“Yes, tell me what you want?” Princess Alora asked again, emphasizing her question. “Gold?” she added.
Broken replied. “I’m not really sure what I want, Princess, but maybe a blueprint would be helpful.”
“Okay, what blueprints?”
“A pickaxe. But I need a pickaxe with combat ability, something that can be used for mining and also for fighting in emergency situations,” he explained.
Alora paused for a moment before nodding. “Okay, I think a pickaxe with an Earth element would be good, since you have an affinity with it, too. Does this have something to do with your Miner class? I saw you use the pickaxe once to deal area damage and stun enemies; it seemed like a good skill.”
Broken nodded. “The pickaxe isn’t really made for combat; its durability drops quickly. So, I can’t rely on it for anything other than mining.”
Another reason was that it was a pickaxe given to him by Gia, Ivana’s mother, and he wanted to keep it in good condition for as long as possible.
“Okay, I’ll try to find a suitable blueprint for you. Anything else?”
Broken thought for a moment about what else he might need. “A blueprint for an archer class armor set.”
“Anything else?”
“No, nothing else, thanks, Princess.”
Alora nodded and then smiled. “Once I find the right blueprints for you, I’ll send them to Slumdon. And I might need a new sword too. I’ll send you the blueprint and the materials. I’m sure you can find a blacksmith workshop, a private one at the city lord’s residence, which will also be your place there.”
She added, “I know a maid who works there. She works alone as far as I know, and she’s really kind. I’m sure you’ll like her.”
Broken nodded slowly, feeling a surge of enthusiasm as he anticipated his new routine of building the city.
“When are you leaving for Slumdon?” Alora then asked.
“It will be tomorrow morning, Princess,” he replied.
“Good luck then.”
Finally, it was time for them to part ways. Broken had responsibilities to fulfill, and Princess Alora would resume her duties as before. But he knew there was still something lingering in his mind, something he couldn’t keep to himself.
“Please,” he said.
Alora tilted her head with a questioning look.
“Make sure to never go far from either Knight Lionell or Knight Mercy,” he said.
He worried about what might happen if she wasn’t with her two Knight Grand Crosses, especially after what had happened before.
“Are you worried about me?” she asked with a flat expression.
“Yes.”
Alora chuckled softly at his answer. “It’s nice to know that someone worries about me and says it directly.”
“I’m serious,” he emphasized.
“Yes, I’ll do it. I know how terrifying even a Named Demon ranked 64 can be. I’ll make sure the two of them are always near me.”
Broken then stood up, as did Alora, and they faced each other a few steps apart. “I’ll be back, Princess.”
“Take care,” she replied softly.
They stared at each other for a moment, silent and lost in their thoughts, unsure of what the other might be thinking but not saying.
Was there really nothing left to discuss? It seemed like the time had come for Broken to leave.
He nodded, turned, and walked slowly toward the door. He paused for a moment when he reached the knob and then opened it. Alora followed him to the doorway as he stepped into the corridor.
Broken bowed once more and then walked away, accompanied by Knight Mercy.
After Broken walked away, Lionell, who was still with Alora, bowed slightly to her.
“Your Highness, it was my fault, my failure. I’m so ashamed that Baron Broken had to suffer because of my mistake when you needed us the most,” Knight Lionell confessed.
“He’s not that strong yet; he struggled, he suffered, but he kept pushing through. But still, he has a lot of potential,” she said quietly.
“I believe Baron Broken is someone with qualities you can rely on, Princess. However, I agree that he has not yet reached his full potential. Is there anything I can do to help him go further?” Knight Lionell continued.
“He asked me to find blueprints for some armor and weapons,” Alora said, pausing. “I’ll prepare the details, and I need you to provide me with everything needed and later send them to Slumdon.”
“Yes, Princess, I will do that,” Lionell responded.
Alora then smiled, “I think giving him a few things he needs but doesn’t yet realize will also help,” she added.
***
The next morning, the sky was just beginning to lighten as the morning sun painted the horizon with a soft blush. Near the city gates of Dissidia Capital City, Broken stood alongside his Knights. They were waiting for the others to join them on their journey that day.
