“You’re so amazing, Paul,” Adam said. “I won’t ever forget this favour.”

“If you want to thank me, stop making me do so much paperwork,” Paul groaned. “If that Awakened Wolf causes trouble, we’ll have to put him down.”

“Yeah, sure,” Adam replied, casually. “I’d expect as much.”

“You’ll also be liable to any damage he causes.”

“I’d expect as much.”

“Including any deaths.”

“If he kills anyone, I’ll torture his soul,” Adam assured.

Paul sighed. ‘Why does he say such ridiculous nonsense.’ “Right.”

Adam went to go bathe and then ate some more dinner, before turning in for the night, sleeping in civilization as he wished.

‘Paul, I’ll never forget this. Wait, don’t I already owe him a magical weapon? He hasn’t claimed it yet. Whatever, I’ll just make it even better.’

Paul signed off some papers. “Seriously. You can’t just bring an Awakened Wolf into the town after you did that to the High Alchemist.” He rubbed his forehead. “You’re lucky you’re a Bronze Rank Adventurer, Adam.”

Paul didn’t try to wonder as to how he became an Expert so quickly, since it was about as crazy as everything about the Half Elf. ‘I’ve got to keep an eye out on the Guards and the Nobles.’

Omen: 7, 8

Adam, being in civilization, decided to have another bath.

“A bath in the evening and in the morning. Is there anything better?” He rubbed the soap against his skin. “Yeah. If only I had some of the soap from home. He could still smell it, the sweet smell of imperial leather against his skin. How he missed the red, white, and gold packaging of the soap, even the silly little sticker on the bar of soap.

Adam sighed. ‘I wonder if there is a way-‘ He bolted upright and shook his head. “Come on, Adam. What are you playing at?” He slapped his cheeks and dunked himself into the bath before draining it and getting changed.

“What is the plan for today?” Jurot asked, having waited for him with the rest.

“Tomorrow we’re meeting with Sir…” Adam thought about the name. ‘Not London. It was definitely Don, cause I was confused about the connection to the Champion’s name.’ “Landon. So we should probably just kick it today.”

Adam dropped a gold coin to each of the Porters. “Looks like you get the day off, so why don’t you take your wives somewhere nice.” Adam placed down another gold coin for them too. “Nobby, maybe you could take your sister out to do some stuff?”

“Yes, boss,” the cousins replied.

“Yes, mister boss,” Nobby replied.

“You’re spending a lot of the party funds for the Porters to have fun,” Lucy said.

“That’s all my gold,” Adam replied. “I want to feel like a rich guy sometimes.”

“I can tell you grew up poor,” Lucy said.

“Uhuh,” Adam replied. “Which is why I’m helping my fellow working class comrades out,” he joked.

“Spending a gold or two extra now and again won’t help them out.”

“Not in the long term, but at least they won’t grow cold or hungry for a while. Maybe once I have a business or something I can do something more for them, but right now this is all I can do.”

“We can’t complain,” Remy said.

“We’ve never been treated so well before,” Jeremy added.

Adam bit into a potato, smiling as his cheeks turned a little red. “Don’t praise me too much, or my ego will get even bigger.”

‘He didn’t even take the money back from last night,’ Remy thought.

‘I’m so glad we’re following the boss,’ Jeremy thought.

‘Adam is nice,’ Nobby thought.

Once he was finished with his meal, Adam went to check on Zeus and Sky. Zeus was standing as always, ready and eager to serve, whereas Sky was currently lazing about.

“Yo,” Adam called, and Sky rolled onto all fours, staring at him. “Let’s go for a ride, stretch out your legs.”

“Yes, boss,” Sky said.

Adam hoisted himself up onto the large Wolf. He tapped his side, feeling Phantom there, before he rode off with the Awakened Wolf. He wore only his breastplate, and his hooded cloak, which hid his ears. ‘I have to thank Sonarot for this.’

It was only then that he realised how much attention he was getting. ‘Right, I am riding a giant Wolf…’

The Guards stared at him, both with annoyance and wonder.

‘What do we do about this situation?’

‘I don’t know. Paul said he’s alright, so…’

‘I can’t believe the Guild can pressure us like this.’

‘Adventurer business and all that.’

“Hey, you,” a Guard called out. “Where are you headed?”

“Just taking Sky out for a walk,” Adam said, patting his head. “Ain’t that right?”

