An elf on top of the gatehouse tower shouted a command for them to halt when there were close enough that normal shouting could be heard by normal ears. Zily took one step forward and shouted back.


    “Hero Zily greets her mother, General Hero Lierin. I request an audience with the general at her earliest convinience.” Zily gestured towards Marke with big movements that could be seen clearly from the tower. “I bring with me, under my <something>, a mighty foreign hero. A friend who should be accorded all rights and honors.”


    The guard on the gatehouse yelled down a greeting to Zily and said that they would open the gate as soon as they received proper orders. Those orders apparently came back quickly–the gate opened less than five minutes later and the guard invited them to enter. Zily nodded at Marke and walked side-by-side with him through the gate.


    “I’m not going to lie, I really liked that process. Practical, but also plenty of options for feeling fancy.” Kente said.


    What do you think her mother is like? Marke asked Kente.


    “Stop that, you haven’t even held hands. You don’t need to be nervous about meeting a stranger who is related to someone who smiled at you.” Kente scolded Marke. Marke didn’t have a chance to respond because he was suddenly standing in front of a woman who looked like an older, taller Zily.


    The general bowed to Zily and Marke. Marke followed Zily’s lead and bowed back. When they all straightened up, the general spoke. “General Hero Lierin greets her daughter, Hero Zily, and welcomes the foreign hero as a friend.”


    It was apparently Zily’s turn to speak next. “Mother, I introduced to you Foreign Hero Dingo. He is a mighty enemy of the goblins who recently arrived on the edges of our land through magical means.” Marke’s enhanced hearing picked up a soft murmur from someone standing in the back. From the look on the General’s face, she had also heard it. Zily continued as though no one had said anything. “My small fort was ill equipped to fulfill his requests, so I have brought him to you.” Zily gave a little gesture with her hand and Marke took that as his cue.


    “I wish to trade a few items.” Marke said. He wasn’t quite confident enough in his vocabulary to sound fancy. “And also, I seek the help of a good tailor.” Marke smiled and a few soldiers chuckled. “Beyond that, I wish to learn what has happened in the world during my long absence.”


    The general’s mouth quirked in a small smile at Marke’s requests. “Hero Dingo, Hero Zily, I invite you to my residence where we will discuss further.” The formation of guards and attendants broke and Marke followed along with Zily in the wake of the general. The general gave a few quiet orders that sent people running off at top speed. They all arrived together at the large and open doors for a subtly beautiful building off to the side of the Fort grounds.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    An aide bowed to Marke as he stepped inside. “Great hero. I am Sana. Please follow me.” Zily nodded in response to Marke’s questioning look before turning to follow her own aide in the opposite direction. Marke followed Sana through a side door of the entrance hall. The aide led him to a large stone bath, set into the ground. “Do you bathe alone, or with attendants?” Sana asked.


    “I will bathe alone.” Marke said. He picked up the word ‘bathe’ from the context and hoped that he conjugated it correctly for himself. Sana didn’t show any objection or confusion, so Marke figured he had done ok. Sana showed him soap, brush, and towels, then left to wait outside. Marke sank gladly into the bath.


    “This is nice.” He said without thinking.


    “Hmmm.” Kente replied in a flat tone.


    Marke grimaced at the mistake. It was too close to a direct reminder of how Marke had a body and Kente did not. Marke tried to save the situation by leaning into it. “It’s no ice cold lake full of squid or an acidic hot spring, but it will do.” Kente gave a half-hearted snort of amusement. Cleaning blood and guts off himself was an important bit of self care that Marke had struggled with in the tunnels.


    Marke was scrubbing his hair when Sana informed him that a tailor had arrived and could see Marke as soon as he was finished bathing. Marke finished bathing in record time and jumped out of the bath to reach the towels. A few minutes later, the tailor looked up at him in obvious surprise.


    “You sure are big.” The tailor said.


    Marke chuckled. He didn’t actually know how tall he was. With his constantly tattered clothing, he didn’t have a great way to track any growth down in the tunnels. Marke and Kente had discussed it multiple times but didn’t find a solid reason why his increased stats would make him grow when he already had an adult body.


    “Hmmm. I can make you a <something> real quick to wear while I throw together something else.” The tailor pulled a bolt of cloth out of a pile and began pulling out lengths and holding them up to Marke’s body. The tailor muttered to himself for a moment then slashed the fabric with bright glowing scissors. The scissors and sudden movement took Marke by surprise and his instincts nearly turned the elf to a fine mist. Marke evened out his breathing and tried to slow his heart rate. In under a minute, the tailor had a comfortable robe thrown around Marke’s shoulders and tied in the front. Marke loved it.


    “That should <something> while I <something>, what do you think?” The tailor asked.


    “This is the best thing I’ve worn in years.” Marke said earnestly. “Thank you.”


    The tailor frowned at the robe. “It’s just a robe. What were you wearing before? I didn’t see you enter the fort.”


    Marke pulled the homemade leather shorts out of his bag and held them up. “I made them myself.” He said. The tailor looked completely horrified.