Erin Solstice carefully flipped a fish on the frying pan she was holding over the fire. She watched the one golden-brown side of the fish turn over and land neatly on the oily surface of the pan. Instantly, the uncooked side began to sizzle.<\/p>\n
\u201cMm. Fish.\u201d<\/p>\n
That was all she said for a while. There was nothing else that needed to be said. She just inhaled and smelled the fillet as it cooked. When it was done, she had a plate ready. She slid the still-juicy, crispy-golden fillet off the pan and looked at it.<\/p>\n
It was a bit of perfection, at least for her. Back home, she\u2019d never made anything nearly as good as this, not even close. The old Erin wouldn\u2019t even have known where to begin, let alone mix up the batter that gave the fish such a nice, spicy taste.<\/p>\n
And indeed, this fillet could have probably won her an award if she\u2019d entered it in a local cooking competition. Erin knew it certainly could have gotten her a job at a local restaurant.<\/p>\n
And it was all because she had a Skill. Erin stared at the fillet as it gently steamed on her pan. It really was a wonderful bit of food she\u2019d created.<\/p>\n
But.<\/p>\n
Erin turned with the plate in her hands, and then dumped the fillet she\u2019d just fried to perfection onto a cutting board. She diced the fillet in a few seconds with a cooking knife, and then shoved the remains into another pot.<\/p>\n
This pot contained soup. To be more accurate, it contained blue soup, thick as molasses, with bits of green and some kind of yellow substance that looked like mutated pond scum bubbling to the surface. Erin mixed in what had been the wonderful fillet and sighed.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt looks awful. But I think<\/em> it will work.\u201d<\/p>\n Compared to the fillet the soup looked about as appetizing as dirt. Undeterred, Erin poured some into a wooden bowl. Carefully, she took it out of the small kitchen and into the shop. There she stopped and called out.<\/p>\n \u201cOctavia? I\u2019ve got more soup for you to try!\u201d<\/p>\n No one replied to her voice. Erin frowned and looked around. Octavia\u2019s small shop, Stitchworks, was fairly big, but it felt cramped because of all the shelves full of potions and alchemy reagents stockpiled everywhere. Thus, she quickly found the dark-skinned girl with braids hiding under one of the tables.<\/p>\n \u201cThere you are! Come out and try the soup!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not going to. You can\u2019t make me!\u201d<\/p>\n Octavia refused to budge, even when Erin put down the bowl of soup and poked her a few times in the side.<\/p>\n \u201cCome on out. I promise it\u2019s not going to be that bad this time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t want to. You<\/em> eat it!\u201d<\/p>\n Erin put her hands on her hips and sighed.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re the one with all the Skills that prevent you from being poisoned or dying, remember? And I don\u2019t have a detachable stomach.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJust because I can eat it, doesn\u2019t mean it tastes good! And I still feel the effects of what I eat! I was squatting over the toilet for hours after that last soup you made!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAw, come on. You weren\u2019t there that<\/em> long\u2026this time will be different, I promise! I didn\u2019t add anything dangerous to the food this time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo! Eat it yourself if you\u2019re so confident!\u201d<\/p>\n The girl hesitated, and stared at the bowl of soup on the table. It was probably safe. Her [Dangersense] wasn\u2019t going off, at any rate. But she didn\u2019t want to taste it, even so.<\/p>\n \u201cOctavia\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll pay you.\u201d<\/p>\n There was silence. Octavia slowly poked her head out from underneath the table.<\/p>\n \u201cHow much?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFour silver coins?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHah!\u201d<\/p>\n The head withdrew. Erin thought quickly.<\/p>\n \u201cFine! Two gold coins! If<\/em> it makes you sick or does anything bad to you. Deal?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDeal!\u201d<\/p>\n Octavia was out from underneath the table in a second. Erin sighed, but there was something gratifying about how easy it was to just pay Octavia to do things. The Stitch Girl had a refreshingly simple way of looking at the world. If it was profitable, it was probably worth doing.<\/p>\n Even if the it in question involved eating another one of Erin\u2019s soups. But then, Ryoka had<\/em> paid Octavia quite handsomely to help Erin, so in that sense, Octavia was actually earning more for just doing her job.<\/p>\n Then again, even Erin had to admit she\u2019d been feeding Octavia a lot of horrible stuff over the last few days. She would have actually volunteered to eat some of it herself, but without Octavia\u2019s Skills that helped protect her against acid, burns, poisoning, and other nasty effects, the [Alchemist] would have been dead from eating some of what Erin had cooked up.<\/p>\n Instead, she\u2019d just gotten horribly, sometimes violently, ill. Which explained her reluctance to sample any more of Erin\u2019s experiments. However, Octavia loved gold even more than her health, so she didn\u2019t look that put out as she stretched and looked at Erin.<\/p>\n \u201cAlright. What horror am I supposed to be eating this time?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin beamed as she showed Octavia the bowl. To her credit, the Stitch Girl didn\u2019t even blink at the appearance of the soup. She sniffed at it cautiously as the human girl explained.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a variant of the last stew I made. This time I think it\u2019s all mixed correctly.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHmf.\u201d<\/p>\n Octavia sniffed disparagingly; her nature as an [Alchemist] made her look down on all of what she called Erin\u2019s \u2018abominations of cooking and magic\u2019.<\/p>\n \u201cYou found a way to stop the Stonelizard scales from mixing with the lemon juice and melting?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin hesitated.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2026think so. I kept the heat low and made sure to add a lot of mint. The soup hasn\u2019t melted through the bottom of the bowl, so it probably worked.\u201d<\/p>\n Octavia sighed. But she obediently picked up a spoon and gingerly spooned some of the blue glop into her mouth. She chewed a bit and swallowed as Erin held her breath\u2014then Octavia made a face.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s all mushy!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEat!\u201d<\/p>\n The girl did so, albeit reluctantly. Erin stared at the stitching around Octavia\u2019s neck as the Stitch Girl slowly consumed the bowl of soup. It still seemed weird to her that Octavia was actually just cloth held together by string. Shouldn\u2019t some of the soup leak out around the stitches, no matter how tightly it was sewn? But apparently, once Octavia\u2019s cloth parts were connected, they acted like real flesh and blood.<\/p>\n The sound of the spoon scraping the bottom of the bowl made Erin look at Octavia sharply. The [Alchemist] sighed in relief as she put the spoon down and looked up at Erin.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026Huh. It tasted pretty foul. Way too minty, and was that fish in there?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin nodded, smiling.<\/p>\n \u201cThe pan frying and batter did the trick. The fish helped warm the soup without making it burn like last time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSmart, I guess.\u201d<\/p>\n Octavia looked grudgingly impressed. One of the biggest challenges Erin had had to overcome was the issue of heat. Octavia could regulate the temperature of her potions with ice and flame, but Erin had less options when it came to cooking. Just making the soup bubble in some cases could lead to dramatic\u2014and dangerous\u2014reactions.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it might have worked.\u201d<\/p>\n The [Alchemist] said this after a few minutes. She prodded at her stomach. Erin felt surprised, and immediately happy.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re sure?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPretty much. One of my Skills would have kicked in by now and I\u2019d definitely be feeling the effects if anything harmful was in the soup. The only thing to test now is whether the effects were reproduced.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh. How are you going to test it? I could hit you\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, thank you. I\u2019ll use a pin instead.