Chosen By The Lover's Constellation-Chapter 106: Mana Ties, Part Eighteen

{November 5, 239 2E}

{Lianna}

[Huh?]

Lianna looked up as she walked to the armory.

{Quest Removed}

The quest, {Have sex with Zura by November 5} had a line cutting through it. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

A new one took its place.

{Quest Gained}

{Convince Enverna not to leave}

{Reward: RP: 20}

Lianna’s eyes bulged out of their sockets.

"Lianna?" Cynthia asked, mildly worried at her change in attitude.

[20 Relationship Points? That amount... was enough to make our proximity buff boost Enverna to the level of an experienced player. If I can make this happen, I’ll get that much all at once!?]

"Uh," Lianna murmured, "nothing, nothing. Let’s just keep going."

Lianna and Cynthia strode towards the armory.

"Here we are," Cynthia spoke with a nostalgic tone. "Hopefully, this ability of yours would not require me to clean this place out. Let’s see."

Miss Taylor followed her into the armory, observing the array of weapons and artifacts displayed.

"How many of those tokens do you think you can get from selling these?" Miss Taylor asked, her gaze flickering over the assortment.

Lianna bit her lip, mentally assessing the items with {Target Analysis}.

[Lots of uncommon weapons and armor... But, nothing particularly expensive.]

"Well, a lot of these are well-made, but they’re still just regular weapons. The highest price I can get is 500."

"I... take it that’s not much?"

"Uh, one item I saw earlier cost two hundred thousand."

Cynthia’s brows shot up.

"I see." Miss Taylor nodded thoughtfully. "Can you sell one? I want to see the process."

"Sure."

Lianna selected a finely crafted sword, pulling it off a rack.

Well-Made Steel Longsword

{Uncommon}

{Weapon}

{Class Req: Warrior}

{Stat Req: None}

{Desc: Crafted with love, this blade holds the standardized quality the Telvan army has always been known for.}

{Val: 100 Tokens}

Lianna brought up the Player Shop. Cynthia could not see it. Lianna pressed the {Sell} button, scrolled to the object she was holding in her hands which was currently included in her Inventory, and sold it off.

The item disappeared, but not in the same way that it would if Lianna put it in her Inventory. Instead, it glowed with golden light for a couple of seconds, as though it was being appraised by Saren himself before it then vanished.

Lianna saw:

Lianna Velcross: 1025 Tokens

That was the total amount she’d arrived at from selling this and a few things here and there over the last few months.

"Hmm. So, it’s true."

"Did you think I was lying?"

"I figured you could have been," Miss Taylor shrugged. "Not that I would have blamed you. You should do whatever you can to get ahead. Anyway, you mentioned this was a low-value item?"

"Uh, yeah," Lianna nodded.

"Hm... In that case, what if items dropped from Fiends are worth more than crafted ones? The System might assign higher values to objects from more dangerous sources."

Lianna furrowed her brow, considering the idea. Cynthia arrived at that conclusion so quickly.

"That makes sense. I haven’t seen much valuable stuff from Fiends either, though."

"You have not gone on many dangerous missions, though, have you? Or, rather, missions where high-level Fiends are involved."

[... I guess that’s true,] Lianna thought. [A lot of my missions have turned out to be dangerous, but, when I think about it, the only really powerful Fiend I’ve come across was at Kaelen, with the Shields of Saren.]

Miss Taylor nodded approvingly as she watched the gears turn in Lianna’s head.

"If you’re serious about selling items and buying powerful things, I believe you may want to begin taking more risks."

"Guess so." Lianna sighed. "I guess that’s the price of progress."

Soon, they left the armory.

Lianna turned to Miss Taylor outside with a burning question.

"Um, ma’am, can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"You’re really powerful. I mean, everyone in the Watchful fears you. You have all this money and you own all this stuff. How did you become the leader? What’s your story?"

Miss Taylor’s expression shifted, a complex blend of memories crossing her face.

"It’s a long and complicated tale, Lianna. One day, perhaps we can sit and have a few drinks, and I’ll share it with you. For now, focus on your journey. There’s much for you to discover and much to overcome."

---

Later, Lianna and Cynthia returned to the dorms.

"I will look out for riskier ventures. You will have to prepare yourself suitably, though," Cynthia stated.

"I will," Lianna replied, with the conversation about the Player Shop still lingering in her mind.

[Maybe risk and reward go hand in hand here.]

"I..."

Lianna opened the door.

Instantly, she froze.

