A tickle of pleasure trickled through Glenn’s body. He’d actually gained experience from Vulpor’s defeat. Was that even possible? He called up his Status Sheet.

Name: Glenn Redwood ==== Age: 16 Strength: 14 Level: 5 Divinity: 8 Class: Unassigned Luck: 7 HP: 110/120 Vitality: 12 Blood: 60/60 Wisdom: 6 Experience: 24029/29000 Prowess: 9

...

Glenn breathed and closed his sheet. He’d gained a full 10 experience, the same he’d have gotten for soloing that Grass Boar earlier this afternoon. He had no doubt Vulpor awarded far more experience than that, given his ferocity and Strength, but … Jenny had done all of the work. Glenn had hit Vulpor once, with his sword, enough to bloody his snout. 10 experience was rather generous.

And Jenny Ambersun—if that was even her real name—strode toward him, her strides a bit uneven but not slow. Casting [-Inferno-] four times in quick succession could drain anyone’s Blood, even that of an Infernist, one of the four choices for an Evolved Harmcaster. Could Jenny be that?

Perhaps. She was also someone else entirely.

“You’re the Blazer’s Guild representative,” Glenn said. While her now obvious deception bothered him a little, he also felt like he’d also passed a significant test. “Glad you were here.”

As Glenn went back over everything since they first met, a lot of things Jenny had said and done took on new context. The way she’d casually quizzed him on the strengths, weaknesses, and habits of Grassea’s Monsters, things any Adventurer who’d roamed this zone should learn. The way she’d tested his knowledge of other zones by pretending not to know how they worked, like Straglereach.

And most importantly, her need. Because there could be no doubt that had she actually been Jenny Ambersun, Level 12 Alchemist, she would have needed an escort today ... even if that escort was not compensated in crescents or even potions.

Choosing to escort her had been the right thing to do.

Jenny strode past Vulpor’s charred and still burning corpse. Once she reached him, she stopped and bowed deeply. Glenn wasn’t sure to what to make of that. Why was she bowing to him?

“My deepest apologies,” Jenny said, maintaining her respectful bow. “Not for my casual deception, which is part of my job when evaluating recruits, but for not thinking to check up on Vulpor’s patrol route before we ventured out to the cliffs. I should have anticipated his path. I put you in danger.”

She was apologizing to him? Glenn ruefully shook his head. “It’s fine. Please, stop bowing.”

“Only once you accept my apology. A Blazer can make no excuse for being this sloppy in her duties, only apologize and promise to do better in the future.”

So Jenny really going to insist this was her fault, despite literally saving him from death by Vulpor. Glenn supposed he could understand how she might feel guilty. She shouldn’t, but he couldn’t tell her how to feel, nor did he have that right.

“I accept your apology, Jenny,” Glenn said solemnly. “I mean … if that’s your real name.”

As she straightened, a small trace of a smile cross her face. “It is, and I’d like you to continue to call me by it. Still, allow me to re-introduce myself.” She offered her hand. “Jenny Ambersun, Blazer’s Guild Apprentice Rank Four. I’m a level 20 Spiritualist, but I recently dual-classed into Harmcaster, so I am very glad Vulpor was unable to chew anything off you.”

Glenn whistled softly. “That’s an excellent combination. How far are you into Harmcaster?”

The fact that Jenny was a Level 20 Spiritualist explained why she had enough Blood to cast [-Inferno-] four times even without an Infernist Blessing. A person working on their second Class continued to gain attributes as they Leveled, as well as picking up new Skills and Blessings. Yet even then, an Adventurer could only slot five Skills and three Blessings at any time—the rest went unused.

Jenny simply raised an eyebrow at him.

Glenn winced. “I’m so sorry. I was so impressed with those fireballs, I overstepped. Please forgive my rudeness.”

Jenny smiled again. “You really are a perfect gentleman. We just saved each other’s lives, so it’s quite all right. When I Class as Harmcaster, I’m currently Level 8. So we’re both lucky an Elite’s resistance to Fire remains lower than to other Skills.”

A Level 10 Harmcaster couldn’t acquire [Inferno], since it required three pre-requisite Skills, but when dual-classing, one gained a Skill at Level 2 of the new Class ... unlike when leveling one’s first Class, where one didn’t gain one’s first Skill until Level 4. That was one advantage of undertaking a second Class that was not available when Leveling the first, which explained why Jenny had been able to acquire [Inferno] despite only being Level 8 in Harmcaster.

“You still saved my life,” Glenn reminded her.

“Not on my own,” Jenny said. “If you’d not held Vulpor’s attention and allowed me to the gain the distance I needed to cast [-Inferno-] four times without getting my face chewed off, I imagine I’d be coming back out here in a few hours to retrieve your ensouled body.” She glanced at the charred wolf. “Or people would be coming to retrieve us both.”

“Why a few hours?” Glenn asked.

“I assume Vulpor would grow bored of you by that time. He looks to take pleasure in the killing more than the eating. So if I did escape, I’d want to give him a few hours to finish chewing on you and wander off before dragging you back to Wolfpine.”

