Departing from the cave, It took me five days to reach the gates of the city as I could fortunately avoid any dangerous encounter. Being too early on the morning for the gates to open, I then waited alone for around thirty minutes before a guard finally opened the two massives door.

The doors where each 5 meter high while the top of to wall towered at 8 meter. Simply opening them required a complex system of pulley and cog. After the doors finally opened, I greeted the usual sleepy guard and he answered me the usual “Tchh ... still alive ”. As usual I then smiled at the thought of sinking my fist on his sleepy face but kept myself from doing so. I already had far enough trouble with the empire and didn’t need new one’s.

As no store where currently opened to sell the spoil of my month of adventure outside the city, i quickly decided to go back to my apartment and sleep till early afternoon. Traversing the main street, I then switched to some dark alleys before arriving at my place. As usual, I had to kick at the rusty metal door before managing to open it and, as usual, the owner of the cheap ass building I rented shouted plenty of profanities while I did so.

After putting away my clothes and giving some fresh air to the room, I quickly dozed off, snuggling in my blanket till mid afternoon. After waking up, I dressed myself with clean clothes and took time to prepare myself a real meal, the first in a month. The menu was a full fledged, three layered meat lasagna. I smiled at the tender flavor of meat and tomatoes as I fell once more in love my own home cooking. Not that I had anything against eating monster but eating undercooked, hastily prepared meal for a month would make anyone weary of adventuring.

Having finished my meal, I quickly did the dishes and departed to the market. I avoided the main streets filled to the brim with crooks that will haggle till they obtain your valuable materials for half the mark price and headed for a store at the very back of the city, near the still shining floor’s wall. Entering the old shop, a familiar scent of spices pleasured my senses as I greeted the muscular shop owner, bowing deeply at the familiar face.

“Hello, Baasan” - Aila

“Ooohh, If it isn’t Aila ! Where had you disappeared for the past month, I was afraid something at happened to you again” - Baasan the Shop Owner

Baasan was a muscular ex-adventurer in his forties that took pride in his baldness and his old scars. He had been an adventurer for a long time before opening shop and often told me stories about his adventures, there was even a period where he had worked for the kingdom as a royal guard. He never had any children and, being a dear friend of my father, he treated me as his own daughter. We had always kept a good relationship, even after the death of my parents, and to be fair he had helped me greatly at the time, providing me with both shelter and solace. In this city Baasan was probably the only one I could call a friend. Also, despite the fact that he often act as some sassy old women, the guy is definitely straight, or at least I think so.

“Don’t worry I’m fine, just a little adventure on the 4th floor” - Aila

“Ooh, the fourth already. Mymy, children grow up so fast these days, I can still remember the good old times when you would run towards me shooting ‘Baasan’ every time we saw each other. You sure have grown up lately” - Baasan

As he said that I blushed from embarrassment, hoping that no other customer had heard anything and, looking around, I noticed that unfortunately they had which made me blush even more. So much I could have been mistaken for some walking tomato.

“Well, that aside, I’m sure you didn’t come to talk about the good old time.” - Baasan

“Yes, I have quite a few materials to sell you, should you be interested” - Aila

Saying that I emptied my magic backpack on the counter, paying attention not to let anything fall on the floor. In total, the whole package amounted to about 20 set of animals pelt, fangs and claws, 30Kg of rock from a magic golem, rocks which are known for their astonishing sturdiness and finally some vines and wood from lesser Treant.

“Quite the bounty you have there, your party didn’t slack off during the last month to get so much even after dividing the spoils.” -Baasan

Hearing those word I made a wry smile, making sure to stay silent about the fact that I traveled alone. I quickly changed the subject before any further enquiries

“So, how much can you give me. I’m in good mood so i will even give you a 5% discount from the usual market size” - Aila

“Make it ten and we have a deal, I will even give you some potion in memories of the good old times” - Baasan

“What kind of potion ?” -Aila

“Three lesser potion of mana, I can guarantee their quality as they come directly from my personal stock” - Baasan

“Then we have a deal” -Aila

“So after discount we have 1 silver 90 copper the set of pelt and 50 copper the Kg of rock amounting at 53 silver for the whole lot. Counting the vines and wood, I will give you 61 silver and 30 copper in total. Not forgetting the potions of course”

I nodded happily as I thought that 61 silver and fenrir was a tremendous prize for a month of adventuring, I still had some accomplished quest to submit for reward too. I carefully stored the money in the purse I used as wallet and the potion in the lower pocket of my backpack and, as I finished, Baasan approached and murmured something.

“Also, just so you known, he came looking for you again” - Baasan

Hearing him say that, I sighed deeply.

“Again ? I wish he would finally give up” -Aila

Hearing that, Baasan shrugged his shoulder

“I don’t think he ever will” -Baasan

I then paid my respect to the smiling owner, promising him to be cautious, and headed for the exit. On the way out, I decided to report the usual unpleasant visit to the guild to the day after and planned a visit to my favorite bookstore instead. Getting some magic books before heading back home.