The Knight gripped his sword with both hands, striking at the deer's neck with a downward blow. The sword effortlessly pierced through the Creature, beheading it. Before its head hit the ground, the Creature had already disintegrated, leaving behind a large, vibrant red crystal and several smaller transparent crystals. Aestus stood motionless for five seconds, unable to believe that victory was his. He was brought back to reality by Orkan, who still lay in agony nearby. Aestus rushed to his friend, reaching for healing and burn remedy potions from his belt.

Quickly, Aestus poured the contents of the vials onto Orkan's wounds, and he immediately began to recover. He sat up, examining his arm and torso, finding no signs of burns or scars. His shirt had been mostly burned away, partially exposing his extremely defined physique.

"I think it's you who needs to share your training and diet with me, my friend," Aestus joked.

Orkan chuckled awkwardly, standing up and attempting to clean his garments as best he could. He looked at the spot where the deer had been, marked by the charred vegetation and the crystals left behind. When it registered that they had defeated the Creature, Orkan raised both arms, celebrating enthusiastically, singing an impromptu fanfare and doing a lively dance. Aestus shook his head, but he was also pleased with the outcome. They had worked together and managed to defeat a formidable opponent. They made an efficient pair: one agile and the other strong. But Aestus felt they needed more hunting companions with different Classes.

Unexpectedly, Orkan embraced his friend tightly, expressing gratitude for not abandoning him. The display of affection lasted only a brief moment, as it was not in the Rogue's nature, but Aestus appreciated it. The two friends gathered the crystals from the scorched grass and headed back towards Mrs. Dessine's property. Orkan felt frustrated and somewhat embarrassed for not participating in the final moments of the battle, but he was still quite happy with the result. Aestus felt proud of himself for defeating the Creature, protecting his friend, and being able to help another person in the town.

The journey back took longer than they anticipated, and they arrived at the farmhouse in the early afternoon, famished. Dessine was kneeling in a herb garden near the house, deeply engrossed in her work. Upon noticing the arrival of the young men, she stood up, wiping her hands, dirt smearing her apron. Her hair was neatly arranged, with a large lock falling over her left eye and peeking out from under the headscarf. She smiled and greeted the two.

"Good afternoon! So, did you manage to defeat the flaming deer?" They responded affirmatively, beginning to recount the details of the battle but were interrupted by her. "Great, great. It took you so long that I thought you had given up or even died. I was about to contact Barthos, but I thought it best to wait. I'm still a bit skeptical about the contract... Can I see it again before signing?"

Aestus looked towards Orkan, already anticipating what was about to happen. He saw his friend adjusting his hair and flexing his abdomen, gazing intently into Mrs. Dessine's eyes. Even Aestus felt his heart beat faster- that ability was truly powerful. Orkan then spoke in a seductive voice:

"With great pleasure, ma'am. I would never deceive someone as beautiful as you." He handed her the contract, lightly caressing Mrs. Dessine's hand, which made her blush. "If you could sign and indicate that the service has already been completed, I would be extremely grateful." He winked.

Aestus was impressed by Orkan's audacity. He himself could never do something so bold. Quickly, Dessine signed the contract, adding a comment below, praising the work of the young men. She handed them the document, with a strange smile- not entirely natural, but still very lovely.

"I have food ready if you want to have lunch. You must be hungry," she said, addressing Orkan directly and completely ignoring Aestus.

Aestus was already heading towards the exit, thanking her for the offer, when Orkan replied, "Oh, but of course, we'd love to! I'm starving."

Mrs. Dessine took Orkan's hand and led him into the house. Aestus tried to protest, but he was quickly silenced by the Rogue. He was indeed famished, but this was pushing their luck too far. After trying to argue a few more times, Aestus finally accepted the fact that they would be eating there. The house was spacious, made of wood, with a staircase right in front of the entrance, leading to the upper floor. The kitchen was on the left, while on the right was a large living room with a big sofa and a television.

