Chương 54: Invitation

Alexandra was sitting in front of Sera, arms crossed.

"I'm glad you came to your senses," the Katori woman smiled.

"Get to the point." Sera shook her head.

"Oh my, I was going to. Well, it's as I said. Your friend has been captured by Lucius Merinus. He's currently locked up in the Merinus estate." She raised her hand as Alexandra shifted.

"Don't be so impatient." Alexandra started.

"I wasn't—""Your face says it all," Sera said.

"Louis should be safe. They kept him alive."

"But for how long? We can't take that risk."

"And barging into the Merinus estate can't even be called taking a risk. At your level, it's suicide. Lucius is not the only Gold of the family."

"Then what? I just leave him to rot in jail?" Sera rolled her eyes.

"So dramatic. No, you scout, you train, and you come up with an actual plan. I'm not allowed to intervene in this region, but I can give you advice."

"Why not?"

"It's quite simple, really. Baleria is limited to Gold ranks and below. It's a rule the leaders of Laika set to avoid escalation. I shouldn't even be here, to be completely honest with you." Alexandra frowned.

"You're…"

"Platinum. But keep that to yourself." Sera sighed.

"I really don't want to deal with the consequences of being found out."

"Then why didn't Raymond send a Gold rank instead?"

"Questions, questions, questions. So many questions. But I do commend your thirst for knowledge. Tash would be proud. Short answer: there are no Gold ranks among the Keepers of the Iron Ink. Platinum is the minimum required to join us."

"Okay, then—""Wait," Sera said, interrupting her.

"It's my turn to say my piece. The Magus sent me here to extend an invitation to meet him at the Iron Library in Kator." Alexandra tensed. Bamir's warning echoed in her mind. Can I trust Raymond?

"Unfortunately for me, he made it clear that I wasn't allowed to force you," Sera added.

"So, if I refuse, you'll leave?"

"That's the worst part. Failure to bring you back is also not an option. I'll have to convince you." She coughed.

"So, the Iron Library, and why it is such a good place for you. First of all, it's in Kator, an actual city. Not like this provincial town where nothing happens. Second, it's the foremost center of learning in Laika. Since you are seriously lacking in that aspect, it's a natural destination for you! Third—" Alexandra raised her hand.

"Look, I can think about it. But I won't leave while Louis is in danger." Sera clicked her tongue.

"Figured as much."

"Also, there are a few ongoing matters in Esmera that I need to see through."

"Your quests. I know." She blinked.

"How?"

"What do you mean how? I've been watching you for a few days."

"Creepy."

"That is—" Sera stopped. Her fingers found a loose thread on her sleeve.

"It's not every day you meet someone from another world. I was simply curious." Alexandra pursed her lips.

"Okay…" She shrugged. Since she already knows. She summoned her journal.

"Oh, you too?" Sera snapped her fingers and a thick grimoire landed on her lap. It was a lot larger than Alexandra's journal, and the leather binding it was thicker, older. The pages inside were worn out, stained yellow by the passage of time. The Keeper noticed her expression.

"Don't worry. Everyone knows how a Keeper's class art looks." Alexandra nodded, and opened her journal. Quest Journ a l Daily Reset: 06: 00 | Streak: 17 Days | 1% All Stats Next Milestone: 25 Days Daily Quests: Patch the holes in your clothes (0/23) She looked down. Twenty-three, really? Sure, there were a few large ones in her shirt which left her skin exposed. And, yes, there were at least two gaping holes in her pants around her knees.

"Anything good?" Sera asked. Alexandra looked up. She already knows. Might as well. When she was done explaining her daily quest, Sera stood up and rummaged through Louis' belongings. She pulled out a set of needles and spare fabric, and handed them over to Alexandra. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

"You know how to sew, right?" Alexandra didn't smile.

"Do I look like someone who knows how to sew?"

"Most people do," Sera answered.

"But I guess I can teach you."

"Thank you…" Alexandra started, reaching for the set. She stopped mid-action, and snapped her fingers.

"Wait. I know."

"What?"

"If this works…" The quest asked that she patched the holes in her clothes. What would happen if she got someone else to do it for her? She explained her reasoning to Sera. The Katori rolled the needle in her hand.

"Good instinct. Class arts are always more complex than they seem. Those who reach higher ranks are the ones who took the time to experiment with their limits. You say that your daily quests can unlock skill quests. You should consider if the way in which you complete the quest will influence that."

"I'm quite certain it does."

"Then," Sera continued, "it's a matter of choosing your path. It's mere speculation on my part, but if you patch the holes yourself, you might get a sewing skill. If you pay someone to do it, perhaps a bartering skill."

"Or perhaps nothing. It happens sometimes." Sera nodded.

"There's only one way to know." Alexandra licked her lips. Bartering sounded nice. She needed the money to cure her sicknesses. Then again, with how often she tore her clothes, learning how to sew would prove useful. Doing it herself also felt more likely to give her a skill.