“Right,” Sky said, his voice a low growl.

‘I forgot he could talk,’ a Guard thought to another. “Alright, well… don’t get into trouble.”

“That’s not up to me,” Adam said. “Trouble likes to find me.”

“That’s what they all say,” the Guard said, before letting him leave.

Adam rode Sky around the nearby area, through the fields. He had ridden Zeus a little before, but it was rather painful, but the Wolf was much nicer to ride. He held onto the Wolf by half hugging it when it was bounding quickly, but when it was at a walking pace, he sat up and looked out from his position.

“So what exactly are you?” Adam asked.

“I am an Awakened Wolf,” Sky replied.

“Right. What does that mean, though?”

Sky hummed quietly in thought. “I don’t know.”

“Do you have any family?”

“No.”

“No father or mother?”

“No.”

“Oh,” Adam said. “What is it that you do, exactly?”

“I hunt, I eat, I sleep,” it replied.

“I can tell you eat, considering that you cost me two gold to buy you meat,” Adam said. “I’ll be putting you to work soon, though.”

Sky whimpered quietly.

“If you want me to buy you meat daily then you have to work,” Adam said. “How old are you anyway?”

“I am young,” Sky replied, unsure. “I require many moons to grow.”

“You’re such a big boy already, though,” Adam said.

“I am barely older than a pup.”

‘Damn. Maybe I am a Tory after all?’ Adam thought. “Well, there’s no Human rights laws here, so I guess I can act like a Tory…” Adam groaned. “Well, it is a Wolf, so… I shouldn’t feel too bad putting a kid to work?” Every word which slipped through his lips made his gut wrench. ‘No, no. I can’t just be mean to Sky.’

Adam spent a while riding him, before allowing him to pounce around without worrying about the Half Elf atop him.

“Yo!” Lucy called out, having ridden Zeus to them.

“What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to play with Sky too,” she said.

‘What are you doing here?’ Adam spoke to his Steed telepathically.

‘Threatened me,’ Zeus replied.

“Hey, don’t treat Zeus so bad. I do it as a joke.”

“I wasn’t actually going to dip his antlers in acid,” she replied.

“Excuse me?”

“Nothing,” Lucy said, quickly retreating on top of the Awakened Wolf to ride him.

Adam looked to Zeus. “Don’t worry.”

Zeus nodded his head.

“If she did dip your antlers in acid, I’d just summon you again.”

Zeus cried internally.

Adam returned with Zeus, riding him back, but then squirmed off, feeling how sore his inner thighs and gentlemen were. ‘He needs a saddle or something.’

“Where’s the Wolf?” a Guard asked.

“With the Devilkin,” Adam said. “She’s playing with it.”

The Guards stared at Adam. “Right.”

Adam flicked over a copper and made his way inside. ‘Since we’re going to Adventure soon, I should probably get stuff ready. I have the diamonds, but I probably need more stuff. Potions?’

He thought about seeing that woman again, but decided to find somewhere else to purchase some herbs.

Charisma Check

D20 + 3 = 6 (3)

Asking around, they pointed him to a little shack, basked in the shadow of other buildings. If one wasn’t paying attention, they would have missed it.

“Damn it,” he said, looking at the familiar place.

He stepped inside, smelling all manner of putridly earthy smells. Candles dimly litt he room. Bottles of all manner of concoctions were littered around the walls, eyes of certain creatures, stalks of various herbs, and even bits and pieces of people and other things.

“You’ve finally returned,” the raspy voice called to him.

“I need herbs for a Health potion. I’ve got coin.”

“How much?”

“Five gold.”

“Very well.”

He quickly traded the items, and swiftly turned on his hell to walk away.

“Don’t be a stranger, Adam,” she said.

Adam wasn’t sure if he shared his name, but decided against asking about it, feeling her eyes on him even as he veered into another side road.

Adam returned back to the Guild, grabbing his alchemy kit. He stared inside to see a bunch of herbs which had been prepared for a healing potion.

“I didn’t even need to buy any?”

Alchemy Check

Mana: 10 -> 8

Alchemy Check

D20 + 3 = 13 (10)

1 Basic Healing Potion Created.

+100XP

XP: 4175 -> 4275

“That should be fine.” He checked how many Health potions he had, and counted five total, each of varying strengths. “Why didn’t I make any in the Iyr?”