"The spirits have come in through the hole in the ceiling. This will work!" the high elf
declared, her eyes shimmering. "Source of mana, ruler of all things! Great spirit of
the mighty tree!"
Countless briars burst from the ground, twining together and forming a giant entity.
As if responding to her mental state, the spirit roared as white petals filled the air.
"Y-Yarandrala! I don't have that much magic power! You don't have to use something
so big! Just enough to protect everyone from the meteorite!"
"It's not a problem! This is the strength you gave me!"
The great spirit wrapped countless tendrils around the meteorite.
"Grooooooooh!"
Back when we had been adventuring together, Yarandrala had summoned this spirit
before, but this was the first time I had ever heard it roar. Mistorm smiled when she
saw what was happening.
"I've about reached my limit… I'll leave the rest to you."
Her spell, which had been holding the meteor at bay, vanished. As the mass of fiery
rock resumed its descent, the spirit tugged at the tendrils wrapped around it,
changing the meteor's course so that it fell on the gem beast instead of us.
"Rrrr?!"
The monster withdrew its head into its jewel-encrusted shell. The meteor collided
with it, and another shock wave shook the mine. A deafening crash erupted while
dirt filled the air, making it impossible to see.
There was a thud as rubble scattered, and I saw something shining down from
above.
The squarish golem holding us set us down on the ground.
We're outside the mines?
Looking around, I saw that we seemed to be above a cliff formed by the mountain's
ridge. The clearing was wide enough, but there wasn't a path down, and it was a
dizzyingly long drop.
"Thank you," Rit said, patting the golem.
The thing was just a figure sculpted from dirt, so it couldn't have any expression, yet
it appeared pleased.
Just like Yarandrala had been able to summon the great spirit once the meteor had
punched a hole in the cavern ceiling, Rit had conjured a golem to carry us to safety.
Yarandrala's eyes were still closed as she continued to focus on maintaining the tree
spirit. Both it and the gem beast were still buried inside the mine.
What's going on down there?
Mogrim placed an ear to the ground. "They're coming!" he shouted.
Two giant figures burst from the opening Meteo had carved, pushing their way
through the rubble as they continued their fight. The gem beast's shell had been
shattered by the meteor.
Several of the great spirit's tendrils jabbed into the gem beast's body, sapping its
vitality, but the monster was absorbing magic power from the spirit in kind. Several
of the spirit's vines dried out, limply drifting to the ground. Despite that, the gem
beast's miraculous regeneration ability didn't seem to be taking effect. The great
spirit evidently had the upper hand.
"Yarandrala, are you okay?" I asked.
"…I-I'm fine…"
Her summoned construct was leeching energy from the gem beast, so Yarandrala's
magic depletion wasn't critical yet, but her power was gradually being absorbed
because of her link to the spirit. Yarandrala would run out at this rate before the gem
beast was defeated, and her conjured warrior would disappear.
"We've got to do something about that draining," I muttered weakly, struggling to
deal with the enervation of magic deficiency, which I had never experienced before.
"Big Brother," Ruti called as she looked at her hands. "The gem beast's blessing
should be sealed."
"Hmm? You mean with the power of your New Truth?" I asked.
"Yeah. But its movements only got a little slower."
"That—that shouldn't be possible."
Even if the gem beast's ability to sap magic and heal was innate, that it could be so
effective without the enhancement of a Divine Blessing was unheard of. What's more,
it had cast Meteo after Ruti had punched it and sealed its blessing. It was impossible
to use spells without a blessing.
"I think…" Ruti turned her gaze to the gem beast. Its head had fully regenerated, and
it was gradually starting to overwhelm the spirit. "I think it has multiple blessings."
My gut reaction was to denounce that as impossible. One life, one Divine Blessing
was the fundamental principle of this world that Demis had created. Or at least, it
was supposed to be.
However, an exception was already standing right in front of me. Ruti was proof of a
being with two blessings. I couldn't declare her claim impossible, so I nodded.
"So then it became that powerful by enhancing a single body with countless
blessings?" I wondered.
Blessings like Magic-Sealing Swordsman and Spell Thief were known to exist. While
they couldn't steal magic power from a person, if the gem beast was activating
multiple magic-absorbing blessings at once, then that could explain it.
