Chapter 6

"You two suck," Liliora said as Isaac and Meng finished up their story about how they met Polus.

"Where did that come from?" Meng asked.

"How can you not see him hiding above you?" Liliora said. "Look at the size of him. No offense, Polus."

"None taken," Polus said from the front of the cart. He was in charge of manning the cart since Tristina was picky about who held her reins.

"Says the one who was asleep through the whole thing." Isaac pointed out.

Liliora shrugged. "I was tired."

Isaac and Meng rolled their eyes. Polus stashed away some of his wares to make space for the three of them in his cart. Despite that, the cart was still pretty packed. Isaac was sitting next to a crate that was filled with a bunch of vials that looked like they could explode.

"What's our next destination?" Meng asked, changing the subject.

"Ironwood Forest," Polus said. "We can either rest up there for the day or we can keep going to Riverside through the night, though I don't recommend it. Bandits everywhere."

"We'll rest up for the night," Isaac said. "How long will it take for us to get to Riverside?"

"Two days, give or take," Polus said. "Depends on the weather and Tristina."

"What do you mean?" Isaac asked.

"She's a bit impulsive. If I can't rein her in, she'll jump on the first animal she could find and swallow it whole."

"And that's a problem because?"

"She gets angry if we interrupt her meals," Polus said. "And she has a big appetite. A big appetite. So if she decides to stop, then we have to stop."

Isaac sighed. "I guess it can't be helped." He wasn't looking forward to seeing Tristina mauling some poor animal.

As they journeyed on, Isaac thought about what he planned to do when he got to Losteria.

His main objective would be to act as an envoy, convincing the merchant fleet that the White Kingdom means no harm. They're in the process of rebuilding and they would welcome business trades with other cities with open arms.

But it's riskier than it sounds. One of the Three Coins has decided to go with the merchant fleet. Whenever the Three Coins are involved, you know that things are serious not just in the context of Losteria, but for all of Arya.

The Three Coins have a much bigger influence than just within the Losterian borders. Since they are the only city that's "lawless", or so to speak. There are no rules or regulations in Losteria. People are free to do just about whatever they want, it's just that the Three Coins keep it at a controlled level.

This is also why the Sovereign Empire couldn't take the Three Coins down even if they wanted to. Losteria would crumble otherwise. The Empire itself has made deals within the Losterian market, even illegal ones. They are too valuable to lose.

Losteria is a neutral city. They don't side with anyone but themselves. They will work with anyone for the right amount of coin, but it's all business and nothing is personal. Their allegiance is determined by who can fill their pockets more.

"Have you been to Losteria?" Isaac asked.

"Oh, all the time," Polus said. "You're not a real merchant until you've tasted Losterian wine. I make it a point to visit it at least once a month since that's where I make most of my money. That and there's no Empire scum running around. Losteria is like my second home."

"I'm actually surprised the city is still standing with how it is," Isaac said.

"All thanks to the Three Coins," Polus said.

"What are they anyway?" Meng asked. "I've only heard about them but don't really know them."

"The Three Coins consists of three mercenary groups." Polus held up his hand as he counted them out. "The Cloud Brigade, the Windy Fleet, and the Marching Caravan. Each of them being in control of the sky, ocean, and ground routes respectively."

"Routes?"

"Merchants have a map that shows routes into different cities that they can go to. They're called the Losterian Pathways." Polus pulled up something from his pocket. A folded parchment, which Isaac assumed was a map. "Those who are aligned with the Three Coins will all have this map. It shows the safest routes to take to avoid any confrontation from monsters, bandits, or the Empire."

"Seems pretty pointless," Isaac said. It's great, but a map? Can't they give something more useful like a sword?

"That's what you think." Polus grinned. "You see, these maps serve as a guide and also as letters of recognition. The Three Coins have made certain routes for merchants and those who travel using said routes will be under the Three Coins' protection. The Three Coins have made an effort to eradicate these routes of all threat and danger so their merchants could travel safely."

"They can do that?" Isaac asked.

"They cover the skies, land, and sea. It's like a benefit from doing business with them." Polus said. “Plus, they keep the loot that they get from killing the monsters and bandits so it’s a win-win.”

