Iskander walked through the streets of Ursan humming a little tune he picked up from a travelling bard. It was a tune of a song the man had sung about a glorious victory of a Frienian army, a fitting tune for today, he had just gotten into a city, talked to people and had forced a magus to sign a devils contract forcing him to leave Ursan and to never speak about what had happened.

He should have done the reveal plan first instead of risking that battle, he still felt stupid about it, what had he expected, that a literal magus like Leon Demort, would not destroy a town to save his own pride? From the moment you became one, one the biggest weakness of mages, lack of mana was somewhat fixed, not for long because manipulating surrounding mana wasn’t easy. Obviously stronger magi like Demort could do it for a long time but even weaker magi looked down upon mages.

Iskander smiled when he thought about the expression on the faces of the bandits and apprentices of Leon when their normally arrogant master told them they were leaving town with a serious face. Iskander had left the pocket dimension inside the house and had strolled through the town in a good mood. He had wandered across shops and taverns and even walked of the walls of the town from where he could see the surrounding area, Ursan was a beautiful town for sure.

It was now getting dark as the day came to an end, Iskander walked towards the inn where he had reserved a room earlier that day after one of the people there ran him over. Isolde, that was her name, he remembered now. She’d been nice, a bit like some of the adventurers he had met back before he had to run again.

He remembered those old times, times when he had only been a kid that ran from “home” into the world, not yet carrying a grimoire and still having his former hair and eye colour. Things had been so simple back then, just being a kid with magic going on quests and missions for the guild, which in Frienia were rather easy as the soldiers and people of Frienia could handle most things themselves being the tough and militaristic folk they were.

Iskander was now donning another skin, he had changed his eyes, hair and voice to those of “jake”, his alias. He liked being in a town and even having people be nice to him, but it felt as if they were just nice to his persona Jake instead of him. If it were only because he pretended to be someone else he would probably not have cared much but the problem was that Jake was basically him, he behaved just as he had done back in the old days before revealing himself as a warlock.

He had been “a Jake” so to speak, just a kid trying to be nice and helpful, a bit snarky maybe but still he had been rather appreciated by others, if he had not chosen to contract that demon back then maybe he would have had another life…

The warlock shook his head, no, it would have happened anyways and even now as a warlock he still tried to help, he had after all delayed those cultists from destroying Frienia. He could have just let it happen, but if he did he would be just like his father and exactly what people took him for, thus he’d done what he thought was right at the cost of ending up with a catchy nickname and being considered as an enemy to all civilized races.

He banished those dark thoughts as he approached the place where he would stay at tonight, a little bit of joy sparked in his heart thinking about the first time in years he would have a proper bath and a bed to sleep in.

As soon as he opened the door he was overwhelmed by the sounds and smells of the inn, people were drinking, talking, discussing things while the cooks in the kitchen made food of which the smell drifted through the room. Iskander smiled unvoluntary, it was strange to him to really be in a true inn without covering his face or sitting amongst crooks uncaring who he was.

“Jake, you are here.” Isolde, the girl who had bumped into him earlier that day walked past with three bowls on each arm, each bowl filled with soup that was clearly still hot, Frienians were humans but there was no Frienian who could not handle more pain than other humans, they were a tough bunch but to carry hot bowls! He watched her as she skilfully placed the dishes on a table where people thanked her and started eating, Isoldes bare skin on her arms was only slightly red as if the bowls had not been that hot at all.

She saw him look, “oh yes that is a bit of a trick, see the bowls are cooled while the soup is hot, if you’re fast enough you won’t even feel it.” She smiled, Iskander smiled back, Isolde was clearly a good person, he could see that. Reading a person’s personality through their behaviour was something he had learned quickly after escaping his father’s castle and in Isoldes case he saw a shy but friendly person.

“hey Isolde, “Jake” said with a friendly voice, how is it going?” She sighed, “well I am pretty busy today but Me and the others can manage it, there were times when we had way more customers.” “well if there were too many you could always bump into them and accidentally push them out, Iskander grinned. Isolde walked up to him and gave him a light stomp on his shoulder, “should I bump into you again huh?”

They both laughed and didn’t notice people staring at her until one of the people at the table she’d delivered the soup at said, “well paint me green and call me a goblin, our shy Isolde talks with people…” Isolde blushed and turned towards them, in the meantime Iskander had noticed the whole inn stared at them.

“w-well, she said while staring to the ground, it’s not like I can’t talk….” Iskander frowned, why did she stutter, could it be that she felt embarrassed or something? Then he realised what was going on, Isolde was not much of a talker, maybe even more shy than he had at first thought, of course it would seem weird when she suddenly became more open and talkative.

“a-anyways take a seat Jake, she said quickly, I’ll bring the menu card.” Isolde walked to the kitchens and Iskander (Jake) sat down at a free table. He looked around and still saw people staring at him, “hey boy are you that Jake fella who haggled with the hag?” Iskander frowned, “ehm which hag do you mean?”

The man who asked rolled with his eyes, “the herbalist obviously.” Iskander realised what the man was talking about and blinked in surprise, “I just sold her some….well….expensive herbs, it was not a big deal.” Yet judging from the peoples reaction it apparently WAS a great deal, Iskander felt worried, if he stirred up trouble would he be once again chased away? Then he noticed it, these people were not angry he haggled with the herbalist, they were impressed!

“is haggling with the herbalist so impressive then?” Iskander thought out loud by accident, the whole inn burst out in laughter at those words. “Is it impressive he asks, this lad..” Another man , a bearded and old man with scars on his face laughed as he stood up from his chair, that lady is not only an old bat that scares little children, she’s the richest lady in town and also the most stingy and you just waltzed in there casually and she gave you gold! ”All people in the inn nodded in agreement with the man, Iskander also picked up some people talking about their experiences with the old herbalist, Helga clearly was not an easy person to deal with it seemed.

“I do not think she is that difficult though, Iskander said while watching the crowd, I just think she’s a bit misunderstood you know, sure she is verry strict but I think she would pay you gold too if you got herbs for potions against petrification.”

The people in the tavern and Iskander continued talking until Isolde returned and Iskander chose his meal, after eating and drinking his full the discussion restarted again with many asking him where they could find good herbs to have a chance at getting some gold. It seemed like hours but finally the people stopped asking him about his dealings with Helga and left him alone, Iskander saw through the window that night had already fallen.

“hey Jake, Isolde walked towards him again, how does it feel to be famous in town?” He smiled as he looked at her, “it is rather tiring to tell the same story time and time again but it’s okay.” She smiled, “they were curious, it’s not every time that someone new gets into town and we don’t have a guild here so normally no adventurer ever comes here.”

Iskander nodded, though there were certainly adventurer and mercenary guilds in this country there were not many requests for their aid in the rural towns since the civilians were all able to fight off most threats themselves. “Frienians are not southerners after all, Iskander said. Isolde chuckled, as a Frienian making fun of the southlanders was something that was verry common for her. “well if southerners want to become food of goblins whose forests they cut down that is their choice.” Iskander nodded, “one could say that things are goings…south over there.”

Before she could retort to his lazy joke a loud voice sounded through the inn, a bard was asking for the customers attention. For a little longer he and Isolde just sat there, listening to the music, until Isolde remembered that his bath had been prepared in his room. While Iskander walked to his chambers he smiled, this had been the best evening in a long time.