‘I guess we should leave today,’ Adam thought. He still had to finish the st bit for the ons, but he supposed it wasn’t tent, sihe business still had quite a bit of .

  While the cart and wagon were being prepared, Adam hoisted up his children, sh them in affe.

  “Always w!” Jirot accused.

  “Yes,” Adam replied. “Except didn’t I py with you for a whole week?”

  “No!”

  “What do you mean? We ended up sying a dragon, didn’t we?”

  “I kill the dragon, I am strong!” Jirot agreed.

  “Right, exactly, so when daddy es back, let’s go on another adventure, and maybe you level up?”

  “I want to level up.”

  “Yeah, me too,” Adam said, kissing the girl’s cheek, before saying his goodbyes to all his children. “You all, you o listen to mummy, okay?”

  “Okay,” the children replied, with one child mumbling the word.

  “e home safely!” The children’s voices echoed through the fort, the other children also joining in, while the wagon and cart pulled away through the nearby vilge, towards Red Oak, towards the bad people.

  “Daddy…” Jirot sniffled. “Smelly boy.”

  “I’m so hungry, Jirot. e, let’s eat some more potatoes.”

  “I eating all the potatoes,” the girl said, sniffling.

  “I o eat some too, for your little papa or kaka,” Vonda said.

  “…” The girl pouted and held up her finger. “Just this once.” She wagged her finger.

  ‘Should I craft the girl a ring?’ Morkarai thought.

  Jonn watched out, unsure if he should have asked to e along, but instead, he followed the twins around.

  Fred also watched them go, w if he should have asked to go. ‘I’d only slow them down…’

  Within the wagon, Adam stared out towards the world. “It’s just us girls, this time…”

  Jurot wasn’t sure what Adam meant by that, but as he gnced around, he did note most of them were women. Lud Mara sat in the cart, while Jaygak and Kitool each drove the vehicles. The six of them formed the core of Fate’s Golden, and once more they set out, as they had done in the beginning of the year.

  However, this time it was different. Now there was no Prio escort, and nnant woman adventuring. This time it was only the girls ah.

  By the evening, the group approached the walls of Red Oak, whistantly brought a souro Adam’s mouth.

  “Business?”

  “Adventuring,” Kitool replied.

  “Gate fee?”

  Kitool handed old , a silver for each member, plus a silver for the carts and the steeds. “The steeds are magical, but we shall pay for them.”

  “Thank you,” the guard replied, tipping his helmet, before the group made their way into the town.

  “That was… surprisingly easy,” the uard said.

  The group made their way to the Adventurer’s Guild, and though Adam suspected trouble, they mao procure rooms for themselves with ease.

  “Adam,” called a voice.

  ‘I k,’ Adam thought, turning, before noting the dark skinned Vice Master. “Vice Master Paul?”

  Ohey were settled within a private room, the Vice Master poured the half elf some tea, and pushed forward snacks. “I heard about what happened. I’m gd that the Mad Dog and the Bearded Dragon were around.”

  “Me too,” Adam replied, sipping the tea, holding the Vice Master’s gaze.

  Insight Check (Wisdom)D20 + 1 = 4 (3)

  “What are your pns?” Paul asked, noting how rexed the half elf was. ‘Is the matter settled?’

  “Just adventuring for a couple of months in Ever Green.”

  “Would you be willing to assist me here?” Paul asked cautiously.

  “I’d have said no if it was any other person, but I’ll hear you out.”

  “It’s about Sir Harvey, he…” Paul paused upon Adam’s look. “He needs assistah a herb.”

  “Is this by any ce the same Sir Harvey I’m thinking of?”

  “Yes.”

  “Hmm,” Adam replied, raising his brows, waiting to hear more.

  “I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important, Adam.”

  “What’s so important about it?”

  “The herb is only ripe within a two week period, and it’s dangerous to procure. It’s… in Jaghi.”

  “Is this a remix? You wao help the High Alchemist in Jaghi?”

  Paul shrugged his shoulders. “Please. I have no one else I trust with this. You're perfect for the task. You escort the High Alchemist swiftly.”

  “What’s the herb?”

  “Moonleaf.”

  Adam raised his brows again, smirking slightly. “That sounds like a drug.”

  “It is, but it be used for medial purposes.”

  “That's what they all say.” Adam chuckled, sipping his tea, tasting the gentle fvour, though it was sullied by his memories.

  “It’s important for the town.”

  “How important?” Adam asked, leaning in slightly.

  “One hundred gold. Five gold daily for each person, and of course your living expenses are peoo.”

