The inn. A place for questing adventurers, drinking, solace, and even temporary, messy love. Or just lust. In any good tavern, you can find at least one mysterious figure in the shadows ready to spout off cryptic messages of doom. No pub worthy of the name wouldn\u2019t have the potential for indiscriminate violence simmering in the air, either.<\/p>\n
Inns attract crowds. Thus, an innkeeper must be constantly busy. It\u2019s a demanding job that often requires more than one barmaid or bartender\u2014barboy being a seldom-used term that only dictionary aficionados employ.<\/p>\n
Erin Solstice sat in her inn and waited for the crowds to come pouring through the door. Any second now. She\u2019d be fighting them off with burning oil and kitchen knives. Any moment. They were probably just waiting until nightfall.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2014\u2014<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Two nights later, Erin had to concede that being an innkeeper was harder than it looked. And it looked really hard.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat good is owning an inn without customers?\u201d<\/p>\n
Erin sighed and leaned back in her chair. She eyed the gleaming wooden floor and stout wooden door and wondered whether it was worth cleaning them again. But no, she\u2019d dusted and polished every available surface, and she had enough food in the kitchen for a small army.\u00a0<\/p>\n
What she didn\u2019t have was money or people willing to spend money. And it occurred to her, belatedly, that if you had food, there was a definite time limit on how long you had until it went bad\u2014and then you\u2019d wasted your money.<\/p>\n
\u201cTwo days.\u201d<\/p>\n
Erin put her head in her hands glumly. Two days since she\u2019d painted her sign and named the inn. Two days, and her only customers were the three terrors that plagued her waking nightmares.<\/p>\n
Relc, Klbkch, and Pisces. They were all horrible customers. Each one was fine on his own\u2014well, Pisces was annoying no matter what\u2014but as patrons, they had extremely objectionable flaws. Even Klbkch.<\/p>\n
Especially Klbkch.<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t that they were annoying, per se, but\u2026no, they were annoying. Erin gritted her teeth. She wished the Goblins would stop by for a change of pace. At least they were clean, quiet, and finished everything on their plate.<\/p>\n
Well, Relc always finished everything on his plate. So did the other two, but in Relc\u2019s case, he tended to spread the contents of his plate on the table and the floor. How hard was it to use a knife and fork?<\/p>\n
And the one who did use a knife and fork never paid for anything. Ever. Erin felt like she was running a soup kitchen every time she fed Pisces.<\/p>\n
As for Klbkch, that\u2026that\u2026<\/p>\n
\u201cThat lying, pasta-eating, snake-ant jerk!\u201d<\/p>\n
Erin slapped the table. She was especially mad at him. How could he betray her expectations like that?<\/p>\n
She\u2019d been happy to feed him pasta all night long. Happy that was, until Pisces and Relc told her that Antinium couldn\u2019t handle bread or pasta that well. They were all naturally gluten-intolerant. Eating pasta was about as fun for Klbkch as poking his tongue with a knife. If he had a tongue.<\/p>\n
Pasta wasn\u2019t technically poison for him, but it made Klbkch lethargic and did nasty things to his digestion. Either way, he\u2019d clearly been buying and eating her food just to support her.<\/p>\n
The nerve. The gall<\/em> of that bug. Ants were bugs, right?<\/p>\n When she\u2019d found out about Klbkch\u2019s aversion to pasta, she\u2019d gotten into a huge fight with him. Or rather, she\u2019d gotten mad and he\u2019d apologized repeatedly. Ever since then, Erin had let him buy blue fruit juice or blue fruits, but no more pasta. The trouble with that was that Erin lost out on one of her major sources of income, as Relc visited every other day and Pisces came by too frequently.<\/p>\n \u201cAnother night without customers.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin groaned to herself as she stared at her inn. Then she got up, found a mug, and mechanically wiped it with a clean piece of cloth. Not because it was dirty; it just felt like an innkeeper-y thing to do. And she was bored.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat I wouldn\u2019t give for one customer.\u201d<\/p>\n Two tables over, Pisces looked up from his bowl of onion and sausage soup.<\/p>\n \u201cI am right here, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin glared at him. Pisces was, as always, camped at his table, which meant that he somehow occupied the entire<\/em> table. Not that he stretched out or lay across multiple chairs, but he seemed to occupy too much space.\u00a0<\/p>\n His stained \u2018white\u2019 robes had left another trail of detritus when he\u2019d come in, and he\u2019d actually removed one of his worn boots to inspect a sock with holes in it. Erin stared at a pale, pink toe and then at Pisces. He waggled the toe at her along with one eyebrow and had the nerve to look offended.