The First Dragon of Marble

Chapter 26

Lucy knocks on Melora’s door, and we wait for a few seconds without any answer or the door opening. Lucy knocks again a few more times with no answer. I start to become worried, so I use my Dragon Eyes to see the mana flow in the room and see a bigger signature than Melora’s but similar. “Lucy, I think something is wrong. Her mana signature is bigger and more chaotic than what I have seen from her before.” Lucy’s face becomes worried, and she tries to open the door, but it is locked. “Here. Step away, Lucy.” She does as I say, and I turn the knob, breaking the lock and finally opening the door with an axe in my hand. I motion for Lucy to check the bathroom just in case someone else is in the room. I proceed to the inner room and see a woman that looks just like Melora, only a full-sized version of herself, laying on the bed. I quietly walk towards her to see that she is still asleep, but with a pained expression on her beautiful face.

I pull the blankets off her to see her naked as the day she was born. Her smooth emerald skin glistens with sweat sliding down her curves and meaty body. Her breasts are a little smaller than Lucy’s but just as perky, with light pink nipples that go against her skin color. I quickly cover her with the blanket again so as not to be a creep. I notice that her wings are no longer on her back before doing so, though. She still has not awakened and still has a painful expression. I slightly shake her shoulder, staring at her gorgeous face. Her puffy lips are pink, forming her small, cute mouth, and pursed with her cute turned-up nose is scrunched up along with rounded eyes. I hear her mumble and say, “No, please, let me stay.” I shake a little harder, and finally Melora seems to slowly wake up.

Lucy comes next to me and kneels beside me. “Melora? Are you okay?” I ask as her eyes blink awake and she sits up slowly against the bed frame. “Ladon...Lucy? What’s wrong?” Lucy and I look at each other with worried faces. Lucy speaks up and says, “We knocked on the door for a while and you never answered, so Ladon broke the doorknob for us to get inside. Then he was shaking you for a while, but you wouldn’t wake up.” As Lucy talked, Melora gradually woke up more and became a darker green. “Oh…um…sorry. I think I was having a nightmare, but I can’t remember. Judging by the cold sweat covering me, I would guess a bad one... I haven’t had one like that in a few days.” “It’s okay, Melora. Lucy and I have nightmares like that as well. We…understand.” Melora smiles slightly, nodding. I stand up and motion Lucy over to talk privately. “I’m not comfortable leaving her by herself today.” I whisper to Lucy when we are a good distance away, who nods and looks towards Melora, who shrinks and goes under the covers to find the bandage cloth we gave as clothes. “Yeah, I think she needs to be looked after. I feel bad after denying her to come into our room last night, now.” “Well, it couldn’t be helped. I am not one to like being watched.” Lucy giggles at my comment and just nods in agreement. “How about this? I’ll give you some extra money so that you and she can go buy her some clothes or something to help get her mind off things. May as well see if Helen wants to go as well. More company, the better.”

Lucy hums in agreement and then asks, “Why are you being so nice to her now? I thought she got on your nerves.” I sigh and say, “It’s not like I don’t like her. She was just not taking things very seriously when we were in the forest. Though looking back at it, it may have been her way of dealing with her situation. Besides, like she said a while ago, we are friends, and I look after my friends. She has grown on me, I suppose.” Lucy smiles ear to ear and kisses my cheek. “Yes, she is our friend. Okay, I’ll head to Helen’s and see if she wants to accompany us. Are we still meeting here at noon?” I nod and lean closer. “Yeah, I don’t want anyone else hearing your voice when we make love, so I want to hurry and get somewhere where you can be as loud as you want, my little bunny.” Lucy shivers and nods shyly, growing red in the ears. I chuckle, “I’ll go ahead and head to the guild. I’ll see you at noon.” “O…Okay.” I turn and leave the room, but before I leave, I use magic to fix the doorknob.

Downstairs, I chat a bit with Cliff and then head the guild to see if Beau or any furred minks that I am on speaking terms are there. As I enter the guild, a commotion is happening opposite the wall with the job board. I look over and see a male bear mink hitting on a female sheep mink who clearly wants nothing to do with him. I just ignore it and head to the counter where I see Sherry and decide to ask her if Beau was in before I looked for anyone else. Then I hear a familiar voice say, "C'mon, sheepy. Just one drink later tonight. If you agree, I’ll show you the time of your life.” My blood begins to boil as the low voice has been etched into my nightmares. I see Sherry go wide-eyed when she sees me and says something while moving to try to stop me. I turn around and tap on the shoulder of the bear mink, who ignores me. “Piss off!” I tap his shoulder again, and he turns around with an angry expression and snarls at me. “What mutt?! Don’t you see that I am busy?” I just smile and unleash my aura, filling the whole room with my power. The bear mink steps back from shock, as does everyone else. “Oh Abel. Don’t you recognize an old comrade from a previous job?” I smile, showing my disdain in my eyes for the piece of filth in front of me.

