Read Novel Full Chapter 995: Go Wild
Chapter 995: Go Wild
Soon afterwards, the ladies began to leave the dungeon. Some went to the old fox woman in hopes of persuading her to assist them in finding the needed veiling method that would let them keep their identities hidden. Rosie was told to accompany her mothers on this endeavor as they hoped her cuteness and the ancient fox’s obvious adoration for the dryad girl would help sweeten the talks.
Others went to the cities and Consortium territories in hopes of finding what they were looking for. Kitsara returned to her family in dogkin territory.
It was then that Jasmine, the last remaining wife in the room, turned toward Quinlan. She had a wry expression on her face.
"Quin... Rosie has gifted me such an awesome class as the Tyrant of Trade, yet I never got to use it properly before, as I feared being found out under the constant surveillance I was placed. And, even if I did use it and managed to make more money, it’d end up in Aurelion’s hands. As such, I kept going as if I were still a Merchant-classed woman."
Quinlan understood her meaning immediately. "It’s time, huh?"
She grinned as her heart began beating excitedly in her chest. "It is."
Without another word, Quinlan reached into his pocket ring and pulled out a hefty chest and placed it before her with a solid thud. When he flipped it open, the unmistakable sight of a thousand gold coins filled the room with a warm, golden glow.
It was basically the entirety of the liquid assets he had to his name.
Jasmine’s eyes widened, and she raised her hands immediately. "Wait, I didn’t say all this to ask for money! I was just informing you, not requesting capital!"
"I know," Quinlan replied smoothly. "But I also know a woman like you, surrounded by so many talented people, each excelling in their own field... must be itching to prove her worth in hers. You want to show us what you’re made of. That’s why you told me this."
Jasmine blinked.
Then squinted.
"Damn it. Since when can you read me so well?"
Quinlan chuckled. "One look at the fire in your eyes as you spoke was all the clues I needed. But fear not. This capital is not given to you because I don’t believe you to be capable of showing off properly, but because you won’t just be showing off."
"I need money. Fast. The king’s birthday party is coming up, and most likely, the prisoners from Greenvale will be sold off there. If I want to have a seat at that table, I need capital. We might need to make a high-profile purchase, bribe some nobles, or just flaunt some wealth."
He nodded toward the chest. "Take this. All of it. Flip it. Multiply it. In the short time we have, I want to see how far you can go with these restraints. No long-term plays, no time for a foundation. What I’m asking you to do is to build a tower out of sand and make it gleam brilliantly."
The shift was immediate.
Jasmine’s eyes flared with amber light as the fire of competition ignited behind her pupils, stronger than ever. Her posture straightened. Her fingers twitched as if they were already calculating ratios and supply chains.
"Hah..." She let out a low breath, which was almost a growl of hunger. "Short term? High risk? Quick turnaround?"
She stepped toward the chest and closed it with a heavy thud.
"A perfect challenge to test what I can do without the bastard’s influence holding me back."
Quinlan nodded happily once he saw her confidence.
Then he turned his gaze toward Lyra, the only other woman in the room who remained besides Kaelira.
"Lyra, please take Kaelira’s team and act as Jasmine’s team of guards. She will not only carry a truly immense amount of gold on her person, but I have a feeling she didn’t get the ’Tyrant’ added to her class by being a nice player. She’ll anger many opponents. You’ll have your work cut out for you." 𝔯₳ＮȏᛒЁꞨ
"... Whatever could you mean?" Jasmine whistled innocently. She was thoroughly ignored.
"My Lord, may I ask why I was selected for the role of leading Miss Kaelira’s team?" the pink-haired tanker asked.
"Miss dwarf-hater will have something else to do."
Lyra paused for a moment, considering the command. Then she gave a sharp, clean nod. "Understood."
Her gaze moved toward Jasmine. She already anticipated the trouble this new mission would bring, but also the satisfaction of keeping her lord’s gold as well as his wife safe, and potential enemies she’d get to crush.
Kaelira, on the other hand, blinked innumerable times in confusion. She didn’t understand why her team would be given to Lyra when she was free to lead them herself.
"’Miss dwarf-hater will have something else to do’?"
Before she could properly ask her questions, Quinlan lazily flicked a finger upwards.
Wind surged.
"H-hey!"
With a whoosh, Kaelira was lifted clean off her feet and into the air. Her long legs kicked out as she tried to resist, but it was like watching a majestic beast get swept up by a strong breeze.
"M-my Lord?!" she yelled, flailing like an angry cat.
Quinlan ignored the elf’s continued complaints as he guided her and Rykar through the air.
Destination: Kaelira’s forge in his stronghold.
He had a tomboy muscle elf and a grumpy limbless grandpa to drop off because today, sparks were about to fly.
...
"Hmm... Quite bare bones, but it’ll do, I suppose," Rykar’s words rang as they approached.
"You didn’t even see the insides yet."
"I don’t need to. I can tell from here."
"..." A vein throbbed on Quinlan’s forehead as he greatly struggled to accommodate the old man’s grating attitude.
This time, he wasn’t alone.
"Lord Quinlan and I worked hard on the smithy together! A lot of money was poured into it, so much so that it can compete with the smithies of renowned artificers," Kaelira spoke while hovering next to the old man.
"Then the renowned artificers of this world are worse than I thought."
*Throb. Throb. Throb.*
"My Lord, your teacher reminds me of a tall dwarf," the muscly elf grumbled under her breath while sending a side eye glance to the man.
"What an apt description, Kaelira. He truly is a rude bastard. But as he is without limbs, he isn’t even a tall dwarf, just a normal one, I’d say."
Kaelira nodded sagely in response, and it was Rykar’s turn to examine the two with squinted eyes. "Why is this long-eared creature here anyhow? I took you as my student."
"That’s where you’re wrong, old man. I come pre-packaged with my sexy smithing elf. I refuse to enter a smelly, hot smithy if she’s not present."
Kaelira’s face lit up in a furious red the moment the words "sexy smithing elf" left Quinlan’s lips.
Three months.
Three long months since he’d disappeared from the face of Thalorind, and in that time, she had somehow started forgetting that this was how he always talked with the women he liked.
Disrespectful. Inappropriate. Shameless.
And yet...
Her lips curled upwards. Even as the blood rushed to her face, even as she looked away and crossed her arms in a huff, there was no hiding the glimmer of satisfaction in her eyes.
He called her his smithing elf.
Not just an elf. Not a tanker. Not a mercenary-for-hire.
His smithing elf.
She took pride in that ridiculous title. Even more so because of what it meant: Quinlan had let her, an elf whose race was known for being total failures when it came to crafting, have that role.
Kaelira hated being called sexy, however.
And she’d punch anyone else who ever said it.
But coming from him... well... she wasn’t about to admit she liked it. Especially not in front of this grumpy, stumpy old man.
Speaking of...
"If I don’t take her in, you won’t train under me?"
"Exactly," Quinlan replied with a shrug, completely unfazed by the sharpness of the old man’s tone. "I’m not some lonely hermit desperate to sit in a forge with a sour old man grumbling about tongs and alloys."
He gave Rykar a pointed look. "I’m a family man first. A combatant second. If I’m going to invest time in this... It’s not going to be in silence and misery. I want my forge time to be thoroughly enjoyable."
He gestured toward Kaelira with a smirk. "And what better way than with my beyond awesome elven companion? She’s incredibly talented, easily rivaling the greatest dwarven talents from what I can tell. If that wasn’t enough of a reason, she’s experienced, fun to be around, and looks incredible when sweaty. What’s not to like?"
Kaelira looked like she wanted to scream.