"Is it my turn this time?"

Melek's eyes widened when he saw that Archer was unharmed at all, even his turban and pillow were clean white. He let Erica hid behind him and asked, "Are you okay, my friend?"

Archer patted the dust off his pants. "Don't worry. I eat pain for breakfast."

"That's good." Melek turned his attention to the mercenary duo and said, "You should say sorry to him."

Eloisa folded her arms on her chest, her eyes haughty as she stared at her accuser. "Why should I? It's his fault for standing like a fool when there's a battle going on."

"Yeah, there's no price for being a fool," Hart added as he collected back his dagger and sheathed it on his belt.

Archer's eyes lit up when he heard of a possible way to earn money and changed his plan. "Don't you know there's a thing called collateral damage fee?"

Hart shrugged his shoulders while Eloisa giggled like it was the funniest thing she had ever heard.

"Why, what's so funny about it?" Archer grabbed his sticks, both hands holding a piece. "I'm serious. You need to pay me collateral damage fees or I will go crazy."

"Yeah, I believe you are a crazy fool. Okay, it's enough," Eloisa dismissed him and looked at Hart. "We should go. I'm not in the mood to eat."

"Okay."

Eloisa turned around for the last time, this time facing Archer, and said, "Goodbye, fool."

"Then you deserve a beating, a one, a two, a three, a four!" Archer sprinted as fast as he could, creating an afterimage on his previous location. As soon as he was a meter away from Eloisa, he swung his stick on her head while the other one was directed to her stomach. Then there was a loud clanging sound of metal.

"What are you doing?!" Hart shouted as he parried both of Archer's attacks, protecting Eloisa from harm. His eyes turned from black into green, and both of the daggers on his hands were covered with green substances. He did not wait for his enemy to react and threw one of the daggers at Archer, who was pushed backward because of the collision.

Archer used his Armament skill, and the two sticks disappeared. This time, a glowing pot was on his right hand. He swiped the pot against the flying dagger, creating a loud sound. As soon as the dagger was blocked, he charged to where the weapon was thrown off and caught the poisonous dagger with his bare hand.

"Don't touch that! That's poisonous!" Melek warned him but Archer did not listen.

Hart snickered when he saw Archer's action. When he noticed that Eloisa was about to hit him with a spell, he shook his head. "Don't worry, this time he is surely dead from the poison. Dare to grab my weapon? Stupid man."

Eloisa controlled her emotions and put away the flame that formed on her hands. "Foolish, indeed."

Unbeknownst to them, Archer already knew that the dagger was poisoned but he knew he could not be harmed by anything, much more a poison. He secretly changed his weapon into a pen and drew lots of bugs on its blade and handle.

Melek wanted to help him but he could not leave Erica alone. He scowled at the duo and shouted, "I'll be visiting the Guild. Yeah, wait for me this time!"

Eloisa snickered while Hart gave him a disdained look. After a few minutes, they saw that Archer was still standing, busily drawing many things on the dagger as if it was a canvass.

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Hart knew that something was not right. He extended his hand and said, "Return."

At once, the dagger struggled against Archer's grip and became free. It flew back to his owner and settled on his right hand.

Hart checked his dagger, only to find that it was spot-free. "What the hell?!"

Eloisa shrieked and stayed far away from Hart, her hands pointing at him. "Hart! There's something on your body!"

Hart looked at his body and he could find nothing. "What are you talking about?"

"Spiders! Your face is full of spiders!" Eloisa bellowed.

"I don't feel anything! What in the world are you - aaah!" Hart screamed in pain as hundreds of small spiders bit his face simultaneously. The feeling of burning agony spread from his face down to his chest and he started coughing sporadically. Slowly, his strength was being drained away, his body now kneeling on the floor. Being a thief, he knew this familiar sensation. "Aah! Eloisa, help me! I don't know how but I'm...hak...poisoned!"

Eloisa's eyes widened. "But...but you are immune to poison, right?"

"Hak! Hak! I'm just resistant! Not immune! Hurry up!"

"Okay!" Eloisa was about to cast the Cure Poison spell when she saw Archer moving forward with a pot on his hand. She raised her right hand and she was covered with blue mists, which acted as a shield. No matter what, she had to save Hart first because she was helpless against Archer's speed. But the spiders were still on her friend's head and she did not dare touch it unless it was dead.

"E...eloisa..hurry up...my vision is...failing..." Hart lose his consciousness and fell flat on the floor.

"Hart!" Eloisa's eyes narrowed into slits and formed a huge fireball on both of her hands and hurled it at Archer. "Die!"

Archer flew up the ceiling and the fireball missed him. He took advantage of the situation and threw the pot at Eloisa's direction. His target - her puny head!

It was very fast that Eloisa failed to dodge the attack. And her vision became dark when the pot hit her head, creating a crunchy sound, which echoed across the tavern.

Archer was not contented and he zoomed toward her like a missile. As soon as he was an armlength away from her, he conjured his pot once again and hit her head.

As soon as they were rendered helpless, Archer summoned his pen and drew a thick rope on her clothes and tied her securely. He did the same thing with Hart. He also drew many spiders on their clothes to attack them in case they escape from the ropes.

Melek witnessed all of this and his eyes almost popped out due to unbelief. Even his noisy wife was quiet this time, clinging onto his arms for security.

Archer searched their bodies and discovered two satchels of gold hidden inside their clothes. "Well, now you paid your collateral damage fee. You can go now."

The two were still sprawled on the floor, bounded like a kidnapped victim. Even then, nobody took pity on them because they understood that they deserved it.

Archer took out a gold coin from his satchel and set it on the counter. "This made me hungry. Do you offer lunch here?"

Melek scratched his head. "Well, you got to ask my wife."

Erica smiled sweetly as soon as she saw the gold coin. "But of course. A friend of my husband is always welcome here. Please wait a minute."

Erica entered the kitchen, leaving Melek and Archer on the counter. As soon as they were alone, Melek laughed boisterously, his hand clutching his stomach. "That was good! So good!"

Archer smiled sheepishly. "Of course, I'm good."

Melek laughed for a few minutes before stopping, and asked, "You're a bard, right?"

"A wandering bard."

"I think you're a bard of death. What's with the pot?"

"Oh, that's also a memento and I can't afford to leave it so I carry it with me."

"I never knew a pot could be dangerous. That was sick!"

"I'd say that was pot-smashing," Archer replied as he counted the gold he got from Eloisa and Hart.

Melek smirked when he saw Archer's actions. He was about to ask him something when he remembered a few things that happened a while ago. "Hey, I know it was you. Thank you for saving my tavern."

"Huh?"

"I mean, the thing when you fly past the fireball. A wall appeared, you know."

Archer knew what he was talking about and nodded. "I know. That was nothing, just a wall painting."

"Sure. Well, got to check my wife."

"Go ahead. I'll keep counting this gold."

Melek went inside the kitchen while Archer continued what he was doing. Several minutes passed by and the couple returned with a bowl filled with meat.

"Here, Erica's Special dish. Beef stew."

Archer nodded and collected the remaining gold scattered on the counter. He ate his meal fully satisfied and soon, it was time to say goodbye to his newfound friend. "Thank you for this referral, Melek. This really saves me a lot of time."

Melek grinned. "Don't worry. Don't forget to visit us when you're free."

"Sure." Archer pointed at the two who were still knocked out. "What about them?"

"Don't worry about it. I'll handle this."

"Okay, bye." Archer turned around and left through the door.