Voört was eventually left unbothered by the two elves. Not that he minded the occasional distraction, especially when it came in the form of a young lunatic blasting molten copper onto himself and not even flinching. The dwarf went back hammering yet another wok into shape.

"There's one thing I've been wondering all this time: how did you end up trying to rob me along with those two idiots?" asked Kaede on the way back to the inn.
"Ah, that. Well long story short they posted an escort mission on the public bulletin just to enter the Marna Valley with my adventuring license. There they talked me into helping a certain team with the retrival of some artifacts, except we accidentally found out the expedition leader intended to use us to lure away a Berserk Monkey. I'm not entirely sure of what happened next, but we were able to sneak into the lair, snatch the artifacts and run away while the other team was pinned by some monsters. Then the other two said they wanted to be seen as more than just pawns, so they suggested we'd use the power of the artifacts to rob adventurers in the area, hoping to find something that would make Vosphel view "us" in a different light. It was a stupid idea, but I couldn't exactly refuse. Then they literally cooked a couple of boys just for fun, and maybe to show me what would happen if I didn't comply. Thankfully you took us down and they panicked back to Vosphel dragging me along, or else I fear what might have happened."
"Well, you almost lost a leg for me, so we're pretty much even." except they weren't. "Well, I think Vosphel will be off our tails for good, and now you're far stronger than your previous companions so you're pretty much free to do whatever you want. Do you have plans for the future?"
Nicya stopped walking. "Are you getting rid of me?"
"Not at all, in fact there's a lot more I want to talk and do with you in the future. I just wondered what your own goals were, now that you're free."
"I guess I'll continue adventuring for the time being. I'll need to test my new strength on some takedown quest in Marna. What about you? Certainly you're not thinking of going back to adventuring, am I right?"
"Tebonai already suggested I should take a receptionist exam, so I think I'll do that."
"Receptionist exams are quite difficult, but you do seem the scholarly type. I think you'll be fine, provided you study."
"Sure, and if I pass you'll get someone to supervise you."
"Sounds nice, but I'm just a provisional licensor. In order to have a supervisor the adventurer must have passed an E-rank test."