594. Life River

594. Life River

“They’re that strong?” Adam asked, chewing on a leaf which stung the insides of his mouth, the fizzy sensation running along his teeth. Twilight was beginning to creep across the camp, the group already settling down for the night.

“Yes,” Jurot confirmed.

Adam spat out the leaf and whistled. “It’s like a mini Iyr up north then.”

“No.” Jurot’s tone was firm.

“No?”

“They are not Iyrmen,” Jurot stated, his tone still firm. “They may have roots in the Iyr, but they are not Iyrmen.”

“I’m not saying they’re Iyrmen, but that they are like a mini Iyr up north.”

“They are not.”

“They’re similar.”

“In a way.”

“I’m not saying they’re Iyrmen,” Adam repeated, awkwardly. “They’re not Iyrmen.”

“Yes.”

With the conversation over, the group began to settle down for the night, with two people on watch at all times, allowing the knights, the nobles, and Adam, to rest up for the whole night.

‘These Black Rats are crazy,’ Adam thought. ‘It’s a good thing Entalia leaves them alone.’

Omen: 2, 5

“Adam.”

“Sir Landon,” Adam replied, sipping some water after finishing his salted fish.

“I would like to discuss the matter of the waterwyrm core.”

“Oh yeah?”

“I would like to offer two thousand gold for it.”

“Aren’t we already getting you a wraith core?” Adam asked. He didn’t want to give up the waterwyrm core, not when he could use it for enchanting.

“It will be in place of the wraith core.”

“Oh...” Adam blinked. “That does make sense.”

“Two thousand gold for the core and we can part at Life River. You will be free of the task, and two thousand gold richer.”

“Hmm. Jurot, what do you think?”

“It is a good deal.”

“Oh? That’s pretty cool.” ‘How do the nobles feel about that?’ Adam thought, before another thought passed through his mind. “How come its not a part of the Law of Orders?”

“It was negotiated when the law was first put into place,” Vonda explained, though she kept the threats their order made if they were included. “In war, there are a number of warriors expected to join the war effort from the various orders, at least a Master and a few Experts from each order, but our order is not expected to join in the same manner. We provide our healing to all those who require it, and as such, we send our order members onto the front lines a short while later to assist with keeping casualties to a minimum.”

“Doesn’t sound like a good idea for Aldland,” Adam said.

“We are not beholden just to the land we live in, but all the lands, even those across the seas, for that is the Mother’s will. Though it may be frustrating, we have garnered much sympathy from the surrounding lands. During times to call for peace, Aldland has gained many benefits due to our order, whether in victory or defeat.”

“Ah?”

“Our order carries weight even as far at the Confederacy, and Noska.”

“So the order is a little bit like the Iyr?” Adam asked.

“In some ways,” Jurot admitted.

“Cool.”

“I will escort you to the Adventurer’s Guild, but I must visit the order. Are we to leave tomorrow?”

“We probably will, yeah.”

“I will meet you in the morning at the guild.”

“Alright.”

The Adventurer’s Guild was about as Adam had expected, though seemed more plain in this town. However, opposite the Adventurer’s Guild was a tall building, and he spotted the symbol of Life’s Rose, that of a blooming white rose.

Vonda, and Sir Landon, went to visit the building once the group had been dropped off at the guild.

“I didn’t realise the Order of Life’s Rose was so big...”

“It holds the greatest influence in the land,” Jurot confirmed.

Adam leaned in to whisper. “If we make Vonda into a Master, you think they’ll be nice to me?”

“They will be nice to you because it is their role.”

“Do they like Elves?”

“They may hold some judgement against you due to the massacre, but they will not leave you to die if you need help,” Jurot said. “It is not their way.”

“Have they ever left someone to die?”

“If it was too difficult to assist them.”

“That’s pretty convenient, no?”

“No,” Jurot said. “If they do so because they did not wish to help, they would lose their magic.”

“Oh.”

Woke up not feeling too great since my sleep is rough again but I caught so many typos in this chapter so I'm happy.