My little pntation grew bigger. More than a half of it contained cofea trees. One third was left for sugar canes, and the rest contained fruit trees and several gardens, that families who took care of the farm were allowed to use for themselves.

  Little house that I lived in during my stay on the pntation had new roof. Walls and floor inside the house were also renewed. There was even additional room for the house. The floor of the house was covered with soft sheep hides, and new bed had expensive bed linen. There was even new rocking chair on the porch, which I had build long ago.

  My house was empty, but well maintained, ready for my visits. The other families lived in the main two story house. Family's grew rger. Their children got married and soon would probably had children of their own.

  I spend several weeks in pntation. I used my Life magic spells on some cofea trees that looked sick, but pntation was in good hands and prospered. Four iron golems protected its borders, and surrounding fog also kept away thieves or other people, who wanted to buy coffee without Mesmer's permission.

  After almost half a year on the road, I decide to take some time to rest. Out of boredom, I practiced my swordsmanship and spells. I did visit Mage guild and learn three new spells - View air, which allowed me to use magic to locate monsters or other creatures. Wind shield, which crated wind barrier, which protected from arrows or other long distance weapons, and Protection from fire spell.

  I also bought some books in Grimsburg. But most avaible books were encyclopedia like books about pnts, magic spell descriptions or bestiaries. Most entertaining books were accounts of the travelers, who spend years in expeditions to other countries, or even other continents, and had their journals published as books. Books were expensive, and were hand written by monks or librarians. But I could afford such luxuries and still had enough money on me.

  Three weeks ter my rest was interrupted by a messenger. Hero from Holy Griffin Empire has arrived in Grimsburg and asked Mage guild master for a meeting. The meeting was scheduled to take pce day after tomorrow. My peaceful days were threatened, and I felt annoyed.

  Two days ter, I went to Grimsburg. I visited Adventurer guild first. There were no messages for me. I looked through the quest board, but did not see any interesting quests.

  But the town itself was overflowing with news about heroes arrival. He flew in on a griffin. Holy beast of the empire that served the royal family for hundreds of years. Griffins were dangerous and wild beasts with lions body, but head, front legs and wings of an eagle. According to the stories they allowed only those who were worthy to ride them, and griffin riders were the pride of empire armies. The fact, that hero and his companions arrived on griffins, demonstrated the high position and trust that queen Elizabeth had towards the hero. Only the visit from high ranking queens representative or a prince could me more troublesome.

  Apparently hero was staying in town lord's pace, but the reason for his arrival was not publicly known.

  I liked it less and less and went to Mage guild hoping to find out more about this hero. Mesmer was already waiting for me. Mage guild prepared fancy table covered with snacks and bottles with expensive wine.

  Table was pced outside the guild in one of the gardens and was surrounded by elegant chairs. Mesmer was overlooking the preparations. He was wearing new robe. It was white, covered with stars woven from golden strands.

  Seeing my usual adventurer attire, with a sword and dagger strapped to my belt, he sighed and grimaced.

  - Would it kill you to were a dress at least once?

  - Hmm, do not have any. And maybe. Cannot fight properly in a dress. Guess it is different for mages, but I am not sure that it will not get in my way.

  He sighed again.

  - You could have told me that you ck proper attire. I would have prepared one for you.

  - Thanks. But sounds like a lot of trouble for you. This hero made you nervous or something?

  - Something, I guess. His name is Theodoric. He was a student of Light magic master magician Edward the Sun Prince. Edward is one of the most powerful mages in Holy Griffin Empire. Insulting this hero would be an insult to the empire itself. So please behave like a high elf.

  - You expect a lot from a simple adventurer, - Mesmer gave me a look that made me want to behave and I put up my hands: - Fine, fine. I will be as polite as humanly possible. But please excuse the ck of noble manners and etiquette. Do not know anything about that.