The kitchen blended rustic elements, such as a wood-burning stove and a clay water filter, with modern appliances, all powered by crystal energy. Most houses had this conflicting decor, combining simplicity, technology, and magic. The kitchen was spotlessly clean, filled with the wonderful aroma of well-seasoned homemade food. They all sat around the dining table, which was positioned next to a large window overlooking the magnificent tree next to the house. Aestus lived in a similar building, although not as large. He noticed Orkan looking around, amazed. His friend had led a simpler life and wasn't accustomed to this reality. Aestus understood Orkan's ambition, at least partially.

They had a delicious meal, but the ending felt somewhat rushed. Orkan's charm was wearing off, and Mrs. Dessine had a confused look on her face, as if she was trying to focus her vision after waking up. The Hunters thanked her for her hospitality and bid their farewells quickly, leaving the house and heading towards the Guild. Orkan glanced back and blew a kiss towards Dessine, who didn't react. She rubbed her face, and when she looked up again, they were no longer in sight.

Aestus and Orkan walked at a slower pace, in silence. Orkan was already planning how he would spend the money he was going to earn and thinking about how useful he had been in this hunt. The Knight, on the other hand, was digesting everything that had happened, including the rule-breaking, the battle, and Orkan's trust. A thought crossed Aestus' mind. He still hadn't understood what happened at the end of the fight, how he had weakened the fiery deer. He hesitated whether to ask Orkan or not, looking at his friend. He decided to put it aside, as he hadn't seen clearly what had happened himself.

They went back to the Blacksmith, who repaired their clothes without asking any questions, quickly returning to his work after receiving payment. Now they just had to go back to the Guild and face Barthos. He would be furious, for sure, and not even Orkan's most powerful charm could control the situation. Aestus's heart raced faster as they approached the beautiful building. When they rounded a corner and faced the Guild's doors, Aestus was already sweating profusely, extremely anxious and hyperventilating.

"Friend, calm down. You look like you're about to pass out, like you're going to throw up all of Mrs. Dessine's food," Orkan said, holding Aestus's shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"I can't do it, Orkan. I don't know how to do things like this, the wrong way. Barthos will kick us out."

"Relax, I'll take all the blame. Worst case scenario, I'll get expelled, and you'll still be in the Guild." Aestus looked at his friend as if he had uttered a profane curse word. "But that's not going to happen, so don't worry."

Aestus closed his eyes, focusing on his breathing, trying to reduce his anxiety. Orkan patted his shoulder and headed towards the Guild. There was no turning back now. They entered, with Orkan leading the way and serving as a metaphorical shield. The Guild hall was quite empty, with only a few occupied tables. Aestus saw the oily-haired Warlock giving him a disdainful look, nudging the Spearwoman and pointing at the two young men. Waru was behind the bar, preparing a batch of red potions. Barthos was busy at the counter, apparently having trouble with the technology. The two newcomers approached the counter, with Orkan taking a deep breath before getting the attention of the burly man.

"Oh, look who showed up. Did you sleep in today? There are two new level one contracts, but one has already been assigned to a Guardian who arrived earlier. Do you want the other one? I think it's pretty simple, you guys can handle it," Barthos said, with a friendly tone.

"Well, something happened this morning..." Orkan began, taking the signed contract out of his pocket and placing it on the counter. Aestus looked down at his feet, scratching his eyebrow.

Barthos had a confused expression on his face. He looked at the contract, then at the notice board, and back at the contract. It was almost as if the pieces were clicking into place in his brain. He placed both hands on the counter and looked at the two young men. Orkan stared at Barthos with a neutral expression, while Aestus couldn't take his eyes off his boots. Barthos took a deep breath, ready to unleash his anger, but then he paused and examined the contract again. His thick finger traced Mrs. Dessine's signature and the comments she had written, reading them carefully. He stroked his beard, shaking his head.

"I should punish you, but I can't deny that I'm very impressed," Barthos said in a deeper voice than usual.

