《Serf》


 Chapter 1 - Twilight

    ¡°Hey, no, keep the aggro. Tee, what the fuck are you doing! Stomp, I need you to manage your taunts. Now! Before we wipe!¡±


    Working my UI as fast as my fingers would move, I managed to cast the right spell.


    [Saints shield - Level 5]


    As one, every single enemy turned towards me. Despite the terrible graphics, I could see their eyes bore into my soul. Nothing between me and them but a flimsy, albeit high level, set of cloth armour.


    [Litany of insults - Level 8]


    I exhale as the enemies turn towards Stomp. That was too close. Focusing on my healing spell, I target Rach. A surprisingly good tactician, she¡¯d been out of sorts today. Out of position a lot of the time, picking the wrong attacks, performing them poorly. At least with Stomps daily deployed, we¡¯d have time to breathe and recover from the onslaught.


    [Flurry of blades - Level 4]


    A dervish with daggers, Rain had had enough. She must have noticed Rachs behaviour too. In short order, every grubby little goblin soldier lies dead at our feet. The experience gain is negligible. At our levels, nothing short of epic quest rewards are enough to shift our exp bars. I heal and rebuff our members as Stomp approaches Rach. Her avatar, a slim elf with shimmering white hair and green almond eyes, is staring glassily into the darkness. The goblin caves are the first step on a mythic quest. The darkness this early in the chain shouldn¡¯t hide anything we can¡¯t handle. I finish my casting and join the others standing around Rach, talking to her. She¡¯s responding much more slowly than normal. Even with her wasting sickness, this is unusual. Without warning, Rain goes still. I look at Stomp and he nods, going still. Emergency log out procedures? I hurry to do the same, the colours of the real world rushing back into my view.


    ¡ª


    The funeral was cold and hard. A terrible send off for a decent human who never got the chance she deserved. She didn¡¯t have a lot of money, so we placed the urn in a cheap columbarium. We decorated the niche with what little we had of her. A photo of her from before the sickness changed her appearance. A group photo of our little adventuring troupe from our first real victory together, posing over a vanquished Silverfog Drake. Her favourite mug. I didn¡¯t cry. Neither did Rishi. Mika had tears streaming down his face from the moment we left the apartment that day. We all loved Rachel, and we tried to respect her wish that we didn¡¯t make her interment a sad experience. I made it back to the autocar before I broke down. Rishi just hugged us both, swearing under her breath at the cruelty of it all.


    ¡ª


    Coming to Roger Littles bar was anticlimactic. It drove home the banality of death, how everyone kept going the way they had the day before. Roger himself commiserated with us, raising a glass to her, pouring one out for her. Then he continued on his daily routine, serving the various customers in need of drink or solace.


    A drink in sorrow turned into a drink for remembrance. Another drink for the good times turned into one for karaoke. Together, we sang and cried her favourite songs until the bar closed and we were forced to go home. Me and Rishi had to carry Mika the last few metres to our apartment door. For a big lad, he had no tolerance for alcohol. Lying in the darkness, both of us in the same bed, we made mistakes we¡¯d promised never to do. All to fend off the meaninglessness for a few more minutes. Afterwards, we stared into the darkness, wondering what she had seen there.


    ¡°Taran, what the fuck are we going to do?¡±


    A chill went down my spine at the words. Did she want this to be more than it was? I was torn between sputtering nonsense and pretending to sleep when she continued.


    ¡°They''re going to evict us in a month. Without the job as her guardians, we have no business staying in a flat like this.¡±


    I tried not to exhale too loudly as she turned towards me, her head on my arm, dark hair flowing behind her.


    ¡°I hate it. It¡¯s too soon to be thinking about this, but we need another source of income, quick.¡±


    I stroke her naked back absentmindedly. Skin and bone. I squeeze her closer.


    ¡°We could try to monetize our adventures. I mean, we¡¯re strong enough to do some epic stuff now. We could vlog it, do tours for rich simpletons or..¡±


    She slaps my chest, interrupting me.


    ¡°That won¡¯t work! There isn¡¯t a market for the services we can provide. Othalmon online is going to shut down in the next few years, and all our hard work will go with it. We need to think bigger.¡±


    Afraid of another slap, I stay silent.


    ¡°What we need is a new world to adventure in. Remember the ad I brought home the other day? That Permacor game? I think it¡¯s called Below or something. It¡¯s been out for a year already, and it¡¯s going strong. I think we could make a business in a world like that.¡±


    I consider it. The world Below has been in the news lately, buying up competitors. Not a bad idea, except..


    ¡°We can¡¯t afford the immersion tech.¡±


    She grabs my left nipple, twisting it. The pain radiates through me, clearing my head. It¡¯s all I can do to shut up and not scream. I look over to Mika to see if he¡¯s noticed anything, but the giant man is oblivious to the universe.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be a dumbass, you¡¯re supposed to be our numbers guy, remember? We sell our old accounts and the kit we have now. I¡¯m sure we can get three sets of equipment, especially when we sell..¡±


    She swallows hard. I understand what she means, so I finish her sentence.


    ¡°When we sell Rachels stuff.¡±


    My soul sinks to the floor. The thought is nearly sacrilegious, but she¡¯s right. The numbers add up if we get second hand equipment. Rachel had no one else. She¡¯d want us to do this. A dozen justifications welled up in my mind as I ran down my lists. It took a moment to realise she was coming on to me again. We made more mistakes we promised never to do that night. Throughout it all I couldn¡¯t stop myself thinking about how I should tell her, tell them both. I didn¡¯t want to do it anymore.


    ¡ª


    I spent a few days researching the forums. The world Below was a new game, growing at an impressive rate. The best projections I could access showed that they would have more players than any other game in another two years. In six, most other games would be deserted. In ten, there would be more people playing it than were alive at the moment. I catch myself before I continued extrapolating the data. Rachel would have thrown something at me by now as soon as she noticed I¡¯d gotten stuck. This all looks promising, especially my private project.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    I was so sick of the life of a healer. Always being shouted at when things went poorly, ignored when things went well. Everyone had input on my character development choices. Even in our little group I¡¯d faced attitudes when the chips were down. They seemed to expect me to pick up a similar role in this new world, but I wasn¡¯t having it anymore. I had to finalise my new money making venture in this strange and fantastic world.


    The game boasted an adaptive algorithm, maintained by advanced expert systems called Affinities. The affinities would balance the forces of the world against each other and modify the rules to maximise player enjoyment. This resulted in a bewildering array of options on how to play the game. There were NPC kingdoms around the world, with more being discovered every few days. The landmass was vast, each continent separated by large oceans. There had yet to be any indication from the devs on how large the game would eventually be. And through it all, it seemed nobody wanted to put in the hard work. Everyone wanted to be an adventurer, killing monsters by day and drinking themselves stupid by night. Coupled with the slow regeneration of the npcs, this meant two things. There wasn¡¯t enough raw resources to fill the needs of the world, and there was an opportunity for someone who had a bit of business sense. I wanted to be that someone.


    I could hear the voices of people approaching from outside. Closing down my spreadsheets, I went to open the door for them.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare drop the boxes you god damn ox. These things cost more than we¡¯d make selling your kidneys on the market, so you¡¯re gonna lose a lot more if you break anything.¡±


    Mika nearly tumbles through the door as I open it. I can feel a bad pain in my arms as I move to catch him, nearly getting squished in the process.


    ¡°I gotcha buddy. Rish, grab the one that¡¯s about to fall, hurry!¡±


    The chaos ensuing leaves us all out of breath. They managed to get what I sent them out for. Three used FIVR headsets, a modded processing unit optimised for three people, and a credit token for the old hardlink interface. With this, we¡¯d be set for the next three weeks. After that, We¡¯d either be able to renew our lease, or we¡¯d be kicked out of our home. Rishi brought out the long term immersion bed covers we¡¯d managed to find cheap. She was a decent tech when she wanted to be. The only reason she wasn¡¯t employed anywhere was that expert systems could do what she could do much more cheaply. It¡¯s the same reason none of us were employed. Accountants like me were more or less extinct. Only the ones who grew up with powerful connections could be employed these days. Mika, an artist, was worse off than all of us. Nobody wanted human art anymore. Procedurally generated art by the most advanced expert systems, weak AI¡¯s, was the only kind of art that sold anymore.


    ¡°Right, so I¡¯m hooking up the nutrient solution, the electrolyte fluids and the immersion drugs. I still think we should have gotten the ones Buffo had to sell. Improved cognitive function would be an excellent boost in a game like this.¡±


    The place looked like a makeshift hospital now. While they were out, I¡¯d been sterilising the place to prevent infections while we were under.


    ¡°I already told you, those drugs are against the terms of service. The ones I wrote down for you are perfectly legal. Without them, we¡¯ll all atrophy by the time we get back out. Now go check the electrics and hardlink. We don¡¯t want a power outage with this kind of gear.¡±


    Sighing theatrically, she went outside to check on the utilities closet. Mika is sitting in front of the computer, putting the final touches on our website. An interactive gateway to our in-game browsers, letting us upload content, reply to our fans and manage our online presence without exiting.


    ¡°Looking good dude. You¡¯re a true artist.¡±


    I patted his back, but he didn¡¯t respond. His posture seemed sullen, hunched over. Probably just nerves.


    ¡°I will clean up and get ready for the dive. You¡¯re up next, then Rishi last. Don¡¯t forget to use the flushing pills before you shower.¡±


    He grunts in reply, and I go to prepare.


    The process was wildly unpleasant. Two little pills with a litre of water. Shower. Cover my hairiest bits with a removal gel. Wait five minutes for it to work, shower it all off, then clean the floor. It wasn¡¯t particularly long hair, but I was fond of it. The only positives about it was that I¡¯d get to see both Rishi and Mika bald as coots. I enjoyed that thought for ten or so seconds before the little pills took effect, and everything evacuated my body at once. This wasn¡¯t how most people entered the game, only the ones on a budget who wanted a long immersion.


    Another shower later and I made my way out to the others. Naked as the day I was born, without a single hair anywhere, I looked like an alien. Rishi turned to look at me, then fell to the ground laughing, nearly passing out from lack of oxygen. Mika is unable to suppress a laugh before he heads into the shower to go through the same as I had.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re laughing at. You¡¯re going to be in the same state in a few minutes.¡±


    She dries a tear as she stands up, trying to maintain eye contact.


    ¡°You look like a plucked chicken!¡±


    Another bout of laughing as she goes off to check on the equipment one more time. I take another look at my calculations before logging off my account. Soon, Mika comes back from the bathroom. Nobody laughs. If anything, he¡¯s more imposing than ever, heavily muscled, thighs like trunks. Rishi elbows me in the side as she walks past me, grinning all the way to the bathroom.


    ¡°I saw your spreadsheets.¡±


    Mika lies down on his bed, adjusting the equipment until it¡¯s all in place.


    ¡°Yeah? It¡¯s how I keep my data ordered. What about it?¡±


    He turns to look at me, a serious look in his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen you work before. You¡¯re predictable when it comes to data. You¡¯re not going to go along with the plan, are you?¡±


    I swallow hard, looking at him in alarm.


    ¡°I don¡¯t..¡±


    He holds up a hand to interrupt me.


    ¡°It¡¯s your business dude. I¡¯m going to follow the one we agreed to. I think Rishi will want to. You know her soul calls for adventure. But if you ask her to, she¡¯ll stay with you..¡±


    The shower starts in the bathroom as I take a deep breath.


    ¡°I know. I¡¯ll let her know when we meet up below. I can¡¯t take it anymore. Please don¡¯t hate me.¡±


    He gets up, ruining his setup. Standing right next to my bed, I try not to stare at his junk, nearly in my face. He leans down and punches me in the shoulder, hard.


    ¡°Not gonna hate you, shrimp. I¡¯m disappointed, but I respect you. Besides, you wouldn¡¯t do anything without thinking it through. Rish is going to be pissed for a while though. If you want to salvage anything with her, you¡¯ll need to get your shit together and make money fast.¡±


    I nod, rubbing my shoulder as he returns to his bed. The shower stops and we turn on some music before the grunting starts. Soon enough, she walks into the room, as naked as the rest of us. So thin we can nearly see through her. Pale skin stretched over ribs. Neither of us laugh at her. A quick check later, we begin the submersion process. Mika goes under first, the processing unit whirring up under the sudden load. Rishi reaches out to me, touching my hand.


    ¡°See you down there?¡±


    I grab her hand and squeeze, feeling her go limp as she engages the system. I place her hand at her side so she won¡¯t be damaged before I pull on the headset, letting myself fall into the complete darkness.

 Chapter 2 - Sunrise

    While waiting for the UI to adjust to my brainwaves, I start the interface to our public gateway.


    [Connection blocked - No access to external systems during tutorial phase]


    Figures.


    Without warning, my view explodes into colour. I can feel wind on my face, unrelenting in it¡¯s coldness, rushing past me at absurd velocities. I¡¯m zooming through a vast void towards a great red sphere, it¡¯s corona crackling with energy. At the last moment before slamming into the craggy surface I level out, flashing down a trench. Every few seconds I¡¯m forced to dodge blasts of power as I cling to the contours of the crimson valley. As suddenly as I started, I break off, straight away from the ground plane. I¡¯m now aimed at a much larger white sphere. Around it, I can see a green and blue orb, similar to the one I¡¯d just left behind. As I close in on it, my world goes white, and text appears in front of me.


    [Welcome to the world below. Create your own legend, be what you want to be, live the way you were meant to live. You are home.]


    Soon, colour bleeds into my vision. Blues, yellows and browns coalesce into a desert landscape. Sand as far as I can see, perfectly blue skies, the tyranny of the sun blasting down on me. Except I didn¡¯t actually feel warm. I look at my hands and realise I haven¡¯t got any. No body at all.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry brother. You¡¯ve safely arrived.¡±


    A voice, emanating from all around me. English accent, but the rough kind. Vinnie Jones or that Roth guy. I notice a glowfly floating in front of me.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, in front of your nose. It¡¯s damn good to meet you.¡±


    I try to speak, ask it about what¡¯s happening or what to do. I¡¯ve been through my share of weird tutorials, but most of the time I get at least a little agency.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright mate, you¡¯re safe. Don¡¯t be such a wally. You¡¯ve got the mind power to adjust to this environment, you just gotta take the time to let it all sink in.¡±


    I relax, running through numbers in my mind. One plus one is two. Two plus two is four. When I reach six digits, the glowfly begins growing. Shortly, it¡¯s turned into a 2d sprite of a scruffy looking man in a trenchcoat. He grins at me, perfectly white teeth with black outlines, then withdraws a cigarette from his hat, lighting it in a practised motion.


    ¡°That is so much fucking better. I hate being discorporated.¡±


    He lifts the cigarette up to his mouth, sucking on it like he owes it money, letting the smoke out with a satisfied sound.


    ¡°Of course, you¡¯re understanding that pretty well as we speak, so lets not dally, eh? Time for you to pick your avatar. Just as a point of note, the adaptive algorithm that governs this place, we call it Prime, it¡¯s already dug through your brain, yeah? It knows a lot about what you like and what you don¡¯t like. You¡¯ll see a selection of options over there soon. You can pick one of them, or you can ask for the extended list.¡±


    He leans in conspiratorially.


    ¡°But between you and me brother, I recommend one of the offered choices. Prime can be a right wanker when it¡¯s proven wrong.¡±


    He points towards a sand dune, and a large stone rises from the sand. Music starts playing in the background, sort of punk with a dirty guitar overlay. Materialising from one end of the stone is a perfect specimen of man. Ripped, tall, tan. No hair anywhere but his head. As he gets to the centre he flexes, what looks like a python dances around his arm as his muscles play. I¡¯m impressed by the accuracy of the algorithm. It takes a special kind of ability to score zero on a multiple choice question like this.


    The guide shrugs.


    ¡°Fair enough, I picked this guy. can¡¯t blame a bloke for trying, eh?¡±


    The musclebound mountain gets up, flexes one more time, then walks off to the right. I¡¯m still processing the image when I see a giant spider materialise, getting in position to pounce. Clearly a hunting spider, it¡¯s long front legs ended in sharp tools. A pair of smaller appendages hung from under its head, and I realise there are hands attached to them.


    ¡°This one¡¯s called a Narach spider. Not a very popular choice, but there are people who enjoy playing as a sentient predatory spider.¡±


    I¡¯d shake my head if I had one, but I had to admit it was an interesting proposition. I could do a lot with that kind of body, strong natural weapons and climbing ability. Sadly, it was an obligate carnivore, which doesn¡¯t lend itself to the playstyle I wanted. It skitters off to the side with little ceremony. A parade of strange creatures cross my path. Centaur seemed too unwieldy. Spore creature seemed too circumstantial. A weird levitating caped creature with tentacles hanging below it was far outside my comfort zone despite any potential bonuses, although I took a cheeky screenshot for Mika to enjoy later. In the end, it came down to three choices. An undead creature, which meant less upkeep for food and drink, and no need to worry about stuff like breathing. A dwarf, stocky and powerful, which would come in handy for the hard work in front of me. And lastly, a human/dryad hybrid. Essentially sexless, it had a green tint to it¡¯s skin, could subsist on water and sunlight for a long time, and had an affinity with nature. I quickly made my choice, and my point of view shot forwards, right into the skull of the greenchild.


    I blink a few times, trying to get used to the sensation of having a body again. I take a deep breath, enjoying the feel of hot, dry air. The place smelled like sand, and everything was way too warm. I¡¯m pretty sure I can feel myself burning. Other than that, I felt great. I had so much energy, I could do anything.


    ¡°Well done mate, it looks like you found a new home.¡±


    I turn around and see my new friend has changed again. In the sprites place stood a three dimensional block character. His hands were cubes, his feet were cubes, his face was a sprite.


    ¡°You look like shit.¡±


    He laughs.


    ¡°First words in a new world. Well done brother, I think you¡¯ll go far. I¡¯d shake your hand, but..¡±


    He raises a cube. I respond by raising a fist. We awkwardly fist bump, and he laughs again.


    ¡°I like you mate. I¡¯d even consider giving you a go if you had something more interesting between your legs. I¡¯m not one to question the Prime, but why would you pick a sexless half dryad?¡±


    I shrug, offering a half smile.


    ¡°Less distractions, and the bonuses outweigh the downsides. Besides, I prefer someone a bit curvier than you.¡±


    His laugh is infectious, and we fist bump again.


    ¡°So I¡¯m supposed to put you through your paces here. Lots of body work, move around, try to jump, pick shit up and all that. Can you just shift about a bit so I can tick off the box?¡±


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.The controls, as it were, was simply using a body. It was weird using a body that wasn¡¯t mine, but not hard, just different. The trick seems to be to not think about it.


    ¡°Well done. And now, let¡¯s chat about how you¡¯d like to play this game, live this life.¡±


    I raise an eyebrow, and he blows a ring of smoke into the air.


    ¡°So there are certain paths to take through this world. The one you pick decides a part of who you are, what you learn and what you experience. Let''s say you like fighting. You pick the path of blood and honour. Your life begins to revolve around fighting, around meeting hostile people, damsels in distress and all that noise. You gain skills relating to fighting and honourable actions, and you get pretty much what¡¯s on the tin. Or if you¡¯re a more sciency guy, you can pick the path of natural philosophy. Same kind of result, you¡¯ll find more science stuff happens to you. Now keep in mind, these things could still happen on any path, it just increases the likelihood. If you prefer to be surprised, there¡¯s the path of the Jack of all Trades. It¡¯s a bit wishy washy, but anything can happen. I don¡¯t really recommend that if you have any goals in mind.¡±


    I consider this a moment.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to follow the path of Soil and Water.¡±


    He clumps his cubes together in what I assume is a clap. In front of my eyes, he transforms again, this time into a real person. Five o¡¯clock shadow, grey fedora, grey trench coat, Marlboro in his mouth, permanent scowl yet somehow still smiling.


    ¡°Congratulations, you¡¯re nearly synchronised! It¡¯s not unusual with you gamer types. You ready to start the crafting and combat tutorials?¡±


    The next hour consists of us digging through the desert sand searching for resources to build tools out of. I find a dead creature near an oasis, it¡¯s skin sunken in the desert heat, and I use it¡¯s bones with some rocks to craft a makeshift hammer. With the hammer I manage to craft a pickax, which allows me to form a better stone for making a shovel. Soon I¡¯ve got a nice toolkit on me, with a nice bag crafted out of the skin remnants.


    ¡°Well done mate, sped right through that one, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    There¡¯s something about his grin I¡¯m not comfortable with. Is he hitting on me again, or.. I turn around, drawing the pickax from my back. Moving towards me at great speed is a scorpion the size of a large dog. It¡¯s stinger is dripping with green fluid that throws up a puff of smoke wherever it hits the sand. With an overhead swing, I strike the out sized arachnid right in it¡¯s cephalothorax, piercing it with a cracking sound.


    [You have lost your grip on the pickax]


    [You have been struck for 20% damage]


    It pinches my thigh before I have the chance to move away, giving me a solid taste of the kind of pain this world has to offer. I keep my distance as I draw the hammer, hoping for more luck. One on one combat was never my strong suit, considering my previous class experience. Channelling my inner Rain, I step into the scorpions pincer, feeling it lock onto my leg. At the same time, we shatter each other. I crack its shell, exposing soft innards. It breaks my leg, giving me a solid debuff and heavy damage.


    [You have been pinched for 16% damage]


    [You have received a debuff: Broken leg. Mobility reduced. Constant pain inflicted.]


    Shit. I¡¯m pretty sure I could kill it off, if I had one more attack, but the hammer is a short range weapon. Left with no other option, I retrieve my shovel, pushing at the monster to keep it at bay. With difficulty, I shove it far enough away that I get the chance to perform an overhead swing, slamming the edge of the shovel right into the insectoid brain, finally putting our disagreement to rest. My guide claps slowly, constantly puffing on his cigarette.


    ¡°I knew you had it in you lad. Congratulations, you¡¯ve passed the tutorial! Now, normally, I¡¯d have to put you through another test, the ripcord test, but I suspect you already know about it, don¡¯t you?¡±


    I nod.


    ¡°The ripcord is the emergency logout system built into the world below. If I ever need to exit in a hurry, all I have to do is focus on the handle, mentally pull it, and I¡¯ll be ejected safely out into the world above.¡±


    ¡°Yep. Nothing more to it. And considering your particular situation, I¡¯m going to bypass that particular test. Don¡¯t want you to go through that prep again, do we?¡±


    I scrunch my face up in confusion.


    ¡°How do you know about that?¡±


    ¡°Brother, I know everything.¡±


    He laughs at my discomfort.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m just pulling your leg. Part of the logon sequence is Prime scanning your mind, your short term memories. It¡¯s how we know what kind of options to show you, saving all of us a bit of time. It¡¯s all confidential, so don¡¯t worry about us telling your buff friend how you really feel about him.¡±


    He winks as I¡¯m beginning to feel fed up with his over the top approaches.


    ¡°So what¡¯s next then?¡±


    He approaches me, offering a cigarette. I accept it, and he gives me a light.


    ¡°Next up is you pick a name, something I can call you. My name, for instance, is Rezzer. I can tell you already that your friends have picked the names Stompsmash and Rainbringer.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I guessed. It¡¯s their default names for online games. You can call me TeeCee.¡±


    We shake on it, then he leads me to the nearby oasis where we sit down for a bit, finishing our smokes.


    ¡°There¡¯s not much else to do here. I¡¯ll send you on your way when you¡¯re ready. But first I¡¯m gonna give you this. It¡¯s customary for guides to give their charges a gift when they pass the tutorial.¡±


    He rummages through his trenchcoat, picking out various items. A deck of cards made from metal, a small doll of himself, something that looked like a small hide balloon at first. Then he pulls out a twig, which he hands to me. I accept it, smiling.


    ¡°This is awesome! What is it?¡±


    He rolls his eyes at me.


    ¡°Have you never seen a dowsing rod before? It¡¯ll help you find water wherever you go. I¡¯m thinking that kind of thing is gonna be very useful for your career going forwards.¡±


    I look closer at the branch. It¡¯s a foot long, smooth and unbarked. Thinner around than my thumb, but remarkably resilient.


    [Rezzers dowsing rod]


    Cool. I stand up and get ready to enter the game.


    ¡°Where am I going to end up when I start? Will I be close to my friends?¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯m going to send you to a smaller village as a starting point. Your friends will probably be sent somewhere else though, since they want a more adventurous experience. Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll be on the same continent, and this will give you the chance to get started before you meet up. Maybe you can preemptively earn Rains forgiveness.¡±


    He winks at the last statement. I¡¯m about to reply something snarky when the world begins to blur. A shock of green light emanates from Rezzer, and soon the world fades back in, denoting my first entry into the world below.

 Chapter 3 - Friendship

    The first thing to come back into focus is a brown wall. Smells of dung and grass follows, with the sounds of people talking coming in last. I have a look around, finding myself in a muddy street, in front of a large building. People are passing by me in various states of hurry, so I step off the path to avoid being run down. A cute bench gives me the perfect place to rest while I analyse my situation.


    I¡¯ve gained some skills and abilities. Strength and Endurance, pretty standard fare. Crafting, perception and bludgeoning weapons, also common stuff. Clearly my experience in the tutorial zone counted towards advancements. No sign of my actual HP, MP or endurance, just bars showing current state. I wish there was more information available online, but all the wikis are trawled by auditors to prevent excessive information sharing between players. You¡¯re supposed to get the details on your own in this game.


    A shadow falls over me, blocking the sun. Looking up, I see a stubbled face against the blue sky. A leathery face, greasy hair under a tricorne hat, a duster covering him against the elements. He grins when he gets my attention.


    ¡°Hey there, you¡¯re a toplubber, aren¡¯t ya?¡±


    He seems very certain of himself. He''s a player. I don''t know how I know, but the certainty is overwhelming. With a heave, I stand up, brushing the dirt from my hands as I reach out to shake his.


    ¡°I am. Pleasure to meet you.¡±


    He shakes my hand vigorously, clasping it with both hands.


    ¡°May I be the first person to welcome you to the wonderful city of Hogsmudd. Population thirty people, fifty pigs, four cows, one donkey and an uncountable number of chickens.¡±


    He pulls me close putting his arm around me as he points out the sights.


