Chapter 54: Quests, Chests and Rewards
--Chapter 54--
Title>> Quests, Chests and Rewards
Standing at the edge of a root bridge for a moment. Xavier hesitated slightly by placing one foot on the bridge. The platform jiggled forcing him to retreat his leg quickly.
It wasn’t like falling down was as bad as falling from a cliff. But Xavier would rather not be embarrassed in his temporary home.
He wasn’t been watched by guards or anything like that but right now, there was public opinion of him. And falling from a bridge and soaking himself like an idiot wasn’t the direction he hoped to take.
After all, there were children moving along the lower walkways. Just above the bridge itself.
There was also smoke rising from cooking fires below that had apparently been burning since before he woke up.
The waterfall at the northern edge poured down with raging waves, making sure to keep the greenery of the village ever fresh.
Nobody was watching him specifically. But Xavier’s anxiety was getting the best of him.
’What’s the worse that can happen, I fall into a forced bath and become fairy joke for the next century’
Xavier gulped but steeled himself. He placed his left leg first.
JiggLE!
Sooner than expected, the bridge balanced itself, ready to take his full size. Xavier didn’t hesitate and placed his right leg.
After a moment of the bridge getting used to his size. Xavier literally glided through to the other side.
On the other side, he climbed down to the ground level, from the ground levels, the village felt different.
Without escorts on his tail like he committed man slaughter, he moved at his own pace, taking in the texture of thevillage better.
With doorways that has been carved into living trees at fairy height. Xavier definitely had no chance of visiting neighbors unless he could shrink, which wasn’t a skill he possessed for now.
Instead, Xavier moved near the center tree where a congregation of fairies, knelt and were supposedly praying to something.
But even in the presence of religion, there was also commerce.
A small market sporting four male traders had been set up on a broad platform just opposite the massive glowing tree from last night.
Xavier slowed slightly as he passed them, noticing how they faced west on intervals and how guards were stationed on the entrance at the base of the tree.
Fiona was there, she stood in front of her people but she wasn’t bowing.
Xavier tried not to draw attention to himself. But this ambitious attempt failed before the next turn.
When two children ran directly toward him chasing glowing butterflies before losing confidence at the last three meters and sharply diverting around and between his legs.
He watched them go. Before the system interrupted.
[Minor Quest Initiated]
[Know Your Neighbors]
[Speak with three villagers of Fairy Village I]
[Progress: 1/3]
"Come on, I thought this would have failed already."
Xavier glanced at quest and decided to simply keep moving.
***
He was barely a few feet from a tiny shrub that his alchemy described as edible when he found the first chest by almost stepping on it.
A small wooden box seemed like it was buried near the eastern edge of the village.
Without a label or marker, it was just there, covered in dirt and leaves as though someone had simply abandoned it.
Stopping his forward foot just in the nick of time, he crouched and opened it. A pebble like runic stone hovered from inside the chest.
[Village Chest Discovered]
[Reward: Bark Skin skill stone (Passive)]
[Effect: Physical damage from natural sources reduced by 20%.]
"Bark Skin?" It was nothing he had heard before. But its passive ability wasn’t that bad after all, "Natural" was a broad concept in itself.
Crushing the stone and feeling it align to his body. Xavier began looking around again.
If there was one of the chest then there was definitely others.
He barely looked longer than a minute when he noticed something beneath a cluster of roots farther along the path.
Xavier walked over and touched the brown square but it turned out to be a rock. Xavier slapped it in annoyance.
Immediately after the slap, a small crack appeared on the stone then it spread all the way up and split open to reveal a floating vial filled with a blue substance.
[Village Chest Discovered]
[Reward: Mana Potion ×1]
He picked up the potion and added to his inventory. It was the first of its kind for Xavier.
With two chests secured, he only got hungry for more. He was going to kill two birds with one stone.
While he scouts for the link to the full Hidden quest, he was going to try amassing as much as this settlement could give by exploring where players would naturally be curious of.
Xavier looked down the path that led east and he continued walking.
