Sylver Seeker

Chapter 85: Lost And Found(2/2)

[Human (None) 1][HP-10][MP-10]

Nautis threw up, and Sylver was all but certain he had just lost his other lung. But the three masked healers were making quick work of what would have been a fatal wound, and Nautis was breathing normally by the time he was done spitting everything out.

Id like to apologize for threatening you earlier, Nautis said quietly.

Sylver adjusted the mask on his face and waved away the questioning look on Novvas face.

Dont worry about it. You were stressed out, desperate, I can understand when people say or do things out of desperation, Sylver explained.

It doesnt make what I did right. Im going to double what I owe you, as an apology, Nautis promised. Sylver whistled at the promise of an extra million gold and nearly burst out laughing at the smirk on Novvas face. Even the three healers, lent to Novva by a friend of his, smiled at Nautiss words.

You know, I almost feel sorry for you, Sylver said, lowering the level of excitement in the room down a few steps.

You think going through this is worth however much money I made? Ill tell you now if I could give all of that up for never being in this situation in the first place, I would have done it in a heartbeat, Nautis said, as he hit his recently healed chest with his recently regrown hands and fingers. All that was left were his insides and eyes.

No, not for that. I honestly believe that you deserved every single second of pain youve experienced, and more. Its difficult for me to hate someone because in most cases I can see where theyre coming from, and I cant bring myself to hate them for it. If I were in their shoes, I would do the same thing and all that. The only person I do hate is the one I cant understand, Sylver explained. Novva reacted to the sound of glass breaking and silently teleported out of the small room.

Go fuck yourself, Nautis muttered under his breath, as the healers finished with his other hand. Sylver stood up from the chair he was sitting in and walked over to him.

See I dont believe in evil. I believe in a great number of things, but I dont believe theres such a thing as evil. And when you look at a bandit and no longer see an enemy, but a person who could have been a friendly baker if things were slightly different, you lose the ability to hate them. I do my best to make sure the people I fight have a quick and painless death, as much as the situation allows at least. But even when I kill them, I dont hate them, Sylver explained.

I see, now that Im alone and with something to lose, you think you can extort more money out of me? I already apologized, what more do you want? Nautis asked, biting each word as if it could hurt Sylver.

I dont want your money Nautis, Sylver said. Nautis lost whatever color had returned to his face.

I just want you to know that I hate you. I can empathize with a murderer, a tyrant, a thief, a slaver, a kidnapper, even a rapist, as long as they understand what theyre doing, and accept it. I dont condone it, I dont like it, and I may kill them for it, but I can understand it. But kidnapping thousands of people, keeping them separated from their families for years, making them eat the shit I would be wary of mixing into pig slop, all because it got out of hand. That I cant understand, Sylver said, as he gradually removed the voice-altering effect, as the healers started to work on Nautiss eyes. All three disappeared a moment later, while their magic remained and healed him.

No, Nautis whispered.

It is one thing to do something you know hurts people, doing it willingly, or at least with an understanding of what youre doing. I can understand why a bandit kills and steals because he cares more about himself than other people. I get that, I understand it, Sylver said.

Nautis barely reacted.

People can rationalize anything away, I understand that too, and I cant hate them for it. I dont love them for it, but I dont hate them either. But you? A man who mindlessly went along with whatever you were told to do, and never once, for even a second stopped to think for himself? I dont like bandits because they use up precious resources and dont create anything of value, but I dont hate them. I dont like killers or rapists, because their actions cause more damage for the future than whatever possible good they might do while alive, but I dont hate them. But you? If I didnt hate you, you would have died the moment the ritual ended, Sylver said with a calm voice.

Sylver could tell the healing magic wasnt doing anything anymore, and only the small bandage on his face kept Nautiss eyes closed.

Just let me go. Please? Ill tell you where Faun is, Ill tell you everything, Ill-

The tip of Sylvers boot connected with Nautiss mouth and shattered several front teeth. The bandage tore off as Nautis scrambled on the floor and held both hands against his recently repaired, and more recently destroyed, teeth. His eyes opened wide in recognition.

Dont even worry about it. Were selling you off, but Novva hired a specialist to get everything you know out of you first. You wont die, Im told the woman thats handling it has a near-perfect success rate. Now, I want to make sure you understand something. There may come a time, far into the future, where I will all of a sudden get an epiphany and will regret what Ive done here. Then Ill understand you, and Ill lose the ability to hate you and I will genuinely feel sorry for you. I might even lose sleep over it, although I doubt it. But until that day comes, I want you to know Im enjoying every second of this, Sylver explained with a toothy grin.

It was oddly invigorating, there were barely a handful of things Sylver didnt understand enough to hate. It was a shame Nautis very likely heard very little of it, over the throbbing pain of his broken teeth.

But at the same time, Sylver recognized this whole thing as misplaced anger. Nautis was just at the wrong place, at the wrong time, and Sylver was more pissed off at the fact that he was the reason for the rift between him and Sophia, and didnt have any monsters or bandits to let loose on.