\u201d<\/p>\n So saying, Octavia went up to her counter and rummaged around below it. She came up with a small box of pins, some scissors, and quite a few spools of thread. Erin guessed that was the equivalent of a first aid kit for Octavia.<\/p>\n \u201cAlright, here goes.\u201d<\/p>\n Octavia pulled out a rather long and sharp pin out of the box and extended her arm. Erin expected her to lightly poke at her flesh, so she was shocked when Octavia took the pin and pressed it straight into the center of her arm.<\/p>\n \u201cOh! Ow!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHrgh.\u201d<\/p>\n It looked as bad as it must have felt. The innkeeper winced as Octavia pushed the pin into her skin with all her strength, grimacing with pain as she did. Erin held her breath\u2014it was almost hard to watch, but she had to know if the soup had worked.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, would you look at that?\u201d<\/p>\n Octavia\u2019s grimaced expression changed to one of amazement. The Stitch Girl held up the pin, and Erin felt a jolt of elation in her stomach as she saw the pin was bent.<\/p>\n \u201cIt worked!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt did.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin threw up her hands and shouted in delight. Octavia just stared down at the pin, blinking as if she couldn\u2019t believe it. Once Erin had calmed down\u2014she couldn\u2019t really run around waving her arms in the shop without knocking over something delicate\u2014she and Octavia sat together and discussed Erin\u2019s latest creation.<\/p>\n \u201cIt really works, doesn\u2019t it! Your skin is tougher\u2014although it still hurt when you poked yourself with the pin, didn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA bit. I was more ready for the pain than anything else.\u201d<\/p>\n Octavia studied the pot of blue sludge and Erin\u2019s scrawled notes, shaking her head.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is\u2014insane. It\u2019s definitely a magical effect like you\u2019d get from a potion, but how are you coming up with this stuff? First the strength stew and the Corusdeer soup that warms you up\u2014now this?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin beamed as she circled the particular combination of ingredients that had worked on the grubby piece of parchment.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m on a roll. And you said it couldn\u2019t be done!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI was wrong, clearly. That\u2019s my mistake. Why does everything have to be a soup<\/em>, though?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin shrugged.<\/p>\n \u201cSoup is easiest. I\u2019ve tried batters, but I need to get all the ingredients right before I can use them. Now that I know the ingredients for this soup for instance\u2014I could probably make a stir-fry or something out of it!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHuh.\u201d<\/p>\n Octavia fell silent, drumming her fingers on the kitchen counter. Erin stopped and stared at the other girl.<\/p>\n It had been nearly a full day since Ryoka had run out of the city. It had been even longer since Erin had come to Celum\u2014nearly a full week, in fact. And all that time she\u2019d been splitting her time between Miss Agnes\u2019 inn, the Frenzied Hare, and Octavia\u2019s shop, Stitchworks. As a result, Erin was not only financially sound for the moment\u2014Agnes had told her she was earning more in a week than she and her husband normally did in a month\u2014but she\u2019d managed to come up with some amazing new discoveries in Octavia\u2019s shop!<\/p>\n Erin had been trying to cook with alchemical ingredients to create foods just as amazing as the soup she\u2019d come up with that Ryoka kept using. And she\u2019d made progress. Amazing progress, even Octavia had agreed. It was just that\u2026<\/p>\n Some of Erin\u2019s elation faded away as she stared at the soup in the pot. It had taken her nearly a hundred tries to mix this up, costing countless gold coins\u2019 worth of ingredients. That wasn\u2019t the issue, though.<\/p>\n Octavia didn\u2019t seem to notice Erin\u2019s feelings. She idly poked the pin into her hand as she stared at the soup.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know, if you want to try making the soup into an actual dish I wouldn\u2019t mind trying it again.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe later. I want to try and finish the other dishes, though.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMore?\u201d<\/p>\n The Stitch Girl frowned at Erin.<\/p>\n \u201cHow many more times are you going to come over and take over my shop? I do need to make potions myself, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin nodded absently.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, but Ryoka bought out your time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe did, but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Octavia waved her hands in the air, trying to express her displeasure.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been\u2014how long? Nearly a week?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSomething like that.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin helped herself to her own bowl of soup now that she knew it probably wouldn\u2019t kill her. She made a face as she tasted the horrible dish she\u2019d made\u2014the mint really was too powerful, but it was sour as well! She\u2019d have to find some other way to combine all the ingredients\u2014blend the mint into the fillet batter and keep the lemon juice out of it until the very end, or something.<\/p>\n But the dish was<\/em> edible. Octavia shook her head as she stared at the small pot of soup Erin had brewed up.<\/p>\n \u201cHow am I supposed to deal with this? You\u2019ve just created\u2014what? A Thickskin potion? But you\u2019ve used way less reagents than I usually do.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMhm.\u201d<\/p>\n Octavia glared at Erin, incensed by the bland response.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t you know how incredible that is? If you could do that with every potion I\u2019ve made\u2014just think of the savings! This is amazing! Revolutionary!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYup. This really tastes bad.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin made a face and Octavia made a sound of disgust.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I\u2019ll admit that you have some skill at this. But\u2014and I\u2019m asking again\u2014how many more times are you going to use my kitchen and store?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTen thousand times.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cExcuse me?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTen thousand times. That\u2019s how many times I\u2019m going to cook. If I can, that is.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin suddenly felt very tired as she turned to Octavia. The dark-skinned girl\u2019s mouth was open in shock, but her eyes were flittering left to right in sudden calculation.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you did that, I\u2019d have to at least charge you\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not being serious! Jeez!\u201d<\/p>\n The Human girl scowled at Octavia. Octavia scowled back.<\/p>\n \u201cYou could have fooled me! I\u2019m just giving you a price quote. Why ten thousand times, anyways?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin sighed. But she felt like explaining, so she took a seat and spoke to Octavia between spoonfuls of the horrid soup.<\/p>\n \u201cBack where I come from\u2014there\u2019s this guy who said that the best way to get good at something was to do it ten thousand times. Or something like that.\u201d<\/p>\n Wasn\u2019t it ten thousand hours spent practicing? Erin couldn\u2019t actually remember that well.<\/p>\n \u201cAnyways, the idea is that if you want to learn how to do something well\u2014really well, I mean, you have to practice that much. You can be as talented as you want, but in the end you still need to practice.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh. So that\u2019s why you\u2019re trying to make all this stuff?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSort of.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin nodded, stretching her neck out a bit and wincing at the cracks<\/em>. How long had she been cooking today? Already three hours, probably.<\/p>\n \u201cI have a Skill\u2014[Advanced Cooking]. It lets me cook really well without practice. But lots of people have that Skill. I\u2019m an [Innkeeper], but there are a lot of people with higher levels than me, I bet. They have better inns, more Skills\u2026I want to match them, somehow. So I decided to try to learn something new\u2014even if this is boring.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBoring?