Malon and Aiden had a tragic past… still, Aion couldn't help but wonder how that was related to the events that he knew. So far, there were no signs of his ancestors, the grandma shrimp.
In any case, Aion was thankful for the fact that he was only seeing important memories, and he only learned that now since Malon had to walk for a few days. Which Aion saw in a super fast forward.
After a few days of following one dirt road of mud, Malon didn't find many problems, and there were animals and fruits for him to eat just by looking around since he knew how to camp. The river that passed through his town also ran along the path that he walked, so it was enough for him to continue on his way without facing many difficulties.
In the meantime, Aion wondered why Malon assumed that his father was dead. He was also not as hot-blooded as Aion had expected, and maybe that was just how people of his age acted back in the day.
At dawn on the third day, Malon got up, and thanks to the sunlight, he could already see the walls and the tall buildings of the city. He took his things since he had slept with the clothes on his body and then went on.
Before the sun was in the middle of the sky, Malon came close to the city walls, and from the beginning, he noticed the difference. At the gates to the walls, there were two guards with full armor and armed. As the swordsman passed, they looked at him but let him continue his path, thinking he was just a boy with a sword trying to impress others.
Going into the city, even the houses were more beautiful, the walls looked polished, and the houses were covered with a light and hard material on the walls. The glass windows were less rough, and the streets were made of polished bricks.
Malon looked at what would be the square in the middle of the city. In it, there was a fountain and a man dressed as a clown while doing tricks being, surrounded by children.
Wasting no time, Malon looked for the city map poster, seeing that there were inns, stores for weapons, and armor in addition to an apothecary that sold potions and medicine, which made Malon surprised by the variety he found.
Still, his objective was only one. Soon he found on the map the location of a mercenary guild, and pressing his pace, he headed there, passing before the merchant to sell what was left of the hunt, resulting in 13 silver coins and a bronze coin after selling in the village on the way. Carrying that had been difficult, but he had so much in his mind that he didn't mind it.
Malon arrived at the building that should be the guild, seeing a structure similar to a small castle with wooden doors. In a hurry, he entered, seeing the interior of the guild.
Inside it, several adventurers talked about missions while others just drank and celebrated for completing other missions. It was quite weird, considering that it was early in the morning. One couldn't be more free-spirited than that, the atmosphere was full of excitement, and there were some people singing to accompany the atmosphere.
Malon hurried to the counter where there was a dark-skinned, bald, full-bearded attendant dressed in light clothes and whistling as he cleaned a wooden mug.
"You should at least shave to make people believe in your cleaning skills," Aion thought.
Malon headed for the counter, and the tavern keeper noticed the boy with the unkempt appearance and then spoke.
"Damn, boy, what happened to you? Rolled on the floor with a mud monster?" That tavern keeper asked in an exaggerated tone while frowning.
Malon showed an expression of doubt, and before sitting, he raised his arms to smell his armpits, then lowered.
"It's not that bad..." Malon said.
Malon talked and sat near the counter. Looking around, he saw a group of friends drinking next to him, and in the corner of the bar, there was a hooded man reading a book, and the tavern keeper's worried expression soon turned into a sympathetic smile.
"So, brat, what can I help you with? You drink?" The man asked.
"No... I don't drink... but I didn't come here for that. I want to know how I can request a search or information about the attack on Hawky town that happened yesterday." Malon asked.
Aion wanted to facepalm… Malon wasn't that bright in his youth. Not only he asked that out loud in the middle of the day, but he also didn't even try to hide that he was related to the accident.
The tavern keeper still had the same smile on his face and placed a wooden cup on the table, then reached down to grab something under the counter while he spoke.
"It's very simple, you will write a poster in the guild paying a fee so that we can post it on our wall, and you will also have to put a reward for those who complete the mission," the tavern keeper said. "Just put a time to meet at the guild, in case you come at a time, and the poster is gone, that means they probably accepted their mission."
Malon listened attentively and showed a thoughtful face at the end of the explanation. Still, the silence was interrupted by the sound of something being poured into a glass. The tavern keeper served a mug of hot milk to the swordsman, who looked at the glass, extending his hand, but soon afterwards retreated.
"How much is it?" Malon asked.
"Drink it up, kid. I never charge someone who doesn't seem to have anything but the clothes on their backs," The tavern keeper said. "Besides, it is better to be served it than letting it go to waste."
? He spoke while pushing the milk jug away, and then Malon looked at the mug holding it with both hands. After a brief look at the mug, he turned it to drink it all at high speed, which he did until the tavern keeper spoke.
"Calm down... Choking on milk is a pretty stupid way to die..." the tavern keeper said
A short time later, Malon placed the empty mug on the table and then sighed. He needed that, but he couldn't relax that much.
"Thanks for the drink, but tell me, how much is the fee to put up that poster? And I have to talk to you to put it on?" Malon asked.
"It could be me, you pay the guild fee, and if you don't fulfill the promise, you will be banned from coming ever again, and the guild is not responsible for what adventurers will do," The tavern keeper said. " So think about it, boy, don't want to play with that kind of workforce. Regarding the fee, it's one silver, if you want extra disclosure, it's ten. You decide the payment."
"Is there no way to negotiate with those who complete the quest regarding the price?" Malon lowered his head thoughtfully and asked.
"It's possible, but ideally, you put a margin on what you can afford to get them to show interest." the tavern keeper replied.
Still thoughtful, Malon sighed and took the silver coins with one more from a small bag of coins and placed them on the table.
"I want… Can you help me set up the poster?" Malon asked.
"I can, no problem," the tavern keeper replied and went to work.
"Can you please stay and help me with the poster too?" Malon asked.
"Alright, if you prefer, I'll take the blank poster." The tavern keeper replied.
"... Why are you helping me so much?" Malon asked after a brief moment of silence.
"Don't you want my help?" the man shrugged.
The man spoke and then got up, then put the poster on the table along with a beautiful quill and a small bottle of black ink, and Malon, half scared, replied.
"N-No... I just want to understand why you decided to help me... that's all." Malon said.
"Man… few people can piss me off so much without doing anything wrong," Aion thought while feeling like pulling his own hair with his bare hands.
Updated from fr𝒆ewebnov𝒆l.(c)om