Admittedly, navigating and protecting the ship like this was far from easy on my head. I could feel a growing headache build after the first hour, but it wasn't on the level of an injury like it had been. If I had persisted with my first tactic, it would be questionable if I could even maintain it halfway to Elvenhall. If, by some miracle, I managed to do so, it could have knocked me unconscious for a week, or worse.

As it was, I still felt every impact of the undead soldiers against the barrier, and the subsequent responses, but the headache was more from the level of constant focus I was using to move the ship itself. Ships are… rather heavy!

Thankfully, I held on for the four hours requested, at which point we saw six large, elven ships coming to meet us. They had sleek hulls and angled sails. Standing at the front of each ship was a small team of elven men or women dressed for battle.

As they passed us by, one of the leading elves gave a nod towards Slithers, who responded with a relieved sigh, waving back. "You can relax now, boy." He said, looking at me. "They'll take over from here, and the monsters will be drawn towards them instead."

I nodded my head, relieved to be able to release the skills I had been maintaining. "How much did you tell them?" I asked, and he grinned.

"Just your trait. They'd have figured it out anyways, given your barrier protecting the ship, so better to be honest with them about it. If you were naturally strong enough to hold such a barrier that long without a trait like that, you would have been able to destroy the Ghost Galleon yourself."

That made sense. He had to have a friend in the Elvenwall defense like, most likely the one who greeted him in passing. Sending a message to explain our situation and get reinforcements was the smart move. "Is there anything I should be expecting?"

"A grand reception, perhaps." Slithers said with a hearty laugh. "When they heard that a ten-star trait holder was in trouble, they immediately mobilized. Believe it or not, they're more here to protect you than they are us."

I blinked in confusion, looking between Slithers and the boats heading towards the Ghost Galleon. "What..?"

"You know about how elves love players, right? The stronger that player's traits, the greater the attention they receive." After he said that, he lowered his voice to a whisper. "But be careful. That also applies to their desires if they find out about you. They wouldn't hesitate to throw even one of their own into a death loop if they were a Fallen with a trait like yours."

My eyes widened slightly, and I gave a serious nod. I had to walk a tightrope in Evergreen. As long as they did not have any suspicions about me, they would treat me like a hero. But the moment those suspicions arose, I needed to get out as fast as possible.

"Do you know any good dungeons in Evergreen where we could get a basic wood skill? Especially a defensive or support one." I asked, and he thought about it.

"I'm not too familiar with the inner cities. I know that Pinelot isn't that far from Elvenwall, and is known for wood skills. Aside from that, the best wood skills I've traded were when I visited Twin Harbor, so there should be a town near there. But, those skills were mostly offensive. Also, Twin Harbor is on the far side of Evergreen, so it would take quite a while to get there."

"May I ask a question?" Diane's voice emerged from behind us, briefly startling Slithers. When I turned to look at her, she sent a stern glare in my direction, and I could tell that this was the player. In addition, her Chosen must have left her a message about my former actions.

"If I can help, of course." Slithers said with a chuckle.

"Why do traveling merchants like you even exist?" She asked. "I don't mean any offense, I am legitimately curious. In this game, with both the inventory and mail system, I'm not sure why merchants would need to physically travel from place to place, risking attack by monsters. And with the value of everything established by the system across the world, it doesn't seem like there is a profit to be made for you."

Slithers blinked twice, before letting out another laugh. "Ah, is that what it was? That's simple, girl. You want the customers to have access to the items they need when they want to buy them. Whether it's food, spices, or anything else, you want to make sure the stores are stocked up. But, since the supply of everything can fluctuate, people aren't guaranteed to know who to contact if they want it mailed over."

"There used to be a major Trade Guild in each city, which handled those logistics and communicated with each other. However, they were prone to driving up prices, too interested in their own profits like you said. While the Trade Guild system was in place, NPCs could barely afford to live."

"So, traders like myself started to take action. We bought items in bulk where there was excess, and then traveled around to see where it was needed to sell it at a fairer price than the guild offered. While we didn't make much of a profit ourselves, we forced the guild into a corner, and slowly dissolved their grip on the market. What's the worst they could do, kill us?" He asked with a cheeky grin.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

"As for how we make a profit, we don't increase the prices of any items we buy. We buy it at the same sixty-percent price you sell it for at the store, and sell it for the same price at our destination. Instead, the cities themselves pay us a wage for the trip."

"In truth, me and my men were in a bit of a bind, not able to work ever since those sea dragons started running wild. It was like having a ghost ship constantly at our borders, without being able to send anyone to deal with it. Now that we can take up our trade again, we'll be able to eat our fill."