In the meantime, Broken took the opportunity to inspect the status of each knight and was quite satisfied with their progress. Lionell had truly been a great help to them. Eventually, Ivana, Freya, and Booba arrived. With an enthusiastic grin, Booba walked straight up to Broken and patted him on the shoulder.
“I’ve been working hard and leveling up these past few weeks. I’m sure after this, you won’t need Elincia and her foolish guild anymore, because I can handle everything myself, hahaha!”
he said excitedly.
“That’s such bullshit, Booba,” Freya said bluntly.
“Hahaha, yeah, I’m used to being underestimated.”
Broken chuckled at Booba’s words before turning to Ivana, who was wearing her casual dress
and smiling at him.
“I’m going to make lots of food to give out to the people in Slumdon,” Ivana said.
“Still haven’t decided to sell your food?” he asked quietly.
Freya then wrapped her arm around Ivana. “She’s so kind that all she thinks about is helping others. She really would make a perfect wife for you, Broken. What do you think?” she teased.
Broken only smiled at the comment, and then he remembered King Elandorr’s words during the Trial Domain. But he quickly pushed the thought aside.
They began making their way to the three carriages arranged for them-six knights would be in one, while Broken and the others would ride in the second, the other one would be for Elincia and her guild members.
Eventually, the last group joining them for the journey to Slumdon appeared in the distance.
It was Elincia, Maylock, Toberry, Melliandra, and Kingsley.
“Good morning, Lord Broken, Baron of Slumdon,” Elincia greeted cheerfully.
“Good morning to all of you,” he responded warmly.
He shifted his gaze toward Melliandra, but she avoided his eyes, looking away.
“So…” Elincia said. “Finally, we’ll be welcoming another big change after this. I can’t wait.”
“Let’s hurry up and get going then.” Broken responded.
With that, they climbed into their respective carriages. Soon enough, the three carriages rolled out from the city walls of Dissidia Capital City fortress.
The carriage was painted a warm shade of yellow and had a full-length glass window,
allowing the passengers to see their destination as they traveled. The seats were luxuriously soft and made of plush velvet material, making the ride comfortable and enjoyable. The interior was spacious enough to fit six passengers comfortably, and its sturdy frame ensured they would make it safely to their destination.
Broken sat with Ivana beside him on his left while Booba and Freya sat across from them.
“This game is really annoying, isn’t it?” Booba complained with a frustrated tone. “I’m so tired of having to trek across miles of land every time I want to switch cities.” “You can always play MMORPGS on your phone if you want the convenience of teleportation,” Freya suggested. “That way, you don’t have to go through all the hassle of traveling.”
“It would be great if we had the freedom to move between cities more freely!” Booba said
enthusiastically.
“But wouldn’t that make the game less realistic?” Freya questioned. Broken chimed in, “Some people can use teleportation skills, right? Even Elincia, your sister, has a skill that allows her to make long journeys easier, doesn’t she?”
Ivana chuckled and replied, “Yes, Booba, you can learn how to fly.”
Broken added, “You can fly if you have a skill like Kingsley, who can transform into a beast
with flying ability.”
Freya chimed in, “You can use your Wyvern to fly, can’t you?”
Booba laughed and said, “Hahaha, yes, but I can’t do that while sleeping, so it’s a hassle.
Hahaha…”
They laughed and talked as the carriage slowly rolled down the bumpy road, with sunlight streaming in through the windows. They shifted around to get comfortable, their
conversation light and friendly.
After about four hours, Slumdon Town began to peek over the horizon.
Out of nowhere, Booba’s words snapped Broken out of his reverie. “Broken… How much
money do you need to build the town? I’ll cover everything!”
***
Author’s Note: Volume 2 – Forging Unbreakable Bonds ends here.
Broken’s journey is far from over; there are many stories yet to be told and many secrets yet to
be revealed.
Your support helps me endure this journey. If you can, please consider purchasing the 1st tier
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joining us on this adventure. Thank you, and I love you all.