New Beginning

Wayne's words hung heavy in the air, met with a deafening silence. Unlike a game, reality in Azeroth doesn't offer a reset button after a completed quest.

While organizations like the Defias Brotherhood might lack the power to directly challenge the Wayne, ordinary folk like the Lawrence family would be left vulnerable to their wrath after Wayne's departure.

Next time, it wouldn't be a simple kidnapping – the consequences could be far more dire. Unlike idyllic fairytales, the tragedies of Azeroth are far bleaker, even eclipsing the hardships of the wizarding world.

Lawrence hadn't considered this initially. But Wayne's reminder cast a shadow over his face, plunging him into deep contemplation.

Julie, her anger simmering, grabbed a piece of bread and took a bite before addressing Wayne. "It's an outrage, Wayne! My parents poured seven years of blood, sweat, and tears into building this farm."

Her voice trembled with righteous indignation. "We work the land with honest hands, never straying from the path of virtue. Why should these brigands demand our farm and our labor? We are not their serfs! They are worse than the Orcs in their barbarity!"

Despite her young age, Julie had already known the horrors of the Orc War and the hardships of displacement. While the memories of those dark times were hazy, the scars they left behind fueled her determination to protect their hard-won new life.

Lawrence remained silent for a tense ten seconds before letting out a heavy sigh. Lifting his head, he addressed Wayne, "might I request your services once more?"

Wayne pondered for a moment. "Mr. Lawrence, I have personal matters to attend to, but tell me about this task. If it doesn't clash with my plans, I'm likely to accept."

A flicker of disappointment crossed Lawrence's face, but he continued. "Just as you warned, the farm is too dangerous. To ensure my wife and Julie's safety, I've decided to temporarily abandon it and seek refuge with my brother in Goldshire. The town mayor will take us in."

Ding! [Escorting the Lawrence Family to Goldshire] (Expert Level).

Accept/Decline

Goldshire! The familiar starting town for all Alliance human adventurers, sparked a thought in Wayne. Despite his original plan to explore the bustling trade of Stormwind City, the current political turmoil – the Black Dragon Princess's influence, the puppet king, and the conniving nobles – made him wary of venturing into a potential trouble zone. Now, Lawrence's request for safe passage to Goldshire presented an unexpected alternative.

In Wayne's memory, Goldshire, the bustling human town closest to Stormwind, boasted a wealth of resources and well-equipped shops. With its many skill trainers, it seemed perfect for his needs. Perhaps a detour to this smaller town would be a good idea.

It wouldn't attract unwanted attention, and he could likely find what he needed. He could even hire someone to travel to Stormwind for any additional purchases.

With this in mind, Wayne feigned deep thought for a moment before agreeing to Lawrence's commission. He also accepted the expert-level quest offered by the system.

Lawrence was overjoyed to secure a powerful adventurer like Wayne as a bodyguard. He upped the reward for the escort mission to a hefty twenty gold coins. For most adventurers, this was a generous sum. It reflected not only his recognition of Wayne's strength but also his gratitude for saving their lives.

"Thank you for your help, Wayne. Please allow us to stay on the farm for another day. We need time to pack up all our belongings."

Wayne nodded in understanding. "No problem, I'm not in a hurry. In fact, after escorting you to Goldshire, I might stay there for a while. Maybe we'll be neighbors."

.....

A few days later, Wayne escorted the Lawrence family, along with several other farmhand families seeking refuge in Goldshire, into the wilds of Elwynn Forest.

The system's designation of this escort mission as "expert level" left Wayne pondering. True to its word, they hadn't encountered any significant threats along the way. This mirrored past experiences – the system seemed eerily accurate in predicting quest difficulty, a feat perhaps beyond the grasp of even many powerful beings.

The escort mission went smoothly, despite the large group of nearly twenty people. Aside from encountering some mindless beasts, they faced two minor threats: a pack of screeching jackals and a group of poorly-armed bandits. These "mobs" – as Wayne thought of them – were easily dispatched. He cut through them like melons, prompting a hasty retreat.

As they passed a guard post, Wayne noticed a familiar face on a wanted poster displayed on the bulletin board. Jackal Hogg, with a hefty bounty of fifty gold coins, was quite tempting. Unfortunately, his duty to escort the group prevented him from taking on this intriguing side quest.

Entering Elwynn Forest, the journey took a turn for the peaceful. Regular patrols ensured a safe passage, and aside from the occasional forest creature, they encountered no real threats.

Another day on the road brought them to a fork. Lawrence, gazing upon the distant city outlined by imposing walls, spoke to Wayne. "Wayne," he began, "it was once my dream to open a bakery in Stormwind City. My father, a renowned pastry chef, tragically perished during the Orc invasion."

"As a Newly married, I sought refuge with my brother in Stormwind. The city, however, was overwhelmed with refugees. Fearing for our lives, we fled to Lordaeron, eventually finding solace in Nanhai Town."

"Those were harsh times," he sighed. "Now, forced to abandon our farm, I consider opening a bakery in Goldshire, a chance for a stable life with Julie and the others."

Wayne, mounted on Lawrence's mare, pondered this. As the closest town to Stormwind, Goldshire was known for its relative safety. It was indeed a better option. Decades of turmoil, both natural and man-made, weighed heavily on his mind as he contemplated the future.