<\/p>\n \u201cI meant a paying<\/em>, nice customer.\u201d<\/p>\n The young man sniffed and drank the last dregs from his bowl. The one positive aspect about the mage\u2014if you could call it that\u2014was that he ate like a starving wolverine.<\/p>\n \u201cI believe there is a lovely tradition known as a \u2018tab.\u2019 Rest assured, I will make sufficient payment to you in time, good mistress. Although, I must say you could stand to improve the variety of your dishes. Pasta and soup are all very well, but I trust you do know there are other types of food in the world?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin ground her teeth together. She pointed at the door.<\/p>\n \u201cOut.\u201d<\/p>\n Pisces stood with offended dignity and brushed off his dirty robe. He offered Erin a bow that was sardonic without being offensive enough for a thumping.<\/p>\n \u201cYour soup was most adequate. However, I would advise you to add more seasonings to combat the bland taste.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin opened her mouth, but he was already halfway out the door. She watched it close\u2026but not all the way. The door hung about a foot open as Pisces ambled off. This time, Erin punched the table.<\/p>\n After she\u2019d closed and bolted the new door Klbkch had helped her install, Erin tasted the cold soup and made a face. She stomped over to her shelves and looked for a bag of salt.<\/p>\n Cooking was harder than it looked. And sadly, while Erin could make several dishes thanks to her Skill, there wasn\u2019t really any point if no one but Pisces was going to eat it. Today, she\u2019d tried out soup, and she had half a pot still sitting in the kitchen. She\u2019d have to wait for Relc to come by tomorrow to finish it all.<\/p>\n Erin sighed and sat down at her table. It was her favorite table, the second one near the bar. It was in the best condition, and she would nap with her head resting on the table or in the kitchen, on the floor. True, she could have built a more formal sleeping spot or done something about the second floor, but she was out of money for things like mattresses and pillows. For now, she slept. Her life wasn\u2019t bad. She\u2019d survived Goblins and actually started running a business. She just wished\u2014<\/p>\n She just wished things would start going her way.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The next day Erin woke up, she woke up tired. Very tired. And that was strange, because Erin had gotten a good night\u2019s sleep. Or so she\u2019d thought.<\/p>\n As Erin shifted to get up, she felt uncomfortable. She looked down at her clothes. She was wearing a variation of a t-shirt and pants she\u2019d custom-ordered from one of the Gnolls that Krshia had introduced her to.<\/p>\n Most Drakes went for an ancient-Greek-style toga or robe look, and their clothes were long and free-flowing. Some of them wore sarongs, but Erin was pretty sure it was only the females.<\/p>\n On the other hand, Gnolls wore minimal attire, usually just enough to cover their furry parts, which weren\u2019t visible in the first place. And while Erin was fine with that look, she wasn\u2019t too keen on wearing just a thong and breast band in public. Hence, her clothes.<\/p>\n The fabric was a rougher, sturdier type of cloth than Erin would have liked, but it wasn\u2019t that uncomfortable. She\u2019d slept in it fine just the other day. So why was it suddenly rubbing against her down\u2026there\u2026?<\/p>\n Erin looked down and began praying under her breath. She closed her eyes. Did she have to go to the bathroom? No. Nope. Not at all. So then why was she leaking\u2026?<\/p>\n \u201cOh. My. God. This is not <\/em>okay!\u201d<\/p>\n The wetness in the crotch of her pants spread even as Erin looked down. She began to swear even as she jumped up and ran for some clean clothes. It couldn\u2019t be happening. But it was. How had she forgotten?<\/p>\n Her period. She was on her damn period<\/em>.\u00a0<\/p>\n The entire moment came as a huge shock to Erin. Not her monthlies. Rather\u2014that she had missed the signs. She didn\u2019t have the most dramatic signals, but Erin could normally count down the days in her head even if she didn\u2019t keep exact track, and she could tell when her body was about to argue with her.<\/p>\n \u2026Normally. But Erin had missed any normal signs in the stress and trauma of fighting for her life. Which meant she was also completely flat-footed because\u2014she had to be honest\u2014<\/p>\n This was not a problem she equated with living in a world of magic and monsters. Of all the things to deal with\u2014!<\/em><\/p>\n Erin went to the shopping bag where she\u2019d neatly stored many of the items she\u2019d bought and began tearing through it, tossing items aside. Towels. She had to have towels somewhere in here.<\/p>\n There. Erin grabbed them and a fresh pair of pants. She walked back into the common room and hesitated. Like hell she was going to change in here or in the kitchen. She went upstairs.