Krator arrived in the evening and explained to me that he had to kill 10 bandits to save the merchant

I hugged my uncle wyvern between my paws and we licked each other.

A strong animal trait but one that united us all.

And especially white who leered at me and didn't miss licking my neck.

"Great, Krator... you made the right decision but you have to be careful... Humans get revenge."

It was too much to ask and their reasoning was no more than that of a 7 year old.

We'll see later.

"Krator, your payment!..." and I took out of a chest I had bought, a honeycomb. A treasure not to be found in winter.

He quickly devoured the dish and squeaked with gustatory pleasure, as if he was coming from the mouth.

Others wanted it too.

Then I turned to "Work... paid... reward!"

Dad then intervened to protect me from the excitement of the other wyverns attracted by the smell of the precious nectar.

For fun we built a sort of bar with the barrel and water and some wooden cups and my sisters played tavern and made up stories. And the booze... well, the adults emptied the whole barrel and they roared when the barrel was empty.

Everything was precious and expensive.

Meanwhile, in the village of Autrerive Jack arrived and several passers-by looked at each other when they saw the intact wagon, but he simply walked through the village to a larger town: Fortd'hiver.

As the name suggests, it was a knight's outpost with an armoury, guild and barracks. There were stables and it was a small town in itself.

On arriving at the guild, the soldiers took their leave, were paid and went to rest in the main room to eat and drink, then went upstairs where austere but heated rooms awaited them.

The heating was simply a hole in the wooden floor with a cover for noise. The heat from the inn would rise and warm the room a little.

Often the chimney would pass through the rooms and the stone would give a simple heat to cut the cold.

The windows were sealed with just a small hole for light, and plugged with a piece of wood. The shutters were closed and between the window and the shutter there was hay to insulate the window from the winter cold. Often the temperature dropped to minus 20, especially when there were no clouds.

A troubadour, accompanied by a singer and dancer, raised the mood with a tambourine and bells.

He played an instrument like a lute and accompanied his travelling partner in song.

Having a roof over your head for the night, a meal and a bit to drink was the lot of the troubadours, but they often ran out of money. It was a survival job and a thankless one.

Anastase, the head of the guild, received the merchant's report and took the mail and letters from the places he had passed through.

"You went through the Dark Forest? but that's insane! You could have been killed! This is the hunting ground of the Dire wolves, the terrible wolves and...then there are the terrible wild wyverns...though they are hibernating now"

Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

He then took out of his bag an imperial eagle's beak and the beak of a royal griffin.

Immediately, silence reigned in the great hall, all the customers, baroudeurs, knights in armour had their eyes turned towards these pieces of deadly predators.

She inspected and the soldiers who had accompanied Jack confirmed.

Jack: "A young wyvern bartered with me..."

WHAHAHAHA!!! shouted the drunken people.

One of them tried: "And I bet she's been drinking with you!!!"

The four soldiers dared not say anything more.

Jack was then invited to go to the back of the guild where a man in armour, probably a knight or a mercenary in black armour was waiting for him.

"Sire Romas!"

"Jack," said the peddler...

He inspected the talons.

Then without looking.

"How much?"

The knight wanted to know how much he was charging for this magnificent piece.

"Ten griffins and ten eagles..."

He dropped his cigar on the solid wood table.

"And... Ten bandits..., twenty dire wolves..."

Romas wasn't used to people messing with his head.

"The bodies were buried."

Romas: "WHO?"

He looked down at the ground, his eyes darting and looking for non-existent help.

"Mir... and Kratos?"

Romas: "Holy swordsmen? holy knights??"

Jack: "Mir is a wyvern...she has a system and is not considered a monster. And she talks."

Romas: "A talking dragon...what the hell...I've heard excuses before...but this is the wackiest."

Jack: "They purged the forest of monsters. and they want to be mercenaries...They talk like lizard men..I have Barabas' belt... He was killed in one shot, skewered on a harpoon..."

The guild will buy these rare items back from you, but is it safe to go on the road with these monsters?

They've ordered supplies for their village. Classic gear except it's ten times the size..."

Romas frowned, Jack was beginning to interest him

"Mir would like to come here and join the guild and explore the world."

The ex-knight smiled and he was a dragon hunter himself, wyvern hunter.

"Describe me Mir..."

He took some steps, to show 6 meters. and I had 4 horns, 2 small and 2 large.

A head the same size as a human in width and a chest like a great warrior.

A long neck with a crest going down to my tail, ending in a 80 cm sword with a sting in it

Wyvern winged arms as big as a wrestler's and hind legs ending in talons, one very sharp and mobile like a raptor.

I was golden brown with black spikes and a light golden belly.

All my skin was covered with scales.

"Yes, he has gaiters, a coarse leather belt with a quiver and assegais. And he has a large spear - halberd.

He also has fur skins to protect himself from the cold."

Romas went "Hmm" Curious about a monster who didn't consider himself a monster.

Having nothing else to do, he said, "I will accompany you on the journey to Suderive. I want to see these wyverns for myself."

Jack: "Ah yes, she said they watch over the eggs and young of the Griffins and Eagles.

They will capture them alive and sell them to us.

"WHAT???? Griffin eggs, young and young eagles!!!"

Then a laugh caught the soldier.

He paid the shopkeeper for the materials to be distributed to the alchemists' brotherhood.

He then stroked the beautiful skins of the griffins and the plucked part could make a beautiful royal coat or for a high ranking noble.

Besides, it didn't smell like wyvern poison.

And, given the size of the skin, it would have taken several experienced warriors to achieve such a result.

It was a real national treasure on his desk.

Jack was very pleased with the events and was in a hurry to collect what he had not been able to get and was looking forward to taking Mir on as an apprentice merchant or mercenary.

At the library he collected the books I wanted and even with the price the margin was immense.

He also took the initiative to get some children's books and games.

Then he went to the tavern and bought a cart of beer and some spirits to start a tavern.

Romas followed him discreetly and could only confirm his words.

He also took some poisons and equipment for the subjugation of dragons and anti-venom and also nets, hooks and a harpoon.

He did not want to take any risks.

He met Jack at the forge who ordered an anvil and a huge hammer. But also needles, and a first aid kit, pliers and various carpenter's tools.

It was worth a fortune.

At the carpenter's he ordered barrels and at the shoemaker's he ordered ropes and various small tools for working with leather.

Then he went to the stables and reserved two more carts with horses and finally returned to the guild to ask for a small escort of two soldiers and two grooms for the carts.

Romas sat down next to him at the guild bar.

"So, the preparations? You're only taking 2 soldiers?"

Jack, I'll have my winged escort... you'll see!.

Romas put down his drink and turned to Jack with a laugh.

"AND... if a wild wyvern attacked? What would your 'escort' do???"

Jack: "I think Mir means it... there's no reason..."