Chapter 985: Helping with Preparations
Chapter 985: Helping with Preparations
"Given up on himself..." Muttering these words to himself, Valyr inwardly frowned as he mulled over the entire story Tristan just told him.
Though the story made sense for any other person listening to it, the young man had a feeling that things weren't as simple as Tristan made it out to be.
'If his mental state really underwent a drastic change just because of what happened in those monster tides, then either Damian has a weaker mindset than expected... or there's more to the entire thing,' thought the young man to himself, only to discard of it soon after.
Though, as he went over the story in his head a couple more times, Valyr became more and more certain of the feeling that there was more to what happened to Damian, feeling that what Tristan told him was just one side of the story.
With that, he asked both Tristan and Alfaera as to whether or not there was more to the story, only for his eyes to widen in slight surprise when the two replied that he'd been told everything he needed to know about what happened to Damian.
'Does that mean they haven't noticed? Or... did they instead overlook what they noticed?' inwardly muttered Valyr to himself, briefly frowning as he asked the two if there was something else peculiar about Damian that they failed to mention.
Receiving slightly confused looks from the two as they told him that all they noticed from Damian was his change to his mental state, it was there that Valyr formulated his first hypothesis.
'I'm really getting the feeling that the change to Damian isn't as simple as it seems,' thought Valyr to himself, glancing out the window to see that the sun had already set. 'It doesn't seem like it would be something Damian would do, after all.'
'However, I'll only be able to confirm whether my suspicions are correct once I get a chance to meet up Damian.' As he arrived at this thought, Valyr pushed it to the side for the meantime as he asked the two a question.
"Do you think Damian would participate in this upcoming monster tide with us?"
"It's likely that he wouldn't," replied Alfaera after mulling over it for a while, with Tristan faintly nodding in agreement. "After all, in the recent monster tide, he only helped out just when the tide was nearing its end."
"Even if he did, we would probably stop him from participating, even if he's already a Rank 4 class holder," said Tristan, prompting Valyr to raise his eyebrow in interest. "After all, who knows what he might do in his current state."
"Though it pains me to say this, it's better not to risk it."
"I see." Becoming silent for a bit, Valyr closed his eyes before nodding at their words, deciding to move the conversation away from their current topic as the three used the opportunity to update one another on what the others were doing.
Eventually, after feeling like they've said everything they could say for the meantime, the three parted ways, with Tristan and Valyr both making their way out of the town hall.
"So, what do you plan on doing next?" Once they were out of the hall, Tristan looked at Valyr with a bit of interest as he asked.
"I might head to the barracks to get some rest," said Valyr in response, briefly shrugging his shoulders. "Or I might head to the Blacksmith Guild to forge a couple of things."
"I'd suggest coming with me to the Blacksmith Guild instead if that's the case," replied Tristan, showing what he preferred to happen between Valyr's two ideas.
Seeing the young man raise his eyebrows in response, Tristan let out an awkward chuckle as he explained, "It's not that I'm not stopping you from heading to the barracks, but I feel like now's not the best time to head there, considering Damian and all that."
Finding his train of thought as he began his explanation, the man's words became laced with excitement as he continued, "Plus, I wouldn't be able to show you proper hospitality, being the leader of this branch of the Blacksmith Guild and all."
"And here I thought I'd misheard when the one manning the Teleportation Hall told me to wait for you." Not wanting to sour the mood for the meantime, Valyr pushed the thoughts he had regarding Damian to the side.
With that, the two slowly made their way to the town's branch of the Blacksmith Guild, grabbing some food along the way as they caught up on other things more related to blacksmithing.
...
"To think you're that forging prodigy I've been hearing from Algerie Kingdom." Arriving at the few private workshops the Blacksmith Guild held, Tristan let out a bit of laughter as they made their way to one of them.
"Mind showing me that artifact you made... Ylvar, was it?"
"You'll see it sooner or later." Valyr laughed in response, briefly whistling in admiration as they arrived at one of the private workshops.
Though it was somewhat lacking compared to the workshops back in Algerie Kingdom's Blacksmith Guild, the young man still felt the tools and equipment within the workshop to be more than serviceable enough.
"So, what do you plan on doing?" Seeing Valyr take a look around the workshop, Tristan faintly nodded in satisfaction as he voiced out the question in his mind.
"Probably forge a few pieces of equipment here and there," said the young man in response, making use of his authority as an Honorary Lesser Elder to request materials from one of the guild's staff members while doing so.
"Whatever the town needs for the upcoming monster tide, really."
"You sure?" Of course, Tristan was slightly taken aback by the young man's decision, instead expecting the latter to take it easy. "I mean... the town would appreciate it, but don't you want to take a rest or something? After all, you came from far away."
"Forging equipment is how I rest." Valyr smiled in response, not wanting to explain the fact that he wasn't feeling tired at all, nor would he feel tired for the next few days or so. "So, what kind of equipment does the town need, Guild Master Melphon?"
"Please don't call me that," said Tristan in response, wryly smiling as Valyr laughed back at him. "Well, there are a few pieces of equipment the town's still lacking for the upcoming monster tide. If you could forge some of the ones I'll be telling you, that would be great." "Sure, I don't mind," said Valyr, only to receive the materials he'd requested for sometime later.
Thanking the staff member for their time, Valyr began to think about his approach, keeping in mind that he would have to request for more materials depending on the items Tristan wanted him to craft.
While mulling over it, a thought suddenly popped up in his mind, prompting him to look at the man who was in the midst of listing down the things Astarto Town needed.
"Now that I think about it, should I forge special equipment for you and the others as well?"