13 The calm before the storm

Almost a month has passed from the mission together with Selin's family. In this period of time Simon took care to manage the group to the best of his ability.

By now Simon's days follow a certain programmed routine. Wake up early in the morning. After a quick breakfast in the hut they bought thanks to their work for Gregor, Simon heads for the guild. Reginald now defeated let him take the missions also on behalf of the other members of the group.

The group manages multiple jobs at the same time. Thanks to Igor and Selin they can range from combat quests to cooking ones without problem. In a month, in this way, they earned a nice nest egg. Thanks to this money, and the money received by Zacharias, Simon is committed to completely renovate their equipment: new swords, metal shields, armor pieces, new bows and even ropes, tents and other.

In the afternoon, Simon finds himself helping with some missions, getting equipment, contracting jobs, or even updating Zacharias on the preparation of the plan.

In the evening, despite the tiredness, nothing can stop him from learning and refining some runes together with the dwarf. His minor skill allows him to manage only five runes. The runes chosen so far are those he considers most important for the plan: chameleon, silence, hardness, glue and for his convenience so as not to have to depend more on Elza, status, the ability used by Igor to discover the characteristics of Simon.

Simon's subordinates obviously witnessed a series of amazing improvements during this period. Thanks to Simon's skill and experience accumulated in countless missions, the boys are now safer and stronger than when they trained with sticks in the lawn near the forest.

Today, however, the day has taken a bad turn. Simon woke up as usual but today everyone is already out!

"I can not believe it, I thought only the burning hut could make them wake up so early. Usually the only one who sees me having breakfast is Igor. "

Shrugging Simon ends up eating the leftovers of the dinner and getting ready to go out "If I do not know where they went today I can take only a few simple chores. Of course they could warn me. Cursed!"

With a tired step the boy goes to the guild building. "Closed?"

Simon turns around himself a couple of times looking for some soul to ask. Nobody. "What the hell is happening this morning. Was there something I forgot? "

Wearily the boy lets himself slip on a low wall and once seated he starts playing with the status rune. Every time he looks at us, his smile returns. Now his strength is a good thirteen points. I have the strength of a man now. The thing is also reflected on the appearance. Lately Simon seems more fit, less sickly. Obviously the change is not instantaneous but slowly Simon finally feels he has come out of the darkest period of his life.

After a few seconds Elza appeared behind Simon "Do you ever get tired of looking at us? I did not think you were so narcissistic. You disgust me. "

"But think a little if I must be ashamed to be happy not to be on the verge of death!"

"It's been a while since we last talked. You grew up. I'm proud of you."

"Oh hell! Are you going to tell me something horrible? Have you seen in your visions that I am going to die? Is that why you tell me these beautiful things? "

"I wonder if it's my fault if you're stupid or if you were so even before my intervention." And the goddess disappears slowly dissolving.

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Selin can no longer hold back her tears while she is hiding around the corner of the spice shop with John "Look at him poor man, it's all our fault if he's sad! I can not take it anymore! Now I go out and give him a hug. "

"But what you're saying? You're stupid. You will ruin everything. And then what is the fixation of always wanting to hug Simon, he misses you the word. "

"You're stupid. I see it in his eyes. He does not speak to me because he is too pure, he is ashamed, not like you animals "

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Simon, tired of waiting for Reginald's arrival, decides to take a day of well-deserved rest. Today is the right day to do a nice tour of the city and eat something good to others.

The morning passes slowly but Simon rediscovers regenerated after having spent these hours without any thought on his mind.

Sometimes he feels like someone is watching him but rationally knows that nobody could be interested in his activities.

At lunch he sits at the tavern and orders a nice stew of meat.

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John on the other side of the street "Damn! And you also wanted to console and meanwhile he is eating a beautiful meat stew blissfully "

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In the afternoon, a little bored, Simon returns to the guild to see if Reginald is back.

Outside the building is Paul's cart, his old boss. The shop owner of Moutain Ass. Simon thinks "He will be here to get some products. Maybe he went to the guild to inquire about us. "

Simon opens the door to find that the atrium is empty. Going up the stairs, the room on the first floor is also empty. Only the training room remains.

The door is heavy, a few weeks ago Simon would have struggled but today with little effort the door moves to the inside of the room.

Reginald is there! But also Desmond, George, Michael, after all you can see Igor, here is Selin and John.

Behind George we can see other people and Simon "But those are mum and dad and there is also Paul, Stein and Rowena, the parents of George and John and those of Michael!"

"Cursed! That was what you were doing! Why did not you tell me? "

Desmond "Otherwise you would have done everything as usual but we wanted you to rest today."

George "And did you do it? John told me you stewed a meat stew! "

Doris and Richard approach the boys "What a nice surprise! I'm glad to find you well. I see you're better off here than at home, are you? "

On the other side Michael talks to his parents, Desmond's parents join Richard's discussion and George's father is challenging his children to arm wrestling to see if they have the strength of an adventurer.

The afternoon passes cheerfully between the questions of parents and waves of delicacies prepared by Selin.

Doris eating a tasty roulade asks the girl "But did you make them all?"

Selin "I've spent my whole life thinking I can only cook so I have a lot of experience. Now that Simon has shown me that I can do anything else, cooking has become my hobby "

Richard approaches "When Doris fell in love with me, she too cooked me some very good things!"

Doris "Who is the lucky one among these country boys?"

Selin turns red and inadvertently glances at Simon, who is talking to Igor and Stein.

Rowena pointing to Doris and laughing "I would say the lucky one is yours! Would you never have said that? "

Doris smiling "I would not have bet even a copper coin a few years ago, but now looking at it is almost more beautiful than his father when I met him."

Richard "You say that because you do not remember well"

Selin in a panic begins to arrange the rolls of the bowl and Rowena "We have made this young girl red, we are really beasts"

Doris "Do not worry Selin, we'll keep the secret with us. If you want an advice, however, take the initiative because that kid of my son took everything from his father and will not notice anything until you explain it to him, hahaha "

Richard snorting "Better than I'm going to talk to the men instead of being here and getting me stupid"

Women laugh happily.

Simon turns around not understanding the reason for such exaggerated laughter. Richard beats his hand on his shoulder and whispers in his ear "All your father! Do not let her escape I recommend ".

The party ends with a terrifying dance by Igor and Reginald. Weeks of nightmares infested the dreams of all the participants thanks to those nefarious images.

Simon was the only one to have very different dreams thinking about Selin's red dress. A fitting bodice able to show off the girl's fantastic forms. The blond hair left loose and the dazzling smile while talking with the other women left the mark of Simon's memory.