"Why the hell did you agree to Lexi's quest?" Marian exploded at Pete.

"Why wouldn't I?" the boy answered innocently. "She promised she'll give me the ancient bow if I get her what she wants. It sounded like a fair exchange to me."

The female warrior shook her head with irritation. "No! No! You don't know Lexi as I do. She would never give up her family heirloom. The vixen sensed your obsession with the bow and tricked you into this impossible quest. You see, she has no investment here. If you succeed, Lexi gets her rare forging materials. Morag tooth is worth thousands of gold coins, Rob! If you fail in the quest, you die. She loses nothing in the process. You could have at least negotiated with her on the terms."

Pete shrugged. Marian was making sense, but the boy was tired of all the banter. "You acted as if Lexi were your best friend. Therefore, I placed my trust in her. I have a more simple approach to things. I'll just go and defeat the monster she named. Problem solved!"

Marian seemed to blush around the cheeks. "She's not my best friend!" She cleared her throat. "Anyway… the Morag? Do you even know what kind of monster a Morag is?"

"Well, no. I thought you would enlighten me..."

Marian made a fist and ground her teeth. For a moment, Pete thought she'd punch him.

"You are out of your mind, Rob! And an idiot! The most recent Morag sighting was near the Black Lake ahead of the Peatbog mines. No adventurer goes there. Do you know why? Because nobody returns alive. Even Level 6 adventurer parties have come back with nightmarish stories about the horrifying monsters there."

Pete nodded. He did not need a reminder of how terrible monsters could be. The boy had only two things on his list right then.

'Find Bree. Obtain the Bow of Prayer.'

"Let us at least visit the area," he told Marian. "We'll escape at the first sign of trouble."

The girl looked away. "You can forget about my company and mentorship then. Since you have a death wish, have it fulfilled by yourself. I'll find a different quest today."

Pete pursed his lips. Was he pushing the girl too much? She seemed to be more emotional than usual.

They reached a hall that was marked:

QUEST NOTICE BOARD

Pete entered, expecting a single billboard, but more than several dozen hoardings were on wooden planks. Adventurers gathered around them like bees. Once an adventurer found a compatible quest, they ripped the ad from the notice board and approached a guild counter. The clerk made it official for them.

Pete and Marian went to the first desk they saw. The clerk smiled at them. "Hi, I am Hallie. How may I help you this fine morning?"

"We are looking for an adventurer, Bree Adams," Pete replied. "Can you tell us which quest she went on?"

Hallie responded without her smile faltering. "I'm afraid that guild-adventurer privilege comes into play after the quest is accepted. We cannot give out information about the adventurer or the quest undertaken until it is completed."

Pete pursed his lips. "But her life is in danger..."

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

"I understand your concern. The life of an adventurer is fraught with difficulties and dangers. Still, rules have to be followed. I'm sorry."

"You won't get anything out of her," Marian told Pete. "Let's go. Maybe the squirt will finish her quest and return safely."

Pete frowned at the clerk and began to walk away.

"Hey, brother! Are you looking for information?" a guy in a hood asked from a corner.

"Go away, Marvin! We don't need your crap!" Marian barked, waving her hand at the stranger.

"Wait, let's hear him out," Pete suggested.

"You don't know him, Rob. He runs a swindlers group. Nothing that comes out of his mouth can be trusted."

"Ooh, that was harsh and uncalled for. Miss Marian has always hated me," Marvin said to Pete. "Perhaps because we had a misunderstanding long back. But let me know what you are seeking, adventurer. Perhaps I can help?"

Marian shook her head vigorously, dissuading the boy.

"A little girl named Bree Adams," Pete replied. "She went on her first quest today. We need to find her."

"Oh, yes! Short and sweet girl," the informant said with a devious smile. "I know exactly which quest she ripped from the hoarding over there," he added, pointing to the board on his right. "She was really loud while talking to the counter lady. The girl said… err… she wants to make her master proud? Does that sound familiar?"

"Yes! That sounds like Bree!" Pete exclaimed. "What was her quest? Where did she go?"

Marvin wrung his hands and grinned unabashedly. "The information will come at a price, adventurer. How about five gold? First-time discount."

"There he goes…" Marian said, rubbing her temples.

"Agreed," Pete said without hesitation.

The female warrior turned him around to face her. She looked wildly annoyed. "Don't trust this leech, Rob! He'll lure you into a desolate location, and his hoodlums will loot you!"

"Oh, can people do that? Does the Sheriff not act against such crimes?"

"Which world have you been living in? There is no rule against looting adventurers. We are supposed to be strong enough to protect ourselves."

"Miss Marian is prejudiced against me," Marvin chimed in. "The truth is that she has availed my services several times in the past. And I have always delivered."

"Always, you say?" the girl spat at him.

"The last incident was unfortunate," the informant said in a subdued voice.

"What happened?" Pete asked curiously.

"His expensive information led to my entire party getting slaughtered," Marian said, veins popping on her forehead. She realized all of a sudden that she was flying off the handle. "Fine! Do whatever you want to. It's none of my business." The female warrior walked away in a huff.

"Don't mind her," Pete said to Marvin. "Here's five gold coins."

[ -5 💰 ]

The informant leaned in and whispered into the boy's ear, "She went to the goblin cave near Black Lake."

"Black Lake? Hmm. Thanks."

Marvin bowed slightly and walked away, jangling the gold coins.

Pete caught up to Marian. She was sitting by herself on a bench in the main lobby.

"Hey, I'm sorry about what happened to your party. Were you close to them?"

The girl nodded. "We went on quests together for several months. We thought we were invincible. Marvin came to us once to tip off about a treasure buried in Sherwood. We believed him blindly that it was unguarded. He was wrong. Bandits ambushed us. My friends were killed, and I barely escaped alive."

"I'm sorry." Pete wondered if his merrymen had anything to do with the incident.

"Don't be," Marian replied, looking at the floor pensively. "It wasn't Marvin's fault as well. I blame him because that way I can hate someone alive."

Pete stayed silent for a minute.

"Well, Bree's quest is near Black Lake. So, I think I can rescue her before heading to the quest location."

Pete got to his feet. "I'll come to you once I've finished the quest."

Marian stood up and joined him. "I won't let you go alone. I have lost a lot of friends and won't stand to lose another."

The boy smiled at her. "Thanks, Marian."

"Follow me," the female warrior said, walking ahead of him. "And take off that fancy tunic and put on some damn armor. You're going on a quest! Not to a fucking wedding!"