Vuglan and I finished our conversation after an hour or so he had told me multiple amounts of useful information and some culture as well making me really thankful.

-oh on the topic actually did you encounter some brownish dark taint on the way here ?

Vulgan asked out of the blue and actually its also a think I wanted to ask him about.

Narrowing my eyes I nodded my head and told him that I walked around that area to be safe,hearing my words his face suddenly turned slightly grim as he said.

-Good,continue to avoid that area touching it won't really harm you since it only harms plants,but knowing that you did encounter the taint on the way here indicates that it is growing in a frightening speed...

I was a bit puzzled and asked.

-What is that taint ?

Vulgna turned his eyes towards me and answered with a small sigh.

-Its like a virus a magical one at that not like normal pests this taint absorbs vitality out of plants and sometimes turns dead plants into its minions to lure live animals into its area and absorb their vitality so it can live,from what I got a few days back some of the scouts reported this taint epidemic at first I was going to deal it myself,but then I realized that it was much too big for me thats why I was going to request some help from the adventurers guild to deal with it,but now that it has grown this big I have to take urgent actions and request the guild right away...

Vulgan sighed his tone seemed very solemn at the moment and I could understand why,making a request at the adventurers guild in this area and for such a task seemed really hard if you ask me it would probably take a lot of money out of his pockets which also made me interested actually with that making a idea pop inside of my head.

-How about you let me handle this ? In exchange you can give me items in return not necessarily money ?

Vulgan hearing my offer was a bit surprised and also had small line of doubt crossing his eyes as he asked me.

-I don't really know I am not sure of your strength since we didn't really have time to display our forces,but from what I can tell your girls seem to be pretty tough much more tougher then most of my guys,but how about....

(Snap)

Vulgans eyes turned wide as he just realized that something was wrong he quickly grabbed the dagger hidden in his sleeve and executed his "Art" a skill to be precise cutting the 4 incoming spikes of ice that were surrounding him with one whirling motion that looked both skillful and elegant.

Finishing he looked back at me a bit taken a back looking at my ice cold eyes as if he was staring into a long profound blizzard making him shiver unconsciously.

Hobuha was already very surprised about the surprise attack I had launched she wanted to get in on it aswell,but I stopped her through pinching a her nip which was fairly effective.

He laughed.

-Haha...I see...Seems like I can't underestimate you either you weren't just a normal "Tamer" as I thought you would be,but to be fair no normal "Tamer" has the ability to tame a monster close to his intelligence or greater at the same time you are able to use both "Ice and Water Magic",but from what I can see you aren't a mage either...truly interesting lad you are my friend...

I nodded my head acknowledging and asked.

-So ? Is it a deal ?

He continued laughing and gave me his hand for a handshake.

-It is a deal lad you deal with it and I make sure that I will reward you on topic lets discuss what you will get out of this naturally...

And like so we continued to talk about my reward he also told me about the taint in a more detailed way telling me how to kill it which was really surprising since I thought it to be something like a virus because at first I had imagined that I needed to freeze over the whole infected area to stop it from growing.

This taint doesn't have a name its just called "taint" it seems to be something only discovered recently and there aren't really a lot of people who research it,but what they do know is that this taint is operated by something that is called the "Core" its a magic stone that is laid in the middle of the tainted area it seems to be very heavily guarded by undead creatures and plants since this "Core" is the very heart of the taint and if it gets destroyed then the taint will just perish without leaving any trace of it behind another interesting thing I heard was that the "Core" seems to be a semi-conscious being it can learn and reacts to things in its surroundings it can't move so it needs to be carried or protected,but it also needs to have ground contact to control its monsters properly just taking it from the ground won't destroy the taint,but it will immobilize the minions.

This kind of enemy seemed to very high-tech in the magic department I wonder why no one researches it if its so new and has all this kind of uses maybe they are still trying to figure out how it works...

Anyways at this point I already had gotten enough information and wanted to leave,vulgan understood and before we left I asked him if we could get some food for everyone,he agreed and said that he was actually planning for that and had already send some people to give the girls food which I thanked him for and left the house.

-Wait sorron ! Don't go you promised that you would tell me stories ! I also didn't introduce you to my friends !~

Just as I was about to leave from the front door the little calar jumped in front of me hobuha looked at her with a unkind look,but didn't continue and looked the other way I stroke hobuha to stop her from pouting which worked.