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBoring. I think making all this alchemical stuff is boring. I know you don\u2019t\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Octavia\u2019s outraged glare was proof enough of her feelings. Erin just shook her head tiredly.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2014But I don\u2019t like wasting food, and making all this complex stuff. But it\u2019s all that I can do.\u201d<\/p>\n The other girl paused before she could give Erin a tongue-lashing.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not like Ryoka. She can run around and do cool things\u2014she\u2019s even got Ivolethe as a friend.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin ignored the question. She stared at the mostly empty bowl of soup and took another bite. It tasted awful. But it was<\/em> magic.<\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t be a hero. I don\u2019t like fighting, and I\u2019m scared of getting eaten. Or stabbed. Or stabbed and eaten. All I can do is try and make my inn better. And if I had something magical to sell to my guests\u2014no one would be able to copy that. That would make my inn unique. That\u2019s why I\u2019m doing all this.\u201d<\/p>\n Even if it was hard. Even if it was exhausting. This was her big chance; Erin knew that. She raised her head and saw Octavia\u2019s face. The girl didn\u2019t look irate like she normally did around Erin. Instead, she looked impressed.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s actually quite thoughtful for you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSurprising, right?\u201d<\/p>\n Octavia had to grin. Her teeth flashed in her dimly lit shop. Then she looked back at the bowl in Erin\u2019s hands and her eyes narrowed in a calculating look that made Erin groan internally.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know\u2014not that I\u2019m trying to renegotiate the deal Ryoka made with me or anything\u2014but you have<\/em> benefited a lot from the recipes I\u2019ve come up with. If you\u2019d consider selling me them, I\u2019d cut you in on a deal. In fact, why not let me sell them to other inns and taverns? Why, you\u2019d earn a lot more if everyone was making this stuff and not just you. I\u2019d only ask for a small commission on each sale\u2014and I\u2019m sure that the profits alone would\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not going to work, Octavia.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t know that! If you\u2019d just listen to the rest of my idea\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Erin shook her head, cutting the other girl off. She handed the recipe of the soup she\u2019d just made to Octavia.<\/p>\n \u201cTry making it yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n The [Alchemist] was surprised, but she wasn\u2019t one to turn down an opportunity to make something useful\u2014and, Erin suspected, memorize the recipe. But although Octavia eagerly piled the ingredients into another pot and followed all of Erin\u2019s instructions to the letter, her hands quickly slowed down as she frowned at the floating objects in the water of the pot.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s happening? It\u2014it\u2019s not even reacting. It\u2019s just sitting there. Like\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLike nothing is happening?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin nodded and took the spoon from Octavia. As she began to stir, the soup began to change. Octavia\u2019s eyes widened as she stared at the way the individual ingredients suddenly began to dissolve, mixing together.<\/p>\n \u201cHow are you doing that? A Skill?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYup. It\u2019s my Skill. Without it, no one else can make this stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin watched as the mixture slowly thickened, and continued following her instructions, although she knew how to make the soup by heart. She explained to Octavia as she reached for a glass of lemon juice she\u2019d painstakingly squeezed earlier.<\/p>\n \u201cI tried to show Agnes how to make the Corusdeer soup. She couldn\u2019t do it, even when she copied me exactly.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat skill do you have? [Magical Cooking]? I know it can create magical dishes but this\u2014this is different.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c[Wondrous Fare]. That\u2019s what I have.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin didn\u2019t tell Octavia how she\u2019d gotten it, but she explained how she could make the faerie flower drink. True, alchemy ingredients weren\u2019t the same as hallucinogenic faerie flowers, but Erin thought what she was doing still made sense. Octavia nodded, finger on her lips as she thought out loud.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re probably bypassing one of the natural steps in the creation process. Perhaps you\u2019re skipping the need for a particular reagent? There are some high-level [Alchemist] skills that can do the same. Some really save on costs since you can practically create lesser healing potions for free by skipping on the need to mix up the proper base first\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n She broke off, shrugging.<\/p>\n \u201cIt doesn\u2019t really matter. But there goes my idea of marketing this stuff and making a fortune. Only you can make it, after all.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin nodded, smiling a bit. But the smile slipped.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s good. I\u2019ve finally got something only I can make, and it\u2019s useful. It\u2019s just\u2014I wish it wasn\u2019t so boring, you know?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBoring.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBoring. Even though I worked this hard\u2014there\u2019s still so much more to do, Octavia.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin stretched out on her seat, feeling her tendons snapping as she tried to shake off some of the tiredness that felt like it was in her bones.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m just so\u2014tired thinking about it. I\u2019ll get back to my inn, and then I\u2019ll start selling this stuff. But even though I\u2019ll probably get more customers, I still need a new helper, to build up my inn, buy some magical runes\u2014there\u2019s just so much to do and I can only take one small step at a time. It\u2019s exhausting.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo what? \u201d<\/p>\n Octavia just looked blank. Erin glared at her.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t you wish you could be more like Ryoka? She doesn\u2019t have to do stuff like this. She just\u2014runs. She can do amazing stuff. I wish I could do something cool so quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin sighed. She didn\u2019t like fighting or anything like that. She wasn\u2019t athletic as Ryoka was. She knew that. It was just that this was\u2014well, it had been fun. But now she was just tired.<\/p>\n But Octavia just snorted in derision.<\/p>\n \u201cOnly adventurers and crazy people like Ryoka can become rich and famous quickly. Everyone else just has to work hard and gain as many levels at they can. I\u2019m going to save every coin I can, level up and learn as many recipes as possible so I can expand my stores, make better potions, and do more business until I\u2019m the highest-level [Alchemist] on the continent.\u201d<\/p>\n She gestured around her small shop.<\/p>\n \u201cI might not reach my dream for years, but it\u2019s a lot safer than swinging a sword around. Well, safer when you\u2019re not around, that is.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut that\u2019s\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n She realized she didn\u2019t really have anything to say against that. Erin let her voice trail off unhappily.<\/p>\n What Octavia was saying was right. She was taking the smart option. Even if being an [Alchemist] was slightly dangerous, it was nothing like being an adventurer. It was just so boring to think of, though. But part of Erin thought that was just what being an adult was like. It was thinking about the big picture. She knew that.<\/p>\n So then why did hearing it all laid out like that make her so depressed? Erin didn\u2019t know, but she did come to one conclusion which made her sit up in her seat.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m done cooking for the day.\u201d<\/p>\n Both she and Octavia brightened up when she said it. Erin was fed up with making useless soup, and Octavia was tired of eating it.<\/p>\n \u201cGood! I\u2019ll just pour your horrible soup into a jar, shall I? I can probably sell it\u2014at a markdown of course\u2026I can give you a good split of the profits if you\u2019d agree to oh, a vendor\u2019s fee of\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Erin left Stitchworks and Octavia behind mid-sentence, shaking her head. She didn\u2019t mind Octavia\u2014well, she did sometimes. But there were just some days when she needed some alone time. Or more precisely, not-Octavia time.