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The defence of Quinteburgh was a battle to be remembered for the centuries to come, at least for the people of Maven’s Creek. Even after days went by, the scar of the battle was this clear on the town. On the surface, the damages were meagre but the real damages lay in the aspect of resources. For the defence to be successful, numerous resources were utilized and since the monster horde was all too sudden, there was not enough time for any meticulous arrangement. As a result, the town was faced with many prominent issues such as unaccounted funds, missing materials, gold being laundered, and many of the usual criminal variety. This problem ultimately fell unto the governor regent of Maven’s Creek, Edith Rosemary.

However, in spite of all these problems she had to deal with, she still found time to reward those who were deserving. Namely, the promotion of Erin’s adventurer star status. Being the hero of the town, there was no dispute on Erin receiving a star to her adventurer standing. Unbeknownst to Erin herself, this was history in the making for being the fastest adventurer achieving another star after the first.

“And with this stamp, you are now a two-star adventurer, Lady Erinthea,” Rosemary declared as she handed Erin back her adventurer tag. “But it’s a shame that you are not one for celebrations and festivals. I know I asked you to come at your earliest convenience but to think you would show up unannounced. If I had known, I would have made some tea and even brought out some fine confectioneries.”

Upon receiving a star to their status, an adventurer would often make it known to the whole town and throw a celebration as a way to flaunt the ascension of their status. Even the usually frugal ones would throw a small party for their band of companions. But Erin had not done any of those even after receiving her second star.

Erin graciously received her tag. “You’re a busy person, I wouldn’t dare to have you do all those for me. And I have nothing against festivities, just not in a time where resources are sparse and can be allocated for something more worthwhile.” She gave her tag a few scrutinizing glances before wearing it back around her neck.

Rosemary sighed. “I worried for you, Lady Erinthea. People will learn to take advantage of your humbleness if you don’t be selfish for once.”

“Just because I’m humble, it doesn’t mean that I’m daft too,” Erin retorted.

“That is true,” Rosemary chuckled and nodded from where she sat, behind the Guild Master’s desk. Her eyes darted around the room that was devoid of any other’s presence for the obvious two. “This is something to be celebrated and flaunted. You don’t even have Lyra with you, or Siv.”

Erin raised an eyebrow when she heard Rosemary mentioning “Siv”. She didn’t think the news would travel fast considering the whole matter wasn’t widely announced or anything. Although, she remembered the scene Crom was making yesterday

“Speaking of which, where are they?” the Guild Master asked.

“Training,” Erin answered.

“Training?” Rosemary blinked. “They missed out on your promotion just for training?”

“She seems to think that she was lacking any worth to be qualified in being my companion.”

“Well, I guess I can see her reasoning. Then again, anyone around someone as talented as you would feel inferior.”

“I don’t believe I am talented.”

“Now you’re just being overly humble, Lady Erinthea.”

“I did believe it was talent at first but as I train more and more, I realized it’s not talent that I have.”

“Then what is it you have?”

“Conviction and perseverance,” Erin said. “I wasn’t deterred by failure and I didn’t care what people thought of me. I just trained and trained. In my defeat, I found only lessons, not dejection. I became the swordmaster I am today. I once held a title that proclaimed my skills.”

“What happened to your title?” Rosemary asked with her brows raised.

“Excess confidence,” Erin answered with a melancholic smile. “I thought no one could challenge me. I was proven wrong. But not once did I feel inferior. I only felt encouraged. I thought my skills were the zenith but I was glad I was proven wrong. There was so much more room for me to grow. There’s always a mountain higher, no?”

Rosemary chuckled. “You are truly humble, Lady Erinthea. Just heed my advice, humbleness can be seen as rude to a certain few. Some of these certain few can be quite… troublesome.”

“Your advice is duly noted, Guild Master.”

Rosemary sighed. “So… what’s your next step? Let it be known that I’m in the favour of you making a home in Maven’s Creek.”

“The valley in the east, that’s my next course.”

