Boc the Tailor

"Hey—traveler passing by, please help me!"

Lucian pulled on Torrent's reins and slowed down.

After looking around and seeing no one in sight, Lucian knew he had arrived at the right place.

"Yes, you! Please help me!"

Lucian followed the direction of the voice.

The owner of the voice began to grow anxious.

"Why is everyone pretending not to see me? Am I really that ugly...?"

As it spoke, Lucian had already found the withered yellow sapling hidden among the green bushes.

Smack.

Lucian dismounted and slapped the little tree.

"Oh! That hurt! What are you doing all of a sudden? That's so mean!"

A cloud of gray mist rose up, and a small figure appeared where the tree had stood, lying face-down on the ground with both hands covering his face.

He wore a small leather cap decorated with sparse feathers and a little garment draped over his body.

He was covered in fur, with long, sharp claws, and looked somewhat like a large rat standing on two legs.

"Were you the one calling for help? Weren't you a talking tree just now? How did you suddenly turn into a living creature?"

"Huh? Ah, right. I was put under a spell and turned into a tree."

Only then did Boc realize it.

"So you were trying to break the spell on me. Sorry, I blamed you wrongly."

"Thank you. My name is Boc, and you've helped me tremendously."

Boc fumbled around on his body for a long while before finally pulling out ten plump mushrooms and offering them to Lucian with both hands.

"My companions in the cave don't think much of me. They drove me out and took everything I had, so I can only repay you with these... I'm truly sorry."

"It's fine. I wasn't helping you for a reward in the first place."

Lucian waved his hand and did not accept the mushrooms.

"Oh, please, you have to take them. Otherwise, I won't be at peace. My mother always taught me to properly thank those who have helped me."

Boc pleaded with Lucian.

Unable to refuse him, Lucian accepted them.

The moment Lucian took the gift, Boc visibly brightened.

"These aren't enough to repay you for saving my life. Without you, I might have been stuck here forever. Please wait a little longer. I want to sneak back into the cave and retrieve something important. Then I'll definitely be able to help you."

"But you said you were driven out. Won't it be dangerous to go back like that?"

Boc seemed to recall the days when he had been bullied, and his whole body shuddered.

"Um, I really am still scared. My legs shake whenever I think about it. But something important to me is there, and I have to get it back."

Lucian knew it was his mother's keepsake. Unfortunately, he had something to do right now; otherwise, he would not have minded accompanying Boc, if only to keep him from getting beaten up again.

After thinking it over, Lucian decided to come back for Boc later and take him to retrieve the keepsake.

"How about this? Wait here for me. I have something to take care of right now, and when I'm done, I'll come back and go with you."

"Th-this, you really don't have to do that. It would be far too much trouble for you."

"It's fine. It's settled, then. When we meet next time, we'll set off."

With that, before Boc could refuse, Lucian mounted Torrent again and continued down the road.

After Lucian left, Boc gazed at his retreating figure with emotion and muttered to himself as if encouraging himself:

"Oh, you truly are a good person. But I can't accept any more of your kindness."

"I'll definitely retrieve Mother's keepsake myself. When the time comes, please let me follow you and become your tailor, so I can repay this debt of gratitude."

Having made up his mind, Boc set off in the direction he remembered.

--

That should take care of it, right? I always liked Boc in the game. It's good if he can avoid getting beaten up.

Lucian thought.

Suddenly, a small object by the roadside caught Lucian's attention.

It looked like a telescope and had been placed in the grass beside the road.

Lucian quickly pulled on Torrent's reins and stopped.

"This is..."

It looked like the Birdseye Lens from the game. He wasn't sure, so he took another look.

"This is a Birdseye Lens. It has magic fixed upon it, allowing you to see the surroundings from the sky as though through a bird's eyes."

Melina did not appear, but her voice sounded beside Lucian's ear.

Lucian nodded. It really was that thing.

He went up to the Birdseye Lens, dismounted, and put his eye to the small opening.

At once, a bird's-eye view appeared within the lens.

"So this is how vast the view is from up high."

Everything ahead was clearly visible. Several soldiers were scattered around, camped beside the distant bridge.

Lucian moved the lens, aiming it in different directions. Behind him stood Stormveil, the solitary castle upon the cliff; to his left were the towering Erdtree and the layered hills.

To his right lay a vast lake. Lucian knew there was also a dragon there that breathed fire.

Just as Lucian was enjoying himself, an unexpected situation suddenly appeared ahead.

Beyond the distant bridge ahead, a massive caravan came into view.

"This is going to be troublesome."

There'll be another chapter later. Please give me some recommendation votes! ()