95 Chapter 95 - Return of an Old Friend (1/2)

Gren woke up with a bit of a headache; he had too much to drink the night before and didn't heal his body to sober up.He couldn't remember what happened the night before and, after seeing the bed, he realized that there was a serious problem.Jasmine being naked was normal but Tahloh was next to her.After examining her, it didn't seem like he did anything to her lower body; a huge relief to Gren since he didn't want to marry Tahloh.The evidence left behind showed that they had sexual contact but her breasts and mouth couldn't get pregnant.

Gren wanted to take a quick bath so he set up a basin in Jasmine's room and warmed up some water.He realized that Tahloh's eyes were on him while he took his bath but it was a common occurrence lately.”You're welcome to join me.It's large enough for two people.”

Tahloh got up and slowly made her way over to where Gren was.Her breasts were still a good size even after she lost weight.If she didn't have the pig nose then he'd be willing to take her as a wife right now.”Sorry about last night.I broke the promise.”

”It's fine.As long as we don't have actual sex then I'm okay with it.From the looks of it, I must have enjoyed it.”The promise was that she could look at him as long as she didn't try to take advantage of him.”I might ask you to do that again when I'm sober.”With Gren's matured body, there was an increase in his sexual desires.

Tahloh seemed happy with his response.She was easy to please since she was head over heels in love with Gren.Gren strung her along so that he would be able to have a loyal soldier on his side.After teaching Jessica how to use a gun, Gren planned on arming Tahloh with a rifle and having her become his right-hand... woman.Sex might be necessary in the future to keep her loyal to him so he might need to rethink making her his wife at that time.It might be wrong in the eyes of others but if both parties were kept happy then Gren wasn't going to feel bad about it.

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Telling Tahloh that contact with him was okay was a mistake.She was soon following him everywhere and Jasmine began to get jealous.Gren had to explain to Jasmine that Tahloh was going to be in charge of his sexual relief after Jasmine got pregnant so the two of them would stop fighting.Gren even managed to convince her to teach Tahloh some things in bed which gave Gren more spare time.

Unfortunately, that spare time just flew out the window while Gren was eating.”Susan escaped custody.”Gren was left with a dumb look on his face as he had eggy bread sticking out of his mouth.Annie repeated her words just in case Gren didn't hear her the first time.”Susan, the former bandit leader, has escaped.Duke Adier put out an emergency request and the bounty on his head is pretty high.”

Gren finished chewing and gulped down his food with some water.”Is he still in Adierton?”Gren didn't mind leaving him to rot in a dungeon for his crimes but if he could escape once then he could escape again.

”He should be.He did business with a few of the former gangs in the slums.There are three guilds that would have the funds to get him out and only two that would actually do it.”Annie worked with the gangs to offload stolen goods at times so she was familiar with them.”The Scarlett Rose Guild is made up of women and only did business with him because I was around so we can ignore them for now.”

Annie raised up one of her fingers.”The first and most likely possibility is the Viper Guild.We did a lot of business with them and one of Susan's daughters is married to the current guild master.”A second finger went up.”The second possibility is the Golden Summer Guild.They're in charge of the casino so it's less likely that they would get involved with Susan now.They don't need to turn to crime to make money anymore when everybody's willing to just give it to them.We should take a team to investigate first but we need to look like we're not with a guild.”

The Viper Guild was the group that attacked Gren in the past so it might be fun to pay them a visit.”We could probably take one of the knights with us but the other guild members are too famous or not ready for combat.Getting outside help might expose the plan.”

Annie whacked Gren on the head before walking away.”We're not going there to fight yet.It's just going to be a few of us.I'll go get Estella.Make sure to wear a different suit of armor from usual.”Annie went upstairs and left Gren behind to finish up his food.

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The Viper Guild's headquarters was located in the shantytown.It was clear that they didn't have as many resources as the other guilds.The shutters were ragged and the door was missing the bottom hinge.The lady at the front counter was surprised; it didn't seem like she expected anybody to enter.

”W-welcome to the Viper Guild, esteemed guests.How may I assist you?”Esteemed guests, huh?Estella was wearing a set of ornate armor that was from the elven temple and Gren was wearing a set of golden armor that he has had for a long time now.They did look pretty important right now.

