Adam caught Jurot’s eyes, noting the expet eyes within the Iyrman’s eyes. “Let’s assist the Lord and Lady, a ed up first.”

  “Okay.”

  Landon remained silent. The group hadn’t e au the way to Red Oak even though it was noonval. ‘This hunt didn’t go as well as I expected…’ He assisted his wife to the inn, an inn for nobles and those of higher css. The knights followed the nobles inside, while Adam and the others watched them step into the inn, which was made almost entirely of red oak.

  ‘Damn. I o get me some red oak…’

  “Do you have any ideas for an inn?” Adam thought.

  “There are many which will accept us,” Jurot firmed. “Do you wish for an inn which is sidered middle css?”

  “Yes, please.”

  “Okay.”

  The Dawn’s Rest was made of wood too, though not the famous red oak, but it was rge enough that it dwarfed any other building nearby. It was almost it’s own little district with he it was, with a rge walled garden, rooms a plenty, and even their own guards which patrolled around the inn.

  “I’m afraid we only take particur-,” the guard began, before noting the appearance of the Hope and Rays. The guard, a man in his forties or so who wore breastpte over , fell silent, his face t with fusion.

  Hope Willow smiled towards the guard.

  “I’ll call for an attendant to assist you,” the guard said, unsure of what was happening. In the back of his mind he wondered if perhaps this person wasn’t actually a Hope, but the sequences of someoaking the guise of a Hope and their Rays were too grave for any random person willing to do so, not just from the gover, but from the divine order, and perhaps even the Divihemselves.

  The guard watched as the attendant quickly escorted them away, the young woman eagerly serving the group, who were made up of members of various orders and Iyrmen. ‘If they’re willing to walk around pretending they’re Iyrmen and Hopes and Rays, then there’s no need for us to get ourselves killed…’

  “Mister Adam,” Remy called. “We’d love to stay in a pce like this, but we’re finally home.”

  “Ah, right. We’re about to plete our task, and o’s dohen you head home. We’ll stay here for a few days, and you stay with your families for that time, and you should inform them that the business will probably be esc them to the business…” Adam paused. “I mean, o’s firmed that the shelter of the business… the buildings, are made, we’ll send figures from the busio escort them there.”

  “I’ll do just that,” Remy said, fairly certain he uood what Adam was saying.

  ‘Damn, this journey really has taken a lot out of me.’

  The inn was vast within, dozens of tables scattered all around the garden, each filled with merts and others. They all speakiween one another about various matters, some pleting their business with a t, others being wooed by potential ts.

  However, as the Hope and Rays stepped within, the discussions fell silent as the figures noticed the newers, and reised them for who they were. Their eyes fell across the Iyrmen and the Hope and Rays, utter bewilderment filling the group, and soon the rumrew, ao be spread with a swiftness only matched by the words of Iyrmen.

  ‘This is a lot of attention,’ Adam thought, noting the gazes falling upon his group. ‘This might end up dangerous.’

  ‘Good,’ Jurot thought. ‘Look at us and wonder.’

  ‘How much?’ Adam thought, his ears twitg at the price. He had expected roughly a hundred or so gold, but then he recalled that was the typical going rate of a mediocre inn. ‘I didn’t realise inns could be so expensive…’

  “I didn’t expect this much,” Vasera said, grinning wide. “We should work for you more often.”

  “You’re absolutely right,” Adam replied, fshing her a smile. “We treat our workers right.”

  “We’re not your workers.”

  “Not for now, but perhaps iure, once you’re in the mood to gain more magical items.”

  “No magical shields?”

  “No magical shields,” Adam firmed.

  Vasera smirked. “I will think on the offer more deeply, but until then… are you also going to spend on drinks?”

  “Drinks? That’s an easy enough matter!” Adam left Kitool in charge of the purse. He hahe woman the pouch full of gems, g her hand over the pouch for a long moment. He winced repeatedly, his heart ag, before finally pulling babsp;

  ‘I should have taken more work. Kids are so expensive…’ He gnced across the children, who eagerly awaited their meals. ‘I should take even more work ime.’

  “Vasera, don’t drink too much just yet. I’m going to take the others to finish our ritual, so the kids are going to have fewer guards. Once we return, I’ll allow you to drink as much as you want, as long as Rook keep you from causing trouble.”

