"So, Karl, was it? What brings you to Drodh? If you’re transiting between ships, I am looking for a few more hands. Nobody minds an extra cleric or two on board, and it looks like your group can take care of themselves." One of the men, an aging Demon with one missing eye that still radiated curse damage, asked.
"Nah, we were thinking of going inland and finding somewhere comfortable to relax for a season." Karl replied with a shrug.
"Not comfortable in the city? Can’t say that I blame you. But I always end up here for the Dungeon between voyages. You’ve got a good group for it with a mage and a Berserker plus two healers. It might be a bit dull, but it’s a decent living if you sell off the excess loot.
A couple of extra gold coins for the month never goes wrong."
The man beside him, a lithe violet skinned demon with four arms, chuckled and tilted his chin to the kitchen.
"Never goes wrong, indeed. It goes here instead. Old Jared takes one run a month from here to the city of Lared, and when he’s back at the end of the week, he goes to the dungeon and then drinks away his pay, hoping that Beth will give him a bit of attention."
The barmaid turned at the sound of her name, then realized that it was just mentioned in passing. The old sailor was old enough to be her grandfather, and contrary to popular belief, even a Succubus has standards.
The group around Karl started to tell tales of the dungeon, the city, the sailing routes off the coast, as Drodh was both the capital of the nation and a major trading port thanks to the fertile farm lands inland of them.
A few hours later, a whole team of guards came in and flopped down in seats, taking up half the room.
They had to be regulars, as the bartender started pouring before they had even finished adjusting themselves in their seats.
But Karl noticed that he pulled from a different keg, and whatever he was pouring them didn’t smell nearly as good as the ale that Karl’s team had been drinking.
The sailors were drinking wine and taking shots of Rum, but this new drink smelled almost rancid.
The Captain of the guard team pounded down an entire pint of the drink, then motioned for another.
"Having a rough day?" Beth asked, gently rubbing against his shoulder, which immediately relaxed the angry guard, whose eyes went vague under the effects of whatever hypnotic suggestion she had hit him with.
Now that was a useful skill for a waitress.
"The Ghol Regiment is back from their mission. Ten thousand strong, with a dozen warships, and no respect for the local guards. Can you believe that the city Governor let them take over our posts? Said that we weren’t competent, and now we’re all being sent for additional training." The Captain complained.
He was an Overlord, but most of his team were Monarchs, so they weren’t on the weak side for basic law enforcement. At least, not based on the people Karl had seen in the city.
But the new Regiment must have earned themselves a lot of prestige. ƒreewebηoveℓ.com
Karl listened to the guards complaining about their lives for a while, then realized they were a temporary force, promoted from the army reserves to guard status. Not only were they being relieved of their posts, but they would return to reserve status, and their pay would be cut back to what it was before being activated.
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