– Kelti, old man, are you alive there?

After a few seconds of silence, he jumped out of bed and leaped towards Kelti, who was still holding the saw and fork in his hands, which he gripped with a dead grip due to Vinter unexpected blow.

– Just say something already! Don’t make me guilty of your death!

At Vinter last shout, Kelti slightly trembled and let out a long, drawn-out sound from his mouth. At that moment, Vinter was glad because he had not killed his doctor, who had saved him more than once and hoped for future rescues.

– Hhhhhhh…

Hearing that Kelti was trying to say something, he crouched down and leaned his ear closer to the old man. Having done this, he began to listen, but before he could even listen, the room was abruptly invaded by Hilsches, who caught Vinter and Kelti.

– Ahem, I apologize, but what the hell happened here!?

– It’s all that damn Kelti! He scared me, so I hit him…

– In short, first bring him to his senses, and then come to me; there’s a serious conversation. But damn it, Vinter, don’t kill Kelti.

– I’ll try not to kill him!

– Wait, wait, did you say “I’ll try,” or did I mishear?

– Ahem, I meant I will do everything to bring him to his senses!

– That’s what I wanted to hear, and now I’m leaving.

Almost leaving, Hilsches made a gesture indicating that he was watching him, so it was better to do everything not to kill poor Kelti, who was still trembling, but besides that, he was slowly raising his hand with the fork towards Vinter, who, due to Hilsches, did not notice this.

– For more motivation, I’ll say that Zertera may find out…

Saying this, he smiled and left the room. Vinter looked at the old man and tried to lift him, and although not on the first attempt, he lifted him and laid him on the bed where he had been lying before. Kelti continued to reach with the tines of the fork towards Vinter neck.

– Damn Kelti! Why did you have to do such a thing? You could have just woken me up instead of scaring the hell out of me.

Getting carried away in his monologue, he began to circle the room and wave his arms. Kelti still had not recovered from such a blow but could now observe the fool who had hit him and move his arms more quickly.

– In short, I’m going to Hilshes, and you’ll figure it out on your own somehow, well at least I hope for that. But if you die, know that I will soon join you.

He approached the bed and tried to cover Kelti with a sheet to make him warmer, however, when he got closer, the old man tensed up and with a rather slow movement of his hand poked Vinter in the neck with the fork, but it happened so slowly that it caused no harm.

Instinctively jumping back, Vinter looked at Kelti who was smiling and holding the fork, and began to shout at him.

– What the hell are you doing!?

– Hehehe.

– You old shit, what the hell is so funny? You barely went to the other world and dragged me there with you.

Although he was shouting, Kelti just watched as he was fuming and amusingly waved his hands. Not getting any reaction, Vinter simply left the room in anger and slammed the door behind him as he exited.

“Grrr, I really almost killed him and he’s doing this crap! What the hell is he doing? What if I had actually killed him? He could at least think about what would happen to me!”

Once again lost in his thoughts, not noticing the other members of the order, he finally reached Hilshes who was already waiting for him.

However, this time before entering the office, Vinter knocked and waited until Hilshes allowed him to enter.

– Come in!

– Hello again, Commander!

– Ahem, yes-yes. To not drag out the bad news, I will say right away, the Zertera are in a difficult situation and they need reinforcements.

Looking with a surprised glance at Hilshes and slightly shaking his head because he did not believe that the Zertera and his team would ever need help.

– I know, I know, I myself did not believe it at first, but the situation is indeed critical. So you and 6 others from the order will head to the border with the Empire of Wilmet.

– Sir, I am of course not a geography expert, but that’s almost on the other side of the kingdom!

– Exactly why we sent Zertera, and exactly why we cannot quickly resolve the situation.

– Sir, even if we leave right now, we will barely make it there in 2 days, although Zertera managed in a day, but this is Zertera, he can handle such things.

– Unfortunately, there is nothing I can do about that, so do not delay and pack your things. And do not forget to stop by the warehouse for armour.

– Yes, sir! And now allow me to leave.

– Just go already, damn it.

As soon as he finished, Vinter dashed back to Kelti, where his unpacked things lay.

Reaching there, he noisily opened the door and grabbed his belongings and the scabbard with the elven sword and his bastard sword that he successfully retrieved after torturing the Elf.

– Sorry, Kelti, but I’m in a hurry, so excuse me and don’t pay attention!

– Hhhhhh, Vvv Vinter.

– Well, I said I’m in a hurry!

Shouting, he grabbed the swords and rushed from the small room to the warehouse where the 6 he was told about by Hilshes were already waiting for him.

“Damn, damn, I need to hurry, because Zertera has done too much for me to abandon her.”

Running, Vinter immediately noticed a group of people standing in a semicircle, leaving space just for him.

– Haaa, sorry for the delay!

– Oh, Vinter, don’t worry, you’re just in time.

– Breathe out and take the armour because I see you have plenty of swords, ha-ha.

Along with him, a few others laughed, while Vinter exhaled, gathered himself, and approached the familiar who had previously given him a sword.

– You only took the sword yesterday, and now you have two and are getting the order's armour. Zertera would definitely be proud of you.

Saying this, he took out a chest plate with the image of a Wolf on the chest, and small dark-coloured bracers. Along with that, he pulled out several bottles of bright red liquid and a metal plate with the same image of the Wolf and the engraved name “Vinter.”

– I think Zertera taught you how to use the potions, and hide the plate in your pocket and then show it where needed.

– Don’t worry, I knew how to use them even without Zertera. As for the plate, I could explain it.

– Are you serious right now? God, did Zertera only teach you how to fight or what?