Diane listened to his explanation with a thoughtful nod. "So, instead of calling you merchants, it would be more accurate to consider you as couriers who deliver packages to unfixed destinations?" She asked, nodding to herself. "Sorry. In most games where there is a mail system to send items remotely, traveling merchants basically don't exist, so I had been curious."

"It's perfectly fine. Ask your Chosen, people like us are raised since birth expecting weird questions from players." Slithers said with a cheeky grin. "At least you haven't asked if you could pull on my beard. I've had a dozen players make that request in the last couple months. Some of them just really don't understand personal space."

I could see a wry smile on Diane's face when she heard that, but she shook her head. At the same time, the city of Elvenwall came into view. Befitting the name, its port was protected by a giant, stone wall, manned by a small army of elves. There was a wide gate, dozens of meters tall, which Slithers directed the ship towards. As we approached, several elves activated a skill together, causing the gate to lift up.

"Smart, isn't it?" Slithers asked as we drove beneath the open gate. "If the army atop the wall falls, the demons won't be able to enter with their main forces. The weight of the water itself acts to keep the gate closed with a latch on the bottom of the sea. To lift it, they need people who can control water, wood, and stone to all cast skills together. Of course, once it's up, there's another latch to hold it in place, so it doesn't drop on our heads if one of them burns their mana."

Diane and I both nodded our heads, watching the gate plummet back into the water after the ship had passed fully through the gate. Now, we were able to see the sleek architecture typical of elves, with three towers at the heart of the nearby city.

Slithers directed the ship to be pulled up to dock, and a small retinue of elves were waiting for us. When they saw Diane and I, bright smiles appeared on their faces. "Welcome to Elvenwood, friends! My name is Castellan, and I am the mayor of Elvenwood."

Diane and I looked at each other in surprise, before I turned back to Castellan. "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir. I'm Drake, and this is my partner, Diane." I introduced us, knowing that Diane would want to keep her silence when at all possible around strangers.

"Of course. I've heard much about the two of you. Able to fend off the army of a Ghost Galleon for hours without tiring, quite impressive." He said with a flattering smile, though I knew that our power was far from that of even Castellan's own guards.

He just wants to make connections with us. Diane messaged me. He'll flatter, probably offer some preferable quests, and try to get on our friends list. It's a predictable pattern for nobles wanting to invest in a future talent.

As if rehearsed, Castellan immediately spoke up after I read Diane's message. "Is there anything that the two of you are looking for? As long as it's possible, I wouldn't mind helping you find any skills or equipment that you need."

I looked at Diane, and she nodded her head, so I returned my gaze to Castellan. "I've been told that my trait has been shared with you. I'm looking for basic skills. My highest priority are enhancement and support skills, especially of the wood attribute. If one or two are Magic, it's fine, since we have enchantment books, so I can try to convert them over. However, Martial skills have the highest priority. Diane also needs any skills related to stealth, poison, or shadows, but there is no preference for Martial or Magic."

Castellan kept the smile on his face as he listened to me, nodding along. "I see. In that case, you've come to the right place. But please, you've had a long journey, so take some time to rest. I'll send someone to you once the skill books or quests have been gathered."

After saying that, Castellan turned to a redheaded elven woman. "Bella, would you mind being their escort for the time being?" He asked, and the woman looked at a hidden window that appeared in front of herself. "I'm sure your player wouldn't mind."

Looking at Bella's forehead, I could see the dimmed brand beneath her hair. Catching my gaze, Castellan smiled again and explained. "Bella here is a native of Elvenwall, and awakened as a player only after the recent patch. Since the area is too high level for new players, we've been supporting those and the others that have chosen to stay with different tasks and help hunting to increase their levels."

Bella cleared her throat, nodding her head. "Of course, Sir Castellan. I'd be happy to accept your quest." She answered with a sweet smile, and Castellan nodded, before turning to lead his men away.

"I'll leave them in your care, then." He said, before walking off.

Bella let out a small sigh once he was gone, looking at the two of us. "Is there anything you'd like to ask, before we get going?" She asked, and Diane nodded.

"Is his name really Castellan?" She asked, and Bella chuckled lightly.

"Yes… yes it is. He was basically born for the role of managing the fort. That or he had it legally changed. I'm not entirely sure which."

"I mean… it's not any worse than the man we met before named Duke." I said with a knowing smile, and both girls chuckled at that.

"I suppose. In that case, would you follow me? There is a hotel reserved for players near the northern gate that has good service, and doesn't charge for your stay. It's financed by the city, so you don't need to worry." She said, gesturing for us to follow.

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