<\/p>\n As Erin switched her pants and wiped away the mess, she wondered what cruel twist of fate had dumped her in this fantasy world\u2014yet still gave her the miracle of life every month.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve never heard of video game characters dealing with this! How do you expect Lara Croft to climb mountains with a giant frickin\u2019 diaper in her pants? I\u2019d love to see Leia fighting stormtroopers on her cycle!\u201d<\/p>\n Erin slammed downstairs and threw her pants and the bloody towel on the ground. The other one she took to the kitchen and cut in half. Then she shoved it down her pants.<\/p>\n \u201cRough.\u201d<\/p>\n The towels were not<\/em> meant for use in the way she was using them. Erin shuddered. This was a nightmare. She had to get relief. And by relief, she meant tampons.<\/p>\n And that was another chilling thought, because Erin was pretty sure tampons never existed in medieval times. But\u2014they had pads, right? Women existed back in the Dark Ages, even if they were oppressed. And Liscor wasn\u2019t that<\/em> primitive. So they had to have pads. They had to.<\/p>\n \u201cPlease, God, if you\u2019re there. Or the Buddha. I\u2019ll pray to anyone. Just please don\u2019t make me wear a diaper.\u201d<\/p>\n She wasn\u2019t even sure if they had diapers. She hadn\u2019t seen many baby Drakes while walking in the city, and they stayed away from the scary Human in any case.<\/p>\n Erin went for the door and hesitated. She felt like she was wearing a scratchy diaper, but it couldn\u2019t be helped. She felt at her pocket and then went to her discarded pants and pulled out a very thin coin pouch. She didn\u2019t have much money, but it was probably enough.<\/p>\n Her bloody pants and towel were another issue. Erin stared at them and then kicked them under the table. Then she opened the door and slammed<\/em> it behind her. Her temper was already bad when she left her inn.<\/p>\n After the forty minutes it took to get to Liscor at a quick pace, Erin\u2019s mood had gone from bad to thunderous. The towel in her pants chafed<\/em>. And her period was heavy. She wanted to kill everything. And that was before she tripped on a rock.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Erin marched into Liscor through the eastern gates. Actually, she stormed through the gates. In actual fact, she practically charged through them.<\/p>\n The Drake on duty, the same yellow one she\u2019d seen several times before, opened his mouth to make a snippy comment. Erin stared at him as she went past. He shut up.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Another obstacle got in her way before she got to the market street. Olesm appeared out of nowhere, holding a box in his scaly hands.<\/p>\n \u201cGood day, Miss Solstice. What a coincidence running into you here.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin gritted her teeth. Her abdomen was cramping up. This was a bad one.<\/p>\n \u201cNot now, Olesm.\u201d<\/p>\n He ducked his head, but kept pace with her.<\/p>\n \u201cI understand this might be a bad moment, but I was wondering if you would be free later to play a game of\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Erin turned her head as she stomped past him. Olesm swallowed the words he\u2019d been about to say. She left him behind and kept moving down the street. Some Gnolls snarled at her when she walked in front of them. This time, she snarled back.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cPads.\u201d<\/p>\n Krshia Silverfang looked up from her pile of copper and silver coins. She sniffed the air, frowned, and glanced up. Just like before, she was operating her stall in a new part of Market Street.\u00a0<\/p>\n Erin had caught her setting up in the morning; the Gnoll woman was carefully laying out gemstone brooches made of silver on some fine cloth, like a jeweler. She smiled, but Erin was in no mood for pleasantries.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Erin Solstice?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin took a deep breath. She couldn\u2019t get mad. Not now, when her goal was so close.<\/p>\n \u201cPads. I want to buy pads. Or tampons, if you guys actually have those.\u201d<\/p>\n The Gnoll shopkeeper was sitting down, but her head was almost higher than Erin\u2019s. She blinked at Erin.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat are these pads you speak of? Are they bandages?\u201d<\/p>\n She sniffed the air again, and Erin\u2019s blood froze. She felt the earth beneath her begin to open and a choir of undead hands reach up to pull her into the fiery pits of hell.<\/p>\n \u201cPlease tell me you\u2019re joking.\u201d<\/p>\n Bits of fur flew into the air as Krshia shook her head.<\/p>\n \u201cApologies. It is shedding season. Why are you so concerned, Erin Solstice? And\u2014have you cut yourself? Hrr. It\u2019s not the same as a wound, though? Strange.\u201d<\/p>\n A third time she sniffed, and Erin realized\u2014she was smelling\u2014<\/em>the young woman turned crimson. Erin leaned forwards and whispered loudly to Krshia.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m bleeding. <\/em>I need pads. Cloth pads, now.