– Ahem, actually, it’s exactly like that.

He ran his hand over his face, and a group of 6 people started laughing at Vinter words. He himself didn’t understand the reason; after all, Zertera always said that it’s better to wield a blade than to have unnecessary knowledge.

– In short, this plate confirms that you are one of us, and with it, you can ask for help from other members of the order and request shelter from the Eyes and the Nameless.

– Ha, quite a useful thing, but I won’t need it.

Vinter grabbed the plate, and quickly put on the chest plate, which fit perfectly on his body, while he took off the bracers because they usually hindered him from fighting and making quick movements with his hands.

– Are you really sure you don’t need them?

– Sure, if I need them, I’ll take them from a dead enemy, but give me more potions because yesterday’s task taught me a bit…

From such a thing, he laughed but got another 3 bottles with potions, and quickly hid the wrist under the counter behind which he stood.

– Thank you for your generosity, and when I return for such generosity, I will bring something.

While he spoke, he carefully packed the bottles into a waste bag that he had from the same Zertera, but there was almost no reason to use it, so by that time it was rather decorative.

– And Vinter, when you meet Zertera, ask her to teach you a few rules and knowledge of the order.

– As soon as I meet her, I will say right away.

Smiling, he closed his bag and adjusted the belt on which two swords hung, and he did this because it was inconvenient to take them out due to the new armour.

Then he turned to the group and together with them, he went to the stables where 7 horses with saddles and full bags were already waiting.

– Listen, Rindi, how the hell are we going to get to tomorrow morning with such luggage?

– How-how, the same way as without them, just with them.

– Guys, it seems we have a humorist here!

– Oh, shut up, and get on the horse like Vinter did.

While they were arguing among themselves, Vinter quickly jumped onto the horse's back, but as soon as he sat down, he turned to the guys because he heard his name, and in his manner, he looked at them with a surprised expression.

– Did I hear you say something about me?

– Yes, but relax.

– Well, as you say, and you better hurry because at this rate, we definitely won’t make it.

– See, Vinter can talk sense too, so enough delays and quickly get on.

After a few minutes, everyone was already on their horses, but there were delays since one of the guys accidentally got caught with a strap on the saddle and almost fell because of it, and the guys along with Vinter had a good laugh about it.

– At this pace, we will never get there.

– But relax, Vinter, it's just a few minutes delay.

– Don't forget that there is Zertera, and our lives depend on these few minutes.

Saying this, he smiled because he knew that the master does not tolerate delays or unreasonable hold-ups, and punishes such behaviour with training that makes a real fight feel like a cold beer after a workday.

Finishing his smile, Vinter was the first to move towards the gates, which the guards had already begun to open.

After a few seconds, others who had been arguing among themselves began to catch up with him. Vinter didn't care, as he was only thinking about how to reach Zertera.

And to help in any way he could, even though he understood that to help the master even a little, he needed nine more like himself.

– Hey, Vinter. I've always been curious, what is it like to learn from someone like Zertera?

– Do you want the details or a brief version?

– Ha-ha, the more detailed, the better!

– Well, you asked for it: The most important and first thing you will understand is that the hospital bed is your home, and Kelti is your mother.

– No, have you heard what he said! Our Kelti was in the role of Vinter mother.

Although they were still inside the walls of the order, he, despite everything, with a sharp movement of his right hand, drew his "elven sword" and with the same swift motion pressed the blade of the sword to Nirvin's neck, who had tried to mock him.

– Wow-wow, I was just joking!

Raising his hands up, he shouted and began to look around at his friends and then at the guards, who were only smiling at the situation.

– Just for the sake of the order and the master, I will not do what you deserve, however.

Finishing the last word, he made a motion with the sword at the waist where he held the saddle, causing Nirvin to fall with a crash and laughter, along with the saddle.

– And now, excuse me, but with you or without you, I am going to help the master…

Almost after 10 hours of travel, the group of 5 guys and Vinter decided to spend the night since it had got so dark that the roads seemed as if they had never existed. So, tying up the horses and unpacking their tasks, everyone began to do their own thing; someone was gathering branches, someone was looking for water, and someone was trying to find something edible in the bags they had brought with them.

– Hey! Here’s a question, does anyone know how to cook?

And everyone said in unison, “No,” followed by laughter that could be heard for hundreds of meters. So, with such a lifted mood, they abandoned their attempts to cook anything, and since everything had already been done, they simply sat by the fire and began to talk.

– Ahem, I think I’m not the only one curious why our Elf killer has an Elf’s sword on his belt?

– Well, that’s…

Not finishing his sentence, he took out the blade that began to shimmer from the bright fire and raised his hand with it up, continuing to speak.

– This is the sword of the Elf who saved me, and whom I killed without regret for that.

After these words, a thick and dead silence hung in the air, because although they were all part of the order, they did not exactly share the goals and methods of the order or Zertera with Vinter. Because, in fact, they did not have the same goal as he did, but rather just wanted fame and profit.

– If you don’t mind, can I ask why you killed her if she saved you?

– Of course, I don’t mind saying, the reason is simple

 – she is an Elf, and that says it all.

– Wait, wait, you want to say that you kill any Elf just because they are an Elf?

Not understanding the point of the question, Vinter looked at the guys who, in turn, looked at him a bit with disapproval and confusion.

– Well, yes, as long as an Elf is an Elf, I will kill them just like Zertera and the other members of the order. I hope you will too.

At that moment, the blade was above the fire and aimed at one of the group, but in a moment, Vinter laughed and sheathed the blade, and got up because he no longer saw the point in sitting and talking with them.