Hervy, The Hand Washer

When the guards and even the Tendon Tempering Mage heard Garrett's words, they became green from envy. 

A reward from the Wang Family could allow them to live an entire lifetime without having to work as mere guards ever again. They shot Lucian envious gazes.

However, Lucian shook his head and indifferently said:

"I don't care about the reward. You can keep it as compensation for allowing me to come with you guys."

Lucian would be the biggest idiot if he took the Spatial Ring. Forget about receiving a reward, he would be lucky if he was able to leave the Wang Family alive after waltzing in there.

The guards were stunned. 

However, Garrett thought differently from the guards. He knew Lucian was an expert, so he would not care about the Wang Family's reward. He probably had everything the Wang Family could give him already.

With a nod of acknowledgment, Garrett bound the now ownerless Spatial Ring to himself and carefully stored the skeleton in it. He solemnly said: 

"We should return to Sir Orchard and inform him."

With grave expressions, Lucian and the group hurried back to the caravan.

As they approached the caravan, the guards, Hervy, Lane, Cody, Coby, and James could tell from their expressions that they had found something dire.

Suddenly, the place became dead silent, to the point a pin drop could be heard.

From his carriage, James looked at Lucian and then curiously asked Garrett:

"Garrett, what happened?"

Instead of speaking out loud, using Voice Transmission, Garrett began explaining their discovery to Sir Orchard. 

Meanwhile, Lucian had something more important to take care of.

At that moment, the System solemnly congratulated:

[Congratulations, Host! You are halfway to finishing the Quest.]

Ignoring the System, Lucian approached Hervy and called out to him before he could ask what Lucian had found.

"Hervy, I need a favor."

Hervy raised an eyebrow, confused, but waited for Lucian to continue.

Stretching out his hands toward Hervy, Lucian continued:

"Use your Water Element to wash my hands."

'...' For a moment, Hervy became even more confused, but then he remembered why Lucian had entered Moon Grove Forest. Suddenly, his expression changed to anger as he glared furiously at Lucian.

Hervy felt like throwing up.

He, a Bone Tempering Mage was actually asked to wash someone's piss-covered hands.

A few seconds later, Hervy finally spoke through gritted teeth:

"Really!? That's the favor you need!?"

Lucian remained indifferent to Hervy's anger despite understanding his reason.

"As a chef, it's important to stay clean."

Hervy sighed deeply, and despite his anger, a stream of water left his open palm toward Lucian's hands. The water flowed around Lucian's fingers, palms, and the back of his hands, removing any trace of his Italian sausage-covered hand.

Within seconds, Lucian's hands were clean.

Smiling indifferently, Lucian joked:

"If you ever want to quit your job as an adventure, I would gladly hire you as a hand washer."

Hervy froze with his eyes staring wide-eyed at Lucian. He never thought the always-indifferent owner knew how to tell jokes. However, he had to admit, the joke was not funny in the slightest… at least for him. 

Lane, who was nearby, was laughing internally. If not for the grave atmosphere, he would have burst out in laughter.

Even the always emotionless twins had an almost imperceptible smile on their faces.

Lucian turned and went back to his position beside the twins.

Meanwhile, Garrett finished explaining what they found via Voice Transmission to Sir Orchard.

When James heard the skeleton potentially belonged to a member of the Wang Family, his narrowed eyes widened. 

[Don't tell anyone else about what you all found, and keep the Spatial Ring and the skeleton safe.] 

A moment later, he hesitated but still added:

[Let's increase our speed. I want to arrive at Harmony City in two hours.]

If not for the fact James had a long-standing business friendship with the Wang Family's Clan Head, he would rather not increase their speed of travel. The Magical Beasts he was transporting were newborns and were still at a stage where the slightest disturbance could affect their growth. However, between the arrogant and obnoxious Dragon's Feast Restaurant's owner, who treated him like cow dung, or the always smiling and kind, but internally evil Clan Head Wang, James would choose Wang Ming. One barely employed his services, while Wang Ming was one of his regular clients.

