I finally emerged from the tomb after completing all my objectives. We had entered early in the morning, but by the time we stepped out, dusk had already begun to settle over the landscape.
I turned to Choi Ha-neul, who looked deeply moved by the conclusion of her first real adventure.
"It's getting late, and I need to return that claw anyway. Should we stop by Riverwood first?"
It was still too early to head for Whiterun. I had plenty of business to attend to in Riverwood first.
"Yes. I don't mind!"
Fortunately, she agreed.
"I'm going to drop by the general store for a bit. You go head to the inn and get some rest."
I sent Ha-neul to the inn first and made my way to the shop to hand over the Golden Claw and offload the items I'd farmed in the tomb.
I wanted to get this over with, wash up, and crash. After rolling around in a dusty old crypt all day, I looked like a complete mess.
Lucan Valerius was preparing to close shop for the day.
"Hmm... I suppose they're not coming back after all."
An adventurer had swaggered in yesterday, boasting that he would find the store's Golden Claw, but Lucan hadn't held out much hope. After all, Bleak Falls Barrow wasn't just a simple tomb; it was a labyrinth teeming with traps and monsters.
The man had seemed like a seasoned adventurer, but even so, retrieving the claw would be no easy feat.
Still, he had waited all day with bated breath, but as the sun dipped below the horizon, there was no sign of the man. Just as he began tidying up with a sigh of disappointment—
Clack.
The shop door swung wide. Lucan looked toward the entrance in surprise, only to see his sister, Camilla Valerius.
"Oh, it's just you? You got my hopes up for nothing."
Lucan's deflated reaction provoked a small flash of irritation from Camilla.
"What? Am I not allowed to come home? Besides, I could have been the one to find it."
"What! Don't tell me you actually found it?!"
"No, I didn't..."
"Sigh. Of course you didn't."
"Hmph!"
Though they bickered constantly, Lucan cherished his only sibling. A man who loved and protected his family, he had inherited the shop left by his late parents and poured his heart and soul into raising his sister.
The little girl who had been so young when their parents passed had grown into a fine adult. Not just 'fine,' in fact—she had grown so beautiful that she was the center of attention not only for the local youths but for every passing traveler.
She hadn't shown much interest in romance, so he didn't have to worry about her being heartbroken, but seeing his lovely sister always kept him on edge. He was constantly anxious that someone might approach his naive sister with impure intentions.
Currently, the two men showing the most interest in her were Faendal and Sven.
The first, Faendal, was a Wood Elf. When he first moved to Riverwood, rumors circulated that he might be a Thalmor spy. Even if that were false, Lucan had absolutely no intention of handing his precious sister over to some pointy-ear from a foreign land.
The second was Sven, the bard. He was a local Nord, but Lucan wasn't fond of a man who lived with his mother and spent his days singing songs. A man should know how to fight bravely; instruments and singing were for softies. In that regard, he actually thought Faendal was the better prospect.
Despite his harsh judgment, Lucan knew that objectively, both were decent men. Faendal was skilled with a bow and worked diligently at Gerdur's mill. Sven was a filial son who looked after the mother who raised him.
However, being a 'decent man' was relative. Skyrim was currently plagued by a surge of street thugs and jobless vagrants due to the war. Compared to those lowlifes, they were great, but they were still far from worthy of being his sister's partner.
In his eyes, she wasn't just the belle of Riverwood—she was, with only a slight exaggeration, the most beautiful woman in Skyrim, and a dutiful girl who helped him with the shop.
"I can't just send her off to marry just anyone."
"Huh? What did you say?"
"Ah... nothing."
"You were daydreaming and ignored me again, didn't you? We need to think of a way to find that claw—"
Creeeeak—
At that moment, a man looking quite worse for wear pushed the door open and entered the shop.
I stepped inside confidently, holding the Golden Claw.
The moment I entered, I spotted the Valerius siblings in the middle of a mild spat.
'Wait a minute.'
I couldn't take my eyes off Camilla.
In the game, I'd gone looking for her after hearing she was the popular local beauty pursued by two men, only to be crushed by the limitations of old graphics that made her look like a wrinkled auntie.
But the Camilla standing before me now possessed the kind of logic-defying beauty that explained exactly why the men were obsessed. Her long, dark brown hair, fair and clear skin, and slender frame highlighted her delicate and innocent charm. More importantly, her features were perfectly balanced and elegantly placed.
'Wow... with looks like that, I get it.'
I was impressed, but not smitten. My admiration was purely based on the objective surprise of her beauty. It was the feeling one gets when looking at a masterwork painting or a rare gemstone.
To be honest, Ha-neul's looks were on par with hers.
Anyway, I had no desire to get tangled in the drama between Sven and Faendal, so I feigned indifference and thudded the Golden Claw onto the counter.
"I've brought back the Golden Claw as requested."
