Curse

Seeing the Red Dragon's confused gaze, Luna Bloodfeather knew he had misunderstood.

"Respected True Dragon, it's not that I've been cursed," she gritted her teeth, "but that the Harpy race has placed a curse upon me."

Jose frowned.

Dragons had a long history, being one of the oldest species in the Multiverse, but their arrival in the material planes was only tens of thousands of years ago. When the dragon race migrated to the Tydanore plane, many of the species that existed now had not yet been born, including Harpies.

According to the records of the Dragon Heritage, Harpies were born over six thousand years ago in the early Third Era. At that time, the Elven Dynasty had just defeated the Dwarves and Goblins and was in a period of vigorous development. High Elves, full of curiosity, actively explored outwards.

Among these High Elves, there was a mysterious organization composed of a group of arrogant Mages who actually attempted to steal the power of Deities. Not the wild gods worshipped by the island natives, but true Deities who held a place in the Pantheon.

Although this group of High Elf Mages was insane, they still possessed basic rationality. They did not steal from Deities in a normal state, but from an unfortunate being who was heavily injured and close to falling.

Undoubtedly, those mad Mages messed up, but they also succeeded in killing the already weakened, unfortunate Deity. The Deity's immense hatred before death transformed into a vicious curse, with the target naturally being the culprit who killed them.

All the male High Elves in the Mage organization died. The female High Elves grew feathers, their originally fair hands transformed into bird wings, and their legs became withered eagle claws, becoming the current appearance of Harpies.

Jose's expression was somewhat complex. He never expected Luna Bloodfeather to make this request; this was a curse left by a Deity.

"Why do you believe I have the ability to resolve the curse on you?!"

"You are very special, and I am willing to take a gamble," Luna Bloodfeather said with a self-deprecating smile. "To be honest, ever since I learned that I should have been an Elf, becoming an Elf again has become the greatest wish of my life."

Jose didn't want to discourage someone who held such a dream.

After a long silence.

"If I heard you correctly just now, you said you wanted me to personally lift the curse when it's within my ability, right?"

"That's right."

"Alright, I accept your condition."

The Harpy exchanged early investment for help after her growth; it was a fair deal.

A moment later, Jose's third Familiar was born, and the Bloodfeather Clan was successfully incorporated under his command.

Accompanied by his new Familiar, Jose flew between the cliffs, observing the condition of the Harpy tribe.

"Luna, how many people are in your tribe, and how many combatants do you have?"

"Reporting to Master, the Bloodfeather Clan has sixty-four Harpies including myself, with five combatants. Besides me, there are four Initial Stage Warriors. Those two are elite scouts I brought from the Red Nest."

"I want you to send three Harpies to assist my Familiar – the Bloodtooth Kobold Tribe – in hunting. As compensation for delaying your hunting, you can take a portion of the prey."

With the Master's request and compensation, Luna Bloodfeather naturally would not refuse. "As you wish."

"Also, instruct your tribespeople to monitor the Graytail Centaur Tribe while active on the grasslands, collecting intelligence on them, including their internal power structure, food storage locations, and who they interact with."

Jose noticed his accompanying Familiar hesitated. "What? Is there a problem?"

"Master, have the Graytail Centaurs offended you?"

Luna Bloodfeather paused. "The Graytail Centaurs are allies of the Bloodfeather Clan. We provide them with news of caravans on the grasslands, and they leave food for us. One-third of the Bloodfeather Clan's food comes from the Graytail Centaurs."

"Heh," Jose then remembered that Harpies were also a notorious bandit race. The two groups of bandits working together for mutual benefit made perfect sense.

"It's not that they've offended me, but they blocked my path."

"I will immediately sever ties with the Graytail Centaurs!"

"No! You continue your cooperation! And even closer cooperation!"

Seizing such a good opportunity to infiltrate the enemy's interior, Jose wouldn't let it go. "At a critical moment, we can coordinate from the inside and outside. Also, tell me what you know, especially about their Khan."

Luna Bloodfeather lowered her head to organize her thoughts, then looked up. "The Khan of the Graytail Centaur Tribe is Mudakhan Graytail. He is an Intermediate Stage Warrior. I have dealt with Mudakhan Graytail many times, and he gives me a dangerous feeling. I estimate he is close to breaking through to the Advanced Stage, and he also has a genuine Advanced Stage Warrior brother."

"Advanced Stage Warrior? Brother?" Jose looked at his Familiar in confusion, awaiting further explanation.

"That's right, he does have an Advanced Stage Warrior brother named Hamur Graytail. Hamur Graytail did not stay in the tribe; he joined a Centaur bandit group and 'hunts' on the great grasslands. However, his connection with the tribe has not been severed, and he returns to the tribe every year to spend the winter."

Luna Bloodfeather continued, "Furthermore, the Graytail Centaurs also have contact with the Blackwater Merchant Guild. Most of the spoils they plunder are sold through the channels of the Blackwater Merchant Guild."

As expected, no tribe that could thrive on the grasslands was simple, Jose thought. However, compared to the Centaur natives, he was more wary of the Blackwater Merchant Guild.

In the war-torn grasslands, merchant guilds were more than just organizations of merchants. Without sufficient military protection, not only would the savage natives of the grasslands eliminate you, but even commercial competitors would make you disappear into the vast grasslands.

"How much do you know about this Blackwater Merchant Guild?"

"I've only met those merchants once and bought some things from them. I only know they come from Sun Sail Port in the east."

Sun Sail Port, the city of a thousand sails, a land of flowing gold and silver, a fertile ground of hope. It is the terminus of one of the only two sea routes connecting the human world to the northern grasslands, and the starting point for the wealth of the grasslands flowing into human society.

Jose pondered for a moment. The possibility of close ties between the Centaurs and the Blackwater Merchant Guild was unlikely; it was probably just a simple business cooperation. However, this cooperation was enough to spread news of his existence to human society, thereby leading to immeasurable consequences.

Attacking the Centaur tribe must be done with caution.

As he flew, Jose spotted a peculiar bird's nest. This nest was larger than other bird nests, with banana leaves draped over the top for rain protection. The branches serving as supports were also adorned with blue and white flowers.

This overwhelming Elven aura unmistakably belonged to his Familiar's private chamber.

He glanced at Luna Bloodfeather. With food still not abundant, she had gone to great lengths to decorate her nest. It seemed her wish to become an Elf was truly strong.

"Huh?!"

Jose noticed something sparkling in the nest. "There's even a mirror."

"Haha, I bought this from a human merchant for three gold coins," Luna Bloodfeather said, a smug look on her face as if she'd gotten a great deal.

Jose felt a pang of pain in his teeth.

Three gold coins for a mirror?!

That was more profitable than robbery!

He was beginning to understand why the nobles south of the Karakoram Mountains were willing to forge trade routes at any cost. Faced with such immense profits, who could resist?