"So, what’s it going to be? Yes or no?" Colin pressed. "I’ve already spoken with Edwin. All we’re waiting on is a response from you and the Weston Clan. I think there’s a good chance they’ll agree, since they’re short on people too."

After raising his mug and downing the beer in front of him, Kase frowned and thought for a while longer.

"So you’re saying if we agree, we’ll be in debt for a few hundred Gold Coins that we’ll have to pay back slowly. And when my tribe gets here, they’ll be stuck with that debt too, right?"

"And if you don’t agree, you’ll die in some forgotten corner on the way back, everyone in your tribe will have to tough out this winter disaster, and they probably won’t get another chance to move south for a few hundred years."

Kase grumbled under his breath.

He closed his eyes again, his expression unreadable, and it was impossible to tell what was going through his mind.

After a long moment, the Half-Orc finally spoke. "In that case, being in debt sounds like the better deal."

Colin let out a sigh of relief.

’It felt like a shaky plan, but at least it’s off to a good start.’

He looked at the Half-Orc’s face and said, a little heatedly, "When you said you’d go back alone, you were probably just planning to pick a fight with some beast on the road, lose on purpose, and then lie down in the snow to die with a grin on your face, weren’t you?"

"I never said that."

After Kase spoke, he followed up with some incomprehensible lines about "the blessing of the Deity of Destruction" and "a Warrior’s final resting place," which made the other two men roar with laughter, filling the table with a cheerful atmosphere.

In just a few words, the oppressive mood of the past two days was swept away.

After all, most of the nagging problems from the past few days had been more or less resolved, leaving only a few particularly vexing ones that couldn’t be helped.

The farewell drinking party had suddenly turned into a second celebration for their trip to Silverpine Village.

"I really didn’t expect this at first," Bob said. "It feels like just over half a month ago, you two were paupers scraping by on low-level commissions. Now you’re Adventurers who’ve made a name for yourselves."

"It’s mainly him that’s changed fast."

Kase wiped the beer foam from his lips and pointed at Colin. "He’s like a completely different person compared to before. Can you imagine that not long ago, all this guy knew were a few Cantrips?"

He then added, "Oh, right. Give me my share of the reward money."

"What’s the rush? Just a few days ago, you were all ready to face death without a care in the world." Colin took out ten Gold Coins and placed them in front of him.

"That was different. Now I’m in debt. And who knows how much money it’ll take to support the tribe later on? I’ll need to save up at least a few hundred Gold Coins, I’d say." 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

"We’re in the same boat, then. I don’t want to be a renter my whole life. I’ll need a few hundred Gold Coins to buy a house and settle down eventually."

The two looked at each other, and most of the cheerful atmosphere instantly dissipated.

They had each just gotten ten Gold Coins, but somehow they felt poorer than ever... ’All we can do is hope for a bright future, I guess.’

As they talked, they started to get hungry.

After the food arrived, Colin took a moment while eating to glance at the quest reward he had just received.

After the battle to encircle the Frostland Druids, his Skill Levels for two Skills had reached Casting (535) and Armor Technique (504). Both Skills were still far from leveling up.

Still, two hundred skill points were enough to fill up a little less than half of the progress bar.

’As for which one to put them into...’

Colin felt a bit torn.

’Luckily, the Skill Level points don’t have to be assigned right away. I’ll just wait a couple of days.’

As for his physical stats, his Power and Constitution had both reached twelve.

Colin glanced at the Hand Half Sword hanging at his waist.

Just as he had previously determined, after his Power increased by one point, the weapon’s Damage also increased by 0.5. Correspondingly, an increase in Constitution should also make him physically stronger. To put it simply, his so-called Life Value had probably increased.

Slurping his oatmeal, Colin thought about the new spell he had acquired.

In that instant, his vision swam, and the scene before his eyes suddenly changed to a grassy field outside the city.

’I must be in a vision,’ Colin thought. ’It felt like this the last few times I assigned Skill Level points, too.’

As he was thinking, his body began to move on its own.

The thumb, index, and middle fingers of his right hand came together in front of his body, and a "DU" sound came from his mouth.

Immediately after, Colin saw something like a glass dome appear around him.

After a few seconds, the spell ended.

Colin regained control of his body.

He looked at the vision that still surrounded him, then copied the gesture from before, raised his right hand, and recited the Spell. This time, however, nothing happened.

Then his body began moving on its own again, starting the Casting...

After several rounds of this alternating practice, Colin once again took control of his body to cast the spell.

This time, the protective shield appeared as he spoke.

And the moment the spell succeeded, the vision of the grassy field receded like a tide.

Colin found himself still sitting in the tavern, the spoonful of oatmeal in his right hand still poised at his lips, not a single bite taken.

"Looked like you were spacing out for a second there. Be careful you don’t choke," Kase glanced at him and said.

"I’m fine."

Colin replied casually, then began to reflect on the Casting process he had just experienced.

’Maybe it’s because Tier One Magic is more complex. When I learned the Emerald Flame Sword, it was like I got it in a flash of inspiration.’

The Casting process for this spell was just as it seemed—remarkably simple.

Completing the cast only required one gesture and a Spell consisting of one syllable, making it even simpler than the lowest-level Cantrip, Flaming Arrow.

As for why it was considered Tier One Magic, Colin guessed it probably required something like Spiritual Power. Now that he knew how to cast it, he likely couldn’t perceive the spell’s difficulty anymore.

[Shield], a Tier One Magic, summons a Spell Shield that increases your Defense by five points for several seconds and can completely block the Tier One Magic, [Magic Missile].

In terms of effect, it was incredibly practical.

The spell’s gesture itself wasn’t particularly demanding, and combined with the simple Spell, Colin was confident he could complete the Casting in an instant.

Yet, that instantaneous casting action could grant him a Defense rating higher than his own Armor provided, making it a true life-saving measure.

’If I’d known this move when we were fighting the Druids, I probably wouldn’t have needed that Potion, huh?’

After washing down the last of his dried meat with the oatmeal, Colin let out a heavy breath.

"So, what are we doing for the next few days? I’ve got no plan at all."

"As if you’ve ever had a plan before," Colin said. "I’m planning to move into the city. You should look for a place to move into as well. I don’t think it’s very safe outside the city walls lately."

"Aren’t we part of the City Watchers? Why would we be afraid of gangs?"

"Let’s say a gang from the north wants to burn down the Blood Hand Gang’s property. What if they burn our houses down by mistake? You can’t predict these things. We’re not afraid of the gangs, true, but accidents are always unavoidable."

Colin continued, "Besides, it’s more comfortable living in the city. I’ve wanted to move for a while now."

With a dozen or so Gold Coins in his pocket, he could afford to live in the city for several months. Now was the perfect time to move out of the slums.

Bob raised his hand. "I can help you two ask around for information."

"In that case, your meal is on me today."

"You learn fast, kiddo." Bob stretched and ambled out of the tavern.

Kase then asked, "And after that?"

"After that, we wait for word from Edwin, and then we find work just like before. For now, we need to go to the Dwarves and give them the pollen. Carrying this stuff around just doesn’t feel right."

Colin waved his hand and shouted, "Old Black Heart, the check!"