For a merchant, money was everything!

Money was God!

Whoever was willing to give him more money was akin to his father.

Unaware of Sir Orchard's thoughts, Garrett nodded and went to the front of the caravan. Using Voice Transmission, he transmitted his voice into the ears of every guard, his Adventurer Team, and Lucian.

[There are bandits lurking in Moon Grove Forest.] 

Garrett paused and waited for everyone's reactions.

The guards who had previously gone into the forest with Garrett and Lucian remained stoic without a change in their expressions. They understood the seriousness of the matter, and with their training before becoming guards of the Merchant Orchard Family, they could easily keep their faces neutral.

Whereas, the other guards immediately went into battle-ready stances with their Mana circulating, ready to engage in a possible life-and-death battle, if need be.

Hervy, Lane, Cody, and Coby got into battle-ready stances. 

Six water bubbles circled Hervy's body.

Lane condensed his Mana into two Wind Element curved daggers in his hands.

The twins, Cody and Coby, slightly opened their eyes, ready to utilize their Eye Skills at any moment.

However, compared to the clueless guards, they were only putting on a show. They had known Garrett for five years and knew when he was lying. 

As for Lucian, he indifferently stood beside the carriage as if he was a mere spectator. He could not be bothered to put on a farce.

When Garrett saw his friends in battle-ready stances, his eyelids imperceptibly twitched. He would be an idiot if he did not know that his friends were just putting on a show.

As for the way Lucian was acting, or the lack thereof, Garrett had expected him to behave that way. 

In fact, he would be shocked if Owner Lucian, with his always indifferent personality, acted differently.

After a few seconds, Garrett solemnly continued:

[Sir Orchard wants us to increase our speed and arrive at Harmony City in two hours.]

A minute later, with a mighty, fiery stomp, the four Fire Hoof Horses pulled the caravan at an increased speed unlike before.

Dust flew up with each gallop.

—-------------

As the sun reached its highest point, the city guards at the Southern Gate of Harmony City cheered in excitement. For the first shift of city guards, this was their favorite time of the day.

Their day of monotonous watching was over.

As city guards, it was their duty to protect Harmony City. After all, it was their home and the place where their family lived.

However, after a twelve-hour shift, all they could think about was getting something into their bellies before falling asleep in their warm beds.

With wide smiles plastered across their faces, they began changing places with the second shift of city guards.

Suddenly, the purple eyes of a female Goblin city guard, who was fantasizing about being strapped to a bed by five muscular Orcs at the Pleasure Pavilion, widened.

Lya shook her head, trying to clear her head, and focused her eyes on the distance.

In the distance, she caught the side of a wooden caravan pulled by four Fire Hoof Horses speeding their way to the city gate.

A moment later, Lya's eyes widened further as she recognized the emblem on the side of the caravan — a golden orchard tree.

The Orchard Family! They were a renowned Merchant Family and one of the founding families of the Merchant Guild.

Lya signaled the other city guards, who quickly assumed their positions with their eyes fixed on the approaching caravan.

As the caravan drew closer, dust and dirt flew everywhere.

A few seconds later, the Fire Hoof Horses neighed with their heads raised, stamped their hooves on the ground, and halted.

Suddenly, the caravan came to a stop.

Lya knew that the caravan belonged to the Orchard Family, but even so, as a captain of the city guards, it was her responsibility to stop and question anyone who entered and left Harmony City.

She took a step forward and jumped down from the three-hundred-foot-tall wall.

Lya's descent from the tall wall was swift and graceful. With a small thud and a billow of dust and dirt, she landed on the ground. 

The city guards, who were watching her looked at her with admiration before they recalled her hobbies, causing their expressions to change. Their previous admiration swiftly changed to neutrality, while some even looked at her in disgust.

In Harmony City, Lya was quite well known. As one of the five captains of the city guards, it was hard for her not to be famous. Especially for someone like Lya who had… unique hobbies.