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Chapter 140 - Vol. 3 - Chapter 5

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Vek whose keen hearing picked the conflict between the Lohor, the players and the rest of merchants and citizens in the Grand Market made his mind get conflicted.

He wondered to himself why could a person like Lahor be so welcoming and open-minded to him a "Subrace" living in the Empire but the others looked at him with scorn, arrogance, even hate. It was conflicting to him, and was always questioning himself that, even when he would accompany Mathias on his walks around Titan.

Nevertheless, he understood that similar to the kobolds or other monsters who could still interact with humans, not harming them, there were also monsters who gave in to their instincts, creatures acted no-more than some mindless creatures, the same could be said for the humans.

With his head slightly lowered to not be seen to much by the humans, he returned back home after a couple of hours spent inside the city neighborhood trying to get all his required supplies from food to plants for healing all sorts of diseases on his way to the affected villages, by that time when he got home night already shrouded Titan in it's veils.

Inside the orphans seemed to be listening to the older Joel as she was telling them something, while the old lady was doing some crochets with the materials given by Fayrene. On another hand, when he didn't see Fayrene in the living room, it meant she was in her private room studying her magic.

Still, once back the orphans noticed that he was holding in his hands a lot of bags, from the medicinal plants to food supplies, and were confused as to why their "wierd" friend would buy so much food.

"Vek! Why have you bought so many things? Are you going on an adventurer again?" asked a girl with her tone sounding slightly worried

"Woww, can you take us with you?" requested a boy, who jumped up from where he was, almost lunging himself at Vek.

*AHEM* "Attention to the lesson you brats." called out Lady Ann when she saw how the orphans' interest for adventure was awakened by Vek who returned from his shopping.

"But Granny!"

"No buts, sit down since I haven't finished my story. Once I am done, you can bother Vek. Understood?"

"Yes, madame."

Vek, who looked at those kids that had excited faces staring at him, could only smile awkwardly, while rushing toward Fayrene's room, stopping in front of it.

'I don't like little human kids. They are like slugs, hard to remove once stuck on you.'

Knocking on her door after greeting the Lady Ann and the rest of kids that gave him attention, he heard her soft spoken voice respond, allowing him inside.

"Where have you been, little Vek?"

"Mistress, I went to buy supplies and healing herbs. If you are curious they are all here." pointed Vek after saying that to something that looked like a handbag, but which gave the impression had more utility to just that.

"I see. Wow you brought a lot of plants, do you know their use?" inquired Fayrene when she noticed the large amount of herbs that give a mixed smell, from some that were disgusting to the ones that were fragrant.

"Mhm, Elder Morlk taught me how to use them."

She stopped from her studies, and made sure to understand what the use of each plant was which Vek gladly explained to her, and after she got their multitude of effects, from curing poisons to flesh wounds, and another effects, she asked Vek if he wanted her to bring his herbs into her inventory, to remove some of the constraints of carrying around so many supplies.

"If you can, I would appreciate it."

"No problem, little Vek. There we go, is all gone." mentioned Fayrene who took in her inventory all the supplies Vek bought while doing "POOF" with her hands as if she casted a spell, making the kobold to chuckle a bit.

"It reminds me of Master Mathias. He did something like this too when he showed off his abilities."

"Hehe, really?" chuckled Fayrene, walking back on her seat, while Vek moved to Mathias's table placing down his daggers and taking out a sharpening stone to sharpen his weapons.

Seeing how diligently Vek worked on his daggers, Fayrene placed down her book, and told him.

"If you haven't eaten something so far, you can go to the kitchen, I cooked some food and there is some for you too, if you want I can reheat it for you."

"Thank you. I'll be fine, my tongue can eat a lot of things, and trust me, I don't mind one bit that the food is slightly colder." replied Vek, continuing working on his daggers.

"Haha, you are efficient, no joke. Then I'll leave you alone, when do you suggest we should depart?" asked Fayrene while taking her Arcane Tome back in her hands.

"At the morning rise, when the birds start calling."

"It is all good. Have a good night."

Nodding respectfully at Fayrene, Vek exited her room and walked toward the kitchen where he saw lady Ann heat up his food on the fireplace that the kitchen had.

"Elder, there was no need to bother yourself."

"What bother, little child? After you help me and my granddaughter together with that other boy, I'll see that you are taken care of too."

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"Thank you. You humans sure are really weird. Some of you are annoying and worse than monsters, while another group is kind to me."

"That's us humans. Even though the Empire has a minority of nonhumans, the leaders of this country still treat you like some invasive species that shouldn't exist. But it is fine, little child, I have a feeling things are bound to change a lot with the appearance of the outlanders, in this case people like little Mathias who are competent and have an open mind.``

He could only nodd his head while taking a seat at the table, taking the wooden spoon with his four fingers, moving awkwardly to eat, clearly not experiencing eating with the spoon for too long, and seeing Vek struggling to hold the spoon the old lady sighed at stopped him.

"Let me help you a bit, child. Even if you have four digits you are holding the spoon the wrong way. Here, let me show you a way that can make it easier for you. Besides, who taught you to hold the spoon like a sword?"

"No one, I just thought this is the natural way for us kobolds to eat since we have four fingers."

"... *Laugh* Really? This is a first for me, when I hear such a thing."

"Am I doing it wrong?"

"Child, you are holding the spoon the wrong way. In fact, has Mathias ever saw you eat with the spoon?"

"No, he allows me to eat with my hands. While the Soup at the tavern he lets me eat it while holding the bowl and drinking it."

"... What? Are you two barbarians or something? I mean, I could understand you, but that kid too? Where are his manners?"

"Well, Lord eats like any other human. Like this."