But at the core of it all was the much deeper, ever-present, and ever-burning rage at losing the Ibis that simply added fuel to whichever fire happened to be occupying Sylvers mind at the moment.

Sylver reached down and picked Nautis up by the back of his neck. Nautis struggled against his grip, but Sylver couldnt feel even a trickle of mana in the mans hands. His freshly grown fingernails attempted to scratch against Sylvers arm, but they couldnt even get close because of his robes sleeves hardening. Sylver put his mask back on and carried Nautis with him.

*

*

*

The building had been cleaned, but there were still traces of water damage on the walls and ceiling. The floor had been scrubbed to the point of shining. The people standing inside the large and open room all shared something in common. Not just the masks they wore that hid their face and statuses, not just the scars that every single one of them seemed to have, and not just the battle-ready way all of them stood, regardless of what they were doing.

There was something off about them, in the way that made them stand out from the unscarred people.

The crowd went silent as Novva walked onto the makeshift stage and lifted Nautis into the air by the arm. He splashed the weakly struggling man with a healing potion, and Nautiss shattered teeth started to fall out as new ones grew in to replace them. The dark robe he was wearing glittered in the artificial lighting from all the blood it had soaked up.

Lords and ladies, counts and countesses, dukes and duchesses, thank you all for gathering here today! I assume that all of you know me, but Ill introduce myself to the friends and family you may have brought! My name is Novva of Pere! I have recently inherited the title of Duke! From my now 33-year-old daughter! I was gone for a while, for those who may not know! I missed all of my childrens weddings! My wife had buried an empty casket and mourned my death as a widow! I am a stranger to my grandchildren, a ghost that looks just like the man in the portraits! Novva shouted, lifting Nautis into the air with each sentence.

Ive killed people! Ive tortured people! Ive eaten people! Ive crippled them! I left them to die! Ive committed so many atrocities, only the fact that I had people that depended on me stopped me from taking my own life! There is nothing I will do, or will ever do, that will make up for what Ive done! Novva shouted, each time getting a small nod from the mixture of mask-wearing nobles.

And yet! I got to return home! To a widowed wife that refused countless offers of marriages! That went to sleep weeping and alone, all in the faint hope I would someday return! To a daughter that was now a mother! To my son's grave that had died proudly in battle! To a brother that had passed in his sleep! Novva shouted, earning teary-eyed cheers from the masked crowd.

And it is all thanks to one man! We can be honest here! We tell the world a story, but we all know the truth! Weve been there, weve met him, shook his hand, watched him repeatedly lay on the ground shivering in pain as he tried to get us out! Novva shouted. The crowd of nobles all started to look around, amongst each other.

Some of you respected his plea for privacy and left him alone! Some of you did not, Novva said, with a pointed stare at one particular corner of the crowd.

But today isnt about that man! Today is about the man that brought Salvador the peeler to us! The one that brought Elyda to cut us apart to see how much she could remove before we died! The man directly responsible for every missed birthday, every missed wedding, every widow, every dead relative, every drop of blood our wives, husbands, aunts, uncles, sons, and daughters shed in our place, and every single person that isnt here today! Novva half shouted half screamed as his booming voice threatened to crack. Nautis had gone completely limp by this point in time.

The man who the Cord refused to give to us. Who managed to escape and then tried to make a profit on our suffering by selling it to the highest bidder! Novva shouted, as he let go of Nautis arm and grabbed his head instead.

The man whos responsible for every single thing we had to do in exchange for the Cord getting us out of there! Hes here now! Available to do with, as you wish! With every copper going directly to the man who shall not be named but we all know! The starting bid is 2 million gold! Novva shouted, immediately being drowned out by the sounds of people outbidding one another.

*

*

*

Lola slowly removed the cigar from her lips and blew the smoke up towards the ceiling.

973 million gold Lola said, as Sylver took a sip from his glass and swirled the dark liquid around.

Its enough to tell Wuss to go fuck himself if you ever feel like it. Probably the Cord too, but were not quite there yet, Sylver said, as Lola continued to stare at the ceiling.

Its almost enough to buy a phantasmal level weapon, Lola said, as she slowly spun in her chair and made the smoke coming out of her cigar become a spiral.

Not really. At that level people rarely care about money, its more about trading and favors and the like. Before I was reborn, you could offer me billions upon billions of gold, and I wouldnt have even considered it, Sylver explained, as Spring poured more dark liquid into his glass.

What family bought him? Lola asked as she sat up straighter in her seat. She didnt bother sipping from her glass and took the whole thing as a shot.

Dont know. But Im guessing its a couple that are planning to share him. Love and hatred, the two most powerful forces in the world. The things people are willing to do for the ones they love is a thing of beauty. And the lengths people will go to stick it to someone they hate, should be feared. Oh, uh The money is going to be coming in a bit slowly, moving around large sums takes time, a woman named Nate will be coming to see you at some point in the future, to sort things out. Shes Novvas so you can trust her, Sylver said, as he remembered what Novva had said after Sylver had shown him how to activate the many many curses embedded inside Nautis to shut him down.

