In the morning they met up at the Ugly Orc and got on the same guy's cart they were on last time. He was happy that they returned for more rides.

They moved forward, until there was a place where they could turn left and then turned in. They reached a big two sided door, which separated the outer skirts and inner section of the city. As they moved closer they had to stop behind a carriage, which looked like some noble's ride. Some guards in leather armor and wielding swords, were investigating it and looked at their papers.

After a few minutes the carriage moved forward and they went forward. Meanwhile a few more carriages got in line behind them. The guards walked up to the group and asked for papers to enter. They showed up their job application and badges. One of the guards took out a pair of googles and looked at the paper. He noded and let them pass through.

The inner part of the town was different then the outside. The houses were sparser and they looked like all of them were artistic pieces instead of houses. Some of them was made from marble and some from stone, but all of them had carvings and statues on them.

After a few turns they arrived at a mansion with a small garden and a fountain in front of it. The driver stopped the cart next to the gate.

"This is as far as I can take you. Do you want me to wait here?"

Maria answered faster, then Joseph could've even understand the question.

"No."

Then she walked in front of the gate and waited for the other two. Joseph shook his head.

"No. Thank you, but I think we'll get a ride here."

"Understandable. Have a nice day!"

The driver took the coins Catherine gave him, noded to them and drove off.

They show their job applications at the gate and one of the guards lead them inside of the garden. Then they proceeded to the door of the mansion. The guard knocked on the door and waited until it opened, then returned to his post.

An old man, in butler uniform, holding a tray opened the door. He was higher then Joseph and was in good shape. Though his hair started to get grey, he did not look old at first look.

"Good day to you! Are you the advanturers that were sent for the job?"

Maria took the lead, she seemed confident with the situation.

"Yes. Long time no see George!"

"Long time indeed. Please come in."

He stood out from the way and let them in. The first room was a big room with doors leading to other rooms on every side. The decoration was luxorious. Paints, swords and shields on the wall. Expensive looking carpets on the ground and the chandelier looked like it was made from pure gold. The doors were made from black wood and had golden hinges and knobs.

George walked to the first door on the left side of the room and opened it.

"This way please."

They walked into a smaller room with two sofas and a table between them. A fireplace was next the door and windows were on the other side. The place had the same kind of decorations as the previous room.

The butler took out a pocket watch and looked at the time.

"You have arrived ten minutes earlier. Good."

He walked to the door they came in through.

"Please sit down. The lord will be here soon."

He walked out of the room and closed the door.

Joseph turned to Maria.

"So you know him?"

"I already worked for the family a few times at some ruins."

"I see."

They waited in silence. After a few minutes the door opened up and a man who wear casual clothes and looked like a black furred werewolf was standing there.

"Excuse me that you had to wait for me."

He walked up to them. Maria stood up. Seeing that Joseph and Catherine stood up as well.

"I'm Roland Phoenix, leader of the family."

He kissed the hand of Maria and Catherine, then shook Joseph's hand. His hand was reaching for Joseph's from the top. Joseph remembered this gesture, it meant that the leader of the house was from a higher position. He shook it anyway, it did not meant anything for him. Meanwhile they introduced themselves.

Roland sit down in front of them.

"So Maria you took up one more of my jobs?"

"I'm just helping these two beginners with their first expedition."

"I see. Though I'm more relieved, that one of the few thrusted advanturers will be attending."

George opened the door and brang some cups and a keg in. He poured tea out for everyone. Roland turned to him.

"Thank you."

Joseph took a sip. The tea was green tea. It had a really good flavour to it.

"The job is very simple. I want you to go to a recently found ancient ruin and explore it."

He took our a paper from one of his pockets.

"Here are all the informations that you'll need. Also it will be with the usual rules. Anything you find you have to show it to us. You'll be keeping 30% of the items. You can usually chose which ones you want to keep, but if we really want it, we might have to debate over it. Are the rules clear?"

Maria looked at the paper they got.

"Yes they are. This paper only speaks about a small ruin. What if we find a multy layered one?"

Roland stroke his chin.

"That would be advantagous for us. If you find more layers, you can either notify me and revoke the job, or continue it, with or without a notification. The payment will increase nontherless. If the ruin is more dangerous then we wrote it down, then you all will get compensations."

Maria smiled at him.

"You did not change at all in the last year."

Roland smiled back at her.

"Business is business. The usual rules are not changing much."

"That is true."

"A carriage will be waiting in front of the mansion, it will take you to the ruins. Do you have any questions?"

They sat in silence.

"Then I'll be leaving. It was nice to meet you all."

They stood up and left the mansion. A carriage with a driver next to it was waiting for them. The carriage was simple designed and did not look like anything they experienced in the mansion.

They sit in and rode to the site.