<\/p>\n The sky was still gray and the streets were still snowy when Erin left the shop. She walked carefully so as not to slip as she wandered down the busy streets. Celum was always bustling, even if it was a smallish city. Erin walked past countless faces who didn\u2019t seem that different from hers\u2014Humans, going about their daily lives who didn\u2019t give her a second glance.<\/p>\n That was reassuring, but also disheartening for some reason. Erin missed Liscor. She missed seeing Drakes and Gnolls, fantastic creatures going about their everyday lives. Celum was nice because it was reassuring, but it was also boring for the same reason.<\/p>\n Boring. That seemed to be the word of the day, didn\u2019t it? Even though Erin had come up with an amazing discovery\u2014she still felt the word in her soul.<\/p>\n Bored. She wanted to do something exciting. No\u2014not just that. She wanted to be with someone exciting. She missed Ryoka already. And not just Ryoka. She missed all of her friends.<\/p>\n They were back in Liscor. And Erin was far from there. She kicked miserably at a patch of snow and then looked up. What about the Horns of Hammerad? That nice Runner guy had come by yesterday and told her Ryoka was going to see them. They were close by!<\/p>\n But just as she had that idea, Erin\u2019s face fell. She could go meet them\u2014Erin knew they were still probably in Ocre\u2014but going there would be dangerous, wouldn\u2019t it? Everyone was still talking about the Goblin attacks and besides, Ceria and the others would probably come here instead, if Ryoka had told them where Erin was.<\/p>\n All she had to do was wait. And practice her alchemical cooking while she still had time. Erin knew that.<\/p>\n But\u2026she didn\u2019t want to.<\/p>\n The sky was grey. The people wore thick clothing and walked briskly to get about their business as quickly as possible. Few people stopped to chat in the cold weather, and no one talked to Erin. She walked alone, staring at the city and feeling that this was all wrong.<\/p>\n This world was missing something.<\/p>\n Fun.<\/p>\n Octavia had said it: the people in this world didn\u2019t really have much fun, did they? Back home, well, Erin knew there were crummy office jobs or backbreaking jobs with bad pay all over the place. But at least people could go back home and drive to a pool, or watch videos on the computer, or play videogames or\u2014or do things.<\/p>\n But here? What did the people here have to do in their spare time? As far as Erin could tell, they just kept working. They worked hard to earn more levels, or to be rich, or to enjoy themselves. But that was always for \u2018later\u2019, never now.<\/p>\n There was just something so wrong<\/em> about this idea that Erin couldn\u2019t stand it. How could anyone live like this? Was this really what life had been like back in her world, back before the modern era?<\/p>\n What did people do for fun back in the Middle Ages? Erin couldn\u2019t remember. Go to festivals? See jugglers and performers? Get drunk?<\/p>\n This wasn\u2019t the Middle Ages of course\u2014there was a lot more handy technology, not to mention magic. But magic seemed so far away in day-to-day life, even in Octavia\u2019s shop. Oh, there were [Mages] around who cast spells like [Message] all day, but that wasn\u2019t real magic. <\/em>That was just more work.<\/p>\n If she\u2019d been back home, what would Erin be doing right now? Thinking about college, or being in college no doubt. But if she\u2019d just been back at home, she would have been practicing chess, debating calling one of her friends, watching a Youtube video, talking with her pare\u2014<\/p>\n Nope! Can\u2019t do that! Erin stopped in the street and slapped her cheeks hard enough for them to sting. She couldn\u2019t think about home or friends or fa\u2014<\/p>\n She couldn\u2019t think about it. She\u2019d done well so far, but being in a city full of Humans was making her nostalgic. And Erin didn\u2019t need nostalgia right now. She needed\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cA distraction.\u201d<\/p>\n So saying, Erin set off walking in a specific direction. She wasn\u2019t far from where she wanted to go, so in a few minutes she was pushing open the door to the Frenzied Hare.<\/p>\n \u201cMiss Erin!\u201d<\/p>\n A welcoming voice instantly called out her name. Erin turned, smiling, to see Miss Agnes bustle up to her, all cheer and good humor.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy Erin, it\u2019s a surprise to see you this early! Are you already done with your business at the [Alchemist]\u2019s? Or\u2014don\u2019t tell me, Miss Octavia\u2019s concocted some nasty brew that\u2019s set her store on fire again?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNothing like that Miss Agnes. I just finished up early. How\u2019s Mister Jerom doing?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin smiled at the older woman as she took a seat at the table. While it was true she was sort of the new boss around here\u2014at least when it came to cooking\u2014Miss Agnes was the one always running the inn, and Erin was gone outside of breakfast and dinner most days.<\/p>\n Miss Agnes smiled at Erin as she always did when Erin asked about her sick husband. Ryoka never asked, even though Erin kept reminding her to. Although\u2026Erin wasn\u2019t sure Ryoka even remembered Mister Jerom\u2019s name, or Agnes\u2019 some days.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s doing as well as can be expected. Still feverish and he sleeps too much, but I\u2019m hopeful the new alchemist\u2019s potion we bought will sort him out. We have you to thank for that of course\u2014we\u2019d never have been able to spare the coin if you hadn\u2019t come by.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, it\u2019s\u2014I\u2019m really glad I could help.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin smiled and waved her hand. Agnes smiled at her, and then glanced at the kitchen.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know, if you\u2019re done with work, I\u2019m sure the morning crowd would love to sample your cooking\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n There it was again. Erin\u2019s smile twisted a bit on her face. It was always work, work, work. Even here.<\/p>\n Agnes saw Erin\u2019s expression and hurried to reassure her.<\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t have that many guests, and I\u2019m sure if you\u2019re not feeling up to it\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m just a bit tired today. Um, I was wondering if I could have some eggs?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course! Why, you must be tired\u2014Maran! Some eggs for Miss Erin please!\u201d<\/p>\n The [Barmaid] glanced up from one of the tables and waved at Erin in acknowledgement. Soon, she was back with the eggs, and she and Agnes sat with Erin and talked. The inn wasn\u2019t at all crowded and Safry was cooking whatever was needed in the kitchen while she served the tables as well.<\/p>\n Erin chewed the decent eggs with a bit of pepper and salt added for flavoring and chatted with Maran and Agnes. They didn\u2019t have much to say, to be honest. Business was good\u2014but Erin knew that. Maran was dating another guy, a young [Cook] whom Agnes wanted to lure to the inn, but Maran wasn\u2019t even sure if they were serious about each other\u2014soon enough, Erin felt compelled to bring up the issue on her minds.<\/p>\n \u201cHey, I\u2019ve been wondering\u2026what do you guys do for fun?\u201d<\/p>\n The two women exchanged a surprised glance.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, what do you mean, Erin? If you\u2019re asking about fun things to do on a date\u2014Maran would know more about that.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin shook her head.<\/p>\n \u201cNot like that. I mean\u2014what do you do for fun, when you have time, I mean? Read books?\u201d<\/p>\n Agnes chuckled.<\/p>\n \u201cFree time? There\u2019s precious little of that here. And books? I\u2019m sure Jerom and I don\u2019t have the coin for that, even if I wanted to spend hours reading. No, that gives me a headache.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen what do you do?\u201d<\/p>\n Maran smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cThe other day I went shopping and bought a pair of earrings. The gemstones are just quartz\u2014but they\u2019re so beautiful and they sparkle in the light! I\u2019ll show you tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay. But\u2026did you do anything else?\u201d<\/p>\n The young woman blinked.<\/p>\n \u201cAnything else? I didn\u2019t have time to do anything else.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh. Well\u2026what else do you do for fun?\u201d<\/p>\n Maran and Agnes looked confused, but they told Erin what they did when they had a day off for whatever reason.