  - Should have give you a lessons in that, - sighed Mesmer: - Fine, just follow my lead. To think that I will be dealing with an elf, who cks common knowledge of etiquette. What did you parents taught you?

  - How to use a bow, I guess. Run away from home long before they got to boring staff. Think of me as a rebel of courtesy.

  Mesmer sighed and shook his head: - Just remember that your little pntation could be at stake. That should help your behavior. Now please sit down and do not get in servants way.

  I took a seat and looked around. Even servants had new uniforms and I really started feeling that my cloth did not belong.

  - So, do you know anything about this hero?

  - Most of it I already told you. He was born more than twenty years ago as a child of an aristocrat. His mother was former adventurer. After his job was discovered, he stayed with his family, but king paid for his education from a young age. Theodoric was a genius from birth. As he grew up, he got a reputation of a skilled swordsman and talented magic user. Participated in several raids against pirates, he subjugated monsters and fought lizardmen whose fleet was pilging bordernd vilges. He is well liked by woman, but has avoided any indecent behavior. In the empire he is known as a model hero. Well beloved by people and favored by the crown.

  - What about his companions?

  - Two knights, a mage and a female scout. Half-elf as I heard.

  - No priest?

  - No. Hero himself has mastered Light magic and is skilled healer.

  Sounded like a suck-up who lived out his hero fantasies. My ideal life - not counting constant demon threat.

  Hero Theodoric arrived an hour ter. His golden hair almost shined. He had golden armor, and his hand was confidently pce on the hilt of his sword. Hilt of his sword and the sheath was decorated with red gemstones. He smiled, and his smile turned out to be friendly and open. He was probably good looking, never could say if the guy was good looking or not, and looked like a picture of fantasy hero.

  - Hero Theodoric, welcome to our humble Mage guild, - bowed Mesmer: - Allow me to introduce myself. I am guild master Mesmer, and this is adventurer Avone.

  - Master Mesmer, - bowed in return Theodoric: - It is an honor to meet you. But please do not call me hero. I do not deserve such title. Just Theodoric will be fine.

  - As you wish. Are you alone? I was told that you arrived with companions.

  - I left them behind. It is just a personal visit. I did not want to bother them or you with a visit from too many people.

  - How considered of you. But please sit down. We prepared some refreshments and wine. I hope that they will be to your liking.

  - Thank you. You did not have to bother.

  He curiously looked at me, but did not say anything. Maybe I should have bought a new shirt or something?

  - How was your journey? - asked Mesmer.

  - It was pleasant, but long. Luckily for us we had queens permission to use griffins. Otherwise our journey would have taken us years.

  - Yes. Not many people travel such distances. What brought you to our little town?

  - You will probably found the reason for my journey unusual, - he ughed: - Around a year ago I was approached by a merchant. He travels all across the continent and sells rare items from faraway nds. He told me a story about the brown powder that can be used to make a drink of the heroes. According to him that drink comes from magic trees granted to local mage for the use of future heroes. He told me that he travel across most of the continent and that this drink could only be bought in a small town on a farthest border of a faraway nds in town called Grimsburg. Supposedly local hero Milligan, after single taste of a single cup, fell in love with it and refused to drink anything else but the coffee. He had only three small pouches of it. And a single pouch was barely enough to make twenty cups and costed ten orichalcum coins. I was curious and bought everything that he had.

  I almost spitted out wine. Just how rich or dumb was this hero. And ten orichalcum coins for a pouch. I knew that prices would increase the further the coffee would travel, but this merchant in a single transaction probably made more money than he ever did in his life.

  - I did enjoy this coffee. After finding out that it truly was made only in this town, I traveled across half of the empire and crossed Beast people kingdom so I could personally negotiate for buying off some of the tree samplings, from which you grow the beans that you use to make the coffee.

  - I am sorry that you wasted so much time, - shook his head Mesmer: - But the messenger of our goddess Theia who brought me seeds of these trees, told me that this coffee is meant for the future heroes, but I am forbidden to give away any tree samplings or seeds. You see I am only caretaker of these trees, that belong to other power.

