I tried to finish the candy as fast as I could, but there was only so much I could do. I suppose I could have put it into storage and finished it later, but I’d probably forget.
“You know, Trev, Micca will never be able to sell these, right?” Hari said.
I nodded. “Yeah, I know. These were for the party. I wanted to get the supplies all sorted for when we head out again.”
“If you could sohow stack strength, endurance, and stone skin into a single candy, it would be incredibly beneficial for ,” Hari muttered.
“These are great for though!” Liane said happily.
“And ,” Jen said with a grin. “You’ll not be taking all of them.”
While I was waiting and everyone was sitting around, I figured it was a good ti to ask what the plan was for the other issues.
“What are we going to do about the cooking lessons the king offered, or finding soone to teach runes?” I asked curiously.
Hari and Milo seed to be in thought about it before Hari spoke up first.
“I don’t think having the chefs visit here and teach you will pose too much problem. You don’t need to use your ability, so you can learn from them without concern. As for the runes, I’m not sure.”
“It won’t be difficult to find runescribes in the capital. The problem cos in convincing them to teach you,” Milo added.
“I can teach him so things,” Sylverith said.
Everyone just turned to look at her.
“You can?” I confird.
“Sure. I dabbled in runes a few thousand years ago. I’m sure I could teach you a thing or two,” she said, waving her hand.
Milo’s eyes were wide—very wide.
“Would a human even be able to use your runes?” he stamred out.
Sylverith seed to consider this for a while, which admittedly made nervous. I assud all runes were the sa, and despite a little complexity, it wouldn’t change much, but the reaction from Milo seed to imply sothing very different.
“Yes, he’ll be able to learn them, though he may need to learn a little of the draconic language to complete so, but that shouldn’t be a problem,” Sylverith said, nodding to herself.
“How would it even translate to food though?” I asked curiously.
“I don’t know! And that’s what makes it so exciting. It’s been so long since I’ve gotten to try sothing new,” Sylverith said with a smile.
Milo wanted to say sothing, but held back.
When I was finally done with the candies, we made our way into the foyer. Archie was waiting for us.
“I have organised a carriage for you all to take you to the phoenix smith,” he said, bowing slightly.
“Uh, thanks, Archie,” I said.
I had not considered how we’d reach the smith at all. Honestly, I didn’t even know where he was located, so I was glad that Archie had the foresight to solve this problem.
Lily and Crisplet both decided they wanted to co along as well, so when we reached the carriage, Lily vanished, and I really hoped the smith was prepared for what was about to co. This thought made chuckle.
“What’s funny?” Jen asked.
“I was just thinking the smith doesn’t know what he’s in for when all of us show up, especially with Lily and Sylverith,” I said.
Milo chuckled too.
Leaving our estate, I was shocked at how many guards were standing outside our entrance, counting twelve guards in all.
“Why do we have so many guards?” I asked.
“There are many people trying to get onto the property either to et you or just to get a glimpse of the mythical creatures that are rumoured to live there,” Hari explained.
“It was really interesting when we left to go to the guild, because they insisted on taking us out in a carriage, and strongly advised us against walking,” Jen added.
“Mythical creatures? Who, ?” Sylverith added, a bit shocked.
“Yeah. I believe they think your dragon form is here at the house,” Hari added.
“I could fly over, but honestly I tend to avoid places with too many humans. Too many dragons have fallen victim to greed over the years, and got too comfortable, before they are eventually killed during a nap for their body parts,” she said bitterly.
We didn’t travel long before we pulled up outside a dark stone wall with what appeared to be a crimson red wood trim. It appeared to be fully enclosed, unlike other smithies I had seen through the towns.
I also couldn’t help but notice the carriage that was already here just outside, with royal guards around it.
“We’ve got company, it seems,” Milo comnted.
And sure enough, as we were exiting our own carriage, the door to the carriage ahead opened. I expected Kathrine, maybe Luis, but I was not prepared for the King himself to step out of the carriage.
“Greetings!” he called.
As he made his way over to us.