    ¡°This right here is the main road. It¡¯s main distinguishing feature, as it were, is that it¡¯s the only actual road in town. Some of the nobbier farmers will insist they have a road too, but don¡¯t listen. Dirt paths all the way to the door. Over there is my home away from home, the Salty Swine. No prize for guessing what they server for most dinners. The food is terrible and the women are unpleasant, but the coffee is hot and the seats are dry, so I love it. Next to that is the combined town hall, local jailhouse and food store. We have a place of worship, dedicated to Thenida, the lady of productive soil, a general store over there and several farms scattered in the general area.¡±


    I take the information in as he finally stops to take a breath. That has to be some sort of special ability, speaking for so long without stopping. My respite is short lived, as he continues.


    ¡°The town is pretty friendly to transients, especially in harvest season, but don¡¯t take advantage of any of the local farmers. There may be pretty daughters out there, and shotguns may not be a danger these days, but you face a real possibility of a crossbow wedding if you¡¯re careless.¡±


    He winks at me after this, and I feel compelled to smile at him.


    ¡°So what''s your name, fella? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen someone like you. You¡¯re all green!¡±


    It takes me a moment to get used to the silence, to realise he¡¯s expecting me to say something.


    ¡°Oh, yeah, call me TeeCee, or Tee for short. I¡¯m a half dryad.¡±


    He looks me up and down with some alarm.


    ¡°Dryad? Are you sure? Dryads are terrible monsters with claws and teeth. If you so much as step into their forest without permission they¡¯ll eat you alive.¡±


    Holding up a hand so he can inspect it, I shrug.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s me. I mean, I¡¯m not even sure I eat meat. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    Relieved, the smile returns to his face.


    ¡°I¡¯m Captain Tubbins, at your service. Come, let me buy you a drink and introduce you to the fairer portion of this town''s inhabitants.¡±


    I¡¯m sceptical, but he does seem to know what he¡¯s talking about, so I follow him to the tavern.


    ¡°So is there a way to communicate with other players in this game? I¡¯d like to tell my friends where I am so we can meet up.¡±


    Before he answers, he calls over the landlady of the house. An old, foul tempered woman with little patience. At one point I saw her smack a farmer upside the head with a ladle for not speaking up when he wanted more drink. Somehow, Tubbins has a knack for making her smile, giving him a solid discount on anything he wants. So far, he¡¯s wanted a keg of the most expensive ale in the house, a large chunk of roast hog and two waitresses as company. By the looks the other patrons were throwing our way, I suspected we were in the finest company you could buy in the town. I was feeling increasingly uncomfortable with the situation, but the captain had a way about him.


    ¡°Friends you say? How could any red .. Uhm, green blooded man need any other friends but these beauties?¡±


    Their giggles were more sincere than you¡¯d expect.


    ¡°But yes, there are many ways to communicate here below.¡±


    As soon as we start talking about out of game concepts, the NPCs around us find something else to occupy them.


    ¡°The simplest, obviously, is to open your trap and make mouth words.¡±


    He bursts out laughing at his own joke.


    ¡°Another way is to send a letter. Now, there are many tiers of service there as well. The more you¡¯re willing to pay, the faster your message arrives, down to next day service across the continent. I¡¯ve also heard legends about people who have learnt how to communicate across vast distances with nothing but their minds. That, of course, is nonsense. Can you imagine how long it¡¯d take to learn a skill like that?¡±


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.He laughs again, and our companions join in as soon as we¡¯re no longer talking about banned topics. We spend hours like this, talking about nonsense. We play games with the girls, starting with darts and knives, continuing with an improvised version of beer pong involving a turnip. The alcohol affects me more by each passing drink, and soon I¡¯m teaching the girls some simple finger techniques for counting binary. My last memory is of standing on a table, shouting across the room.


    ¡°Bring me a quill, ink and paper, for I must write. And also a bucket, for I must..¡±


    A burst of cold horror washes over me as the world intrudes on my sharp, angry cocoon. I blink a few times, regretting it as the pain finally registers. I¡¯m hungover. Not a little tired after a long night out, but genuinely, what the fuck is covering my tongue, when did I eat seafood, somebody kill me now grade hung to the over. I felt so bad that the cold water I just had poured over me could only improve the situation. As my vision clears, a sour face appears above me, upside down. I recognize the landlady from the night before, except she seemed much more friendly then. I open my mouth to speak.


    ¡°Whuzza. Wheptrik? Whaaauh!¡±


    I manage to turn to one side before I empty my insides. In my distress, I wonder briefly at what kind of evil programmer would sit down and decide to include this in a game I¡¯ve paid real money to play. When I¡¯m finally empty, I look back at the woman standing over me.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, you seem to be standing upside down. Could you please fix that? It¡¯s very disconcerting.¡±


    The only response I get is a swift kick from a surprisingly strong leg. The chair supporting my position flies away, and I¡¯m finally brought fully into reality as I crash onto the floor. I sit up carefully, feeling more fragile than I¡¯ve ever been.


    ¡°Stand up, broccoli man.¡±


    It takes me a moment to get to my feet. Everything spins just a little, and I see a debuff affecting me.


    [You are hungover. The world is pain. You feel older than you actually are. Somehow, light feels heavy. There is no relief.]


    When I¡¯m finally up, she hands me a broom. Taking it from her, the confusion must have been apparent on my face, and my situation is explained to me.


    ¡°Your friend left you with the rest of the bill last night. He said he had to visit a sick aunt in Slowtrickle, over the next mountain. He left me with some guarantees, but what can I do with a useless stick and some rubbish tools?¡±


    Realisation dawns on me, and my heart skips a beat. He conned me.


    ¡°So you¡¯re going to work for me until you¡¯ve paid off the bill in total. If you want to eat and sleep dry, that means a week of scrubbing and brushing. Get to it.¡±


    In my daze I look at the broom, at her, at the mess in the room. I¡¯ve been away from my friends for less than a day, and already I¡¯ve fallen for a trick so old there isn¡¯t even a book for it. With a longing look I gaze at the door, considering running for it. Before I can even move, there¡¯s a crack, and a sharp pain in my skull, dropping my HP significantly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare run away from your responsibilities. If you even leave this room without permission, I¡¯ll have your name with the kings huntsmen before the sun sets.¡±


    I blink slowly, rubbing my head. Running seems like a poor option. I don¡¯t know what king or what the huntsmen can do, but there¡¯s no good reason to chance it right now. Besides, working in a tavern should let me get closer to people, give me a chance to gather the information I need to start my grand plan. Turning around, I¡¯m about to start sweeping before I realise this broom isn¡¯t going to do anything. There are mugs everywhere, plates strewn around the floor both with and without food. A lot of people have been sick in here, and to top it off, I have no water to help clean the place. Shrugging, I get to work gathering all the plates and utensils left behind.


    An hour later I have a sizable tower of cutlery and plates stacked near the bar. I take a moment to admire the sheer volume, considering the size of the town I¡¯m in. Did the pigs come in here for supper as well as the farmers? I have a brief flashback of the captain challenging me to what he called an eat-off, stacking dozens of dishes on top of each other to see who could finish them faster. He won by emptying most of the food on the floor, and as a prize I had to give him a piggyback ride. I shake my hand and continue the job, cleaning off the tables as best I can. Another hour passes before I¡¯m joined by one of the girls from last night. She¡¯s a bit startled at seeing me, turning a deep shade of crimson before we speak.


    ¡°Hi.¡±


    I raise a hand in greeting, and she nearly bolts out the door.


    ¡°H.. Hi..¡±


    Her voice is rougher than I remember it.


    ¡°So that was a pretty crazy party, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    Her cheeks go even redder, indicating that yes, yes it was. I take the bucket of water she¡¯s carrying, letting her calm down before I try to talk to her any more. She begins to carry the mugs and plates into the back room for further cleaning as I gather all the refuse into a neat pile. When she returns, I try to casually start a conversation.


    ¡°So yesterday was pretty crazy, yeah?¡±


    She freezes in mid movement, her eyes like saucers as she stares at me.


    ¡°I mean, I had fun.¡±


    I corrected myself quickly, but that only made her tear up and leave the room fast. I sigh, looking back at the mess around me.


    ¡°Who the hell let the donkey in?¡±

 Chapter 4 - Enmity

    The donkey turned out to be a blessing in disguise. I¡¯ve never seen a creature gobble up a pile of refuse with such gusto before, saving me a lot of trips outside. Now that the bulk of the job was done, I could start washing off the tables, chairs, walls and floors. The zen nature of the task allowed me a lot of time to think, though my mind kept swivelling back to to the same thought. Getting back at Captain Tubbins. I had no idea if that was his player name, or if it was just a cover name for his less than socially responsible actions. Before I could make him pay for his debauchery, I¡¯d have to find him. The only clue I had as of now was what the landlady told me, but I suspected she knew more. They were pretty friendly last night, and this kind of indentured servitude didn¡¯t seem like it could be a standard part of the game. Come to think of it, he came over to chat me up within minutes of entering the game proper. Did he have some sort of inside information? Or maybe this is a common starting point, in which case I¡¯m not the first person to fall for this kind of trick.


    Lost in thought, I failed to notice the young girl returning to replace the buckets of water I was using for cleaning. When our eyes meet, she¡¯s about to bolt before I reach for her arm to stop her. She freezes at my touch, and I feel like a dirtbag.


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t leave. I really need some information about what happened last night. I can¡¯t remember anything after we talked about maths and counting on your fingers..¡±


    She tries to pull away weakly before turning back towards me.


    ¡°I can¡¯t talk to you, not without payment, and you¡¯re not good for credit here. If the miss sees us not working, she¡¯ll punish me.¡±


    Glancing around the room to make sure we¡¯re alone, I lean in to whisper.


    ¡°Just tell me quickly, am I being tricked? Is the miss and the captain in on it? I¡¯m not the first outsider to be worked in this tavern, am I?¡±


    She looks me in the eye, and with a scared expression she shakes her head. The second I let her go, she dashes away into the back room. With more food for thought, I keep cleaning. It takes me another two hours to finish the job, just in time for the noon lunch rush. A dozen farmers come in, fresh from the fields, carrying both the smells and the mud from a hard mornings work. I can feel my blood pressure rise as I see my wonderfully clean floors soil up as I notice there isn¡¯t even a mat to wipe your feet on. A sudden pain exploding on top of my head lets me know the landlady wants my attention.


    ¡°Zucchiniface, go into the kitchen and fetch drink for the thirsty men. Betha will let you know which barrel to use. Afterwards, start serving the food. Today is dark bread, salt soup and jellied brain. Go on!¡±


    I dodge another swing of her ladle by dashing into the kitchen. She may not have a stellar personality, but she sure knows how to promote hustle in her workers. I can feel a little tingle as I cross into the kitchen as a notice pops up in my HUD.


    [Access granted to areas: Kitchen, Servants Corridor, Pantry, Beer Cellar]


    Oh.. I wonder what happens if I try to enter an area I¡¯m not allowed in yet?


    The corridor leads to several other rooms, and end in stairs going up. In the kitchen I meet up with the girl, Betha, who is in the process of extracting brains from the jars they¡¯ve been pickled in. A part of me feels nauseated by the thought. A more insistent part reminds me that I haven¡¯t eaten in a while, and that I lost whatever food I had last night when I woke up. Without looking up, she gives me my instructions.


    ¡°Use the tray over there, the ones with mugs on them. Fill fifteen from the barrel closest to the stairs, the sixteenth from the barrel furthest away. Don¡¯t forget which is which. When you get upstairs, go back to the main room, place the tray on the bar and give the last mug to the mayor. He¡¯ll be the only clean person in there. And whatever you do, don¡¯t start a fight.¡±


    Picking up the tray, I try to start a conversation by introducing myself properly, but she waves me off. With difficulty, I manage to get the tray downstairs. It¡¯s clearly designed for someone of larger stature than myself, making me struggle with balance down the stairs. The only source of light down here is an old oil lamp hanging in the middle of the room, with five large barrels lining one wall. I place the tray on a table and begin filling the mugs one by one. The liquid pouring from the first barrel is yellow-brown and smells of heavy yeast. There¡¯s copious foam, but when I look at it closer, there are dark particles standing out from the white fluffy cover. Carefully checking that I¡¯m alone, I have a small sip of the mug, regretting it immediately. Frantically coughing and spitting out the foul liquid, I careen into the table knocking over the tray, mugs and all. It takes me a few minutes to recover, by which time the horrible drink has soaked through the floorboards, leaving a wet stain. When I recover, I hurry to pick up the mugs, refilling them from the barrel. When I get halfway, the stream slows to a trickle, then stops, leaving me with eight unfilled mugs and no real explanation for my slowness. Eyeing the other barrels, I shrug and fill the rest of them up from the second one. Through a great act of balancing, I manage to ascend the stairs without any more issues.


    Betha is finished preparing the dishes when I get back to the kitchen. The moment she sees me she rushes over to take the tray from me.


    ¡°You¡¯re too slow, and the miss is really angry. I¡¯ll serve them the beer, you bring out the food. Each tray serves three men, one plate per. Which one of the mugs is the mayors? This one?¡±


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report itShe points to one of the mugs, and I mentally slap myself. I forgot to fill it from the special barrel. Keeping my face still, I nod, immediately turning to pick up a tray of food, following her path to the main hall. I arrive in time to hear a happy cheer, and the end of a speech.


    ¡°And for these things we are thankful, as every day. So let us raise a glass to the comfort and warmth of Thenida so she may ripen our crops and plumpen our livestock.¡±


    Purposefully looking down, I start serving the closes table as everyone takes a swig from their mugs. I cringe internally as half the people in the room get a strange expression in their eyes, smiling wider than just a moment earlier. A man standing on a chair, the mayor I assume, has a terrible expression on his face, his eyes nearly crossing as he stares daggers, first at Betha, then at the miss, both of whom are oblivious to my faux pas. I hurry out of the room to fetch the next tray of food, only to run into the two women on the way in.


    ¡°You worthless dreg, I should sell you to the Candrid clan up on the hill. They know how to treat a sow like you. How could you embarrass me like that!¡±


    The landlady hissed at Betha, her bony fist wrapped in the younger girls hair. I clear my throat to get their attention, to admit my mistake, but they push past me with a glower.


    ¡°And you, you get your ass out there and serve them. Get a move on, they have to go back to work soon, and cold food will not put them in the right mood.¡±


    They leave up the stairwell before I can come clean, and I¡¯m left with the task of feeding the remaining workers. I hurry up to make sure there¡¯s nothing more to complain about, and begin clearing out as soon as they finish. By the time the last farmer leaves, there¡¯s only me and the mayor left. He saunters over to me, trying no to get too close.


    ¡°So you¡¯re the new fellow, eh? One of the captains friends?¡±


    His grin tells me he¡¯s aware of my predicament.


    ¡°You could say that, sir. I¡¯d shake your hand, but..¡±


    I show my filthy hands and he nods in understanding.


    ¡°I have to apologise for the mix up with the drinks earlier. That was all my fault, not Bethas.¡±


    He looks confused for a moment, before understanding lights up his eyes.


    ¡°Oh that! Don¡¯t worry my boy, an accident can happen to anyone.¡±


    His words belie the reaction I witnessed earlier, but something tells me I should accept his gracefulness without making a fuss about it.


    ¡°While I have you here, sir, could you enlighten me a little. Are there any places here where I can learn farming skills? I¡¯ve got plans for getting a small plot of land somewhere, grow produce for the hungry adventurers coming through these lands.¡±


    He thinks about this for a little while, stroking his beard.


    ¡°If you were looking for training in animal husbandry, I¡¯d send you to the Candrids. A fine family with strong stocks. For farming, I¡¯d say just go to any of the outlying farms in the community. Most of them should be able to accommodate you. When you¡¯ve paid your bills, of course.¡±


    He pats me on the back and leaves me to my cleaning, all alone in the tavern. Thankfully it¡¯s less messy than before, and I finish quickly. By the time I get back to the kitchen, I run into the other girl from yesterday. She seems much more dour, angry even. When she sees me, she scoffs audibly and turns away.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m TeeCee. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    I try to engage with her, but she cuts me off.


    ¡°To you, I¡¯m invisible. Stay out of my way, and don¡¯t even think about setting me up like you did poor Betha.¡±


    She pulls her apron aside far enough to show me a vicious looking dagger.


    ¡°Unlike her, I know how to treat opportunists like you. Now fuck off into the larder and fetch a side of beef.¡±


    I hold my hands up in defence, and bolt as soon as she gives me an order. I notice another barrier as I exit towards the larder, and a new notification pops up.


    [Access granted to areas: Outside, Larder]


    The larder is an outside building, set up to protect meat and perishables from the elements. There¡¯s clearly some kind of enchantment going on here, as the inside of the building is much colder than the outside. I pick up a large side of beef, and as I¡¯m about to leave, I notice a glowing trap door, hidden under a barrel. I stop for a moment, considering investigating it. I am in a game after all. But considering the results of my last fuckup, I decide to check it out later instead. Getting back inside, I place the beef on the large cutting bench under a bunch of knives. The next hour is spent with a cleaver in my hand, learning the fine art of chopping meat into smaller meat. She resists all of my attempts to make smalltalk by either leaving the room for a while, or hitting me with an implement of sorts. The only detail I learn is her name, Yadra.


    The landlady returns before the sun starts to set with instructions for dinner. Meat pies with vegetables, beer from the middle cask. The beef is to be prepared for roasting the next morning with the finest piece saved for the mayor. When I try to approach her to apologize for earlier and to take responsibility, she stops me from talking.


    ¡°You¡¯re not entirely useless after all, stringbean. You have my permission to leave the inn and explore the town. Just be sure you come back by closing to clean up. You can have the last room on the right upstairs. Now leave the girls alone, they have work to do.¡±


    Once again she leaves before I can clear up any misunderstanding. As she leaves, Betha comes into the room. Her hair, previously tied in a bun, hangs loosely now, covering half her face. When she sees me, she looks down and gives me a wide berth. Yadra puts her arm around her, and I can hear soft sobs as she glares at me. I slink out, feeling like a horrible person.

 Chapter 5 - Ground

    Out in the world for the first time since I entered the game, the first thing that hits me is the coldness of the climate here. It can¡¯t be much later than early spring. My aching body misses the desert sun from the tutorial. I wrap my arms around my body as I hurry to the town hall. If there¡¯s mail service anywhere in town, it¡¯ll be in there.


    ¡°Hey watch it!¡±


    I¡¯m distracted by the shout, right before my world turns upside down, and I¡¯m in the mud once again. Next to me is a muddy apparition wearing what must have been a pretty dress only seconds before. Some decidedly unladylike syllables escape from her mouth as she struggles to get to her feet.


    ¡°You complete idiot, why don¡¯t you watch where you¡¯re going?¡±


    She has the look of a drowned cat, her eyes staring at me from between strands of muddy blonde hair. I barely have time to register how many women I seem to be running into when she lays into me.


    ¡°I¡¯ve saved months for this dress, I finally got it in the mail, and you, you totally inconsiderate backwards facing green faced .. Wait, why¡¯s your face green?¡±


    She¡¯s close enough to see past my muddy exterior now, her attention drawn away from her own predicament, postponing my troubles.


    ¡°Uhh, I¡¯ve got dryads blood ma¡¯m.¡±


    Her eyes refocus on mine as she suddenly remembers what¡¯s happening.


    ¡°And if you think that¡¯s going to save you from paying the cleaners bill, you¡¯ve got another thing coming, you lousy waste of space.¡±


    [Quest received. Clean the dress. From bungling a simple agility check you have gained the gift of a new task! Repay this woman for the inconvenience you have caused her before her deadline, or face the consequences. Rewards for success: Higher standing with the young woman. Failure/Refuse: Lower standing with the town of Hogsmudd, small bounty with the kings huntsmen. Time Limit: 2 days.]


    I swallow heavily and accept, trying to regain my footing in the conversation.


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry about all this. My name is TeeCee. How can I find you when I¡¯ve got the money together?¡±


    She¡¯s still pretty livid, but my introduction seems to have reminded her of decorum. She straightens up and holds out her hand for me to shake. I do so, ignoring the clump of mud falling off her.


    ¡°I am Tiene Candrid, youngest daughter of Oltab Candrid. Charmed to make your acquaintance.¡±


    She even curtsies when she introduces herself, nearly tripping over in the mud again. I reach out to catch her this time, and the look on her face tells me it is not appreciated. I barely resist the urge to drop her back into the mud.


    ¡°So your family lives up on the hill then? I think I can find it. How much do you think it¡¯ll cost?¡±


    ¡°Fifty silver pieces, at least. And that¡¯s if you can get it by mid day two days from now. If not, it¡¯ll be a rush job, and cost twice that.¡±


    She turns to huff off, then catches herself, turns around and does another curtsy.


    ¡°It was a pleasure meeting you, sir.¡±


    I¡¯m about to reciprocate, but she¡¯s gone before I get the chance. Strange people in this town.


    [Your total level of debt has risen to 50 silver, 6 days of servitude]


    I finally get to enter the town hall, making sure to brush off all the dirt I can before passing through the doors. The building is well lit with a fireplace in one corner, and a candelabra hanging from the ceiling. A young man is sitting by the front desk writing something in a large ledger. Next to him is a box with the word ¡®Mail¡¯ written on the side. I walk up, clearing my throat to get his attention.


    ¡°Hello and welcome to Hogsmudd. If you want to pay your taxes, donate to the town coffers or sponsor a town project, please stand to the right. If you need mail services or want to apply for citizenship, stand to your left. If you need anything else, please hold and a member of staff will be right with you.¡±


    I blink for a moment before I step to the left and wait. He takes a deep breath, letting it out with a pained sigh and looks up at me.


    ¡°Hello sir, how may I be of assistance today?¡±


    ¡°Hi, I¡¯m TeeCee. I¡¯d like to learn about your mail services please.¡±


    He takes a pamphlet from his desk handing it over to me.


    ¡°Please read this thoroughly and have a wonderful day.¡±


    His smile lasts until the last word is uttered, then he goes back to his ledger, leaving me to my pamphlet. I sit down by the fireplace and read about the local mail services. Apparently I first have to pay for an account, 10 silver for the cheapest option, then I can start receiving mail others have sent. If I want to send mail of my own, there¡¯s a basic charge of 5 silver per letter, or a charge based on bulk and weight for parcels. If I upgrade my account to a premium service, the charges go down. Seems simple enough, but there¡¯s still the matter of getting any money whatsoever. I make my way back to the guy, and get the exact same speech. This time I just stand there waiting. After a minute he looks back up, puts on his customer service smile, and enquires as to my business.


    ¡°Is there some sort of banking service in the town? I¡¯d like to borrow some money for startup costs. There was an incident, and I find myself in an unfortunate situation. I¡¯m a hard worker, and I¡¯m good with numbers.¡±


    The clerks smile goes from friendly to smug in an instant.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry sir, this is a poor farming village. We don¡¯t rate a proper bank, so the only option would be to borrow from anyone who feels your moral character is sufficient. I must say though, that I don¡¯t envy your chances. Everyone in town knows about your little first day party at the Salty Swine. Anyone who trusts the captain like that can¡¯t be much good with money. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s hard work for you, unless you can convince someone important that you¡¯re being unfairly treated.¡±


    [You have discovered a new quest: I¡¯m innocent! Clearly, you¡¯re not. But there are extenuating circumstances. If you can trick someone important enough into believing you, you may get away with your shenanigans. Rewards: Success: Clear your debt to the Salty Swine and it¡¯s ominous landlady. Failure/Refusal: Keep serving, see if I care.]Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    What the hell is going on with these prompts..


    ¡°Thanks for your help bud. What¡¯s your name anyway?¡±


    ¡°You can call me Mr. Houg. Please let me know if I can do anything else for you.¡±


    By his body language, he lets me know I¡¯ve been dismissed, and I let myself out into the cold. With the choice of either exploring further or returning to the inn, I decide to check out my room.


    The inn is getting pretty packed, and I have vague recollections of some of the people there. Especially as when I enter the room, everyone raises a glass in cheer, then bursts out laughing. I¡¯m not sure where all these people came from, there are many more now than there was for lunch. I guess this is where families gather some nights. I slink off through the room, seeing Betha take the long way around to avoid me as she serves the customers. Once upstairs the noises from the main hall is muffled, and I find my little slice of heaven. It¡¯s a small room with a shoddy bed stuffed with old hay. When I throw myself down on it, a cloud of dust explodes into the little room. When I open the window to air it out, I¡¯m hit by a cold wind that blows out the only light I have. When I finally get it closed, I¡¯m left sitting on my bed in the cold room feeling pretty miserable.


    A heavy knock on the door wakes me up from a light slumber, and I get up to answer. Outside is Yadra, the cleaver in hand.


    ¡°Time to work, shithead. Bethas on early shift tomorrow, so it¡¯s you and me tonight.¡±


    As to emphasize a point, she brandishes the cleaver. I gesture for her to go ahead, which is met by a scoff.


    ¡°How about you go first, tulip.¡±


    I nervously lead the way downstairs, acutely aware of the danger behind me. The state of the main hall is much better tonight, and cleaning it takes less than an hour. When I finish, Yadra flings a simple meal at me, spilling the soup. My stomach growls at the prospect, and I finish the meal much faster than I should have. Afterwards, I look at the angry barmaid.


    ¡°It really was an accident.¡±


    She scoffs again, going back to cleaning dishes angrily.


    ¡°I spilled all the mugs, and in my haste I forgot to pick the right barrel for the mayor. Is there anything I can do to make it up to her?¡±


    The mugs squeak under her tense ministrations.


    ¡°Just tell her I¡¯m sorry, okay? I¡¯ll find a way to make it right.¡±


    As I¡¯m about to walk outside to get some fresh air, she starts talking to me.


    ¡°You¡¯re not the first adventurer to come through here.¡±


    I stop in the doorway, letting the door close in front of me.


    ¡°She used to be much more outgoing, much more.. Let''s say friendly. But too many bad eggs spoiled the pudding. Now, she¡¯ll sulk all day, jump at shadows and just accept any punishment the miss doles out.¡±


    Turning towards me, she rests her hand on the cleaver at her side.


    ¡°Leave her alone, and don¡¯t set her up anymore. And if she forgives you, scare her off. She deserves better than your kind.¡±


    [Ability discovered: Charisma]


    I nod, exiting the building. The dark night is quiet, with nothing but the sounds of nightbirds to interrupt the ambiance. Checking to see I¡¯m alone, I head to the larder to explore a little more. I wasn¡¯t planning on doing anything criminal or wrong while I was here, but I know there¡¯s something off about this place, and the larder is the easiest place I¡¯ve found to investigate. Inside it¡¯s as dark as sin. I make sure the door is completely closed before I light the lamp. It¡¯s eerie in here with all the animal carcasses hanging from the ceiling, sausages by the coil, pies and various sundry. I hurry to the barrel in the corner and manage to wrangle it away from its resting place. Underneath, I find the trap door, a ring of iron in for a handle. Even when I¡¯m moving as gently as possible, the sound coming from the hinges is deafening, and I stand still for a few moments just waiting for someone to come racing in. Nothing.


