I Have a Task Log

「A few hours later.」

Colin walked out of the Butcher’s Guild, carrying five moneybags, and stepped onto a main street in the Dock District.

He glanced back at the building behind him.

It was a three-story wooden building painted red, with a sign shaped like a meat cleaver hanging by the entrance. The Butcher’s Guild managed every butcher shop in Thousand Masts City, controlling the entire city-state’s meat supply.

He had sold almost all the dragon meat to the Butcher’s Guild. After all, no single butcher shop in Thousand Masts City could handle that much dragon meat.

"You were in there for a while," Dorn said, speaking up first from his spot on the roadside. "How much did you sell it for?"

"I sold it for over two thousand Gold Coins. I already had them cut up the gold bars for you all. Take your shares first," Colin said.

He hadn’t expected the dragon meat to sell for so much before he arrived. A few hundred kilograms of it was actually worth over two thousand Gold Coins, which came out to about six Gold Coins per kilogram.

"We get a share of this?" Dorn asked, still surprised.

"I’ve told you many times..." Colin sighed. "No matter what, you fired the Signal Flare outside the village and drew away some of the Dragon Worship Cultists. You played an irreplaceable role in that battle, so of course you get a share of the spoils."

Dorn looked like he wanted to protest, but he quickly raised his hand and accepted the moneybag Colin offered.

The others, of course, had no objections and each came forward to take their share.

"Dinner next?" Colin asked.

Kase rolled his shoulders with a CRACK. "Let’s go to the Black Heart Tavern. I’m starving."

The group made their way out of the city and over to the Black Heart Tavern.

To his surprise, the original Black Heart Tavern had turned into a filthy butcher shop. A strange, foul smell immediately killed most of Colin’s appetite.

Orelia, standing at the back of the group, raised a small hand and said timidly, "Didn’t Mr. Black Heart say the tavern was moving to the Dock District?"

"Then why didn’t you say so earlier?" Dorn asked.

"I was afraid I remembered it wrong..."

After that little mix-up, Colin led the others into the Dock District, relying on his memory. They searched through the streets and alleys for a while before finally finding the renovated Black Heart Tavern.

The formerly dilapidated three-story building had been completely redone and looked quite respectable now.

The inside of the tavern was even livelier than they’d expected; the clamor of the patrons could be heard clearly from the street outside.

Colin pushed open the main doors and walked in.

The tavern hall was indeed packed. Bob was standing in front of the bar, chatting and laughing about something with Old Black Heart.

A sense of familiarity washed over Colin as he took in the scene.

"What are you two talking about?" Colin asked as he led his group forward.

"You’re back? Excellent! Let’s get some pork knuckles to make up for missing out on the roasted suckling pig last time—and of course, this round is on me."

After speaking, Old Black Heart shouted a few orders toward the kitchen, then turned back. "You’re just in time. Bob was just telling me..."

"I’ll tell them, I’ll tell them," Bob said, waving his hands frantically. He turned to the group and said, "I just made a trip to Moss Stone Village and only got back yesterday. Guess what news I picked up?"

Colin played along. "What news?"

"Oh, come on. Weren’t you guys going to Silver Star Court? You must have heard already."

Bob waggled his eyebrows for a moment, but Old Black Heart urged him on impatiently. "Stop dragging this out. Just let me tell them."

"A guy with the exact same name as Colin here took down a living, breathing White Dragon!" Bob blurted out.

Old Black Heart joked, "What a coincidence. Have you guys met this other ’Colin’?"

"Did it ever occur to you that it was me?" Colin asked.

"Hah, get outta here." Bob waved his hand dismissively. "I heard from a Half-Elf driver that the team only had two people. That Colin fellow took down the White Dragon all by himself. If Kase were there, he’d never let you go in alone, would he, Colin?"

Colin smiled and said, "It’s a shame I left the Dragon Scale at the Dwarf’s place. Otherwise, I’d let you see for yourselves."

"Are you serious?"

Bob turned back, still smiling, but the grin slowly vanished from his face as he saw their expressions.

His Adam’s apple bobbed. In disbelief, he asked, "Colin, you... you really killed a dragon? A real, honest-to-goodness Giant Dragon?"

"It’s nothing to brag about," Colin said, waving his hand. "The dragon had already used its breath weapon a few times, and I only succeeded because I caught it by surprise."

Just then, a few waitresses brought over their food.

Kase and the others dragged over a few chairs, planning to eat right there at the bar.

Old Black Heart and Bob didn’t say a word, just stood there stunned, watching the group dig into the pork knuckles.

Bob awkwardly put down his beer mug. "Uh, sorry, I..."

"I won’t forget my past just because of what’s happened to me. I came from the slums." Colin couldn’t help but find the other man’s reaction a little amusing. "If you hadn’t told me about the Field Staff, none of this would have happened, Bob."

"That’s true. You’re a reliable guy. I’ve thought so from the very beginning."

After saying that, Bob gave an awkward laugh.

’He might say that, but I can still see the unease hidden beneath his smile. He’s probably starting to overthink things without realizing it.’

’This must be one of the downsides of having a reputation,’ Colin thought. ’It creates an invisible rift with some friends. Hopefully, it’s something that will fade with time.’

"Oh, right," Old Black Heart piped up. "Last time, didn’t you ask me to look into someone for you? That Karen Sote from the Northern Faction."

’It was ’ask you to help,’ not ’have you look into it,’’ Colin thought, then asked, "Did you find anything?"

"Honestly, I think that whole encounter was just the Northern Faction testing the waters. They just wanted to see if you had any radical ideas."

"Don’t they know my superior is the Shield of Thousand Masts?" Colin said. "Even if I did have ideas like that, there’s no way I’d agree to help them."

"It sounds stupid, but that’s just how the Northern Faction operates," said Old Black Heart. "Ever since the Winter Disaster, they’ve been a huge headache for the city’s gangs. These northerners don’t understand the rules. They have no virtues aside from not being afraid to die, and they just charge headfirst into everything."

"Hm, I see," Colin said with a frown.

’If that’s the case, then the Northern Faction was probably just asking on a whim, with no other motive. Still, I shouldn’t let my guard down. I’ll have to find a chance to talk to Edwin about this soon.’

Perhaps sensing the atmosphere had grown a little stiff, Old Black Heart spoke up again tentatively. "You’re all here just in time for the Triumphal Procession. What do you say? Want to go check it out in a couple of days?"