A band of mercenaries is coming through Perish Path. They will enter the square any moment now. Among them is Quateria! Lydia's ephemeral voice says.

Memories flash in your mind. You and Quateria had a history of unlucky encounters during your adventuring days. It was always on the opposite sides of skirmishes, as she was an agent of the Demon King. While she never had love for you, she really started antagonizing you after the Black Forest incident when…

Are you fleeing? the wind carries Lydia’s voice again.

Lydia was your traveling companion before. You shared the road with her and her brother Lyson for two years, and more than half of that time was spent deep in the Demon King’s domain. She was what kept you going when it was hard to wake up.

Even as the farmer on the podium announced the number of potato sacks that needed to be relocated, the crowd started turning its heads toward the eastern road. Now, heavy rhythmic thumps of boots could be heard from there, louder and louder.

I say Greenbelt is a nice place for a fresh start. But imagine if Quateria learns you live here! Neither you nor the town would be safe.

You realize how messy things could get were you to deal with Quateria at this moment. Lydia, I live by the southern cabbage field. Meet me there!

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A sun-tanned farmer shouts as you leave Sellswords! We have sellswords in

Greenbelt!

You move through the crowd to the south of Newstone Square, through a little dirt alley, around a fenced cabbage field, and finally, you arrive home.

It was a newly-built house, a structure that stood out from the rest of the houses in the street. You sold most of your adventuring gear, as well as all the treasure you looted during all the years on the road, to have this built. You didn't want a small cottage, so you told the architect that you want at least one floor above the ground one. However, you are still not sure what to do with all that space. Even though you moved in less than two weeks ago, the first floor is not only empty, but will likely remain so for a while.

There is tall, black-haired woman standing in front of it - Lidia. You are thrown off by her appearance. You are used to seeing her in her deity’s gown, with stuffed satchels and adventuring gear hanging from her tall body. You often called her Coat Hanger. You would ask her to carry small things for you, such a water skin, coin purse, or a looted item, only to ask her again in an hour. You just wanted to see how many things you could hang on her.

Instead, she is wearing an off-white, coarse, baking robe. Her gilded pendant, a symbol of her deity, is still there - tucked under flour-smeared robe.

She starts Veil, is Quateria looking for you? Or is this an accidental meeting? What happened between the two of you?

She is still cross about the Black Forest thing, I bet. You say. But this must be an accidental meeting, Quateria was always loyal to Demon King. She is here on official business. You pause. Wait, why are you here, Lidia? And what happened to you? You look like a baker.