Saying that, Vek tried to mimic how Mathias stood at the table with his back straight, he even attempted to make his facial expression. Holding himself straight, he placed down the spoon, and picked it as if he was Mathias, and once he did that, he felt comfortable holding the spoon.

Attempting to take a spoonful of soup, it went perfect, so perfect it shocked him, which lead to Lady Ann to laugh in a hearty manner.

"What a silly kid. He actually knew how to eat properly but was eating like a barbarian. Boy, don't tease me with acting like a fool."

"I wasn't! I never knew it could be so easy like this."

"Well, now you know. Anyway, you have fresh water in that glass jug. No need to wash the dishes since you often break them."

"Sorry." apologised Vek, remembering the times he tried to help Fayrene but failing miserably with his clumsy way of holding the plates.

"It's fine, they are cheap plates anyway.

Leaving the kitchen room, Vek, who was eating like a human, murmured to himself, especially when he was looking at his hand.

"Master, you did this on purpose for sure. I will get this back for sure in our next fight."

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Night flew by fast, so fast that the roosters began their eternal singing that would make someone curse from the top of his lungs in the neighborhood.

This was the day Fayrene and Vek went outside of the city toward Silverpine Forest with the intent of solving the problems of the Villages neighboring this region, a place that was under the jurisdiction of Count Como, a retainer of Duchess Basara von Saharan, leader of Toulmont Duchy and also member of the Imperial Family.

At the courtyard of Fayrene's house, both Vek and Fayrene were glancing at one another, starting to confirm if all their preparations were done, and without furthermore waiting, the new party went on their journey.

The weather was still winter's season, but it had calmed down considerably since the blizzards that hit the empire, a small change in temperature could also be felt, a sign that Spring wasn't that far from them.

The new party made by the two, went toward the Inner City with their intent of getting to the Northern Gate which would lead them to the main road toward the Toulmont Duchy and the other Northern Duchies of Gelder and Dehakel.

Yet before even getting on the Northern Gate, while walking inside the Inner City, passing by the Forum, the gathering of the players Fayrene encountered a group of players that give her a look of interest.

"Beauty, do you want to join our party? You are a high-ranker just like us."

"Sorry, but I can't, I got something else to do."

"That's a bummer, we got a S grade quest but it is simply too hard to complete with just the four of us."

"And this is how you are searching for your party members?"

"Besides this we also have announced our offer to the forums, but so far we only got low level noobs."

Fayrene, glanced at the name of the players, and the blonde one that approached her in a gutsy manner, where she noticed that his level was similar to hers [48], while the black person that had the heavy armor, had a lower level of [45], while other two were also guys, with close levels.

[Anjo - Lv. 48]

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[You have received a friend request from user Anjo]

.

She had this notification appear in front of her eyes, which she didn't respond to, even closing the notification without responding to this "friend request" she passed by those guys with Vek no longer answering to their questions, which made Anjo frown a bit, seeming to ready himself to approach her a lot bolder, but he stopped abruptly when he noticed a creature with wings on its back stare at him with cold, ferocious eyes.

Only when the group of Fayrene and Vek passed did the party, mainly Anjo and MikeIron, bring Vek into their talk.

"Is that a draconian? The ones from the Travian Sierra?"

"It seems like it, he looks larger and more ferocious than those fucked rats in Gravelmark."

"Well, that beauty would have been a good company. I could even try to approach her more intimately."

"Dream on, man. That type of babe, is probably some model."

.

.

On another hand, Fayrene no longer concerned herself with those players, feeling like she passed another check-point in her life, that made her feel integrated in the players circle, her research has done diligence to her at this moment.

Then, as she continued her journey, she entered the Northern District and immediately the first thing she heard when she reached this zone was surprising.

"Free food for everyone. Each person gets a serving but has to get in line."

"Please friends, get in line and don't break the order."

Fayrene could see the thieves that tried to steal her purse behind a big caldron with steaming food where others had wooden plates and spoons that they were giving each person in line, from old to young, she could see the Stonemasons serve food to everyone that approached them.

Getting closer, but with no intent to check on them, she heard another young boy, about 12 years old shouting, announcing something to the public of the North District.

"Master Edwin is recruiting new members for the Guild. A roof is assured, a decent bed is assured, your food is assured, and lastly your pay will be assured! The Stonemasons have been reborn! Join us and build with us the future."

She saw the excitement in that boys face and the happiness in his voice, and beside this the atmosphere inside the district changed since the Stonemasons had been contracted by Mathias and once again earned money to put food on the table. Yet, this gesture from Edwin, she didn't expect, making such a charity into helping most of his people.

"Things have started changing for the better. I didn't realize how important the Stonemasons were for the community of the Northern District."

"Yea, I like such humans."

"Indeed, this is what it means to be human, to have the spirit of sharing with someone else, regardless of how much you can do. There will be more changes for the Stonemasons, since Mathias will for sure want to expand."

From what the outside showed on the passing, she heard the Stonemasons mention the crimson-haired nobleman, and constantly reminding them that this food was thanks to his generous self, who hired them to build his mansion.

This made Fayrene chuckle a bit, and without any disturbance in this district, she appeared in front of the North Gates that housed a small garrison of Imperial Guards, keeping the gates defended without the notion of time. Guard could be seen everywhere the eye allowed on the walls, on the floor, and once she got past the walls one guard wished her well on her journey.

"Little Vek, I don't know how long the journey toward Silverpine Forest will take and toward the Villages affected, but I heard the forest is quite big, filled with Pine trees, and only that type of tree.

"It will be fine, Mistress. Lord Alchem told me the journey would take two days."

"This means we have to spend the night in the open…"

"Yes, but don't worry I will be on watch."

"No, I wasn't really worried, well, a little bit since it is my first time on an adventure. The last time I went into what you could call an adventure was when I came to Titan from Cidarian all by myself."

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