Everyone in the Guild stopped what they were doing and ceased their conversations, paying attention to what was happening at the counter. Waru raised his head and adjusted his glasses, while the Warlock shook his head, furious, having already understood what had transpired.

"How did you manage to complete a Level 3 Hunt?!" Barthos exclaimed, more excited than angry. "I've been working in the Guild for years, and I've never met anyone capable of that. There's always some rookie who thinks they can do it and then gets their butt kicked."

The Warlock and the Spearwoman stood up, visibly annoyed, heading towards the exit, leaving the Warrior behind. Barthos burst into laughter. There was definitely a story behind this. Aestus breathed a sigh of relief, realizing he wouldn't be expelled. Orkan adjusted his hair, trying not to show it too much, but he was also calmer.

"I'll separate the payment for you, alright?" Barthos said, still shaking his head. He was visibly struggling not to praise the young men too much because they had done something wrong, yet incredible and unheard of. "You've at least reached Level 2 with this hunt."

Aestus and Orkan looked at each other happily, both wearing ear-to-ear smiles. Maybe they were truly born for this. Barthos kept muttering "Level one" as he calculated the reward, chuckling. Orkan was restless, seeing the large amount he would receive for the hunt, while Aestus was already analyzing the Level 2 contracts. The Knight couldn't concentrate, actually, thinking about how he had escaped punishment and even received praise.

After a few minutes, Barthos placed a heavy bag on the counter. The reward was truly impressive, more than triple what they had earned from the contracts the previous day. It made more and more sense why Orkan had been in such a hurry to take on this hunt. The Rogue grabbed the bag even before Barthos could let go of it, hugging it as if it were a defenseless baby. Aestus approached the counter to express his gratitude when his wrist was grabbed and pulled by Barthos. The young man leaned forcefully over the counter, not understanding what was happening. Barthos then spoke in a low voice, meant for Aestus alone to hear.

"I advise you not to stay in the city for a few days. The other Hunters were really looking forward to this contract, the payment was quite generous. They won't be happy to find out that two newcomers snatched this opportunity from them."

Aestus blinked rapidly, processing this information. Now he was in danger of being killed by the other Hunters. He hadn't anticipated this. He didn't want to fight anyone, let alone have to defend his own life because of other Hunters. But Barthos had a suggestion. He continued:

"There's a Level 2 contract from a resident of Silvi, the next town to the east. He says that a necrobear is lurking in the area near the town, and there aren't many Hunters around there. You two should take that contract and let things settle down. Come back after a few days."

Barthos released Aestus' wrist, which was a bit sore. The young man stepped away from the counter, massaging the tender spot, thanking Barthos. Orkan was still admiring the bag of crystals, paying no attention to anything else. Aestus really wanted to travel and see the world. Maybe this was the necessary stimulus. Well, not necessarily THIS stimulus, but it was a reason nonetheless. Barthos finished some notes and records, discreetly handing the folded contract to Aestus. Aestus bid farewell to Barthos and Waru, leaving the Guild and pushing Orkan to join him.

They decided to spend the rest of the day at Aestus' house. On the way there, the Knight told his friend what Barthos had said. Orkan became furious, wanting to confront any envious Hunter, but Aestus reminded him that they were still inexperienced and only two of them. Orkan reluctantly agreed. However, when he heard the next part of the plan, about going to Silvi and hunting a necrobear, Orkan became very excited. It was no secret to anyone that his dream was to leave Comanse. Silvi was a good start, being a nearby town and not too big. They arrived at Aestus' house, where he lived with his older brother, situated among other similar buildings in a pleasant, leafy residential neighborhood.

Aestus was the youngest, with an older sister who was already married and living in another house with her husband, and a middle brother who had no plans to get married or move out. Aestus was closer to his sister, even though they lived apart. His brother had distanced himself quite a bit after their parents' death, isolating himself in work. He probably thought Aestus should go after a real job instead of having this immature dream of being a Hunter. Just wait until he sees how much money they earned from a hunt! He would change his mind quickly.