The gate guards were menacing, with their brand new armour and their stiff temperaments. The slums rarely got any guards, but most of the ones seen there had light to medium leather armour that was made a whole generation ago. These guys were decked out in chainmail and small steel plates. Their swords and spears had that sharp sheen, and even their stature was different. Whoever trained them had beaten their spines into shape at a very quick speed.

 

The city lord and the nobles must have spent a ton of coins on this; last time he checked this kind of equipment, it totaled around two months of expenses! For just a single person! Couldn’t these noble not spend unnecessarily on guards that don't have a purpose other than stand around and look menacing. If even a fraction of the coin they spent here was given to the slum residents then the neighbourhood would disappear for good.

 

Alex knew that his grumbling would reach nowhere even if he shouted it at the city square. If he met a noble, he would likely try to torture them for information on why they held on to their coin.

 

Well, he wouldn't torture them, that would end him up on an executioner's block. He would 'lightly' ask them for answers.

 

"You there! Stop daydreaming and halting the line." Alex jumped from the harsh voice of a guard. The farmer family in front of him had been cleared. Stepping up to the gate, Alex looked with askance on what they wanted to check.

 

"What's your purpose for entering the city and what are in those bags?" The guard demanded, his eyes keenly resting on the two rapiers wrapped in rags that were hanging from his back.

 

"I'm returning from herb gathering and monster hunting. The bags contain my hard work." Alex quickly blurted it out. No reason to lie here.

 

"Are you part of the Vanquisher's guild?" The other guard asked. 

 

"No, I'm an independent." Alex replied. The fee to enter the guild was a bit too much. Their benefits were great, for example team recommendations and better prices for the monster parts.

 

The guard in front of Alex thoroughly scrutinised him from top to bottom. When he had finished, the guard motioned for him to enter.

 

“You should be careful around these parts, monsters have been appearing in numbers.” The guard said and gave him a farewell. "Good tidings for you traveller and may Mercy brighten your path." 

 

Genesis's light welcomed Alex as he exited the gate structure. The walls, manned with a far higher number of guards, were several hands thick and tall. The stone that made it looked seamless, as if it was made of magic, it might actually be magic now that he thought about it. 

 

Alex hooked his hood down and moved through the streets and alleys. The whole atmosphere and vibe had changed, it was like everyone knew that there was something happening yet weren't panicked enough to outwardly show it. Everyone laughed and joked and worked, yet they were all strained with caution and worry.

 

To not bring too much attention to himself, Alex went straight towards herb monster part buyers. The old man that manned the herb shop came out of his crevice and welcomed him in.

 

"Hello young man, how can I help you? I've got some traditional herbs here that can help swoon any lady in bed." The old man, beard encompassing a teasing smile, presented him with an assortment of herbs.

 

"I don't want to buy, but I've come to s-." "Ah what a tragedy, but don't worry, this herb can help even the most impotent of men to get their dragon roaring!" Alex's brows twitched at the salesman for interrupting him.

 

"And with this other herb, even the smallest of dragons can grow long enough to fill in the deepest of caverns." He would have been really interested in buying this, if he didn't already know that it was temporary and can only be used once, and never again.

 

"Shut up!" Alex shouted, finally done with the old man's spiel. He was not interested in his dick being longer or him lasting more in bed, he wasn't even married for fuck sake.

 

"I don't want your godsdammed vigour crap! I want to simply sell you herbs." Alex pushed the sack into a bewildered man's hands and glared at the old man. 

 

"You should have said that earlier, young man." Exclaimed the old man as he peered with sparkling eyes at the contents. "And the gall on you young people, shouting at your elders. If I was your father I would have given you a spanking."

 

"My father is dead." Alex sighed and the old man shut his yap.

 

"Oh well. My father died from the plague! You should ha-." "Just shut up and give me my money's worth for those herbs." Aelx got tired of this old man and almost went to fetch the herb bag away from him. It would be better to just go sell this to another person.

 

"Alright alright, let me check it all." The herb seller dumped the whole bag on the ground and began to rifle through the herbs like a rat. Alex decided that if he was wanting for herbs he wouldn't choose this herb seller solely because of how he treated the herbs.

 

And also the old man's sweaty sweaty hands. 

 

"Quite a haul you got here. It should come at about twenty silvers." The man rummaged through his dingy shop and came out with a locked steel box. The shrewd old man opened it away from him, the lid blocking his sight of the inside of the box.

 

"Here's your twenty silvers, now begone before I call the guards on your head!" Alex pocketed the silver and backed away from the shop. 

 

He quickly got out the silvers and checked meticulously that they were real. The empress' likeness was exact and the silvers were worn by time, a good indication.

 

Taking an experimental bite and finding it the right hardness and taste of residue, Alex nodded. With his normal weekly expenditure being just below six silvers - 4 silvers and 50 coppers of which were spent on mom's medicine - this should last him a month. 

 

The trip to the vanquisher's guild was far less eventful, the clerks there professionally cleaned and organised the gremlin hearts. The total for the gremlin hearts was around sixty silvers. The final total was eighty silvers.

 

As he had expected, it would last him three months. He should do this more, three days of 'work' for this much silver was amazing.

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