Chapter 38: Northern Rivers Bank
Reylin's gaming time was heavily lowered.
On holiday, he played from the early morning to the evening, and there were days where he played past midnight. His schedule often got messed up by the game world and its events.
The school messed it up the most now.
However, Reylin was heavily focused on this project, and he even integrated the school's club activity into his schedule.
He would learn how to fight better.
In a different world, Reylin boasted his flames and higher stats. In real life, it was another matter, and by combining both experiences, Reylin would get stronger.
Some activity would also be good for his health.
Sebastian also emphasized it, so Reylin didn't ignore his body.
"Around six hours left," Reylin peeked at the clock, then began his journey toward the Northern Rivers Bank.
It was far, at the border of the Jolni Province, so Reylin booked a carriage and spent some time with players who had recognized him.
The ride took him an hour.
It was a fun ride with a few players scared of him and a few genuinely curious about him.
Reylin and his pyromaniac side always scared people, but that began to change as flames became friends with players, and many others also wielded it.
Of course, Reylin was one of the few players who could casually stomp here.
[Northern Rivers Bank - Recommended level: 30-40]
[One of the best lucrative mines for the Blue Rose Kingdom. It covers 25% of the kingdom's jewelry and magic research resources! Four rivers go through the mine, making the ships the standard transport.]
"Layla, Layla... Where did you send me?" Reylin's eyes scrutinized the land before him.
The mine was an open area mine. Countless miners with enhanced pickaxes sauntered up and down. They didn't move for too long, as that was not what they were paid for. And going around the whole mine would take more than just one day.
The vast mine wasn't what sullied Reylin's mood.
It wasn't the rivers either, but the man-made waterfalls and rivers used to transport the ores and other finds. The sound of a waterfall constantly dropping onto the ground was like the sound of nails scratching some metal.
Reylin's body shivered, and he felt an uncontrollable desire to blow up the whole place.
"Weird feeling..." Reylin didn't understand that, either.
He had seen waterfalls in real life, and he never felt anything toward them.
It was part of nature, after all.
And as Reylin thought about it like that, his eyes shifted to the waterfall, "Is it because this is a man-made waterfall?" He asked himself.
At last, Reylin accepted that foreign feeling.
It wasn't particularly hard.
After all, Reylin didn't come here without a plan.
This place provided Layla the magic resources for her research and shop. It had stopped after an unknown organization targeted this place and left the miners and the Blue Kingdom troubled.
Though it was undoubtedly troubling, it hadn't affected the wealthy and influential people such as high and other mages from the Mage's Union. The mine couldn't afford to stop their services for the time being, and their goods became scarce.
The independent shop owners such as Layla became victims.
Thus, Reylin, as the player, could choose two options.
Seek this place's owners, and request a quest and cooperation from them. It would be easy as the player as residents had long since learned about their desire to get quests and exciting adventures.
However, the second option seemed faster.
It was to become one of the attackers as well.
That was quite dirty work, but Reylin didn't mind trying it out. He wouldn't kill residents should they be innocent, and stealing a few ores or other findings shouldn't hurt the kingdom nor this place.
His goal was to become buddies with the attackers and see what their organization was from the inside.
Reylin didn't choose the second option solely because it was faster.
'The Blue Kingdom. They aren't a weak kingdom, and how could they just ignore the profitable mine?' Reylin snickered inwardly, 'It's not like they ignored it. There has to be something more to it.'
Reylin asked Yuki about the mine, and he received pretty interesting information from her. She even wanted to send someone from her squad, but that was Reylin's quest! He would have fun on his own.
-
"And that's today for me," The miner wiped the sweat off his forehead.
He smeared more dirt on his face, but he didn't care. He was already used to it, and sweat was what bothered him the most.
Sweat showed one's hard work, and it sometimes wasn't just 'dirty' and smelly. However, in the mine, the sweat was always annoying, for the majority here, at least.
The miner's friend glanced at him and his cart, "You were lucky today. I feel like you might get a bonus this month... Now, I hope no monster or those bastards will stop you..."
"I've already prayed today... Nothing more I can do..." The miner sighed and sadly grasped his cart.
Had he driven it to the river, his today's shift would have ended.
However, a man in black robes appeared before him, and his hand snatched the miner's freedom.
Feeling his neck grasped tightly, the miner already said goodbye to his life, "B-Bast..ard..."
"I haven't asked for detailed news. Tell me. Has any miner died after 'the bastards' began their assaults?" The man in a robe asked.
"A few... deaths happened... But not many..." The miner replied.
They were more worried about their money rather than their lives due to the minor death casualties. Those casualties also had happened because the workers didn't want their stuff to go.
The deaths were also done by experienced hands, which excluded the possibility of local gangs and bandits making the mischief.
The man's hand became hotter, and the miner believed he would join his co-workers soon.
However, that warmth and grip didn't kill him.
The miner just lost consciousness, and the man in black robes snatched all ores!
"How many days till I get approached by you?" The man asked, hoping that the bastards would work fast.