Bernard saw the state of Arthur and the blood that covered him. There were also a lot of items with him, including two large pelts that were hanging from his back. It was clear that the man was carrying a heavy load.
The old mage didn't care about that though. To him, only the mission that he had given to Arthur mattered. The Resident Mage had assumed that Arthur would be failing right from the start.
At the very least, he knew that the ruins in the north were something strange. He had wished to go there too but was never able to leave the Kestrel village. The limitation placed on him was something that he had to bear himself.
Thus, he could only give this task to someone else.
Even if he knew that they were likely to fail, he couldn't help but have a smidgen of hope somewhere deep inside.
Seeing the small statue in Arthur's hand suddenly ignited that ember of hope, turning it into a flame.
"You… You got it?" Bernard almost couldn't believe his eyes. "Let me take a closer look! Give it to me!" he didn't wait and quickly snatched the statue from Arthur.
He then rushed into his house while Arthur followed after him. The sound of furniture and other objects being moved was heard, as Bernard took out a lot of equipment. Arthur could tell all of this was magical equipment used in research and more.
Bernard held the statue carefully with both his hands and closely observed it. His eyes gleamed with the power of mana as the waves of magic could be felt. Arthur who was watching all this, was silent knowing that speaking right now would only disturb the temperamental mage.
'At least I got his interest… Now to wait for the quest to update.' Arthur thought to himself.
Minute after minute passed by, while Bernard observed the statue and did some tests on it. Various equipment were used along with a few liquids that were dripped on the statute. Arthur couldn't exactly tell what Bernard was doing, but the man was also recording it in a notebook.
About thirty minutes passed like this, after which Bernard finally stopped.
Clatter!
A few metallic tools fell from the old man's hand, and a shocked expression appeared on his face.
"This… it really is…" A shocked gasp escaped Bernard's lips as he sat down.
Thud!
Collapsing into a chair, the man rubbed his forehead, trying to come to terms with his discovery.
"All these years… and it really was here." Bernard muttered to himself as a strained expression appeared on his face.
Step!
The sound of Arthur's movement could be heard, as the floorboards underneath him creaked. It prompted the old mage to look at him, making him a bit nervous.
"Seems like you really accomplished what I had asked you for," Bearnard said, his expression becoming a bit calmer.
And as soon as he did that, a string of notifications appeared in front of Arthur.
~DING~
>Player Arzhur has obtained a title!<
——
[Title: One who uncovered a Secret]
Info: Having uncovered a secret, you will have an easier time recognizing more of them.
Effect: The Player will have a higher chance of finding secrets and hidden objectives.
——
~DING~
>The Quest 'Investigate The Ruins and uncover its secrets' has been Completed!<
——
Grade: Uncommon
Difficulty: Intermediate
Rewards: Bernard's Enchanted Amulet, 20 silver coins, Title: One who uncovered a secret.
——
With the notification appearing, Arthur knew this was now a true success. He watched as the old man took out an item and handed it to him, along with a coin pouch.
"While the coins are understandable, I believe your courage and drive need an additional reward." Bernard spoke while extending an Amulet towards Arthur. "Take this. It is something I've used in my younger years, and I believe it will now serve you better."
Arthur took both of them and took a look at the Amulet before using Inspect on it.
~DING~
>Inspect Successful<
——
Name: Bernard's Enchanted Amulet
[Wisdom: 2] [Will: 3]
[Equipping Requirement: Level 7 and above, No class restrictions]
——
It was another piece of accessory type equipment that Arthur would be finding very useful.
'This almost satisfies my need for the Will Stat.' Arthur thought to himself.
The Kestrel Village Token of Appreciation was something that also boosted the Wisdom and Will Stats, but this was a stronger version of it. Not to mention, both accessories could be equipped together and would stack.
But that wasn't all, as Arthur had also obtained a title along with it. It was another title with a passive effect that helped in exploration and quest discovery. It was something that Arthur appreciated and knew would come in handy later.
"Thank you, Resident Mage Bernard." Arthur said respectfully.
>Reputation with Resident Mage Bernard has risen!<
The mage then went silent after that though, as if deep in thought.
"Is there something else you need me to do?" Arthur questioned.
"Hmm… for now no. But later I might have something." Bernard answered. "Right now, I need to learn more about this." He said while looking at the statue.
The Esoteric statue was placed on the man's study table and looked rather strange along with the other pieces of equipment.
"Did you learn something, Mage Bernard? May I ask what that statue is?" Arthur asked, feeling curious.
"As much as I wish I could talk about it, now is not the time." Mage Bernard shook his head, not feeling angry.
This was unlike him, if any other player tried to question or interrupt him, he would have given them a bad time. But it was clear that Arthur had managed to impress the man with his work.
"Then I shall wait for your words." Arthur decided not to pry, knowing he needed to wait for the quest to progress.
He didn't mind waiting either, after all he had more things to do before that. With that done, Arthur left the old mage, heading to his next destination.