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James walked beside the head guards, Emerald behind him, and the other beast guards in the trees. The other humans were about twenty meters to their left, on the other side of the cavemouth. James and the head guard moved to the front, weapons and shields ready. The head guard looked back at James and nodded to him.

“James, you and I will be the first to enter the den. We're the biggest and the only two who fight with shields and have the strength to hold back enemies."

James nodded as they got to the side of the cave mouth. After a minute, two of the larger humans rushed over. One with a spear and the other with two short swords in hand. They looked at James, and he noticed the pissed-off looks on their faces. James tightened the grip on his mace's handle. They waited until they heard a whistle arrow, and the four charged in. James and the head guard slammed their shields into the first goblins. James got a look at the goblins, small, squat creatures, about 3 to 4 feet tall, with pointed ears and equally pointy teeth. James threw his shield to the side, bringing his mace down on the goblin's head.

“Push in!"

James looked at the two humans as they tried to force their way deeper. James narrowed his eyes before he quickly smashed his mace into its shoulder and neck, breaking it.

“Attack!"

James looked back as the rest of the beast, and humans rushed in. Near the back was Emerald, her sword drawn. James jumped back, dodging a goblin who'd tried to attack him from above. He swung his mace into its chest and sent it flying. The fight raged briefly before the humans killed the last goblin. James looked around and saw Emerald pulling her sword from a goblin's chest. He smiled as he started to go over to her. But, as he was coming over, James saw another man near her turn and gave her ass a hard smack.

“A bitch that can fight instead of laying on her back that's new."

Emerald turned and bore her teeth at him. James's eyes widened as he rushed. He dropped his mace, grabbed his throat, and slammed him into the wall.

“The fuck!?

James dropped his shield and pulled his fist back.

“Don't touch my girl again!"

The man looked annoyed before the beast's head guard grabbed him and pulled him back while a human grabbed the man. They were pulled apart, and the human captain looked at the man with an annoyed look. He grabbed the man and started yelling at him.

“I told you all when we came here, don't do anything that would be considered rude or offensive!"

James tried to get after one more time, but the head guard wrapped his arms around his chest, trying to hold him back. James started pulling him, and two more beasts quickly grabbed him. They finally stopped him, and everyone else was surprised to see a human matching the raw strength of a full-grown beastman. Emerald looked on, happy that James was so angry on her behalf. She sheathed her sword before kicking the man in the balls as hard as possible. He screamed and grabbed his balls. The man holding his leather armor was shocked and let him fall face-first to the ground.

“Your not my alpha touch me again and I'll cut them off!"

James stopped struggling, and the other beast laughed as Emerald approached them. James quickly shook them off and hugged Emerald as he glared at the other humans. They all looked at him with a pissed look in their eyes. James patted her back a few times before a younger beast threw him his mace. James held onto Emerald as he slipped his mace onto his side. The head guard sighed before he spoke up.

“Alright, enough standing around! Start searching this place and see if they had any valuables or prisoners."

The beasts all nodded before they started to move. James wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her along as he kicked his shield up. He grabbed the shield and put it back on his arm before walking with Emerald back out of the cave. After a minute, they were away from the cave mouth, and James sighed as he sat down and leaned against the rock wall. He pulled his shield off and set his mace beside him. Emerald took her sword off, sat on his lap, and leaned back into James's chest. James smiled as he wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her shoulder.

“Thanks for defending me."

James laughed as she held her as the other humans walked out. James kept an eye on them as they all looked at them with a sick or annoyed look. James moved a hand from her stomach and rested his hand on the mace's handle. Emerald grabbed her sword handle, still a little annoyed about the slap to her ass. They quickly moved on, and Emerald let her sword go, but James kept his hand on the mace. He was no fool. He'd seen the looks of hate from people in his old world. James watched them until they were completely out of view. After a minute, The beast came running out with a smile. He had a large bag in his arm, and James and Emerald. Saw him holding swords in his arms along with the bag. The head guard walked out, and James saw a large, one-handed spiked ball mace in his hand. He looked around and then soon found the two. He quickly walked over, and James could make out the spikes better now. The spikes were a good inch long, and the ball was black. The shaft's body was metal, with leather wrapped around the handle. On the other hand, it was a sheathed sword.

“Hey James, since the village was on our side of the border the spoils are ours. Justed wanted to know if you want this mace. Or one of the heavy one handed swords. You two will also be getting a share of the valuables once were back in the city."