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBleeding? Where?\u201d<\/p>\n Maybe the Gnoll really was messing with her, or she didn\u2019t have the same sense of public decency Erin did. Either way, Erin leaned forwards and whispered the location and issue in Krshia\u2019s ear.<\/p>\n The Gnoll shrugged.<\/p>\n \u201cIs it not fine?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin gaped at her. Krshia scratched the fur around her neck, looking unconcerned.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is only liquid, yes? And all who smell you will know either way. Why waste good cloth?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin stared at her. Krshia stopped scratching.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAre you messing with me? Because if you are, I\u2019m not in the mood for it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI would not tease a young one like you when you stink of sweat and blood.\u201d<\/p>\n Krshia looked mildly offended. Erin rubbed at her eyes and crossed her legs.<\/p>\n \u201cSorry. It\u2019s just\u2014you can smell that? Seriously?<\/em> No, don\u2019t tell me. I really don\u2019t want to know. Don\u2019t Gnolls have periods too?\u201d<\/p>\n The Gnoll in question tilted her head slightly and made a confused face.<\/p>\n \u201cPeriods?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe menstrual cycle. You know, that time of the month when you donate blood. When Aunt Flo comes to town. Shark week. The Crimson Tide. Parting the Red Sea!\u201d<\/p>\n Krshia blinked at her. Erin felt her voice growing louder.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know! Riding the cotton pony! It\u2019s that thing ladies have! The waterfalls of hell! The blood baptism! The get-out-of-swim-class card! The proof of womanhood! The part of the month where blood comes out of your\u2014<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Erin squatted on the ground, head buried in her arms. The other shoppers stared at her. The other shopkeepers stared at her. Half of them looked sympathetic. The other half looked disgusted. The children were torn between impressed and horrified.\u00a0<\/p>\n She had screamed a very vivid description out loud to a crowded street. Mostly because neither Krshia nor the Drakes nor anyone else had seemed to get<\/em> the most basic part of biology for a young woman. For the guys, that was to be expected, but Drakes and Gnolls?<\/p>\n A heavy, furry hand patted Erin on the shoulder. Erin looked up as Krshia stepped around her counter and smiled gently down at her. The Gnoll woman hmmed<\/em> and chose her words carefully.<\/p>\n \u201cHumans have very strange bodies, yes?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026Yes.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin really hadn\u2019t meant to shout.<\/p>\n \u201cI really didn\u2019t mean to shout.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt is nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n Krshia flicked her fingers dismissively. She glanced at the other people on Market Street. Erin looked up and saw Lism gagging at his stall. Krshia gave him a dismissive glance.<\/p>\n \u201cShouting is good. Almost as good as howling, but we are forbidden to do that unless it is a full moon. But I am sorry. Gnolls do not have your periods, nor do we let our blood each month.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo you don\u2019t have anything like that?\u201d<\/p>\n The Gnoll paused. She tapped her lips with one finger and nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cThe blood. It is for mating, yes? We do have a similar time. All those who still are able to bear children, we go into a heat. It is called estrus, but it happens only once or twice a year. It is the time when we mate.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin looked up at her.<\/p>\n \u201cDoes it hurt?\u201d<\/p>\n Krshia scratched one ear and shook her head. More fur flew into the air.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is enjoyable. Some look forwards to it. It is a time to have sex and to bear children, and so we are happy when it comes to us. There are issues\u2014monthly bleeding is not one of them.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin pointed a shaking finger at Krshia.<\/p>\n \u201cI hate you so much right now I can\u2019t even explain.\u201d<\/p>\n The Gnoll grinned at her, but without any malice.<\/p>\n \u201cI am sorry for your plight. But I have no smooth cloths. But I do have these. These are wool; not finely woven, but strong. Would you like a few?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin looked at the rough fabric offered to her and shuddered.<\/p>\n \u201cDo you have any idea\u2014no. <\/em>Just please, please<\/em> tell me there\u2019s someone who sells what I need in the city.\u201d<\/p>\n Again, Krshia scratched her head. Erin wondered if she had fleas.<\/p>\n \u201cHm. No.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe Gnolls need no padding. And the Drake folk and Antinium, they need none either. Humans are rare here, so I would not think any padding you wish for exists in any store.