"Are you okay now?" Susan asked softly.
"I think I'm good," Alfred replied, wiping the last trace of tears from his cheek.
After a brief silence, he reached into his right pocket. "We managed to take down the dungeon boss," he said, pulling something out. "And I have proof of it." He opened his palm, revealing a large, sharp tooth.
Susan leaned closer to examine it, turning it carefully under the light.
Alfred stood still, trying to look calm, though his mind raced.
'What if she realizes this isn't from the dungeon boss? I'd be in serious trouble… she might even report it.'
"I think this belongs to the dungeon boss," he said quickly. "It was my first time entering a dungeon, so I don't really know much about them."
Susan studied the tooth again and nodded slowly. "It does seem to come from a dungeon boss. This is an alpha predator's tooth… though I can't tell exactly what kind of creature it's from. Still, I can consider it valid."
She looked up at him with a faint smile. "You can collect your reward."
'Well… that went better than I expected.'
Normally, there would be a long process, written reports, proof verification, and several rounds of questioning. But seeing Alfred's exhausted face and hearing the strain in his voice, Susan didn't push further. She opened the guild's drawer and handed him a small pouch.
He peeked inside. 'Twelve gold coins?'
Alfred looked at Susan for a moment, then asked quietly, "May I ask you something?"
Susan nodded. "Of course."
"What was the reward we got for killing the wolf?"
Susan hesitated, her eyes shifting for a second before answering, "It was… ten gold coins."
'So I was right,' Alfred thought to himself. 'Krestar gave me almost all the shares. That fool was too kind for his own good.'
Alfred lowered his head slightly and said in a calm, polite tone, "Thank you."
Then, without another word, he turned and walked away, his shadow stretching long behind him as he left the guild in silence.
Krestar and the other adventurers were carrying out the king's orders, to investigate the mysterious pressure that had shaken the entire kingdom. For hours they questioned people across the city, but not a single clue surfaced.
"I think whoever caused it must've already left the kingdom before we even began investigating," Krestar said to the knights, rubbing the back of his neck in frustration.
Then, from behind, a deep voice echoed. "No… I think he's still among us, watching, waiting for the perfect moment to strike again."
Krestar turned to see an older knight in full armor approaching. His presence was heavy, his eyes sharp with experience and suspicion.
"He might even be a spy," the knight continued grimly. "If his aura alone could suppress the entire kingdom, imagine his true strength. What kind of monster could wield that much power?"
The knights began murmuring among themselves, each forming an image in their minds, a tall, muscular man, cloaked in shadow, eyes glowing with power.
Then suddenly, someone called out from behind, breaking the tense silence.
"Krestar!"
He turned sharply. "Alfred?"
"Are you busy?" Alfred asked casually.
Krestar turned around, surprised. "No, not really. What is it?"
"How much did we actually get from the quest we finished?" Alfred's tone was calm but sharp.
Krestar hesitated for a second. "We shared it equally, of course."
"Don't lie to me," Alfred said coldly. "I asked Susan about it."
Krestar sighed. "Alright. You killed the wolf, so you should've gotten the bigger share. And besides, you didn't have any money when you came along."
"You gave me seven gold coins," Alfred said, "and three to the others. You even added twenty silver coins to mine. That wasn't fair."
"You needed it then," Krestar replied, scratching the back of his head.
"I don't need them now. Take it and share it with the team," Alfred said, handing him five gold coins.
Krestar looked at him, a bit taken aback. "You're really something, you know that?"
"The security's too tight today," Alfred noted, glancing toward the streets filled with guards. "What's going on?"
Krestar's expression turned serious. "The hero of our kingdom is returning soon. Before that, the king ordered us to find whoever caused that suppressing aura the other day. They think it might've been a demon sent to assassinate the hero."
'Me? A demon?' Alfred thought with a faint smirk. 'I was the kindest man once... maybe that part of me's long gone.'
"The hero's coming back, huh? I'd like to see him too," Alfred muttered.
