Chapter 1 Red Grace Inn (1) --- Part 2

Lorist could only laugh bitterly. Louise was only concerned about him. How could she understand the pain of having his Battle Force stuck at the Iron rank for so long? In order to join this expedition, Lorist had to pester and bug Academy Head Levins and was even forced to agree to multiple unfair terms including serving as the assistant for the whole expedition team before the old bastard agreed to bring him along.

The adventurers of the Grindia Continent all knew that it was suicidal to visit the Relic Islands without the power of a Silver Swordsman. Granted, non-combatant researchers who were protected by bodyguards were exceptions. Although Lorist had to serve the researchers throughout the expedition, he ventured just as much as the rest of the Silver Swordsmen. He managed to traverse a number of dangerous areas, even those that were potentially lethal to Silver Swordsmen.

The time taken for the trip to and from the Relic Islands took up two months while the actual time spent on them was four months. Lorist himself felt that his abilities had improved nevertheless after experiencing all those life and death battles with the magical beasts and walking the tightrope of life multiple times. His swordsmanship got sharper and his movements got more agile. Even the sensitivity of his senses improved. But the sole goal he had aspired to reach during this trip was never achieved; his Battle Force didn’t manage to break through the Iron rank. He was still stuck at the peak of the Iron rank.

How he had regretted his decision back then. For some reason unknown to even him, he decided to use Ki-refining principles he remembered from his previous life to cultivate his Battle Force. One focused on the meridians pathways while the other focused on the blood flow. One trained the internal parts of the body while the other trained the external. They were akin to oil and water! His brain must have cramped up for him to even decide to do that! In the end, even with the high class Blazing Battle Force technique passed down by his family throughout generations, he ended up at a dead end and has remained stuck at the Iron rank for three years now, unable to progress to the rank of a Silver Swordsman. Originally a universally praised genius in swordsmanship, he has become a joke in the academy.

“Hey, brother Locke, you’re finally back. So glad to finally see you again…” The fatty who snapped Lorist out from his self brooding was the head chef of the inn, McDuffin. Wearing a mottled blue apron, he struggled as he squeezed his large belly through the door behind the counter.

“Hi, McDuffin. Man am I glad to see you too.” said Lorist as he raised his cup of ale. “Do you have any nice food around? I just got back and haven’t even had my breakfast and lunch yet. The only thing I had back on the boat was a black wheat bar.”

“Oh my, why didn’t you say so earlier? Stop drinking that ale, it won’t go down well given your empty stomach. McDuffin, is there anything you can serve up quick?” Louise said.

“Hmm, there’s some roasted goose in the oven, but it’s still unseasoned. In the wok we have some bean and ribs but it’s still cold, I’ll have to heat it up so it’ll have to wait. Ah, right. I have some goat meatballs still steaming over there which I can get you right away. Louise, go into my room and look into the chest beside my bed. There should be some cream bread inside. I was planning on having that for tea, but I guess you can go get that down for Locke…” said McDuffin who seemed reluctant to part from his cream bread.

Louise went off in a hurried manner.

“Alright. I’ll have some roasted goose and ribs. McDuffin, fry me a herring, make me some green bean bloodwurst, fried eggs with shrimp, cabbage and mushroom as well as another glass of fruit ale.” said Lorist as he made his order.

“That much? Can you finish them?” McDuffin looked at Lorist with a hint of doubt.

“I’m so hungry I can swallow a cow whole. Go make the food, after that we’ll have a good drink together.”

Just after McDuffin returned to cooking, Louise brought a plate with some steaming hot goat meatballs and two pieces of cream bread over. “Eat these quick. You don’t want to upset your stomach.”

“Whoa, Locke… This is great! These are the skins I want! Look at all these star spots…” Before Lorist managed to stuff the bread into his mouth, Hope’s praises rang out from behind him. He was raining praises upon the three beast skins he cradled so very dearly in his arms.

“Oh, I better go back to get some cash. I’ll be right back.” Old Hope let the deerskins down and rushed out of the inn with a speed that was unfit for a man of his age.

“Eh, why’s he in so much of a rush?” mumbled Lorist with his mouth stuffed with meatballs. Louise only shrugged.

“This old bastard was talking about you nonstop that I actually thought he was worried for you. Turns out he was only looking forward to the skins you promised him…” said Tom the retired postman as he raised his ale cup and took a swig.

Just as Louise served up the green bean blood sausage, old Hope burst through the door, sweaty and huffing ragged breaths as he rushed over to Lorist’s table. He took out fifteen gold coins from an intricately striped leather purse, counted them meticulously and instantly got ready to take the deerskins home.

“Hey, wait a second old Hope. Are you sure you’re paying the right price?” Without others noticing, Boss Charlando appeared in front of Hope and pressed down on the skins on the table.

“What’s wrong with you Charlando? Locke doesn’t have any objections, does he?” said Hope, glaring fiercely at Charlando.

“Just because he kept silent doesn’t mean he doesn’t have any opinions on the price. Right now, a skin like this costs 7 gold and 8 silver Fordes. Don’t you think it’s a little much to take three away for only 15 gold Fordes?”

Old Hope’s face turned red. “But six months ago we set the…”

“You didn’t set any exact price when you ordered the skins at that time and arbitrarily decided it to be at the market price back then. You’ll have to have some rather thick skin to suggest a market price from six months ago. Right now, the supply of star-spotted deerskins on the market is getting lesser by the day, giving a significant boost to its value. I believe he can easily get eight gold Fordes for one of these skins in the market. The shoes you make with these can already sell for ten Fordes and you can make ten of theme with these. If you don’t agree, you better give up on buying it and I bet I can get a better price for Locke if I sell them at the market.”

“That’s right. Two days ago there were two mercenaries who said that purchasing the star-spotted deerskins from the Relic Islands would cost 5 gold Fordes a piece. Think about the shipping and import fees. Aren’t you just taking advantage of him? Locke got you three quality skins from so far away! You can’t just do this to him!.” said Louise as she rushed up to Hope with a fierce gaze and rolled her eyes.

Old Hope bitterly went back to Lorist’s table and took out another seven gold coins. “I didn’t bring any silvers with me…”

One gold Forde was worth twenty large silvers. Old Hope still owed four silvers.

“It’s alright.” Lorist shrugged with magnanimity.

Seeing Old Hope rushing to leave, Louise felt really dissatisfied. “You didn’t have to be so generous. That old one got away good. You could get a great meal with four silvers.”

Lorist smiled and said “What? Old Hope got on your nerves?”

Louise instantly exploded. “That miserly bastard… He feels up all of our serving girls and doesn’t even give them any tips! And he orders a cup of ale worth five coppers and stays at a table for the whole afternoon!”

It wasn’t weird for serving girls in the inn to be felt up by patrons. It’s just part of their job, to serve and to flirt. But patrons who don’t tip well was always met with the disdain of the serving girls. Those patrons were the most unwelcome kind.