<\/p>\n \u201cI have been known to have a pint or two when the dinner rush is slow\u2014usually with Jerom\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll dance in any tavern, that is, if I haven\u2019t been on my feet all day\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a [Shepherd] who plays beautifully on a flute. He goes to other inns sometimes and plays\u2014I wish I could have him here so we could listen to the music\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Dance, drink, gamble, listen to music\u2014Erin listened to the short list and felt the small hole in her heart grow wider. It wasn\u2019t that any of it was bad, but it wasn\u2019t interesting either. Her ears did perk up when she heard Maran mention a familiar word, though.<\/p>\n \u201cOh? You have holidays here too?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course! We have a few every year, and everyone looks forward to them.\u201d<\/p>\n Apparently, even Agnes would close up her inn most of the day on such occasions. The entire city would celebrate special days in the year, a lot of them right around the time holidays were observed in Erin\u2019s world.<\/p>\n \u201cThe real fun is during one of the festivals. There\u2019s candied apples, games to play, entertainments bought by the city, and so much to do! The Winter Solstice is coming up\u2014there\u2019s always a good time to be had then.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd it\u2019s such a romantic time as well.\u201d<\/p>\n Maran sighed wistfully, and Erin suspected a certain [Cook] had been chosen to share that special day with. Agnes smiled mischievously.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, there\u2019s another way some folks entertain themselves each night\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMiss Agnes!\u201d<\/p>\n The [Barmaid] raised her voice in shocked outrage, and Agnes laughed. Both women looked at Erin\u2014she looked just as unimpressed.<\/p>\n \u201cOh. Right.\u201d<\/p>\n That\u2019s it? Of course, Erin got the attraction, but besides festivals, was there really nothing else to do? Flummoxed by Erin\u2019s indifference, Agnes and Maran tried to come up with other things that were fun to do.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s always a good time when a [Troubadour], [Bard], [Tumbler], or some other person with a class like that visits. I always try and go see them if I have the time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey wander from city to city?\u201d<\/p>\n It made sense, but that was just as\u2026well, at least they were some fun people who visited now and then. But still. It seemed like people in Celum just waited a long time for fun to occur. Erin sighed, even more melancholy than before.<\/p>\n Agnes looked a bit worried that Erin was so down.<\/p>\n \u201cAre you well, Erin dear? Would you like to have a rest, maybe?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNah. I\u2019m not tired.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin pushed her empty plate back and stood up. If there was no fun to be had here, at least she could see if\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m going to go see Fuzzylips. I mean\u2026yeah, him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWho? Oh, you mean Wesle? You go visit him practically every day. Has he caught your eye?\u201d<\/p>\n Maran and Agnes smiled knowingly at Erin. Erin gave them a blank look.<\/p>\n \u201cNot really. I just want to know if he\u2019s found my skeleton yet.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYour what?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n —-<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHey Wesle.\u201d<\/p>\n The [Guardsman] had been napping, or maybe just resting his eyes, but he sat up in his wooden chair and looked attentive the moment he heard his name. He relaxed when he realized his superior wasn\u2019t calling his name\u2014and then he straightened up in his chair again when he realized Erin was standing in front of him.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, Miss Solstice! I didn\u2019t realize\u2014um, let me\u2014would you like a seat?\u201d<\/p>\n Fumbling at his words, blushing, Wesle stood up and offered Erin the only seat in the room. His. Erin just laughed at him until they left the small room which was meant for\u2014well, probably napping [Guardsman]\u2014and talked.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t expect you to be here so soon. Ah, what can I do for you, Miss Erin?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAny news about Toren?\u201d<\/p>\n Wesle was ready for the question, because Erin asked it every day. He shook his head ruefully.<\/p>\n \u201cYou mean the skeleton? No, Miss Erin. I haven\u2019t heard any of the cities reporting any sighting of the undead\u2014and I did send out a request asking if any reports had been logged with the Adventurer\u2019s Guilds as well.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin knew that was the response she\u2019d likely get, but she sagged anyways. No one had seen Toren. Selys would have messaged her if he\u2019d appeared around Liscor, but he hadn\u2019t gone back there. And no one had mentioned seeing a walking skeleton around the cities either\u2014it was like he\u2019d disappeared.<\/p>\n Where was Toren now? And when she finally found him…would Erin really have to do what she was thinking? Maybe Pisces could help. But he wasn\u2019t here yet.<\/p>\n Awkwardly, Wesle patted Erin on the shoulder. She smiled at him.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s too bad. Thanks for looking, though.\u201d<\/p>\n Wesle hesitated.<\/p>\n \u201cAre you sure you won\u2019t sit? You seem less spirited than usual, Miss Erin.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally? I\u2019m sorta\u2026tired, I guess. You seem tired too.\u201d<\/p>\n The [Guardsman] hesitated, and then nodded with a grimace.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s Esthelm, Miss. Or rather, after that all the [Guardsmen] in every city are working around the clock.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn case the Goblins attack?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat, and trying to find out when<\/em> they\u2019ll attack, or at least, where they are.\u201d<\/p>\n Wesle gestured to a large map that had been pinned to a wall of the City Watch barracks. It had a lot of colored pins in it, most of them centered around a red cross over what had been Esthelm. Erin\u2019s stomach twisted a bit just looking at the map.<\/p>\n What about Rags? Another friend she couldn\u2019t do anything for. She let Wesle explain the problem, hoping Rags wasn\u2019t with any of the Goblins he was talking about.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not like there are Goblins everywhere now, but there are certainly more of them. Just the other day a village near Esthelm \u2013 Verdun \u2013 reported seeing a group of a hundred or so armed Goblins.\u201d<\/p>\n The man showed Erin a small pin on the map. She stared at it and looked at how close it was to Liscor and Celum. A hundred Goblins? How many did Rags have\u2026?<\/p>\n \u201cThese ones aren\u2019t like the normal groups of Goblins. They all have weapons and armor\u2014and they move and fight like they\u2019re actual [Soldiers]. If the village didn\u2019t have walls, I think they\u2019d have been attacked. But the Goblins were moving north, and luckily no one was killed.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAre they attacking something?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s a war between Goblin tribes, Miss. It happens. Or\u2014it could be this Goblin Lord we\u2019ve been hearing rumors about.\u201d<\/p>\n Wesle\u2019s face was grim. Erin remembered that Goblin Lords were supposed to be really bad.<\/p>\n \u201cYou guys are working hard. Um. Do you work like this every day?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, most days we just arrest petty criminals and patrol, Miss. Or stand watch at the gate and check travelers coming in, like we did with you. It\u2019s not always this exciting.\u201d<\/p>\n The [Guardsman] gave Erin a faint grin. She nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd what about fun?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFun, Miss?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah. Do you do\u2026anything for fun in your free time?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWeeeell\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Wesle looked uncomfortable. Suddenly encouraged, Erin grinned and nudged him.<\/p>\n \u201cCome on. What do you do? Show me, please? I won\u2019t tell.\u201d<\/p>\n It took a bit of coaxing, but eventually Wesle led Erin behind the barracks and into the practice yard. It was for [Guardsmen] to swing a blade, but the bored men and women of the City Watch had installed an unauthorized addition to the place.