  Geesh, he was smooth talker. Not a single word a lie, but words free for wrong interpretation.

  - Merchant mentioned that. And I heard that you refused even your kingdom's hero. But perhaps I can convince you. After my successes in fighting lizardmen pirates, queen Elizabeth rewarded me. She allowed me to take one of the artifacts from royal treasury. With her permission, I brought some of these artifacts with me in hopes of exchanging them for the tree samplings. I can also assure you that I will use coffee only for my personal use, and I can also assure you that they will not end up in different hands.

  - Your offer is generous, - slowly shook his head Mesmer: - And under different circumstances, I would be gd to help the hero who protects our nds and has favor of queen Elizabeth. But like I mentioned my hands in these matters are tied.

  - Are you sure? The artifacts that I can offer you would be of great benefit to your guild. How about Water mage hat. It allows anyone to use Water magic spells up to the fifth level. Or if you interested in money I can offer you Bag of endless gold. It produces a gold coin every ten days, as long as you carry it around, or I can offer you Horn of prosperity or Thunder sword.

  - Please stop, - Mesmer raised his hand: - I understand your wish. But these are matters that concern the gods. Not even our king can change that.

  - I see, - Theodoric shoulders slugged, and his good mood waned.

  Not that I cared about his mood, but his artifacts sounded interesting.

  - Lord Theodoric traveled a long distance. Perhaps we can make some other arrangement? - I offered.

  - Miss Avone is current caretaker of a farm and also for now is living there, - expined Mesmer: - We had some problems with thieves, and I posted many temporary quests for adventurers regarding pntations security. Avone oversees guarding, and as an elf also takes care of trees. She has proven herself as skilled gardener, and I highly value her opinion in many matters.

  - What do you mean by different arrangement? - hero looked at me with interest.

  - Your goal is to get steady supply of coffee, am I right?

  - Yes. I do not care about the money. Queen Elizabeth is more than generous, and I care only about the drink.

  - Perhaps we could arrange for lord Theodoric a yearly supply of coffee instead?

  Mesmer shook his head: - As you know we can maintain only small pntation. Our supply is limited, and there is a line of merchants, aristocrats and even kingdom's hero Milligan, who is waiting in line for opportunity to by the coffee. Arranging yearly supply would be nearly impossible.

  - Yes, master Mesmer. I also failed to take into account the distance between our kingdoms. It will be impossible for the hero to travel here and back just for the coffee.

  - I might be able to convince empire's earth master magician to travel here once and register with your guilds magic circle. That way there would be no need for me to travel here, - mentioned Theodoric.

  Just how good connections did he had?

  - Even so. The crops could be unpredictable. Hot summer or a flood could leave us without a harvest. What then?

  Did Mesmer attended some negotiation academy. I could learn a thing or two from him.

  - I understand that. And if such a thing would happen, I would not mind waiting for next year, without any coffee supply from you.

  - Still, I am not sure that we can spare enough coffee for honorable hero. And then there is a question of the needed amount, and then we would also need to supply empire's hero, instead of our own citizens.

  - That would probably depend on the artifact that he would agree to donate to the goddess. And besides, you did mentioned that coffee was meant for the future heroes?

  - You speak wisely Avone. Perhaps you may be right about this. But we already have Milligan. He is also quit insistent.

  I would describe Milligan as annoying, but he still was a hero.

  - If I am not too intruding. Perhaps you could tell me about the artifacts and their abilities. I can promise not to disclose our conversation, but artifacts have always been my weakness, - I used my most charming smile, and Theodoric happily nodded.

  - Of course. Artifacts are one of the wonders of this world. Let me see. I have Thunder sword it can increase the power of any spells that include lightning and also increase spell power by two. Endless water cup can create water, as long as you infuse it with small amount of mana. Guardian shield increases magic resistance. I also have shields than increases defense, and some of them can increase also the strength.

