They slept like rocks and woke up fresh, heads clear, bodies loose. Morning felt good. Bread, water, a quick stretch, and a few drills just to keep the blood moving. Both of them had that quiet hum in the chest, the kind that comes when you think the day's going to be easy.
They hit the guild first. The board was packed, but nothing decent. Monster extermination jobs that paid scraps. Quarry runs that smelled like broken bones. A slime cleanup that looked like a death wish without a mage. Raul stared at the board for a full minute, then shrugged.
"Nothing worth bleeding for," he said.
"Yeah," Arin agreed. "Let's chill today and kill time at Victor's."
___________________________
Victor's smithy was warm and loud with the sound of steel kissing stone. He was wiping down a blade when they walked in. His face lit up like someone had handed him gossip on a plate.
"Guys, you know?" Victor leaned on the counter, voice dropping like he was about to sell secrets. "The old baron's on his deathbed. Succession war's boiling. All his kids are moving pieces."
Arin blinked. "Really? That's… rough. First Lira, now her father?"
Raul snorted. "Bruh. You're so naive. You grew up in slums? How did you even survive there?"
Arin frowned. "Why? You questioning my poor upbringing now, Mr. Richie Rich?"
Raul rolled his eyes. "Think, Arin. Lira was a succession candidate. She hired escorts, lots of them. Why? Doesn't the barony have soldiers? Why pull adventurers? And how does a Captain-rank Colossaconda just pop up on a soldier's road? First strike hits Elen and Lira. Doesn't that smell rotten to you?"
Arin froze mid-breath. "Holy shit. Now that you say it… it happened right before the succession war started. You mean Lira's siblings—"
"Shhh." Raul slapped a hand over his mouth. "Walls have ears."
Victor whistled low. "Wow. You guys really went through hell, huh? That's some spicy tea. Thanks for spilling it. In return, repairs are on the house today."
Arin grinned like a kid. "Yooo! Party's on me tonight!"
Sun slid down slowly, painting the street orange. They hit the local bar when the lamps started to glow. The place smelled like ale and fried dough, voices bouncing off wood beams. Arin grabbed a table near the wall. Raul dumped his gear under the bench. Victor waved at the barkeep like he owned the place.
"Bills on us," Arin said. "Order random shit."
Victor grinned. "Say less."
Plates started landing: meat pies, roasted chicken, bread thick with butter, mugs of grape ale sweating on the wood. They ate like men who'd been living on sewer air and worm stink for too long.
Halfway through the second mug, Arin leaned back, grinning stupidly. "Yoo, look at that girl, she's got cake."
Raul didn't even look up from his plate. "Be serious, dammit."
Victor laughed so hard he almost spilled his drink. "You two sound like brothers."
"Don't curse me like that," Raul said, deadpan.
Arin snorted. "You love me."
"Sure," Raul said. "Like a rash."
Victor wiped his mouth, eyes bright. "Speaking of love, guess who got rejected yesterday?"
Arin perked up. "Oh no. Spill."
Raul smirked. "This better be good."
Victor groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "I tried talking to that herbalist near the east gate. Thought I was smooth. Asked if she wanted to grab a drink."
"And?" Arin leaned forward.
"She said," Victor paused for effect, " I'd rather drink poison."
Raul choked on his ale. Arin slapped the table, laughing so hard his ribs hurt. "Bro. BRO. She killed it."
Victor threw his hands up. "I was holding a bouquet! Do you know how stupid I looked?"
Raul wiped his mouth, still grinning. "I can imagine the look on your face, Oh god, my tummy's hurting."
Arin grinned wider. "Did she at least keep the flowers?"
Victor groaned louder. "She fed them to her donkey."
Raul lost it again. "Even the donkey's winning."
Victor pointed at both of them. "Laugh now. When you two get dumped, I'm buying front-row seats."
Arin raised his mug. "To Victor's tragic love life."
Raul clinked his mug against Arin's. "May it continue."
Victor flipped them off and drank anyway.
___________________________
They stayed till the lamps burned low and the barkeep started stacking chairs. The air was warm with ale and easy talk. No monsters. No blood. Just three idiots laughing about things that didn't matter.
When they stepped outside, the street was quiet except for a drunk singing off-key near the fountain. The night smelled like ale and smoke. Arin felt light in a way he hadn't since his past life.
Raul walked with his hands in his pockets, head tilted like he was listening to something far away. Victor hummed under his breath, probably plotting revenge on the herbalist.
Arin looked up at the sky, dark, clean, stars sharp like nails. He smiled without meaning to.
But this was just the calm before the storm.