Covering a decent amount of ground, Xavier’s search for more chests had been uneventful.
He was beginning to suspect that it was just those two chest on this side of the village and he was practically wasting his time at this point.
Crossing down a small ledge, the system notification sprung up in front of him again.
[Minor Quest: Know Your Neighbors --Progress: 1/3]
Pushing it aside, his eyes locked onto a panting child.
At first glance, she was small even by fairy standards, but her wings were perculiar, they looked slightly uneven at the tips and were constantly pulsing a fascinating ocean blue hue.
She stopped in front of Xavier, hands on her lap then she stared up at him.
Unsure of what to do, Xavier stood like a statue and just stared back and waited.
Finally the child pointed her tiny finger at him and then back at herself.
Then she held both hands apart, bringing them closer and farther several times.
Xavier followed the movement for a moment. If she wasn’t a child and he wasn’t a pervert, he might have gotten the wrong idea.
Oblivious to what she means. Xavier did the next best thing and just lowered himself, crouching beside her.
The child immediately moved closer, stretching her hands out to him.
[Minor Quest Initiated]
[A Child’s Curiosity]
[Let Rili examine your hand]
[Reward: Unknown]
Xavier looked at the notification before intentionally holding his hand out.
Rili grabbed two of his fingers with both of her tiny hands.
She turned them over..Pressed her thumb against his knuckle.Then placed her own hand beside his and stared at the difference.
All the while Xavier said nothing. What was he to even say? He had no clue what was happening and was just doing this for that unknown reward.
Rili looked at him and smiled. Nodding her well braided pure white haired head at him.
Apparently, the matter had been settled.She released his fingers and turned toward a nearby house.
An older fairy with the same white hair and pulsing ocean blue wings stood at the doorway, watching the entire thing with a smile.
Rili’s hands immediately began moving fast, going through different cool hand signs.
The older fairy laughed at the little girls enthusiasm.
She said something to Rili before looking toward Xavier.
"She says your hands are very big."
Xavier’s eyes widened and he almost face palmed himself at the realization.
How could he have missed it.
"And very strong," the fairy added. Before Xavier could beat himself even harder.
Rili nodded emphatically.
Xavier looked at her and then at his hand. He smiled. "Yours are better."
Rili shook her head, she obviously didn’t want to be patronized. Which made Xavier smile broadened.
The Older fairy continued not long after another set of hand signs.
"She wants to know if you carry rocks for a living."
"Not really. I’m a gamer."
Rili’s expression changed, her eyes wandered abit.
"I did work in a bakery though." Xavier added.
The child turned toward her grandmother and began signing again.
The older fairy’s smile widened. "She says that’s a waste. You are too strong for that."
Xavier chuckled and stared at the child. His smiled seemed to become contagious as the young Rili smiled as well.
She signed for the last time then she bowed deeply and ran toward the house.
Xavier watched her disappear inside. The older fairy gave him another smile and before following Rili inside, she spoke again.
"She says, its nice to meet you, Mr Dragon."
Xavier felt a familiar warm feeling move around his body. For a moment, he missed his sister even more. And couldn’t help but think about her.
His moment of reflection was cut short by another system notification.
[Minor Quest Complete]
[A Child’s Curiosity]
[Reward: Reputation +10 | Strength +1]
[Reputation: 160 → 170]
[Strength: 12→ 13]
"Not bad...," he muttered slowly and dismissed the notification.
But just as expected, the system had decided it wasn’t stopping yet. Another screen appeared in front of him.
[Minor Quest: Know Your Neighbors]
[Status: Complete]
[Reward: Reputation +15 | Experience Acquired]
[Reputation: 170 → 185]
Talk about killing two birds with one stone. He was gaining reputation in the village fast and sooner rather than later. Everyone here might know his name.
He barely even finished when his belief was justified.
"Xavier."
A familiar and yet unfamiliar voice called out.
Xavier turned, he knew that wasn’t Fiona or Skylar.
Then who else knows his name here ?
--End of Chapter--