“I thought I would personally introduce you to Max,” Marcus said.
Only for Sylverith to step forward. “Ah, another of the descendants. If I’m not mistaken, the father of the other two. You certainly have an interesting class, don’t you? Yes, not as young as you appear,” she said, inspecting him closely.
Marcus looked a bit shocked for a mont before he visibly steeled himself.
Unlawfully taken from , this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
“You must be Sylverith, the dragon and protector of the dark forest. Yes, I was hoping to et you,” he said, straightening himself up now.
While this conversation was going on, a young lady had opened the door to the smith and was standing there wide-eyed at the group standing out front, freezing for just a mont before she ran away back inside.
“I am, dear, and I would very much like your permission to utilise your library,” she said with a grin.
“Ah yes, Kathrine did ntion that. It might be difficult to allow you access to the palace so freely,” Marcus said, but he was interrupted by a light chuckle.
“Young phoenix, dear, I have already been inside. I would just rather have your permission to do so,” she said.
Surprisingly, Marcus took confession in stride. I couldn’t tell if he was unbothered by it, or just hiding his chagrin very well.
“But while I’ve got your ear, let also ask that you please put a stop to damaging my forest any further. You have two towns encroaching on my domain, and thus far we have played nice. I’d rather not get involved in human affairs, but I cannot allow my domain to be cut down,” she said.
This caught by surprise because until now she had not ntioned the forest at all.
anwhile, an older man had co to the doorway of the shop, and now stood there—like the young lady earlier—watching the conversation between his King and this unknown lady who was making demands of him, in silent awe.
“That… that might be more difficult than the library problem. I can certainly understand your concern, but perhaps this would be a conversation best left for a proper audience?” Marcus tried to say.
“We can do that, yes, but just know if they go too deep and you neglect to address this problem, I will be forced to remove them myself, and it won’t be as peaceful as my conversation now is, dear,” she said with a smile as she turned around towards the man at the doorway.
“Ah, good, the smith is here.”
We all turned to face the man, he still stood stunned.
“Max! Great to see you.” Marcus said. “I apologise for not alerting you to our arrival, but I was hoping to introduce you to soone,”
“Your Majesty! Of course, please co in,” Max said, stepping away from the doorway to allow us to enter.
Part of thought Lily or Sylverith would cut in front of the King; however, that didn’t happen, with Sylverith following the King as we all made our way inside.
We entered into a loose gravel courtyard, which had several forges with only one currently fired up, but what caught my eye imdiately were his tools. The tal itself appeared to be on fire as they hung against the wall.
The man standing in front of us, Max, as the King had said, was a giant of a man, towering over myself by more than a head, with jet black hair and a beard that ca to his chest. He was soone I had heard about several tis, even as far back as in the temple when Peter ntioned him.
Once we were standing there, it seed that Marcus was doing introductions as Max was taking in the group, his eyes locked on Lily or Crisplet—I wasn’t sure which.
“Max, this is Trevor, along with his companions, Lily and Crisplet. Then you have Dragon Sylverith, protector of the dark forest, and Trevor’s party mbers, Hari, Jen, Milo, and Liane. And I was hoping you’d be able to assist them in an armour commission or two,” Marcus said.
Sylverith stepped forward, seemingly inspecting Max.
“How curious. The system has given you a class that revolves around the use of the little flas—discarded mana?” she said, looking him up and down.
“Discarded mana?” Max said, looking confused and looking back to the king for clarification.
“Yes, dear. The feathers you have infused in the tools there are just a self-sustaining mana construct, made of a compressed lattice mana formation which has been discarded with age, and could one day serve as a resurrection point for the little fla,” she explained.
Max looked at Marcus. “I feel like I’m missing sothing here. Little fla?” he said.
“I believe she is referring to the phoenix itself. Her na is Alira, another… companion? Of Trevor,” Marcus said, clearly not sure what to say there.
Max shook his head, just staring at . “So let get this straight: your companion is the fla elental, and that… is that a shadow cat? In addition, you are travelling with an actual ancient dragon, while friends with the phoenix? Am I getting all this right?”