"Won't other merchants follow them though?" Isaac asked. "I mean those who are not in the Three Coins' favor. They can just use the routes you mentioned. It's not like it's hidden or anything, right?"

"Yes, that's true. But they won't have the protection from the Three Coins. If bandits or monsters would suddenly attack them, they would have to fend for themselves." Polus said. "Plus, who's to say that the Three Coins won't attack those merchants themselves?"

"Huh." Isaac was impressed if that was true. Because of that, Isaac understood why Losteria is a big thing for merchants. "If it's as good as you said, then how did you end up being captured by the Empire? And why don't we just continue our journey through the night if they're going to protect us anyway?"

Polus gave a guilty chuckle. "That was on me. I strayed from the Pathways. The Three Coins were responsible for protecting me from danger when I'm on the Pathways, but outside of it, I'm on my own. And they don't offer rescue services."

From what Polus had told him, it's more likely that the ones that will be coming to the White Kingdom would be the Windy Fleet. Since they controlled the ocean routes and the merchants were traveling by sea.

"So I'm assuming the Three Coins run everything in Losteria?"

"I wouldn't say they run the place," Polus said. "They're just keeping it in line, making sure people don’t go overboard. It’s a tricky balance to maintain."

Isaac didn't argue. Maintaining a balance between three great powers would be difficult. The Three Coins are mercenaries. They do things for their own benefit. They were probably more interested in having power over the entire place rather than sharing it.

"Let's just hope it doesn't crumble by the time we get there," Isaac said.

Line Break

Thanks to Polus and Tristina, they managed to reach Ironwood Forest relatively unscathed.

When they reached the place, the sun was already setting. Isaac thought about finding a place to stay, but Polus had different ideas. He got off his cart and snapped his fingers. Instantly, the cart twisted and toppled itself into a makeshift stand, displaying all the goods and wares that he has for sale.

"Ooh." Liliora awed. "Neat trick."

"Handy, isn't it?" Polus said. He was standing behind the stand while Tristina was curiously looking at everything she could see. "You can get some rest. I have some work to do."

"You're going to sell your things here?" Isaac asked.

"I am a merchant, in case you've forgotten." Polus wiggled his eyebrows. "Can't go wrong with making a few extra coins."

Isaac had nothing against it as long as it didn't cause any trouble. "Be careful and keep an eye out."

"Will do," Polus said.

"Oh, can I stay?" Liliora asked. "I want to watch him do merchant stuff."

Isaac raised an eyebrow. "You're just here to play with Tristina."

"Am not!" Liliora argued but it was obvious that she was lying.

"Suit yourself. Just don't cause any trouble." Isaac said while Liliora cheered gleefully.

Isaac and Meng made their way to the local tavern and got a room for the party. They settled in before Isaac lay down on the bed, feeling tired even though they didn't do much.

"How are you feeling?" Meng asked.

"If I'm being honest, I don't know." Isaac said, which wasn't wrong. He was feeling excited, nervous, scared, and everything else in between. "Probably a bit anxious."

"We're going on a journey to a city of mercenaries," Meng said. "Through a land filled with dangers, being hunted by the Sovereign Empire, all to hopefully prevent a war and help the White Kingdom. I think you can feel more than just 'a bit anxious'."

Isaac sighed. They still have a long journey ahead of them. Their longest period on the road would be their journey from Riverside to Losteria. Since Losteria is so far west, the only town they'll come across from here to there would be Riverside.

After Riverside, it's a point of no return. Going back would just be a waste of their time and energy.

"I still hate the fact that we have no fighters with us," Meng said.

"The Three Coins will protect us," Isaac assured her, but she didn't look convinced.

"That's not even a guarantee," Meng argued. "What if the merchant's lying? What if it's a trap? What if the Three Coins won't cooperate? Have these thoughts not run through your head?"

"Of course they have, but what other choice do we have?" Isaac asked. "We can’t exactly just hire people to help us since we’re from the White Kingdom. If we succeed, we could prevent an upcoming war between the Three Coins and the White Kingdom. We’re on a time limit here.

