CHAPTER-11 “Contract or Cage”

Chapter 11: The Cage or The Contract

Harsha climbed the spiral staircase with quiet anticipation, expecting another gloomy floor or dim storage room. Instead, he was greeted by a breathtaking hall glowing with golden light. It was quiet, serene, and unlike the noisy chaos of the guild below. The walls were lined with translucent glass chambers, inside which resided the most beautiful researchers he had ever seen—some were humans, others goblins—but all looked like celestial beings. Their elegance made the place feel less like a guild and more like a piece of heaven.

Harsha wandered the hallway, looking for an elderly woman carrying a stick—the person Neera had told him about. But no matter how much he scanned the floor, there was no sign of any old lady. After circling the entire hall twice, he sighed and turned back toward the stairs, muttering to himself, "Maybe I heard Neera wrong..."

Just as his foot touched the first step to descend, a melodic voice called out, "Why are you leaving, boy?"

Harsha turned to find a beautiful goblin lady standing behind him, her emerald eyes sparkling with curiosity. "I'm looking for an old lady… someone who walks with a stick," Harsha explained.

The goblin laughed softly. "There's no one like that here, my child. Every woman in this hall is an apsara in her own right."

Harsha frowned. "But Neera told me—"

The lady chuckled louder this time. "Neera? That mischievous girl tricked you! What's the name of the person you're looking for?"

"Sephara," Harsha replied. "She's a gemologist."

The goblin's face lit up in recognition. She pointed toward the end of the hall. "Sephara resides in that office—the most beautiful one of them all. Go on. She's around Neera's age but... far more enchanting."

Harsha bowed respectfully. "Thank you, ma'am."

"Good luck, little adventurer," she whispered with a wink.

As Harsha walked toward Sephara's chamber, a thought crept into his mind: I just hope she's not like Neera...

He cautiously approached a woman seated at the far end. She was working silently, her glowing fingertips dancing across a set of levitating crystals. She wore no extravagant robe, only a sleek white coat over enchanted silver armor. Her dark brown hair was tied in a bun, with a single lock falling beside her cheek. Sharp, intelligent eyes focused on her craft.

Harsha cleared his throat.

"Excuse me… are you Sephara, the gemologist?"

Without looking up, she replied coolly,

"That depends. Who is asking?"

"I'm Harsha," he answered, stepping closer. "I've come to ask you about a gem—"

She continued her work as if his presence was no more than a breeze. But the moment he uttered the word "gem," her eyes slowly lifted and locked onto his face.

In that instant, Sephara froze.

She saw through the boyish skin—the energy cloaking him, the unusual aura he carried. This wasn't just a lost child; this was a dormant warrior, veiled in innocence.

"Which gem are you looking for, boy?" she asked softly.

"I need Blue Gems," Harsha said. "A hundred of them."

At his words, Sephara blinked. Then, gently placed her tools aside and leaned forward.

"One hundred Blue Gems?" she echoed. "Turn around. Go back. That's an impossible task, even for elite adventurers. It's a path laced with death."

Harsha didn't flinch.

"I don't care. I'm ready to risk my life. I have to get them—no matter the cost."

There was a pause.

Then, Sephara swept her desk clear and motioned toward the chair opposite her.

"Sit."

Harsha obeyed.

"Blue Gems," she began, "are one of the six sacred elemental stones in this realm."

She held up a glowing crystal and tapped it.

"Black Gems are used to forge weapons.

Silver Gems—for the strongest armors and enchanted walls.

Gold Gems—melted to create the realm's currency.

And then come Blue Gems—which trap raw magic itself. They are the third rarest material known."

Her voice dropped.

"There are two more gems above it... but they're too dangerous to speak of here."

Harsha leaned forward, his gaze unshaken. "I'm ready for any danger."

Sephara's lips curved slightly.

"If your master sent you on such a quest, then either you're exceptionally capable… or your master is a complete fool."

"I don't have any master," Harsha replied, confused.

At that, Sephara stiffened.

She reached across the table, gripped his hand tightly, and whispered,

"Shhh… Are you free?"

Harsha frowned. "What do you mean?"

"In this realm," Sephara said, "every human is a slave. Freedom doesn't exist. You only live to serve your Goblin master's will. If you're truly unowned… you're a threat."

Harsha's heart skipped.