He wouldnt die from them, although Sylver did make it so that he could kill him at any time he wanted, just to be safe.

My sense of value doesnt quite fit. The things I considered rare and valuable, cost mere silvers for a kilogram, while the things I took for granted now costs hundreds of gold, Lola said, as she had just about every time they sat down to talk.

At least for personal experiments, thats no longer an issue. I know things need to be done in a certain way for the workshop to work, so use the money as you see fit, but in the future when I ask for something, Id like to not have to think about the cost. Im not going to try to buy anything impossible with this, but at least for components and ritual ingredients I want the best of the best, Sylver said.

As soon as possible, Lola added.

As quickly as the laws of magic allow an object to move from point A to point B, yes. With how many people teleport, everything moves quick. Novva gathered hundreds of nobles from just about every corner of the continent in a couple of days. And yet with all that speed, Kitty has had nearly a year and still hasnt found so much as a trace of members of the Ibis, Sylver said bitterly.

In her defense this is the Ibis were talking about If your people are hiding, Im pretty sure even you would have a hard time tracking them down. Not to mention, youre putting a lot of eggs in the theyd use their real names basket. Youre uniquely suited and used to fighting against people stronger than you, is the same true for everyone else? Lola asked, poking with her cigar towards Sylver as if poking a hole in his plans.

It isnt a perfect plan. But whats the alternative? Look for anyone that what? Anyone whos too old to be level 1? Anyone who recently had a major personality change? A mage that is using magic that is thought to be dead or lost, at a level of proficiency that shouldnt be possible? Sylver asked, as he finished his cup and leaned back in his seat. Spring refilled it.

Theres also Lola started to say but changed her mind.

There is, its a possibility. But for now, lets assume the best. Theyre out there, well hidden, and at some point, theyll recognize your name, or just happen to overhear mine, and will send a letter, or come here themselves Im going to do the surgery tomorrow evening. I would appreciate it if you could watch over me, just in case. Im going to be uniquely defenseless during the process, and it would calm me down to have someone nearby in case of an emergency, Sylver said, with his eyes closed and shoulders relaxed.

Im offended that you thought you needed to ask. Of course, Ill stand guard. Not to mention, its not every day that you get to see an ancient lich operate on himself, Lola said, a slight hint of hurt in her voice as she finished her cigar and left it on the ashtray.

It isnt as exciting as you imagine it to be, my biology is a lot looser than a normal persons. And Ive had a lot of practice. Its honestly easier now that I have a mostly human body, Sylver explained, gesturing towards his significantly leaner than the real Cieges body.

The muscle was still there, but lack of proper hydration, and over-exertion, as well as Sylvers magic burning through various vitamin reserves, had made him pale and almost too veiny around the arms and torso.

Either way, congratulations on nearly becoming a billionaire. If Im being entirely honest, Im jealous. The workshop isnt getting anywhere near that figure for another 23 years, Lola said.

This was luck. A steady income is always better than a one-off lucky jackpot. Its not like I can repeat this, Sylver said.

True Its weird nothing happened to Melo. Do you think theres a chance hes lying? Lola asked.

No. Theres no point to it. My best guess is that either the system doesnt allow skills, perks, and traits to be transferred to the extent I attempted Or that Poppys mark interfered with the ritual. I might not be able to sense any traces of her magic, but that doesnt rule out the possibility of something being there, Sylver explained. Lolas eyes widened slightly.

So whats next? Lola asked, deciding she didnt want to get into this.

After the surgery Im either going to go down into the dungeon to increase my level, or Im going to go on a quest or two. Im leaning towards a quest because I really dont like the idea of being trapped inside a boss room again. Theres also the war with the Krists, so I could always ask for higher leveled groups and go after them. If there arent any good quests, Ill go kill Krists off. I dont think I can make shades out of them, so Im hoping for a good quest, with lots and lots of bandits. Or monster extermination, although those would take longer to raise as undead. I could use a few more flying capable ones Sylver said.

And then youre going to meet the woman in white? Lola asked with a slightly raised eyebrow and a faint grin.

Thats the plan, Sylver answered.

I see And just for curiositys sake, does she look anything like the woman in white standing right behind you? Lola asked. Sylver turned into smoke and turned inside out and materialized looking behind him. The chair had been sent flying, and Sylvers heart was trying to hammer itself out of his chest as Lola started to laugh so hard she began to cough.

Sylver reached over her desk and took her empty glass away from her.

Im telling Salgok not to give you any more black ale. And Im taking your bottle, Sylver said, as Spring collected the large half-empty bottle in question and gave it to him. Lola didnt stop laughing for even a moment as Sylver finished the whole bottle himself, and started to laugh at her laughing.