Meng sighed. "You're right." She said, "I'm sorry. I guess my feelings are all over the place as well."

"That makes two of us, it seems," Isaac muttered. But what Meng didn't know was Isaac was playing a bigger gamble here than both she and Liliora realize. Isaac was a King Candidate. So if something happened to him during this adventure, the White Kingdom is going to have a problem. "Meng, can I ask you something?"

"If you want me to sleep with you, the answer's no."

Isaac frowned. "What? No. What makes you think that even crossed my mind?"

"You have that weird look on your face." Meng shrugged.

"No." Isaac rolled his eyes. "I wanted to ask this. Hypothetically, if you were suddenly to bear responsibility for hundreds of people, how would you do it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Let me paint a scenario," Isaac said. "Let's say the White Queen suddenly said, 'Hey, you're the Queen now. Enjoy.'." Isaac felt nervous telling her that since that summarizes what happened to him basically. "What would you do?"

"Hmm." Meng didn't seem to pick up anything suspicious about that story, which was good. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why would she suddenly give up her crown like that? Is there any explanation?"

"Let's assume she said nothing and just gave you the throne," Isaac said. "She just suddenly gave you all her power, authority, and responsibilities."

Again, Meng pondered. "Hmm." She said, "I'd probably do it."

Isaac sighed. "I mean who wouldn't, right?” He kind of expected that answer. “You basically become the Queen with barely any work."

"It's not about being the Queen," Meng said as she fiddled with her yellow hair. "It's about taking responsibility. People's lives are in my hands now. I can't let them down."

Isaac was surprised. Even though it was the answer he expected, but it wasn't the reason that he thought it would be. “So you’ll just take up the responsibility just like that? Without any notice?”

“If the Queen suddenly gave her throne to me, I’d assume that she thought I was the best person for the job. It would be irresponsible on my behalf to let the people down when they relied on someone for help.”

Upon hearing Meng’s explanation, Isaac chuckled silently. Meng noticed it. "What? Something funny?"

"No." Isaac smiled. "I like your answer. You're a good person, Meng."

"I thought that was already established."

"Not really."

Line Break

The next morning was hectic. Isaac found himself waking really early in the morning because of the music. The sun hadn't even risen yet. He wondered what the commotion was all about downstairs. He saw Meng sound asleep on the other bed which was surprising since the racket downstairs was really loud.

Isaac got down and was surprised by what he was seeing. It was the liveliest atmosphere he'd seen in a while and he’d been to Big Bob’s insane drinking parties. It's as if all men and women in town decided to gather here tonight. Everyone was cheering, dancing, laughing, and drinking. The whole tavern was filled. The music was coming from a band of musicians playing instruments in a lively tune. Everyone was in a good mood.

And at the center of attention where people had made space, was Liliora dancing her heart out to the music. Everyone was cheering and clapped their hands along with the music for her. It wasn't like she was dancing for entertainment or sexually or anything like that. She was just dancing to her heart's content with people joining in as well. As if they didn’t care what the world says and they just want to enjoy themselves.

Isaac noticed a familiar purple outfit near the bar, also cheering and drinking. He decides to ask Polus about this.

"Hey!" Isaac almost shouted over the loud music and crowd.

Polus turned around and saw Isaac. He broke into a massive grin and held his hands up. "Isaac! You're here!"

Polus clearly had too much to drink. He smelt like alcohol while his face was flushing red. "What happened?" Isaac asked.

"Your friend there is amazing!" Polus said. "Look how much gold she made me!" Polus held up his bag of gold which looked pretty heavy. They must've racked in a fortune.

"That's great!" Isaac half-shouted. "What's happening here?"

"We're just having a good time!" Polus grinned as he hiccupped. "Everything's fine!"

Isaac wasn't sure about that. Everything's okay, but not so much as fine. He worries about how Polus was going to rein in Tristina tomorrow if he has a hangover, but that's a problem for the morning. "I'm going for a walk!" He told Polus.

"Cheers!" Polus said as Isaac slipped by the crowd and went outside. Once he was outside, the silence was almost unreal. The tavern was still loud and lively, but not so much from the outside. Since it was still early in the morning, the moon shone brightly on the town.