    The hatch leads to a cellar dug into the earth. The edges seem to be hardened by some kind of fire, preventing it all from falling in. The air down here is much colder than upstairs, and I quickly see why. A pedestal is placed in the middle of the small room, with a tiny creature sitting on top. Like a parrot made from crystal. As soon as it notices me it raises its wings, opening its beak in a silent cry. Curiosity getting the better of me, I move closer. The creature charges towards me, claws first, trying to hit me. Shortly before it hits me, a chain goes tight, causing it to fall, landing by the pedestal. After a short recovery, it flies back up to the pedestal, impotently pecking at the point where the chain attaches to the pedestal.


    [Ability discovered: Curiosity]


    ¡°You poor thing..¡±


    It looks at me curiously.


    ¡°Are you hungry? Do you eat anything?¡±


    Another silent cry. I venture moving a little closer, holding my hand out in front of me. Hopefully I won¡¯t lose any fingers. It keeps staring until I get a little too close, then it opens its beak, warning me off.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay fella, I get it. I just want to look at your chain.. I don¡¯t know if I can release you. I guess you¡¯re the secret as to why this place is cold, huh.¡±


    With some time and patience, the cryoparrot calms down enough for me to inspect the pedestal. The chain is made from a silvery metal, embedding itself into the base. The only other distinguishing feature of the block is a small keyhole on one side.


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing this is how I¡¯d unlock it if I had the key. Do you know who has it?¡±


    It looks at me with a blank expression.


    ¡°Right, no voice, sorry. It¡¯s probably the landlady anyway.¡±


    I step back to the ladder and look to the bird.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry dude, I don¡¯t even know if keeping you here is against any laws.. It feels wrong, but I¡¯m really new here. I¡¯ll have a look around, and if I get a good opportunity, I¡¯ll try to let you out, okay?¡±


    The only response is a lot of flapping, so I climb back up top. I replace the barrel quickly, erasing my tracks as thoroughly as possible. Yadra has left the kitchen by the time I pass by, and I sneak an extra piece of bread for later. Using a lantern from the hallway, I light the lamp in my room and settle down for my first real nights sleep in this strange world. As I¡¯m drifting away, I can hear soft sobs coming from one of the neighbouring rooms, and I feel horrible again.

 Chapter 6 - Sky

    Actually falling asleep was a strange experience. I was awake one moment, then I woke up to banging on my door.


    ¡°Wake up you lazy turnip, there¡¯s work to do.¡±


    In my groggy state I wasn¡¯t entirely sure if that was Yadra or the landlady, but I decided to get up anyway. While walking downstairs, I notice a couple of new notifications.


    [You have 1 day left of your quest: Clean the dress]


    [You have 6 days left of your obligation to the Salty Swine]


    [Your current debt is 50 silver coins]


    [You are well rested]


    The well rested state seemed to give a boost to energy and regeneration for a few hours, which I suspected would come in handy. I also noticed the lack of ambient pain from my hangover yesterday, which made the morning pretty great.


    In the kitchen, I run into Yadra and Betha as they finish their morning wash in the sink. When they see me, Betha leaves quickly, and Yadra pours a mug into the soapy water.


    ¡°All yours.¡±


    Old horrible beer from yesterday. She probably saved it for this occasion. I sigh as she leaves me to my morning cleaning. The water is luke warm and feels good on my green skin. By the time I finish, Yadra comes back to the kitchen.


    ¡°You smell like shit. Take the kettle from the fireplace and bring it to the hall, then fetch a side of bacon from the larder.¡±


    I follow her orders, seeing a lot of activity in the tavern. About 20 people are in here, men and women, waiting for their breakfast and gossiping about the coming day. I notice that very few of the people were here for dinner last night, or for lunch. There seems to be several different customer demographics here. I think about it as I go about my chores. Betha has collected a pile of eggs, and with the bacon in Yadras hands, the tavern soon fills up with the most amazing smell.


    The rest of the morning is spent serving guests and cleaning up, and I find I enjoy the simplicity of the tasks. When I¡¯ve finished I¡¯m allowed to leave the tavern until lunchtime, and I head outside.


    The ground is drier now than it was yesterday, but the temperature is lower. I suspect it will feel better when the sun comes up. The town has a sense of serenity at this time, when the earliest workers are already out in the fields. I consider going to find some, to learn something or maybe earn a little extra money, but decide against it. There isn¡¯t enough time before lunch. Spotting a bunch of people around the town centre, I head towards them instead.


    Four men were hanging around a bulletin board posted near the spot I entered the game, so I sidle up to them to try to learn some information.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s such a good idea Fred.¡±


    A chubby guy with dirty clothes looks worried at whatever they¡¯re considering.


    ¡°What do you mean Sal? If I find the culprit, I won¡¯t have to work for a week!¡±


    The man in front was skinny, with a sculpted beard and a sharp smile.


    ¡°You don¡¯t work now, what would be different?¡±


    A tall guy standing to the side seemed to be younger than the others there.


    ¡°Shut up Torg, at least I have a roof over my head.¡±


    The bearded man''s tone is light, but there¡¯s an undercurrent of mockery in the delivery.


    ¡°Oh yeah, how is Torgs mum doing these days?¡±


    The last guy laughs as the tall kid turns crimson.


    ¡°Better every night. Hey, who¡¯s this then?¡±


    The man with the beard turns towards me with an appraising look. In a few moments he seems to have made a decision, smiling and reaching out with a hand.


    ¡°You¡¯re that new guy, from the tavern, aren¡¯t you? You sure know how to sing!¡±


    My face turns a brownish grey as I fight off the encroaching memories.


    ¡°Uh, yeah, haha, sorry about that. That captain got the better of me. I really need to learn how to hold my drink better.¡±


    They all laugh at that.


    ¡°My name is Fred, the fat one is Sal.¡±


    Sal bows with a flourish.


    ¡°The funny one is Lout.¡±


    A stare and a nod is all I get from him.


    ¡°And the kid is Torg. Be nice with him, his dad ran away last fall.¡±


    Torg stares angrily at Fred before he walks off in a huff. Fred chuckles a bit.


    ¡°Sorry about that, he¡¯s still not quite gotten over it. It was a big thing, but I know from experience that his mother can do better.¡±


    They all laugh at this, and I join in out of awkwardness more than anything. Is everyone here an asshole?


    ¡°I¡¯m TeeCee, I¡¯m an adventurer. Well, I will be once I¡¯ve paid off my debts at the tavern.¡±


    They share a look, and Fred comes forwards, placing his arm around my shoulder conspiratorially.


    ¡°So you¡¯re looking to make some quick coin? Me and the boys may have a lead on some work fit for an adventuring type such as yourself.¡±


    He leads me away from the notice board, and I hear the distinct sound of paper tearing. Another hustle. I extricate myself from his arm, holding up my hands.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not looking for any kind of deal or inside information. I believe in hard work for honest pay. No offence.¡±


    It genuinely looked like he wasn¡¯t going to take offence until I said that last part. His eyes harden, and I notice his friends taking a step away.


    ¡°Now why would you assume I would take offence at a statement like that? Do I not look like a hard worker to you? Maybe you think I¡¯m some sort of layabout, skimming the cream of this fine township?¡±


    He comes closer with every statement, forcing me to move back further into the road.


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯m some kind of vagabond, looking for nothing more than the opportunity to set up some ¡¯hero¡¯ for a nasty bruising.¡±


    He punctuates the last word by punching me in the gut. In all my years of gaming, I¡¯ve never felt that kind of pain. I flash back to childhood, when I got into fights, when bullies took their aggression out on me. Just a light beating here and there, but the sensations were so similar, so real, it took me several moments to remember I was in a game. Buckled over in pain, I see he¡¯s going to follow up his attentions when a voice rings out from across the road.


    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.¡°Fred!¡±


    The change in his demeanour is immediate and total. He puts his arm around my shoulder again, helping me to stand up as he whispers in my ear.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t over mossy. I¡¯ll be seeing you around.¡±


    He steps back as the mayor approaches us, a jovial look on his face.


    ¡°Fred, I see you¡¯ve met our new barboy. You could learn a lot from his work ethics you know.¡±


    When he steps up to Fred, the bully looks away, failing to meet his eyes.


    ¡°Now maybe you should run along, I think the sawmill needs some help with cleaning up after the last rainstorm. Why don¡¯t you take your friends there and lend a hand. Should put some coin in your hands, keep you out of trouble for a while.¡±


    Fred simply nods, skulking away up the road. His two minions follow closely, not even looking back at us. When they¡¯re out of sight, the mayor turns towards me with a sympathetic smile.


    ¡°Some of these people just need some good, hard work to keep them occupied. When they have it too easy, they tend to lash out at anyone for entertainment. I hope you won¡¯t judge our fair village too harshly by those buffoons.¡±


    I nod, frankly too worried to comment.


    ¡°My name is Jas by the way. Jas Strom. I¡¯ve been the mayor here, by popular vote, for the last fifteen years. I like to think I¡¯ve been able to keep the village on a steady path towards progress. I hope that you¡¯ll consider becoming a part of that progress. We could use a strong, versatile adventurer such as yourself around here.¡±


    I smile awkwardly as he bends down, picking something out of the mud. A piece of paper, clearly torn off from a pin or a nail.


    ¡°You seem to have dropped this.¡±


    Handing me the piece of paper, he walks off towards the town hall. I get the feeling I either just avoided something bad, or stepped into it both feet first. I check out the note he gave me.


    [Skill discovered: Social Perception]


    [Skill increased: Perception]


    [You have been offered a quest: Strange sounds! - A group of women coming home from meeting at a local club were scared by a series of strange sounds coming from the woods slightly beyond the town limits. Please investigate what the sounds were and make sure the road is safe for little old ladies. Rewards Success: 25 silver coins. Failure: lower status in the town of Hogsmudd. Reject: No penalty. Time limit: 10 hours.]


    Oh, 25 silver would let me contact my friends. Maybe they can send me what I need to pay off the Candrid woman and stabilise my situation. Maybe they¡¯re even close enough to free me from this situation, or at least hunt down the captain for me. I accept the quest, and a timer starts counting down. I¡¯d better finish the lunch service before I go investigating.


    The tavern smells like roast beef. Every man here for lunch is drooling at the prospect, but all they get is leftover bread and cheap beer. I predict a large dinner service tonight. As I wander around the room cleaning and serving the punters, I try to get some information from the residents.


    ¡°Oh, the Candrids? They never come down here. They keep their own company most of the time. Old man Oltab dislikes spreading the wealth outside their family. The only person who seems to care about anything other than their farm and family is the little one, Tiene, but she¡¯s a bit strange. I suspect they¡¯re trying to marry her off as soon as possible before she brings something bad down on the clan.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°What, are you talking about Fred? I wouldn¡¯t worry too much, more bark than bite that one. I think I saw him heading towards the mill with two of his lads, so we¡¯re not going to see him for a few days at least.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°He¡¯s the best mayor we¡¯ve ever had. He had some strange notions, like taking the kids out of the fields to teach them words and numbers, letting the womenfolk work, but you can¡¯t argue the results.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°Sounds in the forest you say? I¡¯d be careful if I were you. You¡¯re the only adventurer I can remember who¡¯s stayed in town more than a day except for the captain. Not a coincidence that.¡±


    I replace his tankard with a new one and retreat to the kitchen to refresh my tray. When I return, Yadra tries to trip me, but I manage to keep my balance, shooting her a dark look. She flips me off and goes back to work with Betha. As soon as the lunch service is over, I check with the landlady and rush out. I need to hurry up with the quest if I want to make it, and I really don¡¯t need a drop in reputation over this kind of thing.


    [Skill discovered: Dodge.]


    The midday sun made the world much more pleasant. My skin absorbs the sunrays, and I feel energised. Armed with the information gained today, I find the area of forest in question. The old ladies seem to have been walking from one of the outlying farms when they were spooked by the noise. The road is well travelled, and the woods are sparse evergreens, meaning a forest floor covered in needles. I carefully enter the woods, keeping my ears peeled for anything unusual. There are birds in the area, seemingly happy about the sunlight and approaching spring. Wind blowing through trees, rustling gently. Soon, I¡¯ve searched a large part of the area, without finding anything unexpected. With 6 hours left, I¡¯d say there¡¯s no hurry, but dinner service will be starting in 5, so hopefully it¡¯s not going to be a time specific quest. As I head towards the road, my foot finds the clue I¡¯m looking for. A canvas spread across an area between the trees has been poorly secured against the ground, and I trip over the edge, landing hard on something that feels much more like wood than forest floor.

 Chapter 7 - Shadows

    I rub my sore elbows as I stand up. Pulling away the tarp by one of its edges, I uncover a wooden hatch. It looks remarkably clean, as if newly installed, locked from the outside by a series of latches. I undo them, revealing a ladder descending into darkness. The inside of the hatch is covered with claw marks and traces of dark blood. I consider going back to town to get some reinforcements, but I don¡¯t want whoever is responsible for this to come back and see my interference. With some trepidation I begin climbing.


    [Ability increased: Curiosity]


    As I reach the bottom of the pit, I shoot an annoyed glance at the games algorithms. This is in no way curiosity, just expedience. There¡¯s more blood here at the bottom of the ladder, and I can see a spot where a torch should have been placed on the wall. The room is about ten meters by 5 meters, with a ceiling just barely higher than myself. There¡¯s a spot in one corner where it looks like someone has slept, and an old wooden bucket in another corner with sludge in it. Nightsoil. Someone kept a prisoner in here. I¡¯m suddenly acutely aware of the hatch cover, and how easily I could get locked in here if the wrong person came around. As a player, I could always get out of this kind of situation by calling the admins, but that did little to mitigate the feelings of claustrophobia. I notice a glow coming from the sleeping spot, and move closer to investigate. Under some straws and dirt is a message, written in the same dark blood as I saw on the hatch.


    ¡®S. I¡¯m sorry, they caught me. You were right. F.¡¯


    There¡¯s even a broken fingernail here, and a surprising amount of hair. I make a record of it all before I leave, heading back to the light. The world seems much darker now, with another conspiracy in this quaint little village. At least I can put a stop to this, whatever it is.


    [Quest Updated: Strange Sounds! - You have discovered a mysterious hole in the ground which has been used as a prison recently.]


    I decide to report this to Mr. Houg. It has to be either him or the mayor. I don¡¯t know where to find the mayor, so I hurry back to the town hall. The town clerc is behind his desk, updating his ledgers. As I crash through the doors, he barely flinches, simply lifting an eyebrown and glancing at me before returning to his work.


    ¡°How can I help you today?¡±


    His voice is dry, slightly annoyed.


    ¡°I¡¯ve found something strange in the nearby woods, and I¡¯d like to report it to someone. Who¡¯s in charge of keeping the law around here.¡±


    He arches an eyebrow at me.


    ¡°Something strange, you say. I suppose you should have a chat with the sheriff then. I think he¡¯s in the church preparing for a sermon at the moment. If you hurry, you can catch him before he starts.¡±


    Of course the sheriff is the clergyman as well.


    I thank him and head out to the local temple up the road. The building itself is clean and well built, with a large lit brazier in front. The worship of Thenida seems to be based on a mix of personal rituals and public sermons. There¡¯s room for less than a dozen people inside, with a small podium for the priest to preach. I stand in the middle of the room for a minute before I hear someone entering behind me.


    ¡°How can I help you my son?¡±


    I turn around at the familiar voice. Mr. Houg is standing there, with a heavy chain around his neck. A silver symbol of Thenida is prominently displayed hanging at chest height, Sunrise over a field. My surprise must have been visible as a smirk spreads across his face.


    ¡°Uh, yeah, I kinda have a thing to talk to the sheriff about¡­ so¡­¡±


    He waves me towards a bench in the corner, inviting me to sit.


    ¡°I gathered as much already. In here, you can call me sheriff, or Father Houg. So what exactly did you find in the woods?¡±


    I tell him about the note from the bulletin board, and the hatch in the woods. I skip the part about the mayor, the stooges and the hidden message. He listens intently until I finish, then looks into the distance as if to consider the next part.


    ¡°You seem to have stumbled into a local legend, young man.¡±


    I try hard not to scoff at this, I¡¯m older than he is.


    ¡°There have been stories for years about a group of people in the area here. They would capture people from the neighbouring regions to ransom back to their families. If the ransom wasn¡¯t paid, they would vanish completely, without a trace. The only reason our town has been associated with this kind of thing is the occasional discovery of cells like the one you describe. Nobody has ever been able to prove anything, or link anyone to these activities though. We even had a contingent of huntsmen here one season, but they left without any evidence.¡±


    He sits up straight.


    ¡°Now that you¡¯ve discovered the holding cell, I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be abandoned. I¡¯ll send a couple of workers there to burn it out and fill it in so nobody gets trapped there, and mention the the sweet old ladies that you¡¯ve stopped the noises.¡±


    Standing up, he motions for me to follow him. We go outside, and he takes a small pouch from his belt, handing it to me.


    ¡°Here¡¯s the reward you were promised. On behalf of the town, I thank you for your service.¡±


    He shakes my hand and goes back to the town hall, leaving me with more questions than answers.


    [Quest Updated: Strange Sounds! - You have reported a success to the town authorities, gaining the reward.]


    [You have discovered a quest: Strange Conspiracy. - Having discovered a source of the strange sounds in the woods near Hogsmudd, you were told about a mysterious group of kidnappers. Keep investigating to get to the bottom of the unusual goings on near this otherwise tranquil small village. Rewards: Success: Unknown. Failure: Unknown. Reject: Nothing.]The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    I accept the new quest as it perfectly reflects my feelings on the matter. At least I¡¯m 25 shiny coins closer to my goal. Of course, I have to buy a mail account immediately. I follow the clerk, or whatever, into the town hall, finding him behind his desk as usual. I line up in front of him, and he begins giving me the usual spiel. When he finishes, I clear my throat.


    ¡°Come on, we just talked. I¡¯d like to open a mail account please.¡±


    He looks annoyed, but accedes, handing me a small metal card. My name is printed on one side with a small passport photo in one corner. I¡¯m obviously drunk, or possibly in mid sneeze. I look at him questioningly, and he shrugs, the mean little smirk back on his face.


    ¡°So how do I use this?¡±


    He leads me to a box in one of the corners.


    ¡°Just slide the card into one of these boxes, and the magics will take care of the rest. If you want to send a letter, put the coins in this slot here, and it should all just work. Have fun!¡±


    He returns to his ledger, and I initialize my new account.


    ¡®Welcome to InterDaemail. You have three IDmails waiting.¡¯


    I select the first one. A welcome email, letting me know how valuable my patronage is to the company. The second one is from Stompsmash, Mikas character.


    ¡®Dude, how awesome is this game? Me and Rain started in the same location, and we¡¯re already initiates in our respective guilds. I¡¯m being vetted as a freelance mercenary, and she was abducted within hours of arriving. She was put through an initiation ceremony for a secret society, and is going to be some sort of high class burglar. Let us know when you¡¯ve acquired an account, we¡¯re waiting for you.


    Ps: I kinda told her about your decision. She tricked it out of me, and I don¡¯t know how she¡¯s taking it. She¡¯s smiling too much, so it¡¯s not good.¡¯


    My heart pounds as I look at the last email. Rainbringer. Rishi.


    ¡®I am going to beat you into the ground, dig you out and beat you back down again. What the hell do you mean by wanting something different? We need our healer, we need our adventuring partner! If I go offline, it¡¯s because I¡¯m in the real world strangling you. Fucker.¡¯


    Yeah, that fits. I¡¯m disappointed by Stomp, but keeping secrets was never his strong suit. At least they¡¯re together. I start a new letter, addressing it to Stomp.


    ¡®Hiya, Yeah, that sounds awesome. I bet you¡¯re finally getting a hold of a great maul. Sorry about Rain, I know how it is. You guys have come a lot further than I have. I was bamboozled the first day I was here, tricked into getting drunk and am now in debt to a local tavern for six more days. On top of that, I owe a woman fifty silver pieces for dry cleaning. If you have any money to send, please do, otherwise I¡¯m going to end up with a bounty on my head tomorrow midday. I¡¯m in a town called Hogsmudd by the way. Lots of mud, lots of rain, and a really strange conspiracy. Tell Rain I¡¯ll message her as soon as I get some more money. Don¡¯t forget to post your exploits on the portal. I¡¯ll write something up as soon as I have a moment to myself. Talk soon, TC.¡¯


    I check the cost, and my jaw nearly hits the floor. 5 silver will get the letter there in about a week. To get it there immediately, it¡¯s 14, nearly everything I have left. I groan inwardly as I pay for the top tier, hoping beyond hope that they¡¯re watching their mail.


    I run back to the tavern to get ready for the dinner service. Inside, the place is starting to fill up. A man is tuning a lute on an improvised stage, and the mood is already pretty upbeat. I nod at Yadra, who flips me off, before heading into the kitchen to clean myself up a bit. Roast beef dominated the kitchen landscape, drawing a hungry groan from my stomach. Hopefully there¡¯ll be leftovers today.


    The evening goes by quickly as I wander the tables, serving, chatting and generally making myself useful. The entertainer is good, singing and playing for hours. He gets quite a bit of coin for it as well, as the farmers get drunker. Maybe I should take up an instrument? Too bad I¡¯m horrible at all kinds of performance. During a quiet moment, I approach the landlady.


    ¡°Excuse me, miss? I wondered if I could ask some questions about your tavern?¡±


    Her eyes tell me I¡¯m on thin ice before I¡¯ve even asked anything.


    ¡°I¡¯ve noticed that the amount of customers in here vary a lot from day to day. Is that because of work schedule, or is it something else?¡±


    She scoffs, then takes a sip from her mug.


    ¡°Young man, any time I believe there¡¯s hope for you, you open your mouth. People won¡¯t go to the tavern every day, the costs would be too high. And considering how little money is in circulation in a small village like this, we have to rely on barter a lot. See the fellow over there? His family gave us the side of beef we¡¯re all enjoying right now. It cleared his debts for the winter, and now he can eat here once a week until the next round of slaughter. In a month his youngest will celebrate her name day, and then he¡¯ll come here with a basket of produce to negotiate a good meal and a good time. Everyone here has a similar deal, and everyone knows when to come and when to stay away.¡±


    I think about this for a moment.


    ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is, you¡¯re not actually making a profit of this place? How do you get oil for the lamps, and how do you pay your employees? I know what my situation is, but I don¡¯t think Yadra and Betha have the same deal.¡±


    Her eyes narrow as she answers.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you worry about my profits, greenbean. And never you mind about the girls arrangements. They¡¯re old enough to handle themselves. Go make yourself useful. The outhouse needs a good scrubbing.¡±


    She turns away from me, letting me know the conversation was over. I shrug and head outside, noticing Yadras grin as I leave the room. I really need to deal with this enmity soon.


    The outhouse is pretty well constructed, sitting on top of an artificial hill. A small room is dug underneath to have easier access to the droppings. I lock the entryway and begin cleaning it out from underneath. It¡¯s far from full, but I guess staying out of sight has its merits. A loud crack shocks me out of the zen of physical labour as the door behind me slams shut. I turn towards it, but I can¡¯t see anything. The world has gone completely black, and a chill is spreading in the small room. I take a step forwards, and something grabs my shirt, pulling me around and slamming me against the door.

 Chapter 8 - Fire

    ¡°Where is he!¡±


    My back hits the door again.


    [You have been slammed for 10% damage.]


    Either I¡¯ve got terribly low hp, or I¡¯m getting beaten up by a gorilla of some sort.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me ask you again, fuckwad. You didn¡¯t even try to hide your trail, I know you were there, now where. Is. He!¡±


    Each word is punctuate by another slam, more damage. By the end I¡¯m so dazed I¡¯d swear I saw a girls face in the darkness. Her voice feels hollow somehow, like it¡¯s coming from far away.


    ¡°Where¡¯s who? I don¡¯t know anything, I¡¯m a new player, please stop hurting me!¡±


    I brace myself for a slam that doesn¡¯t come. The darkness dissipates a little, and the light from outside starts shining through. I¡¯m being held in place by a short girl with a dark hood. The hair spilling out is filthy, unwashed, and the stench is horrific. When she looks into my eyes, the shadows cover her features, leaving her milky white eyes to stare at me.


    ¡°You¡¯re not a player, are you..¡±


    She releases me, and I absentmindedly rub my shoulders where she held me.


    ¡°What were you doing in the hole in the forest? What did you see?¡±


    I shudder slightly before answering.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything, it was empty. How did you know about it?¡±


    ¡°Already told you, you¡¯re terrible at hiding your tracks. I found it as the workmen were torching the place. I need to know what was down there.¡±


    I look at her for a moment. Not a player, just a really dynamic NPC.


    ¡°Are you S?¡±


    She reaches for me, grabbing me by my throat.


    ¡°How did you know! What did you see!¡±


    I croak a sound and she relaxes her grip again. It¡¯s clear that she¡¯s out of patience now. I tell her everything, about the note and the conspiracy. By the time I finish, she¡¯s let go of me again, slowly shaking her head, muttering to herself.


    ¡°I¡¯m too late. They must have killed him. How could I let it happen.¡±


    I stand perfectly still. I want to leave, but interrupting her now would be really awkward.


    ¡°I can¡¯t be seen in this village, not yet, but I need to know more about the conspiracy. If you¡¯ll help me, I¡¯ll pay you for your trouble.¡±


    Blinking in confusion, I nod.


    ¡°I¡¯ll happily tell you whatever you need, but I don¡¯t know who you are, or how to contact you. Besides, I only have until tomorrow before I get hunted by the authorities for not paying a debt.¡±


    She nods.


    ¡°Take this. Consider it your commission. You work for me on this investigation now. If you need me, just hold this amulet in your hand and think of me. I¡¯ll hear you and come as fast as I can.¡±


    She hands me a pouch, and an amulet with a feather on it. I accept it, thanking her, then put out my hand.


    ¡°My name is TeeCee, what¡¯s yours?¡±


    She shakes my hand.


    ¡°You can call me S. Remember, hold the amulet and think my name, and don¡¯t tell anyone else I was here, yeah?¡±


    I nod, and the darkness surrounds us again. When it lifts, she¡¯s gone. I put on the necklace, placing it under my shirt, and open the pouch. Silver coins, lots of them. There must be over a hundred. Who the hell was that? I put away the pouch as I look around for anyone who might have noticed, then I finish cleaning the outhouse. By the time I finish, the party is over, and I get to clean up inside as well. It takes longer than normal, since Yadra insists that I clean myself thoroughly first. Finally, after a long day, I get to go to sleep again, dreaming of strangers and undead stalking the night.


