"Ahh," Leko sighed as he sank further into the cream plush seat. In the fireplace, a glowing fire crackled. The mostly empty library was quiet, with only the distinctive sound of turning pages, crackling fire and light murmurs.
A steaming cup of fragrant tea with a good book and blissful silence. Leko decided that this was his favorite spot in the entire city. He was definitely coming here every time he had enough free time for a break. The castle was nice, but this small building held familiarity. It resembled a modern small-town library. Leko could almost pretend he wasn't in a different world.
Light footsteps had Leko placing his cup down and turning to the old man who owned the lovely place.
"Are you happy with this old man's service, young master?"
"You're the best old man," Leko told him.
The smile on the man's face grew as he watched Leko. Its sharp edges had Leko swallowing.
"What a cute puppy."
Leko froze at the mutter and felt a shiver run down his spine. He watched the old man turn and walk to the counter.
Pretending he didn't hear that this was the right option. Leko nodded to himself. The voice was sweet and kind, like an old man should be. He glanced nervously at the counter with the kindly smiling old man. He hadn't sounded like a demon straight from hell. Nope.
-Quest Alert.-
He watched the notification, surprised. Leko lifted the cup to his lips and sipped the splendid tea. The peachy taste and the herbal bite blended together well in his mouth. It tasted fresh, like breathing in the cleanest air in an open field. Leko's lips twitched.
-Let's go hunting!-
Leko raised an eyebrow at the quest title. Taking another sip. It was a bit early for him to begin hunting. He frowned into his cup. Jaika was just like any other god then.
Leko felt disappointed. He sighed and read the rest of the quest information.
-As you follow the pretty lights, you'll arrive at your destination.-
-Rewards: something special, EXP 10, a happy Jaika.-
-Failure: Jaika will be very disappointed.-
Again with the stupid failure consequence. Leko shouldn't complain. It was better than repeated death threats. He rolled his eyes and placed the cup down with a shake of his head.
"You think I care whether you're happy or not?" Leko leaned back in his seat. He watched as the notification appeared.
-Jaika is pouting.-
"Hah, are you a god or a child?"
-Jaika is sticking out her tongue.-
"A child then," Leko muttered with a snort.
Finishing his tea, Leko cursed the minimal amount of lazy time. He stood from his seat and thanked the server, who took the empty cup from him. The server stared at him with wide eyes. Leko strolled up to the counter and held the book out to the old man.
"Keep it for me. I'll be back and thanks for the tea, old man."
"I'll wait for your return, young master." The old man took the book and bowed. Leko nodded at him and left the building.
Standing outside the library, Leko looked around. His eyes zeroed in on a small ball of green light. He looked past it to find another ball not too far from it, and then another. A trail of green lights snaked down the street, and Leko trudged after it at a lazy pace.
After a few minutes of walking, Leko recognized the neglected area. They were heading for the slums. A frown twitched on his lips. Buildings became more worn down. People became more tired and desperate looking, their clothes dirtier. The eyes that followed him changed from simple hostility to something darker, more wanting.
An annoyed huff slipped past his lips. Leko kept his gaze forward. This body wasn't strong at all. It would be difficult to get out unharmed if they ganged up on him.
-Jaika feels sad.-
"You're a god. Are things like this supposed to bother you?" Leko asked.
-Jaika says that she has feelings too!-
"I guess."
It wasn't an unfamiliar sight, the downtrodden people and their desolate homes. Leko grew up in a place like this. He knew how to handle this type of area. The only problem was the body. This was Leko Hosyn, the son of the Duke. They'd be stupid not to recognize him. A recognizable and wealthy figure was more likely to be attacked than a random nobody.
"How much further?"
-Jaika says you are almost there.-
A slow sigh came from him. The people kept him in their sights as he passed. Their dark eyes watched him, but they did not move towards him. Leko reasoned it was because of the consequences of touching the Duke's son. Even if it was the worthless one.
-Jaika says Ta-Da!-
Scanning the building that Jaika led him to, Leko hummed in appreciation. At first glance, it looked like any other abandoned building in the slums.
Jaika was a strange god.
The cracked oak doors and chipped mud-painted walls. The sleeping dog statue on the corner of the veranda. This was the house Calen used for only a single night before he ran into Leko and beat the shit out of him. It was kind of funny how Calen found so many useful things without knowing. He lost so much because he didn't know anything.
According to the novel, the house once belonged to an old physician when the capital was first founded. The slums were the location of the ancient settlement. Most of the aged buildings in this area have stood since the founding times.