Isaac walked down the Ironwood Town main path. He wasn't going anywhere. He was just taking in some fresh air to clear his mind. At the stables, he noticed Tristina curled in a ball and was sound asleep. Much to the dismay of the other horses, she took up a lot of space. He still was a bit scared of Tristina, despite seeing how gentle the creature actually is. Maybe Icirin just instilled in him a deep fear of reptiles.

Icirin . . . Isaac hadn't thought of that incident in a while. How the Snow Dragon was close to devouring him and then just left him alone. There was a weird moment between him and the dragon that he couldn't understand.

Isaac wondered if it meant something or if it was just a fluke. He had a sick thought in his head that Icirin was just waiting for Isaac to grow just a little bit more before she ate him. He shuddered at the thought and put it in the far corner of his mind.

Whatever it might be, Isaac takes it as a good sign since, well, he's still alive.

After half an hour of walking around, Isaac headed back. The tavern had quieted down a bit as people were starting to pass out from too much drinking. Isaac just hoped his friends weren't as wasted as they were.

He was wrong.

The next morning, Isaac found Liliora passed out inside the cart while Polus could barely stand.

"Are you still drunk?" Isaac asked.

"No." Polus lied. "Just a side effect from my hangover medicine."

"What's the side effect?"

"I'm seeing double of everything."

Isaac threw his hands up in exasperation. "He can't rein Tristina in like this."

"Well, what about Liliora? She might be–" Meng was cut off by Liliora throwing up rainbows from the cart and onto the dirt path.

"Dibs on not doing it," Meng said.

Line Break

If Tristina cooperated, handling her was really easy. It's similar to riding a horse and Isaac has ridden a horse before.

But the keyword here is 'if'.

This was the third time Tristina veered off the path and chased down a cow mindlessly grazing the empty fields.

The cart shook behind him while Isaac hung on her reins for dear life while Tristina excitedly bounced after the cow.

"Can you get that lizard under control?!" Meng shouted as she got tossed around the cart.

"Be my fucking guest!" Isaac shouted as he gripped the reins tightly more for saving his life than trying to stop Tristina.

Once Tristina got close to her prey, she pounced and pinned the poor thing with her giant legs. She licked her lips before she dug into her meal.

Isaac and Meng were in terrible shape while Liliora and Polus were in a much worse state than they were. Isaac felt like everything that they were drinking and eating the night before had successfully exited their body the same way it entered.

All four of them groaned in pain as Tristina munched on her newly found food. Isaac's hands were sore from gripping the reins tightly. "I hate this overgrown lizard," Meng muttered.

"It beats walking the whole way through." Isaac groaned.

"Keep telling yourself that," Meng groaned.

After she finished her meal, Isaac gently pulled her reins and Tristina was back on the road yet again. By this point, Isaac just hoped that every other animal within their radius had mysteriously gone missing by some force of nature because it's still a long way from Riverside.

They took this brief peaceful period to recompose themselves after being tossed around by Tristina.

"What are your plans once we get to Riverside?" Meng asked. "Are we staying for the night?"

"I'd prefer if we just keep going, but that depends on how Polus and Liliora are." Isaac glanced behind him and saw the two passed out cold. "As for plans, I'm thinking of registering as an adventurer."

Meng seemed surprised by his answer. "You want to become an adventurer?"

Isaac shrugged. "My mom and dad were adventurers and I've heard some amazing stories from them. So I figured, why not? Plus, it would help us blend in and say we’re just adventurers instead of being on an expedition from the White Kingdom."

Meng didn't argue. "I'm fine with it. But do you know what an adventurer entails?"

"Uh, adventuring?"

Meng rolled her eyes. She starts explaining what an adventurer actually is. In concept, adventurers are similar to mercenaries. The only difference is that adventurers are legal. You need to register at a guild to get a license before you're officially an adventurer.

"Similar to merchants," Meng continued. "Adventurers need to keep their reputation up. The better your reputation is, the more credible of an adventurer you are. People would sometimes ask for you personally if you get a good enough reputation, maybe even increase your rewards."

"Sounds like fun."

