"I'll be fine. I know how to handle the Guild, so you go have fun, Kira. But behave yourself."

  Whether she will behave herself remains to be seen, though in this case, it might not be her choice to make.

  The branch leader has brought me to her office, a large room decorated with plants, books, glass containers with reagents, and wood carvings depicting heroes of the past and beasts of the world. She has a large desk central in the room, along with six chairs. With the elegance of an ancient elf, she moves to the head of the table and sits down. Her lack of orders unnerves me.

  I believe now would be a good time to mimic Kira and have a look around. Inspecting the small carved statues, a particular figure stands out: a dragon painted black and red. It doesn't quite match Kira, but it is close.

  Her eyes follow my every movement, but for whatever reason, she isn't rushing me to continue this session of frustration. People in her position tend to have a desire to assert themselves, but she's waiting for me and showing patience. It's an indication of something else going on that I don't see.

  As enjoyable as it is to make her wait, we do have to deal with this crap. Taking the dragon figurine with me, I pull out a chair and take a seat, making sure not to sit opposite her. It's a small gesture, but it indicates that I don't see her as my superior.

  Without a single change to her expression, she nods her head as she begins speaking.

  "It pleases me that you would calm your Dragon, Cleric. I had not anticipated the ease with which it could free itself. I assume you are responsible for teaching it that particular trick?"

  So far, the arrogance of the Guild is on full display. The way she refuses to see Kira as a person is grating and shows the same moronic attitude that got Kello, Reinfold, and the other group killed during the culling. If that is a marker of things to come, I must admit that I find myself happy to be on Kira's side this time.

  "Branch Leader, I've told you already, Kira is not mine to control. Don't think I didn't notice the construction of her bindings, and I pray for you that she doesn't end up blaming you for them."

  "Though you are young and may not know, this branch of the Guild has dealt with Dragons in eons past. Some such battles were under my command, yet you think this particular Dragon poses a threat? It is in the heart of the Guild and wounded, what threat could it pose?"

  Listening to her speak is infuriating, and the teachings of Raya come back to me. Focus on my breathing and think of the joy of flying. Let the fury of the Dragon flow away. Or I could punch this fucking elf in her hell-cursed face for pissing on the smallfolk and younger Guild members...

  Deep breaths...

  "Branch leader, it is my recommendation that you seek a truce with Kira. She doesn't want to fight the guild, but the guild has attacked her often enough that her opinion of you leaves much to be desired. And what this city has done to her has been closer to a declaration of war. Ignoring her wounds, your people collected her blood and scales from the battle. She saved so many, and you couldn't even spare one fucking healer."

  "The Guild's resources are not to be spent mending dangerous beasts. By your own reports, Cleric, this Dragon has slain several Guild members, a lord, and burned down a frontier town. If it cannot be controlled, it is to be slain. The sporadic nature of this particular beast has it become especially dangerous. More so when considerations of its age are brought to mind. A Dragon in its second century should not show such reckless behavior."

  By the light of Merciferus, I pray that I may withstand the trial presented to me... I cannot help but feel that if Kira had been here, this meeting would have been cut short some time ago.

  The branch leader's expression hasn't changed. It isn't clear to me whether that's because of her political experience or if she's just unconcerned with the developments of current events.

  "Don't you care what happens to the people caught in the flames of battle? Don't you care about the people who will be left homeless as winter approaches? These are the people you're charged with protecting, branch leader, so why the fuck do you insist on maintaining this moronic idea that Kira is an enemy? You're creating a self-fulfilling end."

  "Mind your speech, Cleric. I am far older than your feeble human mind can comprehend, and you would do well to treat me with the respect I am owed. Though you may experience the grip of time for yourself. You reek of the Dragon. It is plain to see that you have become tainted. I wonder, will your mind withstand the ravages of the immortal?"

  Her change of subject strikes me as an attempt to rattle me, but all it does is bring more frustration.

  "Lauren, are you doing okay?"

  The sudden voice of Kira in my head brings a certain amount of comfort. At the very least, she hasn't found any trouble if she's worried about me. It's good that she has Raya to keep an eye on her, though I can't let her know how infuriating this branch leader is.

