"Where have been Dreue? You said you wanted to take a break for a few days but you disappeared for a long time, we asked the innkeeper about but refused to answer" when Hazel saw Dreue she couldn't help but ask.
Dreue meet the three adventurers at the side of the forest, he still had bandages on his body, but he also smeared himself with some dirt trying to appear more miserable, he was wearing an eyepatch made of leather on his right eye.
"You said you wanted to rest because you were exhausted, but you state seem to have become worse" John said as he was looking at Dreue's body which was full bandages.
Gallien didn't say anything but he couldn't hide his doubts, looking a Dreue waiting to say what would he say.
*sigh*
"I had an accident, after I left you that day I returned later to the side of the forest, I was afraid that my defective mana core stopped functioning at all, I was afraid that I have lost my ability, I didn't tell you because if you know I may be unable to sense mana or detect mana anymore, our cooperation would come to an end"
"So, I wanted to conform things myself, I took sometime and did some tests, fortunately I was still able to detect monsters" Dreue said slowly.
When they first heard Dreue, the three adventurers tensed up, it is true they now view Dreue as a true member of their party, not merely a business partner, but his ability was the cornerstone and the basis of their relationship, it has an irreplaceable role in the hunting of the Hobgoblin. So, without its things would never be the same, especially that Dreue can't contribute nothing to the party except for this ability.
Thus, when they heard him say that he still can use his ability, he still can detect monsters, they couldn't help but breathe a sigh relief and relax.
"After making sure I can still sense some mana, I decided to leave the forest, on my way out I was attacked by thugs"
"They wanted to take the monsters nuclei I had, but I refused to yield, you can tell how things ended. ….." Dreue said in a stern tone.
"How foolish of you! You nothing but a blind weak man! What can you do? Just give them the nuclei and they will leave, no one would hit a blind pathetic man for fun!" Hazel reprimand harshly without giving him a chance to refute her words, it seems of the party she was the one who cared most about Dreue.
"I know you say that, but why should I always yield to other people, should I live my whole life as a coward who do nothing, is this that a life worth living??" Dreue said angrily.
"I know my circumstances all I wanted was to save some money buy a farm and live peacefully! They wanted to take my hard-earned nuclei! OVER MY DIED BODY! I have no more time if I was unable to collect enough money before I lose my ability then I better be dead" his tone was full of rage and desperation.
"Sigh… look at what your stubbornness led to…. all what you said in the end is nothing but empty words in front of power…. Dreue, I don't mean to disrespect you, a man needs to learn when to bow down, in the end they not only took the nuclei but also wounded you severely" Hazel said slowly in a gentle tone.
"A man's bone can be broken but not his pride, also I provoked them in hitting me by cursing and insulting them, I can't say that I put up a good fight, but I struggling furiously giving them a hard time I continued kicking, punching and shouting randomly, they saw me as a bothersome guy so they forget to search me fully, they only took my bag which contained half of my total nuclei, the other half I hid in my boots"
"So yes, I was able to do something, they hit more but stole less, I would have been happy If they hit me even more in exchange of leaving my nuclei, in fact if someone to give me nuclei then I would gladly take a beating and let him hit me freely, such a cost-effective trade" Dreue laughed loudly while putting his hands on his waist, such a great contradiction between his pose which was full of pride and his words.
The three adventurers could not help but smile awkwardly in the face of such a strange logic.
"Ahem…ahem…let's move to our main topic…the Hobgoblin…when should we start our hunt? we are ready anytime, what about you Dreue?" John returned the conversation to the main point away from the strange course it has taken.
"I say we go for it tomorrow morning"
"aren't you still injured? Even worse than before? I say you take another break for few days" Gallien said in doubting tone, he had always suspected Dreue's word, he couldn't full believe them, but he failed to find another explanation other than what Dreue said, in the first place why would Dreue even lie to them, what would he gain.
"Yes, I am still injured but as I said before I don't know when I will lose my ability, in fact it could happen at any moment, so we better get things done as soon as possible"
"Okey then it is decided, tomorrow morning we meet at the edge of the forest, everyone bring any weapons or equipment you have, don't forget to buy potions and bandages" everyone nodded in agreement to John words.
"Dreue come here for a second" John called Dreue alone, he took out a small pouch out of his pocket and put it in Dreue's hand.
"Here take these gold coins, I will not cut them out of your final payment after finishing the quest, I also don't want you to pay them back to me later, count it as a little help of a friend" John held Dreue's hand and closed it on the pouch and left silently.
"John, I will be sure to return your favor someday…."
It was perhaps the truest thing he said today.