Ben found himself getting warm by the fire.

  The inn was much more lively since the Hollow Moon protected the village and conducted regular road patrols. Many came to thank Ben for his actions; some even offered him goodwill gifts. Ben respectfully declined them, not wanting to take advantage of what little they had left.

  Arthel had brought him a meal and placed it on a nearby table. The bread seemed better than he had previously provided, and the tea filled his nose with honey and camomile.

  “Just don't tell everyone I gave you this on the house,” Arthel whispered before returning to the bar.

  As Ben finished eating, Arthel returned with Finn in tow.

  Finn’s short and stocky body lumbered towards him, dragging something across the wooden floorboards. Even though it was hidden, Ben knew it must have been the same pickaxe from before.

  “This is young Finnan McGarin.” Arthel motioned. “I believe the two of you met briefly before the whole thing with the bandits. He should be able to answer your questions about the mine before it collapsed.” He then glanced at the bar where an older-looking man sat staring at him, “That’s Halyard, he’s waiting for me. Before I forget, come by the bar when you're done here. That man has a quest for you if you’re interested.”

  Ben had no idea who that Halyard guy was but felt curious about what he wanted. “Alright, I’ll see you in a bit.”

  Arthel gave Ben a nod and hurried to the bar.

  When Ben shifted his gaze to Finn, the kid had been staring at him with his emerald eyes and instantly looked away as if embarrassed. Ben wasn't sure what was up with the kid and decided it would be best to break the ice. “Hey, it’s Finnan, isn't it?”

  “Just call me Finn, Mister. Everyone calls me Finn.” The kid timidly stumbled over his words.

  “Well, it’s nice to meet you.” Ben put his hand out for a shake. “My name is Benjamin, but everyone calls me Ben for short.”

  Finn plonked the pickaxe on the floorboards and rested its handle on the nearby table before shaking Ben’s hand. “How did you fight all those bandits on your own?” He asked.

  Ben scratched his head. “Ah, yeah, that was me. To be fair, I ran them over.”

  “I wish I were as brave as you. Maybe you can teach me how to fight, and one day, I will be strong enough to protect my sisters,” Finn said, with hope glinting in his face.

  Ben nodded. “We’ll see about that. But before, I must go on an important quest to the mine to get some Mirum so the mages can help Hauxwell get better.”

  Finn scratched his head. “Ah, right. Mister Arthel mentioned that earlier, so I’ve brought my pickaxe. We’ll need it to clear the rubble from the entrance.”

  Ben raised his eyebrow and rubbed his chin. “We? There’s no way you’re coming along. Things could get dangerous out there.

  Finn’s eyes started to swell up, and it looked like he was about to burst into a fit of crying.

  Before the tears started to fall, Ben patted Finn on the shoulder. “Are you alright there, kid? Look, I don't want you hurt, okay?”

  “I’m alright, Mister. It’s just my parents both died in there when the entrance collapsed. Since then, I’ve been trying to get everyone around here to go back and clear the rubble. I want to know what happened to them. Mister, I need to be with you. I’m the only one here who has worked those mines. I used to go with Ma and Pa before they disappeared. I know everything there is to know about the mine. You will see when I show you.” His eyes grew mistier, and it looked like he was about to cry again.

  “Look, kid, I know you’re desperate to get answers about what happened to your parents, and you want to do what you can to help us fulfill our mission. The decision to take you along is not mine… I will need to speak with Arthel and Har about it, and they will tell you if you can come along or not.” Ben explained.

  “I’ll listen to everything you say. You have my word, Mister.” Finn pleaded, holding his hands together.

  “Kid, I’m sure you will. As you know, I’m new around here, and It’ll be of great help if you could tell me everything you know before the mine collapsed.”

  Finn cleared his throat, “There’s not much to tell than what everyone already knows. It was one of those days when I had to stay home and take care of my sisters. My mother had said they would be going for some time as a new ore vein was found in the lower levels. She said that they were going to be back after a week.” He paused to hold back his tears and cleared his throat, “We waited for them to return, and they never did. Another week passed, and everyone here gathered to talk about it. Mister Arthel and Mister Har took me to the mine only to find the entrance filled with rubble.” Recounting the events had caused his eyes to swell, and tears started raining down on the floorboards below.

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

  Ben’s chest started to hurt, and his stomach sank upon hearing what the kid had gone through. Ben patted him on the shoulder and softly said, “It’s alright, kid. I promise we’ll find out what happened to your folks and give them a proper burial. You have my word.”

  When the tears receded, Finn looked better. He wiped away the tears and gave Ben a vice-like hug. “The moment you walked through that door for the first time, I thought you were one of those bandits or someone that wanted to do bad to us. But every day, you do things to help us… Thank you, Mister Ben.”