Shalila,vulgans wife came after a few seconds and looked at her daughter a bit troubled I didn't mind it and just knelt down in front of calar.

-Alright,I am going to go out you can escort me to the others and on the way I tell you some stories ? You can even call your friends if you want I wait here how about it ?

Hearing my compromise calar smiled happily shalila also had a very warm look spread on her face as she saw calar run off to see her friends.

Shalila watched her and after a few seconds she came towards me and bowed her head with a smile on her face.

-Thank you for taking care of my clumsy little daughter if she gets a little pushy don't mind pushing her away she can be a little forceful sometimes...

-I understand..

With that the mother and I continued to talk pleasantly she was truly a pleasing and wonderful woman very beautiful and mature at that her way of talking was also refined and sweet almost making me forget about something until calar came back and shook my leg.

-I came,my friends are outside !

-lets go then...

I said with a gentle smile on my face going outside and meeting calars few friends who seemed very surprised when they saw me and hobuha come out personally some kinds were a bit frightened too and tried to hide it which was cute too.

Calar being here,she started to proudly introduce me to her friends one by one they also introduced themselves and started with polite speech I didn't wait and just started to enthusiastically tell them a story while walking towards the guest house the boys and girls weren't all too interested at first,but then slowly started to get captivated.

-What...what did the knight do then ?

A girl asked very excited about the story as were the others.

-The knight seeing the orphan boy protect the princess so bravely and without a fear picked the boy and made him into his squire,the boy was incredibly thankful and swore the princess on their departure that he would come one day and make her his wife when he would be a proper knight,the princess accepted without a word and hoped that they would meet again someday...

At this point I was already in front of the guest house I could see hoboku guarding the entrance like a watch dog seeing me come with so many children in pack not only made her surprised,but also the villagers who we had passed on the way picking up even more children who wanted to hear the story.

-Did they meet ! did he make her his wife ?!

Calar jumped in front of me stopping me from entering the house rather wanting to hear the end of the story.

I thought for a few moments...I was actually making up the story on the fly as a write creating a basic scenario was a piece of cake.

-I will tell you the other half of the story after I come back until then you'l have to wait and think for yourself so sorry I things to do alright ?

Calar and the kids were a bit disappointed some pouted a bit and some understood and started to leave calarel was honestly the most disappointed of them all and almost looked as if she wanted to cry.

-Don't worry little one I come back and you can hear even more stories so just wait without patients you won't get your reward you understood..

-hmm...then..then promise me !

She said out of the blue it surprised me,but I nodded my head and told her that I would come back hearing my promise she nodded cheerful once again and left with a happy wave of hers.

-Hmm...my lord is quite popular...

I smiled and looked hoboku with a bemused expression.

-Jealous ?

-yes,quite...

She said with a hard look on her face...Honestly I didn't expect her to be this direct to me...anyways I entered the house and found out that everyone seemed to have recovered back to normal even hobura was back to her normal self and hugged me on my return harassing me some bit before I could eat properly which the girls had saved for both me and hobuha.

-Are we going to return today ?

Hoboku asked while I drank the sweet vegetable soup with delish...I wonder how its made,it does seem to have some salt...I put the wooden bowl down and wiped my lips turning back towards hoboku.

-Yes,but before that we are going to go further into the forest for a bit and pick up some items...I also got a request from the village chief and I am thinking of doing it today if we have enough time that is..

Hoboku nodded her head hearing my answer and thought on her own for a bit,hobuha who sitting next to me also ate very quickly both of us finished our meals after a while and started to leave the village.

Going outside I was surprised to see vulgan and the other villagers standing in front of the guest house waiting for us...it made hobuha tense for a moment,but I pinched her again and told her to not do anything unnecessary she obligated and watched.

Vulgan smiled and came forward in his hands he held the guitar like object the vajar I think it was called ?

-It was a good night yesterday my friend and before you leave I want to give you present from the village people and myself,this instrument is the one you had played yesterday and with this you had connected with our people thats why I think it is appropriate for you to take this as a present as sign of our friendship...

The other bowed down after hearing vulgans words I also felt veyr flattered and accepted the instrument with both hands,it was a very beautiful piece of music instrument unique and also pleasant looking at it,it made me also find some new kind of interest in music once again maybe I would continue who knows.

-Thank you village chief and thank you too villagers...

With those words I finally departed from the dark elf village towards my next goal the dead battlefield.

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