The Great Crestmaster

Even after he made it out of the academy he was a little pissed off about the earlier misunderstanding. However it was still better than being suspected by Sidney for not knowing something obvious like that.

This way he managed to avoid a close call in exchange for an awkward conversation so this was actually the better outcome. Aldrich thought to himself that he needed to be careful with his words now that he had entangled himself in a complex web of lies.

Aldrich got off the public carriage at the stop of the imperial bank, after all he came today to deposit some more coins in his account. He was once again impressed by the imperial bank and the amount of people that came in and out, it was actually more than the academy.

Aldrich didn't talk to anyone instead he followed the way he remembered to Yasbel's office. He still remembered that she invited him to come to her when he wanted to do something in the bank and Aldrich decided to take her up on her offer.

Aldrich found the door closed and so he knocked on it a few times.

"Come in."

Aldrich opened the door and entered, he saw that Yasbel wearing the same red and white uniform and silver-rimmed glasses, she was writing something furiously on her neat desk. Aldrich coughed lightly to attract her attention.

"Hm? Just leave the paperwork on the desk—" Yasbel was saying midway when she raised her head and saw Aldrich.

"It's me, Aldrich. From last time? Remember?"

"Ah! Yes, yes. Aldrich. I'm sorry I thought it was someone else. Come in, have a seat, some coffee?"

Yasbel smiled professionally and adjusted her glasses before standing up to shake his hand. Aldrich shook her hand delightfully and sat on one of the wide leather chairs by the side of the desk.

"No need I'm going to do some exercises after this."

"That's too bad. How can I help you today?"

"Actually it's same as last time, I want some of my coins apprised and deposited to my account if you're not too busy."

"Busy? This is my work, besides I was the one who told you to come to me if you had some work in the bank right?"

"That's true." Aldrich laughed as he proceeded to give her the thirteen coins.

Yasbel got right to work and got all of her equipment out, "hmm, these coins are very similar to the ones from last time, did you forget to bring them last time?" She asked curiously.

Aldrich smiled at the question, "well you can say that."

"Very mysterious~"

The time passed quickly while chatting with Yasbel and when she was done she deposited the equivalent to fifteen silver and six copper coins to his account. Aldrich decided to withdraw ten for his daily expenses right away.

Twenty coppers was one silver and thirty silvers was a single gold coin. If he hadn't paid for the apartment's rent his wealth would be more than a gold coin.

Aldrich had heard that there are bigger coins than gold called mithril but he heard that these were used in trade by nations so that was really out of his league to think on.

Aldrich bade farewell to Yasbel and returned back to his apartment where he changed into his half-plat armor, that proved harder than expected because he was doing it alone without help.

Aldrich then boarded the carriage to the sunken valley and whistled along the way. He was supposed to meet Gazeff for his first day of training today too.

The Frontier town was bustling as usual and it was brimming with the tension and edge of adventurers and hunters alike. Aldrich made his way to the halfling women's shop and rented the adventurer backpack and the six-wheels cart.

This halfling helped him out by calling out to his so he didn't mind giving her some business, of course her merchandise is good enough so it was well deserved in his opinion. The halfling thanked him when they were done and he decided to ask about a certain something.

"By the way you wouldn't happen to know a tavern called the Grinning Aatax, would you? It's run by two halflings one is call Tarzin."

The woman thought about it for a moment and then responded, "I'm not sure this is the one you're looking for but I did hear about something like that from my great uncle's third cousin who knew some who might have dinned there once. It's in Lunsken district by the pure fountain."

Aldrich tried his best to memorize the place even though this information didn't look reliable at all. Tarzin told him about the tavern like it was some famous place but when he look for it when he got here, nobody seemed to have heard of it.

Of course when more than a million people lived together the place they occupied was truly huge and it was difficult to find places like that. Since halflings were said to be all acquainted with one another he decided to ask anyway and hoped he got lucky.

Aldrich valued Tarzin as a friend, the first friend he made outside Wakefield and together they escaped a life threatening situation so he hoped to meet him again.

Aldrich picked up the pace and took a look at the demands posters today before heading towards the outside gate. He was supposed to meet Gazeff here. Some people were waiting for their friends and teammates by the gate and with that amount of people it was hard to spot Gazeff.

Even more so since this is his second time coming here so he wasn't used to it yet.

Luckily enough he managed to spot Gazeff at last, he was wearing casual clothes and had the same intoxicated look about him. He too had a backpack with him at least, only his was much bigger than Aldrich's.

Aldrich wondered why Gazeff's backpack was so bloated as he approached. Gazeff noticed him not long after.

"I was beginning to think you chicken out." Gazeff said, by way of greeting. Probably.

"I think I'm on time though."

"Whatever," Gazeff dismissed, "follow me, and be quick about it. We've got much to do today, much to do."

"Lead the way."

Aldrich followed behind Gazeff as they made their way out of the town and straight into the forest of the First ground. He skillfully jumped over ditches and dodged obstacles like thorns and vines.

Suddenly some kind of flying monster as big as a house cat ambushed Gazeff. Aldrich didn't even feel the monster at all, it hid itself and attacked at the right moment. Aldrich wanted to warn Gazeff somehow but it was too fast, so fast that Aldrich could not even get a clear look at it.

It was blur of black and green headed right at Gazeff's back from a blind spot. Gazeff was unarmed and he didn't even wear any protective equipment. Aldrich blinked and he felt his face stung by something.

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