Store

While they shared a moment, Greg had finished his negotiations with the two girls.

"If you are fine with it, then me, Serge, Pia, and Irena will each get 10% of the shares of our new store. I'll manage it, Serge will refine pills for it.", this was what they had planned before, although they had reduced the number of shares to only 10%.

"I don't think it has been mentioned before, but Pia can craft charms and will provide them to the store.", he then continued on.

Charms were one-time-use items, which usually stored a live-saving spell such as a healing or shielding spell. Since Pia was a Paladin, she was able to craft both types based on her faith. Charms were something very useful for any adventurer since they could make the difference between life and death. At the same time, they could only be crafted by a few people making them rare and expensive. Ivan didn't know the exact requirements to craft them but it had something to do with their faith and skill in using the skills embedded in the charm. Of course, there would also be differences between different charms, based on who crafted them.

"That's great. Seems like we can make the store high end.", he cheered.

"Of course.", Greg said proudly and the others nodded their agreement. All of them were proud of their crafting skills. For lower ranked adventurers the stuff they were able to create would definitely be on the upper end of the scale.

"Especially since Irena can engrave. So we are only missing someone who is specialized in forging and we have a complete team. Then we could provide everything lower-ranked adventurers would need.", Greg sounded so proud that it seemed as if he personally had found all the members and brought them together. Since everyone was glad that he was back to normal, nobody called him out on it.

"Then should we look for someone?", Ivan asked.

"I think we should just hire someone.", Greg said, "We will need to get some sales personal anyway since we don't have the time to do sales. And I think it would be better if nobody outside of our rounds of friends holds a stake in the store."

Ivan checked the expressions of the others to see what they thought about Greg's proposal. Everyone nodded to indicate that they agreed with his opinion.

"Ok. Then let's have Greg find some personal including someone who can forge. And if there is a need we can invite someone else later.", he then made the decision.

"I'll get started today.", Greg agreed enthusiastically.

Celine then gave everyone the address of the store and told them to go there to take a look. She would also call Arina to tell her about what they had decided.

Now that is was out of the way, Celine got to the next topic. "Now that so many of you have decided to stop going into the dungeon, I think you should decide on how to continue."

"Right. Since Greg isn't going, I'll not go either. After all, I only went because of him.", Pia told them honestly.

Nobody took offense in her words. It was what they had already expected.

With her out as well, there were only Irena and Ivan left. They looked at each other and then turned towards Celine.

"What's your opinion?", Irena asked the more experienced woman.

"It depends on your goals. I know that Ivan is planning to go to the upper realm so fighting in a group isn't as useful as collecting combat experience in solo combat. Up there it is rarer to fight as a group. Most cultivators move and fight alone.", Celine told them, already indicating what choice she thought was best for Ivan to make. "What about you? Do you plan to go to the upper realm as well?"

"I'm not sure.", Irena answered her question.

"Well, it's not like you have to make the decision now. But if you want to stay in this realm only it would be better to find a group to train together instead of going solo."

"Can't we do both?"

"You could but it would be much less effective. Solo combat is different from group combat, so what you practice would be different as well."

"But isn't he fighting together with his pets and even you? Does that even count as solo combat?", Irena asked confused while pointing at Ivan.

"A good question. And the answer is yes. Everything that can be called on by one's owns strength at a moment's notice is considered to be part of one's strength and thus fighting like this is categorized as solo combat.

But of course, there are differences. For people who use pets or summoned creatures, solo combat can be just like group combat."

"Then if I had a pet as well, I could theoretically train group and solo combat at the same time?"

"Since it would be so similar you could say so.", Celine agreed, not knowing where she was going with her questions.

"Then I'll do the same form of training as Ivan. Solo combat with pets to get practice in group combat.", Irena announced her decision, surprising everyone.

"You have a pet?", Greg asked in surprise. The others looked at her questioningly as well. None of them had ever heard her talking about having a pet.

Irena nodded and then explained, "It is different from Ivan. Vlada is a slave, which has been bound to him with the 'Tame' skill. She can't naturally evolve and can theoretically be traded.

My pet is something that comes from a bloodline bound. It grows together with me and can evolve if it reaches a certain level."

Celine stared at her in surprise, "Your family has bloodline pets?"

"Mm."

"Wow.", a look of astonishment appeared on Celine's face. "Can you show it to us?"

The others didn't understand why she was so astonished since they had never heard of bloodline pets before.

Irena shook her head, "No. I just reached the level required to activate it and haven't done the ritual yet."

"Oh.", Celine sounded a bit disappointed.

"I'll show it to you when I have it.", seeing her disappointment, Irena promised her, thus cheering her up.

"Um, what is a bloodline pet?", Greg asked the question, which the others had in their head too.

"A bloodline pet is a pet, that is formed by the energy provided by a bloodline. The most common one is a spirit pet but there are also other types."

When Ivan heard her explanation he suddenly remembered something. He had completely forgotten about the lizard that had appeared back when his bloodline had changed. With Janes kitten being around all the time, they had completely forgotten her abnormal nature and instead saw her as just a normal kitten.

Back then the lizard had vanished after some time and he was currently unable to call it out. He could feel some connection with it but the feeling he got was that it was sleeping.

Meanwhile, Celine had explained some more facts about bloodline pets, such as how they scaled with the strength of the owner and were as such strongly desired partners.

They were interrupted by the ringing of Celine's phone. After taking a short glance at it she hurriedly accepted the call.

"Sorry, Jane. Greg made a mess, so we were delayed."

It was his daughter who had called to check on where they were. They had delayed for so long that she had gotten worried.

"Of course. We will come over now.", Celine told her before hanging up the phone. She didn't even give him a chance to talk to his daughter.

"You can talk to her when we get there.", she told him, when she saw his displeased look.

"Ok. Then we will get going. See you.", he hurriedly said his goodbye before pulling Celine towards the entrance. He didn't want to keep his daughter waiting any longer than necessary since she had already called to ask where they were.

The woman who was being pulled along, could only smile apologizing to the group and then follow him. Behind them, the group of friends laughed at him hurrying to his daughter.

"How about we have a daughter as well?", Greg asked Pia.

Her rebuking him angrily, saying that they were still too young was the last thing they heard before leaving the school's premises.

Celine had taken a van, so they would be able to comfortably fit into it on the drive back. After boarding it she then drove them speedily but safely to the palace.