"T-This... Oh, thank you so much! It seems a bit smaller than I remembered, but... I don't know how to express my gratitude!"
"Heavens, did you really go all the way to the ancient tomb? It's so dangerous there; I can hardly believe it!"
"Well, I wouldn't call it easy."
Getting such a reaction from them made me feel a bit smug. Still, I kept my ego in check and gave a stoic reply.
"You must have gone through a lot. I can't let you leave with just a thank you. I've made a decent profit on some items I brought in recently; please, take this!"
Lucan handed over a pouch heavy with gold. As a rule, a man never refuses offered coin.
'Judging by the weight, that's about 300 Septims.'
But better than the money was—
Ding!
[Quest Completed!]
Reward: 1 Perk Point, +10 to an Attribute of your choice.
'That's what I'm talking about!'
I smiled proudly at the completion window. In that moment, I happened to make eye contact with Camilla.
Flick!
The second our eyes met, she jerked her head away, avoiding my gaze.
'She's probably shy around outsiders.'
After that, I sold off the gems, silver platters, armor, and weapons I'd scavenged from the tomb before leaving the shop. I'd have to split the profits with Ha-neul later.
"Well, I'll be off then."
"Yes, take care!"
"Thank you..."
I headed toward the inn, happily debating how to distribute my Perk Point and stat increase.
Sitting on my bed at the inn, I meditated and finally made my choice. I put the Perk Point into Armsman, increasing my one-handed weapon damage by 20%, and put the attribute point into Health.
To test the change, I drew my iron sword and swung it. The sound of it cutting through the air was noticeably sharper. The lethality had definitely increased.
Feeling myself grow stronger bit by bit was incredibly satisfying. Solving one of the game's major early hurdles made me feel exhausted.
With that, I fell into a deep sleep, dreaming sweet dreams for the first time in a long while.
"Ngh—ah, I slept well."
Choi Ha-neul stretched as she woke up feeling refreshed. Since Mister had said we wouldn't be leaving until the afternoon, she decided to lounge in bed a bit longer.
It was the first bit of relaxation she'd enjoyed since dropping into Skyrim. She felt it was all thanks to that Mister she'd met by chance during her adventure.
'He seems like a good person.'
She doubted she'd find many people as competent and kind as him. With that thought, she drifted back into a light slumber.
I approached Faendal, who was busy splitting logs at the mill.
"Who are you? What do you want with me?"
Perhaps because it was our first meeting, Faendal stopped his work and shouldered his woodcutter's axe warily.
"I heard you're the best archer in Riverwood. Would you mind showing me a few things?"
"Ha! I don't know who told you that, but you came to the right place. Sure, I can teach you. It won't be for free, though. Pay the tuition."
"Fine. I'm in your hands."
I paid the hefty sum of 500 gold to receive instruction from Faendal. I didn't mind the cost at all since it was for my own growth, and besides, my wallet was fat from recent earnings.
"First, let's look at your stance. Keep your feet narrower than a wide straddle but wider than standing straight. Instead of holding the bow perfectly vertical, tilt it to an angle that feels right for you."
"Like this?"
"Hmm, not bad. Next—"
I lost track of time practicing my draws. Before I knew it, it was noon.
"Whew, you've improved since we started. That's about all I can teach you for now."
[Archery Skill Increased!]
Current Skill: Level 35
[Level Up!]
Current Level: 4
With just 500 gold, I had raised my skill by 6 levels, which in turn triggered an overall level up. One thing that puzzled me was that Faendal is usually supposed to be able to train Archery up to Level 50, yet here it capped at 35.
It seemed that while the NPC training cap had been lowered in this reality, the price had also become more affordable for more lessons.
"You've got a real knack for the bow. It's a waste of talent for you to stay in a tiny village like this. How about becoming my follower? I'll make sure you're well-compensated."
"I appreciate the offer, but I'll pass. This village is practically my home now."
I narrowed my eyes and looked at Faendal.
"That's the only reason?"
"What do you mean? What other..."
"Oh, really? It seems like something—or someone—is weighing on your mind..."
Faendal looked flustered, as if I'd hit the bullseye.
"D-Don't talk nonsense."
"Don't be like that, just spit it out. Maybe I can help."
Faendal hesitated for a moment before finally pouring out the love story we all know too well.
"—So, that was when our eyes met, and I fell for her at first sight."
"Ah, I see."
I gave him a half-hearted response before cutting to the chase.
"Why don't you just confess?"
"Confess? How could I?! And if she rejects me..."
"Gods, you're frustrating."
"If a man draws his sword, he should at least cut a radish. What are you going to do if another man sweeps Camilla off her feet while you're standing here?"
"Ugh..."
Faendal had no answer. After a long silence, he finally spoke up.
"You're right. That's why I've come up with a great plan. Listen, could you help me out?"
"Let's hear what this plan is first."
I had a feeling I knew exactly what it was, but I decided to listen anyway.
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