James hummed and looked at the sword. It had a moon-designed hand guard and a full-length, fifty-inch Viking-like sword. The handle looked made from darker wood, maybe dark oak or maple. The sheath looked like it was wrapped in leather with a spiked bottom of the sheath. Deciding it would be better to stick with what he knew best.

“I'll take the mace, and if you don't mind, can Emerald have the sword? It looks like it's better than what she has right now. I want he to be safe and a better sword would help what that."

The head guard nodded. They stood up, and Emerald blushed before they took the weapons. James smiled as he rested the new mace on his shoulder, his other hand around Emerald's waist. The head guard nodded and then turned to head back to the others. James and Emerald, for their part, moved back to the camp, hoping the two guards that were left behind kept the camp safe.

Three hours later

James sighed as he looked into the now dirty water, glad he'd suggested they fill the buckets and the two large barrels they had. The guards were also happy he'd suggested it, as they could have been sick if they hadn't listened to him.

“James what are you doing?"

James looked back and saw Emerald with a plate in each hand. On them was more bread, some cheese, and some fish.

“Just thinking is all."

James spoke as he took the plate. The two sat down near the main fire, and the other guards were eating. Emerald leaned into James's side, and James smiled as he tore the bread in two. He took a bite and hummed, the harder bread being back home but still good. James decided he'd have to try making some white bread.

“Hey, James."

James looked over at a guard as he took a bite of bread.

“Hm?"

The guard spoke again as he looked at James.

“I heard a while back that you left some unknown crops with the farmers under Sir Wildfang's family. What are they?"

James hummed as he looked at him, then spoke when he swallowed.

“Sweet potatoes and Russet potatoes. Root vegetables that both grow well in nearly any soil so its a staple food where I came from. People would store potatoes in a cool, dark cellar, often packed in loose layers with straw or similar material to help maintain a consistent temperature and prevent them from spoiling; in colder regions, they might even utilize natural winter ice to keep the cellar cool, allowing for longer storage. Like that they can last whole winter and still be fresh as they day they were harvested sometimes. It can be prepared in at least twenty different ways that I know of."

The guards nodded and understood the value of such a plant. The food would be protected from pests and could help many beastmen. The captain looked at James, put his food down, and spoke up.

“James, what are you going to do once a new crop of them comes in?"

James hummed as he took a bit from the cheese. He sat the cheese down before speaking again.

“I'll leave half of whatever is harvested with Sir Wildfang do to with as he wishes while I replant the other half. It will take a few years to get a crop field of a good size going."

They all nodded again before James heard a stick snap. Everyone grabbed their weapons before the human leader walked out with a more well-dressed man. The man looked at them all with a look of annoying and a sick look in his eye. The man looked down at James and saw him holding Emerald close. That sick look got worse as he looked at them.

“I see, so a man has thrown his lot in with the beast. And to think he'd even sleep with one."

James narrowed his eyes as he held Emerald and his spiked mace tighter. The captain stood up, a frown on his face as he spoke.

“Unless you have business here please leave."

The man looked at him for a second before he looked down at James again.

“You, your a human you should leave with us. We'll take you back to our nation where you can return to your senses."

James spit at his feet and spoke up.

“Why would I lower myself to your level by returning to humans when I'm among much better compony."

The two humans snarled as they looked at James and the smiling beastmen. James was sure they didn't know he was a private adventurer of Sir Wildfang, but it was best not to tempt fate. The two turned and stormed off back into the trees. Once they were sure they were gone, the captain spoke up.

“Everyone be on guard tonight. Something tell me they won't take this lying down."

They all nodded and then finished eating quickly. They still had to deliver the supplies, and then they'd be heading back. James had Emerald go to bed first, and he waited up with the captain and one of the younger guards. They had weapons ready, and waiting for the attack they waited for hadn't come. Soon, they switched with the others, and James told Emerald to scream if something happened. She nodded, and James laid down to sleep, his mace close by. The next morning came as they were starting to move James had Emerald in the back of a carriage. He wanted her to get a little more sleep. Her body was still recovering. The guards respected how attentive he was. They cleared a spot and made her a bed as best they could. Once she was comfortable, they started moving.

“So how did you two meet?"

James looked over at the captain.

“We were partnered up when I requested to be an adventurer. After a few weeks, it kind of just happened."

He smiled and nodded as they walked on.