"My name is Alura," said the pitiful girl.
"That's a pretty name, Alura. Why are you so scared," said Sybil?
"The kids… the kids at the orphanage… they… they told me… I would be eaten…" said Alura as she began crying again.
Jurrath burst out laughing. He couldn't help himself.
"Meow, who would eat a puny halfling like you! You wouldn't even fill the gaps in my teeth. Right chef," said Jurrath.
"Hey! You're scaring her fat cat," said Sybil.
"I'm not fat, I'm big-boned," said the obviously fat cat. He had eaten very well over the past few weeks for his exemplary service to the shop.
"Hey, don't worry, Alura. We will take wonderful care of you here," said Sybil, patting the little girls head.
"Okay," said Alura.
Alura eventually got used to the shop's environment. I didn't have any tasks for her for now. I was pretty upset at the local halflings for sending me such a pitiful child. However, this young devil lord was not heartless.
She had no backing in the halfling community. So she would fall into my camp wholeheartedly. I fixed her a delightful hearty meal and got her a fresh set of clothes. This young devil lord's apprentice can not look like a pauper.
"Thanks for the meal, sir!" said Alura with her mouth full of grease.
"You are now this young devil lord's apprentice. You must carry yourself as such," I said.
"You must hold your head high with pride. This young devil lord's apprentice must be respected."
"I… I will try!" said Alura. She was adorable, attempting to sound sophisticated.
"Your first lesson will start tomorrow. Henceforth the second room is yours," I said.
~~~
I woke up Alura early in the morning. I had to teach her a bit about blacksmithing. Time was not on this young devil lord's side. She needed to be a fully functional subst.i.tute for me.
"Have you practiced any Arts?"
"No sir," said Alura
"That's good, place your hand on this book," I said as I brought out the Codex of Souls.
The Codex had the ability to do an awakening ceremony. It had limited use however and cost me many souls. The cheap book wouldn't give me any help for free.
It would awaken her to practice the Curse Dao. It was like the fel awakening ceremony, however; it was specific to Curse Dao.
A bright purple light covered her as she awakened her Dao with the ceremony.
[Alura is talented in Dream Dao. Awakening her potential.]
'I don't have any scripture's in Dream Dao. How would I a.s.sist her?'
[If the host completes the current quest, Codex will reward a Dream Dao Scripture]
Ruthless Codex, never giving me anything for free!
[If host got things for free, he would never improve.]
"Today you awaken as an Esquire, my first apprentice. Kowtow to your master," I said.
"Yes, master!" said Alura as she kowtowed.
"Your core Dao is the Dream Dao, I have no Arts in this Dao but I will get one for you soon."
"For now, practice this [Cla.s.sic Elements Scripture]."
I handed her [Cla.s.sic Elements Scripture Vol. 1 u0026 2]. It was my most comprehensive cultivation technique in Fire Dao and all races could use it.
"Only focus on Fire Dao, for now, you must learn to make Fire qi to become a blacksmith."
"You will manage the shop front from now on. In your free time, focus on improving your cultivation."
"Yes, master," said Alura.
~~~
With my apprentice in the right direction, I headed to go settle the score with Osmin. This young lord won't be taken advantage of by a lowly halfling. He dare give me some orphan when I asked for his most talented descendant. He must pay!
"Osmin!" I said as I knocked down his door.
"You dare send this young devil lord an orphan when I asked for your most talented descendant?"
"Soulless! She is very talented. The most talented one we could find on such short notice," said Osmin.
"She was thrown away by you, halflings! How dare you give this young devil lord discarded goods,��� I said.
"She even thought I would eat her when she came to see me. You have been spreading vicious rumors about this young devil lord. How will you compensate me?"
"What do you want?" Osmin said.
Osmin understood now. This devil had came to extort him! He didn't care about the descendant he sent. It was daylight robbery.
"I want mining rights to a local mine! My blacksmith shop needs a private source to fuel my craft," I said.
"You're asking for too much. We have accounted for all the mining rights around this city," Osmin said.
I released my u003cHollow Aurau003e.
"Well un-account them. This devil doesn't have all day to discuss with you, little halfling," I said.
"Sir, please withdraw your aura. This is a civilized conversation," said Osmin as he tried to keep his bowels under control.
Osmin began sweating. This devil would be the death of him! He hoped his dark mistress would visit the city soon so he would no longer be under this tyranny.
"I'll be back tomorrow for my mining rights," I said walking away burning the papers on Osmin's desk once again.
~~~
This devil. He is bold and unrestrained! My dark mistress must come soon. He wants to eat our flesh and drink our blood. Now he even demands our mining rights.
And my poor papers! Can he leave them alone?
We halflings may not have a blacksmith, but we mine. We are close to the earth. We will not submit to this tyranny.
The halflings called another forum!
"The devil now wants our mining rights!" said Osmin.
"How could he ask for mining rights? Was he not satisfied with the orphan we sent him?" said a hook-nosed halfling.
"He said he didn't want our discarded goods. The orphan even offended him because she thought he would eat her," said Osmin.
"You guys didn't even clean her up before shipping her off. This is a fault of the management. You knew better, Osmin." said an elder halfling.
"That is behind us, how will we handle this? Are we going to give him a mine?" Osmin said.
"Give him Bloodfang Hill that is infested with wolpertingers," said the hook-nosed halfling.
Wolpertings were small mutated demon beasts. Having the body of a rabbit, antlers of a stag, wings of a pheasant, and fangs of a snake.
"He will clean it out for us, when he moves on we will have a new place to dig Burroughs."
"No one has visited that hill for years, are you sure we won't offend him by giving him such a dangerous place?" said an elderly halfling.
"The bloodthirsty devil will probably be delighted, all the wolpertingers to kill," said Osmin.
"This is for the best, it will show our sincerity. That hill was one of our best mining sites before it became infested by 'that thing'," said the hook-nosed halfing.
"Then it's settled, we will give the devil Bloodfang Hill, maybe 'that thing' will take care of him," said Osmin with a grin on his face.
