"I'm really glad that we got out of that one—but really, Bleu?" The Tiefling known only to the closest of her friends as Tierra laughed aloud once they were out of the castle. "What did that King see in you? Your face is covered and you didn't even talk."
The events that shook the King of Yegarian was something amusing to the Tiefling, that she didn't even mind that neither Lucia or Bleu were laughing themselves.
"Well, at least someone else had a good laugh about it." Lucia eyed the Tiefling and rolled her eyes. It wasn't that funny to them for a good reason at all and she shared a look with the Shadow Elf.
"How's your mission?" Bleu asked.
It wasn't often that the Shadow Elf inquired about Tierra… or even talked at all. Despite all of them being part of an Alliance, it did not necessarily mean that they were the closest of friends. They were very close in terms of age and the fact that all three of them received their invitations from the Creators around the same time.
One also took into account that their territories were by chance close together.
All in all, it was just very convenient for them to work together.
It was a consolidation of power.
The Tiefling summoned a screen and sighed in relief. "Finally done with that stupid quest—I don't get it. Why do I get quests like this one and neither of you have anything like it? Wasn't the purpose of this world and gathering of all of us was to form relationships and universal peace?"
"Well, it wouldn't work too well if you forced people to have peace." Lucia replied with a small smile. "That would be taking away their free-will and if that hadn't been a thing, then these Creators and whoever could have just made all of us robots. It's not a good idea to make people who dislike each other try to act as if they love one another."
"They'll just kill each other in the end."
"Why thank you for the additional insight, Bleu." Tierra rolled her eyes but then focused on the rewards. "I also find myself loving—to strangle you sometimes."
[ Completed Quest: Overcoming Mistrust XXXII ]
Born to a kind that has always been mistreated and seen as lesser demons—both those in the Demon kind and other races have always seen Tieflings as nothing more but a scorched resemblance to their would-be ancestors.
It is vital to overcome the tendency and gut-instinct that believes everyone is out to get you. There is good in trusting people of your own nature and those of others and at the same time gain the trust of others to look past beyond their appearances.
You have completed the quest by befriending a Human.
His Majesty Indrus Sargon, the current Level 48 King of the Yegarian Kingdom and Humans has seen you and your fellow alliance members as a potential alliance.
Rewards:
Obtained Favor of a King
Obtained Skill: Inner Peace, Tranquil Waters
You Have Gained A New Level In Monk Class
"Hah!" Tierra exclaimed in surprise. She checked the screen to see if she hadn't been able to read it properly but then found it to be the case. "Did you guys know that the Human King we met was a Level 48?"
"Oh, that's interesting." Lucia raised a brow.
"Too low."
"Exactly!" Tierra gestured at the Assassin and agreed with his perception. "Are Human levels too low because they're too cushy here in this part of the continent? I think that's the problem, isn't it?"
"Shorter lives too."
"You don't have to judge them, Tierra—we're not all that high-leveled either. We've only been playing for a couple centuries… and you're at what? Level 55?"
"My Class goes completely against my Race's natural tendency—how I even got to be up this high-leveled is a miracle." Tierra muttered underneath her breath. Now that Lucia mentioned how exactly they've been playing… she got to see that her perception was wrong.
"You were chosen as a representative for a reason. You aren't as hotheaded or bloodthirsty as others of your kind."
"Well, now that I think about it—these Humans level up way too faster than normal. Is that because every little thing to them is too difficult?" Tierra rubbed her chin. "We killed all of those men trying to attack the Princess and barely leveled up—there's no challenge to it anymore."
Lucia sighed and waved a hand in front of the Tiefling's face. "We shouldn't care too much about levels, Tierra."
"Arbitrary constructs."
Tierra glanced at the Shadow Elf and frowned. "Are you trying to say random words to look smart again? Or are you trying to belittle me and think I do not get what you're trying to say?"
"Break it up you too." Lucia cut in between the two of them and tried to smile.
The Tiefling stared at the bright and beautiful Light Elf and stifled a snort.