\u201d<\/p>\n The blood drained from Erin\u2019s face. She stared open-mouthed at the shopkeeper, who looked concerned at her expression.<\/p>\n \u201cIs it so bad?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2014I\u2019m going to die.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot from so little blood, I think. But I have a thought.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin latched onto the ray of hope instantly.<\/p>\n \u201cYes? Tell me. What\u2019s your thought?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe Adventurer\u2019s Guild. They have bandages. Many bandages. If you cannot stop this blood, they would be able to help more than I. And bandages are soft, yes?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes\u2014yes they are.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin was on her feet in an instant. She waddled away from the Gnoll and then stopped.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks. I, uh, gotta go. See you later.\u201d<\/p>\n Bemused, the Gnoll watched Erin waddle awkwardly out of sight. She looked at a female Drake who was passing by her shop. She bared her teeth in a grin.<\/p>\n \u201cHumans, eh?\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The cool wood counter of the reception desk in the Adventurer\u2019s Guild felt good on Erin\u2019s head. She rested her head there and wished she didn\u2019t have to deal with the world.<\/p>\n \u201cSo you really have blood coming from down there? And it happens every month?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s so weird.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin groaned. She looked up at Selys, the helpful receptionist. She\u2019d been grateful to find the female Drake was working today, but she really, really<\/em> couldn\u2019t deal with her innocent curiosity.<\/p>\n \u201cI know. Everyone keeps telling me that. But please, do you have bandages? Thin, soft<\/em> fabric?\u201d<\/p>\n Selys nodded and pulled a drawer out. She fished out a roll of thin, white fabric and showed it to Erin.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve got lots, just in case there\u2019s an emergency. How much do you need?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLots.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin said it glumly as she fished out her meager ration of coins. She tried to calculate how many rolls of bandages she\u2019d need and how she\u2019d turn them into a pad. She needed to buy food\u2014but this was more important.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m going to need enough for a week, maybe. And I need to use the bandages to make a pad. You know, to cover the area. And I change pads every few hours sometimes, so\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Drakes didn\u2019t have eyebrows, so Selys couldn\u2019t raise them. But she widened her eyes and flicked her long tongue out.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s expensive. And gross. Sorry, Erin, but I\u2019m not sure you\u2019ll have enough money for that. Bandages are cheap, but you\u2019ll be using a lot if what you say is true. Again. Gross.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTell me about it. On bad days back home, I used to use a ton of pads each day before I switched to tampons. And let me tell you, that<\/em> was a psychological shift as well.\u201d<\/p>\n Selys looked blank. Erin waved her hand. She wasn\u2019t about to open that can of worms.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, back on the topic of pads\u2026why not make a few that you can re-use more than once?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin looked up at Selys.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, doesn\u2019t that make sense? If you\u2019re going to make these pads dirty, why not rewash them rather than keep throwing them away like the ones you talk about.\u201d<\/p>\n As she opened her mouth to reply, Erin\u2019s brain froze. She tried to think of a response but she didn\u2019t have any good one.<\/p>\n \u201cUm. Uh, that\u2019s\u2014that\u2019s actually a good idea. I heard they did that in developing countries but\u2014okay. Okay, yeah. It\u2019s gross, but yeah. How would I get one of those made?\u201d<\/p>\n Selys smiled at Erin. There were still too many pointy teeth in the smile, but Erin was getting used to it.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve stitched up more than a few adventurers right here. I can make a few of these pads quite quickly if you want me to. I\u2019ve got the Skill [Fast Stitching], so it won\u2019t take more than a few minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin leaned across the counter and seized Selys by the clawed hand. The receptionist blinked at her in surprise.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, thank you, thank you, thank you<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s nothing. Really. I\u2019ll start on this pad right away. How should it look?