Despite the gruesome thought, Glenn forced a grin. “Fair point.” As a waft of barbecued wolf reached his nostrils on the wind, Glenn coughed and waved his hand in front of his nostrils. “Gods, that’s foul.” He quickly moved so as not to be downwind, coughing a few times.

Vulpor’s corpse steamed and hissed, then tinted itself blood red. Finally, the wolf’s charred body exploded in a shower of purple ash. That settled into the largest ash pile Glenn had ever seen, and revealed a Life Crystal the size of a grapefruit. That thing was huge!

Jenny motioned to the crystal. “All yours.”

“No,” Glenn said.

“I have no need of it. I’m paid by the guild, and I’ve caused you trouble.”

“You defeated him,” Glenn said solemnly. “You should take his crystal. It wouldn’t be right for me to take a crystal I haven’t earned, nor would it be respectful to Vulpor.”

Jenny raised an eyebrow. “To Vulpor?”

“He was sent to us by the Challenger Gods,” Glenn said calmly. “It’s not like he chose to roam Grassea and devour people. It’s what he was made to do, and I can’t hate a Monster for doing what it’s told. The big guy’s had a rough month, and I won’t disrespect him by stealing his Life Crystal from the person who actually defeated him in battle.”

“You really believe that,” Jenny said.

Glenn nodded.

“Then I’ll take you at your word.” She walked over to the big ash pile, picked up the large Life Crystal in one hand, and opened the small pouch on her hip.

Despite the pouch being half the size of the Life Crystal, the whole thing slipped right it. Once it touched the top of the pouch, it was like watching water compressed as it flowed down a drain.

Glenn stared with wide eyes. “Is that an [Unfilled Bag]?”

She patted the small pouch on her waist belt and glanced at him. “Neat, isn’t it?”

“That’s incredible!” Glenn said. “I’ve only read about those.” [Unfilled Bag]s were God-Blessed containers that could hold far more than a [Traveler’s Backpack]. “Just how much can you fit in there?”

“At least one body,” Jenny said.

Glenn laughed despite her morbid humor, which actually reminded him a bit of Becka’s. “Is this speaking from experience?”

“I can only say hopping inside a bag is not something I’d ever want to try.” She glanced toward the Safe Road, then at him. “Now, as to my report to the Blazer’s Guild. I could keep you in suspense, but after nearly getting you devoured, that’d be rude.”

“So you’re not keeping me in suspense.”

“When we first met, you knew me only as a random Alchemist and one, I freely point out, who was being more than a bit difficult. Yet you refused to allow my overconfidence to endanger me.”

Glenn remembered how hard Jenny had struggled not to be escorted. He now fully understood why. She’d been playing the role of a difficult and overconfident Townsfolk.

“As we argued you remained unflinchingly polite, yet also very clear about the danger. You were consistently respectful of my Skills, yet firm in your resolve to aid me ... even if that aid offered no benefit to you. And while this should never be a requirement to join the Blazers, you willingly threw yourself between me and Vulpor. You don’t just speak like an Adventurer. You act like one.”

Glenn wanted to explain that anyone in Wolfpine would do the same, but Jenny was currently actively telling him why he might join the Blazers. He wasn’t about to interrupt her.

“In summary, Glenn, you’re Blazer material. I’ll write your recommendation myself. You’ve done everything today I’d expect of a recruit of your Level and more. You’ve more than proven you understand what it means to do what we do, as well as how to think like we must.”

Hearing that, from her, was a massive relief. “Thank you.” Gods, this was really happening. Then, of course, Glenn remembered. “You must also interview Rebecka Coldbreaker. I appreciate all you’ve said, but trust me, she’s twice the Adventurer I am. She even gave up her first Skill too—”

“I’m aware,” Jenny interrupted, though not unkindly. “And on the subject of not keeping you in suspense, the Blazers Guild has already decided to offer Rebecka an invitation.”

Glenn breathed. “Really?”

“I was sent here to recruit her,” Jenny said, and now, he spotted a slight tease in her eyes. “We had high hopes for you, of course, as her Adventuring partner, but without first seeing you in action and judging your strength of character, I couldn’t in good conscience invite you as well.”

“Oh,” Glenn said. Then, he grinned wide. He and Becka had actually realized the dream they’d both had forever, together … so long as the Gods didn’t choose one of them as Townsfolk.

“And rest assured,” Jenny continued calmly, “no matter whether you are chosen as Adventurer or Townsfolk, your invitation remains.”

Glenn had never heard of Townsfolk leaving their town unless they’d Leveled a Townsfolk Class to the minimum Level of a neighboring zone. “Is that even possible?”

“Guilds as big as ours have purchased a permanent exception to the Levos’ Laws of Travel,” Jenny said. “We can recruit anyone, and it’s not like we aren’t in need of Scribes, Blacksmiths, Enchanters, and others to staff our training and forward outposts. What matters, Glenn, is your strength of will and your strength of character. So whether you are chosen as an Adventurer, as I suspect you will be, or even chosen as Townsfolk, you’ll be welcome with us no matter your Class.”

“And Becka,” Glenn breathed.

Jenny smiled knowingly. “From what I’d heard, I imagine she’ll welcome you too.”