"Break it up? Why don't the two of you break up? Do the two of you really assume I'm dense enough to not see what's going on whenever I turn my back from you two? This Shadow Elf is literally getting scorched by being with you—those ugly wraps aren't doing a great job of hiding it."
Lucia shared a look with Bleu, before the Light Elf tried again. "Tierra, we didn't mean to hide it—"
"Why not have the two of you get married already? There's that function too, right?" Tierra crossed her arms over her chest.
"Come on, Tierra—"
"Oh, wait—I remember why. Your people all hate one another when you're all just Elves with different names. I don't have to call a Tiefling that lives near the water as some Water Tiefling or Liquid Tiefling. Someone of my kind doesn't need to be called a Horn Tiefling just because they have horns—guess, what? We're all just Tieflings!"
"Hey! You don't know how significant the difference are all between each one of us—"
"Let's see, pointy ears, longevity and great magical users—light skin or dark skin, you're all just drop dead gorgeous. That's really unfair, you know? What did you guys do? Weed out all the ugly Elves for a couple of millenium until only everyone of you guys are pretty?"
Tierra looked at the shocked expression and silence these two Elves were giving her and grunted. She didn't feel terrible about saying all of those things… and that just was how things went for her.
In her perspective, she had been holding back all of these little grievances for the past century. Maybe even longer. The image of slightly younger elves that strolled up to her in a wasteland came to her mind.
A vivid memory.
"I'm pretty sure that you two deciding to adopt me was all done in order to hide your little unapproved relationship." Tierra spat.
"We care about you!"
She was unconvinced and tried to mimic the Light Elf's voice except on an even higher octave. "Oh, look at this poor Tiefling who's all alone—why don't we be good Elves and act all righteous by trying to include her in our alliance? I'm sure the elders in the Elven Council would clearly see that we're just trying to patch things up between all races."
"Guys." Bleu cut them off with a sudden slash of his dagger right before the two could start off a fight. "Look at the Universal Chat, we're mentioned."
"Huh?"
"Can't you see that we're trying to argue, Bleu?" Lucia rubbed her face. "Well, trying to overcome our differences and insecurities?"
"Fuck you." Tierra turned her back on them… and sighed a little. "Well, you guys can go around screwing each other behind my back."
The Tiefling looked at the universal chat and frowned again. It was that Human representative trying to contact them to visit Gloria City again? What was this all about?
Lucia's expression softened up. "Aww, Tierra—want a hug? I'll give you a short squeeze." The Light Elf strolled up to her and wrapped her arms around the Tiefling. "I'm so sorry that you felt that way, is there anything we can do to make it up to you?"
"I don't like hugs—get off me, woman."
"Hey, why don't we get you into a relationship as well?" Lucia brightened up even more at the thought. "What's the best way to get different kinds of people to get along with one another? It's a little more intimacy and vulnerability with one another. It's learning how to open up, you know?"
Tierra balked and glanced at the Light Elf currently still hugging her. "You're suggesting an orgy to fix everything?"
"... Wasn't that how the universe was created?" Lucia innocently asked.
"Get this ridiculous Light Elf off my back, Bleu—I don't know what you see in her." Tierra shoved the woman's face away from hers and then dusted her shoulders. "This guy Han wants us to return to Gloria city. What a ridiculous request after he deliberately threw us out and even stole our teleportation scroll!"
"Oh, I remember that guy. Wasn't he actually kind of nice?" Lucia turned to Bleu and gave him a smile.
The Shadow Elf's expression was unreadable.
… It just made Lucia like him even more. But she still needed to make it up to their dear friend and make Tierra feel like she actually belonged in their group. It was a terrible thing for the Tiefling to think it was because of simple pity.
"The nerve of him! You clearly don't remember it properly, Lucia." Tierra clicked her tongue. "Who does he think he is? It doesn't matter if his backer is that original gen Wood Elf in this place—we're not going back there for anything."
"Nonono—that's actually a brilliant idea, Tierra. I'm so glad that this guy contacted us again." The Light Elf beamed at her. "I finally know how to make it up to you."
"What?"