Guild Wars

1%｣

The egg was doing incredibly well.
After all, the Fire of War burned perpetually within Draco, making his body the optimal level of warmth one could find.
The egg shivered a bit when Draco lit the magic flame under it, as if a little worm wriggling with excitement.

”We dun reached m ’lord. ”

The peasant carriage driver who looked around Draco ’s age, knocked on the top of the carriage to alert Draco.
He probably assumed that Draco was asleep due to his total lack of activity the whole time.

Draco put away the egg and got down from the carriage.
He paid out the fare of 20 silver, which was expensive in the eyes of a normal NPC or player, and activated Appearance Deception: 9 forms.
Instead of wasting his limited slots – after all, each form was permanent after being designed – he decided to use the tried and true form of Drake.

The handsome rogue was born again, free to roam the world and trample on the hearts of innocent maidens.

Before him stood the gates to a mansion that was quite literally no less than Rank 4.
It was almost the size of a castle, just barely falling short of one.
The mansion was walled very simply, no real fortifications present.
However, just like how Draco could see the mansion ’s level, he could tell that there was a myriad of building enchantments that were either defense, attack or traps.

Anyone below Rank 4 who tried to intrude here should be ready to meet their comrades in the otherworld.

Two guards in a purple livery, which were the colors of the Duke of Farst, came up to Draco with their spears in a relaxed position.

”Ho there fellow! What brings you to the mansion of Lord Duke? ” The older one of the duo asked.

”I ’m here to investigate the recent happenings in the Four Point Valley.
His Excellency is expecting me. ” Draco answered with a friendly smile.

His demeanor made the guards like him, as they became much more amiable instantly.
Draco made some small talk with them as he entered the mansion and gazed upon it ’s magnificent decoration.

It had almost the same layout as the manor in the Vita Settlement, but with almost four times the scale and a few other functional rooms.

Draco was led into the private parlor and asked to wait.
A few servants brought in some beverages and scones for him to enjoy while he waited for the Duke of Farst to meet him.

Draco sorted out what he pilfered from the minds of the guards.

It seemed as if the issues were of a bizarre and parasitic nature.
A few flowers that had been harmless pickings for some of the female maids had become monstrous entities that almost killed them if they hadn ’t been quite skilled themselves.

More than a few animals like rabbits, squirrels and even mice had gone from gentle and timid creatures to rabid animals that would rip and tear anything that had blood flowing through its veins.

It was bizarre to the guards, who had no idea what the cause was.
Most figured the Four Point Valley had been cursed.
Draco would ’ve agreed with them, but he suspected that it was possibly a new breed of parasite that caused all this.
It was either a plant-like being or a creature with warm/cold blood.

He also gleaned the situation within the Four Point Valley itself.
Within the Four Point Valley were four groups of people that lived together in forced harmony.
Each of them occupied a corner, leaving them in each 90 degree section of the valley while remaining almost equidistant from each other.

The beings to the top right, situated in the rocky section of the Four Point Valley, were the Green Orcs, who were larger than common orcs.
They were the most hated group in the Valley as they frequently raided the other three, capturing food, women and wealth.
The only reason they hadn ’t been ganged up on was because the Duke of Farst promoted their actions, stating that it was survival of the fittest.

The group at the top left, within the savanna, were the Wood Elves, a fair race of men and women who lived off the land.
They were physically attractive but extremely hardy unlike High Elves, favoring the art of hunting and sports.
These Wood Elves weren ’t the type to shy away from meat or killing animals, as long as it was for nourishment only.

The group in the bottom left, smack dab in the middle of the forest, were the Dryads.
They were the ones with the closest relationship to the Wood Elves, being entities that were born from trees and were bonded with them for life.
Dryads were neutral towards everyone, even the Green Orcs.
The Green Orcs also dared not attack the Dryads unnecessarily, as those forests belonged to them in every way possible.
Each skirmish they ’d launched towards them ended similar to Hitler ’s assault of Russia.

The final group, who lived in the plains to the bottom right, were the Gypsies.
This group of dark skinned humans were similar to the indigenes of the Paradise Lands, but much more attractive and intelligent.
Do not dare challenge a Gypsy in philosophy unless you were Socrates reincarnated.
They mostly focused on dancing and music, being the most potent with illusion arts.
Many of their men and women had been captured by the Green Orcs, making their enmity as high as the sky.

The political situation of the Four Point Valley was equivalent to a kettle that was reaching the boiling point, it would soon overflow and blow steam.
With this new bizarre occurrence going on, an indiscriminate slaughter would ’ve occurred had the Duke of Farst not suppressed everything.

Draco sighed after putting together all he knew.
He hadn ’t even started the quest truly and he began feeling the onset of a headache.
Dealing with those incompetent fools alone would require precious time he didn ’t have.
Especially those Dryads.
The easiest to deal with would be the Green Orcs.
Wood Elves and Gypsies had the same difficulty in his eyes.

Soon enough, a tall middle aged man in spectacles entered the room with a casual smile.
His eyes were the shape of crescents, seeming to be perpetually closed.
His smile was so wide that it looked a bit bizarre.
His hair was greenish-blue and his skin tone was a pallid color.
He wore a simple overcoat with golden-black buttons and a reddish-brown color.
His house logo was embroidered onto the side of his coat, denoting his origins and status.

Underneath, he wore a simple purple shirt that was buttoned up to his neck.
The buttons on this one was plain white thankfully.
His fitting pants looked like it was made of cotton, bearing a pitch black color.
His loafers were also black, giving his attire ’s color scheme a bizarre combination.

”I hope I didn ’t make you wait too long, Mr…? ”

”Drake.
No last name. ” Draco replied with an outward smile, but inwardly, he was frowning.

”Aha, right.
To make things more casual, you can call me by my first name, Dorian. ” He replied, plopping down casually onto a seat opposite Draco.

Dorian ’s eyes roamed about the room idly, before landing on Draco.
”What would you like to know about the situation you ’re here to investigate? ”

Getting straight to it, eh? That sounded just like Dorian Purple, Duke of Farst and the most hated Duke in the history of Boundless.
Yep, as you might imagine, Draco knew Dorian very well.
Not from this life, but his past one.

While Dorian might be treated well now, his name would be later smeared in the history books forever.

This Duke was a spy from the demons! At a critical moment, he had betrayed the human race and allowed the Demon race to infiltrate the defensive lines of the battleground through a waypoint in this very manor.
That was why Draco and Eva had gone through extreme hell during the Great War in their timeline, having to defend over and over, dying so many times that the experience gained from killing demons balanced out the experience lost from death.

It was natural that he didn ’t like being around such a fellow.
With his Omega blocked and the Duke of Farst ’s existence required to claim the rewards, he couldn ’t end the fellow right away.
However, he planned to do so the minute the quest was completed.

”Please tell me everything you know, My Lord. ” Draco asked humbly.

Dorian began to explain everything Draco knew, but with much more detail.
Draco made sure to act and react as if an ignorant person would, sharing his preliminary insights and suspicions with Dorian.
Dorian himself seemed impressed with Draco ’s knowledge and skill.
He probably expected a dunce who could only swing a weapon to show up.

”Thank you for all you ’ve shared so far, my Lord.
I ’ll be taking my leave in order to begin work immediately. ”

Draco stood up and began to leave the room.
Dorian also stood up and replied to Draco with a smile.
”Take care, Drake.
The Four Point Valley is a dangerous place. ”

Draco nodded and left the room stately, the eyes of Dorian never leaving his back throughout.

For a brief instant, the perpetually closed eyes of Dorian opened slightly as he hummed with interest.