Aige pulled a linen bandage from his pocket and carefully wrapped Ryan's wound. Feeling some of his vitality return, Ryan stared in surprise at the unremarkable bandage in Aige's hand.
Bandages were everywhere, and they had some themselves. They could stop bleeding and, used with medicine, provide limited healing. But he had never even heard of a bandage that could restore vitality. Could this be that magic item?
No! He quickly rejected the idea. The Heal from earlier had clearly been Holy Light magic, capable of restoring a great deal of vitality. At the very least, he had been revived in nearly perfect condition. The bandage before him was not quite so miraculous, having restored only about a quarter of his vitality... Then again, that was already remarkable!
"Is that a magic bandage?" Ryan asked a little apprehensively. He had been frightened badly by the magic item supposedly worth ten gold coins.
"Uh! You could say that. I added a healing effect to an ordinary bandage myself. For now, I'm the only one who knows how. This magic bandage can restore a small amount of vitality, but it can't be used in battle. An enemy attack will interrupt it! Please keep this secret for me. In return, here are two more magic bandages. Take them in case you need them."
With that, Aige handed him two linen bandages! In fact, his first aid level had long since passed 40, and he could already make heavy linen bandages. He had previously left Milly one roll of heavy linen bandage and two rolls of linen bandage in case she needed them. He had long since learned that the Azeroth Continent had no concept of magic bandages. Ordinary bandages could be used to stop bleeding, but that was the extent of their effectiveness, and they were usually used with slow-acting medicine. It was no exaggeration to say that the effects of his first aid bandages were shocking!
Although they were difficult to use amid the intensity of a battlefield, since any attack would interrupt their effects, even the lowest-grade linen bandage could quickly restore half a star of health. Each successive type increased the amount healed by another half star. Judging by the progression of first aid bandage materials-linen, heavy linen, wool, heavy wool, silk, heavy silk, mageweave, heavy mageweave, runecloth, and heavy runecloth-he estimated that a heavy runecloth bandage could restore at least five stars of health. That was pretty damn impressive...
It was not that Aige was stingy. He was simply afraid that the one star of healing from a heavy linen bandage might frighten some innocent flowers and grass. He had made a large number of linen bandages while grinding his first aid level. Although he had dumped some on Milly as junk, he still had plenty left and needed to find an opportunity to use them up. As for the higher-grade heavy linen bandages, he could use those on his followers, which would draw less attention!
"Don't be surprised. This isn't cheap either, but it's not as valuable as that other one. You're badly hurt, so it's just right for you!" he reassured the utterly overwhelmed Ryan. "I'm heading to Goldshire now. There's a horse over there I can lend you."
"No, no! Lord Aige! I can move around freely now. I can walk back slowly. If you have business to attend to, please take the horse. I'll report to the captain tonight and then come find you!" Overwhelmed by the favor, Ryan hurriedly declined. For an ordinary soldier like him, receiving help from a mage was already a blessing earned by his ancestors. How could he dare use the lord's horse when he could still walk? That would shorten his life...
Seeing how flustered Ryan was, Young Master Aige did not dwell on it. He had only offered out of politeness, seeing that the young man seemed decent...
"Well then, I'll be going. Follow the main road back, and don't run into any more damned Murlocs!" he teased, leaving Ryan embarrassed.
Notice: Side quest "Saving Private Ryan" completed. Obtained a small amount of experience, a small number of copper coins, and one neutral gray basic card, Goldshire Footman!
Well, would you look at that... Was this kindness being repaid? Aige really had not had any bad intentions earlier. He had simply felt bad watching a Warrior die and had offered what help he could! He had not expected his efforts to pay off with another decent card... Much obliged, much obliged!
Aige cheerfully rode off...
The tall, imposing Warrior before him was Paul, Goldshire's marshal and Claude's direct superior, the person Aige was supposed to report to. But Paul clearly did not think much of the young man before him, who looked anything but strong and fit, even though a Warcraft mage automatically received a few attribute points with each level: strength, agility, intellect, spirit, and constitution.
A mage's constitution growth was not high, generally amounting to about one point per level. But Aige was now level seven, and his constitution had actually been improved beyond that of an ordinary person. It was just that the lingering effects of long-term nutritional ** made him look less robust... compared with a Warrior!
Claude's letter had only said that he had sent an unusual person to help Paul, without directly stating Aige's identity. It looked like a harmless little joke. From Paul's perspective, though, Claude needed to be taught a lesson...
