He Xi stopped and turned to look at the shopkeeper who had just tried to fleece him.
"Please forgive me. I'm getting on in years."
"If I hadn't seen this talking dog, I wouldn't have remembered."
"A few days ago, a little glowing thing flew in, dropped off this letter, and left. It even spoke, saying it was meant for a gentleman traveling with a dog."
He Xi took the bulging letter from him, already guessing what it contained.
"To Mister Galen, may this letter find you and your companions well, with the fog lifted and a clear road ahead.
First, please allow me, on behalf of every member of my team, to express our heartfelt thanks once again.
Had you not arrived in time, our fate might well have been uncertain.
We will always remember what you did for us.
I'm writing mainly because there are two things I need to discuss with you, both related to Miss Anise's commission.
The first concerns what happened with the commission.
After urgently contacting our employer, President Raymond of the Tidal Trade Union, we received some unexpected news: Miss Anise had safely gotten in touch with him.
Even more surprising, she is soon to marry a noble from the Holder Region.
President Raymond sounded delighted and greatly relieved. He formally invited us to attend the wedding celebration in Holder.
The second concerns our absence and our apologies.
We're very sorry, but we must decline the invitation, which means we won't be able to come to Holder and meet up with you.
Just as we received the president's message, we took on an urgent commission involving an important local person who had been kidnapped by swamp creatures. The employer gave us a final deadline and an offer we couldn't refuse.
As the team