Chapter 12: Drasta’s Trust

Chapter 12: Drasta's Trust ? ? ?

As Xin approached the floating rock, he could hear the distressed cries of several axe beaks. Six of the large birds were struggling to pull ropes attached to a crane-like mechanism that controlled a massive wooden lift.

However, the chains connected to the lift were mostly rusty and covered in moss, causing them to screech with each turn of the pulleys.

The angry elf, looking like a young adult, yelled at the engineers and soldiers nearby. "That's it for today! We're just wearing out the animals. This method won't do. We need more oil, hopefully coming soon!" His voice dripped with frustration.

He turned to face an older woman wearing a shell-adorned robe, disappointment etched on her face. "I told you this wouldn't work, Drasta!"

Drasta let out a sigh and replied, "I had hoped the moss would help, but it's clear we need proper oil. We need to find a solution soon."

Xin walked up to Drasta, noticing her authoritative presence in the area. He was eager to unload the weapons and armor he had collected from the corpses, wanting to free up space in his inventory as soon as possible.

"Excuse me," Xin spoke up, trying to get Drasta's attention.

Drasta turned her gaze towards him, her aged face softening as she caught sight of his lethargic face. "Ah, an adventurer," she remarked.

[CONGRATULATION! Your Relationship Level with Drasta increased to ACQUAINTANCE!]

Hmm . . . how do I turn this off? Xin thought.

"Do you need something?" Drasta inquired, her voice filled with curiosity.

Xin proceeded to explain the situation, detailing the discovery of the corpses on the cliff and presenting the armor and weapons that were left behind by the fallen.

Drasta listened intently, her expression turning serious. "I see . . . so that's what happened."

Feeling a bit surprised by her swift response, Xin hesitated for a moment before offering, "If you want evidence . . ."

But before he could finish his sentence, Drasta interrupted him, her conviction unwavering. "No need," she stated firmly, locking eyes with Xin. "I believe you one hundred percent."

Confused by her unwavering trust, Xin couldn't help but think to himself. Shouldn't she need more evidence, though?

[CONGRATULATION! Your Relationship Level with Drasta increased to FRIENDS!]

Her information was then stored in Xin's [Library] under the NPC feature for future reading.

"Thank you! I will have this equipment returned to their families and inform them of what happened. Meanwhile, you can have this."

[ ACQUIRED!

Runewalkers Boots

Wondrous Item, Rare (Requires Attunement)

While wearing these special boots, you can use a special action to activate one of six magical symbols carved on them. When you activate a symbol, you can choose one of the following benefits and enjoy it for one hour:

●You can walk twice as fast as usual.

●You can jump three times farther than you normally can.

●You have an advantage when performing acrobatic moves and physical feats.

●You can climb surfaces just as easily as you can walk, even going upside down on ceilings, without using your hands.

●Creatures have a harder time attacking you from behind.

Once you activate a specific symbol, you have to wait until the next day before you can activate it again. ]

Xin didn't know if what he acquired was good or bad. But it did say wondrous item and rare, so it must be good. The combination of wondrous and rare looked good to him.

According to what he read about the types of items, there was [Common], [Rare], [Very Rare], and [Legendary] or [Artifact] items. There was also the hard-to-find [Wondrous Items], so having two titles plastered on a single item was considered good, right?

Rare and valuable items were scarce and commanded high prices in the market. Xin had obtained a pair of boots, but they came with certain restrictions that didn't sit well with him. He couldn't equip them, so he made up his mind to sell them instead.

Drasta, noticing Xin's dilemma, chimed in, offering a solution. "To equip those boots, you'll need to attune them to yourself. You can visit a smithy or a crafter shop, and they'll perform the attunement for you. For a price, of course."

Price? "Ah . . . thank you." He would definitely sell this.