"Where are you headed?" Krestar asked.
"I'm going to the market. Need something to eat."
"Hey, adventurer! You coming?" a knight called out to Krestar.
Krestar turned to them, then back at Alfred. "I've got to go. See you later."
Alfred nodded slightly, watching him leave.
Alfred walked through the bustling market streets, where merchants called out their prices and customers weaved between the stalls. The smell of baked bread filled the air, pulling him toward a small bakery tucked between two larger shops.
He stopped in front of the counter. "How much for a loaf of bread?"
"It's only one silver coin each," the shopkeeper replied with a friendly smile.
'Not too expensive,' Alfred thought. "I'll take three."
He picked up the warm loaves, their crusts still crisp from the oven. As he reached into his pocket for the coins, his adventurer badge slipped out and clinked against the counter.
The shopkeeper's eyes widened. "You're an adventurer?"
"Yes," Alfred replied simply.
"What rank?"
"B-rank."
The man's face instantly brightened, his tone changing with respect. "Oh! Then please, sir, no need to pay. It's on the house. Consider it my gratitude for protecting the kingdom."
"Really?" Alfred raised an eyebrow, surprised.
"Yes, sir. Adventurers like you risk your lives for us every day. It's the least I can do."
'They really do respect adventurers here,' Alfred thought, nodding as he took the bread. "Thank you."
He continued down the street, watching the lively crowd. 'I wonder if they treat knights the same way.'
Just then, he heard shouting from a nearby fruit stall.
"Don't you knights have any shame?!" the shopkeeper yelled. "You eat my apples without paying for them!"
"I—I'm sorry," the knight stammered, lowering his head.
Alfred smirked faintly as he walked past. 'Guess not.'
The streets were growing louder as Alfred wandered farther into the heart of the market. People were gathered in a large circle ahead, their voices buzzing with excitement. Curious, Alfred pushed through the crowd.
"What's happening here?" he murmured.
A man standing beside him answered eagerly, "It's the slave auction! They say he's got rarer ones than before. If I had the gold, I'd buy one myself."
'Slave trading?' Alfred thought, his expression darkening. 'So this exists here… should've guessed.'
He moved closer despite his distaste, curiosity pulling him in. On a raised wooden platform stood a bulky man in fine clothes, the announcer, who grinned as two guards dragged a trembling human man forward.
"Five gold coins! Any higher bids? Five going once, twice—sold to the tall gentleman in the back!"
The crowd clapped, some cheering, others exchanging coins. Alfred turned to leave, 'I have forty-five gold coins with me and a few silvers too. But wasting money on slaves? Not worth it.'
He had just taken a few steps away when the announcer's next words froze him in place.
"And now, for something special, our next item is a beautiful elf!"
'What?' Alfred's head turned sharply.
On the stage, a young elf girl was brought out in chains. Her long golden hair shimmered in the sunlight, and her pale green eyes were filled with quiet fear. She stood tall despite her situation, her beauty so striking that the crowd gasped in awe.
"Now, now, look at her!" the announcer said proudly. "It's rare to catch an elf, let alone sell one. Starting bid, ten gold coins!"
Voices shot up immediately.
"Eleven gold coins!"
"Twelve gold coins!"
"Thirteen!"
The bids climbed rapidly. Alfred clenched his fist. He didn't know why, but something inside him stirred, pity, anger, or something else entirely.
Before he realized it, his voice rose above the crowd. "Twenty gold coins!"
The entire marketplace fell silent for a moment. The announcer blinked in disbelief, scanning the crowd until his eyes landed on Alfred.
"Twenty gold coins! Do I hear twenty-one?" Silence. "No one? Then she's sold, to the boy over there!"
The crowd erupted in murmurs. Some looked at Alfred with envy, others with disbelief.
Alfred let out a sigh and rubbed the back of his neck. 'I just wasted twenty gold coins on a slave. Shame on me.'
But as he looked at the elf, her head bowed, trembling slightly, something inside him whispered, 'maybe not.'