Considering this, I reasoned, "The best move might be to lower its blessing level with
the wild elf medicine."
I pulled a vial of the substance I had given Ademi to lower his blessing's skill level
out of the pouch at my waist. Its intended use was for suppressing the impulses of
blessings, so it couldn't lower a blessing level by a substantial amount. Still, if the
gem beast achieved its draining effect by activating several skills all at once, the
medicine could have an outsize effect. The only issue was…
"How do we get it to take the medicine?"
The gem beast was in the middle of an intense fight with the great spirit, and
someone needed to weave through that battle and throw the medicine into the gem
beast's mouth.
"I'll do it," Ruti declared as she clenched her fist.
"No, I want you to be able to attack once you've confirmed this idea works. It could
be dangerous if it uses poison-neutralizing spells," I replied.
"Understood. But then who will make it swallow?"
"I'll do it. At least, I'd like to, but I'm still a little sluggish from giving Yarandrala my
magic power."
Rit's hand shot straight up.
"I can handle it!" She was holding a shotel in her left hand as she held out her right to
me. "I'm ambidextrous since my natural style is dual-wielding, so I won't have
trouble throwing it while fighting."
"Yeah, you're probably the best choice for this," I agreed.
"Leave it to me!"
"Hey, what are you mumbling about over here?" Mogrim demanded as he clomped
back over after having checked on Mistorm. "I dunno what's going on, but if tossing
stuff's what you need, then I'm the dwarf for the job, since I've mastered the
Throwing skill."
That gave me pause. "Hmm."
When it came to the actual act of throwing, Mogrim was the best of all of us. Rit had
taken a skill to use throwing knives and had trained it, but the ability was merely a
way of dealing with attacks from long range, where she had fewer options.
"…You take care of Mistorm since she can't move. We'll go with a formation centered
around Rit with Yarandrala and me as support," I said to Mogrim. It was clear as day
that the dwarf wasn't pleased about this decision, though.
His aim would be truer, and he could probably use his Ricochet Toss to land the
medicine in the gem beast's mouth. But Rit and I had teamwork that was not to be
underestimated.
I placed the medicine in Rit's hand.
"Your ability to throw is better, Mogrim, but Rit and I share a bond, and that's more
reliable than any skill."
"Ugh, I'm amazed you can say something like that with a straight face," Mogrim
remarked.
"It's because it's the truth."
The dwarf burst into laughter and then started nodding. "Even at a time like this…
Fine, fine, I got it. Just leave the rear to me."
I stood next to Rit and took a deep breath, getting myself ready.
"Okay, I think I can manage. It's not like I'm totally out of magic power, so I can still
move."
"I never knew there was a method for sharing magic power without using spells or
skills," Rit said.
"Er, yeah, it's a technique passed down by elves."
"I'll be expecting a detailed explanation later."
Rit's smile was terrifying, but I had to focus on the gem beast! I definitely wasn't
trying to avoid anything. Not at all.
"Let's go!"
"Yah!"
Rit and I both started running. I stepped out in front first.
"Yarandrala!" I shouted.
A single tendril from the great spirit approached us. I dashed up the thick vine and
leaped into the air. While the gem beast and great spirit were locked in an epic
struggle, I landed on another tendril that was wrapped around the gem beast's neck.
Noticing me, the turtle-like creature opened its mouth to swallow me whole. I
dashed to evade and slashed with my sword.
There was an unpleasant sound of a joint breaking as the gem beast's maw hung
limply open. The great spirit's vines pushed into the gem beast's mouth, forcing it
wide. The jaw joint was regenerating, but the tendrils were keeping it open.
"Now!"
Rit had been ready to throw even before I said anything. Unfortunately…
"Rrrr!!!"
A bright ray exploded from the gem beast's mouth.
"Rit!"
The ray struck her and the great spirit dead-on. The spirit shuddered as diamonds
scattered around it. Rit's coat, now a mass of diamonds, went tumbling to the
ground. She had used it as a shield. With her free arm, she hurled the wild elf
medicine. Rit's trajectory had changed after she blocked the gem beast's beam,
though, and the angle of her throw was off. The medicine was still going to land in
the beast's mouth, but it would just hit its upper palate and spread across its tongue.
