"Nobility serves a vital role in the world around us. They stimulate the economy. Provide jobs and training. Allow for ordinary people to ascend higher than their parents before them. However, even with all this, there is a dark side to the eschelons of power we rely on. That can manifest in ways few everyday people can comprehend."
-Farstein Veldeskir, Ruler of the Veldeskir Dukedom
~~~(POV: Justin Xander)~~~
~~~(Location: Fard Cira Zada Estate, Geonia City, Aeternitatem Genesis)~~~
~~~(Day, Date, Time: Tuesday, April 16th, 8:23 AM PST)~~~
~~~(Current Age: 19 Years)~~~
This quest is far more interesting than the last couple I've done. It has elements I've never encountered in a quest before.
---[Quest: Paving the Way]---
[Difficulty: Insane] [Grade: Rare]
[Recommended Player Level: 75]
[Player Level EXP Reward: 25,000]
[Rewards: A Rep boost with Eliza Fard Cira Zada, and the Cira Zada family.] [40 Gold.] [A Rep boost with the Rennex noble family.] [Magical Ring.]
[Step 1: Locate and kill the assassin known as Dusk.]
[Step 2: Locate and kill the merchant known as Blufoe Stuvzen.]
[Step 3: Locate and kill the courtier known as Marcelle Niebell.]
[Step 4: Burn down the home of Edmarl Neivelsted.]
[Step 5: Retrieve the blackmail in the Lekiril family home.]
[Step 6: Return the blackmail to Eliza Fard Cira Zada.]
[Step 7: Get your reward from Eliza Fard Cira Zada.]
[Note: This quest must be completed in the next seven days.]
"As you can plainly see, I require a great deal from you. It may seem like a great many tasks, but the rewards will fit the difficulty. That is a fact I will assure you."
She leans forward from the spot where she's sitting on the desk. Almost whispering as she moves her head closer to the otherside of my player interface. As I read through the information, I see her green eyes on the otherside of the transparent screen.
This is a target list for a powerful noble in the midst of a power play. I question why she'd give such an important task to someone like me... It doesn't make any sense...
Ohhh, I understand now.
"I won't pry into your personal business, Lady Eliza. I have my quest now. I do ask, however, if I'll be given instructions on where to find these individuals. I'm still a new arrival, after all."
A pleased grin slowly shapes on her lips. There is a litany of reasons she's giving this important quest to someone like me. Chief among those reasons is how little value I hold in Geonia and the personal political power I wield, which is none.
I'm not a noble, a powerful NPC, or a member of a notable organization. If I fail this quest, Eliza can say she has no idea who I am or why I've done these things. I don't know what happens to a quest in the quests tab when you fail it, but I assume it disappears when failed, just the same as quests that are completed. Thus, absolving her of responsibility.
"I can indeed help you with that request, Zaediel. Unfortunately, there is one individual whose whereabouts I don't know. That being the assassin known as Dusk."
She stands up from her sitting position as she speaks and moves around the desk. Opening up a drawer and pulling out a scroll of paper. Tossing it to me after she closes the drawer.
"When you consume that scroll from your inventory, you'll instantly know the common locations Blufoe Stuvzen and Marcelle Niebell are found regularly. As for the homes of Edmarl Neivelsted and the Lekiril family, those are also within the scroll."
She walks around the desk again and stands in front of me as I hold the scroll in my hands. She folds her arms over her bosom, and the edge in Eliza's eye sharpens.
"However, you're not to kill any member of the Lekiril family when you retrieve the blackmail. It matters not whether Edmarl survives the burning of his home."
So, it doesn't matter if Edmarl Neivelsted survives. The hardest parts of this quest will be finding Dusk, and making sure I get the blackmail from the Lekiril family without killing any of them. Not to mention, the targets on this list will be guarded.
This is the first time I've encountered the (Insane) difficulty level, but it makes sense. I'm just lucky Eliza has decided to give me a hand with some crucial information.
"Why the seven-day timeframe, if you don't mind me asking?"
Eliza slowly moves away from the desk and stops near the window. Looking out into the streets of Geonia.
"I do mind you asking, Zaediel. Let us stop this conversation here."
The sudden shutdown of the talk we're having tells me I hit a critical point in this plan she's got me a part of. The seven days I'm given to complete this quest has a purpose behind it, and what that purpose is, Eliza has decided I'm not qualified to know.
"Okay, Lady Eliza. I'll take my leave and begin right away."
I stand up from my chair, and Eliza snaps her fingers. The door to the room opens, and the butler from before enters. He guides me off the property, and I'm walking down the street and away from the Fard Cira Zada Estate.
The first thing I do is open my inventory and 'consume' the scroll, and it disappears as the information for this quest floods my mind. All the information I requested from Eliza to complete this quest, aside from the location of Dusk, is known to me.
"There are other things I must handle today, as well..."
The first stop is the Cartography shop. I need to find out how far away I am from the Taleso Kingdom and its capital city, Plateo. Depending on the time it'll take to get from Geonia to Plateo will determine how much time I have left to do everything I need to here.
After visiting the Cartography shop today, I also need to return to Fulwitter's Blacksmith shop. I have blueprints I need to check out. Weeeell, more like I need to figure out how much I'll need to spend to acquire the materials.
The amazing 1,000% drop rate to crafting materials thanks to (Zophiels Smithing Technique) is going to come in handy at some point soon in the future, but right now, I don't know what monsters or dungeons to farm to get the materials I need.
"This is so much fun."
My words leave my lips without restraint. Figuring out how I'll get my hands on all this stuff is an adventure in itself. AG will be the source of many great memories for me in the foreseeable future.
I shake the thoughts of my future fun from my head and focus on the task at hand. It takes me around 25 minutes to reach the Cartographers' shop, but I do. The downside is this place is waaay more busy than the last time I was here.
All the planetwide announcements recently have been inviting players to participate in wars far from their spawn cities. This has led players to seek the best way to reach these locations.
"Do my eyes deceive me, or is that Zaediel?"
A familiar tone catches my attention after I enter the shop. I look toward the front counter, and the enchantingly beautiful Sierra Zarra is standing there in her curvy glory. I fight my eyes from naturally shifting to her magnificent tiddies.
After all, I'm here for business. As she waves me over to her, I feel the dark and deadly glares from players all around me. Even a few of them are female, but the bloodlust is strongest from the men.
"Hey, Sierra. It's good to see you again."
Once I'm standing in front of her, she does the same deadly lean over the table as before, and the view she gives is still one that countries will go to war for. I have to refocus and shake those thoughts away, and look back at her eyes.
There is a coy turn to her lips as she sees my attempts to stop ogling her. She places her hands under her chin, cupping her cheeks cutely in the process.
"So, what can I do for my favorite customer today?"
The hatred I feel coming from multiple directions behind me is enough to make me gulp down a ball of saliva. I take a quick breath and get started.
"Actually, I need to know how far away the Taleso Kingdom is, and more specifically, their capital city, Plateo."
A curious curve appears on Sierra's brow. She resists the urge to ask me why and instead heads into the back.
"Can you believe that bastard?"
"I know! Just because he has a decent face, he gets special treatment!? Bullshit!!"
"If we weren't in a public place, I'd kill him right now."
The conversations happening behind me are being hidden in no way. I just sigh and lean against the front counter. After a moment, Sierra returns with a large rolled-up piece of paper. I got a feeling the Taleso Kingdom is pretty far away.