XP: 16 000 -> 0
Level Up!
Level: 7 -> 8
HP: 91 -> 104
Gained: Feat/ASI
Constitution: 16 -> 18
HP: 104 -> 112
Adam was unsure if he would regret levelling up, but he took it as a sign that it was a good idea when they had managed to arrive within East Port swiftly, and more importantly, safely.
Unfortunately for him, he had no idea the storm that raged within the business.
“Adam…” Lucy glared at him, as they settled themselves within the Guild, not noticing that Mara was also glaring at the half elf. “We should spend a few days in East Port.”
Adam slowly nodded, understanding that their journey had been rather rough. They travelled about fifty miles a day with their magical steeds, and even their wolves were beginning to feel the burden on their bodies, even when they had allowed Sky to stay within the carriage with Jaygak and Kitool.
‘My ass hurts so bad too,’ the half elf thought. ‘Only my wife-, no, I said I wouldn’t be cringe, so I need to get rid of any cringe thoughts too.’
“Jurot,” Adam said, before blinking. “Kitool, can-,” Adam glanced towards the Iyrman, blinking again. ‘No. I should take Jurot with me, since I said I’d behave.’ “Jurot, would you mind coming with me to cause a mess?”
“Okay.”
‘Didn’t you tell us that you weren’t going to do that?’ Lucy and Jaygak thought, though the pair held very different facial expressions about the matter.
‘Oh dear,’ Mother Priest thought, noting the appearance of the figure within the puthral plate armour, and the young man who wore the tattoos of those who wrought death upon the world.
“I apologise for showing up unannounced, I thought about sending word, but I thought to surprise you,” Adam said, accepting the tea from the Priest. He smiled politely to the woman, who smiled politely in return.
“It is certainly a surprise to see you,” Mother Priest admitted.
“I’ve come to inform you of a few matters, the first being of which, that my child was born healthy,” Adam said.
Mother Priest smiled. ‘What?’ “Congratulations. I hope that your child only knows great health.”
“Well, her mother is a Ray,” Adam said, chuckling lightly, though a hint of nervousness followed. “I was rather worried, since I’m a fool, but it seems she’s so healthy, and of course she’ll be happy, since her mother is so amazing.”
“Of course,” the woman said, sipping her tea. “Do you wish for us to anoint your child?”
“Ah, well, I didn’t bring her along.” Adam continued to smile. “Speaking of adorable children, Elsie is doing well within the business. She’s gotten quite close with Cobra, a young woman from East Port, who she feels comfortable around. I didn’t notice, because I was so busy working, and so stressed, but I’m glad that I have such dependable workers.”
“If it is difficult…” Mother Priest noted the look Jurot gave her, and she sipped her tea.
“I wanted to mention those two things first to have you put down your guard, I actually have two other reasons why I’ve come,” Adam said, holding up the shield he brought. He hadn’t brought his red shield, Strong Shield, but a shield of fairly basic design. “I’ve come to donate this shield, and we set aside some coin from the business to donate as part of the business’ religious tax, and I hope you will accept it for the business’ workers. I also added in a little more, partly to apologise, but also for your kind words, and your thoughts for worrying over Elsie.”
Jurot placed a large chest upon the table, one that could easily house a thousand coins.
‘He brought a shield?’ Mother Priest smiled, a far more genuine smile this time, first glancing at the shield, then towards the chest, which was no doubt full of copper and silver. “Mother Soza praise you, Brother Adam. Your donation is far too kind.”
“This is a donation from the United Kindom, Mother Priest. I hope you will accept, otherwise what am I meant to say to my wife?” Adam chuckled.
“Certainly, we will accept the…” Mother Priest said, having reached up to brush along the shield, only to feel the light tingling sensation. ‘???’
Adam continued to smile towards the woman, the silence filling the room.
“… Brother Adam?”
“Yes?”
“Is this the shield you wished to donate?”
“Certainly.”
“Is it… magical?”
“Of course. We do deal with magical items, after all, and magical shields are a part of that.”
“…”
Adam continued to smile innocently. ‘Damn, it feels good to be rich.’
Mother Priest remained silent for a long moment. ‘Can I accept this?’
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
Adam waved his hand, leaving after finishing his tea, letting out a relieved sigh. ‘Damn, it feels good to be rich.’
Jurot noted the repeated thought upon his brother’s face. ‘He likes to spend money so freely?’ “Adam?”
“Yes?”
“Are you a noble?”
Adam stopped, turning his head slowly to catch his brother’s eyes. “Jurot. That’s too far.”
“I am sorry,” Jurot said, noting how much of the wind he had stolen from his brother’s sails. “If you were royalty, Jirot would be a Princess.”
“Don’t tempt me.”
“Okay. Did you not wish for the Mother to open the chest?”
“What am I, a noble?” Adam asked, even though he really did want to see it, but it did border on cringe.
“A whole chest of silver?” an acolyte said, beginning to take out the coins, to place them within stacks of ten, so they could write the donations down for their tax receipts, which would be returned to them in the future. “Who donated it?”
“A business to the west. You remember that half elf who married Ray Vonda?”
“In the purple armour?”
“That’s the one.”
“Sister?”
“Yes?”
The acolyte noted the glint of coins that weren’t copper. “The silver runs out a few coins deep.”
“Did they line up the top with silver, and the rest with copper? That’s pretty typical of…” The Sister leaned over the acolyte, checking the coin. ‘What?’
‘What?’ the acolyte thought.
‘What?’ the Mother thought, upon hearing that most of the coin was gold. ‘What?’
“What?” Adam asked, noting Jaygak’s look as he returned back to the inn. “It went fine.”
Jaygak glanced towards Jurot, who nodded. “Well done.”
