Æthelflæd danced with her arms and hands waving.
It was part of her morning rituals, this sniffing of powder.
— Was it your Master who taught you this?
— Exactly!
— Just out of curiosity, where was he while you were doing this?
— Right behind me, and he kept saying, wiggle your hips. — Æthelflæd remembered the old Golden Dragon's voice and imitated it perfectly. — Good girl, arch your back more, that's it! He would say breathlessly.
— So he was that type of male... — Leofwynn lamented without looking at Æthelflæd, who justified:
— This helps with QI.
— There is no QI in this world.
— Of course there is! — The Alchemist assured with absolute certainty, so much so that the Vulcan questioned the Centaur who was getting up, stretching her arms upward:
— Is there QI or any crap like that?
— No. — Ǣg-berend was incisive.
— Of course there is, this helps me gain Levels!
— You are Level 1, Æthelflæd. — And the Vulcan won the argument, with the Human on her knees lamenting her own position in the world.
TROT PART III
— Do you sell hammers? — The City of Belo Campo had been reached in the morning, however, all the shops were closed. Thus, Cynethryth and Edas spent some time walking and seeing the local fountains, each one had a statue of the Seven Daughters of the Earth, the Goddesses of Humans. Curiously, Edas knew about them, but Cynethryth had never heard of any of them. In turn, when the fairs began and the markets opened, the two went to Bilbo the Dwarf's Carpentry Shop, who answered the Unicorn upon showing the toolbox. — This was exactly what I needed, I'll take one of each, and also nails, glue, Wall Reconstruction Alchemy... — And the list grew until Edas had to buy bags for the journey, which were placed on his back.
He returned loaded, with Cynethryth beside him stroking his mane:
— Good boy.
THE CAPITAL OF SCALY STAIN
In turn, Æthelflæd was riding Ǣg-berend when carriages began to appear and they reached the King's Road, the widest road, which bordered the entire eastern continent, from the Kingdom of Between Rivers to the Human Capital in the Kingdom of the King's Port.
— One day I will still cross this entire Road... — Æthelflæd began when her Mark glowed, and the Demon King's voice echoed:
— Not before you find my employees!
With Æthelflæd's mood cut short by reality, the Towers of Enigmarium appeared, with their low walls and pastures with cows as far as the eye could see in the vastness.
When the first district appeared, in white stones and rivers diverted over the rooftops, the Capital could be felt in aroma and taste:
— This place stinks!
— Æthelflæd! — Leofwynn complained to the displeased Alchemist, as the complaints began to increase and offend the locals, who began to avoid them.
When they arrived at the local Guild, the Belly Busters, they had to wait almost seventeen days until the groups and new guilds were updated, because they had registered in a smaller city and the letters took time to arrive and share the new registrations.
They slept the last night in one of the squares with open sewers, until they managed to accept a mission. Exterminate 12 Level 7 Sea Drakes, which was almost withdrawn when the Human tried to sign the responsibility alone, but was resolved with the presence of Ǣg-berend, thus signing as Rose, but with a disturbing Aura.
SEA DRAKES
They were all dead, and there stood the Hero, Bagomeu.
— What fine haunches. — Said Bagomeu to Ǣg-berend. — May I know the name of this so distinguished warrior?
— What a charmer! — Æthelflæd was impressed by Bagomeu's swing, who was an overweight Human, about fifty-six years old, with a long-barreled weapon, a shotgun that used gunpowder.
Bagomeu had hair on the sides of his head, but not much on the center of his large wrinkled head.
In Hunter's garments, blood from the defeated monsters, and the smell of one who was not an adept of daily bathing practices.
A perfect specimen of the Human race.
— Go fuck yourself, you son of a bitch. — Said Ǣg-berend, and pushed the Hero Bagomeu away.
— Stay away from my prey. — Retorted Bagomeu, with brown hair and angry eyes. And the group returned to the Guild to look for another job.
Æthelflæd went in alone, and had an idea, which seemed brilliant as she rationalized the lack of silver and even bronze.
When she came out, she had a small pouch full of gold.
And she started hurrying her steps.
The others followed her.
It was Cwenburg who reached the conclusion first, and with "Levitation" she distanced herself from the others, being pursued by the Vulcan:
— What did she do?
— Quick, Leofwynn, it won't take long for them to come after us!
They flew away, with Ǣg-berend flying with Æthelflæd on her back. It was at this moment that Godwyna, approaching from the east, reunited with them, also speeding up her flight.
— What did you do! — At the city limits, Æthelflæd informed the others what Cwenburg had already deduced, she had taken the reward for the work completed by Bagomeu. — They'll know it was you, and that it was our Group, you idiot! They have our documents!
— I had no way of knowing that, Leofwynn!
— How not? You were the one who presented our documents!
— Good thing I wasn't with you when you created the group. — The Serpentarium Godwyna thanked her own luck, until she heard Cwenburg:
— Actually, we put your name in too, you fool, did you think we'd leave you out? — With tears in her eyes, Godwyna first smiled, and then, upon noticing the city guards flying after them, she began to cry.
Thus, the group, once again, returned to prison, now in filthy Enigmarium.