"Can you patch one for me?" she asked.

"I want to see if this works first." Sera took the needle, examined the tear near Alexandra's knee. Sera selected a square of linen, cut it down, pressed it flat against the inside of the cloth, and began to stitch from the back. Patch the holes in your clothes (1/23) Alexandra nodded.

"It worked."

"Good. How do you want to do this?"

"I'll do it myself." All things considered, learning to sew seemed like the better move compared to a bartering skill that may or may not be her reward if she did things differently. She got to work on her shirt first. It was a mess. If not for the quest, she would have bitten the bullet and bought a new one. Sera watched her and guided her hands when she strayed. Patch the holes in your clothes (23/23) -> Quest Completed: +10 exp, +1 DEX, Skill Quest Unlocked: Sewing.

Daily Quest Streak: 17 -> 18"Done," Alexandra said as she put down the needle and slipped back into her clothes. She flipped the pages of her journal, looking for the skill quest. Sewing: Repair five clothes of any fabric (0/5). It should be easy enough, though it was a little annoying that the clothes she just fixed were not tallied.

"With that out of the way, we can get started on the rescue operation and your other quests. The faster we get it done, the sooner I can bring you to Kator."

"I have yet to agree." Sera sighed.

"Sure. Anyway, your quests are about slaying the Yshant and Lucius Merinus. Did I miss one?" Alexandra shook her head.

"You're really stalking me."

"I prefer studying. But whatever, neither task is easy. Especially for an Iron rank. But perhaps the foul spell you were trying to cast earlier could be the key to defeating the beast."

"Dark Bolt?" Sera nodded.

"Can you read me the description?" Dark Bolt - 4: Sacrifice lifeforce to cast a needle of dark magic that corrupts the lifeforce of its target. Each level increases the power behind the needle. The Keeper grimaced.

"Ugh, that's even nastier than I thought. Lifeforce sacrifice… At least you can mitigate it. But that's exactly what you need. Plant monsters like the verdant beasts of the Balerian plains are basically all lifeforce, and surprisingly weak to such attacks."

"I've noticed."

"As you should. You should work on pushing this skill to the maximum level for its grade. Uncommon skills cap at level fifteen."

"Will it be enough?"

"To kill a Gold rank monster? If you can hit it, maybe. Which is where I come in. We need to get your stats up to a point where you can compete, and optimize your daily quests for a few specific skills." Alexandra nodded slowly.

"And for Louis?"

"It won't be easy. That's for sure. To beat someone like Merinus, you'll need more than stats and skills." She paused.

"Are you aware of what happened in the plains yesterday?"

"The attack?"

"Yes. Every single village of the plains, wiped out." She sighed.

"That was his doing." Alexandra stood up.

"What? How? I was there. It was the Yshant." Sera met her eyes.

"Are you sure?"

"I fought them. The blessed ones. Beasts with a red flower growing on them." For a moment, Sera didn't say anything. Alexandra started pacing around the room. If Merinus was responsible for the attacks… Then Lanterne was gone because of him.

"The situation is worse than I thought," Sera said, breaking the silence.

"Merinus ordered his men to get the Gold ranks away from their villages. Right before the attacks. He's feeding the Yshant? But why…" she trailed off. Alexandra stepped closer to Sera.

"Those Gold ranks, did they make it?" Marick. Maybe. But Sera's next words dashed her hopes.

"This Lucius is smarter than that." She closed her eyes. Sera put a hand on her shoulder.

"Maybe some made it out alive. I don't know. Maybe they've been captured. I can't tell because I have not marked them like I did your friend." Alexandra opened her eyes.

"So there's some hope."

"We have less time than I thought," Sera said.

"We'll need to get your friend out of prison in the next few days. You definitely won't be ready to fight a Gold rank by then."

"I'll do it." Sera shook her head.

"No, your friend is quite capable himself. He just needs a hand. Give me some time, I'll find a way." Alexandra hesitated. Could she really trust Sera? It's as she said. I don't have a choice.

"Speaking of Hands," she said.

"Give me ten gold."

"What?" Alexandra extended her hand, palm up.

"Come on. Or I'm not coming with you to Kator." Sera smiled.

"So you agree?"

"Not yet. But a few coins would weigh in the balance."

"Why ten?" Sera asked, reaching for her coins.

"I thought the cure to your sickness cost five gold?" Alexandra winced, and explained how she caught the sickness of empathy.

"What a terrible skill…" Sera said.

"They're going to wonder how you caught two sicknesses in such a short time."

"Well, the only alternative I found was an alchemist asking me to kill Merinus in exchange for the cure." Alexandra shrugged and pocketed the coins.

"Oh, and the Hands know who I am, so at this point does it even matter?" Sera stood up.

"Your call. But I can't have them see me. Let's meet up when you're done." She offered her hand. Alexandra looked her in the eyes, and shook it.