Chapter 12: Chapter 11: “A Keygiver’s Fate”

CHAPTER 11: “A KEYGIVER’S FATE”

The supply shop wasn’t that far from the inn, the distance was slightly shorter than the walk to the library. It was a simple standard shop building that was similar to how convenience shops were in the real world. Inside there were many low and middle level potions for all sorts of use such as HP and MP restore, debuff remover, ATK scrolls, buff potions and a lot more things. 

For now, Ai took a few bottles of HP and MP potions that were slightly higher leveled than the beginner ones, so they should restore a bit more. He also grabbed a minor debuff remover potion called Panacea and bought bottles in case the test had him being booby trapped with poisonous darts or something. All in all, he didn’t buy that many items. He was still just a low level player who didn’t really need more than one bottle to restore his stats, so he felt comfortable in the amount he bought.

The Shop NPC, Bren, was an older elf with graying hair and beard. Though they seemed older, they were still a very fit and tall elf with a slightly beefier body type than the other elves around.

Ai put all of the items he wanted to buy in front of Bren and waited as they did their job. As they did that, Ai swayed on his toes and looked around, taking notice of the colorful shop banners, the little plastic figurines on the table and even hand drawn pictures that seemed to be the work of a child. 

Though Ai wasn’t really the type to make small talk, he listened to Bren as they talked about their children, how old they’ve gotten and about the small grandchild they had, apparently the one who drew the pictures behind the desk. It was very apparent that Bren cherished his family a lot.

“Are you an envoy?” The NPC elf suddenly asked after finishing his stories about his lineage, eyeing the book on Ai’s waist.

Ai gave a gentle tug at the sash holding the book and nodded. “Yes, is there anything I can help you with?”

 

***

 

Ai eyed the clear vial Bren gave him. The quest was easy enough, settling a dispute between them and their shop neighbor. Bren was in the middle of a small fight with another shop owner next door. Since they both sold similar items and were side by side, it wasn’t weird for the two shop owners to fight over customers and started accusing each other of stealing the other’s customers.

Thankfully, Ai managed to calm the two together and helped them to come to an agreement. To make things go smoother, he told them he would use a skill that would punish them if they broke the settled agreement. He left out the part about the skill still being in cooldown. The whole situation had turned to be another sub quest that he achieved an S at.

After settling the dispute, Bren gave him the vial as the quest reward. They said that it would help him in the trial that he was about to take, meaning the beginner quest. They had been so sure that the item would help Ai in whatever was coming, their eyes had been glinting with something Ai couldn’t really decipher. One look at the item description didn’t really give him any insights to what it could be useful for.

[Vial of Peace - Special Quest Item]

For now he put the vial away to his inventory and took stock of what he had. He really had no single idea on what the quest could be since it was another piece of information that wasn’t allowed to be posted on the official forums, probably because it could either make the levels ahead easier or harder and the developers considered it too much of a spoiler or they didn’t want the players to “cheat”.

There were an array of items in his inventory, mostly basic items for healing and buffing. He also hadn’t touched a single beginner item that the game gave him at the start and there was also those fruit that he nabbed from the Golden Suite.

 

3x Minor HP Potions

3x Minor MP Potions

3x Normal HP Potions

3x Normal MP Potion

3x Panacea

3x Fruit

1x Emergency Return Scroll

1x Mediator Dagger

1x Vial of Peace

 

All basic items. He didn’t get any stat buffs scrolls or potions. Most of them didn’t have that much for him since his stats were abysmal already, an extra buff wouldn’t really help. He didn’t know how much MP restore he would need since his skill didn’t require one as of yet, but he did feel safe with his stocks of HP potions. With his measly 1000 HP, he would need those.

 

***

 

When he returned to the inn, what he saw almost made him cast his attacking skill. 

Avra was standing by the desk as they always did, their face was blank but Ai could see a hint of discomfort in them. In front of them, on the other side of the desk, a rich looking elf was looking at Avra with what seemed to be disgust on their face. If the situation didn’t make him angry, he would’ve felt happy for being able to read Avra’s otherwise blank expression.

The rich looking elf was a tall elf in red heels. They had multiple bejeweled necklaces around their neck and big rings on their hands, all shining and glittering like stars. They were also wearing an expensive looking dark pantsuit type clothing that made the heels and jewelry stand out even more. It wasn’t hard to guess what this elf found the most beautiful.

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“Truly unsightly.” The rich elf muttered, not even trying to hide their snappy comment. “How can they let such an eyesore work here?”

