Chapter 83 - Ship Shopping

'System! Contact the Augur!'

I was laying on the bed in 'Candlehearth Inn' while thinking about something with a serious face.

{How can I help you?}

'I want you to scan my body?'

{What are we looking for?}

'I don't know, maybe a black hole in my stomach, or an exotic creature that eats all the food there.'

The Augur wrnt silent for a few seconds and then replied, {You consume more food than usual. I will start a scan but I guess the reason may be related to the current date as it is around the 22nd of Midyear (June).}

'What are you saying? Is there something related to the date?'

{It is not that big of a deal but for some reason, your body is having some changes, it may annoy you but you will feel hungr much faster than your usual normal condition, and the condition has a chance to remain this way until the next six months. My 'Astral Extension' will add a widget for you to measure your hunger rate so you can adapt to a certain amount of foof every day from now on...}

'Wo Wo Wo, hold on just a minute. You are making speculation based on what? What's wrong with me?'

{Wrong? Completely the opposite, you are as healthy as a horse. And if not for your Astral Damage condition, you would have shown a strength higher than your league by leaps and bounds. The current hunger condition, however, is not an illness. I can make some guesses but the most possible one is because you are still under 16 year of age which is also the puberty age of young giants. They have the same symptoms of a strong hunger and a short temper only half a year before they reach their 16th year.}

What is this rude guy saying?

'Do I look like a giant to you?'

{You don't, but your Firemane Clan does.}

'Wait a minute? You are saying that the Firemane people have the giants blood lineage?'

{Exactly?}

'That explains why I and cousin Bjorna are not as tall as these freaks, but I thought their blood lineage had something to do with the [Fire Resistance] in my status or something to do with taming.'

{Giants are known to be the only race that can tame Mammoths and grind their bones. Maybe your clan has two blood lineages. And speaking of which, my 'Astral Extension' is already done with scanning your body. Please check your status.}

Guh! Fine.

'Status!'

◆■◆■◆■◆■◆■◆

● Name: Jon Dare

● Race: Human (Nord)

● Age: 15

● Level: 18

● Attributes:

. Health: 155/155

. Stamina: 110/110

. Magicka: 520/520

●Active Effects:

Astral Damage: 16%

Hunger: 23%

◆■◆■◆■◆■◆■◆

●Magic:

.+Mysticism

.+Alterations

.+Conjunction

.+Destruction

.+Illusion

.+Restoration

.×Special Powers:

. ▶Racial (Nord)

. ▶Standing Stone (Shadow Stone)

. ▼Blood Lineage (Firemane): Awakening

. <Resis Fire>

. <???>

.+Thu'um

◆■◆■◆■◆■◆■◆

●Saved Data:

.+Skyrim_landscacape

.+Crushed_enemies

.+Butchered_lyrics

.+Cute_Nefertiti_pics

.+New_Folder

◆■◆■◆■◆■◆■◆

'My hunger is already 23%? I was fully bloated just an hour ago!'

{It is only natural, I will send you a list of the best suited diet for you.}

'Thanks! There is also the thing about the 'Awakening' word beside the blood lineage. Your guess is probably correct.'

{That's only natural!}

'What will it be like in the end?'

{It depends on you. Maybe an interesting mutation may accidentally happen.}

'Don't jinx it!'

Sigh!

This is really annoying!

I mean, a second puberty in the same body will sure make everyone laugh at me.

Let's just think of something pleasant!

'What is the situation in the College?'

{Some people in unusual clothing came to the college with a very talented girl lately. The girl received a lot of invitations from some teachers but she declined them with no second thought. Her target seemed to be Senior Nurina. Maybe your adoptive mother is going to take a new disciple!}

'Oh! So I am having a junior sister, huh! Is she cute?'

{By normal standards, she is already as popular as you when you first arrived.}

'Good!'

{She is also asking around for a man called Darth Vader.}

'...... Fuck! Why her?'

{Do you perhaps know about the person she is talking about!}

'Nope, leave me alone!'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After we finished the conversation, the Augur sent me my new diet plan.

"Why am I not surprised?"

The best way to put down the hunger is to eat Mammoth meat. It is considered one of the most expensive kinds of meat in Skyrim and it is very nutritious.

I only ate it on very few occasions and the last one was in the 'Blue Palace' after the tournament. But I didn't like the idea of killing Mammoths or Sabercats. Those two cool creatures were considered extinct in my past life so I somewhat think highly of them.

And I haven't seen a living mammoth yet, not even once, but one day I will surely not just see one, but will also ride it.

After resting with Jull, we decided that it was about time to eat dinner and so I ordered a mammoth stew.

Such an expensive order would grab a lot of attention in the inn's lobby so we decided to eat in our room.

Jullanar was charmed by the aroma of the stew and I ordered some raw mammoth meat for Nefertiti. It was really something to look forward to.

As we were about to start digging in, someone very rude knocked on the door of my room.

"Who is it?"

"Boss, I am Merdiv!"

Oh! So they finished up selling the stuff already.

"Come in!"

"Excuse me!"

As soon as he came in, he lagged on the delicious aroma of the stew.

"Ehem!" Jull who was glaring at him cleared her throat.

"Oh! Boss! Captain Ongeim sent me to tell you that all the loot was completely dealt with.and the coin was was loaded on the ship. Here is this paper, it has everything written in details." Ongeim's vice-captain handed me a paper.

"Thank you, you may leave now." Jull, however, was kicking him out.

"Yes, my lady." The young man made a respectful nod and left.

