novelraw Chapter 79-80: An Interesting Story
Chapter 79-80: An Interesting Story
“What about your kind, the Shadow People?”
When it came to lifespans, what Leon was actually more curious about was the limits of other creatures in this world—especially the race that Krobus belonged to.
“We don’t have a concept of lifespan. We are born of shadow and return to shadow. Most shadowy marauders are extremely warlike because we are products of the shadow element. Even if we are killed, the shadows will soon reshape our bodies. But whether the reshaped marauder is still the same one as before… that’s something I can’t say for sure,” Krobus replied.
Leon glanced at him. If he remembered correctly, Krobus was also a shadowy marauder, yet he didn’t seem as aggressive as he was claiming.
Krobus seemed to realize what Leon was thinking. “You might wonder why a warlike marauder like me would hide in the sewers of a human town. To be honest, I’m not too sure either. All I know is that when I first coalesced in the shadows, I appeared here. There’s no sunlight, and no one bothers me. Later, I met the Guardian. He taught me human language and ways of living, and we made a pact that I would not disturb human life.”
“So, from the moment you became self-aware, you’ve been living in the sewer?”
“Yes,” Krobus confirmed. “I once discussed my origins with the Guardian, but he only told me I was special. I tried searching underground for my kind, but they didn’t like me. One of the elders even told me to never approach the underground or our kin again. They didn’t accept me, but they told me to remember the meaning of my name.”
“Krobus? What does it mean in your language?”
“Bridge-Crosser. It means one who crosses bridges, or one who travels between two worlds. This is a special gift that other Shadow People don’t have. I can freely enter the Spirit Realm and the City of Elements. That’s my edge as a merchant.” Krobus didn’t seem to mind sharing these details. In fact, he looked happy to have someone to chat with.
“You know about the Spirit Realm? It’s beautiful there. They say all who’ve mastered Forest Magic go there after death to wait for their next reincarnation. There are also native beings like fairies and Junimos—you might meet them one day. They’re all friendly. The City of Elements, though, isn’t so welcoming. Once, I was almost captured by a smuggler there, since I was the first shadowy marauder to appear in that city. Luckily, my contract with the Guardian made him let me go.”“That’s a fascinating experience. But I don’t think I’ll be visiting such places anytime soon,” Leon said, eyes lighting up. Cities on the mystical side of the world and other realms were full of mystery and allure.
“I don’t want you going to the Spirit Realm,” Krobus said seriously. “You’re the only human who chats with me outside of trade. I want you to live a long life. As for the City of Elements—if you’re interested, the Guardian could take you there. My ability only lets me travel alone, but the Guardian can open a portal to it.”
“Forget it, I’ll think about it later. Right now, I just need to run my farm well.” Leon was tempted, but he doubted the wizard would agree. If he went to the Wizard asking to visit the City of Elements, he’d probably be told to stick to farming, then thrown out of the Wizard’s Tower without ceremony. The wizard had made it clear the first time they met that Leon had no talent for spellcasting, even saying outright that his grandfather wouldn’t approve of him walking that path. If he now suggested abandoning the farm to dabble in the supernatural, the wizard might just beat him—supposedly in his grandfather’s name—for being such a disappointment.
“Is your magic taught by the wizard?” Leon asked, partly to gather more information about the supernatural world and partly in hopes of learning some magic from the honest Krobus.
“No. It’s an innate gift of our race,” Krobus explained.
“What a shame,” Leon sighed, before quickly finding another question to keep the conversation going. “I read in a book that because of fighting over living space underground, the dwarves and the Shadow People slaughtered each other for hundreds of years. Since you weren’t born underground, if a dwarf appeared in front of you, would you attack?”
“You mean the Elemental War? That’s over now. Under the mediation of multiple Guardians, we signed a treaty. But I still dislike dwarves. It’s an instinctive aversion—they want to build a brightly lit city underground, and we Shadow People hate strong light the most.” Krobus paused, then eyed Leon warily. “You’re not going to team up with a dwarf to kill me, are you?”
“I’ve never even met a dwarf,” Leon said, exasperated.
“Oh, right. And you don’t speak Dwarvish either,” Krobus muttered, scratching the back of his head with his bean-sprout-like fingers in embarrassment.
“But I don’t hate them that much either. I’ve never fought a dwarf. It’s just that they have an intense hatred for shadowy marauders. In their eyes, I’m no different from the underground ones. I’m worried that if my location is exposed, they might hire an assassin to kill me.”
“That’s unlikely. Rasmodius is still in Stardew Valley—he wouldn’t just stand by and let you get hurt,” Leon reassured him.
“But the Guardian is a big figure. Why would he care about little nobodies like us?” Krobus said, looking downcast.
“As you said yourself, you’re special. There’s no way the wizard wouldn’t notice you. Besides, a dwarf appearing in a human town would be a big deal, even if it’s an assassin hired by them. You have a residence permit—they don’t. Do you really think the wizard would allow such a threat in town?” Leon reasoned.
Krobus brightened after hearing that. “Thank you, Leon. I’m always happy to chat with you. As long as you want to visit me, my door is always open.”
“Does that mean I get a discount?” Leon asked hopefully.
“No,” Krobus shook his head, looking troubled. “The prices are fixed. I have to follow the contract, and that includes the prices.” Then, as if remembering something, he added quickly, “But sometimes, as a friend, I can throw in a small gift after the deal. That’s not covered by the contract.”
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