Chapter 87: Old Wisdom

The Industrial Taskmaster looked at Bleda with mistrust.

"You do know that mana stones are one of the most expensive minerals there are, right?"

Bleda nodded. He had figured that out when pretty much all the creatures on the way to Eagle's Nest had offered them everything and a little on top to get some mana stones.

"We have a mine. I have no idea just how big our deposit is, but we can create another mine, should we need to."

The Taskmaster's eyes widened.

"An entire mine? With mana stones?" He asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "How? Mana stones grow only in abandoned dragon caves! They feed off the dragon's remains and scales, only to be used within 10 days of harvest!"

Bleda hadn't known that. Was this world so strange that he had to wait for a dragon to die just to get the mana stones?

"Here. This mana stone is from the mine." Bleda took out a mana stone and handed it over.

The pink crystal reflected the light. Even going as far as to create a rainbow.

The Taskmaster took hold of it with shaking hands.

"Do you know what sort of a treasure you have in your hands?" The man asked as a tear rolled down his cheek. "A cure-all for most diseases! Something left behind by an SSS-ranked dragon!"

Bleda kept his face expressionless. He wanted to hear what the man had to say before he made his first offer.

"My wife is sick," the man said, his hands beginning to shake even more. "I can't afford to pay you for this stone. Please! She is a mother of three! My youngest is a baby!"

Bleda nodded. He was not heartless.

"How about this?" he said, knowing that he couldn't ignore the plight of the other town's folk like that. "You tell me where the hospital is, and I will make sure that it is stocked with the mana stones. Free of charge. But, after that, after your wife is better, we can talk about a deal with the mana stones for the Industrial District."

The Taskmaster placed a hand over his heart.

Tears rolled down his cheeks.

"You will have your deal. Thank you! Thank you for saving my family!"

Bleda nodded. Now having information that could save lives.

"And one more thing. We have produced for sale. Tons of it. With whom do I speak to get it on the market? It was grown with a druid's mana. It will never spoil."

The Taskmaster let out a sob.

"We will cover you with gold, kind saint," the man stood from his chair. Rushing out of the door and towards his home.

Leaving Bleda sitting on his chair.

****

When Bleda came back from the negotiations, now with 100 crates' worth of mana stones less and almost all the food gone, he saw that Andrew was playing cards with some people by the bar.

The women with whom he was playing looked rough. So, as if they had been swinging the morning star from a very early age.

"Beat it!" One of them hissed. "The siren has rights!"

"I am his traveling partner." Bleda was glad that Andrew had managed to get a little protection circle in the inn. Instead of being forced to stay in his room so, as if he were a prisoner.

"He is," Andrew said as he took out a card with a Medusa-like creature on it. "Ok, I turn your knight to stone and take over the island!"

The girls giggled.

"Silly boy," the eldest one of them said. "I turn your Medusa into boots and take over the island!"

The card she was holding had a giant stepping on mountains with each foot on it.

"Ha!" A woman who looked like her daughter exclaimed. "I turn the giant into an archaeologist dream! Now my dragon takes the island!"

"Hey!" The older lady said as she waved her card around once more. "This is not a normal giant; this is an elder giant!"

"And this is not a normal dragon, Mama!" The girl protested as she showed off a card by Andrew's side of the table. "Andrew pulled out the mass buff: Song of the Siren! Everyone can use it! My dragon became an elder dragon because of it!"

"Andrew?" Bleda was confused. Was Andrew playing some sort of a Yu-Gi-Oh game?

"Not now, Bleda! I am trying to make a comeback! Let me just get another card! And…! Yes!"

Andrew began to wave a card so, as if it were a flag.

"Ladies, here it is! The Dark Hole card!"

Andrew laughed like a cartoon villain as he collected all the cards from the ladies, finally taking out the map as well.

"Well, now there is no island to bicker over," the younger adventurer lady said. "Lucky."

"Ok, he won. Fair and square," her mother said, taking out a coin pouch. "Just don't spend it all in one place, ok?"

Bleda craned his neck to see what was inside.

The black pearls glitter in the dim light.

"Andrew, why do you need the pearls?" Bleda could not figure out why something like that was even supposed to happen. After all, they had money.

"For…" Andrew paused. Then he sighed. "How about this? We date a bit, and if we fit, then you and I get married. The black pearls are for your hair. I want to style it the siren's way."

Bleda whooped with joy. The inn burst out in applause.

"See?" A crone sitting by the table said. "I told you! Play some Monsters and Islands, and your problems will solve themselves."

Andrew nodded. He stood up from his chair.

"Bleda, I think that a walk will do me some good," he said. Not wanting to go out on the streets by himself.

Least someone got some ideas about the pretty and nice-smelling siren.

Bleda nodded.

"You were born for the moonlight," he murmured, as he waited for Andrew to lead the way. "And you will bathe in it, if you wish."

Bleda didn't know just how right he was.

But he was going to find out.