Chapter 210: Problems In The City of Gloria ( Boaz )

Breakfast.

One could say it was the most important meal of the day, and others wouldn't even have the time for it. Boaz the Guardsman would have fell more on the latter group, and today, he was grouchy—although that might be a regular thing for him.

He passed the bowl of mashed beets and leeks to his friend Ryden.

The Guardsman-Diplomat was spending some time with his old buddy in the clinic. Other Guardsmen and Guardswomen were also here, but one by one they were getting discharged. If there was anyone who was gravely injured—it was this guy, but he acted like his injuries were nothing.

Whether that was a good thing or a bad thing, he didn't know.

Regardless he was here.

His friend began to eat, but then gave him a look, "You mean to say that Thief kid managed to escape your grasp yesterday? Geez, that wouldn't have happened if I was there. You need to step up your game, standing at the city gates isn't doing you any good eh?"

"Shut it, there were a lot of people—it was hard to maneuver in the crowd. There was nothing I could do about it, maybe I'll gain [ Detect Criminals ] if I'm lucky because that boy slipped into the shadows like it was nothing." Boaz grumbled and leaned back against his chair. "It would have been possible if those two outside the Mage Guild actually stopped him, but they let the boy pass."

"Well, not everyone's going to intervene you know?" Ryden shrugged. He scooped up another spoonful of his breakfast and then grimaced, "It was none of their business."

"It's not people's business unless they're the one who gets mugged."

"Yeah!" Ryden stretched his back, "Well, once I get out, I'll help ya catch the kid. Mind you, I actually like that I'm getting compensated while I'm recovering here, it's pretty easy." An indolent smile formed on his lips.

One of Boaz's eyes twitched, "It isn't a surprise that you're willing to be lazy and sit around here. Still, wouldn't one of the Healers be checking up on you and see if you're actually good to start working?"

"Eh, there's a lot of us, you know?" Ryden shrugged. "I don't want to be a bother."

Boaz folded his hands together and gave the man a sharp look, "Weren't you supposed to have a better Healer—most got poisoned by the Assassin, but you were literally thrown into a wall and picked yourself back up to fight and help out. Your injuries are more grave and I'm just glad that you can still stand."

"Well, it was nothing, duty calls and I do it. But as for the Healer, well I got the Head Healer checking up on my bones, but his attention is on our patient two doors down from us. Very important person." Ryden waggled his brows, and smirked. "If you know what I mean."

Boaz gave him a flat look, "No, I do not get what you mean."

"We have Cleric Jeanne Orleans there—I think the Head Healer likes her, well who wouldn't?" Ryden grinned and placed his bowl on the table. "If only she wasn't in the Order and Temple of Eemis... I actually saw her when I snuck out of the room? I swear, she would have fallen for my charms if that Healer didn't make me go back here. Just one more minute was all I needed—"

"You left this room to see her?"

"Duh."

Boaz took a sharp inhale, "If you weren't injured—I would have already hit you in the head."

"Well, it doesn't actually hurt when you do."

If Ryden wanted to compare their strength together, that was enough of an example. Boaz sighed inwardly, "...I'm leaving. Deliah's shift is about to end so I have to replace her at the gates." He picked himself up and threw one last look at his colleague. "I'll visit you once my shift is done, is there anything you want?"

"Those meat skewers at the Market Street—you know which stall, best beef in all the city?"

"Are you even allowed to eat that?"

"I don't remember my stomach getting injured that I can't eat what I want."

"Alright," Boaz made his way to the door.

"Say hi to Deliah for me!"

Boaz stopped in his tracks and threw a look at Ryden, he narrowed his eyes at him. "Is seeing the Cleric not enough?"

"Woah, easy there—I'm just saying hello," A short chuckle escaped his lips and he raised his hands up the air, "No need to chew me out, bud. She's all yours."

"She's not mine," Boaz grumbled.

"Yeah, different shifts make it hard."

"I didn't even say that I was inte—" He shook his head, "You know what, see you later."

And so Boaz left the clinic, passing by other Healers and Helpers in the clinic and then heading to the Guardsman City Base. It was a day-to-day ordeal for him, logging in and then spending most of his days stationed at one of the entrances of the city. An average, tiring but decent job.

But perhaps to simply call it average didn't fit it that well now.

At least in these times, being a Guardsman was no longer a job that was unimportant and background. Sure there might be some pesky Thieves and Gangs still littering about the City of Gloria but that wasn't all that the Guardsmen needed to do.

He and the others ensured that the City was safe from all threats.

And when he meant all threats, he really did mean everything.

Boaz walked through the streets of the city and watched the other people get on with their daily lives, but it wasn't right to say that there was complete peace. There was tension and friction in the air that made everyone at unease.

The people might have continued to do their work and try to get on with their lives, but it didn't change the fact that a Colossal Wyvern had attacked not only their city but multiple villages.

That was known by everyone in the Kingdom of Yegarian by now.

It might not have affected the City of Gloria that much with its city-wide Barrier Enchantment, but it was still enough to rattle the entire Kingdom. News was being spread out, questions were being asked and people were being reprimanded for not doing their job.

However, as callous as it may sound—Boaz wasn't worried about that.

Finding empathy for people you haven't even heard of or seen? Well, not a lot of people could actually harbor that much sadness. It was easy to say that you feel sorry for the disaster that struck Mercum, or the goblin infestation in Wolfcrest that happened recently, sad that many Adventurers and Army of the King were surprised by the sudden Wyvern Migration… but you'd also feel relieved that it wasn't you who got attacked.

One would feel relieved that out of all the Guardsmen attacked that time, some people he knew had even died—he was the only one spared. Not one hair on his head was touched simply because he had talked with the other Races.

It was a horrible combination of relief and guilt.

And it was one of the reasons why he would end up visiting his friend just to see that if he was alright. To assure himself that it wasn't all that bad, his friend was even up and about to flirt with a Cleric.

Surely there was nothing wrong and everything was fine, wasn't it?

Other people might say yes, but he was racked with shame.

Compared to his colleague Ryden, Boaz wasn't prepared to get thrown into a wall and come out unscathed—he wasn't High Level at all. And yet there was one thing that was a heavy burden on his shoulders and weighed on his mind. Something that the city was trying to hide and what the Guardsmen in the clinic were being paid for—it was to keep the arrival of other Races a secret. Not one word was to be spoken of it.

He didn't think that was right.

If other Races were coming in the Kingdom undetected then word needed to be spread. Preparations needed to be done if this was a precursor to some all-out war in the near-future.

But who was supposed to announce it?

Who had the guts to say the word?