I shrugged. “I wouldn’t say I’m friends with Alira; she’s more of an acquaintance, but she’s probably friends with my companion Crisplet, yes.”
“You’re right, Your Majesty. If you hadn’t co and introduced him yourself, I would have called him raving mad, even with the cat and elental in front of ,” Max shook his head.
“So let’s start over. You ntioned doing a commission for the boy, but we’re still working on the other project and have a limited supply right now?” Max said.
Marcus just waved him off. “It’s fine. Do what you need to do. I’m going to take my leave and let you have so privacy while you discuss. Do say hi to the family for ; it’s been so ti since I have seen them.”
Then, just like that, the King left, leaving us in the smithy’s courtyard with Max still shaking his head.
“Well then, this is an unexpected turn of events. What commission were you looking to get?” Max asked.
Hari took a step forward, but it was Sylverith who once again spoke up. “Have you worked with dragon scales before?” she asked.
“True scales? No, only those of drakes and lesser draconics,” he said.
“Very well. Trevor, dear, you wouldn’t mind if I instruct him in an item or two that would assist you the most, would you?” she asked in an overly sweet voice.
I just turned to look at Milo and Hari, to see Milo nodding enthusiastically, while Hari had a look of concern.
“It should be fine?” I said.
“Would you mind handing the scales then, dear?” she said.
This is what I was so torn about. It was technically her tail after all—she brought it to —but I also knew the value of the scales now, and I knew that Milo, at the very minimum, wanted to use so, so I pulled out half, from the skin of the first half the tail we cooked for her.
This would leave the other half, which was still attached to the at that I had been cooking.
She turned to Max. “Take your asurents, dear, and then I’ll discuss with you what I think is best.”
“What did you have in mind for him?” Liane asked,
Sylverith smiled. “I like you. You’re always looking out for him, a loyal friend. I was thinking of a lightweight chest plate, and perhaps a knife. Lily has ntioned several tis in great humour that you were unable to cut the tail. That wouldn’t be too much to ask, would it?” she said, turning to Max.
“No, no, not at all,” he said, coming over and sizing up.
“Wait, but I already have this jacket, right?” I said, looking behind .
“Yes dear, but it’s either a chest piece or a helt, and I can’t really see you wearing a helt everywhere, and the chest piece is to be worn under your jacket, so I think this is best.” Sylverith said.
Liane seed to accept this as well, just nodding.
“I believe this will take so ti, so please leave to it. I will make sure this talented young man makes you sothing incredible,” she said with a smile.
“Thank you, Sylverith,” I said, not sure what else to say.
“Think nothing of it. Lily has asked repeatedly to assist in keeping you alive longer. This is a good start,” she said, now turning to Max while inspecting the dragon scales in her hands.
I turned to Lily. Just how many people had she asked for help from to keep alive?
All I got in return was a head tilt.
“Ti to head back then?” I said to Hari, who had just been watching everything stunned.
“Ye… yeah, let’s head back,” he said, as we all made our way back to the carriage, leaving Sylverith with Max.
Jen was the first to speak up, once inside.
“So what the hell just happened there?”
Hari was shaking his head, and Milo laughed.
“Trev’s going to get a legendary chest piece and knife is what happened,” Liane said, looking out the window.
“And the King was waiting… for us?” Jen added, her voice raising.
“No, he was waiting for Trevor and friends,” Milo said with a laugh.
“The king doesn’t wait for people though,” Jen was shaking her head.
“He did today, just another thing to add to the list of unbelievable things,” Hari said.
The rest of the trip to the manor was spent in stunned disbelief at the events that were unfolding, and part of couldn’t wait to tell Micca and George.
“Don’t forget to add his future training in draconic runes to that list as well.” Liane said.
Milo’s eyes went wide. “I wonder if I can sit in for that! I really wanted to ask earlier! I don’t think anyone has ever recorded draconic runes and been taught by an actual dragon before, well no one who has ever spoken about it.”
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