When Jave woke up, it was to the feeling of something watching. But the feeling dissapeared as quickly as it appeared, leaving Jave blinking in confusion at the wall.

He shook his head, thinking it to be a result of morning fogginess.

"Good morning, did you sleep well?" The healer asked.

She was carrying a tray with a bit of meat, some rice, and some gravy. There was a glass of... some murky orange sludge. Just looking at it sent chills up his spine.

He flashed her a smile.

"Yes mam, I did, more than any bit of sleep I've had in the past week."

"Good, I can't imagine what it must've been like. But first, you need to take your medicine."

Jave's eyes flicked towards the glass. He did his best to not heave in repulsion. He succeded, but ended up with a grimace plastered on his face.

"Well, either drink it, or slowly die as the infection eats away at your heart and kidneys."

A normal person would've blinked at her attitude, especially due to her being a healer. But Jave knew that she was only saying the truth, and in turn, saving her the hassle of convincing a person to... drink that.

Jave was still reluctant, and didn't feel like touching it with a ten foot long pole. But he slowly took it, and tried his best to chug it down as fast as he could. He almost vomited it back out half way through. He finished it in a record time of five seconds, just like any person who'd had enough experience with tonics like these.

It tasted very bitter, with a hint of sweetness, and made him feel sick when it should be doing the opposite. But in truth Jave knew he'd be fine at the end of the day.

Hidden status effect cleared The status effect [Rotting] has just been cleared by a [Sun King] tonic.

And that just proved it. Jave cursed internally.

"Good." The healer said, with an amused look on her face. "Now eat up." She placed the tray on his lap.

He took a piece of meat and put it in his mouth.

"Now for some details that you should probably hear. The infection is going to be staying for another few hours, and in that time, I would recomend against any exercise. The tonic I gave you should take care of any symptoms it causes, and will clear it out. The fee is three silver, and forty copper. Now I know you just came back, and all your gear is gone, but since you're a regular-" Jave snorted " I will allow you to pay it within a weeks' time."

Jave nodded, using the taste of cooked meat to get rid of the other, unpleasant taste.

"Also, you might know it already, but there is some sort of [System]. Mages are still looking into it, but little is known about it. But there have been many changes that you probably are not knowing, like guilds must re- enlist all their members to make it official on the [System]. There are also these [Classes], like [Healer], [Mage] and other sorts, which I'm sure you must be aware of, but I must make sure. Any more information you should get at the [Information guild]."

Jave nodded, already half done with the food on the tray.

 "What about Damen's mother? How did she end up a noble? How long was I gone?" Jave said, his mouth muffled with food.

"Don't talk while you're eating. And I think that's a story for Damen to tell you himself. You were gone for two weeks." She said, with a wry grin.

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Jave snorted, an action he immediately regreted. The healer burst into laughter while Jave tried to sneeze out the rice in his nostrils.

A minute later, Jave was left with a burning nostril, a bit of embarassment, and a very amused healer.

"Stay here until I come back, okay? The infection still has to leave, in the mean time, don't do anything. Anything. At all. Understand?"

Jave nodded.

"Good. Now be a good boy and don't mess anything up."

"Hey!" He said, but she was already gone.

He sneezed, a rice grain flying out. He sighed, and laid back done.

***

"So, are you feeling better?" The healer asked, suddenly entering.

Jave jumped up, shook his head and laid back down.

"Yes, better than I've felt in some time. Thank you mam, I wish I could've paid you back here and now, but.. "

The healer waved her hand.

"Don't worry about it, I mean it's the least I could do considering what you must've gone through. Speaking of which..."

Jave knew where this was going. He had a feeling she was curious. Well, anyone would be, so no surprise there. It was a good thing he'd rehearsed his story.

He gave her a smile.

"You'd never believe what happened to me."

"Try me."

"Okay, if you say so..., it all began when I took that quest, a small and simple quest to get a rare and precious herb that was deep in the Boulder forest. But then... I got lost..."

***

( 2 hours later.)

"...and so, I used the [Haste] potion I found to get back home as fast as I could, because I didn't think I would've lasted any longer. And after two or three days of travel, here I am, retelling my story to you." Jave finished.

The story he'd come was actually very simple, he took a quest, got lost, realised it was because of a faulty map, then realised that someone must have purposely exchanged it (He left out who), ended up in Laurenhall, ended up doubting his sanity, fought a ton of monsters and illusions alike, lost his sword to a [Whip Rhino], fought it bare handed, won, and then somehow got resistance to mental attacks by some rune he found in the river, then valiantly fought his way to the center, found the artifact, and being the hero he was, destroyed it because he didn't want it to fall into the wrong hands. And then he used a potion from a fallen adventurer's gear to get back home.

Took quite a lot of time imagining the details, though.

And now, the healer was looking at him with awe.

"Wow." was all she said.

Jave scratched his head.

There was the sound of yelling in the background.

The healer frowned.

"I'll be back. I just to check on this, alright?"

He nodded, secretely a bit relieved. It was hard keeping the mask up. 

She left the room. And immediately, he felt an eerie feeling. It felt familliar. But he couldn't put his finger on it. He shrugged, and was about to dismiss it, when suddenly he felt chills down his spine. He turned around, startled to find two pitch black eyes staring at him with a malicious grin. 

He shuddered.

But he was not one to simply lose all sense. He looked around for anything he could use as a weapon. And he found a small knife. A cutlery knife, but still. The shouting was getting a bit louder now, and Jave thought he could hear the signs of fighting.

The eyes were still staring at him. He stared back, not at all affected by the imposing aura. Okay, a little affected. But the was sound of something breaking, and then the door slammed open. Jave turned, and froze.

Damen and Norbert was standing at the door.

"What are you pointing that at?" Damen asked.

Jave was about to reply, but then he realised there was nothing there. Nothing now, at least. He lowered the knife.

"... Nothing."

An instant later the three were in a group hug. 

"I thought you were dead, man." Norbert said.

"So did I." Jave said.

"Sorry to interrupt your little reunion, but we got trouble." A voice annouced, causing Jave to turn around, ... cutlery knife in hand.

A woman- girl was standing by the doorway, hands crossed.

"Who's she?" Jave asked.

"Oh right, introductions. Jave, meet Athena. Athena, meet Jave." Damen said.

"Nice to meet you, now can we get the hell out of here?"

"One second." Damen said, then he turned to Jave.

And punched him in the face.