I'm a Immortal Tavernkeeper, But My S-Rank Daughter Doesn't Know That!

The Hunters’ Association made money in many ways, such as tax incentives from the government and the fees it charged for admitting mission contract proposals, but it also had a department for buying and selling items that made a lot of profit every day - after all, this wasn’t a government organization, but a state-owned company.

Adding up the sale of the Blight cores with the reward for completing the missions to exterminate these creatures and the evil spirit, Victor’s group earned a total of 216 silver coins. That was just over 2 gold coins, because each gold coin was equivalent to 100 silver coins.

After dividing up this money, each member of the group was left with a bag containing 54 silver coins.

"We’re rich!" Pyaxu shouted, raised his mug, and started pouring all the mead into his mouth like a waterfall.

As they were starving after the battle, they went to the nearest tavern of the Hunters’ Association to eat.

"Hey, keep it down, you stupid warrior. It’s too early to make a mess, even if the tavern keeper here already knows us." Orie said, showing how serious he always was in the presence of strangers.

"Puhha!" said Pyaxu after almost emptying his mug. "Guys, what do you intend to do with the money you’ve received? I think I’m going to buy some new shoulder pads to make me look a bit bigger! I want to look intimidating to the monsters!"

"With that money I’m going to get my staff made by a craftsman. That seems to have cracked a bit while I was maintaining the barrier." Riggilo said, looking at the wooden staff resting next to him.

"Why don’t you just buy a new one?" asked Pyaxu.

Riggilo looked at the staff with attachment and a little melancholy. "I can’t do that. It’s a special staff for me."

Orie put a hand to his chin and looked at Riggilo and then at the staff. "I’ve heard that the power and efficiency of a spell, even among holy spells, depends a lot on the user’s relationship with the staff. It’s understandable that you don’t want to exchange it for a new one."

The cleric thanked Orie with a smile for explaining and understanding. "What about you? What are you going to do with this money?" he asked Victor and Orie, who were on the other side of the round table.

"I don’t know, buy some special arrows?" Orie said and then looked at Victor, waiting for his answer.

"I stopped in this village just to get some money to pay for a trip to Klento. I’m traveling tomorrow, I have some business to take care of there." Victor replied and calmly sipped the mead in his mug.

"Eh...!? You’re not even staying for the Bonfire Festival?"

"No, there’s urgent business I have to attend to."

"But the Bonfire Festival is an old tradition in Agocester. Everyone usually takes part," Pyaxu tried to argue, showing his concern at Victor’s decision.

"I know," replied Victor. "But what I have to do can’t wait. Besides, the snow should start falling soon and I’m not exactly an active hunter like you, I don’t have the money to stay in a hotel in Agocester all winter."

"And you’re going to Klento because of that illness?" Pyaxu asked, and then Orie and Riggilo kicked his legs out from under the table. "Hey, why did you kick me?!"

"It’s okay, guys. It’s okay to ask, after all, I’m the one who told you." Victor said, almost laughing. Victor said, almost laughing. "No, Pyaxu, I don’t have a real illness, at least I hope not. It’s just symptoms I’ve been feeling for the last few weeks and since I’m a dark magic user, you know that not all doctors can help me. There is someone in Klento who I think can give me answers."

Victor lied in just a few parts of his answer to the boys. It was true that there was someone who could give him the answers he was looking for, but the fact that he used black magic didn’t affect his life at all, apart from shortening his lifespan.

Besides, in a way Victor hadn’t aged in his fight against Gravisk. Since he mysteriously rejuvenated himself a few months after he died to the zombies in the cave, he equalized the months he gained with those he lost to the dark magic.

As the group’s conversation continued and night fell, the tavern was slowly coming to life. More hunters and locals entered, chatting animatedly about the latest missions, exchanging stories and sharing a laugh.

The atmosphere was filled with the aroma of fresh food coming from the kitchen and the comforting sound of music played by a bard in the corner of the tavern.

In the middle of the night, Pyaxu, already drunk, stood up abruptly, almost knocking over his chair. "I’m going to buy those shoulder pads right now!" He declared with infectious excitement, but almost fell backwards.

"Don’t do anything impulsive, Pyaxu," warned Orie and held the warrior back, while Riggilo just shook his head with a discreet smile.

"Don’t try to stop me, because I’m unstoppable!"

Everyone then left the tavern after paying their bill, but just as the group was turning left onto the street to head towards a well-known blacksmith’s store in the village, Riggilo looked back and saw that Victor hadn’t followed them.

"What is it, Victor? Aren’t you coming?" Riggilo asked.

"Actually, I have to go. I’m going to bed, because I’ll wake up early tomorrow so I can hire a coachman. Not many people make the trip to Klento, because it’s almost a whole day from here."

"So that’s goodbye?" Orie, shocked, asked.

"Of course not. In the life of a hunter, destinations are as intertwined as roads. I’m sure we’ll meet again." Victor said. "For that reason, I won’t dwell on it. Stay well and try not to die."

Without further ado, Victor turned away and waved briefly to the boys.

These young hunters looked at Victor’s broad back and tears almost fell. They hadn’t even spent a day together and, for some reason, they felt like they had known Victor for a long time. However, as Victor had said, this wasn’t goodbye, so they all dried their tears and continued on their way.

With one last look at the excited trio and the comforting, muffled sound of the music from the tavern, Victor left for the hotel.

*

A day passed, and the Bonfire Festival in Agocester could finally take place. In the middle of the main street there was a huge bonfire with logs placed one on top of the other in the shape of a tower. This bonfire was almost fifteen meters long and illuminated and warmed everyone.

Coincidentally, in the middle of the party that night, the first snowflakes began to fall, which made everyone shout and celebrate the official arrival of winter. Well, except for one person.

"I should have said goodbye to him! Snort...! snort...! Victor is... the most incredible warrior I’ve... ever met! But I was drunk when he left!" Pyaxu lamented as he drank another mug of hot mead.

At the same time, Victor Shieldman, already in Klento, was about to slam his right hand into a large door when a cold gale made him sneeze.

"Atchim! Ouch... it’s already too cold out here. I hope she’s home at least." He said with his hands in his pockets.