  "Yes... I just don't like dealing with leadership, they're so fucking stiff."

  "Sorry for dumping that on you."

  "It's fine. She would have tried to leverage your past to gain favors."

  Kira appears to accept my statements. I don't feel good about my dishonesty, though. I feel that I should have mentioned the potential threats, but the risk of them becoming real is too great. By the fucking hells, why couldn't these people just have accepted Kira's help and let her leave?...

  "I trust your mental communications were uninterrupted, Cleric. Worry not, neither my eyes nor ears can share your link. I merely observed your softening expression and hypothesized a possibility."

  I can feel myself tense up. For a moment, I very much thought she had listened in on our link somehow. I don't know if it's possible, but it might be. I find myself wondering how Raya might have dealt with this meeting and hoping it would involve stabbing.

  "By the Gods... Maybe stabbing is the way forward..."

  "I would hope not. I would hope a cleric of Merciferus would be capable of conveying her stance in a less confrontational manner, though I accept that it may have been a stray thought."

  Fuck me... That wasn't meant for her ears... Though she may be onto something about the degree of how confrontational I need to be...

  "I saw your containers of reagents; do any of them contain Seer's Ash? I would imagine someone of your experience would have access to an exotic reagent like that. And if you're compatible with it, you can experience what the near future holds if you attack Kira. That would settle our discussion quite easily."

  "You do not need to explain Seer's Ash to me, Cleric. I am well aware of its capabilities and restrictions. Though this idea of yours does hold some merit."

  Punchable to the fucking end... Her expression is hard to read, but it's obvious even to me that she's amused by my frustration. At least she's actually getting up and walking to a nearby shelf. Plucking a small glass jar from the back row. The contents of the jar are a white paste, and if Kira saw it, I'm sure she would want to take it back home after learning its value. Selling a jar like that would cover a guild member's expenses for several years.

  With the jar in hand, the branch leader returns to her seat. The clean motions of her hands draw me in as she opens the jar, dipping her lesser finger into the paste before licking it. With some paste consumed, she's ready to perform the seer's ritual.

  Forming runes of magic throughout the area centered on her, she speaks words of power and prepares for the vision to overtake her. The magic filling the room feels hot, almost burning against my skin, and I wonder just how capable this obnoxious elf is.

  As I wait for her to see what could be, worry creeps in. This could very well embolden her to take action, and I can only pray that I haven't brought us down a road from which we can't recover. My worries will have to wait as the branch leader returns from her vision with a scream. Her breathing is heavy as tears stream down her cheeks.

  "By the Gods, Cleric! How could you bind yourself to such an abhorrent being?! You cannot mean to say that such a grotesque monstrosity could ever know kindness!"

  "I believe I told you I would pray for her to not blame you for binding her. I assume you treated her as an enemy in your vision."

  The branch leader appears to struggle to look up as she gets her breathing under control. Composing herself seems to be out of the question.

  "Your attitude towards... I slew... It consumed my limbs, forcing me to live through it! Those eyes were grown in the fiery cores binding the demon realms..."

  That is something I can relate to. The cruelty shown in Kira's eyes when she is well and truly angry will burn through to the very soul of the fool who is stupid enough to bring it about.

  "Deep breaths, branch leader. Explain what happened, and I will tell you why she reacted the way she did."

  "I... I killed you for my own satisfaction. Your indifference to rank is grating, but the Dragon felt it somehow... No building or Guild member could withstand its fury... It kept charging, breaking through barriers, standing up to a barrage of spells. As barrages of magic and arrows flew, its fury grew as its might swelled. Though its flesh was rent from its body, it showed no hesitation. Such was the single-mindedness of its wrath. My own magic was for naught as the beast bore down upon me, pinning me to the very ground I began wishing would swallow me up, yet the one to do so was the abominable beast itself..."

  By the fucking hells, maybe Raya is the best diplomat we have... As the branch leader grows quiet, the magic in the room fades, and the door swings open. Several adventurers rush into the office, surrounding me. Sudden excitement fills me as a sweet, delicious scent fills the air, and the branch leader screams for everyone to put their weapons down.

