NOVPUB
Chapter 164: Gifts?
The rest had joined in after.
The table was finally clean, everyone’s bellies full and satisfied, especially Zayn and Tobias, who had just finished their fifth helping.
If anyone had any doubt about their appetite, it was long gone now. Their plates looked like they’d been licked clean by wolves.
"Well," Tobias began, patting his stomach. "I didn’t come back empty-handed."
Zayn raised an eyebrow while still sipping from his cup. "Did you bring a princess wife for yourself or for me?"
Tobias gave him a sideways look. "You think anyone in their right mind would give you a princess?"
Celeste, who was seated beside him, crossed her arms. "I am a princess, you know."
Zayn sighed.
Elisse covered her mouth as she giggled. Kara snorted. Bran nearly choked on his tea.
"Let’s move on," Tobias said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Since I went to the capital, I brought souvenirs. Thought you guys deserved something."
"Ooh?" Zayn leaned in, mock-serious. "Did you bring a crown? Or a castle deed?"
Ignoring him, Tobias extended his hand toward the space beside him.
A ripple of shimmering light bloomed in the air — a portal, Tobias was summoning his inventory.
First, he pulled out a beautifully crafted staff. Its body was silvery-white, glowing faintly, and the base held a smooth amethyst gem that glimmered like a star at dusk.
"Kara," Tobias said, standing and walking over to her. "This is a staff made of Moonlight Willow. The amethyst is a circuit enhancer. It’ll double the flow in your internal channels, so your casting should be easier and stronger now."
Kara’s eyes widened in awe as she gently took the staff into her hands. "It’s beautiful... I’ve never held anything like this."
"Does that mean you’ll stop blowing up training dummies now?" Zayn teased from the side.
Kara turned to him slowly, smile sweet but deadly. "I might use you for target practice next time."
The table burst into laughter.
Next, Tobias turned to Bran. He pulled out a compact wooden box with intricate alchemical symbols etched into the surface.
Opening it revealed a set of tiny glass vials, a mini pestle and mortar, and a compact brewer — all beautifully organized.
Then, with a small flourish, he brought out a battle-worn but polished double-headed axe.
"I noticed you were tinkering with alchemy in the backyard," Tobias said. "Thought this might help. And this axe... well, I figured you could use a backup weapon. This one’s got a little surprise."
Bran blinked in disbelief. "You remembered? We only talked about alchemy once..."
"I don’t forget stuff about my party," Tobias replied with a shrug.
Zayn looked at Bran with mock offense. "You never told me about your alchemy hobby! I thought we were brothers!"
"Would’ve told you," Bran grunted, "if you weren’t always busy charming the others."
Zayn made a wounded noise and clutched his chest.
Tobias turned now to the next person.
Seren sat at the far end of the table, eyes wide and curious. Over the past weeks, she had warmed up significantly, even if she still occasionally defaulted to her venomous stare.
Today, though, she looked more like an excited younger sister than the cold, reclusive girl they first met.
Tobias reached into his inventory one last time and drew out two curved daggers.
The blades were dark as midnight, forged from obsidian serpent bone, with eerie green veins running through them.
The hilts were wrapped in black leather, perfectly sized for Seren’s small hands.
"These," Tobias said, placing them carefully before her, "were made from a rare serpent killed by an assassin in the north. The bone carries a residual venom resonance. I thought it might help you refine your control. And," he added with a wink, "they’re sharp enough to cut through an armored ogre’s hide."
Seren stared at them like they were sacred relics.
"Can I... really have these?" she asked, voice quieter than usual.
"Of course." Tobias smiled. "You’re one of us, aren’t you?"
She picked up the daggers carefully, holding them like they might dissolve in her grip.
Her lips curled into a small smile — soft, unsure, but sincere. "Thank you..."
Zayn leaned over. "I get the staff, the axe, the daggers — but what about me? Did I get... socks?"
Tobias chuckled. "It’s not your turn yet."
"Elisse, you’re up next." He said while putting his hand back in the inventory.
The soft shimmer of magical storage flickered for a moment before his hand emerged, holding a slender staff shaped like a shepherd’s crook.
Its polished, silver-white wood gave off a faint glow, and tiny, translucent particles shimmered along its length like starlight in motion.
"Elisse," he said, turning to the healer who was gently patting down Seren’s bedhead, "this one’s for you."
Elisse blinked in surprise, standing straighter as he approached. "For me?"
He nodded, handing the staff over with a small smile. "It’s called a Lumen’s Branch. They’re not common outside of temples, but I got lucky. It’ll channel healing rays better than your current staff. The crook design actually helps focus the magic into a wider area for multiple targets."
Elisse stared at the staff in awe, running her fingers along the smooth wood.
There were faint gold veins running through the grain, almost like vines etched into its surface.
"I... I don’t know what to say..." she whispered.
"Try saying thank you?" Zayn offered from where he was lounging, smiling apparently.
Elisse narrowed her eyes at him before turning back to Tobias.
She bowed her head respectfully, cradling the staff with care. "Thank you, Tobias. I promise I’ll do a much better job now."
Tobias chuckled and waved her off. "You’re already doing great, Elisse. Consider this an upgrade, not a correction."
She gave a soft laugh, cheeks warm with gratitude. "Still... thank you."
Now it was Zayn’s turn.
He straightened lazily from his slouched seat on the chair, it was finally time.
Tobias gave him a lopsided grin and pulled a small crystal from his inventory. It was oblong and faintly glowing with a pale bluish hue.
The size of a chicken egg, it pulsed gently in his palm.
Zayn raised an eyebrow, eyes narrowing slightly as he sat up straighter. "That’s... not a weapon."
"Nope," Tobias said with a grin. "This one’s special. It’s an Echo Crystal."
