They had finally arrived. Eldoria, capital of Aureus. Well, they hadn't quite arrived yet, actually. They were just approaching the bridge that led into the city. Nevertheless, the view from the wagon was already spectacular. Towers tore at the sky and pierced the clouds. Millions upon millions of people swarmed like bees in their hive. Like ants in their nest. A low-hanging mist gave the place an even greater touch of mystery.

  If he had to sum up Eldoria in a few words, they would be "the heart of fantasy." As if everything magical flowed through its veins. Of course, it wasn't the first time he had heard of the capital or seen pictures, but that was one thing, and being there in person was something else entirely. Okay, he admitted it. He hated that they had been assigned a field study so quickly again, but it had its advantages. He couldn't wait to set foot in the capital. He took a deep breath. A relaxed smile formed on his lips.

  He could see the same in Tara and Ayame. As if a weight had been lifted from their shoulders, almost. Well, maybe he was imagining Ayame's reaction. Her expression wasn't that different, but every day he knew her a little better than the last, and he liked to think he had guessed right.

  The only one in the group who hadn't reacted positively, and of that he was quite sure, was Elizabeth. She had signed up to go with them without hesitation, but it seemed she didn't like the place. Vincent extended a hand as if to touch her shoulder, as if to ask. But what could he say in front of the students? If it was about the nature of the field study, if it was dangerous or unpleasant in some way, she wouldn't say it in front of the students. She wouldn't scare them so soon. And if it was a more personal reason, well, even less so. Elizabeth seemed like a sociable, open person, with an easy smile, though tough when she needed to be. However, that didn't mean she didn't keep things to herself. That didn't mean she was willing to share her burden, although he would have liked to carry it, if only a little of it, because he considered himself her friend. So he gave up. Better to try when they were alone, if the reason didn't become apparent before he had the chance.

  They entered the capital and parked in a square. The students got out. Vincent looked around, still marveling. He had almost forgotten why he was here, why everyone was here.

  "What now?" a boy asked.

  He recognized him by sight, but not by name, not by a long shot. He should socialize more, maybe, but he was comfortable with his few friends, comfortable in his bubble. Was there anything wrong with that? No, he supposed not, but it wasn't necessarily a good thing either.

  "Now," Elizabeth said, crossing her arms, "you will split into teams and go find a quest, and another, and another, and another. That's all. For the entire time we are going to be here."

  "How long?" a girl asked.

  He had never spoken to her, but he did know her by name, Laura. She was, well, quite pretty. Okay, maybe he had his priorities straight.

  "I can't tell you that," Elizabeth replied. "I will be watching all of you. Make sure you behave like students who deserve their place at the academy. Do not disgrace the name of Runehaven."

  So, the same as in that damn port city, Vincent thought. One quest after another, without much guidance, although now at least, with some supervision. I don't know what these supposed field studies are for, other than to get us out of the classrooms and give the professors, most of them anyway, a mini-vacation. But well, he was a student, he had to follow the curriculum and follow orders. Even when he stopped being a student, if his deception lasted that long, of course, he would have to bow his head and follow orders. In that sense, the lives of the combat classes weren't that different from those of the NPCs. But at least they had much more freedom. There was no comparison. What a stupid thing he had just thought.

  Anyway, they divided into teams. Their real teams, thank goodness they weren't forced to separate, divide, regroup. It would have been awkward as hell, made everything difficult. Ayame, Tara, and Vincent set off, turning around. And Elizabeth went after them.

  "Us first?" Vincent asked.

  "Yes, you."

  The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  "Will you be accused of favoritism one day if you keep this up?"

  "Maybe. Then I'll have to answer: of course, who doesn't have favorites?"

  Tara burst out laughing. Well, they laughed too, just less.

  "I know it pays the most, but should we really take this quest?" Vincent asked.

  They were sitting in the tavern where they had been informed of the quest in question. It was either complain now or forever hold his peace. They were waiting for food and drinks, of course.

  "What do you mean?" Ayame asked.

  "Yeah, what's wrong?" Tara asked. "I thought we had already agreed."

  Elizabeth simply looked at him, but she didn't seem to share his opinion, which he found a little strange. Maybe he was the strange one. He was surrounded by girls, but only he was worried about that detail. How strange. Maybe it wasn't a big deal, or maybe he was even completely misinformed.

