Chapter 968: Trade
Izroth sheathed his Sword of the Storm and returned the Obsconis Hunting Dagger to his inventory.
Upon seeing Izroth's actions, Sorkoza reigned in his oppressive aura and took a moment to size up Izroth properly.
Initially, Sorkoza bothered to catch a small glimpse of Izroth as he was not interested in some young human of unknown origins. However, after he displayed that strange armor, resisted his aura, and now sheathed his weapon, Izroth managed to catch the Duke's attention.
"Human, you, too, are barred from setting foot into my territory. I do not welcome those who cause trouble." Sorkoza stated calmly.
"That's a bit troublesome. Taking a detour would consume too much time. As long as there is no threat against me, I have no intention of causing trouble in your territory. On that, you have my word. I only wish to pass through unobstructed." Izroth replied in a carefree manner.
"Hmph, what is your word worth? You humans are good at spewing flowery words when it suits you. But, in my experience, humans often say one thing and do another. Besides, I have no reason to allow you passage through my territory. Whether or not it takes you longer to reach your destination has nothing to do with me."
"A man without his word is nothing. Naturally, if I give my word, I intend to keep it. As for me passing through your territory, while it's true that reaching my destination has nothing to do with you, that does not mean there is no benefit to you."
"Oh? And just what benefit might that be? I'll warn you now if you're talking nonsense, don't blame me for losing my patience." Sorkoza said with a cold gaze as he narrowed his eyes.
Vincent inwardly mocked Izroth. He was still upset after watching his young lord's treasured sword being destroyed right before his eyes, and listening to Izroth's words made him somewhat gleeful.
"This ignorant guy must not know the Duke's personality. If he does say some nonsense, he won't walk away from this place with his life. If that happens, when the young lord wakes up, he may be willing to overlook our failures." Vincent thought to himself.
Once Aurelius awakened from his unconscious state, Vincent knew that his wrath would not be far behind. This was even more so after he eventually learned of the Sword of Twin Nature's destruction. Without a doubt, Vincent and the soldiers under him would be among the first to face Aurelius' outrage.
At the very least, if they could recover the sixth princess and Izroth lost his life here, perhaps Aurelius would overlook their shortcomings. There was even a chance that they may actually be rewarded!
As Vincent was lost in his thoughts, Izroth had other things running through his mind.
He considered fighting Sorkoza head-on was an option; however, since Izroth did not sense any killing intent from the Duke, he chose against that method unless it was absolutely necessary.
He could also use Molding Earth to tunnel underneath Duke Sorkoza's territory. But, there was another method Izroth thought of that may possibly work and did not require taking a detour or engaging in an all-out battle.
"I suggest a trade. So long as you allow me to pass through your territory, I am willing to give you something someone of the skounae may find a little helpful. Of course, I will keep my word about not causing trouble, intentionally, that is." Izroth stated as he held out the palm of his hand.
Izroth's words caused Sorkoza to frown. Even if it was something that someone of the skounae race may find helpful, how good could it be coming from a young human? Not to mention, the Vretis were different from normal skounae in some aspects. What benefited one would not necessarily benefit the other. Still, Sorkoza was curious about this young human due to their ability to maintain a calm demeanor. He was not sure if this human was truly confident or just arrogant; however, Sorkoza was not completely uninterested in seeing what he had to offer.
The following moment, a small black and white cube the size of one's fist appeared in the palm of Izroth's hand.
On the cube's surface were various inscriptions carved in black on the white side of the cube and white on the black side of the cube. These inscriptions were of unknown origins; however, upon closer inspection, one would feel a breathtaking aura of life and death exuding from the object.
Sorkoza studied the cube in Izroth's hand. But, even with all his years of life and experience, it was the first time he saw such characters. Still, for some reason, even though the inscriptions were completely foreign to him, they felt vaguely familiar and almost comforting.
"This is..." Sorkoza muttered to himself.
In the blink of an eye, the Duke disappeared from where he stood and reappeared directly in front of Izroth.
"?!"
Those present were taken aback by the Duke's sudden movement and seemingly inquisitive nature toward the object in Izroth's hand.
As for Izroth, despite the Duke's abrupt change in locations, he did not flinch nor take an aggressive stance.
"Human, are you not afraid I will snatch your item and give you nothing in return?" Sorkoza inquired as he carefully examined the cube.
"You are welcome to try. But whether or not you'll be able to do so successfully is a different matter. Also, you don't seem like the kind of person who would forcibly take what rightfully belongs to others." Izroth responded casually.
Vincent felt a chill run down his back as he broke out in cold sweats. Whether or not he'd be able to do so? Was this guy insane?! How could he speak to the Duke in such a bold manner? It was okay if he had a death wish, but was there a need to drag them down with him?!
Ranazera was also surprised by Izroth's fearless choice of words.
He may have been able to overwhelm Aurelius, but Duke Sorkoza was on an entirely different level, as seen by how effortlessly he handled Aurelius' out-of-control sword skill.
If a fight were to truly break out or the Duke tried to snatch the item in Izroth's hand, there was nothing present capable of stopping him from doing so.
However, to everyone's surprise, the Duke did not erupt into a fit of rage. Instead, an even more bizarre incident took place as a light smile formed on his face.
"I am many things, but a thief is not one of them. Tell me, what are the origins of this cube? Why does it feel strange and distant yet familiar and close to me?" Sorkoza asked curiously.
"Its origins are a mystery. But, what I can tell you is that it is something that can help you and other Vretis. It still has its uses for me, so I am somewhat reluctant to part with me. Though I am sure the true nature of this item will only shine when it finds those it has a connection with." Izroth answered.
The item Izroth revealed to Sorkoza was one he found in Ourami's treasure room back in the Ancient Celestial Realm. It was a relic known as the Sphere of Morning Totality.
One of the most unusual things about this item was that despite having the word sphere in its name, it was in the shape of a cube. However, Izroth believed that its cube form acted as a dormant state of sorts. Once it demonstrated its true power, only then would it show its true form.
'I have already studied this item ostensively. It is not suitable for humans to use. It may indeed have some unknown benefits in the future, but its practical use is too limited. Also, perhaps it may help resolve that long plaguing issue of the skounae. Or, to be precise, the Vretis.'
The Sphere of Morning Totality was a relic of the Ancient Celestial Realm with a fascinating effect. It allowed its user to split their bloodline in two—one light and the other darkness.
The light represented the superior side of one's bloodline, while the darkness depicted one's impurities. In theory, it could help unlock the true potential of one's bloodline.
The reason this item was not too useful for Izroth or other humans had to do with the fact that humans were not creatures defined by their bloodlines like most other races in RML. Therefore, its value was not that high outside of extreme situations.
But, for the skounae, especially one of the Vretis, this item could be seen as a priceless treasure!
"Interesting...! How interesting...!" Sorkoza commented as if he had discovered something within the Sphere of Morning Totality.
Although he did not know its exact effects, Sorkoza was able to unlock a few of its secrets just by observing the inscriptions on its surface. This was a precious item that was not too useful for humans but infinitely valuable for the Vretis!
"Human, as long as you give this item to me, not only will I allow you safe passage through my territory, I am also willing to hand over another treasure in return," Sorkoza stated in a pleased tone.