By late afternoon, even the Vixens could tell something was wrong.
Or right.
They weren't entirely sure which.
Solmere was busy.
Not festival busy.
Not emergency busy.
Just... alive.
The carriage rolled through town as Grim and Steed pulled it effortlessly along the roads. This time, instead of retreating into the dimensional space, everyone sat by the windows watching.
The difference was impossible to miss.
Shops that normally closed early were still open.
Street vendors lined roads that usually sat empty this time of year.
Strangers filled the streets.
Lots of strangers.
Bunny pressed her face against the glass.
"This is weird."
"Helpful," Nyxian said.
"I mean really weird."
"Much better."
Bunny ignored her.
"Normally after festival season this place dies. Merchants leave. Adventurers move on. Half the town disappears for months."
She pointed toward a crowded marketplace.
"That shouldn't be there."
Zee adjusted her glasses.
"There are a lot of outsiders."
Llandra nodded.
"And not all of them are adventurers."
That made everyone look closer.
She was right.
Some carried packs.
Others carried notebooks.
One group looked suspiciously wealthy.
Several appeared to be families.
Families.
In Solmere.
That was unusual.
"...Tourists?" Nyxian guessed.
The word felt ridiculous.
Solmere wasn't supposed to have tourists.
Solmere was supposed to have monster attacks.
The carriage eventually rolled into Barb's stable yard.
And immediately vanished beneath children.
"THEY'RE BACK!"
The cry spread like wildfire.
Within seconds a small army of children surrounded the carriage.
Questions came from every direction.
"Did you really beat the Crystal Cave?"
"Did you fight dragons?"
"Did the shadows eat anybody?"
"Did you find treasure?"
"Can I have treasure?"
A small boy pointed at Grim.
"Does that one eat people?"
Before Jax could answer, Nyxian leaned down dramatically.
"Only naughty children."
The boy froze.
"...Really?"
Nyxian nodded gravely.
"Especially the loud ones."
The boy immediately pointed at his friend.
"HIM!"
Betrayal happened instantly.
The friend gasped.
"You said we were brothers!"
"I changed my mind!"
The Vixens burst out laughing.
Even Jax smiled.
Barb emerged from the stable a moment later.
She stopped.
Looked at Grim.
Looked at Steed.
Looked at Jax.
Then slowly rubbed her temples.
"Every time you leave town, something gets weirder."
"I get that a lot."
"I believe it."
Her gaze returned to the shadow bulls.
"Those weren't horses when you left."
"No."
"They aren't horses now."
"No."
"...Should I ask?"
"No."
"Fair enough."
Business was handled quickly.
The rented Draft Behemoths were returned.
The kids immediately abandoned Jax and surrounded Grim and Steed instead.
To their credit, the shadow bulls tolerated the attention surprisingly well.
One little girl actually managed to pet Grim's nose.
The resulting squeal nearly shattered windows.
Word spread fast.
Very fast.
By the time they left the stable district, people were openly pointing.
Not just at the Vixens.
At the caravan.
At the shadow summons.
At them.
Something had changed while they were gone.
The proof appeared a few minutes later.
Every restaurant Jax owned had lines.
Not small lines.
Real lines.
The kind business owners dreamed about.
Parties waited outside.
Families waited outside.
Merchants waited outside.
The Neon Moon looked like it was hosting a royal banquet.
Jax hopped out.
Returned three minutes later.
Then repeated the process at the next restaurant.
And the next.
Finally Bunny couldn't take it anymore.
"What are you doing?"
"Business."
"You disappear for three minutes."
"Correct."
"That's not enough time to do business."
Jax smiled.
"I told them to start handing out free appetizers."
The Vixens stared.
"Free?" Zee asked.
"Very free."
"Why?"
Jax looked confused.
"Appetizers make people thirsty."
Recognition dawned.
Nyxian groaned.
"You evil merchant."
"Thank you."
"That wasn't a compliment."
"It absolutely was."
The further they traveled, the more obvious it became.
Solmere wasn't slowing down.
It was accelerating.
Brannic's forge had customers lined out the door.
Merriweather's shop was packed.
Even businesses unrelated to Jax looked busier than usual.
The entire town felt... richer.
Not in coin.
In momentum.
The Crystal Cave record had done something.
People were coming.
And people brought money.
Finally they reached the Adventurer's Guild.
The doors burst open before the carriage even stopped.
The slime receptionist practically launched herself outside.
"It's them!"
The Guild Master followed behind her.
Along with half the guild staff.
And several people Jax didn't recognize.
The crowd outside immediately noticed.
Heads turned.
Conversations stopped.
The Guild Master smiled broadly.
"We've been expecting you."
The Vixens climbed down from the carriage.
Immediately the crowd began whispering.
Pointing.
Watching.
The Guild Master noticed their confusion.
Then laughed.
A deep, genuine laugh.
"The Vixens," he said.
The girls exchanged glances.
Something about his tone worried them.
The Guild Master shook his head.
"You have absolutely no idea what happened while you were gone, do you?"
The Vixens looked at each other.
Then at Jax.
Then back at the Guild Master.
And suddenly they weren't sure they wanted the answer.