“I…I don’t know no mutt with horns.” Abel stutters out before regaining some of his confidence. I smile even bigger, which throws him off, causing him to furrow his brows. “Is that so? Well, let me remind you of what you did when your leader slashed my back open from behind.” I grabbed his neck and picked up over my head and threw him through the wall of the guild. I start walking towards the hole when I hear Sherry say, “Wait, Ladon, stop!” I turn my eyes to her and narrow them. “Why should I stop throwing a piece of trash out of the guild when he was banned from it to begin with?” I walk closer to her as each of my steps crush the floorboards beneath me as I materialize my half-dragon form. “Or did you and Jon lie to me!?” Sherry shakes head from side to side quickly and says, “The lord’s son is here, and he brought Abel here as a bodyguard.” “So?” “We can’t go against nobles!” I get into her face and say, “I thought the guild was independent of any country’s government.” “We are, but we still have to recognize their status as nobles.” I lean down into her ear and whisper, “Didn’t I give you evidence against that piece shit son of the lord’s?” Sherry nods, and then I say, “And you still allowed him to come in here? How is he not rotting in a dungeon yet? How are the other adventurers and me, for that matter, supposed to take your word for anything? Is it the Lord keeping him from facing what he deserves?”

I pause after each question to give her time to speak, but she doesn’t, and it makes me even angrier. “You better say something, Shirley. Are you or Jon informing them of what I am?” Shirley shakes her head. “Are you not answering me because it would put you in an even more difficult position?” She barely nodded her head as I whispered my last question. I lean back up and say in my regular voice, "Well, I guess you’ll be in a precarious position after I kill that shitstain.” I turn my back and walk towards the hole, but then I feel bindings on my ankles and wrists. I look over my shoulder and see Sherry’s staff out pointing at me. Then I look down and see the wood from the floorboards wrapped around me. I smile at her and say, “Cute.” I then break free and continue walking. “I didn’t ask you to save me from that asshole.” The sheep mink says as I walk past, and I reply, “This had nothing to do with you. I am sure you could take him anyway. This is personal.” She nods and watches me exit the hole in the wall where I see Abel on all fours shaking the confusion and pain away.

“So you really did get out of that dungeon, huh? I thought the guild just wanted to get rid of us due to rumors. You are Ladon if I remember right.” I nod as I smile with glee to finally kill this waste of space. I pull my weapons out of my earring and stand at the ready. “You sure you want to do this? A bit of advice: let bygones be bygones.” “Do you know how many times I have fantasied about skewering you with my spear? How would I tear you to pieces with my claws and hack at you with my axe? You have no idea who you betrayed back then just to get away from some little puppies.” Abel shakes his head and pulls out a giant kanabo, which is a club with small spikes that cover it from the hilt to the top. He picks it up and lifts it onto his shoulder. “That little spear and shield won’t help you, Ladon. I know how you fight, and you stand no chance. This is your last chance. Let. It. Go.” I grip my spear tighter and smile, showing my fangs, “No.” “Fine.”

After he said that, I burst forward, thrusting my spear towards his thigh, when suddenly I hear, “”Ladon!”” “Brother!” “Enough!” I stop my spear right at his thigh without piercing it. I pay no attention to Abel, who is still in the same position, and when he notices me below him with my spear against him, his eyes widen in fear. I look where the voices came from and see Lucy, Melora, and Helen running towards me from the direction of the drunken elephant. They stop when I look at them, and I see Lucy’s face distort in anger when she sees Abel. She releases her own aura, which is just about as strong as my own. I jump back and then put away my weapons and walk over to them. “Why are you all here? I thought you were going to go shopping and take Melora’s mind off things.” Melora blushes a dark green when I say this, but I pay no attention to it. “I felt your aura from the inn, and I thought you might be in trouble.” Lucy says, staring daggers at Abel, who is now standing with two other humans. “Ah, I’m sorry. I guess I let too much out. Thank you, but I can handle it. He is my prey after all.” I say, glancing at Abel over my shoulder. “Do you want me to stay, love?” Lucy says she is finally looking away and stroking my cheek. I close my eyes, enjoying her touch, and it calms my emotions. I place my hand over hers and say, “I’m okay. They are just bugs to you and me now anyway. Go have fun.” Lucy smiles sweetly at me and nods.