  “Doesn't sound that important if he’s being so cheap,” Adam replied, finishing his tea. “What is it for anyway?”

  “I’m not an alchemist.”

  “ht.”

  Alchemy Check (Intelligence)D20 + 6 = 22 (16)

  ‘It be used in different potions and empower them?’ Adam thought. “Oh my, oh my.” Adam tapped his fingers oable. “Rather than paying us all that, I only want two things. One gold. Not one gold each daily. One gold total.” Adam leaned in. “I want to be able to procure red oak.”

  “That’s…” Paul frowned. It wasn’t unheard of for people to iate with the Guild, but it was rather rare. Paul gnced down at at the tag that hung loosely above the amulet of Baktu.

  “Those are my terms.”

  “I will let him know.”

  Adam smiled. “Wonderful, now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to bathe.”

  It wasn’t long after his bath Adam received the refusal of his offer.

  “Then you tell him,” Adam began, inhaling deeply. “It is such a shame, but I wish him the best of luck finding adventurers as capable as us, especially oh an alchemist as good as me.” Adam smiled ily.

  Fate’s Golden, not wanting to spend too much in Red Oak, swiftly made their way out the m. Adam whistled as they made their way out, tipping his helmet to the twin guards on duty at the southern gate.

  “Why are you so happy today?” Lucy asked.

  “That prick, Harvey, remember him?”

  “Not really.”

  ‘Was she not with us at the time?’ “He’s… like a he High Alchemist of Red Oak, aed me. Even though I killed Vandra to protect him, and, well, help Princess Mina, he really hated me. He even caused us trouble ter with some merts. Well, mighty High Alchemist Sir Harvey wanted our help, and I told him I’d help him for ohing.”

  “You wanted him to bow and beg?” Lucy asked, though she did start to recall the situation.

  “No. I wanted one gold and the ability to procure red oak.”

  Jurot inhaled sharply for a moment, m the loss of wood. “It is a shame he refused.”

  “Sorry, Jurot. I tried.”

  “It is okay,” Jurot replied, the shadow of a smile appearing on his face.

  The carriage tinued, passing through the Aldish fort, paying their share of quickly, and Adam noted not only had the frown grahatle wooden outpost it used to be, but the ander had ged si time too. They tinued along to the Florian fort, which they’d spend the night at, and it too was far rger and far more impressive.

  “What is your business?” the soldier asked, eyeing them up suspiciously.

  “Adventuring,” Kitool replied.

  “Where?”

  “Ever Green.”

  “Why Ever Green?”

  “We did not wish to adventure in Red Oak?”

  “Why?”

  As Kitool replied to the interrogations, Adam thought about Floria, King Merryweather, and the Knight of Death.

  ‘Doesn’t the King owe me a favour? Should I ask him to whip his soldiers up to shape?’ Adam thought. Adam straightened up in his seat. “Jurot?”

  “Yes?”

  “Don’t I have a favour from King Merryweather?”

  Jurot closed his eyes. “Yes. You saved Charlie and he promised you a favour.”

  “Couldn’t I use that to protect my kids?”

  Jurot slowly nodded his head, seeing where Adam was going with it. “Hmm.”

  Ohe Florians were done grilling Kitool, they allowed the group within. Some he presence of the devilkin, but didn’t bother them muoting how one of the Iyrmen was a devilkin too. Florians had at one point been Aldishmen, after all.

  However, as time passed, the soldiers off duty began to schmooze with the party.

  “Magical ons?” a soldier asked.

  “That’s right. We deal with magical ons. We travel through the nd ahem. We’re not doing sht now, we’re adventuring to have some fun, but yeah, normally that’s our job.”

  “Your bdes magical?”

  Adam reached for his axe, but Jurot pced a hand on Adam’s wrist, before revealing his owhat’s Phantom, my brother’s axe. It’s actually the best on that has been made to date, I think.”

  “What’s it do?” the soldier asked, feeling the great magic.

  “It burst with great power that strikes the mind. It’s probably greater than a Fifth Gate spell with how much power it ma its greatest.”

  “Uhuh,” the soldier replied, but waving the axe around, he half believed it.

  “You know, my brother here, he sparred with King Merryweather, back a few years ago. If he had this bde, maybe… well, maybe he wouldn’t have…” Adam wasn’t sure how to phrase it properly. “Anyway, what I mean is, Jurot took two Fifth Gate spells to the face from the King himself.”

  “Auroch shit.”

  “I swear it, go on Jurot, tell him.”

  “It is true,” Jurot said, smiling. “I faced King Merryweather during the spars with the Iyr.”

  “Really?”

  “Iyrmen don’t lie,” Adam said. “Everyone knows that.”