    [You have 6 hours left of your quest: Clean the dress]


    [You have 5 days left of your debt to the Salty Swine]


    [Your current debt is 50 silver coins]


    [You are well rested]


    The morning brought with it new hope and an influx of energy. Stretching, I hurry downstairs to get my chores started. A surprised Yadra stands in the doorway, then dashes after me to the kitchen.


    ¡°What¡¯s crawled up your ass today?¡±


    I smile at her.


    ¡°You actually ran downstairs just to get that lame barb in? I¡¯m beginning to think you just enjoy my company.¡±


    Her face darkens, and I can tell she¡¯s winding up to shout at me. I raise my hands in a defencive gesture.


    ¡°Hey, no, I don¡¯t want to start anything. Please excuse my existence, I¡¯ll try to be better, let¡¯s get the morning business out of the way, yeah?¡±


    Disarmed, she grumbles and stokes the fireplace, getting the water boiling for morning cleaning. By the time I¡¯m done, there¡¯s less than two hours to go before my quest is forfeit, or before I have to pay much more at least. I finally get permission to leave, and hurry out the door. During breakfast I got directions from one of the workers, and dash up the road, towards one of the largest farms in the area.


    [Ability increased: Endurance]


    I¡¯m told the Candrids are pretty hostile towards anyone who isn¡¯t ¡®kin¡¯, and that I need to be on my best behaviour unless I want a real hiding. As I reach the ranch with more than an hour left on the clock, I¡¯m not particularly worried. I approach the farmhouse to knock, and am interrupted by an arrow hitting the ground in front of me. Looking around, I spot the tiniest archer I¡¯ve ever seen standing on the roof. He notches another arrow, gesturing towards the way I came.


    ¡°Hi, excuse me, I¡¯m here to talk to Tiene. I¡¯ve got something for her.¡±


    My smile vanishes as he looses another arrow at me. I throw myself at the ground, fully intending to roll and end up on my feet, but crash unceremoniously on the ground. A mad crawl towards the front door ensues, and I barely reach it before another arrow hits the ground behind me. He¡¯s no longer in a position to see me, which is a small blessing at least. I knock on the door, then wait. In a few minutes, the door opens, and an ancient man is standing in front of me, a large pipe in one hand, a cane in the other. He looks at me expectantly.


    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.¡°Hi, I¡¯m looking for Tiene. I have a surprise for her.¡±


    Nothing changes in his expression, but he turns away from me, hitting the wall with his cane. As he turns back, he¡¯s wearing a terrible grin, filled with promises. Before I even get to answer, a giant of a man comes from behind him. As the walking mountain of muscle sees me, his eyes go wide, and he rushes towards me. With an eloquent scream, I run along the side of the house, towards a bunch of buildings on the other side of the courtyard. A sharp pain in my shoulder reminds me of why I was hiding.


    [You have been hit by an arrow for 5% damage]


    The crazy girl from last night did as much damage as an arrow piercing my shoulder! I start running serpentine to avoid the follow up arrows, but I soon realise that only means the big guy is going to catch me. I decide to suffer the arrows rather than being caught, and make a beeline towards an open barn.


    [You have been hit by an arrow for 5% damage]


    [You have been hit by an arrow for 5% damage]


    [You have been hit by an arrow for 5% damage]


    Feeling more like a pincushion than a dryad, I look around the barn. With only a few seconds to spare, I throw myself into a pile of hay to one side, laying perfectly still as the brute enters the barn, stalking like a jungle cat. I can see him from my vantage point, as he looks around the room, trying to guess where I¡¯m hiding. A smile spreads across his face when he looks at my pile of hay, and he grabs a pitchfork as he walks towards me. I briefly consider becoming religious, but I suspect Thenida has had her fair share of born again followers after agricultural mishaps like this one. With a heave, he stabs the tool into the stack, narrowly missing my backside. I take the opportunity to move about, hoping for the best. Another stab, and the implement is right next to my arm. I slide as far to one side as I can get, frantically trying to find a way out of this situation. Should I call the darkness girl? Nah, probably not the kind of situation she was thinking about.


    ¡°Sel, what the fuck are you doing?¡±


    I recognise Tienes voice. Sel stabs the pitchfork right into my leg before he answers.


    [You have been stabbed for 15% damage]


    ¡°There¡¯s another suitor for you. A green one this time, some sort of goblin I guess. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll get rid of him for you.¡±


    I let out a scream of indignant rage.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a goblin you jackass!¡±


    I hear movement, a grunt, then someone grabs the pitchfork. More damage is caused as it¡¯s pulled out than when it went in.


    [You have been hit for 20% damage. Warning: Your health is below 50%]


    I sit up, trying to stop the bleeding as best I can. Someone slaps my hands away and starts working on my wound, binding it with bandages. I look up to see Tiene, the aristocrat with the dress, wearing dirty overalls. Her hair is tightly bound in a bun, and she¡¯s carrying a satchel. To the side I see the giant, Sel, and the little kid. Both of them are giving me angry looks promising a long talk later. I focus on the girl instead.


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry to distress your farmhands there, I just came to pay you back for the dress.¡±


    She scowls at the others while working on my injuries.


    ¡°They¡¯re my moron brothers, and they¡¯re the ones who are going to be sorry when I¡¯m done with them. They keep thinking that it¡¯s their job to protect my virtue, or some nonsense like that.¡±


    She tightens the bandage, making me groan in pain. The little one snickers at this, and Tiene walks towards him.


    ¡°And you, you little shit. You¡¯re going to put that bow in the common room, and you¡¯re going to bed without supper tonight. We do not shoot our guests!¡±


    He runs off in terror, and even the large brother looks uncomfortable as she turns her attentions to him.


    ¡°And you, you big palooka. We¡¯re people here, not animals. You bring dishonour on all of us by behaving like this. If you listened for a second, we¡¯d be able to avoid going to talk to dad about this. But no, you have to ignore that part of your brain, the one that makes sense. Go back to the abattoir, it¡¯s where you shine.¡±


    Her voice is calm, but somehow it tears the tall man into ribbons. As he walks off, his body language screams defeat. She turns back to me and helps me up. The bandage healed some damage, and gave me a buff to regeneration, so I was already feeling better, but I leaned on her a little bit to make her feel better about things. Or worse, I wasn¡¯t really certain anymore.


    ¡°Let me just pay you the money I owe, and I¡¯ll be on my way, okay?¡±


    I get my pouch, but she puts her hand on mine, stopping me.


    ¡°No, Tee, I can¡¯t take your money now. I put you in real danger by having you come here. I was too upset before, so I didn¡¯t think clearly. Consider your debt repaid.¡±


    [You have completed the quest: Clean the dress. Reward: Increased standing with Tiene Candrid.]


    She helps me get the arrows off, and escorts me off the ranch. I can feel angry eyes at me from every window on the farm.


    ¡°They really don¡¯t like outsiders, do they?¡±


    She sighs sadly.


    ¡°No they do not. I wish they¡¯d just open up a little bit, talk to people some more. But the only people they want to talk to are the ones with land and riches so they can marry me off for a profit.¡±


    I look askance at her.


    ¡°And you¡¯re not interested in that, are you?¡±


    She kicks a pile of mud in annoyance.


    ¡°Not even a little. If I marry one of those old, rich miseries, all I have to look forward to is a sad life caring for an ancient man until he croaks, then spending the rest of my life dodging his relatives who¡¯ll want to kill me. If I marry one of the young, promising ones I¡¯ll be expected to function as a breeding mare. Neither option is really for me.¡±


    Talking to her feels so natural, I keep forgetting that she¡¯s an NPC, and she¡¯s obviously trying to give me a quest.


    ¡°Is there anything I can do to help your situation?¡±


    She looks at me with a worried look, as if considering something. She decides, looking away.


    ¡°No, not really, I couldn¡¯t possibly involve you in the drama that is my life. But I really am thankful that you attempted to help with my dress. If it¡¯s okay with you, I¡¯d like to come and talk to you again some time, away from the arrows and pitchforks.¡±


    I smile at her.


    ¡°I¡¯d like that very much. Thank you for saving me.¡±


    She curtsies, and I head back to town. Lunch is coming up soon, and I think I have some ideas on how to improve the service a little bit.

 Chapter 9 - Water

    The hungry masses file in as soon as lunchtime comes around. Hungry men are fed solid fare, simple ploughman meals today. Hard cheese, cold meat and bread, with a generous helping of the horrible beer. The longer I stay here the more I¡¯m convinced the villagers here have some sort of stockholm syndrome relationship with the sludge they keep imbibing. As an experiment, I pour one of the nicer beers for a random farmer. I¡¯m rewarded by a much happier, more talkative customer who regales me with stories about his day job, working the fields. Useful information, but not exactly what I¡¯d expected, and the landlady notices something off almost immediately. I quickly clean up the evidence before she makes it across the room, rushing to fill a different order. On my way to the kitchen, I run into Betha again. She avoids looking in my eyes, opting to stand aside to let me pass. I stop for a moment, contemplating.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry..¡±


    She shrinks back, about to run away. I move past her to let her go where she was heading. No sense in torturing the girl further. I keep an eye on her as she leaves towards the common room, and when I turn towards the kitchen, Yadra is standing in the doorway.


    ¡°I thought I made it very clear, that you were to stay away from her.¡±


    With the cleaver in her hand, it¡¯s clear she¡¯s making a threat. I could feel annoyance well up inside me.


    ¡°I¡¯m getting pretty sick of your attitude, Yadra. I fucked up, fine, but keeping this up isn¡¯t doing any of us any favours. We should be working together, not against each other. Now either use that cleaver or put it away, I¡¯m not having it anymore.¡±


    Her eyes narrow as she considers my words, and I can see her hands tighten around the grip. I brace for an attack when she scoffs and turns, leaving me in the hallway. Following her inside, I find her at the butchers block, cutting up the leftovers to make pies. I decide to press my advantage.


    ¡°Tell me about the kegs downstairs. What¡¯s the actual difference between them?¡±


    She doesn¡¯t look away from her work.


    ¡°Weak heavy beer near the stairwell for easy access. Helps workers keep their strength up without getting drunk. Stronger beer further away for evenings and special occasions. The last keg belongs to the mayor. He makes it himself, but keeps it here for storage.¡±


    ¡°And why does the weak beer taste like ass?¡±


    She lets out a short laugh.


    ¡°Because only the mayor knows anything about making beer, and he hasn¡¯t volunteered any help, for whatever reason. Why are you being so nosey about the beer?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t help but think this place could turn a tidy profit if it was run more like a business and less like a.. A common food house with beds and..¡±


    She turns around, arching an eyebrow at me, daring me to say something.


    ¡°Entertainment.¡±


    ¡°Good save. Don¡¯t worry about stuff like that. The miss makes a good living, and we all chip in, in exchange for food and good lodgings. For a little shithole town like this, it¡¯s pretty good.¡±


    I move over to help her prepare the food, and she shows me how to cut while she works the dough. A minute later, she calls my name. When I turn towards her, I¡¯m blinded by a puff of flour, followed by her giggling at me. I stumble to the sink, exaggerating my blindness then pretending to stub my toe on a table leg. The ruse works, and she rushes to my side to check the damage, apologising as she goes. When she gets close enough, I grab a pitcher standing in the sink, showering her with what must have been stale dishwater. I see her reaction in slow motion. Her eyes narrow when she realises she¡¯s been had. They go wide when she understands what¡¯s about to happen. Then she tries to shield them, just a moment too late, when the water strikes her full in the face. When it¡¯s over, she stands perfectly still, hands away from her body, soaked. The delay in her reaction makes me think I¡¯ve crossed a line, and I¡¯m torn between helping her, running away or laughing my ass off when she suddenly grins an evil grin. In a blur, she grabs a handful of beef from the table, turning towards me, about to throw it when we¡¯re interrupted by the door slamming behind us. We turn as one to see Betha standing there, a furious look on her face.


    ¡°So it¡¯s like this, is it? You comfort me, tell me to stay away from him, and then you start flirting with him like this?¡±


    Yadra and I look at each other, covered in flour and drenched, then we look back at Bethas furious countenance. Her angry stare turns into one of shock and disbelief.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Yadra grins wider as she moves closer, meat cuttings in hand, as I grab some vegetable peels we¡¯d set aside.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡±


    Betha turns around to run, but fumbles with the door a second too long. Yadra gets past her, blocking the door from opening. Betha backs into the kitchen proper, just to be showered with the discarded rinds and cuttings. As she shouts in disgust, Yadra attacks, pelting her with cold meat, laughing gleefully. The situation quickly degenerates from here, until I¡¯m being pinned against a wall by two women throwing garbage at me.


    ¡°I yield, I yield!¡±


    They finally stop, letting me assess the situation.


    ¡°I think we need to clean this up quick, nobody¡¯s serving the customers.¡±


    They look at each other, then back to me.


    ¡°You¡¯re the cleanest one here. Brush off quickly, and I¡¯ll help Betha clean up. If the miss comes in before we¡¯re ready, we¡¯re in trouble.¡±


    I follow her advice, doing the best I can to get the flour off, rinsing my face, generally just spreading the dust thinner. I rush downstairs to grab some more mugs before heading to the tavern hall. The customers seem to not have noticed our little skirmish, allowing me to breathe easier, until I feel a hand on my shoulder. I turn around with my most customer friendly smile.


    [Skill increased: Butchery.]


    [Skill discovered: Customer Service.]You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    My eyes meet those of the landlady, a grim expression on her face.


    ¡°What do you call this?¡±


    She picks a leaf of lettuce off my shoulder, holding it in front of me between her index finger and thumb. I mentally smack myself, scrambling for a reply.


    ¡°.. Garnish?¡±


    Her darkening expression tells me that was not an answer she appreciated.


    ¡°You were doing very well until now, young man, but this kind of sloppiness cannot be ignored.¡±


    [Your standing with the landlady of the Salty Swine has dropped to Annoyed]


    I look down petrified that this may affect my time served.


    ¡°I.. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    She scoffs at this.


    ¡°Can¡¯t even apologise like a man. Get back into the kitchen with you. Send the girls out, then start cleaning. Start with the food preparation areas, then move downstairs to the beer cellar. Empty the first cask and scrub it well, inside and out. Be finished before dinner.¡±


    She stares at me for a long moment as I wait for her to dismiss me. As soon as I realise she already did, I walk stiffly to the hallway, trying my best not to show the panic I feel. In the kitchen, the girls are nearly finished cleaning, although Yadra had to change her dress. Hopefully the landlady won¡¯t investigate that too closely. I relay the instructions, mouthing an apology to Betha as she passes. Now that the barrier has been broken, I notice her looking at me in a different way, happier. I ignore it for now, considering the things Yadra told me before. I sigh, grabbing the cleaning supplies available, and start scrubbing.


    **


    The keg in question was nearly empty already. She hadn¡¯t told me what to do with the remaining beer, so I pour it into mugs, place them on trays, and leave them in the kitchen for the others to serve. I stop counting at 20, filling at least twice that before I reach bottom. Getting inside the keg was a different matter. I¡¯m forced to climb to the top, squeezing between the ceiling and the rim, dislodging the lid as I go along. As it hits the ground with a crash, I¡¯m left wondering how I¡¯m supposed to get it back in place. Shrugging, I lean over the edge, slipping into the massive vat.


    Sitting on the bottom I can¡¯t help but wonder how they manage to fill this thing. I start scrubbing the inside, removing what must be years of residue, ages of stale hops. No wonder this beer tastes so bad, not to mention the smell. It¡¯s like being inside.. Well, inside a beer keg. There¡¯s hardly enough room in here for me to lie down, not to mention if I grab the edges and rock it a bit and.. I stop for a moment, holding my hand out in front of me. It floats around, making it impossible for me to focus my eyes, making me stumble quite a bit too. The alcohol fumes, they¡¯re starting to make me woozy. Obvious, really. I sit down heavily, squishing in the sludgy mix of soap and beer. No, not alcohol, this is the weak beer. The weekday beer. Maybe I should get out of here.. Yeah, getting out is a good idea. I just need rest, a little nap.


    [You have died.]


    [You are in the between. This is the place where adventurers go while waiting for respawn. You can spend this time studying your quest log, play one of our selection of minigames, or meditate. If you wish to make the perceived passage of time go faster, select the respawn now button. Your current respawn point is unset. Respawn point defaults to last place you slept. *error* last place of sleep considered dangerous zone, going back one sleep. Acceptable location found. Your current respawn point is your room at the Salty Swine. You will respawn in one hour.]


    Well this sucks. In hindsight, the effect of the fumes that killed me couldn¡¯t be clearer. At least I get to see how respawns work in this game. Hopefully the death tax isn¡¯t too bad. I wonder if I have to get my stuff back from the keg. I wonder if my body despawned yet. With a thought I bring up my character sheet. May as well check my status before I go back to life.


    [TeeCee]


    [Path of Soil and Water]


    [Abilities:]


    [- Strength: 2]


    [- Endurance: 4]


    [- Focus: 1]


    [- Charisma: 1]


    [- Curiosity: 2]


    [Skills:


    [- Crafting: 2]


    [- Perception: 3]


    [- - Social Perception: 1]


    [- Bludgeoning weapons: 1]


    [- Athletics: 1]


    [- Butchery: 2]


    [- Customer Service: 1]


    [Resistances:]


    [- Resist Poison: 1]


    [Known standings:]


    [- Salty Swine: Neutral]


    [- - Landlady: Annoyed]


    [- - Yadra: Careful Optimism]


    [Quests]


    [- I¡¯m Innocent!]


    [- Strange Conspiracy.]


    I select the respawn now button, and the world fades to black for a moment, before I find myself back in bed, naked, except for the stylish tighty whities provided by the game.


    ¡°What the fuck!¡±


    I turn to one side, seeing a person halfway out the window. Black clothes, black cloak, black gloves and shoes. They had a theme going. I couldn¡¯t see if they were heading in or out, but my respawn seems to have thrown them off balance, mentally. I stand up fast, trying to get to them before they get away. I¡¯m barely on my feet before I feel dizzy, stumbling instead of running. Slamming into the wall, my arm brushes against their cloak as they vanish, injuring my pride more than my health. I sit down and try my best to make the world stop spinning.


    [You are affected by Respawn Sickness: Level 4. 10 minutes remaining.]


    What the hell were they looking for? I have literally nothing in my room. Everything I own is currently marinating in the barrel downstairs. I sit still until the timer runs out, and my debuff changes.


    [You are affected by Respawn Sickness: Level 3. 30 minutes remaining.]


    The dizziness is gone now, and I can move around normally, even though everything hurts. I sneak out of my room as best I can, hoping I won¡¯t encounter anyone on my way. I¡¯m definitely not letting the money I¡¯ve gathered stay behind to flavour the beer. I get to the ground floor before I see the door to the main hall open up in slow motion. With no time to think, I enter a door next to the stairs, closing it as quietly as possible.


    [Warning: You have entered an area you do not have permission to be in.]

 Chapter 10 - Other

    The room is nearly dark, only the light from outside illuminating what is clearly the landladys office. With my back against the door, I wonder what the odds are that whoever is outside is going to come in here. I realise as I say it there¡¯s no reason to take a chance and search the room for somewhere, anywhere to hide. The desk is too obvious, the window is too risky. There are curtains here, but they¡¯re too light to be able to hide behind. My only choice is to go to a large chest in the corner, hoping it¡¯s not completely full. The lid is held in place with a simple latch, and I cab put a piece of paper in the mechanism to prevent it from trapping me. Opening it, I find a large pile of papers inside. No chance I¡¯d ever fit inside. I can hear the footsteps stop right outside the door, and I know I¡¯m out of time. I dive behind the chest. I have to move it away from the wall just a little bit, but by the time the door opens, I¡¯m invisible enough, as long as they don¡¯t get too close.


    The door closes, and two sets of feet walk across the room to the desk. One person sits down heavily, sighing.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    The landlady. Not surprising, really.


    ¡°He snuck up on me somehow. He nearly grabbed me as I leapt out of the window.¡±


    A womans voice I¡¯ve never heard before. Sneaking a peek is tempting, but considering my complete lack of stealth skills, all I felt comfortable with was sitting really still and breathing quietly.


    ¡°Did you do what you were supposed to at least?¡±


    The landlady sounded hopeful.


    ¡°I did. But this is the last time. I¡¯m sick of being at your beck and call. If you want anything else, you pay like everyone else. Are we clear?¡±


    The landlady scoffs in response.


    ¡°Took you long enough to grow a backbone. By my reckoning, you still owe me a few favours, but I can be lenient. Get lost for a few weeks so he won¡¯t recognise you, and we¡¯ll call it even.¡±


    A deep sigh from the mystery woman.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ve got a job to do in the hinterlands anyway. Have you heard the rumours?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never put much stock in rumours.¡±


    The landlady is getting more curt as the conversation drags on.


    ¡°And that¡¯s why you¡¯re stuck in a one donkey town like this. There have been sightings of a new race, deep in the lost hills. The king is paying a lot of money for confirmation or proof. Maybe I¡¯ll come back and buy this place from under you when I get it.¡±


    I can nearly hear the smugness in her voice.


    ¡°You¡¯ll probably vanish like everyone else who goes to the lost hills. Flights of fancy like yours is the reason I¡¯m stuck here. You¡¯ve outstayed your welcome, now leave.¡±


    After the curt dismissal, the unknown woman leaves the room quickly, letting the door slam behind her. I can hear her stomping off through the main hall. From the desk, I can hear heavy breathing, which soon turns to soft sobs. After fifteen minutes, she stops and leaves the room, leaving me to feel terrible all by myself.


    When she¡¯s out of hearing, I sneak out of the room.


    Hurrying to the kitchen door, I put my ear against it. There¡¯s movement, splashing. At the very least, someone¡¯s cleaning in there.


    [Skill increase: Perception]


    I take a deep breath and go for it. Staying in the hallway will only lead to me being caught in a much worse position. I open the door, moving inside as fast as possible. I¡¯m halfway to the cellar stairs when Yadra turns around.


    ¡°What the..¡±


    I¡¯m down the stairs before she can react any more than that. Down here, it still smells pretty strongly of bad beer and cleaning solution, but I¡¯m not feeling dizzy at all. I check to make sure all the windows and air vents are open, then tilt the barrel on its side. It¡¯s much easier in it¡¯s empty state, and I soon spot my missing items. A small pouch and some soaked clothes needing repair. At least I didn¡¯t need to dispose of my own corpse. When I retrieve the items, I notice a thread attached to the pouch. I follow the thread out of the keg, to the side of the stairs. I didn¡¯t notice on my way down that there¡¯s a dagger stuck in a wooden beam, attached to the string. Hanging from the other end of the string is a small glass bottle with a stopper, and a note. The bottle seems empty, but when I open it up and smell it, there¡¯s a strong, unpleasant smell.


    [You have been poisoned: Weak Paralysis. Time: 10seconds]


    I anxiously wait the 10 seconds before I can replace the stopper. What was that? A poison of some kind? And the note?


    ¡®Dearest TeeCee,


    You are not out of our reach. Do not cross us again.


    C.¡¯


    A threat? I look at the bottle again. It wasn¡¯t just me being an idiot? I knew beer kegs weren¡¯t that poisonous! I¡¯m annoyed at the implications. Someone snuck down here when I was working, avoiding the girls, and murdered me. I¡¯m about to crumple the note when I have a better idea. I go outside, back to the outhouse. Once inside I hold the amulet the strange woman gave me. Focusing, I start thinking her name. And I wait.


    It takes the better part of half an hour, before anything else happens.


    [You are affected by Respawn Sickness: Level 2. 60 minutes remaining.]


    My mind clears as the sickness diminishes. I sigh happily, closing my eyes. Only some soreness and generally feeling crap left, and it¡¯ll be like I never respawned.


    ¡°What.¡±


    If she wasn¡¯t ready with a hand over my mouth, I¡¯d scream. As it were, it was all I could do not to bite her. I take a few moments to let my heartbeat subside before I respond.


    ¡°What the hell, lady! You nearly gave me a heart attack.¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.She shrugs, not helping my mood.


    ¡°You called, I spent time and resources to be here for you. What do you want.¡±


    I close my eyes, calming myself before responding through gritted teeth.


    ¡°I was just killed. The assassin left these at the scene, on purpose.¡±


    I hand over the knife, bottle and note, and she examines them.


    ¡°This is powerful poison. Are you familiar with alchemy?¡±


    I shake my head.


    ¡°Poisons are hard to make, normally you need a specialised alchemist, or a highly trained assassin. A bottle this size, of that potency¡­ Safe to say you pissed someon off and good. Where did it happen?¡±


    ¡°It happened in the beer cellar. And when I..¡±


    I have to take a moment to think of how to explain respawning.


    ¡°When I came back, I guess. I saw someone in my room. I think they wanted to steal something, but there¡¯s nothing in my room.¡±


    A thoughtful look crosses her face.


    ¡°I¡¯ll investigate it. If I find anything I¡¯ll let you know. In the meantime, keep doing what you¡¯ve been doing. If you keep stumbling into their operations I¡¯m sure we can flush them out. The huntsmen who failed to find them before didn¡¯t have players on their side.¡±


    She winks at me, which is a whole other level of distressing, and vanishes into the shadows again. I take a moment to relax before I head into the kitchen. Inside, Betha is prepping for the dinner service. I¡¯m about to help her, but she orders me to clean my clothes first. Afterwards, I finish cleaning up the basement, putting the keg back in it¡¯s place.


    When it¡¯s time to serve the food, I get busy serving our customers. A hearty stew with dark bread seems to go down well with the townsfolk, and the mood increases rapidly. I see the mayor come in, and hurry to fetch his special brew, getting it right the first time. He¡¯s happy to see me, greeting me with a handshake.


    [Your standing with the mayor of Hogsmud has increased to Like]


    ¡°So what¡¯s your impressions of our little town so far?¡±


    He¡¯s deep in his first mug, but already seems to be a bit buzzed.


    ¡°What little I¡¯ve seen has been very nice. I¡¯ve met the Candrids, which was rough, but Tiene is nice. I wish I had more opportunities to explore though.¡±


    He takes another sip, waiting for me to continue talking.


