me." Maria walked out of the door and Swara followed her. She walked into a room that was probably her office.
It was like a normal desk of an office boss. A table with one bigger chair on the opposite wall's side and two placed on the side of the door. There was a shelf with books on the right wall, probably the records of all the children that were and ever had been in the orphanage.
She went over to the other side and brought out…
'A SKILL BOOK!!
TWO SKILL BOOKS!!
And one rare and the other uncommon at that!!'
Swara's mouth drooled on seeing those.
The Doctor laughed at her reaction, "Yeah, these are both for you. I hope they help you in defeating him."
**********
Author's Note: SUGGESTIONS TIME!!! Well not for the Rare one, but the uncommon one, I'll make sure to choose one of the suggestions and definitely use it in her fight against Clovos.