After a long night of rest, the group woke up in the middle of the plain, with the first rays of sunlight announcing that it was time to leave that place.
This time, Ebony didn't complain about how early it was. With a huge yawn, she got up from the ground and began packing the small metal pot they had brought on the trip, along with the metal cups.
For a second, she remembered that her companions had bought that set using her money, after selling the corpses of the thunder bears she had taken care of killing. But instead of bothering her, it brought a faint smile to her face.
After several minutes of getting ready and shaking the fatigue from their minds, the whole group started their journey toward the Black Sun Village. They still had to deliver the package Veronica had entrusted them with.
Along the way, Daniel started messing with Ebony.
"Hey, dwarf, how the hell can you carry that giant shield on your back? It's so big it practically covers you completely," Daniel said while tapping the side of the shield.
"Why do you ask? Want to increase your strength and need advice from a skinny girl like me? You must be desperate, hehehe," the blonde replied, laughing mockingly.
"Oh, screw you. I bet I could carry it. If a twig like you can, then it's gotta have some spell to reduce its weight or something," the boy commented, interlacing his fingers behind his neck.
"Oh yeah? Then put your hands where your mouth is!" Ebony said, dropping her shield onto the ground. That slab of iron was as tall as she was.
Stubborn as always, Daniel stepped closer to the girl's weapon and, using both hands, tried to lift it with all his strength.
With everything he had, he managed to raise it a few inches off the ground, but despite his Warrior strength, he was still just a fifteen-year-old kid.
"Oh, what's wrong? Now who's the skinny one? Hahaha!" The blonde laughed in front of the embarrassed boy, who kicked the shield in frustration—earning himself a sharp pain.
"Is it really that heavy? I also thought it had some spell or something," Lucian said, eyeing the shield with curiosity.
"Hey, let me try too!" Veronica said as she stepped forward, grabbing the shield with both hands and trying to lift it.
After a great effort, she managed to hoist it up and rest it against her shoulder. The weight was far more than she had expected.
"(Holy shit! This thing weighs at least 200 kilitz. How the hell is a skinny Support supposed to carry this?) Well… yeah, it's heavy, but not that bad. It's easy for me," Veronica said, swallowing hard despite her bravado.
The group fell silent, all thinking the same thing. Everyone looked at Lucian, waiting for him to try lifting the shield as well.
But after the elf declined, they continued on their way. Veronica was growing more comfortable with the group by the minute. Less than two days had passed, and she was already talking to them more naturally.
It felt strange for the cat girl to feel accompanied on such a trivial journey. She had thought it would be just another job where she could squeeze some money out of her ex.
Instead, she ended up getting along well with Ebony and Daniel, who felt like the little siblings she never had.
.
.
.
After walking for several hours through the forest, they arrived at Black Sun Village. The place was surrounded by walls made of felled tree trunks, each sharpened at the top, resembling the fortifications of a military stronghold.
Together, they emerged from the forest and stepped onto the dirt road that led through a massive gate granting entry into the village.
As they approached, they saw guards in full armor inspecting every merchant and checking their documents. Unlike the city they had left behind, however, these armors looked old and worn.
When it was Ebony's group's turn to enter, Veronica cut the palm of her hand with a knife. Her blood floated into the air, forming a red sheet where several signatures in different languages appeared, along with a phrase: "Trade Pact."
"Oh wow, a first-generation pact. That's impressive. I'm surprised you still have it. You'd better not stay too long, or someone might try to steal it. I assume you know what I mean," said the guard captain, his face uncovered.
"Thanks for the advice. Either way, it's just for today," Veronica replied, then pointed her thumb toward her group waiting behind her. "These ones here are with me. They're my personal guards."
"Oh, I see. In that case, you may pass," said the blond-haired man, who didn't seem particularly interested in Ebony's or Lucian's identities.
The group entered the village without any trouble. Inside, Ebony was surprised by the well-maintained streets made of flat stone. Despite how it looked from the outside, the interior was almost like a city due to its massive size.
The streets were crowded with merchants from other kingdoms. There were Savages from many different clans—some with reptilian traits and scaly tails, others even sporting ram-like horns.
"(Damn… this is incredible. I never thought time would pull the Savages out of their reserve zones. It's amazing! When I knew them in the game, they were clans closed off to progress… now they even wear normal clothes.)" Ebony thought as she stared at a dog-girl.
The girl had a deep neckline, and her blonde hair caught Ebony's attention. The dwarf turned her head to study the girl's figure carefully—but that distraction led to an accident.
The blonde crashed headfirst into a massive body. At first, she thought it was a wall, but no—it was a huge Savage, taller than Lucian and with an intimidating presence.
"Watch where you're going, dwarf," the man said before walking off with his group of adventurers, who started laughing and muttering that he shouldn't be so rough with girls.
Ebony got up, fully intending to argue, but Lucian covered her mouth and forcibly dragged her away.
Thus, the group headed toward a tavern in the northern part of the village. Upon reaching an alley, they found a worn, pink-colored door. Above it, a sign read: "The Pink Unicorn."
"Hahaha, what a great name! For God's sake, give a prize to whoever came up with that!" Ebony said, laughing nonstop.
"Hey, idiot, don't laugh at the name! It's one of the most dangerous taverns in the city!" Veronica shouted, her cat ears twitching nervously at the thought that someone inside might hear them.
Lucian smacked Ebony on the head with some force to shut her up. She got annoyed by the gesture, but seeing the elf's serious expression, she chose not to protest and crossed her arms.
When the group entered, they saw a place packed with lively people inside. They were of different ages and races, but none seemed eager for trouble. They were just drinking and chatting—some even playing cards.
"Oh, well what do my eyes see?! Isn't that a filthy elf over there?" a voice boomed so loudly that everyone stopped what they were doing and turned their gaze toward Lucian.
Ebony didn't know how to react—until, suddenly, Lucian, with a serious expression, removed his hood, revealing his ears and his green hair.