Heart of a Scout (Lisbeth X Reader)

Live to Serve

You were back at Lisbeth's Smith Shop, feeling as if a massive weight had been taken off your shoulders. As she promised, she handed you a list of various materials she needed you to gather to fill her order. They were scattered among various floors above and below 48. Most were easy this far into the game, like mithril, some tedious yet relatively harmless, like Brave Steel, but one was a pretty rare find. Immortal Sandstone, found on Floor 58. Typically, it could be found in special collection points guarded by strong enemies. If you could get that out of the way first, the rest should be a breeze to find.

Lisbeth gave your equipment a quick check-up, then sent you on your way. She wouldn't be accompanying you for this journey. You traveled to Lindarth's teleport gate right away, thinking it would be easier to prepare on that floor's town. Once you selected Floor 58 as your destination, you found yourself enveloped in a blue light as you felt your weight shift, similar to an elevator.

Soon, you were located in the town of Sahal. Virtually no players in town were wearing heavy armor due to the heat. Even your lightweight mithril was starting to get toasty. It looked like most desert towns you'd see in RPGs: adobe buildings, water pots lining the streets, covered stalls selling exotic goods, and guards with curved swords. The market was truly the grandest part of the city. With spices, décor, unique weapons and armor, and even the occasional land charter being sold, it was a trade hub for both high- and low-level players alike.

You were definitely going to find at least one or two people willing to go out gathering materials here. After visiting all the local shops and stocking up on supplies, you looked for anyone who was planning to venture into the sandy wastes. To your surprise, it actually took a while. Most people were either not interested in gathering or had already prepared large parties. Eventually, you found someone to join your party.

It was a young girl in a red coat, accompanied by a small, feathery dragon. She may have been notable for her looks alone, but her pet was what gained her serious fame. This was unmistakably Silica, the Dragon Master. Her status popping up in the corner of your eye confirmed that. Why she had agreed of all people was beyond you, but you were grateful for any help right now. Once you had made your introductions, the two of you didn't waste any time heading out.

Outside the towering walls of Sahal, the landscape was almost impossible to navigate. The sun beat down harshly on travelers, and the terrain didn't lend itself well to moving on-foot. People figured that one out pretty quickly when the floor was first being explored. To make it easier, though, the NPCs of Sahal offered one of the few creatures in this world not hell-bent on killing people. Players could buy or rent camel mounts, which allowed them unhindered movement in the desert. They couldn't be used in dungeons, however.

Silica had rented a camel before leaving town, offering to take the reins. She'd be better suited for it with her skills. You were seated behind her with a map in your hands, while her dragon rested on her head. There were three different points where you could gather Immortal Sandstone, but you only needed one to meet Lisbeth's demands. You pointed Silica toward the closest one to town.

The journey was relatively uneventful, but seeing the rolling dunes and rising canyons was pretty nostalgic. Naturally, you had performed scouting duties here, but the floor's entire layout escaped your memory. That would happen if you didn't return to a floor for a long time. You found yourself getting lost in the atmosphere, or possibly just the heat. Either way, Silica had to snap you back to reality when she asked for more directions.

Before you could space out again, you figured now was a good time to talk about anything.

"Hey, Silica? May I ask why you wanted to join me?"

"I heard this floor is really rich in metals, so I wanted to help out a friend of mine keep her stock up."

"Does she run a business?" She couldn't mean...