What more could a man ask for

The day became a blur of concerned faces and bandages that weren't entirely necessary. Yura had left me soon after the guards had. Both to get dressed, clean herself off, and find a healer to look me over. Though she had believed my story, apparently it hadn't quite sunk in yet. Regardless, the way she looked at me... with a pained combination of concern, fear, and something... more. It honestly hurt me to see. Even as the healer wrapped my entire chest and ribs up, she didn’t lose that expression of concern. If not for me, then for the situation at hand. One she'd been thrown into.

"I'm sorry, Yura."

It slipped out somewhere between trying to slip my shirt on once more and wincing at the discomfort. Just slipped out before I could catch it. What really got to me though, besides the look in her eyes, was the way she actually replied.

"Yeah..."

It hurt. Hit me like a speeding semi. A cold acknowledgement. I wasn’t looking to be comforted, but seeing how it hit her made everything that much worse. It took me a long while before I could come up with anything more. By the time I had we were both dressed and staring into nothing. Each of us as silent as the night but... it felt wrong. Wrong but nothing we could possibly change.

I stood up and brushed the imaginary dust off myself. Taking a moment to think, really think, before moving on. It's one thing to just move forward, but I needed to act. To move deliberately. To be deliberate. Especially if the guards were going to be stalking my every move. It'd be one thing for me, but...

Yura...

"Yura, we have to go our separate ways. At least for the time being. While I'm being watched. It's... you didn't do anything to deserve being dragged into this bullshit."

"Yeah..."

That cold acknowledgment again. It stung, but it would be worse if she hadn’t agreed. Least this way she may get to a safe distance. The next issue became a more complicated one. Put it simply... Yura couldn't be at a safe distance if I was sleeping where she worked.

"Thank you, Yura. For everything." With a cold discomfort I picked up my bag. Yura's bag. Guess it was a gift after all. Leaving a small crystal on the table next to the bad that she sat on. A sad expression on her beautiful face. Ruining it. It hurt to see someone like her so downtrodden. Regardless... I left the crystal, surely ample payment and stepped out the door. Leaving her to... to come to terms alone. Great fucking friend I was.

With Yura's... my bag slung over my shoulder I started my way down the hall. Down the stairs into the main area where the bartender was cleaning a mug. Picturesque, if not a cliche. After a brief explanation I set another small crystal on the counter. A few eyes catching me but none saying anything. Even the bar itself had become awkwardly quiet. The guards and sheriff fat fuck had completely killed the mood. Didn't matter now. Tab was paid and I was leaving.

Bag over the shoulder, broken sword on my hip, and not a damn thing to keep me warm. Least the night wasn't exceptionally cold just yet. Crisp, but that was about it. Nothing I couldn't just tough out. Maybe a small fire could have helped though in retrospect. Least it didn’t take long to find a somewhat covered spot. Within the hour I'd found a small alcove under a bridge near the square where Yura had taken mr to speak with the smiths and guild. It wasn't warm, it wasn't dry, and the wind blew through it from an angle, but it was covered and I wasn’t afraid of any rain that might have come down.

Cold and damp, that's what I remember of the night. Not winter though, right? Just a little cold and a little damp. Nothing to really complain about. No more than just a few too many words.

That morning however came with a stiff neck, back, and my rib throbbed. Eros could have gifted me with an accelerated healing. But... no, last thing I needed was super magic cancer or something awful. My ribs hurt, but the bandage kept them in place, so no more complaining on that either.

With a long grunt I **** myself up and out of my small pit. Making my way down to the square where the stalls were already being set up. Only the earliest of shoppers had arrived, merchants and store owners really. Restaurant owners getting supplied or seamstresses buying the latest fabric for their art. Deals premade. One of my own waiting in the guild hall.

Making my way up the square I took the moment to glance around at the shops. Some of them carrying rather interesting items. Some jewelry, some food, one with a collection of old looking blades. Not fit for fighting, but they might have looked good in a collection. If a little rusty.

It didn't take long to pass them all by. Making my way back to the solid doors of the Adventurers Guild. The ones where Yura practically kicked them open announcing my arrival. Well... maybe not that dramatic, but it felt like it with how natural she did it. This time was just some guy with a heavy bag, stiff joints, and a metal medallion to act like some sort of authority.

I stepped up to the counter once more where Brie was organizing some papers. She barely glanced up before starting in some spiel. "Good morning, welcome to the Adventurers Guild, unfortunately we are unable to accept any..."

"Oh! Umm... friend of Yura?"

I couldn't fight back the small chuckle that eacaped me as she realized who I was. Not that she had any reason to remember me. Good to know that she had at least. "Yeah, Leo Kross. You gave me a quest to investigate some ruins and help a kid. Took... more time than it should have."

"I remember... a kid had fallen into the ruins. I also understand that you haven't done this before, right?" Brie reached down into the counter in front of her. Pulling out a small form before setting it down in front of me. It was simple but had a decent amount of information required. "You'll need to fill this out and return it. You... you can write, yes?"

"I think I can figure it out. Might take me a minute but it'll get done." I looked the paper over. Not too complicated. Just my name, rank, and to fill out the quest summary. Though thinking about it... I couldn't write in their language. "Thank you, I'll get it handled."

Taking the form, pen and ink, I made my way over to one of the desks by the wall. Though I had no idea how to write, I could try something. Worst case I make the excuse that it was just human writing. Though that excuse would have been flimsy at best. I dunked the pen into the ink jar, tapped the paper with my fingers, and started writing. Though it took me a long while to get used to feather and ink. It looked like utter shit but... it wasn't English.

Even as I tried to write it wasn't English. Not the words. Not the letters. Not even the damn grammar. Everything about it was completely different. Yet I could still read it. "Leo Kross, 25, Siver" Not a single letter in front of me was familiar yet it felt right. Another thing to blame on Eros. Another to thank them for.

Word after word seemed to just come out naturally. As if I were writing it in my own native language. Just came out right. Filling the information and I gave an altered version of the events. Keeping much of it to myself, yet I mentioned the creatures, the cave, and the poison their bites injected. Keeping the crystals, Eros, and truth of the cavern to myself and those who needed to know. Certainly not the authorities. Not yet. "Here, Brie. All done."