  "Branch Leader Tae'liri, it was a vision, a possibility. I have told you numerous times that Kira acts with kindness and reacts with aggression. The choice is yours, which of the two you will bring out. As it stands, Kira often thinks of adventurers as no more than a nuisance, but a nuisance can become a friend just as it can become an enemy."

  Admittedly, the smug satisfaction of watching the branch leader tremble that I'm experiencing is unbecoming of a cleric of Merciferus. Be that as it may, I welcome it.

  The adventurers who rushed into the office begin shuffling back out, but not before the branch leader calls out orders to fetch forge mages and find Kira. Even going so far as to order them to release Kira from the restraints.

  With the two of us being the only remaining people left in her office, she breathes deeply, taking a moment to restructure her mind.

  "Though I have now done the opposite, it is my opinion that this... I dare not call... her... a mere Dragon. Yet it is my opinion that the trail we must follow to water is executing her. Though if such a plan fails... we cannot fight the beasts, the Undead, and a being of such ferocity. The Guild would fall by summer. Where would you grow your grove, Cleric?"

  "Just leave her alone. Order your branch of the guild to stop attacking her or her people. Include Tuiran in Guild Guarding missions. And finally, pay her for the scales and blood collected from the battle. I saw her wounds, and I know the guild collects materials after battles."

  The mention of blood and scales brings a new shiver to the branch leader as she stiffens. She must have forgotten about that, dismissing it as a fortuitous blessing for the new guild members. As it stands, the rules regarding such things are that they are collected for the guild by the novices who are kept from battle and brought to the guild hall.

  Once the value has been determined, a finder's fee is given to the novices, and the rest is added to the battle participation fund. It works well to keep the new blood from bleeding out in battle, as well as funding the participation of higher-ranked adventurers.

  "And would this appease her?"

  By the light of Merciferus, strike me down so that this meeting may be over...

  Now, now, my little champion. That would not do. All who serve the Gods will face trials as they overcome struggles in their travels. I have faith that you will make this God proud.

  "Then you come down here and take my place, so I can go out and find some struggles to overcome."

  Much to my annoyance, the response I get is soft chuckling... Knowing that she watches over me brings me comfort, though her lack of assistance is irritating. Returning my attention to the branch leader, the nervousness in her expression is clear. She may attempt to stay composed, but the cracks are showing.

  "You don't have to appease her. That's what I've been telling you. She's curious and wants to experience the world, but she's content fighting beasts and making friends. You just have to stop trying to make an enemy of her! I don't know how many times I can keep repeating that!..."

  "The Champion of Merciferus speaks truthfully, Branch Leader Tae'liri. We had not expected you to express such petty actions as to murder the Champion. It is my recommendation that you do not repeat such foolishness in this iteration of the world."

  For once, Tae'liri and I share expressions. The voice of the Shae appearing from behind brings out a cold sweat as terror overcomes me. Turning to her, relief sets in as she is not accompanied by her master. Temporary as that relief may be, it is welcome.

  As my gaze lingers, more details spring out, such as her bloodied claws and the lingering scent of flame and ash coating her tattered gray dress. The image is a stark contrast to the perfection she displayed when we encountered her in the woods.

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  Turning to face the branch leader, it becomes obvious that she struggles to focus on either one of us. Given how the Shae shared my secret, it becomes understandable, as she has, in essence, been talking down to her superior. Yet it was a secret I preferred to keep to myself. I don't like how people change their behavior when they learn of it. Given that the branch leader appears to have become frozen, I guess I'm the one who has to address the Shae.

  "What brings you here? We were merely talking about how to handle the future dealings of the guild in its relationship with Kira. I can't imagine why the Shae or the Abomination would have any interest in that."

  "Your interest shines brightly, so let us focus on this blood, shall we? This is the heartblood of Kira. As Tae'liri's actions drove her to madness, she became a force upon the world rivaling that of the threats of old. It is our preference that this does not come to pass."

  "Kira!"

