Wade woke up in an instant.

For a few seconds, he laid there, staring up at the wooden ceiling above his narrow bed.

His mind felt sluggish, as though wading through fog, until the memories of the previous day came rushing back.

He was currently in the guild dormitory.

He could remember what had started all this.

The hydra. The roaring crowds of skeletal specters. The bone key's faint glow in his palm.

He exhaled softly and rubbed his temples. The entire thing already felt like a fever dream, though the soreness in every muscle of his body made it very, very real.

He shifted under his blanket and winced. His ribs still twinged where the Hydra's lightning had clipped him.

The smell of medicinal herbs lingered faintly in the air, clinging to his skin.

The healers had done their work that morning, patching him up, resetting broken bones, and mending shredded tissue with shimmering green light.

The service had been free, part of the basic benefits for standard contracted adventurers of the Lion's Guild. Still, it hadn't come without cost.

Healing magic might fix the wounds, but it left the body drained. And Wade's body had needed a lot of fixing.

He swung his legs off the bed, sitting up slowly.

His body still felt heavy, but at least the pain had dulled into an ache instead of agony.

He stretched, bones popping, and looked around his cramped guild room.

"Still standing," he muttered to himself, half smiling. "That's a win."

He stood, wobbling slightly, and made his way to the washroom.

By the time Wade returned, hair damp and skin fresh, he felt more like a person again.

He changed into a clean tunic and trousers, slung his coat over his shoulders, and stepped out into the corridor.

The hum of adventurers filled the building. Loud laughter, the clinking armor, and of course, the heavy tread of boots.

"Guess I slept through yesterday," he muttered, rubbing his neck.

The healers' work had taken so much out of him that he'd fallen asleep the moment he returned to the dorms, and apparently, he hadn't woken up for almost a full day.

He'd known he might not make it all the way back to his apartment, and since his dorm was still available, he had chosen to stay here.

He walked to the cafeteria, where the morning rush was in full swing.

The long rows of tables were filled with adventurers in half-worn armor and mismatched cloaks, eating, laughing, and boasting about their last quests.

The sound was a cacophony of clattering trays and shouted greetings, but to Wade, it was almost comforting.

He joined the line, took a tray, and received a plate piled with eggs, roasted potatoes, and thick-cut ham.

Grabbing a cup of watered ale, he turned towards his usual table.

Sure enough, Rowan and Ingrid were already there.

Ingrid sat in her usual spot, her posture straight and her bow leaning neatly against the bench beside her.

Her hair was tied back tightly, her eyes flicking briefly towards Wade before returning to her food.

Rowan, on the other hand, waved the moment he spotted him.

"Wade!" He called, his grin wide and bright as ever. "Look who decided to join the living!"

Wade chuckled tiredly as he approached, setting his tray down and sitting opposite them.

"Morning," he said, voice hoarse.

Rowan squinted at him. "You look like death. What happened to you?"

Wade stabbed a piece of potato with his fork and shrugged. "Let's just say I may have… overdone it during training."

"Ah." Rowan leaned back, feigning understanding. "Overtraining. The noble art of trying to look productive while nearly killing yourself. I know it well."

Wade chuckled softly, though his shoulders still sagged with exhaustion. "Guess we all have our ways of suffering."

At that, Ingrid spoke.

"It's not a good idea to overdo it," she said without looking up. "We're adventurers. We always need to be ready for a bad time."

Wade blinked. He hadn't expected her to say anything, much less offer advice.

"You're right," he admitted after a pause.

Rowan laughed, grinning. "Oh, Ingrid's right about this one. She's got experience."

Ingrid said nothing, merely continued eating, though Wade thought he caught the faintest twitch of amusement at the corner of her mouth.

Or maybe he'd imagined that.

"Take it from me," Rowan went on, wagging his fork for emphasis. "There was a time I finished a nasty escort quest up north."

"Cold weather, rough terrain, ice wolves, you name it. By the time we made it back, I was half dead from exhaustion. I thought, 'Great, I can rest now.'"

He paused for dramatic effect, raising an eyebrow. "And then, halfway back to Hiving, I got jumped by a roaming earth drake."

Wade blinked. "You're kidding."

"I wish I was," Rowan groaned. "If I hadn't paced myself during the quest, that thing would've flattened me. So yeah, don't go too hard too soon."

Wade nodded slowly, chewing on the story as much as the food. "Fair point. Guess I'll keep that in mind next time."

Rowan grinned, pleased. "That's the spirit."

They ate in companionable silence for a while after that, broken only by the low hum of the cafeteria and the occasional clatter of trays.

Then, as Wade was finishing his drink, Rowan spoke again.

"Oh, right. Ingrid and I are teaming up for a joint quest today. It's a short one, nothing too serious. Want to tag along?"

Wade shook his head immediately. "Thanks, but I think I've had enough excitement for a bit. I've got… other things to handle."

"Suit yourself," Rowan said, shrugging easily. "But next time, you're not dodging out. Team morale, yeah?"

"Sure," Wade said with a faint smile.

A few minutes later, Rowan and Ingrid stood to leave.

Ingrid slung her bow over her shoulder, nodding curtly at Wade. Rowan gave him a friendly clap on the back as they walked away.

"Try not to collapse while we're gone!" he called over his shoulder.

Wade chuckled under his breath. "No promises."

When they were gone, he took his time finishing his meal.

The cafeteria noise faded into background hum as he leaned back, mind already shifting to what came next.

Loot.

He'd barely had time to inspect it all, after the hydra fight. Just enough to secure everything and confirm he'd leveled up.

Now that his body had healed and his head had cleared, it was time to sit down and truly assess what he'd gained.

When he was done eating, he returned the tray, left the cafeteria, and made his way back through the bustling guild halls.

The morning light filtered through tall windows, illuminating groups of adventurers discussing contracts and reports. Someone nearby was laughing about a slime incident gone wrong.

Wade's boots echoed against the stone floor as he climbed the stairs and exited the guild building.

The streets outside were lively with traders and adventurers, but his apartment wasn't too far.

When he reached it, he unlocked the door, stepped inside, and exhaled in relief.

He tossed his coat onto the chair, sat heavily at the kitchen table, and leaned back, staring at the ceiling.

Then, a slow grin spread across his face.

"Time to see what all that effort was worth."

Next chapter will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.