  “They’re known for their hoy, but that doesn’t mean they never lie.”

  “I’ve never heard an Iyrman lie,” Adam said. “Look at these guys, they win one war when the Iyr was holding back, and suddenly the Iyrmen are looked down on.” Adam ughed, rubbing Jurot’s side.

  “The Iyr was all locked up, then ohe war ehen they came out,” the soldier replied.

  “True enough, I suppose. I heard that Ever Green had help. The old man, Asa, right?”

  “Lord Asa,” the soldier stated firmly. “He has been given a title for his deeds.”

  “Lord Asa?” Adam asked. ‘Isn’t he the father of an Emperor?’ “I see.”

  “He was given nd to the west for his service, and the title of Lord, I don’t think he’s a proper hough.”

  “I hear uh… there’s anuy, wasn’t there?”

  “Bloody Knight?”

  “Yeah, though…” Adam paused, realising he shouldn’t mentioher name.

  “Sir Azazel is a great warrior,” the soldier said carefully. “I hear he’s powerful too.”

  “Yeah…” Adam frowned. “He ended up crippling my children’s greatfather, and I wao see him.”

  “Huh?”

  “He took my grandfather’s leg,” Jurot said.

  “Oh… sorry to hear that.”

  Jurot slowly nodded his head, holding out his hand, and the soldier hahe axe over.

  “Azazel?” Adam asked. “Hold on. Is… is he a devilkin?”

  “No?”

  Adam gowards Jurot. ‘Azazel, right?’ “How strong is he?”

  “Strong. They say he’s probably iop ten across all of Floria. They say he’s right behind Lord Marshal Royce.”

  “Lord Marshal Royce? The Knight of Death?”

  “The previous Knight of Death, yes.”

  “I haven’t seen him in a while, either. I guess he’s probably busy as the King’s side, eh?”

  “He’s at the vilge st I heard.”

  “Vilge?”

  “The, uh… King’s Vilge.” The soldier shrugged his shoulders, having fotten the name, si had always been known as Sir Merryweather’s Vilge, and now, King’s Vilge.

  “I do have business with all of them, so why don’t we head there?” Adam asked.

  “Okay,” Jurot said.

  ‘Uh oh,’ the soldier thought, gng between the group.

  As Fate’s Golden prepared to sleep, a handsome man in his mid thirties, adorned within full pte of finely crafted steel, and an ornate bde at his side, approached. He was fnked by two others, each also in well made full pte, with fine bdes at their side.

  “ander Alexander Silversky,” the handsome man said. “I have heard that you have business in the King’s Vilge.”

  “A little bit, nothing too important, though,” Adam replied ily, not realising he had made the same mistake he always did, opening his mouth.

  “Who has business in the King’s Vilge that isn’t important?”

  Adam gowards Jurot for support.

  “We wish to meet with Lord Asa once more and Lord Royce,” the young Iyrman said.

  “I was informed you knew of them on a more personal capacity. How?”

  “We met during our adventures. We met Lord Marshal Royce when he made his way southward. Lord Asa spent his time he Iyr for some time.”

  “Highly tal.”

  Adam let out a soft sigh, shrugging his shoulders, noting the way his panions were looking at him.

  “Until we are to deal with the truth of the matter, I would like for you to surrender your ons, and to remain within the cells.”

  “How long do you think we’ll o wait?”

  “No more than a few months.”

  “Well, we’re currently on a tight schedule, unfortunately,” Adam replied, already feeling the burning rise within him. “You see…” Adam paused upon seeing the ander’s smile.

  “I would pray to Lady Arya, that you are not resisting arrest, for it would be a shame for your busio lose its Executives like this.”

  Adam inhaled sharply, but he felt a hand on his shoulder, and as he gnced back towards Jaygak, he stared down at the floor. ‘Okay.’

  “Ask your questions, and we shall reply truthfully,” Jurot said. “If you wish to detain us, you will-,” Jurot paused as he felt Kitool’s hand on his shoulder.

  “The Iyr has no qualms with Floria,” Kitool said. “There is o aggravate retioween us.”

  “Do you officially represent the Iyr?”

  “I am a representative of-,”

  A horn echoed through the camp, and the ander held out a fist, motioning it in a particur manner. “Remain here. I will return once I have dealt with this new business.”

  “Holy, this isn’t-,”

  “Adam,” Jaygak called, trying to stop him from saying anything stupid.

  “Sorry.”

  Lucy remained silent. She eyed up the knights. ‘I ’t believe they haven’t e for us yet…’

  The Iyrmen are being awfully polite.