A month has passed since the training of Kassa began. My daily routine consisted of training Kassa and hunting during the day, then spending time with Dixy and practicing my magic during the night. We have formed a habit of me lying with Kassa as she falls asleep, but I creep away the moment the she does.

In addition, roughly once per week, I go to God’s Win to earn money. I count the days so that I always align my trip with Gorar, so we can have a nice chat. He really is a pleasant man in every sense of the word. The wages in the guild are falling, perhaps as a direct consequence of my work, but I think it is good. Money is piling up nonetheless, since I have less and less to spend it on.

Today I am planning to go to the city, but Kassa interrupts me. “I wanna go with!” she says.

I feel a wry smile forming on my lips. “You really shouldn’t. It could cause trouble” I tell her.

“Didn’t you get the robe so that I could go to the city?” She is looking slightly fed up.

“I got the robe in case we HAD to go into the city. I’d prefer if we didn’t.” I haven’t seen people interact with Silvestri, but if they are willing to calmly slaughter them, as the mass grave and those nearby insinuated, I wouldn’t bet on it being anything close to cordial.

“Argh! You’re mean! I hate you!” She flips out, but I know she doesn’t mean it. I crouch down and hug her.

“Listen, it is only because I want to protect you. It will be very dangerous for you.” I say softly near her ear. I see her with my read-sight, turning her annoyed face into a sad one. “I know” she says.

“Now, be a good girl and stay here. Do you want anything from the city?” I ask her.

“Then, the green sour things again!” She brightens and gets a little excited. It has become a bit of a ritual for me to bring back some kind of sweet, but we appear to have a favorite, as this is the second week in arrow that the sour one has been requested. I think it is a little strange, aren’t kids supposed to enjoy sweet things the most? But I don’t mind.

I make my way to the city, greeting Gorar and getting news from him at the gate. After a bit of courtesy talk, he brings up a piece of information.

“Oh yeah, somebody is here to talk with you!”

“With me?” Who could it be?

“Yeah, seems he is working for the duke. He’s probably going to hire you, seeing how many rumors of your prowess are going around”

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“Do you know where he is? I’d better go decline in a hurry.” Gorar’s usually friendly-looking face distorts a little.

“You- you are going to decline? The duke?”

“Hn, well yeah? I, uh, want to keep my freedom.” I can’t very well tell him I don’t want to let anyone know I am sheltering a Sylvester. In addition, I think I have built up resentment towards nobility. The man that had Toben and Caper killed and captured Atna, the man who had me imprisoned for so long, and recently the man who tried to have me arrested. All nobility.

“Oh… Right… You were a wanderer after all” Gorar looks a bit dejected. “Then, do me a favor before you leave. There-”

“Wait, why would I leave?” I interrupt him and get a confused look in response.

“Hn? You plan to defy the duke AND stay in his territory? Are you nuts?” Is it really that big a deal simply not wanting to work for someone. I think he may be right, better to play it safe than to risk getting burned.

“Ah, nevermind, then what favor would you like?”

“Ah, there has been a rumour about evil spirits halfway between here and the mining town Satir. The rumour have progressed to a point, where the guild promised to look into it, so why don’t you settle our minds a little.”

“Evil spirits, eh?” Slightly nostalgic, as I remember being called one.

“Ah, don’t put too much stock into it. I have heard a bunch of these rumors and never seen anything that could be called a spirit, so just go and give it a quick look around.”

I slowly nod.

“And the duke’s man?”

“Ah, at the inn close to the guild. If you ask for him, you should find him there.”

“Right, then, bye Gorar!”

“See you Yian!”

I make my way through the streets towards the guild, and quickly find the inn in question. I enter and announce that I am the man the duke was looking for, before being directed to a room by the middle-aged woman who was in the middle of cleaning.

As I am introduced to the man, I quickly give my refusal. His face contorts a little.

“You, do you know what it means to reject the duke.”

“Maybe not, but I really can’t. Well then, see you!” I turn to leave.

“Wait, it will be hard for you to live here, you know! And your life will be much better under the duke! You are making a huge mistake!” There is anger in his voice, but I simply yell “Understood” as I leave. Guess I really will have to leave.

It is very close to the guild, so I immediately leave one building and enter the other. I start scanning the requests posted for the one about the spirit. While I see a few that look like easy money, I can’t find the one about the spirit and start to inquire the receptionist about it.

“Ah, that one was already taken earlier today by a group of gentlemen. You will just have put your faith in them.” I don’t like that. I promised Gorar to take a look after all.

“I promised a good friend that I’d take a look. I won’t try to claim the reward or anything, so can you let me have a quick look?”

He scratches his cheek a little before agreeing and finding the slip of yellow paper. I can feel the blood running from my face. It reads:

“Investigate mysterious activity.

Series of suspicious events happening halfway between God’s Win and Satir.

Four men murdered, but not looted.

Mysterious black footprints in grass.

Spirit reported passing by at incredible speed. It generates wind as it passes.”

I immediately leave. Kassa could be in danger!