Wolf walked beside Sir Richard, the knightly fellow from the town. “Thank you for your assistance.” He said, bowing his head.

The heavily armour knight pulled up his visor to reveal his azure eyes. “It was my pleasure. To think I would be able to return the favour so quickly… Thought it seems I owe you once more, mister Wolf.”

Wolf shook his head. “No, your timely intervention allowed us to save our friend.”

‘To think what calamity could have befallen…’

Wolf winced at the thought. He was glad that they had arrived on time.

He continued to talk with the knight for some time, though it was mostly about the knight’s life. Richard had been born the third son of a minor noble. As a third son his usefulness within the family wasn’t entirely great, so he had to take some sort of responsibility that was worthy of his rank which then turned out to be the knightly order nearby. A relatively privileged life, though a knight’s responsibilities were many, as Wolf noted at this moment.

Richard’s eldest brother ruled over a nearby town, and his other brother was a merchant. His younger sister was married to a local noble as well. He was the only one that wasn’t yet married.

“Why is that?” Wolf asked.

Richard sighed wistfully. He looked off over to the town. “I have sworn an oath. I intend to follow that oath until the day I die. It would not… befit me to marry and sire any children whilst I intend to follow the tenants of my oath.”

Wolf bowed his head. He knew a few of Richard’s kind, the kind of man who held an ideal above all else. One who was too fearful of what would become of themselves. Wolf took a moment to look at Richard. He safely assumed that Richard would be fine.

He glanced back at the wagon for just a moment in thought before quickly fixing his gaze back to the town, which grew larger with each passing minute.

“May I ask for several rooms to be reserved before we arrive at the town?” Wolf asked.

“Of course, that would be no issue.” Richard motioned to one of his guards who rode forward.

“Thank you. I will pay for it once we arrive.”

“Nonsense. I could not, in good conscious, accept your coin after what you’ve done for the town and the land.”

Wolf decided not to fight Richard on the matter. He knew a few of Richard’s kind, the kind of man who held an ideal above all else. One who was too stubborn. Yes, Richard would be fine.

“Thank you.” Wolf replied simply.

Even now he could feel the ache and lethargy fill him. Dragon was too injured, and Tiger had only just gotten back into the swing of things. He was running on fumes and didn’t want the indignity of falling unconscious out in the open, not that he was anywhere close, but he knew of martial artists who dropped dead out of the blue.

Soon they arrived in town. Wolf thanked Richard once more before he helped Tiger and Dragon.

“I don’t need any help, get out of here.” Tiger tried to shoo Wolf away as he held onto Dragon, letting his brother lean on him.

Dragon slipped out of Tiger’s grasp and almost collapsed, but stood up tall. “I could say the same to you, Tiger.”

Wolf watched the pair argue for some time before he turned. He saw the little girl, who remained near Dragon.

‘…’ He nodded at her, and she looked up and nodded back at him.

He stepped back, allowing the others to head up first, before he followed from the rear.