That was where I came in.
"That's my Rit!!!" I cried, and I immediately jumped up to bat the airborne vial with
the flat of my sword, sending it to the back of the gem beast's throat. There was an
audible swallowing sound, and the creature appeared stunned for a moment before
collapsing like a puppet whose strings had been cut. Its abrupt drop caused a tremor.
"It can't even stand on its own without a blessing?" I observed with incredulity.
Can such an illogical creature really exist?
The gem beast awkwardly struggled as it clung to the ground.
"You aren't one of God's creations, are you?" Ruti said as she leaped atop its shell.
"The symbols engraved on your shell are ancient elf script. They made you." My
sister closed her eyes for a brief moment. "They are the ones in the wrong, but I'm
sorry, we can't coexist with you."
Opening her eyes, Ruti drove her fist straight down into the monstrous turtle.
"I battle to protect the place where the people I love reside. The world I can reach
with my own two hands. I'm not some hero of justice anymore. This is my life now. I
fight because I want to and not because I'm bound by some sense of duty imposed by
the Hero."
There was an explosion as the gem beast's enormous body shattered. Its limp body
made no further attempts to restore itself. We had finally dealt a lethal blow.
Yet…
"That's…?!"
Even Ruti was dumbfounded by what came next.
Driven by what had to be an obsession, the gem beast's shredded neck twisted and
aimed its head at the high elf who resembled its creators. With the creature's final
breath, it loosed a ray at her. It lacked the strength to transform Yarandrala into
gems, but the ray was more than enough to send the exhausted woman flying.
Yarandrala's body went soaring through the air toward the cliff. The gem beast's
head slammed to the ground and ceased moving, its tongue lolling out of its mouth.
"Grab my hand!"
I sprinted using Lightning Speed and jumped off the cliff. I grabbed Yarandrala's
outstretched hand and pulled her close, so we fell together.
"Are you okay?" Yarandrala asked while glancing anxiously at my ankle.
"Yeah, just twisted my foot a bit is all," I responded with a reassuring smile before
looking down. "Still, though, that gave me goose bumps."
The wind whistled past us, and the grasslands far, far below us quivered in the
breeze.
Yarandrala and I were sitting in a little hollow in the middle of the sheer cliff face. I
had used my Slow Fall skill to kick the natural rock wall and slow our descent.
Miraculously, we'd managed to land in this alcove.
"It would've all been over if I fell from here, high blessing level or not."
There were another two hundred meters at least to the bottom of the cliff. It was a
dizzying height.
"Are you okay, Red?!" Rit shouted from above.
"Yeah! We're safe! We're in a little cave in the cliff face! The wind is strong, so be
careful coming down!" I yelled back.
"Got it!"
The gem beast was finally dead. There wasn't any danger left. Ruti, Yarandrala, and
Mistorm had used up their magic power, but Rit would be able to reach us with her
Levitate.
"All that's left is to relax and wait," I said cheerfully.
Yarandrala was staring out at the view.
"It's lovely."
"Yeah, it sure is."
Clear blue skies and the vibrant green landscape of Zoltan extended into the
distance. Far away, white clouds were floating above the sea, gradually drifting
toward the river Zoltan was built around, where a herd of wild horses was bathing.
Wyverns glided over the plains.
"Zoltan isn't such a bad place," Yarandrala admitted with a smile.
"You finally understand?" I asked.
"I'll give up on taking you back with me to Kiramin for now."
"Ah, so you still haven't totally accepted it."
"High elves are at least as stubborn as dwarves."
"True. For having such opposite personalities, you're pretty similar in some weird
ways."
"Hee-hee, but you know, both high elves and dwarves will gladly accept it if you can
convince them you are right… and I've started to think you, Rit, and Ruti can find
happiness here."
The cave we were sitting in was narrow, enough that our shoulders were touching as
we gazed at the beautiful landscape.
"Gideon, are you happy now?" Yarandrala inquired while still looking out.
"Reddddd!"
Rit was gradually floating down toward us using her magic. I waved up at her and
could see her beaming.
