Gauss silently observed the lovely young Druid, Alya, the whole way.
At last, in the late afternoon, they emerged from the Emerald Forest.
Both of them breathed a sigh of relief.
Just outside the Emerald Forest was a small makeshift adventurer camp.
Low-level adventurers, hunters, and herb gatherers had gathered there, and Bronze Adventurers could be seen among them as well.
A wooden palisade surrounded the camp, with many wagons parked inside.
Once they entered, they could see that the ground was dark brown, stained by blood. All sorts of trash littered the ground, along with animal entrails of unknown origin, tufts of fur, and other debris.
The camp was bustling. Merchants haggled with hunters and low-level adventurers, buying up their gathered goods and spoils; adventurers chattered as they divided the proceeds from their outings; and now and then, a few loud arguments broke out. All kinds of noisy sounds mingled throughout the camp.
But as the two drew near, the other low-level adventurers caught sight of the great wolf beside Alya and the green identity badge hanging at her chest. Instinctively, they gave the pair a wide berth.
Even though Gauss's identity badge wasn't on display, anyone who could "form" a two-person party with a professional adventurer had to be one too.
The two of them were both stinking, but once they entered the camp, there was nothing special about them. Everyone here smelled the same.
It was just a case of the pot calling the kettle black.
"Want to ride back in a wagon together?" Alya suggested.
"What about your wolf companion?"
"It'll follow the wagon on its own."
"Then let's ride back." Gauss was a little tired too.
They walked around the camp and soon agreed on a price with a wagon driver heading back to Grayrock