The motor rumbled steadily through the crowded arteries of Blackwater while the city blurred past beyond the reinforced windows.
Steam hissed endlessly from overhead pipes.
Lantern light reflected across rain-slick metal streets.
Crowds flowed between industrial towers like currents moving through a machine far too massive to ever truly stop.
Inside the carriage—
it was quieter.
Contained.
Aldric lounged lazily against the seat with one boot resting across the opposite bench while his newly purchased coat hung loosely around him.
The bottle still hadn't left his hand.
At this point, it might as well have been spiritually bonded to him.
He glanced toward the cultist.
"So what are we actually doing at a guild anyway?"
The cultist sat across from him, posture composed despite the constant vibrations beneath the motor.
"We're going because I need to find a merchant."
Aldric raised a brow.
"For what?"
"The monster corpses."
A brief pause followed.
"The ones inside my storage ring."
Aldric blinked once.
Then snapped his fingers lightly.
"Oh."
Another pause.
"The trolls."
The cultist nodded.
"They still possess value even after death."
Aldric leaned back further with sudden understanding.
"Right. Troll blood, bone marrow, regenerative tissue…"
A faint grin spread across his face.
"Healing potion ingredients."
The cultist folded her arms.
"Yes."
Aldric whistled softly.
"…Those'll sell for quite a lot."
Nia sat quietly beside Draven while holding her small pastry bag close to herself.
The black cat remained hidden beneath the hood, purple eyes half-open as it silently observed the passing streets outside.
Draven himself didn't speak.
His gaze remained fixed beyond the window.
Watching Blackwater move.
Watching the city breathe.
The motor suddenly slowed.
Then came to a complete stop.
Outside—
a massive structure loomed between layered industrial buildings and elevated transport rails.
The driver turned slightly from the front seat.
"…We're here."
Aldric glanced out the window.
The building ahead stood far larger than most structures nearby.
Dark stone reinforced with black steel supports.
Multiple glowing signs layered across the entrance.
Mercenaries.
Hunters.
Mages.
Adventurers.
Dozens of people moved through the enormous front gates beneath glowing lantern arrays.
Above the entrance—
a massive silver emblem shaped like a wolf's head rested against a crimson shield.
The driver adjusted his goggles slightly.
"Wolf Ear Guild."
A pause.
"Nearest branch."
Aldric stared at the emblem for two full seconds.
Then looked genuinely offended.
"…Wolf Ear?"
He pointed toward the building.
"That's a stupid name."
The cultist ignored him entirely and reached into her coat, pulling out several silver coins before handing them to the driver.
"How much?"
The driver accepted the payment quickly.
"That covers it."
Aldric stepped out of the carriage first.
Cold industrial air hit them immediately.
Smoke drifted overhead beneath endless layers of pipes and suspended walkways.
The guild building towered above the crowded district like a fortress carved directly into the city itself.
Aldric shoved both hands into his coat pockets while staring upward.
"…Alright."
A pause.
"For a place with a dumb name…"
His eyes drifted across the reinforced walls, glowing windows, and heavily armed guards stationed near the entrance.
"…it doesn't look bad."
The cultist stepped down beside him calmly.
"It's one of the larger lower-district guild branches."
Nia exited quietly after them while Draven followed last beneath the dark cloak.
The black cat slowly lifted its head again from within the hood.
Watching the guild entrance in silence.
Nearby—
a pair of armored hunters dragged the corpse of a massive scaled beast across the front courtyard while several attendants rushed forward carrying measuring tools and storage equipment.
Mana lamps glowed overhead.
Voices echoed constantly through the district.
Metal clanged somewhere deeper inside the structure.
Aldric watched the dead creature get hauled toward the entrance.
"…Yeah."
A faint grin slowly appeared on his face.
"Now this looks like the kind of place where people either make money…"
His eyes drifted toward the heavily armed adventurers entering through the front gates.
"…or die trying."
The group walked forward through the guild entrance while the massive reinforced doors slid shut behind them with a heavy metallic hum.
Immediately—
the atmosphere changed.
The inside of the guild looked far better than Blackwater's streets had any right to allow.
Warm lighting spread across polished dark flooring while enormous mana lamps hung from the ceiling between exposed steel support beams.
Long digital boards flickered across the walls, displaying active contracts, bounty requests, escort missions, and monster extermination rewards.
Voices echoed constantly throughout the enormous hall.
Mercenaries argued loudly near one corner.
Several armored hunters dragged crates filled with monster parts toward an appraisal section deeper inside the building.
Mages discussed contracts around floating holographic displays.
Waitresses moved between crowded tables carrying drinks while exhausted adventurers collapsed into chairs nearby.
Different races filled the hall completely.
Humans.
Beastmen.
Elves.
Dwarves.
Even several races Aldric couldn't immediately identify.
Blackwater itself was chaotic.
But the guild felt organized within that chaos.
Like the city's violence had been compressed into business.
Aldric glanced around slowly while walking beside the others.
"…Wow."
A pause.
"This place is actually lively."
Nearby—
several people glanced toward the entering group briefly.
Some immediately looked away.
Others stared slightly longer.
Mostly because of Draven.
The dark cloak.
The complete absence of visible features beneath it.
The black cat half-hidden within the hood, silently watching everyone around them.
And beside him—
Aldric looked exactly like the type of person responsible for large-scale property damage.
Honestly accurate.
The group continued toward the front reception area where several attendants worked behind long reinforced counters.
One of them noticed the approaching group and straightened slightly.
A beastwoman.
Rabbit ears.
Dark fur covered most of her visible skin, leaving her appearance far more beast than human.
Her large ears twitched subtly as she looked across the group before offering a professional smile.
"…Welcome to the Wolf Ear Guild."
Her eyes briefly lingered on Aldric's bottle.
Then on the sword at his side.
Then on Draven.
Professional survival instincts activated immediately.
"How may I help you?"
The cultist stepped forward calmly before Aldric could say something dangerous.
"We're looking for a merchant willing to purchase monster remains."
The rabbit beastwoman blinked once.
"…What kind of remains?"
The cultist answered immediately.
"Mostly troll corpses."
Silence.
Several nearby adventurers visibly turned to look.
One man nearly choked on his drink.
The receptionist's ears twitched sharply upward.
"…Troll remains?"
Aldric leaned casually against the counter.
"Big ugly ones. Regeneration. Smelled terrible."
The receptionist stared at them much more carefully now.
"…How many?"
The cultist paused briefly.
"…Several."
A longer silence followed.
Then the receptionist slowly straightened.
"…Please wait a moment."
Her tone had changed completely now.
More cautious.
More serious.
She quickly turned and spoke quietly to another attendant deeper behind the desk.
Aldric watched her leave.
"…See?"
He folded his arms proudly.
"We walked in already profitable."
The cultist glanced sideways at him.
"You personally contributed nothing to the sale."
"I emotionally supported the violence."
"That explains nothing."
"Exactly."