“Sephrodia Valley? Oh my, that’s a steep course.”

“Terrible place?”

“More of an opportunistic place. A land filled with opportunists, good and bad. It’s also known as Ruby Valley for the various magic rubies that came out of their minds.”

“Magic rubies?”

“Magic crystals, basically but for some reason, their magic crystals are blood red. It is as beautiful as it is useful. This is how the lord governor of Sephrodia Valley became one of the richest noble in the Yorun Kingdom.”

Erin felt her stomach churned. Nobles with more riches than they could spend was someone she wanted to avoid at all cost, let alone a noble that was most likely earning more than he could ever spend. She wasn’t being presumptuous when she thought of the Lord Governor setting their sight on her due to her accomplishments and her beauty.

“As you have guessed, going by your expression, the lord governor of Sephrodia Valley is a libidinous man. Your presence would definitely invite his nature. In turn, he will invite you to his palace of a mansion.”

“Sounds like you know him well.”

Rosemary smiled regrettably. “I was one of his many conquests, as he would put it. A folly of my youth that I am most not proud of. He had a way with his words towards those who were weak to promises.”

“His tongue is not a concern. His fat pockets and his nature are.”

“I suppose that is correct in your case.”

“What else can you tell me about Sephrodia Valley?”

“It’s a valley, for one. Surrounded by mountains that would take days to cross and scale. The only way in and out is through the alleys. There’s one in the valley’s west and the other in the valley’s east. The valley is the closest territory to the eastern borders. In addition to its magic rubies, its natural disposition as a fort had earned the gratitude and commendation of the court.”

“Sounds like an important piece of land.”

“It is. Which makes the lord governor rich and powerful. Not good traits on a person like him.”

Erin clicked her tongue but only in her heart. She figured her next course would not be easy given it was a “request” from her patron goddess. In fact, Erin would be worried if things seemed smooth.

“Well then, I best be going, Guild Master. I have other appointments and I’m sure you have much to do.”

“I do have much to do but your presence is always welcome. Did anyone tell you how soothing your company is?”

Erin pondered on Rosemary’s words. “Not that I know of,” she answered.

“Now you know, Lady Erinthea. Please give Lady Saphielle my greetings.”

“How did you—”

“I’m merely busy, Lady Erinthea, not daft,” Rosemary said, smiling warmly.

“I suppose you are,” Erin responded with the same manner of a smile.

****

“My name is Thoren, son of Kor. I wish to challenge you to a duel,” said a warrior-looking man that was too thin on the armour he was wearing and the sword he wielded was coated in dirt and rust.

Erin had lost count of the many challenges she received from individuals she hadn’t known before. Her fame as the hero of Quinteburgh had spread far and wide, inviting eager individuals who wished to prove themselves. Unironically, the majority of the challengers were fighters and adventurers that had only recently arrived in town. They had rushed here once they caught wind of the news. At some point, Erin lost to their persistence and accepted a few challenges, which all ended in her victory. However, that did not deter the challenges but instead, invited more challengers.

Many of the challengers' reasons for duelling Erin ranged from being sceptical of the rumours that she was a Fox-kin who could evolve to the plain fact that she was a Fae who was making a name for herself. In the end, the results were the same no matter their reasons. In all these fights, Erin came to learn one thing that she had a suspicion of all this time. People without proper training were extremely reliant on levels. She thought this practice was only limited to the greenhorns but the truth of the matter was much graver. They gave only minimal effort in their training and they left everything else to the whims and disposition of the System.

Erin had initially found this hard to believe but as she pondered upon it, she realized this was only natural as these people grew up with the System. Tossing it all on their hard work and talent was simply an absurd concept that only the most desperate would do.

Which was why her challengers were all in the level of twenties. They were no greenhorns. Their slashes and pierces were resolute enough to land a fatal wound. The forms of these challengers’ attacks were filled with strength and speed but lacked all the grace and precision. Moreover, they were very blatant with their intent. They even wore their ruse and feint on their face.