"But I still don't recommend you being an adventurer."

"Why not?" Isaac asked.

"Because you can't fight," Meng said. "And you can barely even hold a sword."

"I can learn." Isaac shrugged.

"Well, I applaud your optimism," Meng said. She wanted to say something else, but Tristina suddenly stopped and perked up. "What's wrong?"

Her head was looking to the left and so Isaac followed her gaze, straight onto a deer. "Ah, shit." Isaac gripped the reins again. "You might wanna hold on."

"Oh no, not again– AAAAAAAHHHHHH!" Meng screamed as Tristina pounced her way towards the running deer.

Line Break

It took about a day and a half before they reached Riverside. They rode all day and were severely delayed thanks to Tristina. At night, they rested near a river. The next morning, Polus was feeling better and took the reins from Isaac, something Isaac thanked the gods for. With Polus on the reins, Tristina wasn't distracted very much. It happened only once, but luckily Tristina only found a rabbit and it was a quick stop.

At least it was better than the dozens of times Tristina chased after every goddamn thing she saw when Isaac was on the reins.

"Maybe you just suck," Liliora said. She was also feeling better now, much to Meng's annoyance.

"You suck." Isaac countered.

Along the way, they found a slithering river that follows the path that they were on. "We're close," Polus said. "If we follow this river along, it will take us straight to Riverside."

"Let me guess," Liliora said. "They call it Riverside because it's beside a river, right?"

"Close. It's actually next to a lake."

Liliora frowned. "Why not just call it Lake Town or something like that?"

Polus shrugged. "You can ask them."

The argument stopped there as they soon reached the aforementioned town.

As Polus said, the town was built next to a massive lake with a pier jutting into it. A few small boats were mooted to the pier, floating about.

The town itself was considerably big, but not like an actual city or as big as a kingdom. It's like five villages rolled into one. Their buildings were definitely more modern with bricks and hardened mud compared to the stones and planks used for villages.

In the center of the town would be the town hall, as Isaac guessed. As they made their way through, Isaac spotted the tavern and also the guild. The whole town seems to be centered around fishing, similar to the White Kingdom.

"Isn't this lovely?" Polus inhaled deeply before exhaling. "The fresh winds of Riverside."

There was nothing fresh about the smell of mud and humidity on this hot afternoon.

"I take it you've been here before," Meng said.

"Oh, plenty of times," Polus said. "Since this town is on the way to Losteria."

"Okay," Isaac said. "Here's the plan. We're not here for sightseeing. Rest up, gather supplies, and collect any information you can. We'll leave at sunset."

"Aw, can't we stay here for a night?" Liliora pouted. "I was looking forward to it."

Isaac shook his head. "We can't waste any time. The faster we get to Losteria, the better." Isaac said. He kinda has his own itinerary for the moment, so he intends to follow it. "What will you guys be doing?"

"I will be selling and buying things, as usual," Polus said as he snapped his fingers and his cart turned into a stand. "Will you be helping me again today?"

Liliora grinned. "Maybe. There's something I need to find out first."

"Liliora has been helping you sell stuff?" Isaac asked.

Polus grinned as he nodded enthusiastically. "She's a succubus, so she can draw people's attention very well. Really good at reeling in customers."

Isaac shrugged. "And you? What will you be doing?" He turned towards Meng.

"I guess I'll have a look around town," Meng said. "I'll see if there's anything we should get before we leave for Losteria. Maybe a few tools for myself."

Isaac nodded. So long as they don't cause any problems and be back by sundown, Isaac didn't mind what they were doing. With that, they went their separate ways for now. Isaac knew where he was headed.

Straight to the guild.

The guild looked like the oldest building here, with its walls built with large stones and rocks instead of hardened mud and bricks like the other buildings Isaac saw in this town. The guild was built like a fortress, with four watchtowers surrounding each of its corners. Two banners hung on either side of the wooden doors, showing an insignia of a curved blue teardrop. Probably the guild's crest or something.

There weren't many people entering and leaving the place, so Isaac didn't expect it to be crowded.