Lucy kisses me, then turns and starts walking away, but Melora says, "Wait, Lucy! Shouldn’t we stay and help?” Lucy turns back and shakes her. “Nope. The love of my life has it covered. There is no need to worry.” Melora looks conflicted, but then Helen says, “Don’t worry, Melora. Brother can take care of himself. He always comes out on top.” Helen runs up to me and hugs me, and I hug her back. “It’s okay, Melora. Go have fun with these two; you deserve it.” I say, reassuring her, who just sighs and flies over to Lucy’s shoulder and sits down. Helen soon follows and walks down the street towards the merchant’s district. 

“Oi! You commoner pig! Look at me when I so graciously acknowledge your existence.” A voice from behind me yells towards my direction. Turning around, I see a crowd of adventurers along with Jon and Sherry looking exasperated. In front of the crowd are Abel and two humans. I walk closer and see that one of the humans is Noah, who is wearing expensive-looking metal armor along with another human male in extravagant clothes. His clothes look like a business suit but with fills along the chest, collar, and cuffs. He looks like your typical pompous trust fund young adult with all the careful pedigree that comes with it. He is shorter than me and has black hair swept back with hazel eyes narrowed at me.

Ignoring the obvious noble and most likely the lord’s son I look at Noah and say, “Remember me, cunt?” Noah’s forehead scrunches up, and he says nothing. I shrug and just say, "Well, I remember you and the cub beside you as well.” The noble’s face turns red, and he loses his temper. “You dare ignore me! I am Matthew Melcox, son of the Lord of Melcox, Oliver Melcox. Bow before me before I have your head.” I raise my eyebrows at the audacity and pompousness that this mother fucker has. “Wow! So there really are people like that in the world. I wonder if there were any in the past. Are all nobles like this?” The shithead mistakes my surprise for me, caring that he is the Lord’s son, and says, “Yes! That is right, you commoner scum. Now bow down!” I just burst into laughter, bending over while holding my stomach. The other adventurers look at each other with nervous glances and back away further while Jon and Sherry just sigh and shake their heads at the hope of me just pretending to comply with Mathias’s orders. As I laugh uncontrollably, I hear the clinking of metal stepping forward in front of the noble. “Mutt, I would advise you to heed the Lord’s commands before there is no going back.” I hold my hand up, raising my index finger to signal to give me a minute as I finish my laughing fits. “HAHAHAHAHA… OHHH…HAHAHAHAHA… OH GODS… HAHAHA…OOOO…shit, I haven’t liked that in a long time. Whew!”

I finally look up to see Noah closer to me and covering his charge. “Noah, I don’t give a fuck what that cunt of the Lord’s son who isn’t even off his mother's tit yet commands.” I look around Noah and say, “One, your lordship or whatever you are supposed to say, I bow to no man or anyone for that matter. And two,” I look back at Noah and point between us, “we have unfinished business. Along with that bitch over there,” I point at Abel, who snarls at me, “and Loka. Musir is already dead, so it just leaves the three of you.” Noah's eyes widen as he looks back at Abel, who has a similar expression. I smile at their reactions showing my fangs and materialize my wings and tail, which I had not done so earlier, only materializing my scales and claws.

Noah looks back at me and says, “I do not know you. I think I would remember a mutt like you.” Abel comes up to his side and is about to whisper into his ear when I ask, “Ya’know, I have heard Abel say mutt to me as well. What the fuck do you mean by that exactly?” Abel and Noah look at me confused and then smile. “It means half breed you imbecile!” Noah says with venom and contempt in his voice. With confusion showing on my face, I say, “So? Though I am not a half breed, wait, hmmm, maybe, no, no, I am not, but who cares if I am? What is wrong with having two different races as parents?” “They are abominations, of course!” Noah shouts at me before continuing with a raised voice, “If you are not a mutt, then what are you and who are you?!” Before Abel is able to say who I am, I say, “Let me remind you then of who I am and as far as what I am. You will not be alive long enough to care.” I then use my tail to boost my speed along with the space element spell. Blink to flank Noah and arrive at his back. I was thinking of using my axe to slash at his back, but remember they are not very good at slashing but instead hacking. So, I raise my hand with my claws extended and swipe down, ripping his metal armor. I dig through his chainmail as well and reach his skin, leaving four gashes on his back. Then I move with a blink again to my previous position. 

