Just Deduct It from My Pay

"What are you planning? What idea?" Jess tilted his head toward Gred and tried to look as though his injuries were so bad that he couldn't move.

Gred leaned against the doorframe with his right hand on his hip. "Listen. We train your swordsmanship harder. Then harder, and harder again, until you're a master swordsman. I'll have to step up my own training, too. I'm not at that level myself yet. That way, you'll discover the thrill of real combat and the satisfaction that comes from training your body and mind. That's far more tempting than corrupt dark power! Tell me, who do you admire more: those ugly, bloated orc warlocks, or Danath Trollbane, who led an army through the Dark Portal? You're human. I think the answer's obvious."

"You're right. A hero like Danath is definitely someone to look up to," Jess said teasingly. "But what I envy more than his fighting ability is his noble birth. You don't need to learn swordsmanship or magic. You can lie around while people look after you and make money for you."

"Noble birth? Haven't you heard the old saying? Even kings don't rule forever, never mind noble bloodlines. In the end, only the sword in your hand will stay loyal to you!"

As soon as he finished, Gred leaned against a nearby chair. "Still, being a noble really is something to envy. Guess we can only blame our ancestors for not doing better."

Jess snorted with laughter, then winced as every bite wound on his body began aching.

They ate at Great Lake Farm. It had been ages since Jess had eaten meat so freely. He'd expected wolf meat to be tough and sour, like the worg meat in Duskwood. But it wasn't strange at all. It was more like donkey meat he'd eaten before, and quite tasty.

Then again, wasn't wolf meat basically dog meat?

After resting for a night, Jess and Gred set out for Stormwind the next morning with several bundles of cleaned wolf hides.

They looked like wounded soldiers retreating after losing a battle against gnolls in Redridge. Merchants and travelers along the road kept asking them whether the trade route between Lakeshire and Grand Hamlet had reopened.

The bounty, the payment for finding the child, and another two silver the farmer gave them in thanks came to nine silver in total. Gred handed six silver to Jess as a reward for his exceptional contribution and an allowance for recovering from his injuries.

But they only had the four silver from the farmer in hand. They'd have to collect the five-silver bounty in Old Town, so Gred added two silver from his own pocket to make up Jess's share.

Jess had given the dwarf such a big pile of money after Duskwood. Surely Gred ought to be a little generous this time.

With those six silver, Jess now had thirty silver saved up.

The wolf hunt had ruined one of the only three shirts he owned. Worse, it was one of his two thin summer shirts, meaning he no longer had anything to change into. It was time to buy new clothes.

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Most of Stormwind's old clothing shops were in Old Town. The Trade District mostly sold clothes brought in from elsewhere, and they weren't particularly cheap. But Jess was still covered in injuries. Walking all the way to Old Town was out of the question.

Leaning on the long orc staff, he hobbled to a clothing shop beside the canal, right in the center of the Trade District. From here he could see the fountain in the square and the accounting firm founded by the gnomes. This was now Stormwind's busiest area, full of people and noise.

Ever since the fight with the wolf pack a few nights ago, the staff in his hand had seemed more and more noticeable. He kept feeling as though people were glancing at it as he walked.

The shop, Lionheart Equipment, sold not only shirts and coats but armor as well. Most of it was the leather outerwear travelers used on the road, or more complicated, simple armor with iron plates sewn into it. Such things didn't seem to be selling well in summer. They hung in the corners gathering dust. There was certainly no half-plate or full-plate armor like Stormwind's royal guards and knights wore.

Jess bought a light brown linen shirt in the Lordaeron style. He immediately felt like a new man.

But his old gray trousers now looked out of place. They'd also been torn in a few spots, so on the shopkeeper's recommendation he added a pair of loose dark brown leather pants. They were tough and durable. The only drawback was that they'd be a little hot in summer, but summer was nearly over.

To save money, Jess generally wore one pair of pants all year. This pair would keep his legs from freezing in Stormwind's winter without making him sweat too much in summer. And in the wilderness, it could protect his legs from thorny plants. Perfect.

After some bargaining, the full outfit cost four silver. The pants were more expensive, but they were strong and looked good, so he accepted the price.

He went home, slept for a while, and put the staff away. That afternoon, he slowly made his way to the Wizard's Sanctum.

Near the time the apprentices would finish class, Jess sat by the entrance to the spiral staircase and waited until Edan Marin came past.

"Mr. Seso?"

Jess struggled to his feet. "Master, I'm really sorry. Something urgent came up these past two days. I thought I'd be able to get back yesterday."

"Went out to help someone fight?" Marin asked, looking at Jess's slightly raised right leg. "Or were you careless and got bitten by a dog?"

"Both," Jess answered.

Marin pushed up his glasses. "That's all right. Recovering from your injuries matters more. There hasn't been much work these past two days anyway. I'll just deduct the pay."

Jess sighed and was about to turn for home when Marin suddenly called him back.

"Oh, Mr. Seso, one more thing. About the orc-language classes. I've spoken to Master Duchamp, and you're on the list now. He's very willing to accept new students, especially ones with great talent and a desire to learn."

Jess brightened at once. "When are the classes?"

"Two or three each week: Tuesday afternoon, Wednesday morning, and Thursday afternoon. You'll have to miss the Wednesday morning class, since you still have work, right? You can look through the orc-language materials collected by the scholars and masters in the language section of the library. Use them to prepare and make up for what you miss. From the top level of the library, go down one floor. Ask the librarian if you need directions."

Wonderful. If he could study the orc-language materials and match words to their meanings, he might soon be able to decipher the scroll.

Then, if he studied hard, he'd soon unlock the contents of the complete and damaged books too. He'd learn secret magic and finally rise to the top. Jess could hardly wait.

"Aren't you going to ask why Master Duchamp thinks you're so talented and eager to learn?" Marin suddenly asked.

"Huh?" Jess thought the answer was obvious, but he asked anyway. "How would he know? I don't think I've ever met him."

Marin smiled. "Because I only recommend students who are hardworking and exceptionally gifted, of course."