527 The Second Task
Ren and Elena confronted the Thief. The warehouse was roughly 50 x 50 meters and was lit by moonlight braziers, most of which had gone out. Wooden carts and carriages filled the warehouse, creating several walls within.
At the back of the warehouse was Lydia El'Ranatoth, wearing the stolen slippers. Lydia was currently dancing the ballet while violently gasping and heaving. She looked ragged and exhausted. Her feet were bleeding.
She begged Ren and Elena as soon as she spotted them, "P-please . . . make the dancing stop!" she huffed.
Lydia explained the situation, catching her breath every few seconds. "I planned to curse the Queen using a magic scroll I acquired in the market, then return the cursed slippers in the hopes that they'd be given to the Queen and that she'd be cursed upon putting them on. Unfortunately, the curse backfired on me. Now, I am trapped in here, wearing this cursed slippers which are forcing me to dance until I die."
Ren and Elena looked at each other, while Lydia cried her heart outs and panting nonstop.
[The quest, ROYAL SLIPPERS has been updated!]
[The effect of the slippers can be ended for 1 round with a casting of dispel magic, which is enough time for Lydia to try to rip the slippers off of her feet. Otherwise, the slippers are stuck tight to Lydia's feet and cannot remove without taking extreme measures.]
Elena sighed, her fringe raffling. With a snap of her hand, the spell was undone, and Lydia came crashing onto the floor, dead exhausted. She didn't even have the energy to say her thanks before she dozes off to sleep.
[ACQUIRED! Royal Slippers!]
"What are we going to do with her?" Ren asked.
"Let's leave her there and report to the Queen first. She'll be the one to extract her punishment by then."
Ren was glad that the quest was short this time, and when they brought the slippers to the Queen, she was most delighted and thanked Ren and Elena without offering anything but her gratitude.
And when Elena explained what happened and why the slippers were delayed, Queen Floraia's lips went sour.
"I should have known that it was Lydia. That idiot. Guards!"
At her loud voice, dozens of guards burst into the door, and the Queen stood from her throne to give her command.
"Arrest this girl and lock her in the dungeons!"
She threw a scroll onto the guards with Lydia's face imprinted on its parchment. The moment the Queen announced where Lydia would be located, they stormed out of the throne room, the heels of their boots creating unison sounds.
"Nobody messes with me and gets away with it," The Queen bristled and slumped on her throne. "Now . . . where were we?" she said, her expression changed all too sudden with an amiable smile on her lips.
"Ah, right . . . as for the second task. Let's see . . ." The Queen licked her lips, smacking them as she thought of something delectable. "I want a warthog for the feast I am hosting tomorrow."
"A warthog?" Elena repeated while Ren hadn't chance upon that kind of beast.
Queen Floraia nodded enthusiastically. "The fastest that you can acquire one is by joining in the Wild Hunt."
At the mention, Ren's expression changed. He was feeling exhausted already from just the thought of it.
[RECEIVED Quest, JOIN THE WILD HUNT!]
[Queen Floraia greatly desires a suckling warthog for a feast she is hosting tomorrow, and she wants the characters to hunt one of these elusive warthogs for her. The only way the princess thinks this could be possible is for you to join the Wild Hunt.
The Wild Hunt is a never-ending hunt that rides throughout Hedgegrove: horrible hunters don horrible animal masks and ride horrible horses with human faces, killing all manner of beasts and people they happen to think are horrible.
The Wild Hunt consists of at least two dozen riders, all armed with cold iron pikes and tridents clad in bloodstained chainmail. Locales believe that the Hunt is the only form of authority that rivals that of the Archfey: anyone who the Wild Hunt kills, tramples, or abducts must have done something to deserve it.
The party must join the Wild Hunt, convince them to hunt a warthog, and then leave the Wild Hunt without the hunters noticing them, and return the Warthog to the Rose Palace. Alternatively, they can acquire a warthog (or something similar) by other, more clever means.]
"But the Wild Hunt had already ended for the day," The Queen said. "It's best if you join tomorrow morning. The Warthog would be fresh from the Hunt as well.
"That reminds me, do you have somewhere to stay the night?"
"We can stay at the inn in town, your highness," Elena said.
"Nonsense. You're a princess. You should stay here in the castle. Arloth!"
Before Elena could word her protest, a dryad wearing a butler suit came trotting in.
"Guide our guest to some of the empty rooms here. If you need anything, don't hesitate to tell Arloth here. And make yourself comfortable."
The Queen was quick to dismiss them to marvel at her gorgeous Royal Slippers. Ren and Elena couldn't do anything but accompany Arloth when he guided them out of the throne room.
As they walked inside, Ren kept his mind occupied at the interior of the place. There was the delightful aroma of blooming flowers anywhere. The walls were adorned with intricate floral patterns, and every corner of the room was filled with lush foliage and vibrant colors. The floors were made of smooth, polished marble that reflected the sunlight streaming in through the windows, adding to the magical atmosphere.
In the center of the castle, there was a large, ornate fountain made entirely of sparkling quartz crystals, with delicate flower petals gently falling from its spout. As Ren approaches the fountain, he notices small, playful fairies darting around its base, tending to the flowers and playing amongst themselves.
The furniture in the palace was crafted from natural materials, such as wood and vines, and decorated with floral motifs. The seating was cushioned with plush, velvety petals that were as soft as a bed of flowers, and the tables were adorned with intricate floral arrangements that seemed to bloom perpetually.
