231. One Of Those

231. One Of Those

The journey back to the village was swift, and disappointingly uneventful. They had travelled through the forest, feeling a number of eyes against them, but nothing had come to slow their journey.

“Well,” Adam said. “That was easy.”

“Speak for yourself.” Lucy rubbed her horn, feeling the ridge which had formed from the arrow. “My beautiful baby, how could someone hurt you so bad.”

“Can’t we buff it out?” Adam asked.

“Buff it out?” Lucy glared daggers towards him. “I’ll buff your ears out.”

Adam’s ears twitched. “I don’t know how horns work. I’m not as horny as you.”

She narrowed her eyes at him, but let the comment be.

They had managed to return to the village within a day’s journey, though they had become exhausted after speeding up so eagerly. Luckily, Zeus had been quite the help on the way back, allowing them to travel quicker.

“You have returned,” Sarot said, welcoming back his grandnephews. “Was it fruitful?”

“Yes,” Jurot said.

“Good,” he said. “Will you tell me the story?”

They settled for the night, with Jurot telling his granduncle the story while Adam bathed before passing out.

“A Silver Strider?” Sarot asked, rubbing his chin. “The matter should not escalate considering their actions.”

Jurot nodded. “I do not know if Fate’s Golden will be able to travel that path again.”

“You should avoid it for now,” Sarot said, ruffling Jurot’s hair. “Will the core be given to the Iyr as Iytax?”

“No,” Jurot said.

“No?” Sarot asked, raising his brow. He didn’t expect Jurot to deny it. It would have brought him a great amount of honour if he handed the core over.

“I do not have it.” Jurot replied, shrugging his shoulders.

“Then who has it?”

“Adam,” Jurot replied.

“Adam?”

“Yes.”

“I see.” Sarot thought about what he knew of Adam. ‘Since Adam is Jurot’s brother, then there should be no issue.’ He wondered what kind of enchanted weapon Adam would make with a Twilight Fox core.

Omen: 7, 11

Adam groaned as he awoke in the morning. He kept a blanket wrapped around him as he sipped his tea, which warmed him up.

“I am glad you have returned safely,” Sir Vonda said. “I wished to meet you last night, but I thought you should rest.”

“Yeah, sorry,” Adam replied, sipping some more tea. “I was really tired. Exhausted, one might say.” He chuckled at his little joke.

“How did it go? Poorly?” she asked.

“No, it went quite well,” Adam said.

“You killed it?” she asked.

Adam nodded.

“Then it went poorly.” She smiled a sad smile before her scarf.

“Well, if it makes you feel any better, there was a creature which had attacked us but we left it alive,” Adam said.Th.ê most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m

“You did?” Vonda stared at the Half Elf. “That is wonderful news.”

‘It seems he’s been doing some thinking,’ Adam thought. ‘He’s caught on quick.’ Adam wasn’t sure if Sir Landon was an ally yet, but he certainly didn’t seem like a foe.

“Should we be moving so quickly?” Fred asked. “We might miss danger.”

“What would dare threaten us between the village and Ever Green?” Jurot stated, completely relaxed as they travelled the path. “Sir Merry’s presence has put pressure on anything powerful enough to lay claim to the area.”

“If you say so,” Fred said, remaining to himself.

The walls of Ever Green welcomed them in the evening, Sir Landon paying for their gate fee as they entered.

“What a nice guy,” Adam said.

Sir Landon still wasn’t sure if Adam was trying to pick a fight with him, but nodded his head and left it be.

Quest Complete: Slay Twilight Fox

+150XP

XP: 5200 -> 5350

Stamps Gained: +1

Stamps: 6 -> 7

‘I should really spend that XP, otherwise I’ll be dying with a spare level in my back pocket.’

“Did you by any chance pick up a Twilight Fox core?” Barks asked when they were alone.

“Yeah, why?” Adam asked.

“Are you willing to sell it to the Guild?”

“I would prefer to keep it,” Adam said.

Barks sighed. “Don’t you have a Nightval Bear core?”

“Someone’s been snooping on my file, eh?” Adam said. He had expected they kept detailed notes on him, and he wondered how that worked.

“No snoopery, young man. I am a Guild Worker, and it is within my right to know about the Adventurers.”

“Mhmm,” Adam said. “I hope that news of my abilities remains between the Guild and I.”

Barks chuckled, leaning back in his chair. “We wouldn’t be in business if we spilled the secrets of every Adventurer.”

“Not every Adventurer, but a few key Adventurers,” Adam stated.

“You don’t have to worry. Only those with certain access can obtain your information.”

“You’ve got that kind of access?”

“Been a Guild Worker for decades,” Barks said. “I have about as much access as your Vice Master.”

“Oh? I didn’t expect that,” Adam said. “I just thought you were a friendly old man.”

“I am a friendly old man.” Barks chuckled again. “Don’t you worry about little ol’ me.”

“Are you secretly a bad ass Adventurer who retired after his lover died in your arms?” Adam asked.

“My story isn’t quite so obvious,” Barks said. “I was an Adventurer, for a little while. I reached Bronze rank in five years and retired to become a Guild Worker.”

“So quickly?” Adam asked.

“I found myself a big fat pile o’ loot,” Barks said. “Most beautiful thing I ever saw. Gold coins, platinum coins, even bars. Pile o’ magical weapons and armour, just there for the taking. Brought it back to the Guild, sold most of it off, split it with the party, joined the Guild so no one slit my throat for the gold.”

“A wise decision,” Adam said.

“Wisest I ever made.” Barks stared at Adam. “You thought about retiring? You don’t need to go about in this dangerous world. You’ve got the skills, the connections.”

Adam smiled. “I think about it more than you know,” he admitted. “Unfortunately, I’ve got promises to keep.”

“Ah,” Barks said. “You’re one of those.”

“Yeah,” Adam replied. “I’m one of those.”

Click banner for Patreon and come join my too!

More double chapters still. Thanks to all the new patrons! I almost have 25, which might kill me with all the chapters I need to write and put out.