<\/p>\n A horseshoe, rusted and battered from use, swung from Wesle\u2019s hand. He tossed it across the snowy and muddy ground and landed it near, but not on the metal pole that had been hammered into the earth. He offered one to Erin, but she just stared at it. Erin looked at the horseshoe, and then at Wesle\u2019s face.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd this is what you do for fun?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin stared at the horseshoes. She stared at Wesle. Then she reached out and patted him gently on the shoulder.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m so<\/em> sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEr, why?\u201d<\/p>\n He never got an answer. Erin just walked away, shaking her head sadly.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n —-<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Such a boring world. It actually amazed Erin that she could think that. But at times, it was true. Even here, there was boredom. Perhaps more boredom than back home.<\/p>\n Or\u2014maybe it wasn\u2019t the world that was boring, but some of the people living in it. Erin had never felt bored in Liscor, but she\u2019d always had something to do. Here, she was just an observer, watching people live lives that\u2014weren\u2019t that interesting, to be honest.<\/p>\n Wesle was a [Guardsman]. Agnes was an [Innkeeper]. Octavia was an [Alchemist]. That was all they were and would be, and they leveled up and worked and lived, and that was all.<\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t enough for Erin. She needed something else. But she had no idea of where to find it, so Erin just started walking. She walked out of the City Watch\u2019s guardhouse and into the city, looking for something she wasn\u2019t sure existed.<\/p>\n Where should she go? Erin came to a crossroads and turned left for no particular reason. She\u2019d gone walking through the city before of course, but that was always with Ryoka. Today Erin walked down streets Ryoka would never turn.<\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t that her friend was a snob\u2014even though she sort of was. But it was that Ryoka always went from A to Z, and never bothered talking to H or exploring any places in between.<\/p>\n When she was in the city, Ryoka would just go to the marketplace\u2014that was to say, the marketplace where people traded for gold and valuable items. She wouldn\u2019t ever visit the stalls that sold Miss Agnes food, or venture into the poorer parts of the city.<\/p>\n Unless she was on a delivery. But most of Ryoka\u2019s clients were rich, so she never ran down the streets Erin now walked down. The girl saw the way the buildings changed from stone to wood, the way their architecture became simpler, and the rare glass windows disappeared altogether.<\/p>\n And then\u2014Erin was in a different world. She stared around at the faces of people who weren\u2019t rich, or even close to it. She saw thin bodies, clothes that were badly patched or simply holey, and felt something different in her chest besides apathy.<\/p>\n These were poor people. Of course, it shouldn\u2019t surprise Erin. Every world had poor people\u2014people who couldn\u2019t afford to eat. But she\u2019d somehow forgotten that they existed here. Forgotten, because she\u2019d never looked.<\/p>\n A girl passing by Erin looked like she could have used a few more meals. Erin tried not to stare, but she felt a\u2026a kinship with the people who passed her by. She\u2019d been like that, once. She\u2019d had nothing, living in an empty inn that was falling apart.<\/p>\n And of course, there was no fun to be had here. Erin looked around and only saw misery mixed with desperation. Here were people who couldn\u2019t even think about having fun. They lived on the edge.<\/p>\n It made her feel bad about complaining. Erin wavered, turned to go. She couldn\u2019t feed these people, but maybe if she had scraps left over from cooking? But Maran and Safry took those back to their families. No one had too much. But was there something\u2026?<\/p>\n Then Erin saw it. There were shops down this street as well, and the girl she\u2019d passed had gone to one of them, to buy something at the stalls. But while she was waiting in the queue, a small shape moved furtively behind her. Erin recognized the young boy\u2019s face at once. She\u2019d seen him calling out to her when she\u2019d entered the city, all innocence and smiles.<\/p>\n And now\u2026he was picking a pocket. Or rather, cutting a purse. Erin saw him reaching for the young woman\u2019s money pouch hidden just under her tunic and shouted.<\/p>\n \u201cGrev!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Every head turned, but the boy\u2019s turned fastest. Grev\u2019s eyes widened when he saw Erin, and then his face went dead white with recognition. The girl he\u2019d been trying to rob turned and shrieked in horror when she saw the small knife in his hands, but it fell from nerveless fingers as Grev stared at Erin. Erin took one step towards him, and he ran.<\/p>\n \u201cOh no you don\u2019t! Get back here!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n She ran after him, dashing past surprised people as Grev screamed and ran for his life. Erin didn\u2019t know what she\u2019d do when she caught him\u2014hadn\u2019t she threatened to shove a bee up his butt? She didn\u2019t have any bees left, but she wasn\u2019t too bothered by that. She was bored, and here was something to do.<\/p>\n Grev ran as if Carn Wolves were on his back, pushing past people, ignoring their curses. Erin ran a bit slower, dodging around people.<\/p>\n \u201cWhoops! Sorry! Excuse me!\u201d<\/p>\n She had Grev in her sights the entire time\u2014until the boy turned down an alley! Erin skidded into it, wary for a second of an ambush, but she saw Grev turning around a corner. He was still running, so Erin gave chase.<\/p>\n Really, she had no idea why she was still running after him, but after five minutes of pursuit giving up was no longer an option. Erin had<\/em> to catch Grev; it was a matter of pride.<\/p>\n Erin dashed down another poor street, practically unpaved and full of run down houses. Where was she? But there was Grev, trying to open a door!<\/p>\n \u201cGotcha!\u201d<\/p>\n Before the frantic boy could open the door and get away, Erin seized him by one hand. He shrieked<\/em> in fear and to Erin\u2019s surprise, raised his other arm as he shrunk to the ground. As if he was afraid she would\u2026hit\u2026him\u2026<\/p>\n She\u2019d just processed that thought when Erin heard a voice.<\/p>\n \u201cStop, please!\u201d<\/p>\n Someone grabbed her arm. The hand wasn\u2019t big, but the touch was rough and whoever had grabbed her had claws.<\/em> Erin jumped and let go of Grev. He ran behind his savior, a female Drake\u2014<\/p>\n Erin blinked. She stared at the young Drake standing in front of her, holding a bundle of what looked like wet clothing in one claw while the other held Erin. The Drake let go of Erin and backed away instantly. She shielded Grev with her body as she spoke desperately to Erin.<\/p>\n \u201cPlease, Miss! Don\u2019t hurt him! He\u2019s just a child!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWha?\u201d<\/p>\n Why was a Drake in Celum? Erin hadn\u2019t even seen one, but here was a Drake, standing in front of her. The Drake paused as she realized Erin wasn\u2019t going to start hitting her. For a moment she and Erin just stared at each other while Grev hid behind her, sniveling.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re a Drake.\u201d<\/p>\n That was the brilliant opening Erin came up with. The female Drake hesitated, and then nodded. She bit at her lip, glaring at Erin as if that statement was a challenge.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s right. I\u2019m a Drake. But I live here, and the Watch knows about me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry if Grev did anything\u2014but he\u2019s just a child! Please, whatever he did\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe was pickpocketing. I saw him.\u201d<\/p>\n The Drake\u2019s reaction was immediate, as was Grev\u2019s. He immediately let go of her and piped up in denial.<\/p>\n \u201cI never!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh Grev\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n She stared at him, clearly knowing he was lying. But instantly the Drake looked back at Erin, and now there was a genuine note of desperation in her voice.<\/p>\n \u201cPlease don\u2019t report him, Miss. Please don\u2019t. He\u2019s only one crime away from being exiled from the city. And if that happens\u2014it was just one mistake, Miss. It won\u2019t happen again.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin propped her hands on her hips and stared at Grev as he tried to turn invisible.<\/p>\n \u201cI happen to have met Grev before. He helped a bunch of thugs ambush me when I first came into the city.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGrev!