XVII

Kzel hurriedly put every material of value into his inventory while Naevnir watched from a corner in awe. When he finished, the Rzir looked at Naevnir's direction and asked, "Are you going to carry that head all the way to the town? It's a very big head considering the size of its body."

"Of course. The Hunter's Hall will pay a huge sum for this." Naevnir proceeded to lower the jaw of the head, "Blue Forest Trolls are known for eating their prey whole."

Kzel shuddered in disgust after seeing a pointy tongue and yellow fangs. "Give it to me and I'll put it in my inventory so you will not tire yourself."

"What's an inventory?" Naevnir asked. A bit hesitant to part with the head.

"It's a magical space where I can store things." Kzel immediately came up with an answer. Naevnir carefully handed the head over. Upon contact, the head disappeared from sight.

"Can you teach me how to make my own inventory?" Naevnir's eyes shone. With an inventory, all the pain of carrying huge loads would go away. And she will not also need to guard her acquired wealth at all times.

"I can't." Kzel walked to the entrance and exited.

"Why not?" Naevnir followed outside.

"It's a gift from the gods."

"Which gods? I can make offerings and earn their favor."

"No you can't. They're the gods of my people, not yours."

The topic went on for hours until they spotted high walls and towers. Upon seeing the huge gates, Naevnir asked Kzel to give her the head of the troll.

With a motion, the head appeared on Kzel's grasp. Naevnir was amazed that she really wanted an inventory. She put the head in a sack and slung it over her shoulder.

Two guards were posted on each side of the gate. Before they can enter, the guards crossed their spears. "Travellers are strictly inspected."

"I'm here with my husband to collect a reward." Naevnir let the guards look inside the sack and they immediately withdrew their weapons and moved aside.

Once inside, countless Eerians greeted them. They move about minding their own business. However, some would take a glance at their direction for a second before moving on.

"I'm going to the Hunter's Hall. You can go and take care of your business. I'll find you." Naevnir said and disappeared to the crowd.

Kzel aimlessly wandered until he ended into a place where there are less people. He couldn't help but observe the only structure standing infront of him. A lumber mill. It's so primitive in his eyes that he wanted to make some modifications.

He snapped out from his thoughts when a man carrying a log on his shoulder, walked by and wearily gave him some words, "If you're here to work, start chopping some woods. We'll pay a silver for every fifty firewoods."

Kzel was not one who placed himself higher than any other men and humbly received the words. He looked around and found an axe planted on a chopping block. In reality, he had not done some wood cutting since he left the dying Earth. He immediately grabbed the long handle and pulled it out. Chopping wood required patience, precision, form and caution. If one is not careful, they'll chop off their leg as a reward.

After an hour, Kzel received two silver coins for his effort. He would have done some more but he was hungry.

"Come back anytime and give a hand." The man waved at him as he left.

Kzel was back on the dirty streets once more. He searched around for a place to buy some food. Eventually, he grew weary and sat on a bench on the side of a stall. The shopkeeper stared at him for a moment and slowly came to the conclusion that he was not a customer.

The Rzir took a few calming breathes and decided to continue his search. Suddenly, he spotted a familliar person watching him from the crowd. How could he forget her beautiful face. He looked down with the picture of her naked upper body, still replaying in his head. It was the same woman on the river. Luckily, she was wearing a white cloak this time.

The woman smiled. She approached him and grabbed his forearm then dragged him across the street. At that time of contact, her eyes widened for a brief moment. She had a vision portraying a bond between her and the man. After taking a few turns, she pointed at a displayed roasted meat, "I'm hungry."

Kzel himself was hungry and could only nod. Both entered the tavern with some patrons eyeing Kzel with a hint of jealousy. How could they not. The woman beside him was at a level even them could not fantasize to even scratch her attention.

A minute passed and food was served. The woman started eating like it was her last moment. Kzel on the other hand was more gluttonous. He was also eating on a level far from the reaches of their imaginations. Even the bones were not spared.

The other customers nodded to each other. The two were meant for each other. How could they have a wife like that. Their line of work would not suffice. They would even sell their genitals just to feed her.

When the duo finished eating, Kzel paid three golds and the customers around them almost vomitted blood. Three golds in one sitting? Some were motivated that they could sacrifice everyting just for a beauty like that while others with more logical reason shook their head.

The woman was impressed. The kingdom is in a crisis that it might never recover and money is hard to come by. The man before him just casually handed three golds, which is a man's honest work for a couple of months. She started wondering why she did not roped him in the first time they met. But she got lots of problem that needed to be attended. She had no time for such trivial things.

"Name's Kzel. What's yours?" The man introduced. There was a bit of hesitation before she answered.

"I'm Ilaz. Nice to finally know your name." She extended a hand, hinting that Kzel must take it and perhaps kiss it like a noble.

Kzel forcibly took her hand and shook it. However, a second later, he heard a familiar voice.

"Oh my! What a surpirse!"

Kzel turned around and saw the most vicious stare he had ever seen in his entire life.

"I was only gone for hours and someone is trying to steal my husband."