Erin had the slightest expectation that the challengers would be good to keep herself in form but it was no different than fighting a farmer in her eyes. Still, the challenges kept coming, even while she was spending some quality time with Celia.

Her latest challenger was a man named Thoren. He was just like any others before him. They had all the confidence but none of the skill or strength to support that confidence. Through the grip, Erin could tell his physical strength surpassed hers and his speed was faster than his predecessors, but that was all he had. His strength was being used against himself as Erin evaded an overswing that destroyed his own posture. He fell for a ruse that made his swiftness redundant. Not even a minute passed and Erin already had her blade hovering over his throat, signifying the man’s defeat.

“You truly are as skilled as the rumour says,” Thoren said, a content smile on his lips as he raised his hands in resignation.

Erin retracted her blade and sheathed her sword. She didn’t offer any response and simply walked back to Celia and Saphielle who were watching her duel from a bench nearby. They were currently in a park near the church. It was officially designated as a public space but the proximity of a faith establishment had deterred many potential visitors. Though the view couldn’t be said to be the best, Erin had no intrusion to her quality time with Celia, until now.

“Looks like we’ll need to find another place,” Saphielle said with Celia playing merrily with a toy figure in her lap.

“Can’t we just have someone guarding the entrance?” Erin asked.

“This is the church’s land, we don’t have the authority to keep anyone out,” the Elf answered.

“You’re amazing, Ellie!” Celia praised. She hopped off of Saphielle’s lap and trotted towards Erin’s open arms.

“That, I am,” Erin said, swinging Celia around in her arms.

“I want to see more!” Celia exclaimed.

Erin smiled wryly. “That’s not good, Celia. Fighting is not good.”

“But you looked happy?” Celia questioned with her head tilted.

Saphielle tittered. “She is correct, Erin. You looked like you enjoyed yourself.”

Erin clicked her tongue but she turned away from Celia before doing so.

“Would I be able to fight like you someday?” Celia asked.

This time, Erin laughed awkwardly. “That’s a difficult thing to judge. Fighting isn’t meant for everyone.”

“But I want to be just like you, Ellie...” Celia said, her head hung low.

Saphielle was laughing with her hand over her lips. “Ah~ This is simply just so lovely.”

“Not if you’re the one on the spot,” Erin retorted.

“Is that not possible?” Celia asked.

Erin raised an eyebrow and glanced at Saphielle.

“Yes, I have been teaching her the letters,” Saphielle answered Erin’s question in her gaze.

“Such a smart girl you are, Celia,” Erin praised, brushing the little girl’s hair.

Celia chortled gleefully.

“If only times like this would last,” Erin mused in her heart, a musing of fantasy. Erin had a warm smile as she looked over Celia who was enjoying her head rub but her smile was turned upside down upon the intrusion of another uninvited individual. She didn’t presume the uninvited individual as a challenger as she recognized his scent.

Saphielle, with her Elven ears, was also quick to pick up on their new guest. “Looks like you have a new challenger.”

“I hope not.”

It was Cynric who appeared from the archway that led to the park from the garden entrance.

Erin tried to look as pleased as she could to see him but as she saw the determined gaze on him, she frowned at the realization of the Augur’s purpose for this encounter.

“Lady Erin,” Cynric said and bowed with one knee on the ground. “If it would be not too much trouble, I would like to have a duel of swords with you.”

Saphielle tittered but she looked away when the Fox-kin glared at her.

“Do your best, Ellie!” Celia cheered.

Erin sighed. “May I know for what reason you wish to challenge me?”

“I greatly admire you, Lady Erin. For this duel, I would like to request a bet.”

Erin narrowed her gaze. “What kind of bet?”

“If I win, I would like to have your company for a day.”

“Oh my, how bold,” Saphielle remarked with her cheek nestled in her palm.

Erin had a blank expression but that only lasted for a few seconds before a devilish grin formed on her lips. “We shall see, Cynric.”