  "Dang it, Lauren! You startled me! Now I broke the saw thing... Hold on, Foreman is yelling at his friends. I think I'm off the hook since he's blaming them for making me jumpy. Did you know they have mechanical saws? That's so neat! Do you think we can find some dwarves for Tuiran? If they can teach my goblins how to build this stuff, we can build all sorts of cool stuff. Imagine having a giant dragon-accessible shower! Ooh... I want that..."

  The endless rambling rattling through my skull is a clear indicator of Kira being just fine, giving me a moment of relief. Though that relief is interrupted by thoughts of the rest of what the Shae said... Fucking hells... The mention of 'threats of old' has a clear meaning, and familiar words ring through my mind. I have to ask...

  "Is Kira the waking Cataclysm?"

  "She is not. That does not exclude her from becoming such a thing. You will find that threats rising against the world appear with frightening frequency, yet the people stand against them by their own will. It would be my guess that your next question is in regard to what the waking cataclysm may be, and I do not know. It is a focus of the Pantheon, which we are not allowed to enter."

  "So with my death, Kira will be driven mad? Why shouldn't I simply barricade myself in her lair?"

  Raising a hand to her mouth, the Shae covers herself as she giggles at me before realizing she smeared a little blood onto her lips. With a quick lick of her tongue, she cleans it before addressing me.

  "Do not think so poorly of your friend. Death is natural and expected, Kira knows and accepts this. Yet the circumstances of death change, and with those changes come a change in acceptance. Had Reinfold been slain in a tavern celebrating a mission, would you have accepted it as you have? Or did his death in a battle he chose matter?"

  The breadth of her knowledge brings me significant unease, and all I want to do is leave this place and find Raya and Kira. Returning home to Tuiran sounds like an excellent plan...

  We can't yet, though. And there are so many things I want to ask the Shae, but I don't know where to start... Thinking about what she has said, one thing stands out in particular.

  "What did you mean when you spoke of 'this iteration'?"

  "You misunderstand, Champion. Answering your questions is not my task this day. I am simply here to inform the young Tae'liri of her self-inflicted destruction, should she attempt to butcher our dear Kira.-"

  The Shae's eyes fixate on me as she speaks, turning away from the branch leader and causing another wave of cold sweat to moisten my back.

  "-You do not appear surprised by the revelation of her intent to destroy Kira."

  "Of course not. The branch leader understands that Kira can be a threat, and considering plans to deal with threats is her job. I don't like her, but I would think of the same possibilities in her position. In fact, I have. How could I not, given what I saw? I just pray that she's smarter than that."

  Appearing satisfied with my answer, the Shae turns away from us as a purple and black void opens in front of her. Stepping through it, she leaves us behind, and the tension in the room dwindles to become more manageable.

  "My sincerest apologies, Champion. Had I known, I would not have brought such shame upon my grove. I beg of you to understand that I must show authority in my station, yet I showed naught but ignorance..."

  "Fucking stop that! I don't want that reverence crap. I just want to go about my day on my own."

  "But you cannot. The divine duties of the Champion of Merciferus must be completed with haste."

  "And I will when she tells me to. Some days I struggle to get her to shut up for half a bell!"

  "Oh, shush, you. Though I may find myself forced to inform Kira of your blasphemy, so that she may assist me in your divine punishment. How can a Goddess as kind as I deal with a champion as rude as you without the cruelty of a beast such as her?"

  "You would talk to your Goddess in such a manner?..."

  And there it is. I've moved from frightened to annoyed... This meeting appears to be over. So with that, I give my final words on the matter by informing the branch leader that I do not wish for people to know of my status as Champion. And that Kira does not want to make an enemy of the guild. If Tae'liri can get people to stop attacking Tuiran and Kira, she can expect the casualties of such missions to drop significantly.

  As I move to the door, Tae'liri follows me, appearing to not realize that she's in the way. Giving her a soft nudge with my hand, she moves aside, allowing my departure. Leaving her office, I step onto the balcony hanging over a mead hall. Below are tables and chairs aplenty, with the joyous chorus of laughter and tales told by merry adventurers.

