A towering arch served as the main entrance of the Coliseum. It was tall and wide enough for elephants to march through. The hallway leading to the arch was packed with people. Hupo moved with the crowd at a steady pace toward the arch, occasionally glancing backwards to make sure Easton was still behind him.

Once he was outside, he searched for Alana and Coco. They weren’t difficult to find. He simply had to look in the same direction that everyone else was looking.

Alana stood next to Coco, not far outside the main entrance. Her beauty turned the heads of everyone around her. She was like a lone rose in a field of grass.

“Master Hupo!” Coco ran up to Hupo and hugged him.

Hupo laughed. “It’s good to see you too, Coco.”

Alana approached Hupo. “I knew you would win.”

“Thanks for believing in me.” Hupo gestured for Easton to join them. “This is Easton. I recruited him to work in our future restaurant.”

Easton bowed his head. “Nice to meet you.”

Alana smiled. “I’m Alana. Welcome aboard.”

Coco pointed to herself. “I’m Coco, their first employee. That means I’m your senior, got it?”

Easton nodded.

Hupo laughed. “You crack me up, Coco. Easton, can you show me where you live? I’ll find you once the restaurant is ready.”

A flush crept up Easton’s face. “I live near here, but I’m a bit ashamed to show you my home.”

“You’re among friends. We’re not here to judge you.”

Coco patted Easton’s back. “It can’t be any smaller than my home. Relax.”

“Well... okay. It’s this way.” Easton led them to a nearby building.

The two-story stone building had glass windows, and a tiled roof.

“This is your house?” Coco stared with her mouth agape. “I can’t believe you were ashamed to show it to us. It’s way nicer than mine.”

“Actually, my home is over there.” Easton pointed to the side of the building.

There was nothing there but a board of wood propped against the wall.

Coco gasped. “It’s even smaller than my house!”

Easton rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s not much, but it’s all I’ve got.”

He’s practically homeless. He wouldn’t be able to do his best at work if he had to constantly worry about getting his basic needs met.

Hupo felt partly responsible for his employees’ wellbeing.

He didn’t want to be like the employer who had worked his mother to death. “Why don’t you come stay with us? We’re currently staying at the Cheap Inn.”

“I’d love to, but I simply can’t afford it”

“Don’t worry about the money. I’ll pay for everything.”

“I can’t possibly accept your generosity. You’ve already done so much to help me.”

If I make my invitation look like a job opportunity, then he might accept it.

“You know what? I could use your help right away. Your employment begins now.”

“But you don’t even have a restaurant yet.”

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“Getting a restaurant up and running requires a lot of preparation. You’ll be a big help.”

Easton put his hand on his chest. “You can count on me! Just tell me what to do and I’ll get it done!”

“Great. I promised you food and shelter, as terms of your employment. That means you’re coming back to the inn with us.”

“Well, if you put it that way, then I guess I’ll come.”

***

Was it really the right decision to turn down Youji’s offer?

On his way back to the Cheap Inn, Hupo had plenty of time to ponder the question in his mind. If he had accepted the offer, then he would have received status and enough money to live a comfortable life. However, he didn’t want to be part of an organization with seemingly no moral compass. His memory of Easton’s beating remained fresh in his mind. He also learned that a knight had touched Alana without her consent.

He noticed that Coco had been unusually quiet during their journey back to the inn. Her usual cheerful demeanor was nowhere to be found. She walked with a lowered chin and slumped shoulders.

"Is something the matter, Coco?"

Coco sniffled. "I miss Doggy."

"Doggy?"

Alana cleared her throat. "I believe she’s referring to the hound I summoned earlier. Like most summoned creatures, it faded away after a period of time."

"Why did you summon a hound?"

Alana explained how she and Coco had saved Claire’s life.

"I'm proud of you, Alana. What you did shows just how much you've grown. You've demonstrated the ability to share and understand the feelings of another."

She smiled and looked away.

Coco's lower lip protruded into a sulky pout. "What about me?"

Hupo patted her head and laughed. "You've grown too, Coco."

Despite appearances, his guard had been up since he left the coliseum, because he knew that he was being followed by two people. From the way they walked and the pressure they emitted, he could tell that one had no combat training and the other was an exceptionally skilled warrior.

When Hupo arrived at the Cheap Inn, he noticed that one of the followers had left. The other follower moved toward him at a quickened pace.

***

A twenty-foot tall bronze statue of a king stood near the main entrance of the coliseum. Leaning against it was a man who drew the attention of passersby. Some of them looked at him with disdain. With his long hair and unkempt beard, he looked like a homeless man. Others viewed him in a more appreciative light. When they saw the large sword on his back and the empty sleeve, they wondered if he was an army veteran.

Dugu didn’t mind the stares. He had more important matters to worry about. His gaze was fixated on the steady stream of people leaving the coliseum. Amongst the crowd, he saw Hupo, the man he’d been waiting for.

Hupo wasn’t difficult to spot. He stood at least six feet tall and wore unique black armor. The power that he had demonstrated in the tournament finals was enough to defeat a clan leader. A girl and a blonde woman joined up with him.

I’ve found them.

Dugu made his way through the noisy, suffocating crowd. The people blocking his way were many. They cried in annoyance and uttered profanities at him as he pushed and squeezed past them. But he paid them no heed. He couldn’t afford to lose sight of his targets.

He noticed that a man from the crowd was tailing Hupo.

Dugu had planned to talk to Hupo immediately, but he was curious to see who the man was and what his intentions were.

The man followed Hupo to an inn, before leaving.

Dugu had no reason to conceal himself any longer. “Excuse me.”

Hupo turned around. "Yes?"

"My name is Dugu. There’s something important I wish to discuss with you, in private."

Hupo stared at Dugu for moment, before turning toward his entourage. "Please show Easton to our rooms. I'll join you all shortly."

Once the two of them were alone, Dugu said "You look like a straightforward guy and I'm a straightforward guy, so I'll get straight to the point. There's a werewolf who wants to meet with you and your blonde partner."

"Ah... I see. Not interested.” Hupo turned to leave.

Dugu gestured for him to stop. "Wait! He has my wife hostage. If I don't arrange for you two to meet with him, he'll kill her!"

Hupo sighed. "Actions are like ripples in a pond - one leads to another in an endless wave. Somehow you and your wife ended up entangled in a mess that I started. The meeting is likely a trap - revenge for the werewolf lives I've taken."

"That's not what he told me. Apparently, he wants to use you and your partner to help him become the next werewolf lord."

"The probability of the meeting being a trap is still very high. Even so, I can't let you and your wife take the fall for my past transgressions." Hupo paused. "Is he here?"

"No, he's currently in Ferdania. I've been using this ring to communicate with him." Dugu showed Hupo the silver ring on his finger. "But I haven't been able to reach him lately."

"I see... When you do manage to get a hold of him, tell him that I'll accept the meeting, but only on my terms."

"Thank you so much! What are they?"

"My partner will not be coming. I'll come alone and speak on her behalf. The meeting place shall be the plains south of Dubin Village. He must bring your wife with him, alive and well, and bring no one else."

"You're doing so much for me..."

"I'm just making sure the werewolf keeps his end of the deal. Only by having him bring your wife to the meeting can her safe return be assured. When you hear back from him, come look for me. If you can't find me here, then look for my restaurant. I plan to open one in the capital very soon."

"Thank you again. I don't know how I'll ever be able to repay you."

"You don't owe me anything. I'm simply taking responsibility for I've done."