Arad and Aella returned. She dragged two wolves while he pulled four.
“I would help you carry everything if you were my assistance or student.”
“I don’t need your help,” Arad replied. And then looked at Aella, “I have enough help here,”
Merlin sighed, “What a hard head. Did you bury the other corpses well?” 𝓫𝓭𝓸𝓋𝓁．𝓬𝓸𝓂
“Said the woman spying on me. Answer for yourself,” He dropped the wolves in the wagon and sat beside Alcott. Aella rode on the back.
“Ara! you noticed?” Merlin giggled.
Alcott looked at Arad, “It would be better if we skinned them here, care to try?”
Arad leaped down, “Of course, that would be best,” He thought skinning them would take too much time and slow the trip.
Alcott pulled a knife from his pocket, showing Arad and Aella how to skin the wolves. What parts to keep and what to throw?
After a few minutes, they finished and resumed the trip, returning to Alina just after noon.
CRACK! Arad pushed the door open, and Nina smiled from her desk. “Arad, how was the quest? Did you like the new party member?”
Arad approached her desk, “Take her away. Who said you could throw people at my party?” He glared at her, a small stream of fire gushing from his nose.
“Sorry about that, but I don’t make those decisions. The guild’s management does base on strength and potential.” Nina explains with a sweat drop across her face, “You showed great strength and fortitude, so to keep you alive, the guild pulled the other best talent available.”
Arad scratched his head, “So they only look at skill and talent? Fine, take Merida away.”
Nina sighed, handing Arad a paper, “Please fill this paper with details about the reasons for refusing her and the positives of having her. I also work a written demand of releasing a party member.”
Arad lifted the paper. FUSH! Burning it to ash, “I never filled such a thing, and I wouldn’t fill it now.”
The adventurers backed away from them, expecting Nina to snap at any moment.
Nina looked at the ash dripping on her desk, “I see. Can you tell us why you don’t want Merida in your party?” she looked back at Aella, Jack, Lydia, Merida, and Alcott walking in.
“Trust problems,” Arad growled.
Nina pulled out a paper and filled it, “I will get Merida officially out of your party. Is there any way the guild could help you? And did you get rid of the curse?”
“I did get rid of the curse, and you can help by not interfering too much.” Arad growled but then smiled, “There is a way to work it out,”
Nina stared at him, “What is it?”
“How about you recommend someone? Not the guild, you tell me of someone you consider trustworthy.” Arad said, trying to hear Nina’s personal opinion on the matter.
Nina looked at him, “Let’s talk inside,” She smiled.
They headed inside the private room. Aella followed Arad while Jack and Lydia remained to finish the quest paperwork. Nina sat on the couch, and glared at Arad, causing his bones to shiver.
“What exactly do you want?” She said.
“Trust, nothing more,” Arad replied.
Nina looked at the table, “There is this guy named Gojo, but he’s stuck in his quest with that elf Vars.” She then stared at Arad, “How about the barbarian tribes to the east? Have you tried them?”
“Barbarians?” Aella stared at her.
“If you want someone simple, powerful, and trustworthy, then you can’t go wrong with barbarians.” She smiled.
“That might be a good idea. They make excellent melee fighters as well.” Arad looked at Nina, “How about you?”
Nina smiled, “If you can beat me. We are simple. Force us once, and we submit from there onward unless we get stronger than you.” She explained.
Aella looked at them, “Barbarians are like that. Lawless, the strong rule the weak.”
Nina pulled a few coins from her pocket to explain.
“Imagine a barbarian is here, and you beat him to a pulp. When he recovers, you tell him to carry your stuff. He will do it until he can feel a chance to beat you, and then would attack again.” She smiled, “After a few beatings, he will completely submit and won’t challenge you unless you suggest it.”
“Rogues understand money. Barbarians understand brute strength.” Arad scratched his chin, “But I’m worried about something else,”
Nina giggled, “I spent a few days trying to understand the concept of decent clothes. Most barbarians wear leather or hide straps or nothing at all. Don’t expect us to count money or know how to open doors.”
Arad stared at her with an exhausted, puzzled face, “How did you live?”
Nina smiled, “In caves or hide tents, we don’t have the concept of money, clothes, and doors. Most the modern society is foreign to the clans,”
“How was it when you first came to the city?” Arad asked, even though he feared the answer.
“It was hectic since I came alone,” Nina scratched her cheek, “I had just entered adulthood and was looking for a strong husband.”
“Can I ask how old you were? What does the barbarian consider an adult?” Aella asked as she heard some nasty rumors before.
“We are considered adults when we get the bleeding. Me, I was eleven at the time.”
“You were still a kid!” Aella shouted, and Nina laughed, “We don’t have a written language, let alone laws.” She kept telling her story, “A woman approached me, yelling in a language that I didn’t understand.”
Nina looked at the wall, “Now that I thought about it, she was screaming for me walking in the streets half naked. But at the time, she was annoying, so I snapped her shoulder and kicked her away, making my way around the city.”
“You were a problem. I might have changed my mind about finding a barbarian.” Arad sighed.
“No! You can find more civilized people. We have come a long way in establishing connections. Most barbarians have learned to wear decent enough clothes around the barins and even keep contact to only between themselves.” Nina explained, shaking her hands.
“What are the barins?” Arad asked.
“It’s what we call city people, the non-barbarians.” She smiled, “If you want safe access to a barbarian, I suggest contacting the slave market.”
“You want me to buy a slave of your people?” Arad stared at her, confused.
“Most barbarians end up killing someone or doing enough damage to go there at least once. I ended up there twice, albite I broke out on the same day.”
Arad stood with a smile, “I will look into it. I believe I can trust you. Do you want to join?”
Nina smiled, “I’m waiting here for the day you can drag me out by force. I won’t trust my back to someone far weaker than me.”
“Fair enough, I will be going now,” As Arad turned around, Nina caught his hand.
“Want something?”
“Nothing. I don’t believe anyone else can notice.” Nina shook her head.
“Come on, tell me. Do I stink or something?” Arad said, joking.
Nina nodded, “I smell both blood and a musty smell on you.” She sniffed his chest, “A werewolf and a vampire, a strange being that you became. Does Alcott know?”
Arad almost panicked, “You can tell?”
“There is a strange thing about it, but I can’t tell what it is. But I could. It’s the same as Alcott and Ginger.” She smiled.