“So, the current King owns them again?”
“No, the son still lives as far as we know, as the rights have not reverted to the crown yet. Steinberg’s son was a Half-Elf, so he could live for some time yet. No one has seen him since he left for the ruins.”
“Hmm, interesting. That was fascinating, sir. My thanks.”
Beaming, Marcus seemed to stand a bit taller, “Would you like to know more?”
Half bored, Alburet knew it had to be around lunch time. “I’m afraid I have a few other obligations I must attend to, sir. I do thank you for taking the time to show me around and teach me more about this world. I’ll be back at some point to learn more, but it will probably be some time before that comes to pass.”
“If I am available, I will be more than happy to show you around again. It is so rare to find someone who really wants to learn,” Marcus shook hands with Alburet as they said their farewells.
Alburet let out a deep sigh once he was outside, marveling at how intense Marcus could get when he got rolling. He wondered what he should do first, he still had gear to sell and he was also actually thinking of getting some lunch now that he thought about it.
Chapter Twelve
Alburet started walking towards Grimgar’s so he could sell off the junk he’d accumulated from hunting. As he walked he recalled that he still had an unfinished quest that he could no longer finish, but he could cancel it. With that thought he changed course, to fix the oversight.
He came into sight of the guard building after a bit. He nodded to the two gate guards, getting polite nods in return. He cut off at an angle towards the training building. A single guard was just coming out the door as he approached.
“Excuse me,” Alburet said politely as the guard looked up at him. “Is Captain Roberto in?”
The guard looked him over before responding, “Who is asking?”
“My name is Alburet, I am a two-souled and have unresolved business with him.”
“Wait here, please,” the guard said, spinning and going back in the building.
A minute later both the guard and the captain came out. Roberto chuckled slightly, “I was wondering if you might have cut and run on me.”
“No, sir,” Alburet said, giving a salute. “I’m sorry for the delay, but life caught up to me. I am here to pay you back for the loan, as I have been informed that I will not be able to teach your men anything more.” He dug out five gold, holding them out to Roberto.
Taking the gold, Roberto raised a brow, “This is more than I lent you.”
“I know, sir. However, I feel you should be given more since I’m late getting back to you and I won’t be able to fulfill the earlier request now.”
Roberto handed back two of the five gold, “This will do, then. Anything more looks fishy.”
Quest Canceled: Return later to help Roberto train the guard
You returned the gold, canceling the quest.
You will not incur any penalty to reputation with Stormguard.
A small smile appeared as Alburet nodded, “As you say, sir. I also would like to tender an apology to Guard Wilber Gilden, sir. Is he about?”
Both brows rising, Roberto studied Alburet for a moment before replying. “He is on the daytime shift, so is on duty right now. Would you care to leave him a note?”
“I think a note would be a bit too impersonal. Will you deliver a message for me instead?” Alburet asked. When Roberto nodded, he continued. “Ask him to meet me at the Dead Man Inn this evening so I can tender an apology in person, please.”
Frowning, Roberto nodded, “I will pass it along, but frankly he is unlikely to wish to visit that place.”
“That is true, sir. I hope he will do so anyway as it I believe it will benefit us both. Thank you again, sir,” Alburet snapped another salute before turning and walking away.
The guard who had been there watched Alburet go before speaking to the Captain. “Do you think Wilbur will go?”
“I don’t know, but that two-souled has caused some waves from what I’ve heard. I don’t know if Wilbur will be amenable to the overture.” Roberto replied, heading back into his office.
After more walking Alburet finally got to Grimgar’s. DrFrank was in the shop, examining a staff. The jingle of the bell made Grimgar look up to offer a smile and nod as he listened to the customer before him.
“This is the best you have that I can afford? Ten to intelligence and wisdom is nice, but I thought I would get more for the price.” DrFrank said as he set the staff back on the counter.
“Ye be not even level twenty yet, lad. While ye do have a nice bit of coin, this be the best ye can hope for right now.” Grimgar replied, resting a hand on the staff, “Iffin ye do nay want it though, tha’ be fine.”
Sighing, DrFrank put his hand on the ebony staff, “Let’s not be hasty. Can you come down in price at all?”
“What’s he asking for it, Frank?” Alburet asked, interrupting the haggle.
Turning his head, DrFrank frowned briefly before tilting his head slightly as recognition dawned, “Oh, Alburet. How you been? He’s asking for fifty gold for something with a meager plus ten to two stats.”
Pursing his lips, Alburet nodded, “Well, even at level eighteen the best I’ve seen is ten to a single stat and I can make most of his asking price in a single day. Though I’ll admit it does seem maybe a touch higher than I would pay.”
Grimgar watched the interaction between the two before coughing gently, “I can lower it to forty gold, but nay a single one less. Tha’ be due to a valued customer speakin’ up for ye.”
DrFrank blinked, glancing between Grimgar and Alburet before shrugging. “I’ll take it for forty,” he dropped forty gold on the counter. “What are you here for, Alburet?”
“Selling off loot from the gnoll area, mostly, but Grimgar here has been my go to for weapons,” Alburet replied as he started to unload all his looted weapons onto part of the counter.
“Wait, you’ve been out to the gnoll area? What the hell level are you?” DrFrank blurted before focusing on Alburet, his eyes going wide. “Level 18! What the fuck, dude? That is insane, you’d have to be playing like twelve hours a day for that kind of progress.”
Chuckling, Alburet shrugged, “Well, close. Have you paid any attention to the gaming news over the last day?”
Frowning, DrFrank shook his head, “Not really. Between work and getting on here to play I really haven’t been checking the web.”
“You should take the time tonight to look up news related to Alpha World,” Alburet said in an offhanded manner as Grimgar began to tally up what the weapons would net Alburet. “Big news. Should be out by now, I’m sure.”
“Then you can just tell me,” DrFrank said with a frown.
“Yeah, I guess I could. Mindblown is doing month long immersion testing,” Alburet said with a straight face as he turned to look at DrFrank.
DrFrank blinked, then his eyes went as wide as they could go, “No fucking way! Seriously? I got to go check, see you later.” DrFrank disappeared, leaving just Alburet and Grimgar in the shop.
“Ye two-souled be a strange lot, ye know tha’, righ’?” Grimgar said as he set gold on the counter and began to pull the weapons down.
“Sure enough,” Alburet chuckled, tossing the gold into his money pouch. “The next week or so should see more of my kind excited as all hell.”
“Oh? Why be tha’?”
“That immersion testing I mentioned to Frank. The way we cross over to this world is through a piece of technology that is controlled by a group called Mindblown Entertainment. They are starting a trial, letting some of us stay here for a month at a time without the need to drop off like he just did.”