“AHHHH!!!” Noah screams as he falls to knees in pain from my claw marks. Abel looks around and sees no other assailants, but then he notices blood dripping from my claws on my right hand. “How did you do that?” Abel stutters, taking steps back out of overwhelming fear. Mathias looks down at Noah wide-eyed and then at Abel’s fear-stricken face. He looks back at Noah’s back and then back at Abel and follows his fearful eyes to my blood-covered claws. The other adventurers, along with Jon and Sherry, look at me as well with similar faces on Mathias’s. I then hear Jon whisper to Sherry, “What the hell happened in that forest for him to become so much stronger?” “I sent you the report, so you should know that.” “Yeah, but this is almost impossible.” Sherry just smirks and looks at me again with concern. Either for me or herself and Jon, I do not exactly know. Mathias finally snaps out of his shock and addresses me with the same pompous yet shaky tone. “I see, you show great promise. How about you come work for me, though you will have to leave past grudges behind.” I see Jon step forward and was about to say something, but I interrupted him and said, “No thanks, shitstain. I know the things you have done and who you provide support to. Who do you think took down the Stray Dogs, ya fucking moron? But as long as you don’t get in my way, I won’t kill you and just let the justice system in place take care of you.”

I bask in his anger and shock when I mention that I was the one who took out his business partners. “I would never lower myself to deal with such commoner scum as those maggots.” “Pfft! Sure, you wouldn’t.” I then pop into existence the same stack of papers that I gave to Jon and Sherry, who look at me with confusion. I just smile at them and turn back to the noble. “This is proof of your dealings and other high influential figures here in Melcox and other cities dealing with illegal slavery, murder, drugs, etcetera, etcetera. I must admit if this is how nobles really are, then nobles are just as messed up as the politicians from my country; only you nobles hold more power, it seems.” Matthew’s face grows red as he grinds his teeth together. “You won’t get away with insulting me, commoner pig!” I just roll my eyes and say, “Do I look like a commoner? That is such an ugly word when I am just a person like everyone else and just like you, unfortunately, though you are a waste of intelligence and anatomy. The gods must have made a mistake letting you continue your existence, you parasite.” Mathias throws a spell at me, which I just step aside as it collides with the cobblestone street. "Man, just stop. You are embarrassing yourself. You may have had better opportunities than everyone else here to advance your level, but you clearly squandered it. Just because you were born with the right name doesn’t make you better than anyone else.” His eyes begin to become bloodshot as his anger rises from my insults, which I am doing on purpose both for amusement and some therapeutic need.

“Enough, Mathias!” A voice comes from behind me, so I look behind me to see an older version of Mathias in shiny armor on top of a horse with a young woman beside him along with what looks like several knights. “ ”Lord Melcox!”” The people in the crowd shout as they go to one knee along with Mathias and Abel. Noah was still in pain and already on his knees. I am the only one still remaining on my feet. “Ladon, kneel; he is the lord of the city!” Jon whispers shouts at me, and I just ignore him. I face the new arrivals and say, “Are you the lord of this city?” He narrows his eyes and releases his aura, which is only a little weaker than my own. “Stop that shithole and answer my question.” I see his eyes twitch as he dismounts his horse along with the now intrigued-looking woman beside him in armor shaped for a woman. She is beautiful but is no match for Lucy or even Melora. “This is my city, and you will respect my status, boy.” The lord says, to which I shake my head. “So, you are the lord, huh? Well, then why should I show respect to someone who lets their sadistic son do as he pleases with the people he is supposed to protect? Are you, your son, and I guess your daughter, or hell even your wife, even really nobles? Do y’all even know what the word ‘noble’ even means?” “Silence commoner! Show Lord Oliver respect as it is his birthright!” A knight shouts, pulling his sword from its sheath, and before the lord could say anything to stop the knight, I released the full force of my aura onto every person behind me and in front of me. Everyone gasps and struggles to breathe except Oliver, who is only slightly showing discomfort in his face.

