Syl: Chapter 211

Chapter 211: Tangled Web

I quickly checked my notifications to ensure he was actually dead and that it wasn't some trick.

<Elf LV 48; Umbral Wraithblade LV 54; Baker LV 33 defeated. Experience gained.>

Did we just get attacked by a baker?

"Well, everyone has to have hobbies... Or maybe it was his cover story? Baker by day, assassin by night," Vee replied with a giggle. "You're talking your thoughts aloud again, by the way..."

"Oh... Sorry..." I mumbled.

"So... Good news, or maybe bad news?" Vee spoke up again. "Apparently, I usurped some [Elven Legacy]?"

"That's very good news, actually..." I answered. "Assuming nobody finds out... Otherwise, you sort of have a small target on your back."

I felt Vee shudder. "They can't see it, right? I have that [Bonded Companion] one showing."

"I was warned there might be either a rare skill or Emblem that would let someone see your profile, but it's exceedingly rare," I answered truthfully. "No one would assume you have it, whereas everyone who knows about the Emblem knows I have it when I go around in my elf disguise."

"Right... So all elves have this..." Vee mumbled, probably reading the description. "Interesting. The buffs seem very good; I can understand why someone would be after it."

"On the positive side, it means your magical training just got easier," I pointed out.

"Less time required for brain hurting is always ideal... But what will we do about the fact that the elves attacked you?" Vee asked.

"Grab our stuff and leave?" I answered. "The only reason I was sticking around was to wait for Trixie and get my slime cores. But if assassins are coming after me now, there's no reason to stick around."

"Should you say anything?" Vee suggested.

"Why?" I asked as I liked the idea of getting out before the fire got out of control.

"Well... You're the one who said you're kinda a big-shot adventurer," Vee began answering. "Surely, attacking a Gold rank is bad, right? Not to mention you're friends with one of the dwarven nobles, which has got to be a faux pas?"

"You're right... And there's the possibility the elf ambassador didn't know about this assassin," I replied.

"What makes you say that?" Vee asked.

"He said he was trying to finish the human's job..." I answered with a sigh. "It seems like whoever wanted to kill Sylthaeyrn really had it out for her... He also tried to take the bag. I had originally tried to give it to the ambassador, but he refused to take it, making me believe he might be clean."

"Talk about a big mess... Can't you change your elf disguise?" Vee suggested.

"I could... But how would I suddenly explain looking completely different?" I replied.

"Magical plastic surgery?" Vee giggled.

I had no idea what she was talking about and could only shrug.

Vee sighed, likely upset about my lack of understanding of her joke. "I'm surprised you even copied her in the first place."

"Back then, I could only copy things exactly," I explained. "I also didn't have a complete elf profile, so she was the only base model I could compare it to, if that makes sense."

"Kinda?" Vee answered.

"Speaking of which... I better go collect the elf. I need to complete the profile and see if he has any magical goodies for us," I said and began searching for his remains.

It didn't take long, and Vee helped me locate them. I promptly ate what I could while separating out and cleaning any loot.

<Profile [Elf] complete.>

To think I'd complete this profile so randomly after all this time. Pelopi always joked that I was a super magical elf assassin and was literally attacked by a shadow elf assassin. Perhaps there was some truth to her words there...

I was eager to examine the new traits I had unlocked, but first, I examined the gains I had received from defeating such a strong foe.

<Racial Experience threshold reached. Chimeric Cluster Slime (Blue) is now LV 9.>

<15 Trait Points are now available.>

<Racial Experience threshold reached. Chimeric Cluster Slime (Blue) is now LV 10>

<16 Trait Points are now available.>

<Class Experience threshold reached. Elementalist is now LV 14.>

<18 Skill Points are now available.>

Two race levels and a class level! And that's after splitting it with Vee! That guy was a bounty of experience. Also, it really shows how powerful Vee was against a normal flesh-and-blood enemy. Those [Rift Threads] are terrifying.

Unfortunately, few remains were found. One of his weapons survived the encounter, but his armor and shadowy cloak were torn to unrecognizable shreds. He had an intact ring, but his amulet was cut in two.

Before trying to look through the goods, I first wanted to finally look through the now completed elf profile. I was excited to see the missing traits and knew they had a high chance of being amazing.

<[Elven Bladedancer]
One of the chosen paths, the elven bladedancer, is enticingly beautiful as it is deadly as they dance about the battlefield.
Finesse weapons will receive a proficiency bonus to accuracy and damage based on trait level.
This trait allows partial strength replacement with dexterity when using light melee weapons, scaling with trait level.>

Does slime count as a light melee weapon? What about pseudopods? As always, these elf traits seem absurd...

<[Elven Magus]
One of the chosen paths, the elven magus, is the master of arcane weaves, and all tremble before their arcane might.
Spells will receive a proficiency bonus to accuracy, damage, and casting speed based on trait level.
Casting beyond your Mana Aura is child's play, and your spellcraft is perceived as alien to your foes.>

Oh... He wasn't kidding when he said he'd expect any elf mage to be able to do what I did. Turns out they literally had a trait for it. What was the point of me going through my rock visualization training? Still... The latter effect is certainly beneficial.

<[Versatile Profession]
Due to population restrictions, all elves, once they reach adulthood, are expected to overcome this by training in both class and profession to share the burden.
This trait has no levels.>

Is this why both elves I saw had professions and a combat class? But Sylthaeryn didn't have one... I wonder why?