Avra didn’t reply to their comments. With their head bowed, their hands moved quickly as they sorted through items inside a brown box. After a few moments of rummaging through, Avra looked at the rich elf and shook their head.

“My apologies.” They said, bowing. “I cannot seem to find the object you lost.”

Too fast for Ai to intervene, the rich elf swung their hand hard and swift, their open palm striking Avra’s unguarded cheek. More than that, their rings had managed to leave a jarring scar, causing blood to drip on to Avra’s dress. Any normal person would’ve gotten angry or cried or fought back, but Avra did none of those things. Seemingly not caring about their now bleeding face, they continued to bow apologetically.

“You’re useless!” The rich elf yelled. “I bet you stole it didn’t you. This is why you Keygivers are such abominations. I’ll have you punished for this.”

Huffing, the elf spun dramatically then left while stomping their heels on the floor. Avra’s gaze followed the rich elf out the door then it landed on Ai’s figure where he stood right by the door with an anxious look on his face.

Avra’s gentle wave brought him over to stand in front of them. He quickly brought out the Minor HP Potion he just bought and carefully dropped a few droplets onto the scar on Avra’s face. The wound slowly closed until it was nothing more than a faded scar. Though it wasn’t as bad as before, there was still a palm shaped bruise on their face.

“It will fade, envoy.” Avra said in their calm tone. “Rather, I am quite sorry that you had to use a potion. Let me reimburse you.”

Ai shook his head vehemently. He had already felt guilty enough that he didn’t storm between the two and stop Avra from getting hurt. Why didn’t he step in? He had enough time. He did it with the warriors from before, why not then with the rich elf? 

“Envoy.” a finger suddenly touched Ai’s furrowed brow. “It is my fate as a Keygiver. It is nothing new nor surprising.”

Ai’s heart felt even heavier hearing about how used Avra was to that kind of treatment. Though he read about it in the book, watching it happen for real unnerved him. He hadn’t been prepared for how heartbreaking it was, especially when he thought of Avra as a friend.

He looked around at his surroundings, at the other guests of the inn. He realized that most of the elves there didn’t even blink, didn’t even glance at what just happened. They were all just happily doing their daily routines, chatting with each other, reading the newspaper or drinking tea. Some were even whispering amongst themselves as their eyes glanced at the two of them.

Fate as a Keygiver…

To always be looked at with scorn and treated with malice even though they didn’t deserve it. Was that really such a fate than someone can live with? If Ai himself lived such a life he wouldn’t be brushing it off as Avra seemed to do right now. He would be drowning in sorrow, in pain, he would be - 

“Envoy.” Avra nudged his arm slightly, pulling him out of his thoughts. “Athiel is here.”

 

Athiel’s appearance didn’t change much from the first time Ai met them. Blonde hair tied in a high ponytail this time instead of braided, green eyes and the green dress to match. The bright colors were contrasted against her darker skin.

Seeing Ai already at the front desk, Athiel gave him a big grin. 

“Envoy.” Athiel greeted. “Shall we be off?”

Ai looked back at Avra. He felt a little bit more calm when he saw them smile at him. He was still worried about what had just happened, but really couldn’t do much as the other elf urged him to go. It was honestly quite odd that he felt a connection with someone that wasn’t real, but in any case it made him happy that there was someone here that would feel sad if he disappeared.

The same couldn’t be said for the real world, but in this game…

“Come, envoy.” Athiel said once more. “The cleric is waiting.”

The both of them left the inn. Athiel slightly ahead, leading Ai to a road that he’d never taken before. He only ever went to two places in Pymule from the inn, the library and the shop, both had separate directions. It was quite a shame since the village was so beautiful, he would have to go and dedicate an entire day just for exploring the village.

The place Athiel led him too was even more secluded and far away from the village, far deeper into the forest where the trees were much more overgrown and thick, making the surroundings dark and almost damp.

Ai thought that Athiel would be quiet and not say another word until they reached their destination. Though it was kind of nice just being able to take in the nature surroundings, it was also scary in the dark. Every step and every crunch of the leaves under their feet made Ai slightly more and more anxious.

“The Keygiver likes you very much.” Athiel suddenly said.

Ai was slightly thrown off guard by the statement, but he answered. “Yes, they have helped me with quite a few things. I consider them my friend.”

Athiel seemed slightly surprised at those claims. The expression made Ai think back to the book he read in the library. 

To the elven race who value beauty over their own life, Keygivers are abominations, as all things that have no appreciation for beauty are.

He wondered if Athiel was one of the elves who thought that way.

“Envoy, I wish for you to not hate the elves.”

 

 

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