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUm. Sort of like this.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin showed Selys as the other Drake hmmed<\/em> and began layering the cloth bandage together. They\u2019d just finished the basic design and Erin had opened her coin pouch when she heard a familiar growl<\/em> from behind her.<\/p>\n Selys gulped, but Erin scowled. She turned around and looked up into the face of an irritated male Gnoll.<\/p>\n \u201cHuman. You still stink.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not talking to you. Go away.\u201d<\/p>\n He blinked at her, but Erin was already turning back to Selys. She felt a rough hand spin her around, and she nearly dropped her money. She narrowed her eyes up at the Gnoll.<\/p>\n \u201cYou stink of blood. I warned you last time\u2014leave this place now.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin felt her teeth grinding together. She clenched her jaw and looked up at the Gnoll. He was big and scary, but she was also pretty sure he wasn\u2019t allowed to hit her. And even if he were, she was in a really bad mood. Unbidden, the thought occurred to her that she\u2019d never figured out what [Bar Fighting] actually did.<\/p>\n \u201cDo I look<\/em> like I\u2019m in the mood to be bullied?\u201d<\/p>\n The male Gnoll growled<\/em> at her. Erin stared at him. She didn\u2019t blink. She was really cramping up down below now, and the trickling sensation was not<\/em> making anything better.<\/p>\n Her gaze locked with the Gnoll\u2019s for a solid minute. He was looming over her, doing the classic male intimidation move. She was too angry and sore to care.<\/p>\n After another minute, the Gnoll\u2019s ears suddenly flattened for a second. He whirled and walked away. Erin flipped him off with one hand and then turned back to Selys.<\/p>\n \u201cSorry. Where were we?\u201d<\/p>\n The female Drake was staring at Erin with an open mouth. Erin stared back at her and then flashed a smile.<\/p>\n \u201cBully me once, shame on you. Bully me twice\u2014I get mean. And violent.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI can see that. But I would have known it anyways. Terbore might growl at you, but we all heard about how you killed that Goblin Chieftain by yourself. That was some story.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin\u2019s smile slipped for a fraction of a second.<\/p>\n \u201cOh. Someone told you about that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh yes.\u201d<\/p>\n Selys nodded as she began stitching the bandages together with needle and thread. The claws that held the long needle flashed back and forth across the fabric at mesmerizing speed.<\/p>\n \u201cKlbkch had to turn in the Goblin Chieftain\u2019s head here. We all heard about how you killed it. That\u2019s amazing, by the way\u2014Klb says you don\u2019t even have any levels in a fighting class. How\u2019d you do it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUm. I burned his face off.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, are you a [Mage] then? I saw a Human one in town the other day, but apparently he\u2019s a troublemaker and a thief.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, no. I\u2019m no mage. It\u2019s just\u2014I used a trick. And I nearly died. I bet Klbkch didn\u2019t mention that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe said you were wounded. Was it bad?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cVery. He gave me a healing potion. Without that, I would have been a goner.\u201d<\/p>\n Her hands paused in stitching as Selys stared at Erin.<\/p>\n \u201cHe gave you his Senior Guardsman\u2019s healing potion? But that\u2019s expensive<\/em>. You must have been badly injured if Klbkch gave you his potion.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin shifted nervously.<\/p>\n \u201cAre they\u2014are they expensive? Those potions, I mean.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cVery. At least, the ones I know the Watch issues to Senior Guardsmen.\u201d<\/p>\n Selys nodded. She named the price, and it was Erin\u2019s turn to gape.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, it\u2019s important that the Watch carries them in case someone gets hurt. They\u2019re not supposed to use them unless someone\u2019s really hurt, though. Like\u2026citizens. And the potions the Senior Guardsmen carry are even stronger. They can heal most big injuries in a moment. Unless you lose an arm or a body part, you\u2019ll be fine in moments.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah. They are good.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin poked at her stomach reflexively. She sighed. Another mark on her debt to Klbkch.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m just glad it was only a Goblin Chieftain. If the rest of the Goblins had come after me, I would have been dead.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, if it had been a Goblin raiding party, we\u2019d have sent out the entire Watch to deal with them. I just don\u2019t understand why a Chieftain would come after you. It doesn\u2019t make sense.