I take a while to reassure the guy. Telling him that I won't start a bloody war with some powerhouse.

No, seriously I don't have a death wish. Actually, my specialty is surviving. Even if I can somehow outlive him, I don't want to spend the rest of my life on the run. Especially the tamer's guild.

They could use hound species to track me quite easily. It figures in the list of the guilds I do not want to offend at any cost. Same as the assassin's guild. I am sure there exists one somewhere. Actually, now that I think about it a tracker's guild could be bad too, or even a mage guild…. or even worst a divination one! The point is I know better than to find trouble with a huge organization.

Afterward, we keep having fun talking around a campfire. The good news is that I will be getting paid for the trees I have already cut down. There is a satisfaction to be had in a work well done. It ain't much but it's honest work you know.

I get handed a small money pouch with a few copper coins. This probably won't buy me much but now I am no longer penniless! HAHA, I might be able to buy some cheap food with such funds!

These guys keep asking me about stories. At first, I'm reluctant, but the more the night goes on the more I find myself talking. About random fairytales, about some creatures I have encountered in the archaic savage forest, about the death domain. The last one is extremely popular. They love the way I describe the army of skeletons and the onslaught of the wraiths eying us from above.

When I get to the part about Vlad they all scream something about him being a vampire until I explain things carefully to them. How he is kind and passed the actual check I did. Apparently, the thing about vampires not having a reflection is something mostly unknown in this world. Well, most people don't know much factual information about them, to begin with. They are creatures of myth.

I do keep the part with the blood to myself in case they find it weird somehow. Blood transfusion used to be considered something insane in the middle ages too.

We do end up the night by drinking some. The last reserves we have here. Apparently, they should be able to get a new shipment soon with the wood I chopped.

Everyone heads to sleep and thus ends this slow but meaningful day. Actually, little Bai returns to the guild. Something about having to take care of his plants.

In the morning I wake up feeling great. I get the feeling I have a goal and am actively working toward something. The unicorn reads and I listen attentively trying to memorize. For now, I try to learn about the rank 2 creatures since these are the ones, I am most likely to be asked about in a test. Considering that there are so many in that book and all.

As we are doing that one of the lumberjacks sees me. He is the most talkative one and the one in charge of the daily operations.

"What are you reading? Ah, I guess you are talking a break as your donkey is the one looking at the book."

[Some kind of beast encyclopedia.]

"From the tamer's guild?"

[Yep.]

"So you are indeed a tamer. I figured out that much with the wolf and the donkey."

[Sadly I'm not one yet. I'm working toward this, however.]

"Alright do tell me if you want help studying."

[You know how to read?!]

"Hey, don't look down on me just because I am a humble worker."

[Ah, no! I did not mean it in this way. To be honest I don't really know this language. It would be helpful if you could read it for me!]

"Of course! It would be my pleasure!"

Nice I got myself a helper! And…the unicorn is glaring at him. I bring her aside for a second. Then we discuss about how if she wants to act like a donkey she can't be going around reading for me. It would definitively blow up her cover. Well, it's a bit late for that anyway.

I'm expecting her to finally understand and just revert back to her unicorn form, but instead she stays that way and decides to go for a walk. Did I say something insensitive in unicorn culture right now? This is complicated.

I guess she'll tell me if something is wrong. She would, right?!

Thus I keep studying. With this guy helping me this time.

There is something amazing I realize. Monster bestiary is all fun and games when it remains fiction. You want to learn more about this amazing imaginary world, and you can't help yourself but devour anything related.

Except it kinda changes the game when you are forced to learn all of it for a test. The agreeable becomes a task. I swear I really wish I had a photographic memory right about now. Actually no that still wouldn't help since I can't read. I really wish I could remember everything I hear then?

Then again there could be downsides to that too. Could you imagine remembering all the insults and the gossip about yourself for your entire life? That sounds horrible.

Better take things day to day and leave the past behind.

After a long day of work, I can confidently and proudly declare that I know a good 10% of the book! Okay no, let's be real, less than that. I will probably have forgotten some parts of it by tomorrow. Rote memorization is insane. For a guy that is used to look up most things on the internet, this feels so inefficient!

That's when I realize that Wolfie is still by my side, but that the unicorn is nowhere to be seen.

Where could she be? Did anything happen to her? She has been gone for a long time now.

She is strong enough to protect herself. Then again unicorns are worth a fortune, aren't they?

What if some super strong specialized hunters managed to find her?

No, relax. Everything should be fine.

I look in the direction of the city worriedly.

What is that? Is that smoke?!