“This fuckface could be dangerous, but I seem not to be able to control my emotions after everything I saw, from what the Stray Dogs and, by extension, this asshole’s son were doing to innocent people. People just trying to get by.” I begin to flow my mana throughout my body to be ready if the old man attacks first. Then, to my surprise and everyone else's, the Lord breathes out tiredly and says, “Enough, Ladon. I get your point already, so please rein in your anger.” I balk at his causal tone and knowing my name, as it catches me off guard. After I compose myself, I rein in my aura and stare at the man. “Father?” the young woman stands up and looks at the man in concern. He looks at the young woman and just smiles. “It’s okay, Amelia.” "Ladon, after that big speech of yours, are you planning some sort of rebellion?” I just look at him like he was stupid. “Why the fuck would I do that? If people truly wanted freedom from nobility like you, then they can do it themselves.” “But you are one of those people.” I narrow my eyes and say, “Let me make this perfectly clear, Oliver, right?” His eye twitches in annoyance at my lack of honorifics, but he nods just the same. “Oliver, I am not one of your people. Where I come from, we bow to no man nor person. Though I am in your country and would show respect in different aspects and situations, you have not displayed anything that would have me show you any respect.” He closes his eyes and rubs his brow between his eyes, then opens them and moves his hands away.

“Haa…fair enough, I suppose.” “Father! How can you just roll over for this commoner pig?” Mathias stands up and yells at his father, who mostly just ignores him and turns around to his knights. “As of today, formerly known as Mathias Melcox, is no longer my son and is disowned. Knights of Melcox and protectors of the people take the man now known as just Mathias into custody along with his guards, Abel the bear mink, the human known as Noah, and the human known as Loka. Their crimes have brought much suffering to my people when I was ill and deserve to be punished.” “”Lord!”” The knights place their hands on their hearts and then surround the three mentioned. “No, I will not go quietly!” Abel roars, picking up his kanabo, but I swiftly turn around and stomp the ground, flowing mana unground and then forming restraints that bind Abel with stone. “What!” Abel is now trapped and can no longer escape. Then the young woman named Amelia asks me as she comes to my side. “Will that hold him?” I side glance at her and say, “Yes, I will let the tin cans secure him before releasing him.” She grins and just nods, “My name is Amelia, by the way.” I look at her and say, “Ladon.” She puffs her cheeks out and says, “Rather rude to a lady, aren’t you?” “I’m not sexist. You are just at fault for what your brother has done as your father.” I lean into her face and smile, "Besides, I will not be used by anyone, especially by some conniving woman.” She is taken aback when I turn away and speak to Oliver again. “I want Loka, Abel, and Noah for myself. I will let you take them for any paperwork you need to do, but I want to kill them.” “Very well, Ladon. They may ask for a trail by combat since you are the reason they are being arrested.” I raise an eyebrow confused. “You may not have filed a report yet, but Sherry did when she brought the evidence against them.” “I see. Well then, I will go about my business that I had at the guild to begin with.”

I walk away towards Sherry, dematerializing my dragon traits except my horns, who grin at me. “Is Beau around?” “No, he went on a job with his team. Why are you looking for him?” I look up at the sky and think for a moment. "I'm going to ask him where I could find quality potion for mink fur.” Sherry is taken aback and says rather comically, “And you thought Beau, the wolf mink who enjoys his musk, to tell you where to find such potions.” I blink a couple times and think back and remember that Beau did usually smell like a wet dog. “Ah yeah, now that I think about it, I suppose he wouldn’t really know. But he is the only mink I know that has fur similar to Lucy’s.” “Can’t she just buy some for herself?” Sherry asks, teasing me. I roll my eyes and say, “Of course, but she uses a potion with no scent and is low quality. I want to surprise her with some better products.” Sherry looks at me with a knowing look and hums in thought. “Hmm…Mink products are usually sold by different venders than the other races since their fur and skin differ from which type of mink they are and how different they are from races like humans and dwarves. You could ask Natalie over there.” She points in the crowd where a small, female cat mink is watching the knights take away Noah, Abel, and Mathias, who is pleading with his father. Her fur is silky and black, likely from how much she cares for her fur. “Hmm, okay, I’ll talk to her in a moment, but first, do you know where I can buy some rings of storage?” “Yes, if you head to the merchant’s district, look for a shop called Arcane of the Unicorn. The owner is a unicorn and is a good friend of mine. Her name is Purity.”

I blink a couple times and then say, “The owner’s name is Purity? And she is a unicorn?” Sherry nods and then smiles, "Yes, but she is far from being pure. Haha. The myths about unicorns being the symbol of chastity are a big fat lie.” I chuckle with Sherry, releasing some of the tension I have been feeling since I saw Abel in the guild. I sigh and look at the wall I made when I threw him out. Without looking at Sherry, I hand her a gold coin and say, “Sorry about the wall. I’m going to talk to Natalie before she leaves.” “Oh, um, thanks, though I wish you would have listened to me when I tried to stop you. I was trying to let you know that they were being taken care of when they arrived back in Melcox this morning.” I narrow my eyes and say, “You damn well know what they did to me. You’re lucky that I respect you and Jon enough that I didn’t kill you when you tried to stop me.” “I know Ladon, but there are better ways of dealing with things than just brute force.” I shake my head and say, “My mother would be disappointed if I just sat back when an enemy is right in front of me. I would be trampling the pride; us dragons hold so dear.” Sherry just shakes her head in resignation as I walk away to talk to Natalie.