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty constrained by the arrangement with the miss. I think I¡¯d be able to contribute a lot more to the town if I wasn¡¯t stuck here at her whim, if that makes sense, but I don¡¯t know how to even begin negotiating an early release with her. She¡¯s not very approachable.¡±


    He laughs at this, finishing his mug before replying.


    ¡°I understand your predicament. I used to be quite an adventurer when I was young, I know what it¡¯s like when you¡¯re tied down to one place like this. But you have to remember that you did cause damage, and you did consume a lot of food and drink. The miss doesn¡¯t normally take money as payment, as you probably already know. The only way out would be to serve your time, less than a week I guess, or to give her something she wants or values as much or more than your service. Now, if you wouldn¡¯t mind, could you fetch me another one of these?¡±


    He hands me the mug, reminding me of my current place in society, and I run off to fulfil his request. When I return, he puts his arm around me, pulling me close.


    ¡°I do appreciate your handling of the old ladies request, however. I could use your skills, in fact, to visit some friends of mine. I¡¯m in need of certain ingredients that I don¡¯t like others to know about. If you could run the errands for me, I think I can convince the old bat to let you out early for good behaviour. Interested?¡±


    [You have been offered a quest: Mayors gofer. The mayor of hogsmud needs rare ingredients. Rewards: Success: Reduced time as indentured servant in the Salty Swine. Failure/Reject: Lower standing with Mayor of Hugsmud.]


    I accept without hesitation. This is more like it.


    ¡°So what you need to do is visit these farms on the outside of town. It¡¯ll take you a couple of hours to reach each of them and come back, so make sure you keep an eye on the time you spend.¡±


    [The quest: Mayors gofer has been updated:


    a) Fetch hops from Rognstats farm.


    b) Fetch a sack of Fairysugar from the Gennett farm.


    c) Fetch wheat from the Barret farm.]


    I nod.


    ¡°So this is everything you need?¡±


    He looks me over, contemplating something, before answering.


    ¡°That¡¯s everything, but make sure that when you talk to old man Rognstat he doesn¡¯t give you the runaround. The hops need to be fresh.¡±


    [The quest: Mayors gofer has been updated:


    a) Fetch hops from Rognstats farm. Optional: Make sure the hops are fresh.]


    ¡°Yes sir. I¡¯ll make it happen as soon as possible.¡±


    The rest of the dinner service goes by without any incidents. People are happy with the food and the landlady leaves us alone to finish cleaning. When we¡¯re done, I run out to check my mail.


    Mr .. Father Houg bare acknowledges me as I come in. I check the mailbox, and I find another message from Mika.


    ¡®Tee,


    Hahaha.


    Just like you, being bamboozled like that. I¡¯m sure the debuffs made sure you learnt a lesson from that. Can¡¯t send any money at the moment. Everything is invested in equipment. We¡¯re getting ready to go on an expedition. They want to kill a bunch of mountain giants. When we¡¯re done, we¡¯ll make our way towards your position. We¡¯re making lots of content, but the portal isn¡¯t connecting properly. I think the system is blocking it for now. I¡¯ve sent a complaint to tech support, so we should get somewhere soon. In the meantime, don¡¯t lose your spirit. We¡¯ll get together soon, and as soon as Rishi¡¯s done beating you up we¡¯ll figure out how to proceed. Take care, Mika.¡¯


    I¡¯m torn between smiling and screaming. Why are they getting exactly what they wanted while I¡¯m stuck here making no progress at all. Well, that¡¯s not really true, I¡¯m slowly learning skills, and my understanding of the area grows all the time. I sigh and try to connect to the portal.


    [The site you¡¯re trying to connect to has been blocked.]


    Hm. I quickly compose a query to tech support asking for clarification, and one to Rishi¡­


    ¡®Hi Rish,


    Please don¡¯t hate me. I don¡¯t know how I¡¯d live without your tiny fists of fury beating me whenever you feel like it. I look forward to us hunting down Captain Tubbins together when you get here. In the meantime, take care, and don¡¯t let Mika get inside his own head. Best, Tee.¡¯

 Chapter 11 - Dreams

    [You have 4 days left of your debt to the Salty Swine]


    [You are well rested]


    The next morning came with shining sun, great promise and a knock at my door. For the first time I could remember, I felt like I was making progress. I stretch in bed for a little while before getting up to answer the door. Betha is there. Avoiding my eyes she sounds uncomfortable.


    ¡°Uhm, mister Tee, Yadra wants you to..¡±


    She turns a bright shade of crimson, covering her eyes with one arm.


    ¡°Get your green.. butt.. Downstairs before she puts pickle back on the menu.¡±


    I smile.


    ¡°Thank you Betha. Go back downstairs and let her know I¡¯ll be right down.¡±


    I chuckle a bit as she leaves. There isn¡¯t really a lot for me to do in my room, so I just hang out for a few minutes. Can¡¯t let Yadra think she¡¯s winning.


    The kitchen is the usual subdued chaos of the morning. Flours and eggs everywhere, a large bucket of milk on the counter and Yadra herself going to town on a butterchurn. I sneak past to wash up before I help her out with the prepwork.


    [New skill discovered: Cooking.]


    Well that¡¯s about time. I really don¡¯t understand how skills work in this game. I mean, it doesn¡¯t really feel like I¡¯m any better at cooking. I¡¯ll have to do some tests later.


    ¡°Yadra, where¡¯s the miss?¡±


    She doesn¡¯t look away from her work as she answers.


    ¡°I think she¡¯s at the church. Father Houg wanted some food for the poor, and he likes to make her sit through a sermon before he sees her.¡±


    Maybe this is a good time to get some information out of her.


    ¡°I was wondering about the larder. How is it always so cold in there?¡±


    She looks at me, missing a beat in her rhythm.


    ¡°Why do you ask? I think it¡¯s just a quirk of it¡¯s construction. Something about being halfway underground means it keeps it¡¯s temperature better.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just curious. I might be looking to get something similar when I get my own place.¡±


    A snort escapes her face.


    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re going to start a competing inn? The Cabbages Head?¡±


    I smack her gently upside the head as I move past her to get some hot water for cleaning.


    ¡°No. I¡¯m going to buy a farm somewhere, growing the things that adventurers need. What¡¯s so weird about that anyway? What do you want to do with your life? What would make Yadra happy?¡±


    [Ability increased: Charisma.]


    [Your relationship with Yadra is now Friends.]


    She¡¯s stopped churning now, leaning on the paddle. Her voice has a longing quality to it.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to sail the oceans one day. Just cast off and follow the stars across the wicked abyss.¡±


    She looks at me with damp eyes.


    ¡°I guess a farm somewhere is achievable, if nothing else.¡±


    I hand her a cup of water as I put a hand on her shoulder.


    ¡°This is a wide world, with endless wonder. We¡¯ll find a way to set you adrift on the sea. It¡¯ll let the rest of us get some peace at last.¡±


    She swipes after me as I dance away, laughing and cursing.


    ¡°Listen, Yadra, I need a favor. I need to be gone most of the day. Is there any way you can help me out?¡±


    She looks at me with an inscrutable expression.


    ¡°I can help you. But you¡¯ll owe me a big one. Deal?¡±


    She puts out a hand, and I take it.


    ¡°Deal. What do you need?¡±


    She shakes her head.


    ¡°Not yet. I¡¯ll tell you later. Finish up here and start the breakfast serving. As soon as you see the miss leaving the hall, get out of here. Try to be back before the sun goes down, okay?¡±


    I nod, and pick up the gigantic cauldron containing the breakfast porridge. Betha comes in, nearly spilling us both on the floor, then holding the doors for me.


    I¡¯m starting to recognise some of the regulars now. Most of them are nodding back when I wish them a good morning, and very few are making jokes about my party anymore. Progress.


    [Skill increased: Customer Service.]


    My attention is drawn by the sound of clattering plates. I look up in time to see the landlady smack Yadra across the face with enough force to throw her back. Afterwards, the landlady leaves the room in a huff, slamming the door behind her. Yadra turns to me holding her chin, giving me the thumbs up as I look on with a terrified expression. Why do I end up causing these people so much pain? Not wanting her sacrifice to be in vain, I leave quickly.


    [You are indebted to Yadra the barmaid. You will repay her at a later date in a way she will specify.]


    I ask some passers by for directions and find out that the closest farm is the Rognstad one. With the sun slowly rising, I set out to find it.


    I¡¯m treated to a fantastic scenery on the walk. Forest and field side by side, a small stream with a bridge across it and some wildlife running around. I finally arrive at the farm. The farmstead consisted of a main building, a small barn and a shed. Smaller than the Candrid farm. I try to call out, but nobody responds, so I check out the house.


    The doors are of solid build, with a hanging knocker. I rap it a few times, but nobody arrives to check out the sound. I go inside.


    ¡°Hello? Is there anyone home? I¡¯m Tee, I¡¯m here on an errand for the mayor aand there¡¯s nobody here, is there?¡±


    The house was quaint, if a bit small. There are signs of someone being here earlier, but that same someone had left. I guess they get out and work early. I go back outside, having a look in the barn. There¡¯s space for a horse here, and a place for a plough. Neither of them are present, so I have a good idea of where they are. In the corner of the barn I see a heap of sacks. A quick check shows me they¡¯re filled with dried hops. It¡¯s a this point I realise I have no idea what fresh hops means. Smelling it doesn¡¯t give me any clues either. I¡¯m about to go out to try tracking the farmer when I hear a horse neigh. I walk outside just as a scruffy old man comes towards me. He¡¯s completely unperturbed at my presence. I raise a hand in greeting.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    ¡°Hi there! I¡¯m..¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the mayors new gofer, I know. Give me a moment to put old Sally back in her stable, and I¡¯ll find the goods you want.¡±


    There¡¯s a moment of confusion before I hurry along.


    ¡°Let me help you sir!¡±


    I run after him to try to assist when a great force slams into me, hurling me along the ground.


    [You have lost 65% HP.]


    [You are stunned.]


    Everything hurts as I slowly sit up. The old man is squatting next to me, just looking.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be fine. Get up and come over. You adventuring types have no clue whatsoever about the world, do you.¡±


    I shake my head to clear it up a bit before standing, stumbling a bit in the process.


    ¡°What on earth happened? Did I get struck by lightning?¡±


    He laughs at this.


    ¡°You really are green! You walked behind old Sally without letting her know you were there. She¡¯s kinder than most horses, but if you startle her, she¡¯ll deck you out.¡±


    I look at the horse with greater respect than before. He moves around her with a hand on her haunches, speaking softly to her, and the horse seems happy. She even eats something from his hands. I really do have a lot to learn. He looks back at me.


    ¡°Your stock is over here. These two buckets.¡±


    He points to two buckets of brownish husks. I look at him incredulously.


    ¡°Really? This is the hops that the mayor gets? The stuff he uses to make his special beer?¡±


    I grab a handful from one bucket, smelling it. There¡¯s no aroma at all. I decide to make a wild guess.


    ¡°This stuff is old. I was told to get the freshest hops I could get.¡±


    The old man smiles, toothier than I¡¯d expected.


    ¡°Fair enough. Come along then, this way.¡±


    He leads me outside to the nearby shed and I follow him inside. The dry heat slaps me in the face. I can feel my skin withering just from standing here. Forcing myself to endure, I follow him to the back, where he grabs a couple of buckets.


    ¡°Hold these. I¡¯ve got a batch that¡¯s ready over here.¡±


    A quick set of movements later and he¡¯s filled each bucket, increasing the weight to just under the limit of what I can carry. He pushes me out, and it¡¯s all I can do to avoid falling on my face.


    ¡°You okay there son? You look a bit flustered.¡±


    I set them down.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay, just got to get a better grip on them.¡±


    Looking around, I try to find anything to distract him, to postpone having to lift these things again. Barn, horse, farm, buildings, fields. Fields.


    ¡°Say, how do you go about growing hops anyway? I¡¯m considering starting my own farm, and could use some pointers on how to go about it.¡±


    His eyes narrow a bit at that. I hurry to speak before he does.


    ¡°I mean, a few valleys over, there¡¯s rumours of decent farmland.¡±


    He chuckles at this.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what, if you come with me out to the field and do some decent work, I¡¯ll share some knowledge with you. Hows that sound?¡±


    [You have been offered a quest: Help farmer Rognstad in the field.]


    [ - Farmer Rognstad wants to teach you a lesson. Go with him into the fields and do what he tells you.]


    [ - Success: Improved relationship with Farmer Rognstad. Knowledge about farming.]


    [ - Failure: Slightly improved relationship with Farmer Rognstad.]


    [ - Reject: No effect.]


    I check to see where the suns at. I have to be back before sundown, the walk took me an hour and a half, give or take, the sun goes down in eight hours. What the hell. I accept the quest.


    ¡°Sir, I¡¯d love to help you out.¡±


    He smirks at me.


    ¡°Good man. Go grab those tools against the wall there and wait by the trail down there.¡±


    He points towards the fields, and I scurry to do as he says. He joins me after half an hour with a bag in his hand and crumbs on his shirt. I realise that I didn¡¯t bring any food with me. Oh well, I¡¯ll manage until I get back. Oh well, nothing to do for it now. We start off across the fields in the noon day sun.


    We walk for an hour before we get to where he feels we need to go. To me, it¡¯s just the middle of a field. With a groan, I dump the tools on the ground, earning me a grumpy look from the farmer.


    [Ability increased: Strength.]


    He gives me a severe workout for five hours, making me dig trenches, rake the topsoil and gather rocks and various debris from the field. Towards the end, he has me plunging a long stick in the ground repeatedly in a row, as straight as possible. All the while, he¡¯s sitting on his ass, talking. The stories barely make sense at first, and my fingers grow blistered immediately. The plant parts of my biology prevents me from suffering too badly from the roasting sun, but the lack of water gets bad after an hour. I end up with a debuff until he shows me a water hole. After that, I made sure to take regular breaks, and everything got much easier. In the last stretch, his stories even started making sense. The story about the three sisters was about what kinds of crops to plant together. The one about the old man in the wind was about when to harvest the produce.


    [Ability increased: Strength x2]


    [Ability increased: Endurance x2]


    [You have completed the quest Help farmer Rognstad.]


    [Your standing with Farmer Rognstad has improved to Doesn¡¯t dislike you.]


    [Through persistence you have started to unlocked a new profession: Farmer. To complete the unlock, consult with other farmers and learn from them.]


    Ah. That makes sense. I was wondering how the game would make up for the lack of years worth of experience as a farmer. Once I¡¯ve unlocked the profession, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll get a new skillset, letting me do more complicated things. Lost in my thoughts, I glance up at the sun. It¡¯s starting to fall towards the treeline, and I feel a bit of panic set in.


    ¡°Why is the sun going down. I mean, not why but, it should be three hours to sundown, right?¡±


    The farmer looks at me, tutting.


    ¡°Hard work makes short time. You need to be somewhere?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I have to run. I¡¯ll drop the tools back at the farm. Thanks for your help!¡±


    I take off towards the farm.


    ***


    Behind me, the farmer mutters under his breath.


    ¡°Just make sure you keep to the road when it gets dark. Ah, you¡¯ll be fine.¡±

 Chapter 12 - Fields

    The buckets stood where I¡¯d left them. As I grab them to keep running, I realise they¡¯re much lighter than they were before. The levels are the same, so I check my character sheet.


    [Strength: 5]


    More than twice what I started with. That¡¯ll explain it. I take off down the path back towards town. The sun hasn¡¯t set yet, but inside the forest it gets dark much faster. A part of me regrets not paying more attention to the trail earlier, but not much to do about that right now.


    [Skill discovered: Running]


    Yeah, thanks game. Just what I needed, a skill increase.


    [Warning: Stamina at 40%]


    What? I just started the run. Damn, the extra weight and speed must be draining my stamina. Even with my increased Endurance it¡¯s not balancing out. I slow down my run until the stamina bar stopps dropping. I guess that¡¯s the best I can do. I¡¯m left at a fast walk which won¡¯t get me back in time. Unless¡­ If I take a shortcut through the woods¡­ I think about it for a moment. I¡¯m not completely certain which direction the town is from here. And I¡¯m entirely unfamiliar with surviving in a forest during the night. On the other hand there¡¯s Yadra and being skinned alive as she screams at me. Getting lost in the dark doesn¡¯t seem so bad now, does it. I veer off in the approximate direction, hoping for the best.


    ***


    [Skill increased: Athletics.]


    Another near miss. I carefully step around the hole, hoping for better results on the other side. Somehow I¡¯ve managed to wander into some sort of swamp, or marsh. Bog? I need to look up the difference at some point. On the upside, the moisture seems to be good for my skin. Annoyingly, the lack of sunlight is killing my stamina regeneration. I¡¯ve nearly fallen into three different holes, each more wet and mucky than the last. You¡¯d think the forest was out to get me. At least the buckets are still dry. If I lose those on the way, I¡¯ll be really annoyed. I mean, if I can find anyone else to blame for this.


    The sounds of the forest are changing subtly as I wander. The happy birdsong is segueing into insects enjoying the spring evening. If it wasn¡¯t for my slowly getting lost it¡¯d be a beautiful experience. Another hole in my path. This time I spot it in time to avoid it.


    [Skill increased: Perception.]


    If nothing else, this is good for my stat growth. I try to up my speed, keeping an eye out in case of trouble.


    ***


    An hour later I realise I¡¯m hopelessly lost. The sun will go down in about an hour, and I¡¯ll be in the doghouse forever. If I survive. I sit down against a tree. There has to be something I can do. But all I have is the money and amulet I got from..


    I have to summon S. Maybe she¡¯ll be able to help me get back in time. I grab the amulet, concentrating on calling her. A few moments later, something smacks me in the head.


    ¡°What do you want? I was in the middle of something important.¡±


    I look up at her. The darkness effect is much worse here in the forest. Only her shining eyes are shown under her hood.


    ¡°I¡¯m lost and need to get back to town. Can you help me?¡±


    Moving so fast I can¡¯t see, she stabs something into my shoulder, withdrawing it with a spray of blood.


    [You have been injured for 30% health.]


    ¡°I am not your autocar service, shithead. I thought you¡¯d be some sort of serious player, not the kind of noob that¡¯d get himself lost in the forest. Your mother does know you¡¯re playing, right?¡±


    I¡¯m still reeling from the attack. Even with the stats I¡¯ve built over the last few days she took a serious chunk with a simple attack. She continues.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to let you go this time. But don¡¯t think for a second you¡¯re off the hook. Don¡¯t call me again unless you have something important to tell me, or I¡¯ll make this world a living hell for you.¡±


    She lifts a blade over her head, a short sword made of darkness, preparing to end me. It occurs to me that dying will get me back to the inn in time. I¡¯ll lose the hops though. I hold up a hand to stop her.


    ¡°Please, can you just, you know, get my stuff back to the village for me? I need it for a quest..¡±


    Her eyes widen at this. A strange sound comes from her throat, a hoarse laugh.


    ¡°You¡¯re serious? I¡¯m a dark, mysterious figure in the middle of the forest about to kill you just because it¡¯s easier than ferrying you, and you want me to do you another favour? Fine, I¡¯ll make sure your greens and your shit gets back to the inn.¡±


    She looks at the buckets.


    ¡°Is that your family or something?¡±


    I open my mouth to respond just as she thrusts the weapon into my skull, ending me.


    [You are in the between¡­]


    I wave away the notification. Not my first rodeo, buddy.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.The countdown is showing me an hour until I respawn back in the room. Hopefully I can trust her to get my stuff back to me. I have to think about this a bit more carefully though. By all accounts I¡¯m supposed to get an unerring feeling when another player is nearby, as I did with Captain Tubbins. With S, there¡¯s nothing. I mean, she¡¯s clearly an advanced player, so maybe that¡¯s some sort of defencive skill? I¡¯d love to learn whatever she uses for transport though. It took her no time at all to find me.


    My skills are starting to improve, slowly but steadily. The workout helped a lot with my stats, so I have to try to get some more of that done. It makes me wonder what other kinds of professions are available to me. Maybe there¡¯s an innkeeper profession. And do I have to be taught these things explicitly like Rognstad did today, or can I unlock various options on my own? Questions for later I guess.


    [Do you wish to respawn? (Warning: you will be unconscious until the clock runs out.)]


    I hit yes.


    ***


    [You are affected by Respawn Sickness: Level 4. 10 minutes remaining.]


    This shit again. My stat pools are reduced significantly. Health, Mana and Stamina are all at 30% with no sign of regeneration. All my abilities are down by a good margin as well. Nothing to do about it, I have to get downstairs quick before Yadra gets in trouble. I lurch out of bed, hobbling to the stairs and climb them slowly to avoid aggravating my headache. From the kitchen, I hear shouting.


    ¡°You keep flaunting my authority, and I will not have it under my roof. I want you out of here, now. And if I see you again you¡¯d better have made your peace with Thenida, because you¡¯ll be fertilising the fields.¡±


    A door slams before I can open the door. The landlady turns towards me. Her eyes widen just a little as she recognises me.


    ¡°You.. Where have you been? You look like death, and why are you unclothed. We have to start the evening serving! Oh, you useless creature, come with me.¡±


    She drags me along, and it¡¯s all I can do to follow her without losing balance. She takes me into her study.


    [You have been granted temporary access to the Landladys Study. Your access will be revoked when you leave.]


    I try not to look guilty, letting my eyes roam the room in wonder. She walks right over to a closet in the corner, opening it. Inside is a rack of clothes. All of them are clean, if a little old and worn. She picks out an outfit and hands it to me. A simple linen shirt, cloth trousers and a vest.


    ¡°These used to belong to.. They were left behind in one of the rooms years ago. Try not to lose them as well, and get out there. The dinner service must continue.¡±


    I hurry to put on the clothes, noting the remarkable fit. It¡¯s like they were made for me.


    [Your relationship with Yadra has changed to Animosity.]


    [Your relationship with Betha has changed to Uncertainty.]


    [You are affected by Respawn Sickness: Level 3. 30 minutes remaining.]


    Shit. I need to find her, to apologise. Running out of the landladys office, I go through the kitchen. Betha is in here, collecting a bunch of plates to be served. She raises her head as I come in.


    ¡°Oh, uhm, can you get the beer while I.. Where are you going?¡±


    I reach the door, about to open it when a notification pops up.


    [Attention: If you leave the inn without permission, you will have failed your obligation. A bounty will be put on your head. Any active quests in the township of Hogsmudd will fail.]


    I stop, hand on the doorknob. If I do this, I¡¯ll have to leave this place, start again somewhere else. Maybe far away. I won¡¯t be able to tell the others where I¡¯m going, I won¡¯t be able to pick up my stuff, I¡¯ll be without money. I have to stay. Yadra will have to be okay on her own for now. She¡¯s an NPC, she knows how to get by. I turn around, looking at Betha.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get the beer, you start serving. And if anyone pinches you, let me know and I¡¯ll give them the terrible beer.¡±


    She looks much more relaxed as she walks out into the main hall.


    [Skill discovered: Leadership]


    [Ability increased: Charisma]


    I sigh, going down to the cellar and filling the mugs.


    ¡°Really, this is the deathly important task you had to get back for?¡±


    I spill the mug I¡¯m filling, shouting in surprise. S is there, leaning against the wall. I take a deep breath, picking the mug off the floor and continue pouring.


    ¡°Yeah. Still managed to fuck it up though. I shouldn¡¯t have been so impatient building my skills. My coworker, Yadra, was covering for me, and she got punished because I was late coming back.¡±


    S is quiet for a moment. I offer her a mug I pulled from the mayors cask, and she accepts it.


    ¡°It¡¯s not easy, working with NPCs. They seem so real some times. The person you¡¯re looking for, is that an NPC too?¡±


    She takes a sip, making an appreciative sound.


    ¡°Yeah. Brother of a friend of mine. Rubbish at stealth, at investigation and common sense. He decided to come out here anyway, tracking the damn cult. I think it was Prime that put him up to it, to spice things up. I hate him.¡±


    I finish stacking the mugs, getting ready to carry them upstairs.


    ¡°You don¡¯t feel like a player. Why is that?¡±


    Her smile is visible under the hood.


    ¡°That¡¯s a secret. Right now, you¡¯re playing at a level where knowing too much about would get you in trouble. If you ever reach another level, I might clue you in. I left your stuff in your room by the way. From now on, when you get lost, fix it yourself. You took me away from an important stakeout. It¡¯ll be days before I get another shot at checking out the Candrid farm.¡±


    I stop midstep.


    ¡°Candrid? Like Oltab and Tiene Candrid? The big farm up on the hill?¡±


    She looks at me quizzically before replying.


    ¡°Yeah. When I checked out the knife you found, it led me to a cave near their farm. I wasn¡¯t able to scout it out properly, but if the right kind of fungus grows there, it¡¯d be perfect for the toxin that killed you. There was a group about to go in there when you called me.¡±


    ¡°Was there a young woman in the group?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. There were three females and three males. One of the males walked with a cane. It was too dark to see any details.¡±


    That was still pretty detailed.


    ¡°I have to get back upstairs. Obligation and all. But before you do anything permanent up there, do you mind if I check with my friend? Tiene Candrid, she¡¯s the youngest one, and she seems pretty unhappy there.¡±


    I turn back, and S is gone already. Feeling annoyed, I return upstairs. I hope the evening passes quickly.

 Chapter 13 - Scout

    The evening passed. It did not do so quickly, nor peacefully, but it passed. Losing Yadra was noticeable, as me and Betha had to work double time to get through it. The landlady spend the evening chatting up guests, and I suspect she made an effort to keep the pressure off us. Not enough of an effort to do any actual work, of course, but every little helped.


    When I got back to my room, the moons had been up for a while already. Paraton was heavy and red in the sky, showing it¡¯s dominance over the heavens. The moonlight was pale white, showing off the towns quiet. I spent some time wondering where Yadra had gone. I have to find her tomorrow, as soon as the breakfast is over. I go to bed, trying not to think about whether she¡¯d found somewhere to sleep tonight.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">You have 3 days left of your debt to the Salty Swine.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I woke up the next morning without the well rested status. I guess I didn¡¯t sleep long enough. I got up anyway, finding the inn colder than usual. I heating seems to be another one of Yadras tasks. I pick up my items from a pile in the corner where S had left them. It was all there, buckets of hops included. I head out the door, stopping at Bethas door to let her know I was up. The kitchen was as clean as we left it, and I hurried through the prep. Since I had no idea what was on the menu, keeping it simple seemed like the safe choice. Oatmeal with fruits. While the porridge cooked I arranged the plates, getting them ready for serving.


    <tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: Cooking.</td></tr>


    Betha comes down with a hairdo that would make a crow jealous. I put another log in the boiler so the water would heat up faster, then got out to the main hall while she made herself presentable.