I unrolled the paper and couldn't help but grin. This was some fortune.

"Two thousand Gold Septim! That was indeed something!"

"Really?"

"Look, most of the coins came from the exchanging of the Ancient Nordic coins we found, some gems fetched out a high price too."

"We became rich?"

"We were already rich!"

"Haha!" Jull's mood already became better and started eating the mammoth stew with a wide smile.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next day was a very important day. Why? Because we are ship shopping.

I woke up early then dragged Jull and Ongeim to the docks. There were a lot shipbuilders over there who worked for the East Empire Company.

Making an order was simple. I talked with the chief carpenter who was a bit stubborn and reluctant at first but he was no match for my sketchbook.

Once he saw the designs I have, the blood and soul of a craftsman that dwelled within him started burning and asked for a copy of the ship sketch I have but he only had to agree and build me what I asked for.

The reason for his refusal at first was due to my looks. Even though I am slaying it wherever I go, I still have the face of a 15 years old brat. No one of those who doesn't know me would take me too seriously.

There was another reason and it was me requesting a ship with an Imperial design from a Nordic craftsman.

He was just too stubborn when he heard me at first, but when he checked out the design, he figured that it only took the Imperial design as a base and the rest was something else.

The ship was the normal wooden ship from my past life, it only had a higher deck the usual.

The deck was not actually a deck, it was a roof that had two turrets, one in the front and one in the back.

Turrets are not actually something known in this world but I designed a turret and magic cannons that work on Soul Gems, the cannons shoot 'Fireballs'.

In fact they are actually staves but I had a certain design in mind to lessen the Magicka consumption, also the turrets are really easy to spin and move around.

The roof was not completely covering the actual deck as robes and people could easily move through, sails were also controllable by using spinners and ropes.

One of the most important features was the ship's 'Ram'.

'The Ram' is a gigantic metal drill that is fixed in front of the ship between the Keel and the Forepeak.

[A/N: Keel- a long fixed fin at the bottom of the boat that aids in stabilization.

Forepeak : a front protrusion of the ship used as a platform for crew operating sails on the bowsprit.]

Apart from that, I left the sail design for the shipbuilders, I don't have much experience in this area.

The ship was a Brig type and I wanted to order two of it.

The chief carpenter said that he can only start on only one right now and will finish it by the next month. The price was argued about for a while but I was satisfied from the start.

Leaving the office of the chief carpenter, I had some plans in mind so I took Jull and wallked back to the city.

While I was walking, I met a certain old friend that I haven't met for almost half a year.

"Jon boy?"

"Uncle Glover?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Glover Mallory, Delvin's younger brother, he is one of the thieves I grew up in their care.

He is a very crafty and smart thief, yet he is always quiet and likes to keep it to himself.

He is also an expert blacksmith and one of the few who knew the technique of crafting and fixing 'Bonemold' armors.

"It has been a while, old man."

"Hehe! Who are you calling old you brat? look at you, you smell like a lot of money now. Let me guess, hmmm! That's some thousand gold... you dog!"

"Haha, and you smell like a measly hundred gold!"

"You sure still can sniff right!"

"Hahaha!"

"Hahaha!"

"Who is that?" Jull looked at Glover and asked.

"Oh Jull, this is Glover! Glover, Jull! He is a senior of mine at my previous work. And she is my attendant!"

"Attendant? You sure have a lot of money now! The last thing we heard about you was you magically becoming a Thane in Winterhold, how did you pull that one out?"

"Hehe! Just as you said, 'Magically'!"

"Oh! That sure sounds like a grand tale but it seems like I have to hear it another time."

"Why not? Come to the tavern and let's catch up!"

"I am afraid my ship is going to sail in an hour, I found a new job outside Skyrim and I'll just move over there?"

Oh! So it's that thing then.

"Are you by any chance heading to Morrowind?"

"Not exactly, not the mainland at least."

"Solstheim?"

"Yes!"

"Did anyone bother you?"

"No, I just can't stay around Riften anymore."

"I see!"

He was willing to go by all means.

I also know the reason.

After a fast catching up with him, we parted ways and he went to the docks.

What a poor soul!

He must be feeling so much guilt.

The story of Glover is not known to many players but some may know it. He is not one of the NPCs that would leave a big impression unlike his charismatic brother Delvin after all.

In the game, he made an appearance in the DLC expansion, 'Dragonborn'.

Many years ago, Glover Mallory went on a job near some village but an accident happened and he had to hide in some barn.

A woman found him and they fell in love, blah, blah, blah! One year later, he found out that his wife is pregnant and chickened out!

After that he ran from the village and his wife, never to be seen again.

Many years later, Brnyjolf recruited a new member to the guild and that was the daughter.

Those who played the game knows her as 'Sapphire', a very annoying and grumpy girl.

However, when Glover saw Sapphire, he recognized her and felt so much guilt. He could only do what a thief can do best.

Run!

Just like many years ago, he ran away again. Not from responsibility, but from guilt.

"Sigh! Life!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-Bonus-

▪Don vs Jon.

"Hey Big Don, give me some action chapter." (Jon)

"Nope!" (Don)

"Side Novel?" (Jon)

"Nope!" (Don)

"Bigger Chapter!" (Jon)

"Nope!" (Don)

"You traitor, so the rumors are true. you are making a new novel of a MC with a badass background."

"Humph!" (Don) *Grins while fixing the glasses with a finger*

"That's it, FUS RO DAH!" (Jon)

"Nice try boy!" (Don) *presses backspace*