"Yeah, I'm very happy."
Rit held on to Yarandrala and me as we returned to the top of the cliff.
No sooner did we land than Ruti ran over and smothered me in a hug.
"Are you all right, Big Brother?"
She had probably wanted to come get us herself, but with her magic power drained,
she had yielded that responsibility to Rit.
"Thanks for worrying about me. I'm fine. As you can see, it's nothing too bad… I just
twisted my ankle a bit."
"Mrgh."
Ruti looked at my leg and then back at her own hands before slumping her
shoulders, disappointed that she didn't have the power left to heal me.
I gently patted her head.
"I appreciate the thought."
Looking at the corpse of the gem beast, I saw that the monster had become a dull
hunk of lead. The diamonds created by its attacks during the fight and all the other
gems stored up inside its body had become lead as well.
"Is there no earth crystal?!"
Mogrim scoured the lead for any remaining gems. I would have liked to help, but I
had to rest for a bit.
"Haaah, that was a bother. At this age, my body really can't keep up," Mistorm
complained as she lay stretched out on the ground. "Still, had I gone alone, I wouldn't
have had any hope of winning. I owe you."
Archmage was a blessing that specialized in mystic art spells, so the gem beast's
ability to leech magic had made it the worst possible enemy for Mistorm. And the
gem beast had rivaled the strength of Desmond of the Earth, one of the demon lord's
four heavenly kings, whom I had fought back during my time in the Hero's party.
Who knew what would have happened if Ruti hadn't been here?
"Ruti."
"Yes?"
"Thank you for coming with me."
"Was I helpful?"
"Yeah, I don't know what I would have done without you."
"Yay!" My sister smiled happily.
"I'd love for you to come with me on future trips, too, so long as you aren't busy.
Having you around is great."
"Mhm! I'll absolutely come with you!"
Ruti happily embraced me.
What an adorable little sister.
I thought I heard my hip pop. That Ruti was so happy that she didn't control her
strength entirely was proof of how adorable she was.
I really do have an amazing sibling.
All of a sudden, a loud clatter broke our peaceful moment together. Looking back, I
saw Mogrim had fallen backward.
"Are you okay?!" I exclaimed.
"R-Red! C'mere!"
I gently pulled away from Ruti and hurried over.
"What is it?"
"T-take a look at this."
"This is…"
There was a gem about the size of a thumb in Mogrim's hand. It looked red at first,
but the shine changed colors as I examined it, turning blue, yellow, and purple, too.
"So there was a gemstone that survived. It doesn't seem like an earth crystal… This
is… Wait, is that…"
"Yeah! It's an iridescent ruby! Every smith's dream!"
Mogrim was trembling in excitement, not even bothering to stand back up.
Iridescent rubies were legendary. They were said to have the properties of every
material. It was rumored they could be used to make weapons and armor harder
than diamond, more durable than steel, capable of cutting through anything and
enduring any impact.
The Holy Demon Slayer Ruti had wielded was a sword forged from iridescent ruby
by Demis, if the myths were to be believed. It was a stone rare enough to have
legends about it, and just like Mogrim said, it was something every smith dreamed
of.
"Are you sure?" I questioned.
"How should I know?! It's not like I've ever seen a real iridescent ruby before. Other
than the fabled dwarf kings, no dwarf has. All I know is this is a gem I've never seen
before, and it looks the same as iridescent rubies are described!" Mogrim leaped to
his feet. "There might be more!"
And with that, he started tearing through the heaps of lead.
"…But I want something that suits Rit a little better…," I muttered, glancing at all the
piles of lead.
No matter where I searched in the heaps of dull gray, I couldn't find anything with a
sky-blue gleam to match Rit's.
Our group took an hour's break to recover somewhat from magic exhaustion.
After that, we would either go back to the gem giants' village to report or else walk
and rest a bit more. Either way, we would be sleeping early tonight. It had been that
exhausting a battle for everyone. However, Mogrim was still tirelessly searching
through the lead piles. His was a tenacity and mental fortitude befitting a dwarf.