  "Well," Vincent began. "Considering how I grew up, I don't know everything, but Goblins love to rape."

  "That's right," Ayame said calmly.

  "That's precisely why they're one of the most numerous monster species," Elizabeth said. "Right, they do it to humans when they can, also among themselves, also to other monsters, everything."

  "And that doesn't worry you?" Vincent insisted. "Maybe, maybe I don't know, it's offensive, but shouldn't we do anything else?"

  "Well, killing Goblins is one of the most common and best-paying quests, because they're one of the few monsters that are a threat to crops, not just to lives," Elizabeth said. "It's not that it's not dangerous and disgusting in more than one way, but an adventurer has to get used to it."

  "Exactly," Tara said.

  Ayame simply shrugged.

  "Of course it doesn't worry me, I can just kill them all."

  "That's also true," Tara said. "And we're going to a cave, meaning, she won't get the full moon, but she won't get the sun either, so she'll be even stronger than usual."

  Looked at that way, he couldn't complain. It was a common sense, very different from his common sense, but... it still made him uncomfortable. It was one thing to die on an adventure, it was an acceptable risk, part of the job. But if they somehow fell to the goblins, then it would be better to die by their own hands than to face a fate worse than death. The pay was tempting, but he'd rather not find himself in that situation. Still, the three of them agreed. Good quest, simple and with a lot of money. At least that's how they saw it. He was outnumbered, so he had no choice but to accept.

  "Hey," Tara said, "if it makes you that uncomfortable, we can look for something else."

  Vincent smiled, grateful.

  "No, no, if you all agree, then come on, let's go."

  The waiter approached with the food and drinks, placing them on the table. Finally. Vincent rubbed his hands together.

  "But first things first, let's eat!"

  The cave was on the outskirts of the city, but not very far. They arrived in less than half an hour, in fact. From the bushes, they saw that the entrance was guarded, though only with a few guards: goblins, loincloths, spiked clubs, knives. What was to be expected.

  "Everyone in position," Elizabeth said. "On three. One, two, three."

  It wasn't difficult, not at all. Everyone was in their position and there were only half a dozen guards at the entrance. Well, they had no reason to think that something big was waiting for them, that the world was about to fall on their heads. But it did.

  Tara dispatched one from a distance. The arrow whistled from the bushes and lodged in its eye, piercing the matter and easily reaching the skull. A swift and as clean a death as death could be.

  Vincent attacked one from behind, slitting its throat. Then he took out the next one before it could sound the alarm, smashing its head against its legs with his new and improved shield.

  With a single kick, Ayame sent one flying into the forest, but not so far that everyone couldn't see it burst against a tree trunk, like a grotesque pi?ata. All green blood and twisted entrails.

  He was interested to see how Elizabeth fought. He had never seen her in action. She dispatched the last two before they could blow their horns, alerting the others. How did she do that? Well. She gathered magical energy in her hands, with which she quickly formed whips. Quickly, a crack and bam! They were cut perfectly in half, as were the horns they never got to blow. Interesting. Fast. He didn't have a very precise sense of her class's abilities, but she was the president of the student council for a reason, and not just for her work ethic. Obviously.

  Speaking of ethics, he wiped the edge of his sword against a rock.

  "It makes me feel good," he said, looking at the three of them. "Powerful. Stopping things like this, coming out victorious. It's like it makes my blood boil. I suppose you feel the same, or you can understand, but I also suppose I'm the only weirdo who it also makes feel strange."

  "What do you mean?" Ayame asked.

  Vincent took a deep breath.

  "I mean, why should it give me pleasure? They're like animals. Even if you spent a decade sitting down and telling one of these things what's right and what's wrong, they couldn't see it, they couldn't change their minds. They were just born for this. To be cut down by the dozen or hundred, by adventurers like us. I'm not explaining myself very well, am I?"

  Ayame shrugged.

  "I suppose I understand, but well, that's how things are."

  That's how things are, nothing more.

  Yeah. He understood that.

  "The fact that you worry about things like that shows you're a good kid," Tara said. "Unfortunately, maybe too good."

  Vincent turned, looking at the cave entrance.

  "Yeah, maybe."