  “Ah, it’s no problem at all, kid. Thank you for telling me what you know. I think you should speak later with Arthel or Har about coming along with us, but for now,” I motioned to the bar, “I need to find out what they need from the mine. Grab something to eat and make sure your sisters are alright. I bet they are counting on you to be their older brother.”

  Finn wiped the rest of his tears away, “Okay, mister, I’ll be ready when you're done.” He then picked up the pickaxe and shuffled across the room to where two young girls sat silently on a bench, watching.

  “See you later, kid.” Ben waved before turning his attention to the bar.

  Arthel stood behind, chatting with that old guy. He stopped when he noticed Ben approaching and motioned to him. “This is the guy I was talking about. Once he clears the mine and ensures it’s safe, it’ll be open for business again. Ben is his name.”

  [Halyard Gregoritz Level 7 (Senior Journeyman, Blacksmiths Guild)]

  The notification popped up the moment Ben got close. It had information about his rank within a guild, which caught Ben’s curiosity. He hadn't met many civilians who had access to the system.

  Halyard turned, revealing his thick, patchy beard, and gave Ben a weird look as if he weren't impressed. A pendant resembling a Smith's anvil dangled from his neck. His clothes appeared in better shape than everyone else's, making Ben think he was more well-off than the other locals.

  Could this be the famous blacksmith Le’Vieux was on about?

  Halyard scoffed and shook his head. “It doesn't look like he knows his way around a mine. Never mind getting me the ore I need.” His expression shifted to frustration as if he had been let down.

  Arthel cleared his throat. “Look, I thought that too when I first met him. There’s more to him than what meets the eye, alright. He’ll get you what you need, so get to it.”

  Halyard’s gaze narrowed as he took a moment to think about it. “Alright, I’ll take your word for it. The way everyone talks about him, he sounds like some hero of the ages.” He huffed. “As long as he gets the ore, it doesn't matter.”

  Ben crossed his arms. He was sick and tired of people underestimating him. “Look, if you want your ore, I need you to stop wasting my time and give me the details. Otherwise, I’m gonna get going.”

  Halyard raised his hands. “Alright, no need to be rash. Before things went to crap, I was working hard to reach the rank of Expert within the Blacksmiths guild. Since the mine closed down, the supply of iron ore plummeted, and I couldn’t complete my goal. Since then, we’ve been melting down old tools for repairs. With the Hollow Moon here, I will have plenty of business to reignite the flames of my forge and get back on track.”

  Ben nodded. “You want me to get you the ore you need to restart your business. As much as I like to help people when they are in danger, this kind of job won't be free. If things turn sour, I’ll be putting my life in danger in those mines.”

  “I will pay you what's due, and it’ll be properly logged through the system so you receive some experience. I’m not just any old blacksmith. My work is known across the entire Canrich kingdom. I will need the finest quality ore, or the steel will be brittle and shatter my reputation. Hematite ore is what I need.” Halyard explained.

  “Hematite?” Ben scratched his head, not knowing what it was.

  “It’s an ore that has a high concentration of iron, and it melts down in the bloomery with little impurities. I’ll need around five hundred pounds, which’ll be enough to start.” He paused, “Arthel here was telling me you’ll be getting the mine up and running again. Be certain that I will place regular orders every week.”

  New Quest Added: Gather Hematite Ore.

  Blacksmith Senior Journeyman Halyard Gruner has instructed you to procure five hundred pounds of ore from the mine.

  Quest Rewards: +100XP, +10 Gold Pounds

  Ben raised his eyebrow at the reward. It was a decent amount of experience and money, which he could use well.

  “You know what needs to be done, and please, don't let me down. Now, I must return to my family.” Halyard gave Ben a nod and grabbed his tankard before moving towards a small group of people who looked like they were waiting for him.

  Arthel huffed out a sigh of frustration. “Don't worry about him. He can be like that. He was once rich and lost much of his wealth like everyone else.”

  Har emerged from the back of the bar. “The supplies have been loaded. I spoke with Jerry earlier and asked if he wanted to tag along, but he said something about getting to his cabin to grab a few things from there.” He paused and scratched his head. “There’s something else I should mention. Finn’s sitting in my cart with his pickaxe and isn't moving off it.”

  Arthel nodded. “He’s been waiting for this moment for months. Nothing the three of us can say or do will change his mind. Just be sure to take care of him. If something happened to him, it’d break both his sisters’ hearts.”

  Ben nodded. “Well, Har, you must ensure he listens to what we say and keeps his distance. I don't want to be distracted if there are monsters in there.”

  “Don't worry. I’ve spent my lifetime taking care of children. Now, come on, before we lose the sunlight. You can't expect an old blind man like me to build a tent in the darkness.”

  Ben scratched his head. “I’m sure I can make space for you both in the back.”