  As I descend the stairs, the noise softens as eyes focus on me. The soft muttering is easy to hear with my enhanced hearing from these draconic changes and the subject appears to be how I control dragons... It's becoming clear that my next goal is to buy a gift for Raya for all the times I've teased her about being the Dragonbringer...

  "I don't control Dragons! So shut the fuck up and stop spreading that false rumor!"

  "That is what you say, but some of us saw how you calmed the Dragon as it woke up angry at being bound. Even now, it's sitting by Hralthar's workshop, waitin' for the goblin to gather food. I ain't never seen a beast that calm. The draft stables are damn near more rustled than that."

  "What has she been doing?"

  "Hralthar brought it home and now they're working to remove the shackles. The guards stopped guarding it and several adventurers have left to go drink or take missions. Like Jonah over there."

  As Jonah is being called out, a mug of ale flies through the room, smacking the speaker in the face. A common threat of calling other people out, as adventurers tend to have excellent aim. As it was bound to happen, Jonah quickly finds himself on the receiving end of a punch, considering the mug was nowhere near empty and he sprayed several others with ale.

  Memories of the fun we've had as adventurers spring back to mind, and knowing that Kira isn't up to anything odd, I might spend a little time here. With the quick brawl quieting down and the only casualties being Jonah and the speaker, eyes return to me.

  "You lazy fucks can't expect me to talk with this dry throat, can you?!"

  As someone calls out for another round for everyone, the merriment returns to the mead hall. A larger man waves me over to sit opposite him, and, taking the invitation, I move through the room to find my place.

  Waitresses dance through the crowd, distributing day ales to all the adventurers. As a mug is placed in front of me, it's accompanied by a plate of roast and tubers drenched in sauce. A simple but delicious meal. Easy for the guild to make in large amounts and sell at reasonable prices.

  "So, I'll wrestle you for a tale, Cleric."

  The large man sitting opposite me seems to have had a plan with this, but I must admit that I'm curious how much stronger I am with these draconic changes. Raya has grown to be a terrifying force, but I haven't embraced it as she has. Rushing a few extra bites, I push my plate to the side and slam my elbow down onto the table.

  Matching me, his elbow hits the table as we clasp hands. The countdown comes from someone nearby and, hitting one, his grip tightens, pushing my arm lower. He's winning, but his expression makes it clear that he isn't winning with as much ease as he expected.

  Feeling my competitive spirit rise, I call on Kira's magic and empower myself as Raya taught me. I'm not as good at it as Raya is, but I begin to push him back. With his hand moving to the other side, his expression changes from smug concentration to surprise and frustration.

  Drawing on Kira's magic makes me more sensitive to the magic around me, and I begin feeling the tingle of a spell nearby. As whoever is charging it casts their spell, I begin losing again. I can't do anything as I'm being pushed back until my hand connects with the table.

  Rather than declaring himself a winner, he scowls for a moment as the room becomes quiet, appearing unsure of how to handle it.

  "Just claim your victory, knucklehead. Buy me another ale, and I'll let you ask for a tale."

  "Can't do that... Someone cast a spell on me as I was losing. I'm a cheater today."

  "We'll call it even then."

  Removing my wrist guard and rolling up my sleeve, I reveal the scales on my arm. Grabbing my hand, he pulls it to himself and starts inspecting them with pokes and prods before bursting into laughter.

  "I beat a half-dragon cleric! You owe me a tale, Cleric!"

  As the crowd bursts into cheers, I pull my plate to me and take another mouthful with a swig of ale. Instead of being referred to as Cleric, I introduce myself by name and, in response, the large guy informs me of his name, Marton.

  I'm not sure what sort of story they want, so I'll settle for something innocent.

  As I start talking about flying through the skies and visiting islands in the western seas, the crowd listens intently. I imagine several of them see the possibilities of such fast travel and the coin to be earned through missions that would take weeks to complete being done in a mere day.

  "And as she bent down to drink as I did, she sucked in a mouthful of the damn beach! We've all seen a brave warrior trying to save face, but it is so much funnier with a Dragon! Does anyone have a Basilisk's Talon fruit?"

