Chapter 43

Leon thought as he walked toward the arch to the Slums. One percent for five wolves. If he killed one more and it rose another percent, it would mean one wolf per percent gained while in the party. For his part alone, he’d need to kill more than two-hundred. It was a steep increase, but so was his level. And since he didn’t know how much experience points he got from each and what it was worth, he couldn’t count it out. Not for sure. The five-hundred experience he’d gotten through completing the quest, to venture into the first floor, might have been enough to propel him and the others further into level nine, but by how much? And with the increase of his level, he should beat the wolves more easily, since they were almost half his level.

He stopped and wanted to smack his head. He hadn’t distributed his points. Of course it didn’t go easier when he lacked the 20 spare ones. But how much of a difference would it make?

“Can I help you?”

Leon looked up and to the side. A guard by the inner arch approached him.

“You’ve been standing there for some time.”

Leon dismissed the continuous request boxes from the Scabs. “Sorry, just got lost in thought for a moment.”

The guard nodded and went back to his position while Leon went on his way to the star-shaped square. The merchants who’d prepared their stalls while he ran were now open for business, and Leon sold his loot at the crafts merchant before he continued to Hert’s shop.

Leon opened the door and stepped inside. The multiple-sized hooks hanging on the walls and laying on the tables and the counter had all disappeared into boxes amassed in the middle of the floor.

Hert came out from the room behind a forge and a large anvil, wiping his forehead and bald scalp with a napkin. He wore a leather apron. “Leon! I wondered when you’d come by.”

Leon looked at the walls. “I see you’re packing up.”

Hert lifted a box up on the counter with a thud, and soot whirled up. “Yeah. Not much else to do now that I have a new goal.” He brushed his hands on his apron. “So, got any ideas of what to do?”

“That’s what I came to discuss. It might be good to meet up, all three of us, to make a plan of how we want to do this. I’ll try not to just follow my own head and guidance from now on.”

“Oh, someone’s learned a lesson?” Hert asked as he took a wooden stool and stepped up on it to release the hooks hanging from the beam above.

“Trying to. Maybe there’s something someone else should work on as well?” Leon said, leaning back.

“Nah, I’m perfect.” Hert let out a laugh. “In all seriousness, it feels good that someone else knows what I did. In one way, I got myself killed just as much as you got yourself killed. I had high and mighty thoughts and ambitions while you had extremely selfish ones. Ironically, both our selfish decisions were ultimately to help someone else.” He ripped out a bolt with a flat-headed tool. “Though yours was both more stupid and more noble at the same time. I didn’t go out willingly.”

“And your cowardice?” Leon pointed out.

Hert threw a hook into the box below him. “Look, berate me all you want.” He danced with his fingers in the air. “Ooh, look at the tank who’s scared of being a tank.” He stopped and shook his head. “You can only get through a certain amount of misery and pain before it gets to you.”

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“Like being ripped apart by wolves.”

Hert shrugged. “Something like that. But the pain being dragged out and with no end but death in sight. And you saw my end.”

Leon started pulling on a forgotten hook beside him but stopped when it prompted a purchase window. “Well, you pulled through in the end. You helped, even though you broke down afterward. You think you’ll freeze up like that again?”

“Who knows? At least I know I can trust what you say, and that goes a long way in a cruel world.”

Leon smirked. “What makes you say that?”

“You wouldn’t keep the rabbit, even after you’ve had it so long. You said you’d do some things in the level, and you stuck to them, but that you initially chose to free the rabbit rather than keep it told me you were genuine. That’s rare. Another thing you probably promised is having Ava in the party. I wish you hadn’t. She’s a piece of work.”

Leon jumped up to sit on the table. “Aren’t we all, in one way or another?”

Hert pointed at Leon with a meat hook. “Sure, but she’s the whale of it. You think she’s changed? She had over eleven years to change, but didn’t. Nah, it will require something major for someone like that to go down a new path.” He threw the hook into the box and jumped down. “I’m not sure you noticed, but the guide said she’d gotten help in the first level. When? How? She’s not going to tell us, unless it benefits her. Just you wait and see. You’ll come to regret having met her, and by extension, that will affect me, too.”

“Unless she’s actually changed. Maybe a year in the Slums was enough?”

“I doubt it, but I guess we’ll find out soon enough.”

Leon sat quiet, just watching Hert pull apart his business. Maybe he was right, maybe he wasn’t. Like he said, they’d have to wait and see.

“So,” Leon said after a while, “eight outside the inn tomorrow? I slew a few wolves today, but barely made progress, so I think we need to be bolder, now that we’ve risen in levels.”

Hert wiped his hands on his apron. “Sure. You’ve got something in mind?”

Leon jumped down from where he sat and brushed off his pants. “Either to stay out all day, every day, or go to the E-ranked forest.” An idea popped into Leon’s mind. “Or, if you still wish to make that special thing, we could have a go at clearing the tree-dungeon again. It should be easier now.”

Hert’s eyes brightened for a second, but then he shook his head. “I don’t know. I still need to look for a new weapon and a shield. But they’re so damn expensive. My hooks will bring in a decent income from scrap metal, but…”

Leon quickly told him about the place he’d bought his new gear and then ventured outside, with Hert’s promise to meet up tomorrow. He walked toward the inn. It was early afternoon, so he might take a nap and venture out into the woods to slay some more wolves while he had the time.

He opened the door to the inn and walked up the stairs. As he was about to step onto the first floor, a message popped up.

‘Only guests of the inn can pass this point, unless given expressed permission by the innkeeper.’

Leon frowned and continued to the reception, where he dinged a bell.

Margaret came smiling from the kitchen, but it faded when she spotted Leon.

“Hey, how come I don’t have a room?” Leon said.

She smirked. “Only paying guests have rooms, and you didn’t pay for more than one night.”

“Then I’d like to do that now.”

Margaret swiped a finger down a list with only a few names. “I’m sorry, but I can’t help you, sweetie.”

Leon pushed his hands to the desk to look at the paper with names and room numbers, but she shielded it with her meaty arm.

“That’s invading the right to privacy, dear.” She shook her head and gave a short sigh. “That’s no good. We can’t have that. I suppose you ought to learn being considerate to others feelings. How would you feel if someone tried to find you, and they could just ask your inn? That’s no good at all.”

“This is about Ava, isn’t it?” Leon asked.

“Ava? Oh, you didn’t see her outside?” Margaret rounded the desk and shoved Leon toward the front door. “Go see if she’s there.”

Leon frowned and opened the door. He walked down the stairs to the side of the building, expecting to see her leaning against the wall. She wasn’t. He turned around and pressed down the handle to the inn.

BANNED

You have been banned from this inn for one month.

Due to the reputable status of this inn and your recent ban from a store, this is not negotiable.

Please try to be nicer to the people you do business with.