-Quest complete.-
-Reward: The Healers House, EXP 10, Jaika is very happy.-
Snorting, Leko shook his head at the strange god. He opened the door and walked into the abandoned house. A loud sneeze came from him. Leko narrowed his eyes at the dirty room. How the hell did Calen sleep in this filthy, dusty place? Leko sneezed again. There was dust on every inch of the rectangular room. From the four muddy looking couches that lined the dingy walls to the tables placed between each. The dead potted plants that sat in the center of each battered table and the paintings that hung above the shabby couches. Each couch had six paintings hung above it.
Leko stepped closer to inspect them. He frowned at the dirty-looking thing. He could barely make out a picture, but it looked like a landscape painting. It must have been beautiful when it was clean. Leko stepped away and walked down the corridor. He had something to look for.
Leko glared and muttered complaints to himself as he walked through the ruined house. According to the book, there was a hidden key in one of the rooms. If Leko gained access to the key, the Healer's House would belong to him. Despite being in the city owned by the Duke, the 'Healer's House' had no official owner under the system. The house itself was a divine item. A god blessed an old physician, who became the first healer, with it.
[His sponsor favored the old healer. So much so that the sponsor turned what the healer considered his home into a blessed divine item. It would boost all healing for those who entered.]
Anyone that entered the house would have their healing boosted. Like any other divine item, if it was owned by someone, he or she could control its properties to a degree. If Leko owned the house, he could control who the house healed and who it didn't.
Leko pushed open another door. He observed a small office-like area. The furniture was moldy and old, made from juniper wood according to the book. The wooden items in the house were all made of juniper wood. On the left stood a bookcase with rotten books. Among them was a box. Leko grinned as he made his way towards it. That had to be what he was looking for.
-Jaika is cheering-
He dragged the box out, paying no mind to the books that fell. He removed the lid and examined the gemstone key. Godstone was a unique gem created by the gods. Mining it was not possible. They were rewards gained through quests. You could buy them through merchants for a hefty sum.
The real divine item was the key. It was what gave the Healers' House its divine properties. If you destroy the key, the house would become a regular house.
Picking up the key, Leko threw the box onto the old table. He twisted the gem in his hands. This one was a glinting purple.
-New item acquired.-
-Key to the Healers' House.-
-Divine Item Healer's House now belongs to Leko Hosyn.-
-Leko Hosyn can now set who the divine item Healer's house blesses.-
"The house can heal anyone loyal to the Hosyn Duchy, no exceptions," Leko stated firmly. This house would be a great asset when the war started. The people of Hosyn stood a better chance of surviving with access to it.
-Owners command received.-
-New rule for Healer's House blessing activated.-
-Healer's House restoration in progress.-
Staring at the notification, Leko frowned. Restoring? There was no mention of that in the book. Leko flinched as a bright light surrounded him. When he opened his eyes again, Leko had to blink a few times to get the blurriness away.
As He gazed at the once disgusting room, he gasped. The wooden furniture was polished, and the healthy wood had no cracks. He turned his head to the bookcase. All the books that had been rotten and damaged were in mint condition. Leko bent down and picked up one of the fallen books. He turned it and read the cover.
'A basic guide to healing by Galia Terry.'
Holy shit, Leko gaped at the book. His lips twitched. Opening it to the first page. He skimmed the contents before flipping to the next page and then the next. A massive grin spread across his face. Leko laughed as he kept flipping through the book. Galia Terry was mentioned several times in the Hero's start line. The ancient healer or the first human to have ever gained a healing ability from the gods. Healers were rare, even these days. Back in ancient times, it was damn near unheard of.
Galia Terry was a legend, and his books, which everyone knew he wrote, have been craved after. There was only one copy of each book he wrote. Leko only knew of one person who had a single book. Leko's attention was drawn to the bookcase. He skimmed the spines of each of the ones he could see with hunger.
His heart beat with a wild rhythm in his chest. His ecstatic joy was evident in the grin on his face.
'Magical and non-magical healing by Galia Terry.'
'Using monsters for healing by Galia Terry.'
'Divine healing by Galia Terry.'
'Alchemy for healing by Galia Terry.'
'Potions and how to make them by Galia Terry.'
'Most potent poisons by Galia Terry.'
Jackpot. Leko had a new subject to study. He breathed out another laugh. There was nothing but Galia's works on the shelf.
-Laika is curious about this hunter.-
Leko was startled at the new notification. The faint pink glow differs from the green of Jaika's