"There are goblins," she continued, "who would fight wars to claim a powerful slave like you. Your 'ownership' could shift the balance of a guild's army."

He sat in silence, eyes wide.

After a moment, he whispered,

"Are you… enslaved too?"

Sephara laughed quietly.

"No. I have a high-paying contract. I analyze rare stones and convert them into magical tools. I'm from Teklokh—land of science. We deal with logic and structure."

She leaned back, brushing a hair behind her ear.

"Goblins are greedy creatures, Harsha. Most cannot be trusted. But some… can be managed."

She smirked.

"I've hired a Goblin as my 'master.' He doesn't bother me the whole month, and I pay him 50 gold coins in return. That's the price of peace."

She studied Harsha again.

"There is one goblin I know who can help you—Zogo. He's cunning. Too cunning. If you aren't careful, he'll trap you in a fake contract and leave you drowning in magical debt. But if you can outwit him… he's the perfect companion."

Harsha nodded, then asked,

"You're from Teklokh. I'm from Varnlokh. How many 'Lokhs' are there?"

Sephara smiled and lifted a holographic map.

"There are six Goblin States in this realm," she explained:

1. Varnlokh – The land of warriors.

2. Teklokh – Land of science and scholars.

3. Shudralokh – You're standing in it now. Land of builders and workers.

4. Rajyalokh – Where the royal families and ministers rule.

5. Astralokh – Known for its weaponsmiths and traps.

6. Vanijyalokh – The land of merchants and dealmakers."

Harsha's eyes widened at the sheer complexity of this world.

He then asked, "So… how do I get the Blue Gems?"

Sephara turned serious again.

"They grow inside the Sacred Forest of Shadows. But they are carried—not hidden. Each Blue Gem is embedded on the back of a Shadow Monster."

"Shadow Monster?" Harsha repeated.

"They live in darkness. As soon as light touches them, they vanish. To kill one, you must trap it in sacred light. They hunt in packs. If you injure one, the others will sacrifice themselves to protect it."

Harsha felt a chill run down his spine.

"Remember," she added, "Never fight monsters carrying more than two gems. Even elite goblins only manage three."

Sephara then asked,

"How many coins do you have?"

Harsha hesitated, embarrassed.

"Twenty gold and twenty-five silver… but I already spent 5 silver at the gate and 1 gold for registration."

Her eyes narrowed.

"You were scammed. One gold coin can register ten adventurers. Gate entry needs only a silver coin."

Harsha clenched his fists.

Sephara exhaled and leaned back.

"If you're really going… take these with you:

1. Holy Water – to blind the shadow monsters.

Touching holy water can burn them.

2. Enchanted Armor and Weapons

3. Healing Potions

4. Rations for ten days

5. Storage Card – to carry the stones safely.

6. A Goblin Master – to protect your identity. Zogo will do."

She wrote an address and signed a reference letter.

"Visit the market, gather supplies, and then find Zogo. After that… head for the Forest."

As Harsha reached for the letter, Sephara added one final warning.

"Last month, all Gold-tier and above adventurers were summoned to Rajyalokh. That's why this guild still has an unclaimed Rank Quest—to slay twenty Shadow Monsters."

Harsha froze.

"No one has dared to take it. But if you're serious… you should. Each one gem monster earns 5 gold coins. Two gem monsters 10 coins. The guild charges 5 Blue Gems as fee and proof for this quest after completing it." the main purpose of this quest is to gather 5 blue gems for research.

She stood and turned.

"And I want one Blue Gem in return. For helping you."

Harsha smiled, nodded, and whispered,

"You have my word."

She said nothing more, just raised her hand in farewell.

Harsha turned and descended the stairs.

Downstairs, Neera leaned over her desk, smirking, and waved a single gold coin at him.

"Did you lose this, little prince?"

Harsha didn't respond. Instead, he walked past her and toward one of the nine other receptionists.

He signed the quest form silently.

As he turned to leave, he glanced back at Neera with a mischievous grin.

"You know… the only old lady I found in this guild was you," he said, sticking out his tongue playfully. "Everyone else here is so beautiful… people could die for it."

Neera's mouth dropped open in disbelief.

As Harsha disappeared through the gate, a slow smile crept onto her face.

"Cheeky little brat," she murmured, shaking her head.