“This is a genuine map,” The [Cartographer] says. “No others are avaible in the open market yet- so you may have the only copy.”

  Salence releases a sigh of relief. When making tracts in regards to maps, there is always a risk of getting swindled even with the be of skills.

  “Good. Please pce ynature of authenticity on it and prepare it for sale.”

  “Yes sir. Is there a name you would like me to put on the map?”

  Salence raises up a book- Chorus, the Kingdom uhe Aurora. A book detailing a kingdom called Chorus that specialized in Aurora-based magic.

  “ Chorus.”

  “It will be done.”

  “Before you go. Tell one of the [Secretaries] that the booth I used will o be heavily restocked.”

  “Of course.”

  With the [Cartographer] leaving his office with the map in hand, Salearts preparation for Auing the chests. It will take several days to plete, but even at the agreed 4% ission, the guild should still make a det profit.

  _____________________________________________________

  Returning to the Timbergrove with a shit-eating grin ahes in tow, the Scot ehe mess hall, grabs a bottle of alcohol, then sits down opposite Myers and Adriana. He extends the bottle to hes who wordlessly slices the lid open. Then he chugs the tents. All of this happens without a single word.

  “I’m guessing your dealings with the Mert Guild went well,” Myers says after Cillian finishes his chug.

  “Yes.” He gnces curiously at Adriana if he should

  “She is a close friend. Feel free to speak freely.”

  He nods. “Those idiots accepted a four pert ission in exge for the map.”

  “That map will quickly lose its price more than one is released on the market.”

  “Doesn’t matter. tract is sighough, I do wish I could sell the throne.”

  “Memphis isn’t rge enough for something like that,” Myers reminds.

  “Yea, yea. Legendary items get people killed and start wars. I know.”

  “You have a Legendary item?” Adriana asks in surprise.

  Myers nods. “Not me, the [Captain]. We found it on the isnd I was talking to you about earlier.”

  “What does it do?” She asks.

  “We’re not sure.” Myers leans back. “Sitting on it seems to do nothing and Emma cks the knowledge and skill to figure it out. For now, Quasi is using it as a bed rest.”

  Adriana chuckles. “A Legendary throne is being used by a kitten to sleep.”

  “Where is our fearless kitten, anyway?” Cillian asks. “It has been a day already.”

  The old man grimaces. “Killing, probably.”

  “rey does the Matriarch hunt?” hes asks. The Phytonid, formerly tent to stand silently behind Cillian, speaks up as her i is peaked.

  “He’s hunting a [Bounty Hunter].”

  “Is that prey strong? How long will the hunt take?”

  Before Myers ahe doors to the ship squeak open. All eyes turn as Emma, Irmgard, a woman covered in bck, and Boriss walk dowairs. Other than the women in bck, the three look like they’d been in quite a fight. Especially so for Boriss. The rge Russian man looks like he’d taken a hell of a beating and given one on at of the massive grin on his face.

  Cillian chuckles. “Looks like you all had a det bit of fun.”

  ______________________________________________________

  Fourtolds is your typical cheap tavern located directly he port. It has your typical cheap food bined with cheap alcohol that caters tesse of the most hardy individuals.

  “Like Prison,” Boriss whispers wheers the establishment by kig the metal doors open. Some g the Russian, but immediately give the rge man no mind. Boriss doesn’t have the look of someone who unknowingly walked into a den of degees, especially not so sidering the kick.

  After several m those present, he makes his way towards the bad sits on a stool.

  The [Barkeep] g Boriss before striding to the big man.. “If you keep grinning like that, people are going to want to pick a fight.” He looks Boriss up and down. “Not that they have much of a ce to win- but drunken idiots aren't the smartest when it es to making decisions.”

  “Is good. Like home.”

  “Odd at you have there, and your home sounds like shit. Anyway, oison I get you?”

  “Strong poison,” He taps his chest, “f Russian man.”

  “You’re Russian? Never heard of the isnd- but I’ve got something to put down cocky fucks like you.” The [Bartender] grins. He turns and begins preparing a co. While he does, two meer the pub. Armed and armored men with shark tattoos on their arms. Those who notice them, immediately look away.

  The two men walk to the bar and lean on the ter directly o Boriss.

  “Oy, old man. Stop dig with that mug and e over here. We’ve got a question.”

  The [Bartender] sighs, but does tinue dig around until the co is ready. He pces the mug in front of Boriss and the the two men. “The fuck you two want?”

  The men chuckle. “Tyrus, are you still sore about that st little fight?”

  “Little!” Tyrus growls. “You sicked that damn gardener of a woman in the bar and wrecked all my shit.”

  “It was for a job.”

  “Fuck your job ahe fuck out of my tavern.”

  The man sighs. He leans on the ter. “Tyrus, we’d love to, but we need information first. If we don’t get it, our gardener of a woman will o e here herself. I think it’s better for both of us if you tell us what we want to hear.”

  Tyrus gres at them, even grinds his teeth. “Fine. Ask and thehe fuck out.”