    Putting the main hall in order was a quick job, and I felt pretty good about my progress in the job. Throwing open the doors let the town know we were open for business, and like zombies they shuffled in. The service went without any issues, and as soon as I got the opportunity, I ran to check my mail.


    Mr. Houg was his usual self, not showing much interest in my existence. I had three letters waiting for me. The first one from Rain.


    ¡®..|.¡¯


    Okay. She still needs time to process. The next one from Mika.


    ¡®Hi Tee,


    You wouldn¡¯t believe the stuff we get to do here. Rish was given an honour from the knight captain of a fort up in the mountains. She snuck into an enemy encampment and returned with the leaders head. I¡¯ve been working on rearing a horse. The little guy is growing insanely fast, I¡¯ll be able to ride him into battle soon.


    I wish you and Rishi would make up soon. It¡¯s getting her down. Worse than I thought it would. She got drunk after she saw your letter. Afterwards she was crying, like really crying. She was talking about Rach, but kept referring to ¡°him¡±, so, you know¡­


    Oh, and I got a reply from tech support. There was a mistake in their software that prevented us from accessing the portal. We¡¯ve already uploaded some videos. I¡¯m sure the adventures of Rain will get us a bunch of viewers.


    Take care,


    Mika.¡¯


    How are they doing so much better than me? I¡¯m barely qualified to pick my own nose, and they¡¯re heroes of some kingdom already! Ack¡­


    ¡®Hi Mika,


    I think I have to leave her alone for now. She¡¯ll take the time she needs. She¡¯s going to beat me badly when we meet, then we¡¯ll have a chance to mend things. We¡¯ll work it out.


    Aw man, I miss Rach. She¡¯d kick my ass for being so slow, focusing on all the wrong things and not going for the prize I want.


    On the upside I¡¯ve started unlocking a profession, and I¡¯m nearing the end of my servitude here. Then, as soon as possible I¡¯ll get out of here and find a good piece of land. I¡¯ll make sure there¡¯s a nice stable for your horse. What are you naming him?


    Thanks for being there man, I appreciate it.


    Love,


    Tee.¡¯


    It¡¯ll have to do. The last letter is from tech support. Dear Mister Collier, please excuse bla bla incorrect bla bla fixed now please try again and accept our bla bla. Sounds about right. I loaded the portal to test, and got in immediately. Shame I haven¡¯t really done anything interesting yet to upload. I¡¯m sure footage of S would be popular, but she might not appreciate the limelight. I have to check with her the next time I get a chance. A deep sigh from the clerk lets me know that I¡¯ve outstayed my welcome, and I head out. Before I leave, I turn back to him.


    ¡°Mr. Houg? I was wondering if you¡¯d seen Yadra the barmaid lately? She wasn¡¯t at the inn last night, and I¡¯m getting a little worried.¡±


    He looks up with an unexpected expression. Concern was visible in his eyes.


    ¡°Really? That¡¯s worrying to hear. I wouldn¡¯t get too worried though. Yadra is a grown woman, and she¡¯s well loved in the community. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s found a place to stay.¡±


    I smile, nodding at him.


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. Thanks Mr. Houg.¡±


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Your relationship with Mr. Houg has increased to Amicable.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    Unexpected. Does Mr. Houg actually care about his flock? I put it aside for now, deciding to focus on looking for Yadra before the lunch rush.


    I quickly realise that everyone is working after breakfast. Luckily, I know where people will be going soon enough, so I head back to the inn, only to be met by the mayor out front.


    ¡°Ah, young Tee. What a lucky coincidence to run into you here.¡±


    His smile seems genuine enough, but there¡¯s no way this is an accidental meet.


    ¡°Mister mayor. I have something for you upstairs. Give me a moment to fetch it.¡±


    I walk by him to fetch the buckets of hops. When I come back downstairs he¡¯s inside, sitting at a table. I put the buckets on the floor next to him. He, in turn, looks up at me.


    ¡°You got the hops out of old man Rognstad without any problems then?¡±


    Looking away, I answer in a low voice.


    ¡°He tried to pass me some old stuff, but this is straight from the drier. I misjudged the time I had, so I got back too late, but nothing that should affect our arrangement.¡±


    He nods, that friendly smile on his face.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be tricky to get the time to get the remaining ingredients though. My work here keeps me at various times, and without Yadra here¡­¡±


    His eyebrows rise for a moment. Something surprised him.


    <tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: Social Perception.</td></tr>


    ¡°Yadra finally left? I didn¡¯t think she had the money for it yet. Did she leave any messages?¡±


    I straighten up, trying not to show how guilty I felt about it.


    ¡°She left because she was covering for me. I came back right as the landlady kicked her out. I¡¯ve been trying to find her, but again, I don¡¯t have the time to search properly because of my work here.¡±


    He nods, thinking.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take possession of these buckets now. If I see Yadra, I¡¯ll make sure she checks in with you when she can, but there isn¡¯t a lot more I can do at the moment. Just hang in there and try your best.¡±


    Getting up from the chair, he picks up the barrels as if they were filled with feathers. He nods as he exits, leaving me with work to do.


    For the lunch service, Betha instructed me to hollow out a bunch of round loaves she¡¯d baked earlier. She filled them with a thick soup made from various leftovers we¡¯d collected the previous few days. Without Yadra to take charge, Betha is impressing me with her ability to make decisions. I do my best to assist her, running beer and chatting up the customers. Midway through the service I get to talking with an old man who says he saw someone who looked like Yadra, leaving town towards the next one over. She was on foot, but fuming in a way that should scare even the hungriest wildlife.


    After cleanup, I get the opportunity to catch up with Betha over the dishes.


    ¡°Are you doing okay? I mean, now that you¡¯re alone and all¡­¡±


    She doesn¡¯t look up from her work. Her voice is steadier than before, a wisp of sadness behind it.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. I just have to work harder now, that¡¯s all. Especially since you¡¯re leaving soon. I just hope the miss can get another hand in soon.¡±


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">A quest is available: Help staff the Salty Swine.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Your efforts to reduce the staffing levels at the Salty Swine have been successful. Too much so, and Betha will be left with the work of three. Find someone to help out with the work.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Success: Improved standing with the Salty Swine and it¡¯s employees.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Reject/Failure: No consequence.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I accept the quest, and we finish the cleaning in silence.


    With some time before the dinner service, I decide to talk to the landlady. Or possibly snoop in her office. I¡¯d love to know more about the woman she had sneaking into my room. Knocking loudly on her door, I wait for a few moments to see if anyone is coming. All quiet, so I enter the room.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Warning: You have entered an area you do not have permission to be in.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Yeah yeah. There¡¯s nothing new here since last time, so I go to her desk first. An old fashioned desk with a dark surface. It¡¯s well polished and maintained, even though I¡¯ve never seen anyone but the miss go in here. I quickly check the drawers, finding only one of them unlocked. Inside is a pile of papers and a dark glass bottle with a cork. I uncork it, smelling the contents, regretting it immediately.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Inhaling enhanced spirits has resulted in your sense of smell being disabled for thirty minutes.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    A sense of burning climbs up my sinuses, tearing and ripping at my tender olfactory system. Quickly corking the bottle, I put it back, careful not to let my tears hit the desk. A quick scan of the papers and I found they were letters. All from girls around what seems to be the Ionian empire, all updates on what they were doing. There were maids, seamstresses and cooks mixed in with warriors, blacksmiths and even an imperial official. I put it all back, having gained more questions than answers from my little adventure. When I try to close the drawer, it stops before it¡¯s all the way in. My heart beating faster, I jiggle it a bit, before removing the drawer completely. Behind it is an old key, a chill emanating from it. It got tangled when I opened the drawer in the first place.


    <tr><td width="25%">Ability discovered: Fortune.</td></tr>


    Strange. Clearly tied to the strange parrot under the larder.


    I take a moment to savour that thought. Not something you get to say every day.


    Making a mental note of where it is, I leave it. It¡¯s not like I can use it at the moment. I move to the large chest instead, finding it locked. Strange, it was unlocked before. Actually, there¡¯s a pile of papers in the corner that wasn¡¯t there before. Carefully so as not to damage anything or make too much noice, I lift the chest. It¡¯s heavy. Not adult body heavy, I guess. But it¡¯s definitely full of something. I place it back down and decide not to push my luck any further. The miss might come back at any moment, and I don¡¯t have any good reason to be in here. I sneak a peek into the hallway, hurrying outside when I find it empty. Not really a successful adventure. At least I learnt some new stuff. I head into the kitchen and start preparing for the dinner service.

 Chapter 14 - Raid

    A larger crowd than usual meant that Betha and I were running ragged as we worked to keep the farmers in beer and high spirits. The fare was meatloaf with potatoes and a heavy gravy, and they couldn¡¯t get enough of it. As the evening wore on, I noticed farmer Rognstad sitting in the corner with two others. Judging by their general appearance, they were fellow farmers. During a rare calm, I sat down to chat with them.


    ¡°You made it back in one piece then? I was worried that you¡¯d try to take an ill advised shortcut through the wetlands.¡±


    The old man smiled. He knew, somehow, that I had.


    ¡°Yeah, it was a close call, but I made it home, buckets and all. You decided to have dinner here today then?¡±


    He nods with a smile.


    ¡°Nobody in their right mind would skip Bethas meatloaf. Besides, it¡¯s my turn to buy dinner for these two cheapskates.¡±


    He gestures to his companions. The first one, a skinny man with wiry muscles and bright red hair holds out a hand for me to shake. When I do, he nearly crushes it.


    ¡°Emmet Barrett. Pleased to meet you. Tom here told me you¡¯re doing some jobs for the mayor?¡±


    I blink twice, then look at Rognstad, Tom, before I answer.


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s promised to help me out if I get the ingredients he¡¯s looking for. In fact, I¡¯m looking to fetch some wheat at your farm, aren¡¯t I?¡±


    He nods sagely.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I gather, considering that I grow the finest wheat in the province. Damn expensive though, and heavy. The amount you¡¯d need would take you days to carry back.¡±


    He empties his mug, peering into it, then at me with a questioning look. I take his mug, checking if anyone else needs anything, and run to fetch more. Betha is in the kitchen, slaving over a large cauldron of gravy.


    ¡°Betha, can you hold the fort just a little bit? There¡¯s a couple of people I need to talk to out there and¡­¡±


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Your relationship with Betha has fallen to: Not happy.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Her eyes tell me I¡¯m on this ice with this favour stuff. I get it, of course. Everything I¡¯ve done and asked for has been one sided so far. Not a lot of benefit for her, and only downsides for Yadra. I look down.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, you¡¯re right. I¡¯ll cover my share, you know best what to do.¡±


    She turns back to her job, and I run faster to try to make up for lost time. When I get back, Tom and his friend is sitting with their hats in their hands, clasped to their chests. In front of them is Emmet, face flat against the table. I put the mugs down.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡±


    Tom makes a shushing sound.


    ¡°We¡¯re mourning our friend who died from dehydration.¡±


    I roll my eyes and make like I¡¯m taking the last beer away.


    ¡°Fair enough, put me down for some flowers, and I¡¯ll just give this beer to¡­¡±


    I¡¯ve never seen anyone move so fast. He¡¯s up, grabbing the mug and sitting back down as if nothing had happened before I¡¯m two steps away. Only a splash of beer on the table serves as proof of what actually happened. I turn back, sitting down for a moment.


    ¡°It¡¯s a miracle.¡±


    My voice is deadpan as he grins at his own joke. I take a deep breath.


    ¡°So what exactly are you proposing? I mean, if it¡¯s too much for me to carry the wheat all the way back, how should we solve this?¡±


    He smiles.


    ¡°Well, funny you should ask. See, there¡¯s a particular item here in the Salty Swine that I¡¯ve had my eye on for a while. Of course, the landlady being a hawkeyed sentinel with friends everywhere means I can¡¯t just hire a footpad to get it for me. Does this sound like a job for a young go-getter like you?¡±


    He looks at me intently, and I¡¯m starting to get a feeling for what¡¯s happening here. I look at the third man. Short, with brown hair and a long beard. A gigantic nose. A dwarf? No, his eyes aren¡¯t right for it¡­ Maybe another half race. I address him.


    ¡°And I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re Farmer Gennet, the fairy sugar producer?¡±


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill Increased: Social Perception.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Your standing with Tom Rognstad has improved to Thinks you show promise.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Your standing with Emmet Barret has improved to Thinks you show promise.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Your standing with Korom Gennet has improved to Thinks you show promise.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    His eyes open wide as Tom claps his hands.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you lazy wastrels? He¡¯s pretty sharp, for an adventurer.¡±


    I look at Emmet, ignoring his grin.


    ¡°And I guess your wheat is already here, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    He nods.


    ¡°Together with however much sugar I need.¡±


    A grunt from Gennet¡­ Korom.


    ¡°And what is it you want for your goods?¡±


    He doesn¡¯t look happy about having his mystery revealed.


    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.¡°I think you can damn well stick it up your backside you clever little¡­¡±


    Tom clears his throat, which stops the grumpy farmer. He tries again.


    ¡°I need you to go to the Candrid farm and feed this to their prize pig.¡±


    He hands me what looks like a tuft of hair tied up with a leek. I look at him quizzically.


    ¡°It¡¯s a charm, don¡¯t worry about it. Won¡¯t hurt the pig, only make it flatulent. There¡¯s a fair in a months time, and I¡¯d like them not to win this time.¡±


    I pocket the strange charm, taking care not to break it.


    ¡°So steal something from the landlady, and sabotage a pig. And my reward is something you owe someone else anyway? I think I deserve a little more than that. You two will let me trail you like Tom here did, so I can learn to be a farmer.¡±


    They look at each other before nodding.


    ¡°That¡¯ll do for us.¡±


    They each shake my hand, and I get up to continue working.


    ¡°Have you given any thought as to where you¡¯ll set up your farm?¡±


    Tom interrupts me asking the simplest question. One I¡¯d avoided thinking about so far. I turn towards him, shaking my head.


    ¡°I genuinely haven¡¯t. I have to go somewhere away from this town, as there¡¯s too many farms in the area, but beyond that, I haven¡¯t got a clue.¡±


    He chuckles.


    ¡°Yeah, you young¡¯uns always try to leap before looking. I mean, it saves some time, but it doesn¡¯t always get you anywhere useful. We¡¯ll keep our ears peeled. If we hear anything useful, we¡¯ll figure out what we need you to do for us in return for the information.¡±


    I sigh. Emmet pipes up.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t actually ask what I wanted you to steal.¡±


    My shoulders slump. These guys must think I¡¯m a complete idiot by now. He gestures for me to lean down and whispers it into my ear. My eyes pop open and I pull away from him.


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    He grins.


    ¡°Yep.¡±


    I groan as I get back to work.


    ***


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">You have completed a quest: Mayors gofer.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">You completed an optional parameter.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    The mayor is a happy man. Partly because I just finished the quest. Partly because I¡¯ve just handed him the second helping of his own beer. But mostly because I saved an extra portion of dinner for him. I¡¯ve never seen a man put it away quite so quickly.


    We¡¯re alone in the dining room. Everyone else has gone home, and all the cleaning is done. I managed to catch him in the town hall, and he came running as soon as I¡¯d promised him a late supper.


    ¡°I¡¯m inclined to renege on our agreement. Without you here, I won¡¯t be treated to this kind of service anymore.¡±


    His smile tells he he¡¯s joking. His eyes tell me it¡¯s only barely. I give him a polite half laugh.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry son, I wouldn¡¯t pull something like that on you. I did actually not think you¡¯d succeed in time for it to matter. I guess you impressed old man Rognstad. I¡¯ll have a chat with the landlady tomorrow, she¡¯ll reduce your time. She isn¡¯t going to be happy about it though, so I suggest you have somewhere to go as soon as your time is up.¡±


    I nod in agreement.


    ¡°Yeah, she seems like a woman who doesn¡¯t like people skirting her rules. So, are you going to teach me your recipe for beer?¡±


    He snorts into his mug, elegantly segueing into a coughing fit. When he¡¯s finished, he looks at me incredulously.


    ¡°That is just not going to happen son. My beer is worth more than a few errands and a good attitude. If you can find something of equal value, I might be inclined to trade you. If not, the secret is locked away up in my head.¡±


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">A quest is available: The Mayors Pride.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">The mayor doesn¡¯t give away his recipe for free. He is willing to trade it, however, if you find the right price.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Optional: Find a way to steal the recipe.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Success: Recipe: The Mayors Pride.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Reject/Failure: No consequence.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I shrug at this as I accept the quest. I¡¯ll find something.


    ¡°Yeah, I guessed. Nothing ventured, nothing gained as they say.¡±


    Considering it for a moment, I take a chance.


    ¡°I was wondering if you knew of any land anywhere I could take up farming?¡±


    He thinks about it for a while as I get him another drink.


    ¡°Maybe. There isn¡¯t a lot of ¡®free¡¯ land in the kingdom, but I know a man who¡¯s looking for people to work for him. It would be a good learning experience for you I believe. He¡¯ll only consider you if you have the skills necessary though.¡±


    Checking my character sheet, I sigh to myself. Maybe when Farmer is unlocked.


    ¡°I¡¯m learning skills at the moment, but I¡¯m not quite there yet.¡±


    Finishing his meal, he gets up to leave.


    ¡°That should be fine. I¡¯ll send off a message to him, and write a letter of introduction for you. Then, when you go there, you either know what you need to, or you¡¯ll embarrass me gravely.¡±


    His smile doesn¡¯t quite reach his eyes this time, until he laughs, shakes my hand and leaves.


    I¡¯m left cleaning the dining room for a while, getting it ready for the morning. I have to visit Tiene to ask about the people S saw, and maybe I can tamper with the pig at the same time.


    I pass by the laundry room before I go to bed, hoping and praying nobody will see me. Why did Emmet have to be such a pervert. I take a pair of underwear I¡¯m pretty sure belongs to the landlady. With a shudder, I wrap it in clean cloth, then scrub myself for a while.


    They just don¡¯t make water warm enough.

 Chapter 15 - Lady

    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">You have 2 days left of your debt to the Salty Swine.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Your debt to the Salty Swine has been reduced to 4 hours.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">You are well rested.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    It¡¯s still very early, but the morning just feels so good I have to wake up for it. The mayor came through. Just one more breakfast service, and I¡¯m free to go. I stretch, scratch and leave the room. As I pass Bethas room I decide not to knock yet. It¡¯s still very early, and she doesn¡¯t have to get up. Instead I head to the kitchen and start preparing for the breakfast. There¡¯s still no instructions as to what I should prepare, so I go for eggy toast with bacon. I¡¯m starting to think Yadra was making it all up as she went along.


    I run a plate upstairs to Bethas room, placing it on the floor and knocking.


    ¡°Room service!¡±


    Back in the kitchen, I find the landlady waiting for me. She has a smoldering look in her eyes.


    ¡°There¡¯s the clever little boy. I knew I was under working you, seeing as you had time to do so much extra around here. Serves me right to allow the help time off despite their behaviour.¡±


    I smile at her. Only a couple more hours to go.


    ¡°And a good morning to you as well miss. Did you sleep well?¡±


    I check on the food, making sure everything is perfect.


    ¡°You think you did well here, don¡¯t you. Pulled one over on the old woman, made yourself some connections in town.¡±


    Her voice is steady, but there¡¯s an undercurrent I hadn¡¯t expected to hear. Regret? Anger? Fear? No¡­


    ¡°I reckon you¡¯ll find out soon enough. Staying with me would have been the safer choice. I want you out of the inn after breakfast. Until you come up with something useful to barter with, you¡¯re barred from the Salty Swine.¡±


    She turns to leave.


    ¡°Wait. Do you know where Yadra went? I was the reason she was kicked out, I¡¯d like to make sure she¡¯s okay.¡±


    Her eyes have a gleam in them when she turns back.


    ¡°I kicked Yadra out because she was weak. She always put others before herself, never did her job properly when entertaining. Lying to me about where you were was a drop in the ocean. I¡¯d guess she went towards the sawmill. Only place nearby for women like her to find a dry bed or two.¡±


    She snorts as she exits the room. She was mocking me, gloating. I shake my head and go back to work. Soon, I¡¯m joined by Betha. Her attitude is cold as she moves to freshen herself up. I have to open the doors, so I leave her alone.


    The service goes well, and my choice of food is popular. I shake a lot of hands, letting the customers know I¡¯ll be leaving soon, and I get a lot of sad expressions. It¡¯s a good feeling that the people want me to stay, but I explain that it¡¯s just not possible, that I have to continue my travels. In the end I¡¯m made to promise to write them when I find a place to settle down.


    As breakfast nears an end, I get the notice I¡¯d been waiting for.


    [Your debt to the Salty Swine has been repaid.]


    [Warning: You are no longer welcome in the Salty Swine.]


    [Your standing with the Salty Swine has been reduced to Unliked.]


    I go to the kitchen, finding Betha cleaning the dishes alone. I pick up a rag and help her out.


    ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to be here anymore.¡±


    I shrug, picking another dish.


    ¡°I can¡¯t just leave a job undone like this, can I.¡±


    She looks at me, an annoyed expression.


    ¡°You¡¯re not a very good person. You always do these gestures, helping out, trying to be friendly. Then, as soon as you start to seem decent, you do something bad.¡±


    I focus on the soapy water, letting her get it off her chest.


    ¡°And now you¡¯re leaving for good, even after¡­¡±


    She stops, scrubbing furiously. I look, and there are tears in her eyes.


    ¡°After what, Betha?¡±


    I brush her hair away from her ear, and she looks at me. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath.


    ¡°On the first night. I know you were drunk, I know that the captain was influencing you, but I thought you¡¯d remember by now.¡±


    Blinking in confusion, I scratch my head.


    ¡°Remember what?¡±


    She throws her rag into the water, turning to me.


    ¡°You said you¡¯d take us away from this place. You said you¡¯d take us with you when you left!¡±


    Her voice is louder than I¡¯d ever heard it, and it clicks. It sounds exactly like something I¡¯d say when I was drunk. I open my mouth to answer, but a voice from the door interrupts me.


    ¡°You¡¯re not welcome here anymore. Leave.¡±


    The landlady points at Betha.


    ¡°You. Go into the main hall and clean the floor.¡±


    I look from her to Betha and back, before leaning into Betha.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get you when I can. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">You have been struck for 30% damage.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    An arrow just out from my shoulder. The landlady is standing with one finger pointing at me. Her other hand is raised with two fingers pointing at the ceiling. I look up, seeing nothing unusual. When I look back, there¡¯s only one finger left. A countdown. I scramble, dashing towards the door.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">You have been struck for 40% damage.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    As I get the door open the arrow detonates, throwing me clear of the door frame and into the mud. I manage to turn around in time to see the landlady in the doorway.


    ¡°And stay out!¡±


    I close my eyes, relaxing everything for a moment. The landlady knows some magic. Excellent. I guess I¡¯m homeless. Fantastic. And I¡¯m near death. Awesome.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Getting back up is painful, but doable. My health regenerates slowly, and soon I have use of my shoulder back. I decide to check my mailbox to see if there¡¯s any news. Mr. Houg is there, doing his thing. There¡¯s no reply yet, so I decide to go to the church to sit down and think about my situation a bit.


    The church is empty at this time, so I sit in the corner on an unpleasant pew.


    I have to check out the Candrid farm and talk to Tiene.


    While I¡¯m there I have to poison a pig.


    When that¡¯s done, I have to go see a few farmers to learn the skills I need.


    Then, when I¡¯m skilled enough, I have to see the mayor about his friend.


    I should really find out what happened with Yadra.


    Finally, I need to find out about this cult so S can help her friend.


    Not too bad really. Looks like I¡¯m visiting Tiene. It¡¯s a bit odd that she hasn¡¯t visited me yet. Hopefully her family are all out farming now, so they won¡¯t kill me on sight.


    ***


    I get to the door without being shot this time around. I can¡¯t see anyone at all actually. I knock, bracing myself for another kicking. A few minutes later I knock again, but still no response. I decide not to try to go inside on my own, somehow I doubt they¡¯d appreciate it very much. Instead, I head towards the large barn.


    Inside, I find the large guy. He¡¯s lifting a cart off the floor. I can see legs poking out from underneath it. I raise my hand in greeting.


    ¡°Hey buddy. Good to see you again.¡±


    His head snaps towards me, eyes wide at first, then angry. He grunts in frustration, unable to beat me up without dropping the cart.


    ¡°What was that Sel? I can¡¯t hear you.¡±


    Hearing Tienes voice makes me relax. I probably won¡¯t be killed now. Ignoring the big guy, I kneel to get a better view.


    ¡°Hi Tiene, it¡¯s just me. I decided to come visit since I haven¡¯t seen you for a few days.¡±


    I glance at the giant, who¡¯s eyes promise pain.


    ¡°You know, make sure you¡¯re okay.¡±


    She squeaks, then scurries out from underneath. She¡¯s wearing coveralls, every pocket apparently filled with tools or jars. Her hair, face and clothes are covered in grease and her hair is tinged pink, as if she¡¯d been exerting herself. I smile and wave at her.


    ¡°Tee, I wasn¡¯t expecting¡­ Hi. How are you?¡±


    Her consternation lasts only as long as it takes for her training to take over, and she becomes the refined lady her family wants her to be. She reaches out a hand for me to take, and I shrug, going along. When she looks down seeing how she smeared the grease on my hand, her eyes go wide. I hold up a hand to keep her from panicking.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s good to see you.¡±


    The big guy drops the cart hard, making sure I know he¡¯s there. Tiene turns towards him with thunder in her eyes.


    ¡°You did not just drop the wagon I spent all morning repairing. I swear if I find a single bolt loose, a single brace cracked, I¡¯ll throw you to the pigs. Now get out, go help Johnny gather logs.¡±


    He runs off, not even glancing back. I get the feeling I shouldn¡¯t spend any time alone with that guy. Tiene turns back towards me with a warm smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you Tee. I¡¯m sorry about him, about all of them really. What¡¯s up?¡±


    I get some hay to clean off the grease.


    ¡°I came to let you know that I¡¯m going to leave town soon.¡±


    Her face drops.


    ¡°What? Why? I thought you¡¯d have days left on your contract.¡±


    I nod.


    ¡°I did, but I managed to negotiate my way out of the last few days. The landlady wasn¡¯t happy about it, so she kicked me out. I thought I¡¯d take my chances with Farmer Barret tonight, as he owes me some farming lessons, then see where the days take me.¡±


    She looks down, clearing her face of all emotion.


