Policeman and the cat

60 - Field trip?

"I'm surprised they left us alone," Valerie noted as the last person other than them left.

Ian wasn't sure why that was surprising-- "Everyone at work usually leaves the appraisal-training group behind," he said, but rather than that-- "It is THAT shocking when food screws you the first time around."

"A good point," Valerie said. "They did look like first-timers."

Ah-- why did Ian assume they were first-timers? Well, if Valerie agreed, then yes, but it was even a tad odd that platinum ranks had not run in food like that before in that case.

"Why surprising?" Nelly asked.

"They were watching me with such fearful care all day long," she replied.

If she said that, then it was likely the truth and it did seem like the beast Amina would let out if she felt too endangered would be a hazard on their team. Likely if Valerie really was no.2 in that listing, she was strong enough to handle them, but in that case-- why play dead? No, some parts were also iffy with the prophecies then - they made it seem like killing Amina would be possible and sealing her and her items would also be possible-- and if Valerie was strong why ask for basic protection?

"You are... strong, right?" Ian asked.

"If by that you mean if I can handle all your teammates, then yes, of course," Valerie replied. "But I wouldn't get out unscathed either, it's likely I'd either lose two of my apprentices or get a bad injury, or maybe both. I'd rather avoid conflict just as much as everyone."

That made sense. There was the bounty, but from the reactions of their teammates it did not look like any of them would try to take the risk.

Answering his question of why she needs basic protection, she smiled - "Dear, I'm an alchemist, there's a difference between using any methods I have to end an opponent and fighting off basic threats to have a leisure harvesting experience."

Valerie could do the first, but not the second. It was also a matter of cost/profit. Everything they had harvested so far was profitable, yes, but Valerie said she knew spots for harvesting them more easily at less risk so to her it wouldn't be profitable to keep going down. It was still a waste (for him) to reveal the spot for the red truffles, though - because for a combat alchemist this spot would be profitable enough.

"That said," Valerie noted. "I have one piece of general advice," she said. "Did you know legendary grade regeneration makes people stop aging?"

Ian blinked. He hadn't known that. But he wasn't that-- afraid of it either, actually. Of course, no one wanted to grow old and die, but he had never really entertained ideas of immortality. That seemed like too much of a fantasy and all movies showed it had serious drawbacks as well. But lately-- did it seem like that when looking at Knox and Valerie? 

And they were undead, but they were warm to the touch, enjoyed food, had sex, pursued their interests, yet many also had their souls deteriorate - it was still all mysterious.

"A body like yours does not come to people who are averse to pain," Valerie said.

The pain was a part of the process for becoming stronger, he wouldn't say he liked it, but he didn't run from it either.

"It's not an option to alchemists in general, but you might go for it, a quarter untral is in a good position, you would normally die if your head is cut off or heart pierced, so if you play with damage at that level and fight in new dryad domains plenty, you ought to be able to to have a trait transfer from the astral body to your physical one, after that, with proper grinding - ten... no, if you are an ambrosia maker you might drive the number down far more than that, two years might be it. You could attain a fragile form of immortality in two years if you get strong opponents to kill you twenty times a day while drinking ambrosia to recover. I'd say," Valerie noted - "Prepare two barrels a day - one for drinking, other to trade for sparring, even most dragons wouldn't shirk away from that trade."