  - What about artifacts that can increase speed? They always have interested me. Just as artifacts that can increase luck.

  - Sadly, I cannot offer you artifacts that can increase speed, but I have blessed coin, that can increase luck by one or amulet of fortune, that can increase luck by three. It is the most powerful amulet for increase of luck in the empire.

  - How fascinating. And what about the horn that you mentioned earlier?

  - Horn of prosperity. It creates food once a day. Such as cheese, bread or dried fruits. Sometimes it produces even dried meat. Portions are big enough for a person to eat at least once a day. I could offer you also magic staffs or armor? - he turned to Mesmer: - Perhaps you could tell me what would interest you the most.

  I thought about the journey to the Iron Mountains and the ck of food there. That horn was very appealing. And the rest of the artifacts where probably part of empire's public treasury. No wonder he got permission to bring bunch of those artifacts to another kingdom. The best ones were probably still safe in queens personal treasury.

  - Your offer is generous and difficult to refuse. Also you have so many artifacts, it is difficult to chose. What do you think Avone. I am more of a schor, not an adventurer, and rarely have use for the artifacts.

  - I do not think that hero should depart from artifacts that he could use in battle. After all he is asking for the food, not for the artifacts of war.

  - Yes, I agree. Perhaps, I should consider a trade for the Horn of prosperity. We could donate it to the church, or use it to feed the poor.

  - That would be wise and generous of you, - I bowed my head.

  - That would be acceptable, - nodded smiling Theodoric.

  - What amount of coffee would you consider satisfying for your artifact. But please keep in mind, that I do need to priorities my own kingdom needs and that supply is limited.

  - Ideally a cup a day would make me happy, but I do understand that it would be asking too much. How about twenty pouches a year.

  I did quick math. We had around forty trees. My part was half, plus some expenses that made me around fifty kilos of coffee in a year. One pouch had one hundred grams that made me around five hundred pouches. If I drink three, no four cups a day, I would need around seventy five pouches yearly. Let us round it up to a hundred, which meant that I will have four hundred left. Theodoric would need eighteen pouches, if he wants one cup a day. Which was eighteen orichalcum coins in a year. That was too much for just one artifact.

  Mesmer also did some math. We looked at each other. I took an apple and cut it in two. Mesmer thoughtfully looked at Theodoric and shook his head.

  - I am afraid that I cannot offer you such an amount. Let me think. Let us say that I agree to supply you for twenty years. Every year I could offer you eight, well if the harvest is good nine or ten pouches. But even then, hmmm...

  - Yearly supply of ten pouches will be more than generous, - jumped in Theodoric: - Perhaps I can also offer you one of my personal artifacts. So we can agree on ten pouches. This ring is called Dragon heart it increases spell power by three.

  Mesmer closed his eyes and patted his chin. I drunk some wine and looked at the gss. I do not think that I ever tasted such tasty wine.

  - Personally I do not understand your obsession with this coffee great hero. But I guess everyone has his own tastes, and goddess is much wiser than we are. Yes, gods are infinitely wise, - nodded to himself Mesmer: - I agree to your proposal great hero. I will arrange delivery for your first pouches to town lords castle tomorrow. Is that acceptable?

  - Yes, - he happily nodded: - I am gd that I did not waste my time coming here.

  - Yes. Perhaps, it was goddess Theia who guided you here.

  We chatted little longer, and then hero left us. Mesmer waited until he was gone and then gave me the horn and the ring. Horn was shaped like a bulls horn, ornamented with golden pictures of people tending to animals and fields. Hero expined that it can be used by applying to it small amount of mana. Ring was silver like, with big red jewel in it. I tried it on, but it was too big for me, and it's size did not change.

  - Two bad, - I took if off: - I was pnning to give it to Nelly, but not a woman's accessory. Have to give it to Trevor.