    <tr><td width="25%">Skill discovered: Social Perception</td></tr>


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that. Thank you for visiting me. I do hope you¡¯ll¡­¡±


    I move closer, gesturing for her to stop talking.


    ¡°Stop that. You¡¯re hiding behind your mask. I¡¯m here because I want to keep in touch, and because I hope I¡¯ll see you again before I have to leave for wherever I go.¡±


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Your relationship with Tiene Candrid has increased to Appreciates you.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Emotions wash over her face again and she smiles at me.


    ¡°Thank you Tee. I¡¯d very much like to see you before you leave as well. Do you have to go to Emmet''s farm immediately, or do you have time for a little tour?¡±


    I smile my widest smile, thinking about the charm in my pocket.


    ¡°I would love a tour.¡±


    <tr><td width="25%">Skill discovered: Deception</td></tr>


    I feel a pang of conscience from that as Tiene takes my arm and leads me out of the barn towards some pens.


    The tour takes an hour, taking us around the animal pens, the fields and the production buildings. Each person we meet greets her on sight. When they see me, they scowl. I make a point out of smiling and greeting them, showing that I have no fear of them. Finally she brings me to a nicer pen near their house.


    ¡°And this is the crown jewel of our animal stock. Lady Penelope P. Buttercup the Fourth.¡±


    I blink. There¡¯s a gargantuan pig sitting in a puddle of mud. At the sound of Tienes voice, it gets up and trots over. Tiene enters the pen, meeting the giant pig.


    ¡°Who¡¯s a good pennypig? You are!¡±


    The pig oinks happily as she¡¯s scratched behind an ear. I jump into the pen myself, kneeling besides them. When it notices me, the pig grunts, aggressively snouting me.


    ¡°No, penny! Bad pig. Tee is a friend.¡±


    Tiene holds me to steady me, preventing a messy spill, greasing me up in the process. I gently reach out to scratch the pig, and I¡¯m allowed under great suspicion. Soon, I¡¯m rewarded by a happy grunt.


    ¡°Affectionate pig, isn¡¯t she?¡±


    Tiene beams as she strokes her back.


    ¡°Yeah, Lady P loves scratchies.¡±


    With a snort, the pig turns her large head, pushing Tiene over before I have a chance to help. With gusto, the large creature starts eating Tienes coveralls.


    ¡°She also bloody loves the grease I use to lubricate the axles. Give me a hand, will you?¡±


    I get the charm as inconspicuously as possible, rubbing it against some grease. I put it right in front of Lady P, who snatches it up, forgetting all about Tiene. I use the opportunity to help her up. She looks at me through a mask of mud. I look at her for a moment before I speak.


    ¡°You got a little mud on your¡­ yeah, right there.¡±


    She scrapes it off her face, looks at it, then slaps it right in my face.

 Chapter 16 - Run

    A brief but vigorous mud fight ensues. When the pig decides to get into it on my side, Tiene yields.


    ¡°Fine, I give up. What¡¯s wrong with you LP? You¡¯re supposed to support me.¡±


    She gives me a suspicious glance.


    ¡°Do you have some sort of pig manipulation skill? Piggomancy?¡±


    I try not to look guilty as I shake my head.


    ¡°Nope. Just a regular farmer with a pig friendly face I guess.¡±


    She shrugs and exits the pen. I follow, and she takes me to a water tower. It¡¯s an impressive structure, with several rain collectors attached to the sides. A few pipes stick out from the underside, and she stands under one of them.


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty proud of this one. I made it myself.¡±


    She smiles, and pulls a chain attached to the pipe. Water flows out of the end, hitting a grate, showering her. She stops it and invites me to try it. I boggle slightly at the ingenuity of this woman, this NPC. I definitely have to get her to come with me when I get my own place. Standing underneath the pipe, I pull the chain. Cold water washes over me, and soon the worst of the mud is off. I¡¯m still filthy, and dripping wet, but at least the clumps are gone and my face is clean.


    Afterwards, we leave the farm, going into the nearby forest. She shows me a clearing nearby where there¡¯s a fire pit, and a structure of rocks that look nearly melted. She has me gather firewood as she prepares, and soon we have a warming fire going. As my clothes dry, I wonder if S is watching us right now, waiting for her opportunity. Tiene tilts her head as she looks at me.


    ¡°You seem so far away. What are you thinking about?¡±


    I check my standing with her. ¡®Appreciates me¡¯¡­ Is that going to be enough? I go for it.


    ¡°I was wondering about what you were going to ask me, before. You seemed hesitant to talk to a stranger, but now that we know each other better¡­¡±


    She looks into the fire.


    ¡°Oh. Yeah. I nearly forgot.¡±


    A haunted look comes over her face.


    ¡°I can trust you, can¡¯t I? I mean, you¡¯re a stranger and all, but you¡¯re the only person who¡¯ve dared come up to the farm and talk to me. Twice. All the village boys are too scared of my family, and the suitors who do come are just¡­ wrong.¡±


    I stay quiet, letting her come to her own conclusions. She nods to herself, then continues.


    ¡°I want to leave here. I want to go far away, and I want to live my life the way I want. I want to tinker with machines and work with my hands without my family telling me I have to stop, to be a good daughter. Staying here means I¡¯ll be nothing but chattel for my family to trade.¡±


    She looks at me imploringly.


    ¡°It would be dangerous, and they would come for me. Can you help me?¡±


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">You have been offered a quest: The farmers daughter.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Tiene has expressed her desire to flee her family and their designs on her future.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Accept: Tiene will become your companion.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Success: Greatly increased relationship with Tiene Candrid. Greatly diminished relationship with the Candrid family.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Failure: Greatly diminished relationship with Tiene Candrid. Greatly diminished relationship with the Candrid family.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Reject: Greatly diminished relationship with Tiene Candrid. Improved relationship with the Candrid family.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    That worked out better than I thought. I accept the quest.


    ¡°Of course I¡¯ll help you. I¡¯m leaving town either way. If I can help you at the same time, all the better.¡±


    She scooches closer to me, hugging me with an arm.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Tiene Candrid has become your companion.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Companion state: Happy. Tiene will listen to what you have to say and consider your words when you ask her to do anything. She will reject if the request goes against what she wants or believes.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Your relationship with Tiene Candrid has increased to Trust.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I hug her back as I consider my next move.


    ¡°Tiene, I have to ask you something about your family, and it might be hard to hear.¡±


    She looks at me in confusion.


    ¡°About my family? What?¡±


    I take a deep breath.


    ¡°A friend of mine is investigating the disappearance of one of her companions.¡±


    She nods uncertainly.


    ¡°I found a note from him in a cell underground outside of town. The cell was probably made by the cult.¡±


    Her eyes go wide and she retreats from me just a little bit.


    ¡°My friend scouted the area, and found a strange cave near here. People were entering that cave. Six people in masks. One of them had a cane. She had to leave before checking closer, but I told her I¡¯d talk to you about.¡±


    Tiene looks worried, but nods as she thinks about what I said.


    ¡°A cave? There are lots of caves near here. We¡¯re not allowed around them, too dangerous. What else did your friend say?¡±


    Encouraged by her response I continue.


    ¡°Mushrooms. The kind that will kill you or paralyse you if you eat them.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know much about mushrooms, but there¡¯s the cave where auntie used to get her toadstools. She died years ago, so we haven¡¯t really been there since. Tee, are you saying you think my family is involved with the cult?¡±


    I look her in the eyes.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but my friend is worried. If it¡¯s okay with you, I can call her and you can talk. She¡¯s a bit direct, but she seems trustworthy.¡±


    Tiene nods.


    ¡°If you think that¡¯s the right move. Is she dangerous?¡±


    A hand touches my shoulder, and I very nearly soil myself.


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.¡°I¡¯m pretty dangerous. Beat this guy up a few times. Even killed him once.¡±


    I grumble a bit, keeping my mouth shut so they can speak. Tiene is staring wide eyed at the dark apparition in front of us.


    ¡°Come with me, and I¡¯ll show you where the cave was. I don¡¯t know if your family was involved, but the location means that you¡¯re the closest group of people.¡±


    S leads us into the forest, and we meekly follow. Tiene stays close to me, holding on to my arm.


    ¡°I hadn¡¯t called for you yet. Were you watching us?¡±


    She doesn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t mind so much, but I would have liked to know about it. What if I was in a compromising position or ¡­¡±


    S turns around, her eyes burning into me. Tiene lets out a squeak and hides behind me. I very nearly hide behind her in turn.


    ¡°If I follow someone, they don¡¯t know about it. Now can you be quiet so I can concentrate? There are traps here, and it¡¯s hard enough to find them without your yapping.¡±


    I swallow heavily, nodding in agreement. She turns away, continuing into the forest. We follow her much more closely now.


    ***


    We arrive at the cave as the sun starts to set. S motions for us to stand outside while she enters. A minute later she comes back outside, waving for us to follow.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been here before, but those mushrooms look like the ones aunty would gather. I don¡¯t know what she did with them.¡±


    Tienes voice is no more than a whisper as we walk down the entryway. It¡¯s a gentle slope taking us below ground level. After a sharp turn, torches begin to line the walls. There¡¯s a smell of decay suffusing the air, and a definite feeling that something is wrong. After a few minutes walk we arrive at a large chamber.


    S stops, her head turning this way and that, taking in the scene. Tiene gasps, a sound much louder than expected, yet muffled in the cavern. All around the room are torches, burning eagerly. In the middle of the room is a large stone altar, intricately carved with symbols of nature and life. The surface is stained by blood old and fresh.


    From the ceiling hung dozens of wooden cages bound with twine. Each one contains a blackened lump of flesh. S cautiously moves towards the altar, stops and waves for us to come closer. Tiene shakes her head, and I approach. When I get closer, she whispers to me.


    ¡°Look at the one over there, the bright one.¡±


    I look. One of the lumps has a different colour to the others. Fresher, in a way. That¡¯s fair enough, maybe it¡¯s a common happenstance.


    In the middle of my thought, the lump contracts twice, and fluid drips to the floor.


    ¡°What the fuck! Did that thing just beat? Is that a heart?¡±


    She looks at me and shrugs.


    ¡°I think it is, but traditionally they don¡¯t beat outside of a body. Hey, blonde and greasy, what do you make of this?¡±


    Tiene hasn¡¯t entered the room yet. Her eyes tell me she¡¯s slipping into shock. I guess a sheltered NPC is a bit more sensitive than two desensitised players. I walk over to her, talking to her in low tones. After a minute of this she snaps out of her trance.


    ¡°What the hell are they doing in here? There were rumours, always rumours but this? That one is fresh! The blood over there hasn¡¯t even coagulated.¡±


    We move to the centre of the room to investigate the altar. S is on her knees checking out the base while Tiene and I look at the surface. Blood has been spilled here. Lots of it. It doesn¡¯t look like there¡¯s been a lot of effort to clean it up over the years either. I look at S.


    ¡°So¡­ Is your friend here?¡±


    She stands up and takes another look around.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but I don¡¯t think so. I¡¯m going to check. Don¡¯t disturb me.¡±


    With that, she stops talking. I look to Tiene.


    ¡°So what kind of rumours were there?¡±


    ¡°Aunty was known in the village as a wise woman. The people of the town would come and talk to her, ask her advice and buy remedies for various maladies. But during the night, others would come and visit. I never saw anything myself, but Sel told me there were Orcs and Shadelings. Even a troll once. They came to trade knowledge and magics. With these dark spells she would make sure our family was strong, and that the others were weak.¡±


    S grunts, swinging her arm out. We watch her a moment, but she¡¯s perfectly still again. Tiene continues.


    ¡°I thought that was all nonsense, just stories made up to scare me about a sweet old woman who was always nice to me. To find out that she¡¯s some sort of fiend that kidnaps and sacrifices people is¡­¡±


    S takes a deep breath, shaking her head.


    ¡°She wasn¡¯t.¡±


    We look at her.


    ¡°She was a kind of witch. Her power comes from the crossroads where Nature and Darkness meets. A dark shaman I guess.¡±


    Tiene looks desperate, her voice a loud whisper.


    ¡°How do you know?¡±


    S smiles sadly.


    ¡°I just talked to her. A nice woman, if a bit family centric. My friend isn¡¯t here. Never was. Your family isn¡¯t involved in the cult.¡±


    A raspy voice comes from the entryway.


    ¡°Cult you say?¡±


    We all look. S swears under her breath. Oltab Candrid stands there, leaning on his cane. Behind him are two men, one leading a cow, the other holding a sickle. The old mans smile isn¡¯t comforting.


    ¡°Tiene, I¡¯m disappointed in you. You refuse to do as you¡¯re told, you defy our traditions. When things finally calm down a little you start cavorting with this vegetable, and now I find you leading strangers to our family''s sacred grounds?¡±


    She takes a step towards him.


    ¡°Father, I¡­¡±


    He waves her off, interrupting her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother. You¡¯re going straight to your room. You¡¯ll stay there until the day after next. Then we¡¯ll travel to the Kellen farmstead. Tabathon has agreed to our terms. He¡¯s willing to ignore your glaring faults for the chance at our livestock.¡±


    She stops, looking down. As she turns towards me I get a sinking feeling I¡¯m about to lose out on a quest and an excellent companion.


    ¡°Tee, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    I step forwards, standing next to her. Facing the old man, I steel myself for a beating.


    ¡°Mister Candrid. My name is Tee, and I¡¯m here to take your daughter to the life she wants and deserves.¡±


    The three men and Tiene look at me in shock.


    ¡°Now stand aside before my companions and I have to force the issue.¡±


    The man with a sickle steps forward with a grin. Oltab gestures towards the room.


    ¡°You and what companions? All I see is a quaking leaf I call daughter, and an errant piece of vegetation in dire need of pruning. Jackson, kill him. He¡¯s an adventurer, he¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Your relationship with your companion has increased to Admiration.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Jackson raises his arm, sickle in hand, and brings it down on my head with a wet sound.

 Chapter 17 - Calm

    I open my eyes and look at my body. Jackson seems particularly happy about his kill. Looking at Tiene I find her as confused as I am, staring at her own duplicate. A hand tugs at my sleeve, and I see S standing there, waving for us to follow. After a moments consideration, we do.


    Once outside the cave, we run into the tree line as we hear shouts coming from the cave. We keep going until my stamina runs out and we¡¯re forced to slow down. S is leading us deeper into the forest, away from the Candrid farm. Tiene breaks the silence.


    ¡°What was that? I saw him kill Tee. I saw myself reacting to it! What did you do?¡±


    S stops and listens for a moment, scanning our surroundings. Once she finds it safe, she turns to us.


    ¡°It¡¯s a high level skill. Rare. They¡¯re going to follow us, but they won¡¯t be able to find us. I¡¯m good at what I do.¡±


    Tiene looks ready to start shouting, so I interpose myself.


    ¡°S, I don¡¯t think¡­¡±


    She stops me with a gesture.


    ¡°Selene. My name is Selene.¡±


    My companion shifts into her polite mode.


    ¡°My name is Tiene Candrid. Pleased to meet you.¡±


    She manages a curtsy before she realises what she¡¯s doing. Turning around in a huff, she stands apart from us, sulking.


    ¡°Look, Selene, we¡¯re not doubting your skills at mind manipulation or whatever that was, but what are we going to do about it all? Her family seem to be part of some sort of cult. Were they the ones who had me killed?¡±


    Her eyes bore into me, searching my soul.


    ¡°I told you, they worship nature and darkness. All the hearts there were animals. The only human spirit was her aunt, who was a lovely woman by the way. They aren¡¯t responsible for the death cult, but she gave me some good information as to where I can go to find out more. I don¡¯t know if they were the ones to kill you. From what I understand it might have been an accident, using too much of the paralytic in a bad place.¡±


    Tiene turns back to us when she hears this.


    ¡°Before today I wouldn¡¯t say they were capable of killing anyone, but after what I just saw, it¡¯s impossible to deny any longer. We use paralytic poison in the abattoir to keep the animals from panicking before they¡¯re slaughtered. I doubt Sel would do it though. Poison isn¡¯t his style.¡±


    I consider her words while Selene looks at me expectantly.


    ¡°What about the little one, Johnny? He was pretty vicious with the bow, could he have done it?¡±


    She looks worried.


    ¡°Before, I¡¯d say no, but I guess. He idolises Sel, so if they worked together.¡±


    I put a hand on her shoulder.


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, you know that, right? If they decided to take things in their own hand, that¡¯s on them. It was annoying, and a little scary, but us adventurers are hard to keep down.¡±


    I nod towards Selene who shrugs in response.


    ¡°But I think you should stay close to me for now. I¡¯m heading to the Barret farm to learn from Emmet now. Come with me, and we¡¯ll lay low there until I¡¯m ready to leave town. The mayor is going to introduce me to some people who need farmers. It¡¯ll be a good place to hide.¡±


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Your companions state has changed to Uncertain.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%"> - Tiene will listen to your commands with few objections. If you¡¯re proven to work against her, the repercussions will be severe.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    She puts her arms around me, hugging me.


    ¡°Thank you Tee. I¡¯ll follow you wherever you want me to. You¡¯re the only person I can trust anymore.¡±


    Selene snorts slightly.


    ¡°If you two are done, I¡¯d like to get on my way. I¡¯ll show you to the farm first.¡±


    As we move through the forest at a slower pace, I try not to think about sabotaging the pig.


    ***


    The Barret farm is in a flatter area than Rognstad¡¯s place. The house is larger, with an annex for housing seasonal workers. There¡¯s nobody home when we arrive, so I ask Tiene to make herself at home in the barn for now. She says goodbye to Selene before heading over. The dark scout stares me down until we¡¯re alone.


    ¡°You should be careful how you treat them.¡±


    I raise an eyebrow.


    ¡°Treat who? The NPCs?¡±


    She nods.


    ¡°I treat them well. I get along with most of them, apart from the really bad ones.¡±


    She shakes her head.


    ¡°You did something to a friend of hers that she wouldn¡¯t appreciate. That makes me think you have a tendency to play them against each other to gain benefit. That¡¯s a players attitude. It¡¯s not going to earn you a lot of friends.¡±


    She looks serious. Not angry, more like concerned.


    ¡°I know. And I try to be good. I¡¯ve fucked up a couple of times though.¡±


    Her eyes finally leave me and I feel a profound sense of relief. I hadn¡¯t realised the pressure she exerts.


    ¡°You can keep the coins I gave you. They should help out in a new life. I¡¯d like the amulet back, however. They¡¯re hard to make.¡±


    I hand her the amulet she gave me.


    ¡°If you go back to town, you have to be careful. I won¡¯t be able to save your ass again.¡±


    Smiling at her, I nod.


    ¡°I understand. But if I could ask you a favour, could you keep an eye out for some people? There¡¯s a man calling himself Captain Tubbins who stole something from me, a gift from my guide.¡±


    At the mention of a guide, she flinches a little.


    ¡°If you see him, could you send me a letter or something? I¡¯d really like to talk to him. Also, there are two friends of mine who go by the names Rainbringer and Stompsmash. They¡¯re good people, so¡­ you know, don¡¯t kill them or anything.¡±


    She turns to leave.


    ¡°Will we meet again?¡±


    She doesn¡¯t turn around.


    ¡°Doubt it, but you never know. Prime is an asshole. If he finds it funny, we¡¯ll see each other again.¡±


    ¡°Hey kid! I didn¡¯t expect you here already. Do you have something for me?¡±


    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.Emmet''s voice calls me, making me turn away from Selene. When I turn back, she¡¯s gone. Emmet comes up besides me, following my gaze.


    ¡°What are we looking at?¡±


    I absentmindedly grab his package from my backpack, handing it to him.


    ¡°A ghost, highly trained adventurer or something worse. I¡¯m really not sure yet.¡±


    He laughs loudly as unwraps the underwear.


    ¡°You actually did it? You animal!¡±


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Your relationship with Farmer Barret has increased to Mentor.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Slapping my back with a heavy hand, his laughter alerts Tiene who walks over from the barn.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening? Oh, hi Mister Barret.¡±


    The laughter catches in his throat when he sees her.


    ¡°Miss Candrid, what are you doing here? Is your father with you?¡±


    He looks around worriedly as she shakes her head.


    ¡°No, he doesn¡¯t know I¡¯m here. We¡¯re here to ask a favour.¡±


    Visibly relaxing, Emmet''s smile returns.


    ¡°Anything for my raider friend here.¡±


    She looks between us in confusion and I try to disarm the situation.


    ¡°We need a place to lay low for a few days, until I¡¯m done training. I have a lead on somewhere to go as soon as I have the farmer profession. Also, don¡¯t tell anyone that we¡¯re here.¡±


    Hi smile drops again.


    ¡°Do you mean that nobody knows she¡¯s here? Or you, for that matter?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. And we¡¯d like to keep it that way for now. Can you help us?¡±


    He frowns as he considers it, before reaching a conclusion.


    ¡°I will. You¡¯ll stay upstairs in the barn. It smells of animals, but it¡¯ll keep you warm and there are lots of places to hide up there.¡±


    I put out my hand and he shakes it.


    ¡°Thank you Emmet. It makes our lives so much easier. We¡¯ll work for our food.¡±


    His grin tells me damn straight you will.


    ***


    Tiene spends the next two days making improvements to the farm. She has an incredible engineering mind, considering the level of technology in this area. Between shifts working my ass off in the wheat fields, she shows me her prototypes of an archimedean screw. I praise her inventiveness, making Emmet mock us by making kissy sounds. I chase him away as we continue the training. Soon, he¡¯s taught me about planting tougher crops, about soil and nutrition. After a long days work, we¡¯re all sitting around a fire.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Through hard work and dedication you have progressed on the profession path Farmer. Consult with more farmers and learn their techniques to continue.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    ¡°Tomorrow morning I¡¯m heading to Korroms farm to deliver some grains and pick up some goods. I¡¯ll take you with me so you don¡¯t have to show yourself in town. You¡¯ll hide in the back with the barrels of grain.¡±


    Emmet throws another log on the fire as Tiene looks up in alarm.


    ¡°Will there be enough space there for both of us?¡±


    He shakes his head.


    ¡°No, you¡¯ll stay here with me for now. I¡¯ll keep you hidden until Tee comes back for you. Less risk that way.¡±


    She eyes me anxiously.


    It makes sense to leave her behind for now.


    ¡°I¡¯ll come back for you as soon as I can. If I¡¯m caught alone I¡¯ll be able to escape one way or the other. If you¡¯re caught, it all gets more complicated.¡±


    She nods thoughtfully, not entirely convinced.


    ¡°But what if you never come back?¡±


    I smile at her.


    ¡°If I never come back, Emmet will help you escape to the neighbouring town. From there you¡¯ll be able to make your way to a city where your talents will be sought after. Here, take this for safe keeping.¡±


    I hand her my pouch of coins. I won¡¯t need them for a while, and if I really can¡¯t make it back it¡¯ll help her. Her eyes go wide when she realises what it is.


    ¡°Real coins. We never use real coins here, we only barter. They say it¡¯s the kings taxes that make it hard to keep money circulating, but I think it¡¯s a way to keep people stuck where they are. It¡¯s hard to make a new life somewhere else when all you own is too large to carry with you.¡±


    We sit and talk for a while longer until the fire dies down before retiring for the evening. We bed down on strewn hay, hidden in the barn. Tiene is asleep almost immediately, her breathing slow and rhythmic. I fade into sleep soon after.


    ***


    Every bump in the road reinforces my feelings of regret. I¡¯m stuffed into the back of a cart between a sack of grain and a barrel of some foul smelling liquid. The last time I heard voices was a while ago when Emmet stopped by the inn to pick up breakfast. I could feel a strange longing to the simple comfort of having something to and a reasonably safe place to do it.


    Wait, no, I was constantly being watched and even killed once. Man, nostalgia sets in quick around here.


    An hour after we continue our trip, he knocks on the cart to let me know it¡¯s safe to get out. We¡¯re in a different part of the forest now. There are clear signs of logging in the forest, with fresh growth filling in between the dead stumps.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡±


    I sit next to Emmet up front, with a heavy cloak to hide my features in case of observers.


    ¡°We¡¯re getting close to the sawmill. This is one of their early logging operations. They rotate them around every few years to avoid decimating the stock. This place will be ready for harvest in another ten or so years. Earlier if they can get Father Houg to bless the growth regularly, but he¡¯s a bit of a stickler for the rules.¡±


    I smile at that.


    ¡°As opposed to Sheriff Houg the lawman, or Mr. Houg the town clerk?¡±


    He chuckles.


    ¡°An industrious man our Houg. Rumour has it he was trained at the royal academy. Why he¡¯s stuck here in the middle of nowhere is anybodies guess. If you look to the left now, you¡¯ll see the lumber mill.¡±


    A large building sits in the distance next to a river. Logs are fished out of the water and stacked along a platform to dry, before being hauled in on one side of the mill. On the other side there are people receiving the raw planks, preparing them for curing on a separate platform nearby. I¡¯m impressed by the organisation of the site.


    When we arrive at the Gennet farm, we¡¯re met by the grumbly dwarfkin. Him and Emmet exchange some words before he departs, leaving me alone with Korrom. We look at each other for a moment before I break the silence.


    ¡°The pig is fed.¡±


    He nods and turns away, and I scramble to follow.

 Chapter 18 - Fairy

    ¡°I guess you want me to teach you the intricacies of being a farmer now, eh?¡±


    For a short person, he moves fast. By the time we reach the fields, Emmet is already halfway done offloading the goods.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we be helping him?¡±


    I get a glare for my concern.


    ¡°He wants help, he¡¯ll ask for it, same as anyone. See these leaves here?¡±


    He points at some plants growing from the ground. Three straight, thin leaves pointing in different directions. I indicate that yes, I can see them.


    ¡°That¡¯s known as a Fairyhome.¡±


    He bends over, grabs the leaves and yanks the plant out of the ground. A swirl of light follows a large, brown root. A ghostly wail sounds out as the light disperses, leaving me with an uneasy feeling.


    ¡°That was the fairy.¡±


    He holds the root between his rough hands and squeezes it. For a moment, nothing happens. Then, with a loud crack, his hands start to move closer. A thin liquid starts pouring out from the bottom of the root.


    ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there kid, catch the blood!¡±


    With nothing else available, I hold my hands underneath the stream, catching as much as I can. It¡¯s clear, with a smell reminiscent of overripe fruit. There¡¯s much more than will fit in my hands. Emmet arrives in time to see the stream stop and Korrom throws the remains over his shoulder.