  The two chuckle fidently. “Have you heard or seen anything about an old graying man with a young child?”

  Boriss perks up and g the two men. A movement the [Bounty hunters] quickly notice. “You look like you know something.” One of them says.

  Boriss nods. “You are friends, yes?”

  Tyrus snorts. “No, they’re [Bounty Hunters] robably hunting them.”

  “Shut it, old man.” One of the [Bounty Hunters] growls. He returns his focus to Boriss. “If you’ve got information on them, we’ve got to offer.”

  Boriss shakes his head. “I know nothing. Is bad memory.”

  “Look, you’re clearly lying. You mentiohe word friend, so I’m going to guess you’re proteg them, but that's a really bad idea. See, our [Leader] is after them and she is not kind to anyone who gets in the way of her bounty.”

  “She’s even willing to kill her fellow [Bounty Hunters] for failure.” The other man adds.

  “That's just a rumor,” the first [Bounty Hunter] adds.

  “People who pissed her off the most are dead. I even heard a bunch of us got poisoned from the stew and that she didn’t.”

  “It was just a bad stod she didn’t get poisoned because her cat puked a hairball in it.”

  “Cat? Fluffy cat, yes?”

  “What? Yea, very fluffy- look, don’t try to ge the versation. We o know what you want.”

  Boriss sighs. He g Tyrus. “I am sorry.”

  Tyrus eyes widen in reition. “Don-”

  He doesn't finish as Boriss puhe man in the face with such force that he crashes into a table filled with the med men you find. The table shatters while food and drink spill everywhere.

  One of the men grabs a bottle and throws it at Boriss. The Russian ducks and the bottle strikes another in the head, pissing off anroup.

  The sed [Bounty Hunter] goes for Boriss’s jugur, but the Russian parries, picks up the man, and thes him at aable.

  Screaming, cursing, yelling ensues as the bar-fight begins.

  ________________________________________________________________

  “Are you sure it’s alright to have bought this? It was very expensive.” Emma raises a Stylus of a much better quality than the one she owns. It is rger, but also better for runeing rge equipment.”

  “Will it help you ruhe ship?” Irmgard asks.

  “Um, yes. It will be much faster.”

  “Then it is a good iment. The sooner you ruhe ship, the sooner our capability will improve. If there is anything else you require to improve your job, then ask and I will attempt to andeer funds.”

  “No-no, this is fine. Already too much.”

  Irmgard shakes her head. “You must beore assertive. Speak your mind and do not hold back your ideas no matter how foolish you think they are.”

  Emma pouts. “Easy for you to say. You don’t make mistakes.”

  “I’ve made numerous mistakes throughout my life. But it is through those mistakes that I have gaihe wisdom to not repeat them. Whether that be in bat, in family, in school… and even love.”

  “You were in love?” Emma perks up with a smile.

  “Yes. During my studies at Harvard uy, I fell in love with the smartest man there. The only other person with a perfect grade point average as mine. He was intelligent, driven, and had a strong pedigree.”

  “What happened?”

  “He lost his perfect score and I dumped him. Clearly, I was mistaken about how truly driven he was. It is a mistake I will not repeat again.”

  “You left him because his score wasn’t perfect?”

  “No. The loss of a perfect score is a result of his time cheating ohat is why I ed and dumped him in a river. Now, I see an acquaintance. e.”

  Emma gapes at the story, but doesn’t get to ask further as they meet a woman dressed in bck. The woman is covered head to toe and wears a raven mask that fully covers her head.

  “Auranta,” Irgmard greets. “It is a pleasure to see you again.”

  The masked woman looks tard. “As is you, Irmgard. Have you spoken to your [Captain] about me ing aboard?”

  “Not yet, though he may have returo the ship by now. I am heading back, so you may join me if you wish.”

  “I , but I must stop quickly at a taverhe port.”

  “If it is he Fabricate, then we join you,” Irmgard adds.

  “It is. I wele the distra.”

  While the three walk together, Emma ’t help but find Irmgard and Auraraordinarily simir. They verse logically and with little fluff. Every question is answered directly and discretely with a word choice g in much emotion. They both kinda remind the gemma about her fathers general direess.

  When they arrive at the tavern, they are met with a stool shattering out a window.

  Curious, the three gnside to find a violent brawl going about. A massive fistfight with several unscious bodies strewn on the floor.

  It is then that they find a rge man held down by four burly men while a fifth is beating on him.

  “Schei?e,” Irmgard curses. “Emma, cover me. We o help him.”

  Irmgard rushes inside. Just as Emma enters, she watches as Imrgard jumps in the air and kicks the guy beating on Boriss in the face. Then she knee’s one of the men keeping the Russian pinned.

  With a hand now free, Boriss fights back by yeeting one of his handlers across the room.

  Rushing in to be of some assistance, Emma trips over a body and headbutts a man in the face. He goes down, but his buddies take offehey swing, she blocks, and now the brawl tinues on in force.

  During this eime, Auranta finds a nearby stool and takes a seat to watch the age as it tinues.