  “That isn’t much drink,” Vasera pined. “Since you’ve paid the gold, I’ll do as you say.”

  “Yoing to leave?” Hope Willow asked.

  “Just for a bit. We’ve got some busio plete.” Adam gowards Nobby, who sat right beside Alex. ‘Should I let him go see his family too? Who should I repce him with?’ “Jonn. Yoing to watch over Alex from now on. Nobby, you e along, and then you head back to your family.”

  “Okay, mister boss.”

  Cobra met Adam’s eyes, the young half elf winking at her, fshing her a smile.

  “We’ll be back soon, so don’t miss us too much.”

  Cobra wasn’t sure how to take his gestures or words, but decided against saying more. She gnced around, noting the guards around, each a guard for the various merts and figures across the other tables, except whose guards were as grand as theirs?

  “You’re ing along too?” Adam asked.

  “I should stay with you, just in case,” the Marshal replied.

  “Alright, sure,” Adam said, before the group, including the teen Iyrmen, began to make their way out.

  The group made their way through the roads of Red Oak, still basking ie afternoon sun. They followed Jurot until they found a rge shop, one whiticed them within with its smell. As the bell rang, the young woman, with copper hair and a eyes, took in the sight of the adventurers.

  “You’ve returned back so soon?” she asked, her lips f a wide smile.

  “You shouldn’t tease us too much today,” Adam said. “Do you know how expehe Dawn’s Rest is?”

  “Dawn’s Rest? I wouldn’t dream of staying there. They say the cheapest rooms are at least five gold.”

  “They’re right,” Adam said, feeling the ache within his heart. “The cheapest rooms are indeed five gold.”

  “If you’re able to afford a night there then you should be able to afford our bread.”

  “Speaking of your bread, we’ve had so much trouble on the road. I’d like to buy as much as I with this.” Adam pced down a gem for ten gold.

  “How much trouble have you had that you’re willing to spend this much?”

  “We ended up getting into trouble with the Marshal of the East, the Order of Life’s Rose, and the Order of the Thousand Hunts.” Adam pat Jurot’s back. “Jurot here got to csh with the Marshal of the East, Lord Benjamin’s his name, I think. Gravesea? Right?”

  “Yes,” Jurot replied, crossing his arms.

  “You’ve gotten into trouble with the Order of Life’s Rose?”

  “Not that much,” Adam replied. “It was a misuanding. They’ve sent a Hope and some Rays with us.”

  Pam raised her brow towards the half elf, her eyes full of doubt.

  “Adam speaks the truth,” Jurot said.

  “Oh?” Pam raised her brows, surprised by Jurot’s words. She, like many within Red Oak, khe Iyrman’s reputatio came to truth.

  “Even Manager Vonda’s bee a Ray now,” Adam said, letting out a soft sigh. “It’s so hard creating gold with these hands of mine.” Adam shook, doing his best not to ugh.

  “…”

  “That would have killed ba the Greynds Anyway, Jurot here, he’s really hungry. He fought against both the Marshal of the East and the Grand ander of the Order of the Thousand Hunts.”

  Pam’s brows raised even further. “You did?”

  “I cshed with them,” Jurot firmed, puffing out his chest slightly. “I fought them with Phantom.”

  “How did that e to pass?”

  Adam smiled, allowing Jurot to speak the tale as he picked up the bread and stepped out, it to the others. He threw a look to Lucy, and the pair stood he door, eating their bread from beside the door.

  ‘What are they doing?’ the Marshal thought, watg the pair as they closed their eyes and ate their bread.

  Each of the farmers carried small half sacks of bread, but waited outside, gng between one another, allowing their Executive to fill his stomad his heart.

  ‘Jurot, don’t talk about how your arm felt, damn it, show off about the fight!’ Adam thought.

  ‘Yeah, that’s right, you should tell her all about how big your delicious arms are,’ Lucy thought, the stress of the year falling away from her body.

  “King Merryweather is stronger,” Jurot assured to the baker, who had all but fotten that Jurot had fought the previous King’s Sword.

  ‘Is he aiming to bee the Chief?’ Pam thought, sidering all she knew about the young Iyrman.

  Jurot, not like this.