As for the rest of us, Ruti watched the clouds wafting through the sky, Yarandrala was
holding a branch of holly with her eyes closed, and Mistorm was sitting cross-legged
on a mat. All three of them were concentrating to recover their magic power.
Rit's eyes were locked on me. Her expression was different than usual. "Red."
"Wh-what is it?"
"I would like an explanation for the action you executed to transfer power to
Yarandrala," she stated, looking displeased.
"It is a technique passed down among high elves. It doesn't require spells or skills,
only physical contact. However, when performed where there is a thinner layer of
skin, for example, with both parties connecting across mucous membranes, the
efficacy of the transfer increases significantly. Likely the theory behind it is
something similar to the draining abilities employed by succubus demons or
vampires. From a pure transfer-efficacy perspective, optimal results would be had if
both parties opened a cut and maintained contact via the wounds, but that would
hurt, be unsanitary, and generally just cause more problems all around. Thus, linking
through the lips is the most practical method available, and given the situation, I
judged it to be a necessary action," I explained, nervously watching Rit's reaction.
"I understand you had a good reason… ugh… but!" She thumped my chest lightly. "I
want to know more of what you know. I want to know everything about you.
Compared to Yarandrala, I've been with you for such a short time…"
"Okay, I understand, Rit."
"What? Eh?!"
I kissed her, and just like before, I transferred my magic. Rit's eyes went wide in
shock, but she quickly untensed and gazed into my eyes with a drowsy, almost
intoxicated stare. When I pulled away, Rit sighed.
"…Now you understand that part of me, too," I declared.
"It's like a warm strength poured into me. It still feels like it's flowing around inside
of me," Rit remarked as she squeezed herself. "This… This is a wonderful thing! I
could get addicted to this sensation!"
"Ah-ha-ha. I'm glad you liked it… Ghk."
My vision blurred.
"Red?!" Rit frantically shifted to support my wobbling body.
"Passing magic power to someone else is fine and all, but I don't have precise control
of the technique. I gave you all of my magic power just now."
"Whaaaat?"
"Ahhh, so this is why Yarandrala and Mistorm can't move. My body isn't responding
at all."
Had Rit not been there, my face would have collided with the ground.
Ruti was really fighting while feeling like this? That's amazing.
Rit's face paled. "Red! Are you okay?!"
"It's not life-threatening or anything, but my muscles aren't responding. You can just
set me down somewhere."
"On the ground…?"
Rit hugged me close. Maybe my body temperature had fallen from magic exhaustion,
but Rit's warmth was comfortable and inviting. Before I realized it, I was growing
drowsy.
"Still, this is a bit of a problem. I don't know how to recover magic power like Ruti or
the others… I might not be able to move for a while…," I confessed.
"Then just lean on me."
Rit shifted me to a position that wouldn't be uncomfortable and sat down. Now she
was hugging me from behind.
"Aren't I heavy?" I asked.
She shook her head. "It's a pleasant weight."
"Really?"
My eyelids were heavy now, and my mind was begging for rest. I was trying to
endure, but even my soul was crying out for a break. There was no way to hold on,
and I could feel my consciousness slipping away.
"It's fine. You can fall asleep. I'll stay by your side."
"…I… If you… say so… Thanks…"
I don't know how I even managed to reply. I touched Rit's hand, making sure she was
there. Reassured, I stopped fighting it.
"You really fell asleep."
Red had passed out with a peaceful look on his face while resting against Rit. The
young woman squeezed him, adjusting the unconscious man slightly to be in a more
comfortable position.
"Eh-heh-heh."
Rit giggled and then blushed as she looked around.
Mistorm's eyes were closed, but it was clear she was holding back a chuckle, and Ruti
was staring straight at Red.
Ruti is always using the excuse of being siblings to cling to him! Is it wrong for me to do
it, too? thought Rit.
If Mogrim had been able to hear her thoughts, he would have shot back, "What do
you mean? You do that just as much as she does!" But he was absorbed in his search
for gems, so even if he'd possessed a mind-reading skill, he would've kept quiet.
And so Rit's mental resolution to be more aggressive about flirting with Red went
unnoticed.
She alternately gazed out at the winter sky and peered down at Red's face.