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n The Drake turned. To Erin\u2019<\/em>s surprise, she dropped the clothing on the snowy cobblestones and grabbed Grev, lifting him up as he shouted.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2014I\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow dare you! <\/em>I\u2019ll spank you until you won\u2019t sit for two weeks! And you\u2019re not having dinner! I should drag you to the City Watch myself. Do you want to be kicked out of the city? Because if you do\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry! I\u2019msorryI\u2019msorryI\u2019m\u2014<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n The Drake kept shaking Grev as he apologized frantically, shouting. Erin saw other doors opening and closing once the occupants saw what was going on, but no one came to see. She cleared her throat and the two stopped and stared at her.<\/p>\n Grev\u2019s face was somewhere beyond white and going into ghostly. The Drake\u2019s face was\u2014well, her dark red scales couldn\u2019t really change color like skin, but they were definitely looking more pink than red around her face. Both clearly expected the worst.<\/p>\n And why not? Erin wasn\u2019t a huge, angry [Warrior], true, but she was dressed a lot better than they were, and she could easily summon the Watch. But to their surprise, the\u00a0 young woman didn\u2019t shout or get angry. She just smiled a bit, and held out a hand.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m Erin. Who are you?\u201d<\/p>\n The Drake stared at the hand, and then dropped Grev. She gingerly took the hand.<\/p>\n \u201cJasi. My name is Jasi, Miss.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n —-<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Jasi the Drake was one of perhaps two or three Drakes in Celum.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know. There was a [Merchant], but he might have left. And there\u2019s a [Baker] who married a Human woman. But it\u2019s not common, especially in small cities like this.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally?\u201d<\/p>\n Jasi shifted in her seat. Erin was sitting in her home\u2014hers and Grev\u2019s. Apparently, they lived in a squalid hut\u2014house was too grand a word for this place\u2014next to the city walls. It had belong to their parents, both of whom were dead or had simply left. Erin hadn\u2019t asked.<\/p>\n Now Erin sat on a rickety chair with a cup of boiled water in front of her. She hadn\u2019t drunk from it. There were a few flecks in the water that she didn\u2019t want in her stomach. Jasi sat across from her while Grev tried to listen to their conversation and hide in the other corner of the room.<\/p>\n Talking had happened. And spanking and apologizing and now explanations were currently occurring.<\/p>\n \u201cYou live pretty close to Liscor. I\u2019d have thought more than one or two Drakes would live in cities, even Humans ones.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell\u2026people don\u2019t like Drakes here. And I\u2019ve heard that most Drakes don\u2019t like Humans.\u201d<\/p>\n Jasi looked uncomfortable as she spoke. She\u2019d apologized a hundred times to Erin, but she was still clearly afraid Erin would go ballistic over Grev\u2019s crimes, or, Erin realized, her being a Drake. She tried to reassure the young\u2026woman.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t worry\u2014I don\u2019t mind Drakes. In fact, I live in Liscor where there are tons of them!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLiscor?\u201d<\/p>\n Both Grev and Jasi exclaimed at the same time. Jasi looked at Erin with wide eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cReally? But I heard Humans don\u2019t live there. Unless\u2014are you an adventurer, Miss?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNope.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe is!\u201d<\/p>\n Grev called out from one corner of the room. He was standing\u2014as sitting would be very hard with his sore backside. He flinched when Erin and Jasi looked at him. But he piped up with the determination to be proved right.<\/p>\n \u201cI saw her! She beat three big men by herself! She punched one of them so hard she broke his nose!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd whose fault is it she had to fight you stupid\u2014<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Jasi raised her voice and nearly got up before Erin stopped her. She was all for punishing Grev, but he\u2019d had enough, at least in her opinion.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not an adventurer. I\u2019m an [Innkeeper]. I have an inn in Liscor and I happen to have a few combat Skills.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDid you come from Liscor?\u201d<\/p>\n Jasi suddenly turned red, the scales around her face actually turning a lighter pink rather than darkening.<\/p>\n \u201cWho me? No\u2014I\u2019ve actually never been to Liscor. Or\u2026or anywhere with other Drakes, really.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat? Then how\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a long story, Miss.\u201d<\/p>\n It came out as the cup of water in front of Erin slowly stopped steaming and went cold. It was cold in Jasi\u2019s house, and it was her house. Erin had figured out some of the story just seeing how Jasi and Grev interacted, but the rest fell into place quickly enough.<\/p>\n Jasi was adopted. Or more accurately, she was a child that had been abandoned and found and raised by a Human father and mother. She\u2019d lived in Celum all her life, but that life hadn\u2019t been kind to her. Her parents\u2014who\u2019d taken care of her and taught her to live among Humans and then had Grev\u2014had split up unhappily. The mother found another man, the father just\u2026disappeared one day.<\/p>\n It was a sad story, the kind Erin had heard many times in her world. But to hear it here\u2014was disheartening. But what Erin could admire throughout it was Jasi. She\u2019d kept going even when her parents had gone. She\u2019d found work, as a [Washer] although she only had a handful of levels, and she\u2019d earned enough coin for her and Grev to survive.<\/p>\n The catch was that she couldn\u2019t look after Grev and earn money at the same time. The street had raised him, and what Grev had learned was how to steal, and how to lure innocent people into ambushes. Jasi had known about the first part and done her best to stop that, but she hadn\u2019t known about the muggings.<\/p>\n When Erin gave her the full recounting of what Grev had done when she\u2019d first met him\u2014and after she\u2019d stopped threatening to bite Grev\u2019s hands off, Jasi got down on her hands and knees and begged Erin for mercy.<\/p>\n \u201cI swear to you, I\u2019ll never let it happen again. Please <\/em>don\u2019t report him. He\u2019s the only family I have left.\u201d<\/p>\n What could Erin do but agree? Jasi made Grev apologize a hundred times, and promised to keep a better watch over him, but all Erin could wonder was when he\u2019d be caught next, and what would happen then.<\/p>\n And from the look in Jasi\u2019s eyes, she was thinking the same thing. That was how Erin found herself sitting in their grubby home, poking a finger into the very cold cup of water and watching as Jasi got back to her work.<\/p>\n She washed clothing for bronze coins, day in, day out. And she did it by using a tub of quite dirty water in the cold home and using lye soap and her claws to scrub the dirty fabrics as clean as she could.<\/p>\n It was hard, backbreaking work, especially since Jasi didn\u2019t exactly have any racks to dry the clothes on, let alone a washer and dryer. Instead, she hung bits of rope from stands\u2014chairs, the ceiling, and so on, letting the clothing drip-dry as the small fire she kept going in the fireplace added smoke to the cold room.<\/p>\n Erin didn\u2019t know if she liked Jasi. She certainly felt bad for her, but that wasn\u2019t the same as liking her. But she felt she couldn\u2019t just walk out of the home. Not when she looked at Jasi\u2019s hands, or rather, her claws.<\/p>\n Her scales were paler and\u2014damaged around her claws. Some were even missing, revealing pale white skin underneath. It was clearly painful from the way the Drake girl avoided brushing up against the exposed parts where she could. Erin could only guess that her work washing clothes had scraped away her scales one at a time.<\/p>\n It was like\u2026seeing how her life could have gone. Maybe. Jasi was a stranger in a city full of people who weren\u2019t like her, and didn\u2019t like<\/em> her. And what was more, she had to take care of Grev. It was a thankless, soul crushing task. And Erin\u2026<\/p>\n Erin felt at her belt pouch. She had gold coins and silver coins in there, courtesy of her work as an [Innkeeper] at Miss Agnes\u2019 inn. She had more bronze coins than Jasi and Grev had together. If she gave them just one gold coin, what would happen?