Chapter 74: Iron Resolve
Elara moved through the resort with Kimi walking alongside her, a grumbling expression on her face. Draped over Kimi’s back was an older man—tattered clothing, reeking of booze, and possibly even something stronger. His unkempt hair stuck out wildly, and his arms dangled lazily at his sides.
"What could this old man have possibly been up to?" Kimi muttered, scrunching her nose. "Seriously, he smells like he spent the last decade marinating in a brewery."
Elara’s attention, however, was drawn to the small creature resting on the unconscious man’s back. At first glance, it looked like a block of gold, but as her eyes adjusted, she noticed the soft fur that adorned its body, giving it an almost plush-like appearance. Something about it was oddly captivating—precious, yet oddly out of place.
Before she could comment, the Ikona let out a long, tired sigh. "This old geezer? He hasn’t stopped talking about women and free beer since the moment I met him."
Elara raised an eyebrow as the Ikona continued its complaint. "He could turn metal into gold, but only a limited amount. Eventually, after meeting some strange conditions, he figured out how to turn that gold into actual currency. And what did he do with it? Spent it all on booze and leisure. He’s been hyping this resort up as the ultimate paradise for a so-called ’man of culture,’ going on about beautiful people and endless drinks. I’ve had to put up with this nonsense for weeks now."
Elara groaned. "Fantastic. So we didn’t just find a shard user, we found a washed-up party addict. well, I apologize for the nightmare you’ve had to endure," she said to the Ikona, "but for what it’s worth, your suffering is almost over."
The group approached the large security gates they had entered through earlier. This time, four guards stood at attention instead of the original two. Their presence was noticeably more rigid, eyes scanning the surroundings with a sharper focus. The same guard from before stepped forward, his hand resting near his holster as he greeted Elara.
"Commander, welcome back. Were you able to locate all of your targets?"
Elara exhaled, shaking her head. "Not yet. One more remains, but we’re closing in. However, there’s a likely risk of hostile forces in or around the resort. Nothing fully confirmed, but the situation is tense."