“Thank you.” Adam frowned. “That feels weird. I’m not that much of an idiot, am I?”
“You said you wouldn’t be cringe,” Lucy said.
“I’m not. I’m just saying, I haven’t done anything that crazy.” Adam shrunk under the looks. “I mean, you know, this year.”
Even Kitool raised her brows at Adam.
“I mean, not this… season.” Adam eyed up his companions as they shrugged vaguely. “A man can’t even say goodbye to his own children without being called cringe? What is the world coming to?”
“What about handing over such great items to children?” Lucy asked.
“Oh, what, being generous is cringe now? Oh, lock me up officer, I’m the Lord of Cringe then.”
“You’re not wrong,” Lucy said.
“You know what!” Adam said, standing up.
“What?” Mara asked, raising her brow.
“I’m going to tell Jirot you’re bullying me.”
“Cringe,” Jaygak said.
“This is!” Adam huffed. “This is the last time I bring a term from-,”
“Adam,” Jurot warned, his voice serious.
“What?”
Jurot switched to the Iyrman’s tongue. “The walls have ears.”
‘Damn, I was almost cringe on accident.’ “Sorry.” Adam sat back down, realising he needed to be careful when he made his jokes. “I won’t tell Jirot you’re bullying me, because she’s too busy taking care of her mother.”
Adam didn’t understand how very, very wrong he was.
The next day, Jurot and Jaygak went to deal with the situation for their travel northward, choosing the sea. They went to the docks, before the pair returned with good news.
“Kitool, I have some business I need to complete,” Jaygak said, causing even Jurot to glance towards her.
“Okay,” Kitool replied, allowing Jurot to take her place in babysitting the troublesome trio.
“Should we go make a meeting with Sir Landon?” Adam asked over lunch, sipping his warm milk.
“Why?” Jurot asked.
“To sponsor us for the tournament.”
“We should find a sponsor from the North.”
“Oh? Is that how that works?”
“It is best to find someone from the North. In every tournament, it is difficult when one is sponsored by an outside family, but in the North, it is more extreme.”
“Oh yeah?” Adam sighed. “How are we going to do that?”
“We should meet with the Grand Duchess.”
“Is it so easy to meet with the Grand Duchess?”
“No, but we have a token.”
“We do?”
“You received it from Lord Royce.”
‘What did I receive from Lord Royce?’
While the troublemakers remained within the Guild, the last remaining troublemaker, under escort from Kitool, the most sensible of the entire group, caused a larger mess.
“If the Duchess doesn’t wish to see us, then please return this plaque to her,” Jaygak said, handing over the silver plaque they had received from the Duchess previously. She smiled politely towards the servant, while Kitool remained stone faced, her heart picking up wildly.
‘Jaygak.’ Kitool whispered deep within her heart. ‘Jaygak!’
‘She’s returning the plaque?’ the servant thought, staring at it. ‘Can they do that?’
They didn’t have to wait long for the Duchess to make some time, changing almost nothing within her schedule to allow them to meet her swiftly. She had wanted to make them wait for two hours, but Jaygak’s warning caused her to meet them with haste.
‘No, no, it’s fine, you can just take it. If the Iyr heard that I was waiting for an Eastsea, how much shame would I bring to my family? If my grandaunt heard, she would tell my niece, and she would never look at me the same again.’
‘Your Grace, her smile was like that of poison,’ the servant had said, at his wit’s end.
Kitool continued to internally scream, her heart pounding within her chest. ‘Jaygak, how is this helping?’
‘Iyrmen are so troublesome,’ the Duchess thought, calling for them to approach into the garden, which had transformed since they had last entered.
‘What a maze,’ Jaygak thought, noting the entrances and exits within the garden, and counting the guards and servants.
Kitool wasn’t too bothered about the exits or entrances, since she would find it easier to dart around the hedges. However, she did note the guards and servants too, and considered all the things she had been taught to consider, from the direction of the wind, to the way the shadows drooped, to the lines of sight which could hold potential hidden foes, but she could also use if it was required.
“Executives, I heard you required a meeting urgently,” Duchess Dalia Eastsea said, waiting for the pair of women while already seated upon her large marble throne, sitting a step above where the remaining chairs lay. She wore a deep blue dress, with bits of armour splattered across her attire, connected by silver chains. A sapphicule dagger rested at her side, settled within white leather.
Jaygak smiled, crossing her hand over navel, ignoring the knights who glared at the young Iyrman. “We won’t keep you long, Duchess. You must be very busy, and we appreciate you making time for us. I’m here to discuss with you a matter that I’d like to bring to your attention.”
“What matter is that?” The woman motioned hand for them to sit, and while Kitool reached for a chair, Jaygak remained standing, holding the woman’s eye line.
Jaygak smiled, feeling Kitool’s hopeful gaze upon her. ‘How much trouble would Jirot like?’
Jurot noted the return of the pair of Iyrmen, catching Kitool’s eyes. ‘What happened to make you look like that?’
“What’s this?” Adam asked, reaching for the letter, stamped with the Duchess’ seal.
“Don’t open it,” Jaygak said, catching Adam before he could do anything stupid. “It’s a letter of introduction for the Blacksnow from the Eastsea family.”
‘Blacksnow?’
“The Grand Duchess’ family,” Jurot explained.
“Oh! Whoa! Jaygak, how did you manage that?”
“I threatened the Duchess.
“Of course you did,” Adam said, letting out a small sigh. “You would threaten the…” Adam caught Jaygak’s eyes. “When you say threaten, do you mean… threaten?”
“What else does threaten mean?”
Adam glanced towards Kitool, who, for once, let out a tired sigh. ‘What the hell? Jaygak! Please don’t! Not when I have no XP!’