Aella and Ginger found Arad and Jack waiting outside the bath, “What took you so long?” Arad asked.
Ginger looked at him with a smile, “Nothing important. Where is Alcott?” She asked, looking around for him.
“Alcott left earlier. He said he has some things to do.” Arad replied with a passive as he approached Aella. “Let’s go home. We have a lot of work for tomorrow.”
Aella nodded with a smile, walking toward him and looking back at Ginger.
Jack in the back stretched his arm, “I do need a drink after all that happened,”
The three walked out as the sun started setting. The reddish raying crossed the trees at the street side, giving the place an ominous look.
When Jack looked to the sky, he giggled, “For a while down there, I thought I would never see the sky again.”
“We won’t fall easily,” Arad replied as they approached the inn.
Opening the inn’s door, Arad noticed the paladin from the other day staring at them from the back. Jack glared back at her, but Arad grabbed his shoulder, “Let’s go get something to eat.”
Jack looked at him and smiled, “Of course,” He turned around, sending one last glare at the paladin.
“Leon or William?” Arad looked at the bartender.
“Leon, my brother William only works during the day.” He replied, putting three plates on the table. “Care to eat anything?” He smiled.
“Greens for her, me and Jack will take whatever you choose,” Arad replied, pulling his chair. Jack and Aella hopped in as well.
As they ate, Arad kept feeling that the paladin stared at them. “That woman is annoying,” Jack growled.
“Sit down. Let it be.” Arad stopped him.
“We don’t want trouble. Staring won’t hurt us.” Aella added while eating.
Jack looked back at his plate, “You are right.” He kept eating, ignoring Lydia’s glares.
After dinner, Jack lifted his hand, “Leon, give me a mug.” He smiled as Leon started filling his beer.
“Want a drink?” Jack looked at Arad with a smile.
“Probably not. I do want to sleep and wake up early.” Arad replied.
“You aren’t fun at all. But being serious about work means we will get a lot of money, so I don’t mind.” Jack chugged his mug down.
Leon looked at them, “How about you take a day off each week? A night where you can relax and rest.”
“That sounds nice. What should we make it?” Arad looked at Aella.
“Saturday or Monday. That is what most people take as a day off.” She replied with a smile.
Leon looked at them with a smile, “I suggest you take Friday as the day off.”
Jack looked at him, “Why?”
“Since no one is working on Saturday, you can hog hall the nice quests,” Leon replied, smiling, “Today is Tuesday. You still have two days to work.”
Arad nodded, “We will do that,”
“Can I drink a bit? Finish my mug?” Jack looked at Arad.
“I don’t mind as long as it doesn’t affect your performance.” He replied. Jack was old enough to be responsible.
Arad and Aella walked upstairs toward their room while Jack kept drinking.
“Hey, you!” A blond elf approached Arad, glaring back at his friends. When he got close, Jack could smell the alcohol reeking from him. He was drunk to the core.
“You are with elf women, right?” He stared at Jack with withering eyes. “You are with her, right?” He was shaking.
“Vars! Come back here, don’t bother other people.” A human man called him from the back.
The elf turned around, staring at the man and the woman barbarian laughing beside him. “Shut up, Gojo. My words are with this man!” He turned toward Jack, barely standing straight.
“Say, does that elf women with you count with feet as well? Tell them. It’s convenient, isn’t it,” He glared at Jack.
Jack remembered Aella using it inside the dungeon. He looked at the elf, smiling. “She never uses it. Said meters is better.” He intentionally wanted to trigger him.
Vars paused, staring at Jack for a moment, and then looked down, “Then, I’m the weird one.” He sighed. “Anyway, we want to hire a rogue. A skilled one. Do you have any recommendations?”
Jack got taken aback by Vars’s quick change, “Are you still drunk?”
“I was never drunk. That was an act.” He smiled.
Jack looked at the back, and the other two approached him, “We must get serious if Vars of all people is standing up.” Gojo sighed.
“Name is Gojo. The elf is Vars, and she is Gug.” The woman lifted her bulky arm, “This is Gug. Nice to meet you.”
