Quinlan and Bas had soon returned to Everia.
Jude and Caterina had settled down and made peace with themselves. They were still the targets of Ever Night and danger lurked around them at every corner. But that wasn’t Siderius’ business anymore. He had completed the job he was given.
Finn had joined the guild. A surprise addition to his guild. A skilled craftsman was always useful.
George paid his debt to Siderius but not entirely. He had joined the guild alongside Finn and made a vow for his eternal loyalty with Siderius.
But there was still sothing needed to be done about him.
Siderius sat down with George at a secluded table in the banquet.
"Enjoying the night?" Siderius said.
"Yes, my lord." George sip the cup of ale, eyes lingering to the sky above. "Do you have an assignnt for , my lord?"
"Not an assignnt. I just want to know what happened to you. Why did you leave Mucktown?"
"Argh. A rather short but tragic tale. Do you really want to bore you with it?"
"Please. We may not know each other for long. But we are brothers, George. Our vows made us so."
"I understand, Lord Watcher. Sotis I still forget about that. The guild truly treats all mbers equally.
As for what happened to . Throughout my years of researching the Petrinium Steel, I have never succeeded in creating it. But with the help of a noble, I was able to create sothing special.
A sword that can heal itself."
Siderius raised an eyebrow. It caught his attention but he stayed silent.
"I nad it the Sword in the Stone. Or Stone Breaker for short.
I always thought that Petrinium was made because it had so kind of special ores or material. A unique elent that I can’t replicate.
But I have no way to access those kinds of materials being a small blacksmith of the secluded Mucktown.
So I traveled to the county of Alanshire. The Count of Alanshire was a powerful Lesser Witch for many years. He is very interested in craftsmanship and smithing."
"Let guess. You co to him and say you can make a sword like no others." Siderius said.
George nodded.
"And the Count told that he would pay a thousand gold coins if I can make it."
"I guess he never pays you."
"He didn’t. And when I demand paynt. He accused of disrespecting the High Lords and being greedy for a commoner. He stripped of my titles and ordered to be killed.
I ran. With nowhere to go, I returned to my holand, hoping he would let live in peace."
"But your existence is a threat. He can never have you survived. Otherwise, people will know the true owner of Stone Breaker."
George nodded again.
"The Bailiff caught and ordered to be hanged. I lost all hopes.
But that fateful night. I woke up in the night to see you killed the guards and left the prison."
Siderius grinned. "The count of Alanshire. A lesser witch, huh?
Do you wish for vengeance, George?"
"No. I just wish to get back the Stone Breaker and be rid of this hiding life."
"A kind but very naive ambition, my friend. Sotis, to live your life in peace, blood needs to be drawn."
George trembled slightly. His fist clenched tight.
"I am no warrior. And I am also no witch."
"But you are a mber of our guild now. We will take care of you."
George looked at Siderius with surprise and hopefulness.
"You should say farewell to Finn soon. I will ask Jude for a favor to erase any trace of your ti here.
The count of Alanshire will not stop until you’re dead. It is wiser to hide your identity and live in so place that no one can find you.
As a coincidence, I have just the place.
Change your na and co to Santa Roberto. You will be the new steward of Santa Roberto.
It is my property and I need you to take care of it."
"The Santa Roberto monastery?! I don’t know if I can do it, my lord..."
"You are sharp enough to take on this task, George. It can also provide you a quiet place to continue improving your craft as well.
Santa Roberto is very near to Scalize as well so Finn should be able to visit you anyti.
And here, take this."
Siderius secretly passed a gold coin into George’s hand.
"This should be enough for you to hire so people to look after the place.
Anna, the forr maid of Jude wants to serve . Do not tell her about the guild. She has talents in tending to plants. She can be your right hand man at most of the things.
Test her loyalty and resolve regularly to see if she can be trusted.
The people you hire should be few and know to mind their own business. We don’t need many people to look after Santa Roberto at the mont. Just make sure it won’t be ransacked by looters and robbers is good."
George looked around and quickly tucked the coin inside his shirt. This single gold coin was worth one thousand bronze coins. It could feed many people for years, enough to look after the monastery for a while.
"I... I can’t be grateful enough for the opportunities you gave , my lord. I am forever indebted to you."
Siderius pat George on the back.
"We are all brothers in the guild. We bleed together. And we feast together. Always rember that."
"Yes, my lord!"
With that, Siderius arranged Santa Roberto nicely. He was thinking of recruiting Tanya into Santa Roberto as well. Her knowledge about the plants would be a perfect combination to Anna’s talents. Siderius was thinking of raising Anna to be a herbalist as well.
Tanya was good but she wasn’t his people. Anna was a better candidate.
He also had so other people that he deed were worthy to join Santa Roberto.
The Casper Kid and Buster Cass, those two gamblers that he had a chance to share a ga of dice with. One was a capable warrior. The other was very sharp and smart. These two would be great additions to help George in maintaining the monastery.
"I wonder where those two are right now." Siderius rubbed his chin.
He pulled Jude aside from his drinking.
"Need sothing, White Witch?"
"Have you ever heard about the Casper Kid and Buster Cass?"
Reviews
All reviews (0)