I tried equipping the trait.

<Age requirement not met. Grow well, young one; your time will come eventually to aid the Glade.>

"What do you mean age requirement not met!?" I blurted out in anger.

Vee stared at me with confusion and hesitation.

And that was the end of the traits. I'd basically gained most of them and was just missing these two remaining "chosen paths" and this profession trait. It almost felt a little anticlimactic, but at least now I could finally take any elven form I wanted.

But before I did any of that, I tried to understand the deal with these "chosen paths" and attempted to borrow all three simultaneously, only to be met with a strange error.

<Seek realignment, as only one path may be active at once.>

Well... That sucks... So, there are three super traits, but are they mutually exclusive? That kinda sucks, but I guess it would make sense. [Elven Magus] is probably the one I will just choose from now on. I have seldom used [Elven Marskmanship]... Unless I plan on moonlighting as a different non-spellcaster.

"Uhh... Syl? You there?" Vee asked.

"Oh... Sorry, I was going over traits and such. Look what I got!" I said as I excitedly showed her some of the elf traits.

"I can't take any of these..." Vee whined.

"Unless you become a mimic spider or something..." I mumbled, wondering if that was even a possible mutation for spiders. "Sorry, I guess I'm bragging."

"Hey, it's good to brag!" Vee said reassuringly. "You fought that elf baker-assassin all by yourself, so you deserve to be rewarded; I mostly just stepped in at the end to finish the job and secure the kill. Hell, I got a free Emblem out of it."

"And we got some loot! Although I'm not sure how good it is," I said, pointing out the small collection of magical items.

<Cursed Bloodletting Stiletto.>

Wow... Talk about an ominous name. So it would inflict bleeding and curse? I'm glad it only stabbed slime and not my core.

<Ring of Magical Redirection.>

"Oh, this sounds promising!" I said excitedly.

"That does sound cool," Vee said, tilting her head. "But how or where does it redirect it to?"

"If I understand this properly, I think it makes magic somewhat slide off you. So rather than being directly hit by a [Fireball], it is treated more like a glancing blow," I explained.

"Oh man, I'd kill for a ring like that!" Vee responded.

"Sure, you can have it," I offered.

"I don't have fingers, Syl..." Vee replied deadpan as she waved her little front legs.

I sighed and placed the ring over her front leg; it flashed as it resized to fit snuggly.

"What!? Magical resizing rings?" Vee asked.

"Yeah... Did you think everyone has the same ring size?" I questioned.

"I... No...?" Vee sounded somewhat dejected.

I giggled. "Sorry, I'm teasing you, I found out about it the hard way. I could probably enchant anything you wanted to resize, within reason."

"Sure!" Vee said with renewed optimism before breaking out into a small giggle. "As long as they don't explode like those spell orbs!"

"Enchanted items don't normally explode..." I informed her. "I'm taking them very much away from their intended uses with my spell orbs... I don't think anyone thought of intentionally detonating a very valuable enchantment."

"Yeah, that would be literally throwing away money," Vee agreed.

"That reminds me... I wanted to investigate how the dwarves use their silver slimes..." I mumbled.

"Wanting to become rich?" Vee asked with a head tilt. "Er... I mean richer?"

"More idle curiosity... It could be a new method for me to use my own slime."

"So... Report the assassin, corporate espionage, and then possibly leave?" Vee asked.

"Ideally, I'd like to wait a bit longer for Trixie to show up..." I sighed. "But if they will keep throwing assassins at me, then I'd rather not. Even if it's an opportunity to gain some really good experience. What if someone stabs me while I'm walking in the street? I can't exactly explain away a gaping wound in my fake chest."

"Tis but a scratch," Vee giggled.

"Uhh... It might as well be for me, but I don't think the dwarves would accept that excuse," I replied.

"Sorry... It's a joke..." Vee sighed. "Damned scrambled memories..."

"I'll try to remember to laugh the next time you make it," I offered teasingly.

Our journey back to Dhoggurum was a little tense. Both of us were anticipating another potential assassination attempt, so we were on extreme guard. The fact that the assassin had fooled my various sensory traits was disheartening, and I wondered if my lackluster [Perception] skill was to blame.

Whitney would be upset that I've been slacking on it... But I've practically gone full spellcaster at this point.

Vee had sensed him before me thanks to him entering the radial range of her [Spatial Sense], and I was envious of the trait. Once again, I was extremely tempted to buy the affinity unlock, especially after I had gained some trait levels.

No... Be patient, Syl... I will need the points to uncap traits...

At 10 points a pop, it was pricey. I had so many slime traits I would unquestionably love to uncap.

But despite our shared paranoia, we reached the city without any further attack. I really hoped it was a lone operative sent out to do the job, not a full squad. The guards let us in without question, and once we were behind the city gates, we both sighed in relief.

"So, who are we going to tell about the attack first? Thern, the Flinthearts, or the guild?" Vee asked.

I took some time to think and nodded.

"I'd say the guild, they are the bigger entity..." I replied. "Then we can tell Thern and his family, and I'll probably offer to move out. I'd hate to bring assassins into his family home."

"It's regrettable, as I think I was slowly growing on those dwarves, and the food has been great. But it makes logical sense..." Vee agreed.

"What makes you say you've been growing on them?" I asked teasingly.

"Thern finally stopped warding his room against me," Vee pointed out.

I couldn't help but laugh at that.