  - Yes a shame, - sighed Mesmer: - Should I use your part of the coffee to pay him?

  - Yes. Of course. And don't feel bad. At least he did not threaten to burn down the town or something. Why don't you send him twenty five pouches tomorrow. His supply for two years and small gift. After all, did not expect that he will give us the ring as well.

  - How generous of you. You could give him all two hundred pouches right now?

  - Naa. Coffee will go bad. Does not st that long.

  - You are very considered.

  - It was a honest deal. Two hundred orichalcum coins for the horn and the ring is more than generous.

  - Yes. If you count it that way, then it is. But when you say it that way, he could have just paid you instead.

  - Yee, but you probably scared him with that long line of costumers. And besides he overpaid for the coffee and probably failed to ask around and find out our prices.

  - That may be true. And he partially got what he wanted. He looked satisfied.

  - I thought so too. By the way if another hero shows up and offers artifacts that can create food or water, or even money, and maybe something interesting as well, then offer them simir arrangement. Use my part of coffee to pay. And also now you can spread around the word that Theodoric is your loyal costumer. That would make other less honorable heroes think twice before doing something stupid.

  - I did consider it as well. May I ask about your pns for the future?

  - I will stay in Grimsburg for another month or so and then return to Tyco. Nelly and others will be waiting me there.

  - I see. Give my best to Nelly.

  - I will.

  * * *

  Hero left few days ter. I wanted to see the griffins, but felt too zy to go and try to peak at them. At least one head ache was gone, and I got some interesting artifacts.

  Twelve days ter I collected my arrows from Ashurga. He also prepared my new arrows. They were bck, and looked threatening. When I touched them I even felt a threatening aura.

  - They will coast your another orichalcum coin. Those arrows give me chills, - admitted Ashurga: - Could be best arrows I ever made, but please do not mention to anyone that I made them.

  - Fine by me. Do not pn to show them to anyone anyway. Thank you for your work, - I gave him another coin.

  - By the way, did you hear about Milligan? I believe that you traveled with him in the past.

  - Yes. We took him to Tyco. Did something happen to him?

  - He got engaged to archduke's daughter. Archduke Kurgan also was seen in the capitol. People say that goddess blessed him, and he regained his youth. Archduke was already most powerful noble in the kingdom, but that will increase his influence even further. He'll be almost as powerful as the king.

  I thanked the dwarf for sharing the news. That was interesting. But I was not pnning to stay in Ashgrin, and whatever squabble could happen was not my concern.

  Next I visited Tanot. Forty days that sage needed to make my leveling potions have passed and I was few days te.

  Tanot cheerfully greeted me and put six vials on the table.

  - Like we agreed six leveling potions. Been a long time since I had to make anything that difficult. Was nice to work so hard on a potion.

  - Thanks. So all I need to do is drink one of them?

  - Yes, but you will be able to level up only in two or three days. Potions allow your body to gather surrounding mana, or transform your own if necessary, and change it into life force. It is simir to the way that dungeon core mana turns into life force, when you destroy it. Those potions were created by studying the way the dungeon core increases people levels.

  - Fine, - I drunk one of the potions. It was bitter, and I grimaced: - Tastes disgusting.

  - Best medicine do, - smiled Tanot: - Feel free to visit me again, if you get something interesting.

  - Sure.I had some time left so I spend four days buying seeds than I could use to pnt crops and trees. I successfully increased my level, and also Hunting skill after using leveling potion, and had to fight the urge to use the rest of the leveling potions.

  I also send a message to my party members that I will be arriving in Tyco only more than a year ter. Message was posted like a quest and costed me six gold coins. That was a lot of money for a simple message, but since the messenger had to cross two kingdoms to deliver it, the price was more than reasonable. Then I got the word from Adventurer guild master Fiord. Ancient draugr's cws were sold for twenty three orichalcum coins. On the day that I left Grimsburg, I had more money than I had when I arrived here, even after all my expenses.