"Wait, let get this straight," Adrian said while Shinon took a sip from his de-ageing potion. "You an you got cursed, and that’s why you’re ageing super fast?"
Shinon nodded, his eyes pleading as he put the cup down. "Our mutual friend thought you might be able to help with this situation at hand-"
But Adrian got lost in his thoughts. If it was soone like Shinon, plenty of people should be willing to help him, like one of those guilds that Jas talked about.
But then Adrian rembered George’s words. Shinon had turned even the biggest, most influential guilds away from his doorstep. Given their status, Shinon might have unintentionally hurt their egos.
’As such, those guilds would either refuse to work with him or have an outrageous demand for doing so,’ Adrian thought. ’Hell, now that I think about it, it could be one of those guilds is behind Shinon’s situation.’
That’s why Shinon would have asked the DRA for help, or Jas, to be precise, and approached them. But why would Jas approach him with the offer? After all, they were strangers. Sothing was off.
"That’s why I need your help-"
"With all due respect," Adrian replied, interrupting Shinon. "I’m not here to cure illnesses, and it’s not because I’m not willing but because I lack the required talent for this situation.
He continued, "I’m a warrior, not a healer who could- I see. You wanted the help from my colleagues, not ."
Shinon smiled wanly. During their interrogation, one of the girls might have let it slip that Seraphina was a Saintess. As such, she had a plethora of recovery magic. Shinon had hoped to get help from soone like her.
"Of course, I don’t expect you or your friends to work for free," Shinon comnted. I’ll be willing to pay you handsoly, but I don’t think you need the money."
Adrian looked at Shinon, and the kid was right. Soon, he would have all the money he’d need, and being a businessman at heart, Adrian knew he could always make more money.
However, connections, on the other hand, took a lot of work to co by. If it was soone like Shinon, being on friendly terms was more important than so agre change.
That said, Adrian wasn’t planning on leaving empty-handed and tossed a condition out there—sothing that wasn’t over the top but beneficial for all parties involved.
"Fine, I’ll see what I can do," Adrian nodded, scratching his chin. "But in exchange, you’ll have to be my personal blacksmith."
"Mr Adrian, I don’t think-"
"Hear out first. I’m not asking you to work exclusively for . I just want first dibs on your services and maybe a little discount, too."
Shinon raised his eyebrow. Ever since he was cursed two months ago, he had reached countless guilds for help, and all of them had one condition: he’d only make weapons for them.
At first, he thought Adrian was suggesting the sa. But he had a unique proposal that most benefitted Shinon. For a mont, he thought Adrian had to have so other ploy behind such a strange proposal, but it was clear Adrian just wanted to do business.
"I suppose that’s doable," Shinon replied, offering his hand to seal the deal.
Adrian accepted the handshake and left with Shinon’s chauffeur to fetch Seraphina.
***
A couple of hours later...
"I’ve got two things to tell you," Seraphina said with a shrug, looking at Shinon. "First, I know what kind of curse it is. Second, it won’t be easy to get rid of."
Shinon shook his head and got up. It might not be all good news from Seraphina’s perspective, but it was the best news Shinon had heard in months.
So far, no one knew the cause of his curse and couldn’t redy it. But now that Seraphina had figured out the first step, it was only a matter of ti before they’d be able to solve the issue.
"It’s a fey’s curse, a male fey’s to be precise," Seraphina inford Adrian.
"That... certainly complicates things."
Shinon observed their expressions and knew it had to be sothing bad for them to react in such a manner. But before he could ask them about it, Adrian had a question of his own.
"Forgive my rudeness, but did you have intimacy with anyone before the curse fell on you? Specifically, soone who frequents dungeons?"
"What does that have anything-"
"The sooner you answer, the sooner I’ll be able to treat you."
Shinon took a deep breath. The news could lead to a lot of trouble if it was leaked. However, he had no choice in the matter as it concerned his life.
"Eudora Black, the guild master of the Misty Sword guild..."
"Hm... a guildmaster," Adrian raised an eyebrow. "I thought you don’t associate with guilds?"
Shinon sighed, knowing there was no turning back now that the secret was out. He told them about his relationship with Eudora, who happened to be his childhood friend and lover.
But back then, he was a nobody. As such, she was forced to marry soone else due to her father’s pressure and his declining health. Eventually, they lost all contact until several months ago when she contacted him.
At first, Shinon thought it was because she wanted to rekindle things. But she was only there for business. It irked Shinon, and he declined to do business with them as he would with any guild.
But Eudora knew her way around his heart, and soon, they began their secret extramarital affair. Eudora didn’t want to do business with him but to reclaim what they had lost. That was until he was cursed, and she never contacted him again.
"She told her husband had gotten suspicious, and we couldn’t continue..."
"Is her husband also a hunter?" Adrian asked, and Shinon nodded. In fact, he was one of the few A-rankers on the continent.
"Yup, it checks out," Seraphina shrugged, sitting beside Adrian. "The husband might have contracted a fey. Get the creature to track Eudora and curse whoever she was having an affair with."
"So what now?" Shinon asked, afraid they won’t be able to do much.
"Can you arrange a eting with Eudora? That should be enough to help you out." Adrian comnted, and Shinon imdiately snatched the phone from his servant’s hands.
"Soone looks excited," Seraphina whispered in Adrian’s ear, watching Shinon frantically dial the number.
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