”We're here for my old boss.I've heard that he was in the city and your boss should know where he is.”Annie was wearing scale armor so she looked the least impressive but it was made from dragon scales so its defense was above even metal armor.The Mimi backpack was no longer necessary with Annie's artificial leg that came from the system.

”Do you have an appointment to see the guild master?”The receptionist looked too nervous.

”Just tell him that Annie is here to see him.”Annie scared off the receptionist with a glare and the three of them waited.

After a minute, a somewhat scruffy man came down from upstairs.”It really is you.I thought that you were caught and sold into slavery.”

”I was but I've earned my freedom.I'm looking for my old boss because I've heard that he did the same.”Annie looked around before commenting on the state of his guild.”This place has seen some rough times.What happened to your decorations?The viper head is no longer mounted on the wall.”

”The guild is in the process of changing so I've sold pretty much everything.You won't find your boss here after his escape.Check with one of the other guilds.That Female Mercenary Club or whatever they're called has basically run us out of business and the Golden Summer Guild hired all of our strongest mercenaries for some big job.”A big job sounded suspicious”Check with the two of them.I don't think that it'd be the Scarlett Rose Guild unless the proprietress wanted to breed him with her girls.”That was a very weird comment but Annie was nodding along to it so Gren was now confused.Was that actually something that would happen?

”I figured that if it wasn't you then it would be the Golden Summer Guild.That other guild you mentioned isn't in the slums so there's too much risk for them to be harboring a fugitive.”Annie wasn't convinced by his words but he really didn't look like he could afford to bribe the dungeon's guards.”Are you still married to Trisha?”

The guild master didn't seem happy about her comment.”Trisha... I don't even know anymore.This country's weird when it comes to marriage.She left me for some rich merchant that lives down in Valkland.”Gren came hoping to get revenge but it sounded like the guy already had it rough.”She left our daughter behind so it's not all bad.I don't know what I'd do if she took her away.”As a father, Gren could respect someone that placed importance on their children.

”Patty, right?She was always a smart girl.”Gren felt awkward just listening to Annie and this guy talk about personal things.”What is she up to now?”

”She's helping me restructure the guild so that we can get restarted.Our greatest problem has been that we relied too heavily on mercenaries and requests.”Gren could sympathize with that problem; he had faced it before.”I don't know all the details but we're going to specialize in selling products related to the Goddess.Apparently this is a popular place for people to visit on their way to the Land of Healing Light.”

Annie still didn't know that Gren was the son of the Goddess.”Do you think that you could get a painting for me?”Gren just wanted to this conversation to end so he cleared his throat.”Right, we need to get going.It was nice catching up with you.Let Patty know that I said hi.”

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Gren hadn't gambled before or since he played with Erling so this was naturally his first time in the casino.The interior lived up to the name of Golden Summer; there was a large painting of a sun on the ceiling with gold trim leading all the way down the pillars.The dealers were wearing black clothes with golden thread.They went with a very elegant look for a place that was filled with a bunch of ruffians.

A guard at the door asked them to turn in their weapons but Annie had already known about the weapon check so they didn't have any on them.The guard gave them a quick pat down and made sure they had nothing on them.”What about the leg?”

”How am I going to get around if I hand you my leg?”Annie was baffled by the guard.”You can look at it but if you want me to leave it with you then my friends and I can just wait to gamble when we go back to Sekaton.”Annie used that as a threat because Sekaton had a much larger casino.

The guard did a quick look over the leg and didn't see anything that looked like it could be pulled off.He seemed reluctant to let them through but, after looking at Gren's armor, he decided to give in.”You're clear.Go on through.”

There were plenty of mercenaries sitting down at the tables.It was a job that people usually only did because they needed money but then many of them spent all of their money in places like this or at bars.Mercenaries tended to be walking contradictions; they put themselves in danger just to survive, they spent a lot of money just to earn a small profit, and they were both a necessary part of the system while being completely expendable.Gren hoped to improve their situation by reducing their casualties but it would be futile to try to protect their wallets from their vices.

”We just need to play for a while until someone recognizes me.”Annie's looks were a rarity in this part of the world so that wouldn't take too long.She held her hand out as if asking for something.”I didn't bring any coins with me.”