He was sleeping defenselessly in her arms, which made Rit indescribably happy. The
breeze was frigid on the mountain, and because she'd thrown away her coat during
the fight, her skin was cold, but that just emphasized the contrast with the warmth in
her arms. It felt like the love welling up inside her was going to burst.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to upset you."
Rit was absorbed in her feelings, so she twitched in shock at the sudden voice.
Yarandrala was smiling as she beheld Rit.
"Don't scare me like that."
"Ah-ha-ha, but I wasn't even particularly trying to sneak up on you."
Rit blushed. They were still out on a dangerous mountain, and she had gotten so
absorbed in her moment with Red that all else had faded away.
"I'd like to chat with you a bit if you don't mind," requested Yarandrala.
Rit nodded, and the high elf took a seat next to her.
"How was the magic transfer?"
"'How' as in…?"
"It was a rapturous feeling, right?"
"Y-yeah."
"At the purest level, it's accepting a part of someone you love and making it a part of
you. I'm sure the first elf who discovered this technique was a passionate person,"
Yarandrala remarked.
Rit looked at Red and smiled happily. "Yeah, I agree. I don't think it was developed for
combat. It must have originated from something more beautiful than that."
Yarandrala peered over at Red's sleeping face. "He's changed."
"Changed?" Rit asked.
"In a good way. The old him would never have allowed himself to be so defenseless
while out on a dangerous mountain. Not only that, he transferred magic to you
outside of necessity. The Red I knew would never have done that," Yarandrala said as
she gently patted his head. "The first time we met, he was still a knight in training,
only nine years old. He was so cute walking around in a child-size knight outfit."
"What? I wish I could have seen that."
"I secretly sketched a portrait back then. I can show you later." Yarandrala's eyes
were fixed upon Red's face. "Small as he was, Red was more active than any of the
other pages and squires in the capital. He took dangerous mission after dangerous
mission, and the days he was off duty, he worked as an adventurer… all to become
just a little bit stronger for the day his little sister would eventually set off on her
journey."
"He's mentioned it before, but…"
"Of course, it's thanks to that effort that he can act this way now. Still, I always
wanted him to find happiness as just Red rather than having to continue fighting as a
hero."
"Yarandrala…," Rit muttered.
A lovely smile crossed the high elf's face, like a flower blooming.
"When he was driven out of the party, I thought he must have been suffering. He was
always battling, all to be able to help Ruti in her quest, and I couldn't help thinking
just how hopeless he must have felt to have that stolen. But I was wrong! You were
there for my precious friend!"
"Only because you supported me," Rit added.
Yarandrala raised a questioning eyebrow. "That time in the bewitching woods?"
"Yeah. I had this image of him as perfect, a hero even greater than Ruti. But it was
just like you said. There were things he didn't know and things he didn't notice. And
that just made me love him even more."
"I'm glad you're the person he fell for."
Overcome with emotion, Yarandrala suddenly kissed Rit. Rit's eyes went wide from
shock, and she was a little confused, but then she remembered that high elves
expressed deep affection physically.
Even though Yarandrala was used to human society, her nature showed through in
charged moments.
After thinking for a little bit, Rit decided, "Yeah, I definitely can't go to Kiramin."
"Really? Kiramin's a nice place, too," Yarandrala replied.
"I'm sure." Rit squeezed the man in her arms tightly before whispering softly, "But
Red's lips are mine."
When I opened my eyes, the sun was already starting to get low in the sky.
I had only meant to rest for an hour, but evidently, I'd taken far more time. I shot up
upon realizing the time, yet everyone smiled and assured me there was no need to
rush since the view was so lovely.
While I was out, Rit's golems had been working to clear a passage back into the
mines. It was a small opening, but it was enough for people to pass through, and
while we got our knees a little dirty crawling, we managed to make it safely back to
the gem giants' tunnels.
When we made it back to the village and reported that we had slain the gem beast,
the giants were stunned. They were even more awestruck by the iridescent ruby
Mogrim showed them as proof of the monster's death.
That night, we enjoyed our second feast of the trip.
"For as long as I've been called Rit the hero, I've never experienced something like
this before. Guest at another feast thrown by monsters. A trip like this feels odd after
settling into a slow life," Rit said.
