The dwarf asked perplexedly as he seemed to consider his options. Ryan didn't know if the adventurer was offended, and he honestly didn't care so much at that point as he was more preoccupied with figuring out how his life had been saved.

"Do I have to repeat myself?" Leo asked menacingly.

Ryan almost got shivers from the tone that Leo used. It was hardened and promised violence if it came down to it.

"No need for that, lad. I understand ye loud and clear," the dwarf said after a tense moment.

From there, it just took a couple of moments with little persuasion to make the adventurer part with some of his gold. In the end, the dwarf stuck to only paying for the premium package of minor health potions, and Leo would rather not be known to force an adventurer to buy more than what he came for—using violence.

It would certainly become a memorable day for Ryan. He'd somehow managed to fluster an adventurer... twice. Ryan raised his eyes to the sky; Arson's silhouette had begun to dip, not yet low enough to signify two hours after noon.

He'd made a couple of sales today, but he was still a couple of gold coins shy of the finish line. He wouldn't want to fall flat just before the finish line.

He needed something magical to happen within the few hours he had left so that he could deliver on what he currently owed the guild. He'd obviously not done enough... yet.

The dwarf left after making his purchase... or purchasing an escape from a scuffle with Leo, to be precise. Ryan couldn't be bothered about the semantics really; he had coins in his pockets, and his pouch weighed a lot more than it had moments ago.

"What a bastard," Leo said with a scoff.

Ryan had to agree with the big man's sentiments; the dwarf was most certainly an annoying bugger by far. He knew he wasn't paranoid as he wasn't the only one who thought so. At the very least, the raising of the warhammer had signified the dwarf's bastardy.

"Uh-huh," Ryan said, unable to get coherent thoughts out as his mind was still in turmoil.

His heart had stopped thumping so fast, but his mind was another matter entirely. His brain continuously worked the entire time, different thoughts passing through his head. He could've sworn that he saw his entire life flash in front of his eyes. A set of images of what he'd done with his life so far was... appalling.

In a way, the entirety of his mind was a trash heap, and he'd have to sort through it at some point. Maybe today? Maybe another day. Perhaps never.

"You good?" Leo asked, concern clearly seeping through his words.

Was Ryan okay? He didn't really know. As a man, there was only one way to really answer that question.

"I'm good," Ryan said a little undecidedly.

While he wasn't so sure about his current state of mind, he was sure that he absolutely didn't need to bother Leo with such things. After all, what could the big man do to ease Ryan's fears... Nothing. Nothing at all.

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"Huh, if you say so," Leo said as he stared at Ryan.

The look in the big man's eyes told of the fact that he probably knew it was nothing more than a bald-faced lie, but he'd decided not to push the matter, and it was something that Ryan was entirely grateful for.

"What was that?" Leo asked.

"What was what?" Ryan asked, his head a little too slow or preoccupied to pick up on what Leo was asking about.

"That thing that saved you," Leo clarified. "You have an enchantment or artifact on?"

Ryan pondered the question. What had saved him? He didn't have any artifact on him, or could it be the ring? Ryan thought as his eyes fixed themselves upon the weathered ring that had fused to his finger.

No, it couldn't be that, as the damned thing hadn't done a single thing but burn into his skin and pouch since he bought it.

If it wasn't the ring, then what was it?... The cloak! Ryan almost face-palmed at the lack of coherency in his thoughts. How could he have forgotten about the cloak?

"It's my new cloak," Ryan said as he ran a hand through the fabric.

This wasn't why he'd bought it, but he was darn sure that he'd gotten it now. What was a paranoid and panic-inspired buy had saved his life, and right about now, the gold had paid for itself. At least he was sure that it worked—not that he'd be so to doubt the craftsmanship of Alistar.

"Nice," Leo said approvingly. "I thought that you'd just decided to update your wardrobe."

The big man chuckled at the last part, no doubt knowing that Ryan wasn't one for vain things. He was always practical about things that cost money. If he didn't need it, he wouldn't purchase it... unless he had money to spare or it was ale.

"Well played," Ryan said. "It's definitely something."

The cloak played three roles for him: it was pleasing to look at as it hid his clothes as much as possible, it was aesthetically pleasing and the sewing was amazing, and lastly... it stopped attacks. Of course, it was a limited amount within a time period.

Still, something like that for as little as he'd gotten it for was certainly worth it. It was the static version of a t-stone.

"Right," Leo said as he eyed the cloak. "So what does it do?"

"It stops attacks," Ryan said. "Not all, I don't know how it measures the power levels of the attacks or attackers, but I was told that it doesn't stop all attacks. I honestly have no idea what that means at all."

"Really? That's all it does? Stop attacks?" Leo asked incredulously. "It looks way too good to just have one function."

Ryan had to agree with the sentiment, but these kinds of things were too expensive for him to even afford an upgrade at this point.

"Leo, we were literally wearing clothes that did nothing but cover us," Ryan said, referring to their earlier days. "Although it is Alistar's clothes, the old bugger only produces the best."

And that was the truth. While Alistar's thread was one of the three popular tailors that produced enchanted wears in Denair, they were doubly popular as they catered to customers from all districts, not interested in discriminating against anyone.

The old tailor was someone that only released the best of the best clothes. Nothing substandard as far as his shop was concerned. He made sure that all enchanted clothes produced by their store were of quality, irrespective of the grade of the enchantment.

Something that made his wares stand out all the more was the fact that you were assured quality works even if you went for the cheapest option—like Ryan had.

"True, true," Leo said, conceding the point. "Must have cost a pretty silver for that."

Ryan smiled at his friend's words; it was an indirect way for him to ask how much Ryan had bought the material for, and Ryan was way too happy to oblige.

"It cost me two and a half gold coins for this piece," Ryan said with a smile as he played with the cloak that had saved his life.

Of course, he'd been given a discount on the cloak, but he wasn't about to go into much detail about that.

"Huh, that much," Leo said, receiving a nod from a distracted Ryan.

Ryan pulled up his stat screen at the thought of coins, a chime sounding in his head.

[Name: Ryan Lionheart

Profession: Merchant

Class: Alchemist (journeyman)

Coin: 29 gold, 360 silvers

Debt:

- 35 gold (deadline 2 hours)]

He was so close but yet still so far...

The day went by in a blur, the pair only managing to sell a few more potions before...