Chapter 7: Babbling Broker and the Symbol-Scrambled Signals
Ethan knew he was running out of time. The distorted label above Lady Elara's head was a constant reminder of the shadow creature's insidious influence. He needed "Purifying Spit," and he needed it now.
But with only 16 Reputation Points to his name, he was still four points short. He needed a reliable source of income, something more consistent than manipulating Sergeant Gruff with singed plants.
He scanned the nursery, his eyes searching for inspiration. There had to be something he could exploit.
Then, he noticed a small, intricately carved wooden toy lying on the floor. It was a miniature replica of a Gamemaster's workbench, complete with tiny tools and scrolls.
An idea sparked in his mind. A risky, potentially lucrative idea.
He started to cry. Not a loud, attention-grabbing wail, but a soft, mournful whimper. He directed his gaze towards the toy, conveying a deep sense of longing and despair.
Lady Elara, who was attempting to decipher a complex Aethelgardian recipe (something involving fermented goblin berries), immediately rushed to his side. "Oh, little Ethan, what is it? Are you sad?"
Ethan continued to whimper, pointing at the toy with a trembling finger. He made a series of plaintive baby sounds, emphasizing his desire for the object.
Lady Elara picked up the toy and examined it. "Do you want this, little one? But it's just a toy. You have so many other toys."
Ethan continued to cry, his whimpers growing louder and more insistent. He knew he was pushing his luck, but he had to commit to the performance.
Lady Elara sighed. "Alright, alright. I'll tell you what. If you stop crying, I'll let you play with it. But only for a little while."
Ethan immediately stopped crying. He stared at the toy with rapt attention, his eyes shining with feigned excitement.
As Lady Elara placed the toy in his hands, Ethan focused his mental energy, summoning a small, almost imperceptible droplet of drool. He aimed it at one of the tiny scrolls attached to the workbench.
Then, he launched.
The droplet landed on the scroll, dissolving the delicate parchment and revealing a faint, shimmering inscription. Ethan strained to decipher the inscription. It was written in an ancient, long-forgotten language.
Suddenly, the SYSTEM chimed in.
SYSTEM: HIDDEN OBJECT DETECTED!
SYSTEM: ANCIENT GAMEMASTER'S SCROLL - CONTAINS VALUABLE INFORMATION ABOUT LOST GAMING TECHNIQUES. VALUE: UNKNOWN.
Ethan blinked. He had stumbled upon something significant. Something that could be worth a lot of Reputation Points.
He looked at Lady Elara, who was now distracted by her goblin berry recipe. He needed to find a way to translate the scroll and unlock its secrets.
But how? He couldn't exactly ask Lady Elara to teach him ancient languages. He was a baby!
Then, he remembered the SYSTEM: SHOP. He focused his mental energy and accessed the interface.
He scrolled through the Information category, searching for anything that could help him decipher the scroll.
He found it.
SYSTEM: "LINGUISTIC LINKER (BABY EDITION)" - TEMPORARILY GRANTS THE USER THE ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND AND COMMUNICATE IN ANY LANGUAGE, BUT ONLY THROUGH BABY BABBLE. (WARNING: MAY CAUSE EXTREME FRUSTRATION)
The skill cost 5 Reputation Points. He had enough.
He mentally selected the skill and confirmed the purchase.
SYSTEM: SKILL "LINGUISTIC LINKER (BABY EDITION)" ACQUIRED!
A surge of energy washed over him. He could suddenly understand the complex Aethelgardian recipe that Lady Elara was struggling with. He could understand the whispers of the wind rustling through the trees. He could even understand the frantic chirping of the birds outside the window.
But all he could say was "Goo goo ga ga."
He focused on the ancient inscription on the scroll. He strained to decipher the symbols, channeling his newfound linguistic abilities.
The symbols swam before his eyes, rearranging themselves into coherent words. He could understand the language!
The scroll contained a description of a lost gaming technique known as "The Dream Weaver." It allowed Gamemasters to enter the dreams of their players and directly influence their thoughts and emotions.
The technique was incredibly powerful, but also incredibly dangerous. It could easily be used to manipulate and control others.
Ethan realized that he had stumbled upon something truly significant. Something that could change the fate of Aethelgard.
He looked at Lady Elara. Above her head, the label was still distorted, a jumble of nonsensical symbols.
[#@%& E|@r@ - Duti>u| M0th3r. Leve| 30]
He knew that he had to protect her. He had to find a way to cleanse her of the shadow creature's influence.
He had to earn those last four Reputation Points.
He began to babble. Loudly.
End Chapter 7