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin blinked.<\/p>\n \u201cA Goblin what now?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA Goblin raid. Haven\u2019t you heard of them?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUh. No\u2026no I have not. We don\u2019t have many Goblins where I come from.\u201d<\/p>\n Selys sighed enviously as she finished the first pad and slid it over to Erin. The other girl felt at the soft fabric and smiled happily. Selys leaned over the counter, looking serious.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re lucky. Goblins are a real problem around here. I mean, sure, the lone Goblin isn\u2019t that dangerous. But they\u2019re one of the few monster species that can level. That\u2019s why we send out Senior Guardsmen and post bounties on Goblins to keep their numbers down. Before we get a Goblin Chieftain with high levels. Or a Goblin Lord.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Goblins could\u2026level up? Right, she\u2019d been told that. Erin blinked at Selys. And what was that about a Goblin Lord? But the entire idea nagged at her, so she lingered.<\/p>\n \u201cSo you guys kill Goblins all the time? What about Chieftains? Do you send adventurers after those guys?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin didn\u2019t know how she felt about that. Bad. But her sympathy only extended to the small Goblins, not the vicious, sadistic, big ones.<\/p>\n \u201cChieftains? Yes, but we have to be careful. Most Bronze-rank teams can\u2019t survive an encounter with a strong one. Silver-ranks have to take on tribes\u2014and there are some that even Gold-rank teams can\u2019t handle.\u201d<\/p>\n Selys shuddered. Erin frowned. As far as she could tell, Relc never seemed to worry about any number of Goblins.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy not?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not that they\u2019re stronger than the Watch. Relc, Klbkch, even some of the regular Watch are probably better fighters than Chieftains on a technical level. It\u2019s just that they\u2019re Hobgoblins\u2014tough. And strong. And when they call their tribe, well, the average group of adventurers would get wiped out against that mob.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo you\u2019re not sending adventurers out against a raiding party either, then?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDead gods, no. If we hear about one of those, we form a hunting party and try to get rid of it right away. A raiding party can wipe out a village in an hour if we don\u2019t get to it in time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNasty.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt is. Here\u2019s another pad.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThanks. Sorry I can\u2019t pay you more\u2014it\u2019s just that I don\u2019t have much money from this innkeeping thing.\u201d<\/p>\n Selys waved her needle at Erin.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t apologize. I\u2019m happy to help. But I\u2019m afraid I could have warned you that innkeeping in that old inn isn\u2019t a good idea.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy not?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, what level are you? Ten? Twenty?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNine.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSee, that\u2019s not too good. If you were in the city, I\u2019d say you should get apprenticed to another [Innkeeper]until you\u2019re at least Level 15. It might take a year or two, but then you\u2019d have a few good skills to run your inn with. And I wouldn\u2019t have an inn that far away from the city to begin with.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah. No one comes by. Is it because I\u2019m Human? Or is it too far to walk?\u201d<\/p>\n Another pad finished, Selys picked up the roll of bandages and cut off more for the last pad. She lined the backing with a stiffer cloth and then sewed layers of the soft bandage on top.<\/p>\n \u201cBoth, I\u2019d say. It\u2019s dangerous to come out that far\u2014well, not too dangerous, but it\u2019s a bit of a deterrent. Your being Human isn\u2019t bad, but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I\u2019ve heard Relc talking in bars. He says you make pasta. Is\u2026is that all you sell?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin squirmed in place. Her mother had offered to teach her how to cook more, but\u2026Erin had often excused herself from dinner help, or washing the dishes, on the pretext of chess games. It was coming back to bite her now.<\/p>\n \u201cUm. Yeah. I can make other things. I\u2019ve got [Basic Cooking], but\u2014what\u2019s wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n Selys was shaking her head as she sewed. Erin was envious of her speed and also her scaled hands. Whenever the Drake missed her cloth or stabbed one of her fingers, the needle hit her scales rather than soft, vulnerable flesh.