Lianna found Enverna seated in front of a woman who bore a striking resemblance to her, only older. The atmosphere in the room shifted subtly, an unspoken tension hanging in the air.

The older woman glanced up at Lianna, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"And who might you be?"

Lianna stepped forward, feeling Enverna’s gaze on her.

"I’m Lianna, Enverna’s fiance."

The woman studied Lianna for a moment.

"Lianna, is it? You’ve been keeping our Enverna quite occupied, I see."

Lianna’s eyes widened.

[Is this... Her mom?] Suddenly, Lianna’s heart sank. [What’s she doing here?]

Lianna felt a sense of discomfort but pushed through it.

"Uh, yeah... we’ve been through a lot together."

Verana’s eyes flickered to Enverna, who remained strangely silent.

"Hmm, I see. It matters not. Enverna, dear, it’s time."

Lianna frowned, a sense of foreboding creeping over her.

"Time for what?"

Verana raised a brow at Lianna.

"Time for her to go back home, of course."

It was predictable, and yet, Lianna was still shocked. Maybe because she hadn’t expected the woman to come and pick Enverna up personally like this.

Verana took a measured breath.

"Enverna has responsibilities to her family, to Garriden. She cannot stay here any longer."

Lianna’s brows furrowed in disbelief.

"But she should decide that for herself! You can’t just come here and-"

Verana cut her off, her voice firm.

"She doesn’t have a choice, Miss Velcross. Family responsibilities come before personal desires. Especially ones as disgusting as hers. Enverna, get up and get ready. We’re going home."

Enverna’s silence persisted, her eyes betraying a storm of emotions.

Lianna could feel the weight of the decision pressing down on her, and it infuriated her that Enverna seemed unable to resist.

She’d forgotten something, though.

Cynthia was there. And, Miss Taylor stepped forward.

Verana noticed her and, instantly, her attitude shifted. She didn’t seem like she knew who Cynthia was, but she looked cautious. Perhaps instinctively knowing this woman was different.

Cynthia glared back with a steely determination in her eyes.

"Hold on just a moment. Aside from being Lianna’s fiance, Enverna is also a member of the Watchful."

Cynthia’s gaze remained steady, her expression unwavering as Verana challenged her assertion.

"What does that matter?" Verana questioned dismissively.

Cynthia’s smirk persisted. "Contractual obligations, my friend. Enverna is not just Lianna’s fiance. She is a committed member of the Watchful. She signed up all the way through September 240."

Verana scoffed, waving a hand dismissively.

"Contracts can be voided. Family takes precedence over some piece of paper."

Cynthia leaned forward, her eyes narrowing.

"Voided, yes, under certain circumstances. But it’s not a simple process. Enverna’s commitment to the Watchful is a serious matter. It’s not something that can be brushed aside so easily."

Verana crossed her arms, her skepticism evident.

Verana sighed, acknowledging the complexity of the situation.

"This contract, can’t it be terminated with mutual agreement?"

Cynthia nodded.

"Yes, it can, but both parties need to agree, and there are conditions that must be met. Thing is, I am not particularly inclined to separate my daughter from her fiance."

Lianna’s eyes widened hearing that.

[Her...]

She nearly teared up, though she guessed Cynthia was just trying to put on a front to make her case stronger. Still, those words did shake Lianna.

Verana frowned. Cynthia continued, walking closer.

"Enverna’s already a legal adult, by the way, under both Telvan and Garriden law. She can make her own decisions," Cynthia added. "As her mother, all you can do is make suggestions and hope Enverna listens. Now, if Enverna chooses to go then that’s all. I will honor her choice. But, that is legally her choice to make, make no mistake. How about this," Cynthia walked forward. Swiftly, she took Verana’s hands. The woman flinched.

With a cold smile, Cynthia said:

"How about we exchange contact information and I get back to you with Enverna’s response. Would that suffice, Mrs. Alteri?"

The two of them stared at one another. If looks could kill, Miss Taylor would be a pile of ashes right now.

Finally, with a reluctant sigh, Verana conceded, taking her hands back.

"Fine. Enverna, make your choice. But, well, if you do choose to remain here, do not even think about stepping foot inside Garriden again."

Enverna’s anger boiled beneath the surface as Verana retreated, leaving the room. The door closed behind her, leaving an uneasy silence in her wake.

Lianna approached Enverna, her voice gentle.

"Enverna, are you okay?"

Enverna clenched her fists, trembling with suppressed rage.

"Y-Yes, I am... I am fine."

Lianna wrapped her arms around Enverna all the same, offering what comfort she could.

"We’ll figure this out together. Don’t worry."