Chapter 29: Cashing In
The walk back from the mine was quiet.
Dust and ash clung to Inigo's boots, and a faint sheen of dried blood stained the cuff of his glove. Lyra walked beside him, her cloak torn near the hem, and her quiver noticeably lighter than when they arrived. The sun had risen higher in the sky, casting long beams through the trees and burning away the lingering mist.
Neither spoke for a while. The silence wasn't awkward—just earned. A warrior's quiet.
Inigo adjusted the strap across his chest, his rifle dematerialized and safely tucked away in his system. Slung at his side was a bloodied sack filled with kobold ears, a grim but necessary proof of their extermination. Lyra carried another, smaller satchel, containing the cracked remains of the chieftain's staff and its severed claws—trophies that would validate their claim.
As Elandra's gates came into view over the hill, Lyra finally broke the silence.
"You fight like you've seen war."
Inigo glanced at her. "Not war. Something worse. But I learned to keep moving forward."
Lyra nodded, accepting the answer without pressing. "Still... I'm glad I went with you."
He smirked. "Changed your mind about Bronze-ranked adventurers?"
"I changed my mind about you."
By the time they entered the Adventurer's Guild, the hall was buzzing with its usual midday energy. New quests were posted. Old parties celebrated. The clatter of tankards and boots filled the air.