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t want to be rude, Erin, but that\u2019s not too impressive. All cooks and chefs have [Basic Cooking] as a skill. Some even have [Advanced Cooking].\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh. And, uh, I guess pasta isn\u2019t that interesting.\u201d<\/p>\n Selys kindly didn\u2019t respond to that statement.<\/p>\n \u201cYou could make other things, but there are a lot of good inns in the city. And we get recipes from the Human cities up north all the time. Even if you sold a new dish, someone would copy it the next night.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin\u2019s face fell. Selys looked unhappy, but went on.<\/p>\n \u201cAnyways, no one will make the journey if all you\u2019re selling is pasta. I\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin groaned as she thumped her head back against the counter. That helped explain her lack of business. And it was sadly obvious. Erin just\u2014hadn\u2019t ever run a restaurant or inn before!\u00a0<\/p>\n Her regular clients might not mind eating the same dishes, but everyone else would. She guessed she should be grateful for her regulars, thinking of it that way.<\/p>\n Relc would probably eat anything he could swallow, Pisces would eat anything he could steal, and Klbkch would eat anything she put in front of him. The Goblins <\/em>were probably pickier eaters than her clientele.<\/p>\n The last pad done, Selys slid it over to Erin. The young woman gratefully accepted them and felt them carefully. They were thick, but not so much that they\u2019d be uncomfortable wearing. More importantly, they were made of strong materials, and she was sure she\u2019d be able to wash and use them again.<\/p>\n \u201cYou have no idea how much this means to me. Thank you so much.\u201d<\/p>\n The Drake smiled at her. Erin smiled back.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t mention it. And good luck with your innkeeping. I\u2019m sorry I had to say it like that, but\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, you\u2019re right. I\u2019ll\u2026do some thinking about it. But right now\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Erin was edging away from the counter.<\/p>\n \u201cUh, where\u2019s your bathroom?\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The new pad Erin was wearing did not chafe like the towel. Which was exceptionally fortunate, because her skin was raw and still sore. It made the walk back to her inn less fun than normal, but at least the crisis was averted.<\/p>\n \u201cJust in time for a new crisis.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin grumbled to herself as she felt at her pocket to make sure the precious pads were still there. She had to think about business. The trouble was, she\u2019d never run a business or even worked in any job aside from a part-time library assistant and helper in chess tournaments. She had no idea what to do.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll think about it tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin muttered to herself as she opened her door. It was just past midday, but she felt exhausted. She hated periods. Why couldn\u2019t they have disappeared along with her world? Maybe there was a Skill to get rid of them. [No Period Pain] or [Bloodless Flow] or something like that\u2014<\/p>\n As she opened the door to her inn, Erin stopped in her tracks. Her inn was empty. But something was moving underneath the table. Something glowing\u2026<\/p>\n In her haste to leave, Erin had kicked her bloody towel and pants in a heap. And one of the windows must have been open a crack, because it had attracted guests.<\/p>\n A swarm of glowing green Acid Flies crawled over the dirty clothes. They rubbed their bodies all over the clothes, the table leg, the floor\u2026<\/p>\n Parts of the wood were smoking and glistening with the Acid Flies\u2019 toxic juices. Erin could see pitted holes in the floorboards. She stared in horror at the giant green flies crawling all over her clothes.<\/p>\n \u201cYou have got<\/em> to be kidding me.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Previous Chapter<\/a> Next Chapter<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The inn. A place for questing adventurers, drinking, solace, and even temporary, messy love. Or just lust. In any good tavern, you can find at least one mysterious figure in the shadows ready to spout off cryptic messages of doom. No pub worthy of the name wouldn\u2019t have the potential for indiscriminate violence simmering in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":52856846,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_searchwp_excluded":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"patreon-level":0,"patreon_level":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[11693081,349],"tags":[],"twi_volume":[11693130],"twi_collection":[],"class_list":["post-13496","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-volume-1","category-writing"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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