"Since we're not in a rush to get somewhere or accomplish a goal, we have the
opportunity to experience new and different things, I guess," I answered.
Even to us humans, the portions of food laid out were definitely on the small side.
Gem giants didn't have any knowledge of farming and hadn't developed any
techniques for it. Furthermore, there weren't many animals you could hunt up at this
altitude. Today's meal was baked wild fowl and vegetables with a sauce made from
ground nuts. The food itself was nothing special, but the dishes it was served on
were quite remarkable. The giants had apparently made them by processing the
glass I had brought. They glittered as surely as any true precious stones.
The food was presented in a precise geometric arrangement on the dishes, creating a
presentation worthy of a feast for otherwise average food. Such a display felt
appropriate for the dexterous gem giants.
"Fascinating."
Ruti seemed to enjoy sampling giant cooking for the first time ever.
Mogrim wore a long face, and his eyes were cast down while everyone else ate.
Curious, I asked, "What is it, Mogrim?"
"Hmm? Nothing…"
"What, not feeling well?" Mistorm questioned.
"Were you injured?" Yarandrala added.
Mogrim glanced up with a dejected look.
"It's just, we defeated the gem beast, but it had already consumed all the jewels
around here, right? I was just wondering what will happen to the gem giants now."
In the end, we had only recovered the one iridescent ruby from the gem beast. Even
if we gave it to the giants, that wouldn't be enough to fulfill their energy needs.
"That's nothing a guest needs to be fret over," the gem giant chief responded cheerily.
"We can ration the glass you gave us and survive awhile longer. If we can find
another vein while that lasts, then there won't be a problem, and if we can't, then
that's it. We've been quite blessed as it is. If we aren't able to endure, then that is just
fate."
"But"—Mogrim eyed the gem giant family smiling cheerfully behind him and then
turned his head down—"I still want to do something…"
Mistorm crossed her arms in thought. I examined a glass bowl filled with food and
was suddenly struck by an idea.
"Hey, Rit, Mistorm, Mogrim. How much do you think this glass dish would sell for in
Zoltan?"
"Hmm, for something like this, even on the low end, you could get about ten payrils,
at least."
"I agree, it is valuable, but are there any traveling merchants who would come all the
way out here to buy it? And gem giants coming down to a human village to trade
would cause a big fuss, so that's out."
"And if you put in a quest for adventurers, it'd be too expensive to be worth it."
Each reply was fairly sensible.
"What about if it was the zoog village?" I proposed.
"The zoog village? Ahhh… that we could probably manage." Mistorm nodded.
"What are you thinking, Red?" Rit pressed.
Zoogs claimed they couldn't understand commerce, even though they needed meat,
because they could not comprehend weighing the values of different things against
one another. They struggled to deal with merchants because they didn't know a fair
price from an exploitative one.
"If a merchant gives glass to the zoogs, the gem giants can hunt to get meat to trade
the zoogs for the glass, and then the gem giants can cut the glass to replenish their
energy and leave the cut glass with the zoogs to keep the cycle going," I outlined.
In this way, the dangerous leg of the route between the zoog village and the Wall at
the End of the World could be entrusted to the gem giants. The zoogs could obtain
meat without fretting over negotiations, too. This method would keep the gem giants
in a steady supply of glass and help them avoid starvation.
"Should the gem giants ever discover a new vein of jewels, the stones can be added
to the deal. If the zoogs' business comprehension grows, they should become
comfortable enough to trade their liquor and mushrooms. With a profitable trade
route for merchants along Zoltan's eastern road, the Merchants Guild will invest
some money in dealing with the goblins and other monsters, making things safer for
the villages along the way."
Mistorm nodded. "Hmm, if I ask a trader I know who could get some work for
Godwin, too… I think this just might work."
"That would be great! It would take care of everything!" Mogrim clapped. He was as
happy as if it had been his own problem solved. The dwarf gleefully detailed the plan
to the gem giants, who grasped the concept and stomped the ground in joy.
The chief proclaimed, "Little friend, blessings' guide, may your journey be always
graced with light!"
That feast was when I learned that gem giants had a habit of singing to express their
joy.