"That's a wise decision, Mr. Lawrence," Wayne replied. "Happiness and stability with family are indeed priceless. While I haven't visited Goldshire myself, I've heard good things. It sounds like a perfect place for your new beginning."

Due to the large group and their luggage, dusk had settled by the time they reached the fabled Goldshire. This bustling town, with a population of a few thousand, thrived on its location along a major trade route.

From a distance, hundreds of buildings, both grand and humble, stood neatly clustered together. The setting sun cast a warm glow on the town, and wisps of smoke curled from chimneys on countless roofs, creating a scene of peaceful tranquility.

Word must have traveled ahead of them. As they approached the town's outskirts, a well-dressed middle-aged man with a neatly trimmed mustache emerged from the town alongside a few others.

Upon spotting Lawrence's family and the workers trailing behind, the man's face broke into a wide grin. He extended his arms in a welcoming gesture and boomed, "Welcome home, brother, and welcome, niece! My wife has prepared a magnificent feast. It's been far too long since our family has been together."

Lawrence's face lit up upon seeing the man. He rushed forward to greet him, but his daughter, Julie, beat him to it. Wrapping her arms around the man with the mustache in a tight hug, she exclaimed, "Uncle James! It's been ages! Where's cousin Hailey? Did she not come with you?"

The two brothers exchanged a glance. James chuckled as he reached out to ruffle Julie's hair.

"Hailey currently studying at a missionary school in the city and only comes home on weekends," James explained, his smile widening. "She'll be thrilled you're moving to Goldshire."

After half an hour, arrangements were made for the other workers to stay at a local inn. However, Lawrence, immensely grateful to Wayne for his help, insisted he stay for dinner with his brother and family.

Following introductions and expressions of gratitude, James Lawrence, the mayor of Goldshire, warmly welcomed Wayne upon learning he planned to reside in the town temporarily. He even poured Wayne a glass of red wine, his enthusiasm evident.

"Welcome, Wayne! A powerful adventurer like you is just what Goldshire needs," he declared. "Tomorrow, I'd like to introduce you to Sheriff Doohan, a Stormwind veteran and leader of our guards."

"Goldshire has recently undergone repairs, and all sectors are experiencing a manpower shortage. Doohan's guards are all new recruits with no combat training."

"If an adventurer like yourself is willing to assist him, you could solve many problems for our entire town."

.....

Time flew by. In the blink of an eye, half a month had passed.

Wayne had rented a spacious house in Goldshire and settled into a fulfilling routine. Each day, he balanced helping Sheriff Doohan with particularly tricky situations with his primary objective: finding Sirikona, the town's alchemy trainer. He spent his time purchasing alchemy materials and acquiring new alchemical recipes from her.

Despite being an intermediate alchemist, Sirikona proved to be a dedicated and generous teacher. Though Wayne paid for his lessons, she held nothing back in her instruction, meticulously guiding him through each recipe.

He quickly mastered seven or eight new formulas, including basic and advanced healing potions and mana potions. His prior experience with potion-making likely contributed to his rapid progress, earning him the surprised praise of "genius" from Sirikona.

Interestingly, upon learning Azerothian alchemy, his previous "Alchemy" and "Advanced Alchemy" skills merged into a single, unified "Universal Alchemy" skill set at level 5. This specialization offered a 20% boost to the effectiveness of his potions and a 5% improvement in his refining efficiency.

While other specializations within Universal Alchemy existed, Wayne lacked the ability points to unlock them at present.

Regardless, this unexpected gain was a pleasant surprise. Unlike the Witcher world, where potions directly boosted magic recovery (like the Tawny Owl) rather than restoring mana outright, Azeroth's potions offered a more direct solution.

Similarly, healing potions worked instantly, unlike the Witcher's Swallow Potion which only accelerated healing. Additionally, Azerothian potions, while having cooldowns, lacked the toxicity of Witcher potions, making them safer for general use. The utility of these basic healing and mana potions alone justified Wayne's journey to this new world.

Since settling in Goldshire, Wayne diligently practiced his newfound alchemy in his free time. He crafted healing and mana potions, both to hone his skills and build a stockpile of these vital combat resources.

This afternoon, he'd just finished a task for Sheriff Dohan, clearing out a nearby infestation. The successful completion earned him a bonus from the sheriff and another completed "expert" quest from the system.

As he approached his house, he spotted Julie standing at the door, holding a basket. Her previously sun-kissed skin showed signs of lightening from spending less time outdoors in the past half-month. Dressed in a simple blue-gray dress, she radiated a youthful charm. Her long brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail, a white flower wreath adorning her head.

Julie wasn't conventionally striking, but she possessed a well-proportioned figure. Unlike many women, her farm work had sculpted a strong and capable physique. Upon seeing Wayne, a cheerful smile lit up her face. She waved and called out, "Wayne! Mother sent some fruit with me. I've been waiting for a while."

As Wayne drew closer, Julie wrinkled her nose at the faint scent of blood and scales clinging to his armor. "Ugh, that smells awful! Did you have to fight today?"

Wayne chuckled and took the basket from her, then unlocked his door. He turned back to Julie, who stood with her hands on her hips, and extended an invitation, "Care to come in for a bit, Julie?"

Delighted, Julie nodded eagerly, as if the invitation was exactly what she'd hoped for.

.....

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