Life had come full circle, back to where it began.
Even beneath a blanket of snow, Brekka Town was still the same as ever.
Close to the Phantom Forest and cut off from news, no one here knew what had happened in the city, and no one cared.
When Renato pushed open the door to the Last Call, he found the tavern packed, more crowded and rowdy than usual.
The adventurers immediately fell silent. Those nearest the door swallowed and instinctively cleared a path for him.
Surrounded by unfamiliar faces, Renato scanned the room for a moment before finally spotting someone he knew in a corner.
"Hey, Marcus." He greeted the Deserter, who was sitting alone. "Picked up any work?"
"Just finished a job." The veteran squinted at him for a moment, then called out to the crowd, "It's the Young Master! Get back to whatever you were doing. He's an old hand here in Brekka Town!"
The tavern grew noisy again. Though people still glanced his way now and then, most were merely newcomers looking him over out of curiosity.
"That gear must have cost a fair bit. Strike it rich?" Marcus spat out a bone and asked indistinctly, "What brings you back to Brekka Town?"
Renato called over Gane, the proprietor, ordered a pot of hot soup, then sighed.
"It's a long story. I'm not staying long. I leave tomorrow."
"Made an enemy?"
"Something like that."
Silence settled between them as the veteran focused on the food in front of him.
Renato tried to change the subject.
"What about Big Guy? Is he still working as an adventurer in Brekka Town?"
"Bagg quit ages ago. Ever since he recovered from that injury, he's spent all his time in brothels." Marcus laughed. "Ended up getting a prostitute pregnant. Now