Jack scratched his head, “What kind of rogue do you need? Or at least tell me the type of job,” He stared at them. 𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝘭.𝘦𝑡
“We need to retrieve a stolen artifact from a highly secured place. It’s a Castle-level type of heist.” Gojo explained, “Give us the best.”
“I know a woman, a Tiefling with a rotten personality. Expect no respect from her at all. But she can do the job if you strike a deal with her.” Jack smiled, “She also won’t mind doing some shady things. Like cleaning, retrieving items, alive or dead.”
“As long as she can get the job done, give us her contacts,” Gojo asked with a smile.
“Go to the western slums.” Jack smiled.
“Is that all?” Vars stared at him.
“She already knows,” Jack kept drinking.
BAM! The barbarian smacked his back with her palm, “Thanks for the info!”
Jack started coughing, almost dying after the hit, “I breathed the beer!” He looked back at the three leaving, “I already have a party. My big sister should take care of you all,” He kept drinking.
BANG! A mug smacked beside him, “Another one!” Looking to the side, it was Lydia, the paladin.
“The place suddenly started to stink,” Jack growled, and Lydia glared at him.
“Speak for yourself, rat!” She glared at him with a divine light in her eyes.
Jack gulped his mug and stared, “Who talked with you? Stink bug, when was the last time you took a shower with your dirty helmet-wearing ass?”
Lydia swung her fist his head, but he weaved around, dodging the attack, “What was that for?”
Leon stared at them, “No fighting!”
“Leon! She was trying to wipe her hand on my face!” Jack cried, pointing at Lydia.
“Are you drunk?” Leon replied, staring at his face.
“No, I can’t be sane with her sitting beside me.” He stared at Lydia, “Why did you sit here?”
“This isn’t your problem,” She growled, pushing her mug to Leon, “A second one,” She tapped it on the table.
“Me two!” Jack pushed his mug as well.
“Don’t you have to go now?” Leon stared at Jack, “You have work tomorrow.”
“I can handle it, don’t worry about me.” Jack smiled, tapping his mug on the table.
Leon poured them both a second shot, which they down instantly. “The high priests came with the mages. They didn’t seem to know about you stealing the letter.” Lydia sighed.
“Why would they?” Jack smiled, downing a third mug.
Lydia stared at him, “How did you do it?”
“I don’t speak with a woman who can’t drink,” Jack growled, gulping his mug.
Lydia finished her and stared at him, “How did you do it?”
Jack grinned, “Forged the letter. I know some skilled people. The letter you have is fake. The real one is in trusty hands.”
Lydia was taken aback, “The letter even had the holy seal on it!” She grabbed him by the shoulder. “Only the hands of a devout believer can make the seal.”
Jack pushed her arm and stared at her, “I can find more of your people at the whorehouse. And I’m not even joking,” Jack kept drinking.
“Lying scoundrel, they will lose their holiness engaging in such acts.” She glared at him with a deathly stare.
“Believe it or not, your church has mixed its lunacy in religion.” Jack poked her forehead, “Mind your eyes. They might pop out.”
Thud! Lydia punched his shoulder, looking away as she downed her mug. “You lying bastard,”
“We rogues spit lies when we need to. It’s a reality that your church is corrupt to the core, and there is nothing you can do about it.” Jack growled while drinking.
Leon grabbed Jack’s hands and took the mug. “Stop. You had enough.” He stared at his face, “You clearly can’t take more. Go sleep.” Thud! He gave me a waterskin.
Jack stared at him for a moment. And then swiftly waved his hand, snatching the mug back. “See, I can still take more.” He downed it in a single gulp.
BAM! Jack banged the mug on the table, “More! More!”
Lydia smacked her mug as well, “More! Give me more!” She cried.
Leon stared at them, “You two are drunk! No more for you.” He grabbed them by the shoulder and helped them stand, “To your rooms. NOW!” He growled.
Jack and Lydia walked upstairs with grumpy faces. “That stingy bastard!” She growled.
Jack stared at her with a smile, “Excuse me for a moment, gotta shop!” He leaped out of the window just to return a while later with a box full of beer.
