The next day.

  I found Marcus and the rest of his party seemingly waiting for me outside the guild hall.

  "Vera!" Marcus waved when he spotted me approaching with Nox. "Perfect timing."

  I blinked, confused. "What's going on?"

  Marcus shifted his pack on his shoulder. "We're heading out. Our business here is finished."

  "Already?"

  "Yeah. The basilisk was the main reason we came to Oakenford." He rubbed the back of his neck, looking a bit awkward. "Actually, that's why I wanted to catch you before we left. I have a question."

  I waited, feeling Nox shift beside me.

  "Would you like to come with us? To the capital, I mean." He gestured vaguely eastward.

  "There are way more opportunities there for adventurers. You'd advance faster than staying in a small town like this."

  Leon nodded from behind him. "The guild branch there is ten times the size of this one."

  "And the market for rare monsters is huge," Lydia added. "Tamers with your skills are in high demand."

  I stood there, processing what they were offering.

  The capital. Real opportunities. A chance to grow stronger, to learn more about this world.

  It was tempting. Really tempting.

  But I shook my head slowly. "I can't."

  Marcus's expression fell slightly. "Why not?"

  "I need to stay here," I said quietly. "At least for now."

  "Is it the travel costs? Because we can—"

  "It's not that." I cut him off gently. "It's Emil. He's still recovering and I... I can't leave until I know he's okay."

  Marcus blinked, then his face softened with understanding.

  "He's stable now, but he's not out of the woods yet. I need to make sure he pulls through before I go anywhere."

  Marcus was quiet for a moment, then nodded slowly. "I get it. That's... that's good of you, Vera."

  Lydia smiled warmly. "That kid's lucky to have someone looking out for him."

  "I just... I need to make sure he's okay first."

  "No, I understand completely." Marcus reached into his pack, rummaging around for something. "But listen, if you ever make it to the capital, or if you need anything..."

  He pulled out a small metal emblem, about the size of a coin. It had a pair of silver wings engraved on it, detailed and surprisingly intricate.

  "Take this," he said, holding it out to me.

  I stared at it. "What is it?"

  "Our party emblem. Show this to the Adventurer's Guild in the capital, and they'll know how to reach us." He pressed it into my palm. "If you ever need help, or just want to connect when you get there."

  The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  The metal was cool against my skin, heavier than I expected.

  "Marcus, I can't—"

  "You can," he said firmly. "You saved my grandfather, gave him more time than he would've had otherwise. This is the least I can do."

  Rhys stepped forward, her gentle green eyes warm. "We mean it. Don't hesitate to reach out."

  Flint grunted his agreement. "Aye. You've got talent, girl. Don't waste it in a small town forever."

  I closed my fingers around the emblem, something settling in my chest. "Thank you. Really."

  Marcus grinned. "Just take care of yourself, alright? And that kid too."

  "I will."

  They started moving toward the town gates, their packs secured and weapons ready for the road. Marcus gave me one last wave before they rounded the corner.

  I stood there for a moment, staring down at the emblem in my hand.

  I slipped it into my pocket and turned back toward the guild hall, while Nox stayed outside.

  I pushed through the guild hall doors, the familiar noise of adventurers washing over me.

  The place was busier than usual today, groups clustered around tables discussing jobs or celebrating successful quests.

  "Vera!"

  I turned to see Aditya waving at me from across the room. She was sitting at one of the corner tables, her leather armor looking a bit more worn than the last time I'd seen her.

  "Hey," I said, walking over. "How've you been?"

  "Busy." She gestured at the empty chair across from her. "Sit. You look like you could use a break."

  I settled into the chair. "Just finished saying goodbye to some people. Long morning."

  "Silver Wings, right?" Aditya grinned. "Saw you talking to them outside. Pretty impressive company you're keeping these days."

  "It's not like that," I said quickly.

  "Sure, sure." She took a swig from her mug. "So, more herb gathering?"

  I nodded. "Probably. It's been working out well so far."

  "Smart." She leaned back in her chair. "Though I heard Garrick saying you've been clearing those jobs faster than most veterans."

  "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

  "Good, mostly. Means you're building a reputation."

  "Noted."

  Aditya studied me for a moment. "You okay? You seem... I don't know. Distracted."

  I shrugged. "Just thinking about what comes next, I guess."

  "Welcome to the adventurer's life." She finished her drink and stood up. "Come on, let's see what's on the board today. Maybe we can take something together if you're interested."

  "Together?"

  "Why not? I could use a tamer's help on some of these jobs, and you could use someone who knows the area better." She grinned. "Plus, splitting the pay is better than going solo and risking your neck."

  I considered it. Working with someone else might be good practice. And Aditya seemed reliable enough.

  "Alright," I said, standing up. "Let's see what's available."

  We walked over to the job board together.

  "Do you always work alone?" I asked as we scanned the postings.

  Aditya nodded. "Mostly, yeah. Sometimes I'll join up with other teams for bigger jobs, but it's never permanent. Works better for me that way."

  "Why's that?"

  She shrugged. "Less politics. No drama about splitting loot or who gets credit. I do my job, get paid, move on." She glanced at me. "Plus, permanent parties can get... complicated. People start expecting things from you."

  I understood that feeling more than I wanted to admit.

  "What about you?" Aditya asked. "You planning to stay solo, or are you looking for a permanent party?"

  "Solo, for now," I said. "Still figuring things out."

  "Fair enough." She pointed at a yellow parchment near the middle of the board. "Here. Goblin sweep in the eastern sewers. E-rank job, pays decent. Two people should be able to handle it easy."

  I read the posting over her shoulder.

  Goblin nest reported in eastern sewer tunnels. Extermination required. Payment: 15 silver upon completion. Warning: Sewers can be hazardous. Bring torches.

  "Sewers," I said flatly.

  "Yeah, I know. Not glamorous." Aditya grinned. "But goblins are pretty straightforward to deal with, and fifteen silver split two ways isn't bad for a few hours of work."

  I hesitated. Combat jobs were different from herb gathering. More dangerous. More chances for things to go wrong.

  But I couldn't keep avoiding fights forever. Eventually I'd need real experience.

  "Alright," I said. "Let's do it."

  "Really?" Aditya looked surprised. "I figured you'd stick to herb gathering for a while longer."

  "I need to push myself a little," I said, more to convince myself than her. "Besides, you said goblins are straightforward, right?"

  "Oh, they are. Dumb as rocks and easy to kill. Just watch out for their crude weapons and the smell." She wrinkled her nose. "Seriously, goblins stink."

  I pulled the posting off the board and walked it over to Garrick's desk.

  "Goblin sweep?" Garrick raised an eyebrow when he saw it. "Moving up in the world, are we, missy?"

  "Just trying something new," I said.

  He stamped the posting. "Good. Herb gathering's fine and all, but you won't advance sitting on your ass picking flowers." He looked at Aditya. "You keeping an eye on her?"

  "That's the plan," Aditya said.

  "Good. Don't let her do anything stupid." He handed the stamped posting back to me. "And bring proof of the nest being cleared. I want goblin ears or something similar."

  "Got it," I said.

  Aditya clapped me on the shoulder. "Alright, partner. Let's go kill some goblins."