<\/p>\n Happiness, perhaps for a day? Then it would be back to normal. Maybe Jasi could buy something to help her with washing, but the place they were in wouldn\u2019t change that much.<\/p>\n What about all the coins? They\u2019d probably get robbed. And even then, when it ran out they\u2019d still be poor. Erin was no social worker, no expert in charity and relief management, but she knew this wasn\u2019t a good option.<\/p>\n But what else could be done? She could\u2026walk out and leave them alone. But Erin rejected that as well. And yet\u2014how many people were like Jasi? If Erin went next door, she was sure she\u2019d probably feel the exact same way about the people living there.<\/p>\n But she knew Jasi, and Grev. She knew their names. That made things different. Just knowing their names meant it was so hard to walk away.<\/p>\n \u201cGrev! Help me lift this, will you? And don\u2019t drop it or I\u2019ll have to wash it again!\u201d<\/p>\n Jasi snapped at Grev as she struggled to lift some wet shirts up. Erin sat back down as Grev ran over. She watched them work.<\/p>\n Yes. If she helped them half-heartedly, she wouldn\u2019t change much, would she? But if she gave them everything, what would happen to her?<\/p>\n What would Ryoka do? Would she come up with a brilliant solution, or would she just shake her head and say this is how the world was and walk away? Erin didn\u2019t know.<\/p>\n She saw the female Drake wince as the clothing wrapped around a patch of exposed skin where the scales had been torn away. But she made no sound.<\/p>\n Erin looked at the windows. The shutters were closed\u2014obviously they had no glass windows, but even the shutters had gaps in them, letting in the winter air. And the floor was filthy. When had they last cleaned? And the water in the tub\u2014Jasi must have hauled it here, and when would she be able to replace it? Only when it became impossible to wash with, Erin bet.<\/p>\n So hard. Hard, and\u2014and small. This was all they had, and even that was uncertain. Erin\u2019s heart ached as she looked at Grev, reluctantly helping Jasi hang up clothes to dry by the fire. She thought, and came to a decision, even though it might have been the wrong one.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n —-<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cMiss Erin\u2026what\u2019s this?\u201d<\/p>\n That was what Agnes said when Erin brought Jasi and Grev to the inn. They stared at the bustling place, wide-eyed and disbelieving, an expression that was mirrored on Agnes\u2019s face when Erin told her what she intended.<\/p>\n \u201cYou want to hire her as a [Barmaid]? Well of course we could use the help but\u2014does she have any levels in the class? And what about the boy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGrev can stay here. He can\u2019t work, but he can sleep here. I don\u2019t know what he\u2019ll do every day\u2014I\u2019ll think of something to keep him out of trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n Jasi bobbed a nervous curtsy to Miss Agnes.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll work hard, Miss. If you need me to haul things or clean up\u2014I can do that. Anything you need.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2014well\u2014we\u2019ll see.\u201d<\/p>\n Agnes looked helplessly at Erin. She gave the uncertain Jasi and Grev a big smile and had them sit at a table.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll\u2014have Safry bring you some food. You two look like you could use some. Safry! And then we\u2019ll put you to work, Miss Jasi.\u201d<\/p>\n As the two sat and Safry came over, Agnes drew Erin aside and spoke to her in a troubled voice.<\/p>\n \u201cI hate to question you, but\u2014do you know what you\u2019re doing, Erin? This seems\u2026sudden. Have you thought all this through?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo. Not really.\u201d<\/p>\n Miss Agnes looked somewhat dismayed by Erin\u2019s honest response. But the truth of it was that Erin herself was uncertain. When she\u2019d stood up and announced that Jasi could work at her inn, it had felt right. But now\u2014<\/p>\n \u201cI know you come from Liscor where Drakes are common\u2014but here Drakes are\u2014well, there\u2019s history\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know, Miss Agnes. But I had to do something.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou have a kind heart, Erin. I know that.\u201d<\/p>\n But you made a mistake. <\/em>Erin heard it unspoken in Agnes\u2019 voice. She ignored it.<\/p>\n \u201cFor now just have Jasi wait tables. That\u2019s easy. And Grev can eat and sit in a corner.\u201d<\/p>\n So passed the first night. Erin kept an eye on Jasi, and especially Grev. But Grev was meek and even grateful for the food, eating a huge amount until Erin thought he would be sick. But he eventually just passed out in a minor food coma at his table.<\/p>\n As for Jasi, she still seemed stunned to work at such as busy inn. She was constantly serving tables, bringing the food Erin cooked out of the kitchen. And even if she got quite a few glances, Erin heard no audible comments, at least, not while she was in the common room.<\/p>\n She cooked, fried, and served food in her own world of anxiety. Then, when the last of the guests had eaten, Erin found a small room for Jasi and Grev to sleep in.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know how to thank you, Miss Erin. Are you sure it\u2019s alright for us to be sleeping here? We have a house\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sure. And this way you can help in the morning.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin smiled at Jasi and Grev, keeping her emotions inside of her until they\u2019d closed the door. Then she went to her own room and sat on her bed and put her head in her hands.<\/p>\n \u201cWas that a mistake?\u201d<\/p>\n It felt like it. Erin hated to say it out loud, but she wasn\u2019t sure. What had she just done? It had been so sudden, an impulse decision.<\/p>\n \u201cBut what was I thinking?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Making Jasi a [Barmaid]? Offering her a job? It had seemed like the only option Erin could take. The obvious choice. But now that she was here\u2014<\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t a good fit. Jasi would work hard, but Erin had seen the looks the patrons of the inn gave her. She was a Drake, and unpopular. Plus, she would have to start at Level 1 and work her way up as a [Barmaid]. Agnes had expressed her doubts, and no wonder. Did Agnes even like Jasi? What about Maran and Safry? Would they be afraid Jasi would take their jobs or steal their wages since Erin had hired her? What about when Erin was gone? Would Agnes fire Jasi then and there?<\/p>\n And when Erin left\u2026could she take Jasi with her? Would the Drake be willing to go back to Liscor? What about Grev? He wouldn\u2019t be happy in that city, and the Liscorian City Watch was hard on crime, especially by Humans.<\/p>\n Especially after Lyonette.<\/p>\n Erin tossed and turned in her bed. She knew she\u2019d made a bad choice. But could she just leave them there? But now\u2014she\u2019d taken then out of their home. What could she do? Jasi might have lost her job since Erin had taken her away! Could Erin just give her money and tell her to go back if things didn\u2019t work out?<\/p>\n She didn\u2019t know. Erin lay sleepless in her bed, trying to figure out what the right answer was. But she was only sure of one thing. One simple thing: of all the things she could have done, the worst thing would have been nothing.<\/p>\n She\u2019d made her choice. Now she would help Jasi\u2014and Grev\u2014as much as she could. That was all she could do.<\/p>\n Exhausted, but knowing she had to sleep, Erin finally closed her eyes. She mumbled to herself as sleep finally overwhelmed her stressed brain.<\/p>\n \u201cAt the very least\u2026I have something to do.\u201d<\/p>\n She closed her eyes and slept.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [Innkeeper Level 27!]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Previous Chapter<\/a> Next Chapter<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Erin Solstice carefully flipped a fish on the frying pan she was holding over the fire. She watched the one golden-brown side of the fish turn over and land neatly on the oily surface of the pan. Instantly, the uncooked side began to sizzle. \u201cMm. Fish.\u201d That was all she said for a while. There […]<\/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":[11693083,349],"tags":[7224,250708,4330244,4472517,11693079],"twi_volume":[11693132],"twi_collection":[],"class_list":["post-2994","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-volume-3","category-writing","tag-fantasy","tag-inn","tag-web-novel","tag-web-serial","tag-writing"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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