After Extreme Winter, Trouble Stirred in the Shadows

After Lynn's visit, Hill finally learned what a real winter felt like.

Lynn had shamelessly asked Hill for a feast of fruit partly because he knew a mage was bound to have plenty in reserve, but also because once the bitter cold arrived, he would be unable to leave the tavern.

Many single adventurers chose to spend the winter in taverns. They had no desire to shut themselves in dark little rooms and stare at a fire.

Besides, some people had no trouble drawing a blade to cut someone down, but asking them to calculate how much firewood they needed for the winter was like asking them to die.

Those adventurers would rather save up some money and hand it to Lynn.

But that also meant Lynn could not casually leave the tavern. Adventurers were hardly good people, even when they did not belong to the Evil Alignment.

Without someone to keep them in check, they could turn a tavern into a den of monsters. Lynn had no intention of letting his place become a stronghold for evil.

Wherever Lynn had gotten his information, the day after he left Hill's place satisfied, the temperature outside plunged. Huge snowflakes fell in a curtain so thick it was almost solid.

Querva Town fell utterly silent. Hill received the last batch of books from Hughes, along with a brief letter of apology: Hughes would not be able to copy any more books for him for the next forty-five days.

Hill did a quick calculation and understood why Hughes had braved such a fierce snowstorm. Hill had given him several gold bars over time, and this batch of books had nearly fulfilled the entire order.

Hughes might have craved money, but he would not violate the principle of equivalent exchange.

Of course, if you