Chapter 154 – Journal Entry 4: Elena and the Hound Dog of Fernery Island
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The blond woman who probably owned the man in black approached me with floaty steps. Along with her was obviously the man in black or the servant that is staring me down as if I was an enemy to the lady in front of me.
“Calm down Grom, this should be the new worker for the island.”
Hearing her, the servant in black nodded his head. He backed down with the stare and looked blankly at the floor as if he didn’t exist. I really wonder if this servant is a man or a just a monster?
“Don’t worry about Grom. He is just a good hound dog.”
“Hound dog? So he isn’t a human?”
“Who knows? He might be an elf, a human, a monster or even a golem. But to the island, he is merely a good lfriendly hound dog.”
“That’s kind of vague.”
“Don’t ask me, I am merely looking after him. So are you the one that is going to be the new hire for Fernery Island?”
“Yes, but I have no idea what the job is other than supposedly a ‘courier’.”
“I see, well let me explain it you...?”
The short blonde woman paused for a while. I assumed she was asking for my name so I just told her my borrowed the name. The woman then nonchalantly told me about what my job supposedly on the island. She warned me that the island life is quite slow. I would probably be bored since there is little to do on the island. But since she assumed that it is peaceful, I just shrugged her warnings.
“So you will accept then?”
“Well, what’s the pay? Do I have a home?”
“About that, I will negotiate with the owner of the Inn to let you have one of their empty lodging houses, it should be vacant.”
“Hmm, seems sketchy. All I need to do is really act as a courier? Sounds like that there are something you are hiding.”
“Well, technically you would have to work on some request for the villagers on the island. It is a small island, and people are acquainted with each other. And since we really loved trust in that place. Can we trust you?”
She suddenly stopped acting like she was nice. Her eyes went half closed, her brows knitted and the hound dog standing next to her once again looked at me as if I was a threat. I raise my arms up in surrender as I took a deep breath and answer.
“Nope, why would I ever make trouble? You can trust me well, also a free house, and a job in some safe island might be a good way to relax.”
The woman stared at me for quite a while. It feels like she is piercing my soul but honestly with her small stature I wasn’t that intimidated. But the big guy standing by her side who’s ready to choke me and throw me into a wall was the scary one.
“Good. You look like you are an easy going guy. I am Elena of Fernery Island, the great grandchild of the golem maker responsible for the Ymir’s. Nice to meet you, neighbor.”
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“Thank you, I am.”
I introduced myself once again with a bow. Elena crossed her arms and nodded in satisfaction. After that, she gestured at her guardian. Her guardian then went back to being non-threatening. The guardian seems like a mute, I thought it was some humanoid male but actually, he looked more of what I can say as a Golem.
“Nice to meet you?”
“...”
The hound dog named Grom nodded his head. Oh, maybe this creature could understand my words. But judging by how he looks and how he acts I say that he isn’t that particularly interested in me. What a servant he is.
“Eh.”
“Just ignore Grom, he isn’t used to talking. In fact, I do wonder if he ever talks. The Mistress of the Island seems like the only one who could ever have this guy talked.”
“I see, and then he won’t bite me suddenly right?”
“That depends on your attitude. Grom is acting as my servant at the moment but he is a guardian of the island. He will crush your throat and maimed you if you try anything. So be careful”
“Thanks for the warning.”
Then Elena giggled as she leads me back to her seat. The receptionist who I gave the letter to was quite scared when Grom was near her. I thanked the receptionist first before I followed Elena to the seat she was sitting. On the seat, Elena started to explain what her role is in this fiasco. She acts as a negotiator and she delivered fifty golems for the City of Soren by ship. Her ship is located in the other small city called Sardis. She docked the ship while letting the city of Soren take the golems from her ship to this place. The cost of the golems used for combat and building is quite high so the city could only order a few small amount.
Elena also complained midway how they are taking advantage of the transportation protection fee, deducting the pay but luckily Grom, her ever so obedient guardian could take care of that problem. Just now, the one that Grom tried to choke to death was some liaison that works for the finance of the King. They tried negotiating the price but too bad for the negotiator that the guardian of Elena was quite short-tempered, and decided to choke the guy who made a subtle threat.
Elena laughed while recalling. But the people around the Argos Company only looked scared as she does. Maybe this short woman couldn’t read that they are scared?
But anyway, Elena said that we would be leaving in ten days. She needed to go around the city to buy some supplies for the smiths on the island. So she told me to come and stay at the Inn she is resting. I didn’t have any place to go so obviously I went out with her.
As we go out the door of the Argos Company shut closed hard. Grom the Hound dog of Elena looked at the sign of the company and seems to be sneering at it. Elena who was quite nonchalant did so, which made me wonder why did they allow this woman to be their representative?
But anyway, we left the Argos Company and went to the Inn where she was currently staying.