“Xue is back!” an adventurer cheers.

  “Xue is back in the city!”

  “The champion makes her return!”

  The adventurer’s guild was abuzz with news. Morning breaks on a new day. The start of the Golden Autumn festival was a day and a handful of hours away. Since yesterday, a decent amount of progress has been made. A corkboard is flooded with sketches of people with red strings connecting them to various notes and points on a map of the city.

  Ren was standing and staring at the corkboard. The elven wand slinging wizard Malo Goldleaf placed a pin on some point in the map, tied a string to that pin and then tied the other end to a sketch of some balding human man with an eyepatch and several missing teeth. Ren’s left arm was also in a sling and wooden cast.

  “How’s the arm doing?” Alliot the man with both elf and cat ears leans over and asks Ren. “I heard that loads of chimera have been popping up. Loads of us are getting injured. You were one of them.”

  “I’m okay.” Ren says.

  “Well, take it easy. Our clerics and white mages did their best, but your arm got really banged up. Severity 4. Just a bit more, and your arm would come off.”

  “It’s fine.” Ren says. “A severity 5 injury has a good chance of amputation.”

  “Well no. Amputation and a severity 5 broken arm are two different injuries.”

  “Yes, and it is possible to have a severity 5 broken arm and not an amputation or an injury that leads to an amputation later.”

  “Are you suddenly a pro at medicine?” Alliot scoffs.

  “No, I just get hurt a lot.” Ren says in her usual tone of voice.

  “As does everyone armed and armored. Let alone adventurers who brush against death so often we frequently give Padilus, the God of Death, a high five every now and again.”

  “Cool.”

  “Well, you stay safe and help out around here. Leave the rough stuff to the guys still healthy and in fighting form.”

  “I can still fight.” Ren says with her arm in a sling.

  “Not well enough. Especially if they have more of those chimera in their backpocket. I had to turn a workshop into a broken glass factory before it finally started to slow down.”

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  “I can come up with countermeasures against other chimera.”

  “Like what?”

  “I have dynamite.” Ren says in a blank tone of voice.

  “I- actually, no one has tried hitting them with dynamite yet.” Alliot thinks for a moment. “How much dynamite do you have?”

  “A bundle of 7.”

  “Ah. Big boom.”

  “Yep. If I find another chimera, I’m going to try using a stick of dynamite on them. If that doesn’t work, then 2 sticks.”

  “Alright. Alright. We’re going to have to see how well they do against them.”

  As Ren and Alliot talk about setting off explosives in a city, Xue Long approaches the two.

  “Please do not detonate explosives so casually.” Xue says to the two. “One reason why we adventurers are considered trouble makers is that we do things like light dynamite in the city streets.”

  “Well, we can’t all be as careful and graceful as the champion of Longcrest city.” Alliot chuckles while he speaks.

  “Yes, but in your pursuit there does not need to be wanton destruction for the sake of our endeavors.” Xue gives a frustrated sigh. “In either case, allow me to update you both on our recent findings.”

  “Oh! An update. We got some good news it seems.” Alliot nods along as he speaks.

  “I was on a previous quest. There, a group of extremists known as the ‘Heart of Destiny’ has been working with a bandit clan and other such foul elements. I followed their trail until it led me back to Longcrest city. I initially came here to sort them out. They seem to be a sort of new movement or group, and I initially thought that they had no allies here in the city. However, they have a hand in this ritual you are all investigating. Notably, they did not plot this or begin work on their ritual preparations or these parade floats just yesterday. This plot has been in the works for some time now.”

  “How sure are you of this?” Alliot asks.

  “Enough to tell the guildmaster.” Xue says. “I believe that this is worthy enough to tell Crane. He, in turn, trusts me and what news I bring.”

  “Alright. That’s what I get for questioning you.” Alliot says. “So what now?”

  “I came here in pursuit of a man by the name of Alon Pordolette.” Xue says. “I will pursue him. The reason is now two fold. I have informed the city guard that he entered the city. They checked their tax book and found that he entered the city without paying the entrance fee. So now there is a bounty out for his capture.”

  “Wow. You got back here yesterday, right? They already have a bounty out on the guy. Guards hopped on that real fast when it’s about their money.”

  “The second reason is that I am under the belief that he is involved in the conspiracy you were investigating before I arrived. He was carrying, or perhaps smuggling some material of magical origin that I am not an expert in. I would need to form a party with someone who does, or have the means of bringing my findings intact for experts here to study.”

  “I’m an expert.” Ren says.

  “I imagine you are, but you are still injured.” Xue says.

  “But I’m an expert that can observe and discern magic.” Ren says.

  “On field expertise can come in handy.” Alliot says. “Will you at least be a good girl?”

  “Nope.” Ren says in a tone as blunt as a hammer.

  There is a moment of pause in the face of Ren’s single word.

  “Well, I don’t know what I was expecting.” Alliot says.

  “You can just abandon me if I slow you down.” Ren says.

  “I cannot.” Xue says.

  “Abandoning a friend is not something in my wheel house.” Alliot says.

  “I don’t usually come across adventurers who abandon their friends, comrades and party members that easily.” Xue says. “If you are in danger, injured or otherwise, I will turn back for you.”

  “Then I’ll just find Alon Pordolette myself.” Ren says.

  “Damn it. Why do we all gotta be crazy idiots like her?” Alliot gives a heavy sigh.

  “It cannot be helped.” Xue shrugs her shoulders. “When walking the line between bravery and stupidity we sometimes step a bit too far on one side.”

  “Alright. You can come along.” Alliot says.

  Alliot pats Ren on the shoulder in a bid to give her a flash of pain. Maybe convince her to turn away. However, Ren does not wince in pain. Instead she just gives him a thumbs up.