  A whistle from behind me draws my attention, and as I turn around, a long, red fruit flies toward me. Catching the fruit as I pull out a knife, I prepare to cut it into pieces and separate the seeds from within. Kira let slip that the seeds make things worse, and if you cut them thinner, they're quite delicious rather than poisonous.

  "I dare anyone to do as I do!"

  With a thin slice of the fruit, I add it to my plate and take a bite along with a mouthful of the roast, and it does taste quite good. The heat of the fruit pairs nicely with the spice of the roast. It doesn't take long before people around me give it a try as well. The difference in reaction shows that I'm resistant to it like Kira is, but there's a general positive reception as the shadier-looking people are crowded around for more Basilisk's Talon.

  Shouts of meal orders ring out throughout the halls as people grow eager to try the taste of this poisonous fruit. The meals people already have are being divided among groups, and laughter booms through the room as folks laugh at their friends complaining about the heat.

  I have yet to finish my own meal, and by now, it has grown cold. Raya's affinity for fire would have come in handy, but I don't hold the same mastery, so I'll have to settle for cold food.

  "The Dragon Cleric doesn't know fire magic? Ulric! Get your dainty ass over here!"

  At Marton's shout, a graceful young elven man dances through the crowd and joins us. He's significantly shorter than the larger fighter, and I would be surprised if there wasn't some giant's blood somewhere in Marton's lineage.

  As Ulric leans over the table, he speaks a simple incantation, causing my meal to heat up again. As I thank him, he smiles and leaves us again. We return to our idle chatter, and the simple joy of listening to people talk with excitement about their travels is soothing to my soul.

  From the sounds of it, they've all heard about Kira, but no one present has seen her before she arrived to kill the undead. At least none that are willing to speak up.

  "With Dragon Magic, your healing must be powerful, Lauren. Can you restore limbs?"

  "I can restore my limbs. Hurts like a fucker, though. I lost my healing magic in Plainshold. Fucking cultists captured me, and they managed to destroy my magic."

  "Vile steel, right? The Guild is telling everyone about it now. No use keeping us in the dark, since we need to know what to do if we encounter it."

  "Yeah. Infected me and tried to kill me with it. Without the light of Merciferus and help from Kira, I wouldn't be here today."

  "Is she the Dragon who burned down Plainshold, then?"

  I feel a sense of relief as the question is asked in a matter-of-fact way, rather than antagonistically. Most adventurers have a certain level of pragmatism, taught so they won't become ruled by emotion. But the same pragmatism can lead to different troubles than emotion would have.

  "She is. She regrets it, but she did cause the fire. If you intend to strike back at her, I recommend doing so outside of town. And make sure to bring a lot of gold for when you get eaten."

  "Hah! Nah! I'm a snack, but not that kind! Seeing the Dragon wander around, the biggest threat she poses is to the roads, as far as I can tell. Merchants are complaining about needing other routes 'round town, but other than that, no troubles are rising. No... I just want to know more. Merchants are saying one thing, the Guild is saying another. Truth can be hard to come by. Well..."

  His eyes turn upward a little as his thoughts seem to drift.

  "Well, what?"

  "Hralthar's dwarves seem to be quite taken with her, and they've blown up a guard's house to free the prisoner. A half-giant; don't know his name."

  Damn it, Kira... I told you to behave... Why am I not just telling her?...

  "DAMN IT, KIRA! I told you to behave!"

  "I didn't do anything! I'm just blocking a road, and whatever rumors or accusations you've heard are lies and slander! Freakin' startled me again... Stop doing that, Lauren."

  "Sounds like it might be Punchy. Don't mind the nickname, it was given to him by Kira for punching her in the jaw hard enough to make her pause."

  With a whistle, his eyebrows rise up with an expression making it clear that he's impressed to hear someone punched a Dragon. It doesn't take him long to seize the opportunity for another story. And seeing that they aren't angry about the fall of Plainshold, at least not visibly, I begin talking about what I know of how she met Punchy.

