Lion’s skills were good but allocated in a mediocre manner. It seems that her stats were balanced maybe back in 2010, but it just doesn’t seem to be the meta right now. She doesn’t seem to own Fortitude. Without it, her warrior skills were subpar.

Not only that, but she didn’t know how to cook. This was awful. On the good side, I gained the dragon tamer skill.

“Why is she here!?” Vampy asked.

Lion responded by staring at Vampy in a menacing manner.

“She is our new party members,” I said.

It was only a white lie, but there was no way she’ll understand the game mechanics behind the pet system.

Vampy gave me the dirtiest look I’ve ever seen her give.

I sent the two to the kitchen to train their cooking skills. Meanwhile, I had to do something more important. Time was of essence.

I had to sell all my goods before the market closed. Then I also had to buy a new set of boots and a new shield. My fight with Lion wasn’t pretty for my items, nor my purse.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

When I arrived at the marketplace, I walked into a store and was about to buy a shield with a lion embed on it. But then the shopkeeper looked at me with regrets…

“I am sorry, but that is already taken.” He said.

“By who?”

“That young master,” he said. Pointing at a young man walking into the story with two girls arm in arm.

‘Tch, a player.’

“I want the shield. How much do you want for it?” I asked.

“Is not for sale.” He said.

“Why not? I am willing to pay you 200% market price for it.”

“Because, fuck you, that is why.”

That young master wasn’t able to see mount tai. So I slapped him in the face. He punched me back, and a fight ensured.

After I was done disposing of him, I walked outside with my new shield in hand. It seems that it had been created by a sect long gone. But it had no special skills in the status bar.

I then proceeded to sell more of my dragon scales. The merchants running the trades seemed rather keen in knowing how was I farming so many scales in so little time. It was likely that this made me a target on their radar. The nearby merchant city not so happy when players had a monopoly over a spawn.

I steered with caution. Sometimes I would be the one who sold the scales. Some other times I would send Vampy. I tried sending Lion too, but she refused to sell the scales of her own kind. If only I had a guild, selling would be much easier. But alas, other players are never to be trusted.

After resupplying with runes, boots and potions. I headed back to the castle where I was received like a king.

Not that it amounted to too much. When I entered the kitchen to see what Vampy and Lion had cooked, I found burned beef and half-uncooked rice.

When I refused to eat it, the two of them threw a cooking pan. After surviving an empty stomach, I took a shower and then fell asleep.