Natalie does not notice me walking up behind her as she watches the knights performing damage control and telling people to disperse. Other people notice me and make way nervously, letting me through the crowd undisturbed. “Excuse me, um, Miss Natalie.” She jumps, and her ears perk up before turning around to see who called her name. When she sees that it is me, she is surprised and shows confusion and a little fear in her eyes. I know I brought this on myself and feel conflicted that everyone seems fearful of me now, but there is no helping it, I suppose. I would rather be feared than used by people. “Sir Ladon, um, can I help you?” Natalie asks timidly, so I give a warm smile to try to relieve the tension. “Yes, um, I came to the guild today to see if I could find anyone who could point me in the direction where I could find some quality potions for Mink fur and hair. Shirley pointed me in your direction, and now that I am closer to you, I can see why. Your fur is quite beautiful, so could you give me any advice and tell me where you get your products?” Natalie’s ears turn red like Lucy’s when she blushes and stares into my eyes for a few moments before I say, “Miss Natalie?” She shakes herself and asks, “Why do you want to know?” I scratch my cheek and blush. “I want to surprise my mate with better products for her fur.” Natalie is surprised, along with the people around eavesdropping. “You have a mink mate?” I am confused by her question and say, “Yes. She is a moon rabbit mink. Why?” Natalie shakes her head side to side hurriedly and stammers out, “I didn’t mean to offend; we minks are usually looked down on by other races.” I just roll my eyes and say, “I am not so low that I judge someone by their race. Besides, did you not see when she came by to check on what was going on?” Natalie just shakes her in response. “I didn’t show up until the human’s back was torn open, which I am guessing was you.” “I see... well anyway, can you tell me where I can buy some fur products for minks?” I avoid confirming it was me, more out of not wanting to talk about the situation anymore. I was in a very good mood before seeing Abel, who quickly ruined it.

Natalie nods and says, “Oh yeah, sure, that is why you are talking to me in the first place. Hehe. Um, the shop that I go to is a little hidden. It’s in the merchant’s district, hidden in an alley near the western wall. The name of it is Mink’s Bathing Products. I could show you if you want.” Natalie comes closer and puts her hand on my chest. I step back, removing her hand, and say as nicely as I could, but with a firm voice, “Nah, I have other business in the district anyway and want to explore a little on my own. Thank you for the invitation, though. Have a good day, and here. For the info.” I hand her a couple bronze coins and walk away, leaving her pouting that her move didn’t work on me. I was about to start heading to the merchant’s district when I hear Oliver shout, “Ladon may have a minute of your time, please.” I sigh and mutter, “Fucking Christ, I just want to buy my girlfriend some stuff so I can see her smile.” I turn around with clear annoyance on my face and say, “What?” “I would like to invite you for dinner at the end of the week.” I narrow my eyes and say, “Why?” “You really are distrusting, huh. You have nothing to worry about; I just want to thank you properly for taking down the stray dogs and revealing Mathias’s misdeeds.” “Fuck! I really do not want to have anything to do with him or his family.” I am about to turn him down when I see Sherry come behind him, shaking her head. I grit my teeth, but then an idea comes into my head. "Fine, I accept on one condition.” Oliver nods and smiles, revealing his aged lines. "Wonderful, what is it then?” “You have to invite Jon, Sherry, Cliff, the barkeep of the Drunken Elephant, Helen, a waitress at the same place, along with her fiancé Vincent, owner of the shop, Adventurer’s Lifeblood, along with all of the adventurers who were staying at the Drunken Elephant when the Stray Dogs attacked and did your job for you. I am bringing my mate, Lucy, along with our mutual friend, Melora.” Oliver thinks for a moment and then nods in agreement. I look behind to see Sherry’s eye twitching as she smiles with her business smile. I smile at Sherry, whose forehead shows a vein at my cheekiness. “Then I’ll come by at the end of the week around nightfall. Have a good day and good luck.” I walk away, not giving anyone else a chance to say anything else to me, as I was done with the whole situation.