The little monkeys under his command were well trained. What damn use was some random passerby, especially one so scrawny? So Paul was not particularly welcoming to Aige. He merely exchanged a few perfunctory greetings and told him to report back tomorrow. If he was lucky, Paul would assign him some tasks!
As for a place to stay? Sorry, the barracks were an important military site and did not house idlers... You there, see it? Turn left when you go out, right at the first crossroads, and walk a few dozen meters. You'll see a building: the Goldshire inn. If you have money, you can eat and stay there. If not, you can spend the night lying outside...
Well then! Was he taking him for some freeloader here to mooch food and drink?
Aige was not annoyed. Paul was a Warrior, so naturally there was nothing wrong with judging people from a Warrior's perspective! Besides, he had not directly insulted Aige. He simply disliked scrawny good-for-nothings, and he was also annoyed with Claude. There was no need to stoop to his level! A strong person did not need to bare his sharp fangs at every moment... Most of those who did were unreliable half-baked amateurs!
I really don't like staying in your barracks anyway, not when every meal is a few pieces of black bread... My darling wife packed me plenty of delicious food. If I actually stayed there, wouldn't I have to share it with you wolves? He followed Paul's directions and sauntered off to find the inn...
The Goldshire inn catered mainly to middle- and lower-end customers. It had everything from low-grade rooms that were little different from pigsties for one copper coin a night, to spacious, high-grade rooms for one silver coin a night, furnished throughout with wooden furniture and even equipped with silver tableware. As long as you had money, you could enjoy accommodations corresponding to what you paid...
The building had a typical Eastern European layout and was divided into three floors. Upon entering the first floor, one could see a large front desk that handled payments and served food. The innkeeper was a human woman, a mature beauty who still had considerable charm. Many tables, chairs, and benches were arranged on this floor. A few round tables accommodated larger groups dining together, while most of the other seating consisted of long benches. You could bring your food over and sit there, eating while watching the occasional impromptu performance...
There was a small stage not far away, and anyone who wanted to could go up at any time. Of course, the inn also hired a few inexpensive singers to perform. Sometimes passing bards would sing or play music there as well, earning a little money to cover their lodging or travel expenses!
The second floor housed ordinary guest rooms. Most people came here for food and lodging. The first floor was only for eating and drinking, with nowhere to stay. Of course, some drunkards drank through the night and refused to leave. The inn did not drive them out when it closed, so they were free to sleep soundly until dawn and save a little on lodging. It was a popular choice among penniless wanderers. No one deliberately cleared away those long benches at night...
The basement held the kitchen, the wine cellar, and the staff quarters. Customers were not allowed inside, and anyone who tried to force their way in would usually be promptly tossed out by the fat chef...
The third floor was for distinguished guests, such as passing nobles. Its guest rooms were the finest and most luxurious, as well as the quietest and most elegant. Of course, they were also the most expensive!
Aige was not picky. He chose an ordinary second-floor room for ten copper coins a night, asked an attendant to prepare some hot water, and settled down to rest. Not being much of a rider, he really was a little tired from all the bouncing...
"Ryan? Where did you run off to? I sent plenty of men looking everywhere for you. It's so late I thought you'd gone and died somewhere!" As soon as Paul saw the bedraggled state of Ryan reporting to him, he began scolding him. He was not abusing his authority, though. In fact, Paul was highly respected among the Warriors. Although he had a bit of a temper, his men were very fond of him. He had been worried that Ryan had died and was venting his anger...
"Reporting, sir! While I was on patrol, a noise by the lake caught my attention, so I went over to investigate and found..." Ryan explained the whole sequence of events to Paul, finally dispelling his anger.
"Good thing you made it out alive, lad, and with a mage's help, too. You really got lucky. We'll have to thank this mage properly! Mages are always scarce. He must have been passing by and saved you along the way, so he's probably left by now. By the way, do you know the name of this kind mage?"
Paul felt he ought to thank the mage who had stepped in to help, but unfortunately, most mages kept their distance from ordinary people and were elusive as dragons. Even if one searched every corner of Goldshire, there was not a single mage combatant to be found, only a few army Priests.
"His name is Aige! He said himself that Goldshire was his destination. He should be here to report to you, as support from Northshire..." Ryan's eyes filled with longing as he spoke his benefactor's name!
"What?" Paul froze on the spot!