Passing the two armed guards standing outside of the wooden doors, he entered the guild. As he suspected, it wasn't very crowded. Compared to its outside look, the inside of the guild felt cozy. To his left, was the dining area. A bar stood at the far end of the room with several dining tables and chairs arranged neatly in front of it. To his right, it looked like a rest area or a place for adventurers to socialize. More tables and chairs for them with some of them being occupied.

At the far end of the room was the counter. Next to it on the wall, was a bulletin board where Isaac could see all the jobs that have been posted by employers needing help. Isaac went to the counter, where a nice beastwoman was waiting.

Isaac said that because she had black cat ears sticking out of her hair and Isaac saw the unmistakable tail gently swaying side to side behind her.

"Hello, sir. How can I help you?" The cat lady asked with a bright smile.

"Um, I'm here to register."

"Oh, are you transferring from a new branch?"

"No. This is my first time."

"I see." The cat lady was all smiles and cheerful. "To register as an adventurer, you will have to give me your name and we will do a few tests."

"Tests?" Isaac asked He didn't know that there were tests to take.

"It's nothing fancy." The cat lady said. "We need to determine the color of your Aryan Crystal."

Isaac raised an eyebrow. "What's that?" Isaac asked and the cat lady explained. An Aryan Crystal is a mineral that can easily be found underneath the Aryan continent.  If the Crystal comes into contact with some type of energy, they glow in different colors.

Guilds use the Crystals as a way to gauge the abilities of a person. Different colors represent different aptitudes for different abilities including mastery of weapons. If the Crystal glows red, it means the person has an aptitude for fire magic. If it glows silver, that means the person has an aptitude for swordsmanship.

If you're measured with an aptitude for one thing, it doesn’t mean you don’t have an aptitude for other abilities. Someone that's measured with an aptitude for water magic can also learn fire magic, although it'll be weaker.

For a more specific measurement for all aptitudes, you’d have to go to an established guild within a kingdom.

Once registered, adventurers have to wear these crystals to let everyone know that they're legitimate adventurers that have been registered. It’s also to make sure that they don't lie for a job. Some people would lie about their abilities just so they are offered a high-paying job, only to put themselves in danger for a job that they can't handle.

"I see," Isaac said. "What do I need to do?"

"Just tell me your name and we will begin the test." The cat lady smiled. Isaac told her his name. The cat lady wrote something behind the counter and her room glowed briefly before the light died back down as soon as it appeared. "How would you like to wear your Crystal?"

Isaac blinked. "Excuse me?"

"We've got plenty of options." The cat lady said. "You can either wear them as pendants or as bangles. We can also do earrings or maybe you would like to embed one into your weapon."

Isaac wasn't keen on showing anyone about it, but he needed it to be somewhere he could pull out. "Just put it in a leather strap as a necklace."

"Will do, sir." She did some more things behind the counter before she handed Isaac the necklace. A simple string laced around a clear rock, no bigger than a pebble. "Just hold the Crystal. It will show its colors afterward."

Isaac held the Crystal in his hands. He felt nothing at first. But then, the Crystal flickered into life as its white light grew brighter ever so slightly. Eventually, the light stopped getting brighter but the color didn't change.

"Um," Isaac said. "Wasn't it supposed to change colors?" The cat lady ignored him. She was more interested in the white glowing rock in his hand.

"Impossible." The cat lady's eyes widened. "But that would mean . . ." She wasn't all smiles now. She snapped back into reality and looked around, to see if anyone noticed. It seems like no one did. From behind the counter, she clasped Isaac's hand and wrapped his fingers around the Crystal. "You tell no one of this. You show this to no one." She said in a hushed tone.

"What do you mean?" Isaac asked but the cat lady didn't seem interested in explaining the whole thing to him.

"If people ask, tell them your Crystal didn't glow." She said, "Say that you’ll have a new test in a few weeks. Make something up. Just don’t tell them about your Crystal."

"Hold on, lady." Isaac held his hands up. "What's the matter?"

The cat lady looked like she could barely contain her excitement. "I can’t believe it. To see you with my own two eyes . . . I must tell my people.” Then, she disappeared in a blink of an eye. Isaac thought she was hiding behind the counter, but when he looked there was no one there.