  There's an air of admiration in the mead hall as people talk about the feats of strength involved in making a Dragon pause with a punch. I'm sure Punchy will have to deal with questions when he shows up.

  "So she wanted to keep this Punchy around for what? Food stores or a plaything?"

  "I'm not sure. I think she was just impressed by him, but she doesn't want to fight the Guild. In fact, I can prove it. Who's the fastest runner here?"

  A few hands are raised, and after a little arguing, they seem to settle on one. I bring up how I spoke to the branch leader and the topic of Dragon's Blood and scales again. Locking my sight onto the runner, I tell him to run to Kira and tell her that he sold some of her blood from the battle and see what happens.

  "You're sure it won't get the boy killed?"

  "I'm sure. What's the going rate for Dragon's Blood? Eight or ten gold a vial?"

  "Dragons are rare, current price is sixteen. Enough gold to change the life of a street rat."

  Pulling out my coin pouch, I grab eight coins and hand them to the runner. There are enough witnesses here to make sure that he won't cheat me.

  "Take those, but don't tell Kira that you have them. Then tell her that you sold the blood you collected, apologize, and offer her the coins. Whatever the result, I'll honor it."

  The runner appears to have lost his nerve and his pride at being identified as the fastest. But clutching the coins, he turns to leave and sprints out the door, dodging a patron entering the guild mead hall.

  "You sure he's safe? Sounds like something a Dragon Tamer would be sure of..."

  Yeah, he deserves this... Adding a little sauce to my fork, I flick it at his face, and the satisfying splat silences him as the people around burst out laughing and telling others.

  With my plate empty, I wave down a waitress and order another. They've been doing an incredible job of moving between rambunctious adventurers, and it doesn't take long before I get my serving.

  With me having shared some of my stories, a few others begin sharing theirs. Stories of fighting wolves further south than usual and the rise in undead appearing. A few folks mention that this attack was brought on by Kira, but others are quick to argue that she just started it early. A few people take each stance, but most seem indifferent to the discussion.

  At most, she ignited the powder keg ahead of time, which does give mixed emotions. It's easy to blame the person finding the problem, but it was there before they found it.

  The guild has an odd form of solidarity, as they're quick to rally around allies, but they're just as quick to smack each other for doing something stupid. A way of life coming to Kira's benefit for sure. The unspoken truth is that they know she has killed adventurers, but they're seeing that she isn't here to attack.

  It feels good to spend some time with the people I used to consider my own, and the memories from my own adventuring days flood back, filling me with warmth. Reinfold, Kello and I have had many great adventures, and traveling the world fighting for others is a life well spent.

  The sound of a door slamming into someone's face draws a lot of eyes to the entrance as an angry adventurer glares at the returning runner. Paying the guy no mind, the runner continues toward us with a bright smile and wet air, making it clear how Kira reacted. I certainly don't hear any rain today.

  "She told me I could keep six coins!"

  Without any hesitation, the boy pulls his coin pouch out and shows me the remaining coins.

  "Boy, if you're lying, you'll have cheated a Dragon and made an enemy for the Guild."

  To reinforce the runner's excitement, I give his cheek a pinch and tell him to go enjoy his winnings. Ignoring Marton's stern look, he sprints out the door for whatever his plans are now. Most runners for the guild are young kids, often orphans, who have very few other ways to earn coins.

  As I grab another bite, the eyes focused on me grow increasingly frustrating. I'd wager there are a lot of questions, but few are willing to ask them.

  "Just ask your fucking questions, you smelly bastards. And stop staring at me!"

  As expected of this crowd, my aggression is met with laughter.

  "So how'd you know? Anyone here would have thought the boy had seen his last on that run."

  "She loves gold, but not enough to kill for it. Though if she kills, she will rob as well. Watching her pay for anything is fucking funny, though. She'll growl the entire time she's handing over the payment. It scares the shit out of merchants."

  "She lookin' t'hire guildies? Me coffers could do with more coin!"

  As a dwarf speaks up, the idea spreads and an uncomfortable amount of attention is focused on me. I'm starting to understand why Kira tends to ignore people and not pay attention when crowds are around.