Then he thought he was hallucinating. "Hello? Cat lady?" Isaac called.

"Don’t worry about her." One of the people in the guild said. "She does that all the time."

So Isaac wasn't hallucinating and a cat lady was confusing the hell out of him. On his way out, he kept turning his head towards the counter to see if the cat lady would come back. She didn't.

The situation left Isaac confused. Isaac didn’t know what a white glow translates to. What the hell was that about?

But Isaac decided it was a question for another time. As per her warning, Isaac decided to keep this to himself. The others have enough on their plate to worry about and he didn't want to be a burden to them.

After a few moments in the tavern trying to clear his head, Isaac waited near the town exit where they were supposed to meet at sundown.

It seems Polus got here earlier than he was when he saw him tossing carcasses of small animals into the air and Tristina caught them with her mouth and she munched on her meal happily.

"Heya," Polus said as he tossed another carcass. Then he noticed the look on Isaac's face. "Is something wrong?"

"Nope." Isaac lied.

"I'm a merchant. I can tell when people are lying."

"I'm fine," Isaac said. Polus looked like he wanted to ask, but decided not to press it.

Luckily for him, Polus decided to change the subject. "Speaking of which, I have something for you." Polus went to the back of his cart and started rummaging around.

After a few seconds, he came back with a set of armaments. On one hand, he was carrying a beautifully carved wooden bow and a quiver of arrows. It’s like the concept of elegance was embedded into the bow when it was being made. The bow was made out of silverwood and similar to its name, it was silver in color. The grip was equipped with a handguard just in case there’s a need for close quarter combat.

On the other, was a beautiful sword. Its handguard was decorated with a royal design. It's a single-edged blade made for slashing. The other side of the blade was hardened, but it was flexible enough to deflect other swords.

"What's this?" Isaac asked.

"I thought you'd be able to recognize a sword on sight," Polus said. "Finest sword from the east."

"I know it's a sword, but what's it for?"

"It's for you," Polus said as if that was obvious.

Isaac sighed in exasperation while Polus laughed heartily with his banter. "I'm just playing with you. I brought you the finest equipment you can get north of the Elven Kingdom. As a gift."

"You know I can't use either of these properly, right?" Isaac said.

"Our enemies don't know that." Polus winked. "Besides, you need to always be able to defend yourself, and having this would be better than that sorry piece of metal you call a sword."

"My uncle made this sword."

"I'm sure he's a nice guy, but that thing won't keep you alive for very long."

Isaac had to admit, the sword that Polus was holding right now looked infinitely better than than his current sword. And there was some sense in his logic. "Well, I'm saving my money for the journey, so–"

"Oh, you silly goose." Polus groaned. "I told you. This is a gift."

Isaac seems to be taken by surprise. "A gift?"

Polus nodded. "Think of it as a token of appreciation for saving me. And also for letting me borrow your friend to make some money."

It seems like Polus was genuinely showing his gratitude towards Isaac, so he figured it'd be rude to decline even though he had no idea how to use a bow or a sword.

"Thanks," Isaac said as he took the weapons.

"By the way, I've been meaning to ask you this," Polus said. "By any chance after our journey, will your friend be up for a new job opportunity?"

"You mean Liliora?" Isaac said. Polus nodded. "You're gonna have to ask her that yourself."

Polus seemed to consider that possibility before Meng and Liliora arrived. "You went shopping?" Liliora asked when she saw Isaac holding a bunch of stuff.

"No." Isaac slung the bow over his shoulder and strapped the quiver on his back and the sword on his waist. "Polus just gave me some stuff."

"A bow?" Meng raised an eyebrow. "You can shoot a bow?"

Saying that Isaac could even shoot a bow was generous. Most archers would rely on their aim and accuracy when shooting a bow. For Isaac, the only thing he relied on when shooting a bow was luck. He’d be lucky if he could shoot an arrow in the general direction that he intended to.

"I can't," Isaac admitted. "It's just in case."

Meng shrugged as she climbed up the cart. Liliora did the same while Polus climbed to the front of the cart. Tristina looked eager to go so with a gentle lash of the reins, they were off to Losteria.