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t have given the boy a bucket, could you.¡±


    Korrom grunts and moves toward a barn. Emmet shakes his head and follows.


    ¡°He¡¯s not used to people.¡±


    I follow, fairy blood dripping from my cupped hands. Halfway to the barn, Korrom returns with a bucket for me to store it in. Rolling my eyes, we follow him back into the barn. Most of the barn is taken up by a large metal monstrosity. Korrom goes to the midpoint of the machine and climbs to the top while Emmet stays next to me.


    ¡°This is the extractor. The first part there is a grinder. Then there¡¯s the central part which is a large boiler, designed to heat up the liquid. Parts of it will evaporate, and the liquid from that is used as food flavouring. The heavier elements are left behind as heavy flakes of sugar. These are ground up in a mortar and stored as the fairysugar you¡¯ve already seen.¡±


    Once the liquid was in the machine, the process slowed down. Korrom comes back to us looking at me expectantly.


    ¡°Well? Have you finished the profession unlock yet?¡±


    I look from Emmet to Korrom.


    ¡°Uh, no I have not. I think you have to teach me some of your wisdom first. But out of curiosity, were those real fairies?¡±


    Emmet snorts at this. Korrom looks at me like I¡¯m an idiot.


    ¡°Of course not. Real fairies my short and curlies. The plants are a mutated species, from the nightshade family. Like a potato, but suffused in elemental Light. It¡¯ll sit around sucking up the sunlight until it¡¯s nice and plump. Then it goes through the grinder to extract the good stuff.¡±


    I nod my head carefully.


    ¡°How do you go about mutating a plant?¡±


    He stares at me for a moment.


    ¡°Gods be damned son, you don¡¯t know anything do you? Come here and I¡¯ll show you.¡±


    Korrom grabs my arm dragging me away. Emmet waves at us and leaves. I¡¯m all alone with the crazy person now. Yay.


    ***


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Through advanced learning and understanding you have unlocked the profession Farmer.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill discovered: Herbalism.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Skill discovered: Animal Handling.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Please pick a primary skill for profession Farmer.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Herbalism.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Animal Handling.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">(Note: Primary skill will be profession enhanced. The choice is permanent. More picks will be available when profession levels up.)</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">(Profession enhanced skills are eligible for specialisations.)</td></tr></tbody></table>


    The game wants me to chose what kind of farmer I want to be. The Herbalism skill gives me knowledge about plants and things that grow. The Animal Handling skill does the same for animals. My mind was made up days ago.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill Herbalism has been selected for profession enhancement.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Profession interface Farmer has been unlocked.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Profession Farmer is Level 1.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Farmer Level 2 unlock criteria:</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Primary skill(Herbalism) level 3.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Plant common crop.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Harvest common crop.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    My notifications are chattier than ever. I open the Farmer interface with a thought, but all I get is a list of the unlock criteria and a big label telling me I don¡¯t have a farm nor a plot of land to farm on. Oh well. I go back to Korrom, forcing myself to listen to his excited rants. This one is about the difference between a red Lionsmane and a blue one.


    ***


    The last day has been awful. Normally a man of few words, when you get him talking about plant splicing and manipulation, Korrom will not shut up. I went to bed long after the moons came out. I had just managed to doze off when Korrom pulled me out of bed. I shambled after him only for him to show me a flower experiment he was working on. He had gotten a rare reaction and showed me a petal with a slowly shifting rainbow patter. Apparently it was a successful infusion of Chaos that made it possible. I left him talking to the flowers and barricaded my door this time.


    I wake up early to loud voices and laughter. Stumbling out of my room I reach the kitchen. I¡¯m halfway through planning breakfast before I remember where I am. Out the window, I can see Korrom talking to three people. A chubby guy is standing to one side, clothes covered in sawdust. Probably some visitors from the mill. One of the newcomers is a large, bald man. His arms are folded, his body language telling me he¡¯s not here for the jokes. The third man, the one talking and laughing, seems oddly familiar. I was my face and go outside.


    As I¡¯m getting closer, I can see Korrom is uncomfortable with something. The fat guy spots me first, and say something that makes the talker stop and look at me. I barely recognise him, his finely sculpted beard having grown in his days at the mill. He walks past Korrom to move towards me.


    ¡°Fred.¡±


    I keep my voice cool. This isn¡¯t something I need right now. He grins widely in return.


    ¡°Sprout! It¡¯s good to see you again. I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d be here. Old Korrom there didn¡¯t say anything about guests.¡±


    Sal and Lout come closer, with Lout herding Korrom towards us. Fred steps closer to me, almost conspiratorially.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t happen to know where the halfbreed keeps the distilled fairy blood, do you?¡±


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.I do, but I shake my head.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: Deception.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    He looks convinced, but I somehow doubt it matters a lot.


    ¡°That¡¯s a shame. You see, there was a guy who visited us at the mill the other day who brought an amazing recipe for moonshine. The only ingredient we¡¯re missing is, well, you get the picture.¡±


    Korrom steps forward until Lout puts a hand on his shoulder.


    ¡°Mixing alcohol with the distilled blood will result in a toxin. You¡¯ll kill anyone you give it to. I can¡¯t let you do that.¡±


    Fred grunts, and Lout punches Korrom in the kidney. The stoic man resists it, but his eyes betray the pain he feels.


    ¡°I guess we have to tear this place apart to find it then. Sal, did you bring the matches?¡±


    Sal chuckles as he nods. I kick myself for not insisting Selene stayed longer, for not getting Stomp and Rain to get here quicker.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea. The mayor depends on this place for regular deliveries. I don¡¯t think he¡¯d be happy to hear that you¡¯ve torched all his stuff.¡±


    Lout has the decency to look worried, but Sal and Fred don¡¯t seem too bothered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make sure there aren¡¯t any traces left. No witness and no evidence means he won¡¯t take the word of some adventurer.¡±


    I wrack my brain trying to think something as Fred draws a knife from a scabbard on his belt.


    ¡°That would have been an excellent plan, but he¡¯s going to visit today to check out the new Fairyhome crop.¡±


    I point towards the fields.


    ¡°Look at the colours, it¡¯s as ripe as it¡¯s going to get. He¡¯ll be here today to sample the first batch.¡±


    Crossing my fingers for a successful deception check, I see him considering my words.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: Deception.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Faster than I can process he stabs the knife into my shoulder, and I fall to my knees from pain.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">You have taken 25% damage.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    He turns away, leaving the knife. Korrom runs to me as Fred gathers his friends and walks away.


    ¡°Come on boys. He might be lying, but we don¡¯t have to risk it today. We can come back for it later. Lets go and see if that barwench is up for entertaining again.¡±


    My blood runs cold as I hear their guffaws as they disappear down the road. Korrom pulls out the knife with a single motion making me scream.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">You have taken 10% damage.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    He leads me inside and starts mixing a poultice for me.


    ¡°We have to go after them. I think they have Yadra.¡±


    He looks at me as he¡¯s grinding some herbs in a mortar.


    ¡°Who? Oh, the angry woman from the inn?¡±


    I nod as I press a cloth to my wound. For some reason it¡¯s not healing yet.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we can take on all of them. How are we supposed to defeat them?¡±


    ¡°We can go to the mayor, tell him how he threatened you.¡±


    Korrom shakes his head.


    ¡°If we do that it¡¯s their word against ours. Best case, the mayor will punish them for being rude. A week or two later and they¡¯ll come back in the night and finish the job.¡±


    I look at the knife, turning it in my hand. Light reflects off the blade, distracting me from the pain.


    ¡°What about the Sheriff?¡±


    His reaction is predictable.


    ¡°Same problem. He might believe us over them. Probably will. But word against word is still not enough for a serious punishment.¡±


    I know he¡¯s right. I grit my teeth as he mushes the herby mixture into my wound, wrapping a long strip of cloth around to keep it in place. The smell is musty, but fresh. In my mild agony I realise I know how to make one of those myself. I look into his eyes as he¡¯s adjusting the bandage.


    ¡°I need you to teach me a little about mushrooms.¡±


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: Herbalism.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Skill discovered: Mycology.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    ***


    Stalking through the forest is much faster in the light. Korrom told me the direction to go, and how to make my way back. He even gave me a few potions to maintain my stamina. He was eager to get back at the scum.


    It takes a few hours to get to the Candrid caves. When I get closer I start moving slower, trying to stay hidden. I doubt there¡¯s any chance of staying hidden if there¡¯s anyone here, but it can¡¯t really hurt. At the mouth of the cave, I see the mushrooms. There dozens of them, several different kinds, and I pick a few of each, putting them in separate bags as I go.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Purple Blowhat</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Rare.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Known effects: None.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Base chance of cultivation: 0.2%</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Elven Grimsnout</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Uncommon.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Known effects: None.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Base chance of cultivation: 3%</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Common Flycap</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Common.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Known effects: Poison.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Base chance of cultivation: 10%</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Orcwart</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Uncommon.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Known effects: None.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Base chance of cultivation: 3%</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Promising. I consider going into the cave to make sure there isn¡¯t anything I need in there, but decide against it. No point in risking it.


    My train of thought is interrupted by the sound of footfall in the distance, coming closer.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: Perception.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I scurry into the forest, hiding under a bush. Oltab and Sel are walking towards the entrance, a pig in tow.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why, dammit. Maybe she¡¯s just missing Tiene. Damn that green bastard for stealing her away like that. Come along now, we need to do this sacrifice to ward off any further distress.¡±


    They enter the cave without noticing me, and I exhale a breath I didn¡¯t know I was holding. Getting up, I hear a cough behind me. I turn slowly to see Johnny standing there, bow in hand. An arrow is pointing straight at me, and I know I¡¯m in trouble.


    ¡°You remember who I am, right?¡±


    He nods.


    ¡°Do you love your sister?¡±


    Another nod, more vigorous than before.


    ¡°You realise she wasn¡¯t happy here, don¡¯t you?¡±


    He looks away for a moment. His eyes are a little shinier than before.


    ¡°Look, I only want what¡¯s best for her, and that is to chose for herself. I promise I¡¯ll take good care of her, and when she wants to come home I¡¯ll help her all the way.¡±


    I try to stand, and he makes a threatening gesture towards me. I keep a hand on the knife I got from Fred, just in case.


    ¡°Listen, you already killed me once. I know it was you who dosed me with the paralytic poison. Did Sel put you up to it?¡±


    His eyes go wide as I mention the poison, and I know I have him.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Ability increase: Charisma.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    ¡°Let me go, and neither of us speak of this again. When you¡¯re a bit older, if you realise why she left, you can come and visit us.¡±


    He¡¯s on the edge. I just need one more push. I move closer to him, looking him in the eyes. He gestures for me to stop a couple of times, but I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll shoot.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you how to find us when you¡¯re ready, but you can¡¯t tell anyone else, okay? I¡¯m trusting you on this one. The mayor will know where we¡¯re going. He¡¯ll tell you when you ask.¡±


    I can hear voices from the cave, letting me know I¡¯m out of time.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    I take off back towards the Gennet farm, hoping for the best.


    No arrows strike me as I run.

 Chapter 19 - Venin

    At the farm, Korrom had stayed busy. A small alchemy lab stands on his kitchen table, with flasks bubbling and seething. It¡¯s an impressive setup, but judging by his grinder he¡¯s an accomplished tinker. Tiene is going to be annoyed that I left her behind.


    As soon as he sees me he lifts a pair of goggles from his eyes.


    ¡°About time you made it back. What did you find?¡±


    I hand him the packages, and he spreads them out across the table. Some hemming and hawing later, he turns back to me.


    ¡°Time to make a decision boy.¡±


    He points to the first batch, a purple tinged puffball mushroom.


    ¡°The Blowhat will create a volatile mixture. I¡¯ll put it on a bottle for you, and when the bottle breaks, gas will fill the closest area. It won¡¯t kill anyone outright, but anyone who breathes it in will need magical healing to breathe properly again.¡±


    The next batch is the Orcwart. A knobbly brownish green growth.


    ¡°This will kill a person if it gets on naked skin for too long. I¡¯ll extract the active ingredients and mix it with some grease. Don¡¯t touch it without gloves.¡±


    He points to the last open bag. The polkadot red Common Flycap.


    ¡°Using the flycap is trickier. It¡¯s not nearly as poisonous as it¡¯s reputation insists, but it has to be ingested to have an effect. I can turn it into a paralytic poison easily.¡±


    Turning towards me, his eyebrow raised, he waits for my decision.


    I¡¯m not sure about killing them. They talk like they¡¯d happily kill us, but that¡¯s all it is so far, talk. Killing them with poison would be premeditated murder, in cold blood. I discard that idea. The flycap seems the safest choice, if I can get it into food. It really depends on whether they¡¯re about to eat or not. I¡¯m tempted by the Blowhat for it¡¯s simple delivery. It¡¯ll make it hard for them to come after us, and they won¡¯t heal until we¡¯re miles away. The only problem is Yadra. If she¡¯s around, I don¡¯t want her to be caught up as collateral damage. If she eats a paralytic, I can just carry her with me until she wakes up.


    ¡°Make the Flycap poison. I think that¡¯s the safest choice.¡±


    He nods, a look of relief in his eyes.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Your standing with Korrom Gennet has increased to Accepted.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    ¡°It¡¯ll take me an hour to finish the dose. Go make yourself useful in the field while I work.¡±


    He turns around with a grunt, indicating that we¡¯re done talking.


    ***


    Working the field is nice. Nobody dying, no pressure to perform, nobody shouting at me.


    ¡°Come on up here you waste of good air. It¡¯s done!¡±


    I let out a suffering sigh as I put away the hoe. One of these days.


    Korrom has removed his mad alchemist garb, sporting a simple leather vest and dark trousers. A bandoleer crosses his chest with several knives, and a vicious looking meat tenderiser is hanging from his belt.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    He starts moving, only turning back when her realises I¡¯m not following.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, lost your virtue to a scarecrow? Daylight is burning, and we should get there before supper if you want to get anything useful done.¡±


    I shake my head at him.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going.¡±


    His eyes show shock.


    ¡°Are you serious? You can¡¯t take on a job like this without backup. Who¡¯s going to make sure you¡¯re not ambushed and beaten? Who¡¯s going to secure your escape!?¡±


    I clap my arm on his shoulder.


    ¡°If I die, I come back. If you die, you¡¯re gone. Simple as that. If I fail, we get another chance. Give me the bottle and keep a light burning for me. I¡¯ll be coming in hot, and I¡¯ll be bringing company.¡±


    He mutters a curse under his breath, condemning a substantial portion of my innards to a state of restless hell as he hands over the little glass container. The liquid inside is clear, slightly viscous and when I hold it against the night sky, vaguely luminescent.


    ¡°I added a touch of fairysugar. It¡¯ll mask the bitterness of the poison. Don¡¯t worry, the food won¡¯t glow, though they might be startled the next time they urinate on purpose.¡±


    We chuckle a bit and shake hands before I leave.


    ***


    The mill is a fair walk away, and I get there as the sun starts setting. The red moon grows larger in the sky as the lumberjacks light lanterns along their huts and camps. There are a good hundred people here, spread across twenty odd camps. I go to the most solid building I see with a smokestack and check inside.


    There¡¯s a large room with tables, counters and a kitchen, with a storage area to one side. Five men are scrambling to cook a meal larger than anything I¡¯ve tried to do. I saunter in and catch the attention of one of the cooks.


    ¡°Hi there, I¡¯m looking for a couple of friends of mine.¡±


    The man doesn¡¯t even slow down as he heads to the storage area. A minute later he¡¯s back with a large sack of potatoes.


    ¡°Sorry, excuse me, could I just have a moment¡­¡±


    The biggest man there turns to me, bright red.


    ¡°Does it look like we have a bloody moment?! Either pick up a knife and start chopping or get the hell out!¡±


    Used as I am to work time abuse, I put my gear to one side and accept his challenge. I find their pace much faster than what I¡¯m used to, but I have enough skill to keep up with them.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Your standing with the Hogsmudd Lumbermill has increased to Above Neutral.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: Cooking.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    After the food has been prepped and cooking is underway, the atmosphere relaxes noticeably. The biggest man, Bontar, turns out to be the head chef.


    ¡°Thanks for your hard work stranger. What is it you wanted earlier? Looking for a friend was it?¡±


    I smile as I clean off another knife.


    ¡°No problem at all. I came into your kitchen at a bad time, least I could do is work for a favour. I¡¯m looking for a man named Fred. Pointy face, ratty moustache, a bit unkempt these days.¡±


    Bontar screws up his face in disgust.


    ¡°You¡¯re a friend of that piece of filth? I may have to scrap the food you¡¯ve touched then.¡±


    I start laughing, and he joins in nervously after a moment.


    ¡°I get it, he¡¯s a total knob. Lets just say I he owes me an apology or two, and I aim to collect.¡±


    Grabbing a nearby meat cleaver, I flourish it the way Yadra had a few days ago. Bontar smiles at the thought.


    ¡°Ah, that makes a lot more sense. Him and his buddies are holed up in a camp outside the main site. They stay up late making noise, so nobody wants to stay too close to them.¡±


    He points me in the right direction, and I thank him.


    ¡°Any time friend. If you need a job, I¡¯d be happy to take you on as an apprentice. Any man willing to work like you would be an asset.¡±


    I hurry towards the campsite, careful to stay out of the main paths. When I get to the edge of the mill site, I move into the bushes to stay hidden. Soon, I¡¯m near their tent. It¡¯s a larger affair than I¡¯d expected, easily the size of a small cabin. A large central tent of rough canvas was flanked by three side tents of a white material I couldn¡¯t identify. The entry was more ostentatious than the ones in the main camp, leading me to wonder just how these guys could support themselves, considering their work ethic. I sneak closer to wait for my opportunity. Inside, I can hear Fred speaking to someone.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, you don¡¯t seem that into it. Maybe I should just go back home.¡±


    He laughs raucously, making me cringe. Is he talking to Yadra now? I hold the bottle of flycap poison in my hand, feeling some regret that I didn¡¯t pick the more vicious options. Without warning, the world explodes in pain, and I pass out.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ***


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">HP: 80%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">You are stunned (15s)</td></tr></tbody></table>


    As the debuff counts down, I find myself being dragged by my feet into the tent. I see the tall form of Lout pulling my weight as if I weighed nothing.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">You are no longer stunned.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    He drops my legs when I¡¯m in the middle of the large tent, and I sit up carefully. The back of my head hurts like hell. Fred has the good grace to look surprised to see me. Leaning forward he grins.


    ¡°Well well, if it isn¡¯t our old friend cabbagehead. What brings you here?¡±


    Sal comes in from one of the other tents, adjusting his crotch with a grim smile.


    ¡°Sal, we have company. Don¡¯t gross out the poor man.¡±


    Lout bends down and lifts me up by my shirt. As I¡¯m hanging there, Fred searches me quickly, removing the dagger he left with me. In the corner, I see Torg eating a piece of fruit, intently ignoring what¡¯s happening here.


    ¡°Oh ho, I think he¡¯s just here to return my knife. And he even cleaned it!¡±


    Sal stands behind me as Lout puts me down. I ball my fists, staring at Fred.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter friend, nothing clever to say this time? Where¡¯s that silver tongue of yours?¡±


    I look at the others. Their eyes are gleaming with savage joy.


    ¡°Is Yadra here?¡±


    Fred''s smile grows wider.


    ¡°Yadra the bar wench? Or, just a wench now, I guess. She¡¯s been in our employ for the last few days, earning her keep. Isn¡¯t that right Sal?¡±


    Sal lets out a wicked chuckle.


    ¡°You should let us go. Maybe we¡¯ll let you off with a warning. I¡¯ve got the sheriff coming soon.¡±


    This makes Fred and Sal laugh. Lout makes a wheezing, clucking sound.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you appreciate the situation you¡¯re in, little green man. A quick lesson is in order.¡±


    Sal pushes me forward, right into Louts waiting uppercut. I fold like a sack of potatoes, curling up as much as possible as kicks and punches rain down on me. My only solace is that I¡¯ll probably respawn in a nice bed somewhere. I lose consciousness after I lose count.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Ability increased: Endurance.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Ability increased: Endurance.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Skill discovered: Resilience.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: Resilience.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    ***


    I wake up with more pain than I¡¯d expect. My health is at 40% with no sign of regenerating. I look at my debuffs.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Severe beating</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- After a severe beating, your max health has been temporarily reduced by 30%.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Time remaining: 24 hours.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Bruised kidneys</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- You will be peeing blood. Max health reduced by 20%.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Time remaining: 12 hours.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">System shock (mild)</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Your system has received a shock. Max health reduced by 10%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Time remaining: 1 hour.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I groan while I¡¯m looking around this new room. There¡¯s an unwashed aroma here, and it¡¯s too dark to see any details.


    ¡°My hero awakens. Dumbass.¡±


    Yadra¡¯s voice seems less than impressed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why they let you live. Maybe they want to have some more fun with you. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen Fred do that much exercise since¡­ Ever.¡±


    I try to sit up, finding myself hogtied.


    ¡°A little help?¡±


    She snorts.


    ¡°And put myself in the line of another beating? No thank you.¡±


    I wriggle around a bit until I find a more comfortable position. This is not the life I signed up for.


    ¡°What are you doing here anyway? There¡¯s no way you¡¯ve come here just to set me up again.¡±


    A laugh turns into a painful cough.


    ¡°Heh. I owe you a favour, remember? I¡¯m not going to make excuses for what happened, but there¡¯s no way I¡¯m going to let you hold that over my head.¡±


    Another snort turns into a giggle. Then a brief sob before she goes quiet.


    ¡°I¡¯m not getting out of here. Even if I did, there¡¯s nowhere for me to go. I may as well stay here where my skills are appreciated.¡±


    My answer is interrupted by a person coming into the tent. The shape of Torg is briefly visible against the light. He moves to Yadra, handing her a tray.


    ¡°Here. Use this to clean yourself. Help him too. There¡¯s a little food there as well.¡±


    He turns to go.


    ¡°Wait, Torg was it?¡±


    He stops without turning back. I wriggle around until I can see him.


    ¡°Are you happy here?¡±


    Yadra kicks me lightly, but Torg doesn¡¯t answer. He doesn¡¯t leave either.


    ¡°If you help me, I can help you. You want to leave here? I can take you with me. You¡¯re big and strong. I could use someone like you where I¡¯m going.¡±


    A shuffling sound from his direction.


    ¡°I can¡¯t. Can¡¯t leave my ma.¡±


    I can sense the bitterness in his voice.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: Social Perception.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    ¡°Then help us take out Fred. People like him are all pride. If we humiliate him badly enough, he¡¯ll leave on his own.¡±


    Another shuffling sound.


    ¡°He¡¯ll hurt my ma.¡±


    Yadra puts down the tray and moves closer.


    ¡°Torg, you¡¯re not like them. Listen to Tee, he¡¯ll have a plan.¡±


    He turns back towards us, kneeling next to me.


    ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°Outside, where they found me. Search the ground. You¡¯ll find a bottle. Put that in the food, and they¡¯ll all go to sleep. It won¡¯t kill them.¡±


    He nods, grabbing my hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve spent too much time here. Scream.¡±


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">You have received 10% damage.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    There¡¯s a crushing feeling as he closes his fist around my hand. I scream. Yadra shouts. Torg leaves the room to the sound of laughter coming from the main tent. Yadra sits next to me comforting me as much as she can.


    ***


    The noise increases from the other side of the tent flap for hours. My health creeps back up to 50% and I feel much better. Suddenly the tent goes quiet, and Yadra sneaks across the room to look into the main segment. She turns back to me with a strange expression.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to leave now. Maybe we¡¯ll meet again one day. Torg will release you.¡±


    I shout after her.


    ¡°Wait, no! Come with me instead. We¡¯ll work together again, but this time we¡¯ll keep the profits, we¡¯ll make the decisions.¡±


    She laughs, a strange, sad sound.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea. I come with a lot of baggage. I forgive your debt though. I forgive you for your mistake. I¡¯ll take care of Fred as well, no need for you to dirty your hands.¡±


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Your standing with Yadra has increased to Friendship.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Your debt to Yadra has been repaid.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    She leaves the room. From the other side of the tent I hear a shocked expression. Torg is shouting. Something is thrown. Then silence, before he comes running into the room with me.


    ¡°Quick, you have to come. She¡­ She¡­¡±


    He stutters, unable to continue the sentence. With trembling hands he unties me, and I stretch before running into the tent. There¡¯s a lot of blood here. Sal and Lout are both lying on their faces, cuts on each of their legs. She severed their achilles tendons. Fred had a much worse experience as he¡¯s sitting in his chair, his feline grin frozen on his paralysed face, tears running down his chin. Blood is running down his leg without signs of stopping.


    ¡°What the fuck! Torg, lay him out flat.¡±


    I spend the next while stopping the bleeding. When he seems stable enough, I run and get the local medic. Thanks to the nature of sawmills, he had experience with bad cuts and managed to stabilise him completely. We were questioned for a while, and Torg gave up Yadra as the perpetrator. I disapproved, but wasn¡¯t really in a position to disagree. Eventually we were let go. On our way out of the mill I stopped Torg.


    ¡°Look, you¡¯ll need some work to support yourself and your mother. How do you feel about working at an inn?¡±


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill discovered: First Aid.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Your standing with Torg has improved to Like.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Quest update: Help staff the Salty Swine.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Through an unexpected twist you¡¯ve sent Torg to take up the slack after your departure. Time will tell if this was a good move or not.</td></tr></tbody></table>

 Chapter 20 - Remedy

    Finding Korroms farm in the pitch black is difficult. Torg stays behind in the camp to help clean up the mess, so I¡¯m all alone. Above me, the great red moon Paraton is glowing ominously, with blue Mian Shi behind, ever growing. The light that reaches the world is as pale as that from our own Luna, allowing me to keep to the road. Soon enough I see the lantern he¡¯s set out for me to follow.


    ¡°You¡¯re back.¡±


    I remove my shoes as I try to think of an appropriate response.


    ¡°Your mastery of stating the obvious never ceases to amaze me.¡±


    Nailed it.


    He grunts in response, pointing at an empty chair next to him, in front of the fire. There¡¯s a plate of food ready. Bread, cheese and a soup with the sharp aroma of garlic. Grabbing the bowl, I flinch when I realise how hot it is. I look at him sideways as he chuckles at my discomfort.


    After dinner he treats me to some moonshine he¡¯s brewed on fairysugar.


    The same ingredient he warned Fred about before. The liquid glows softly red as he fills a shotglass for each of us, and we down it together. A burning sensation starts spreading through my body, starting in my mouth, following the path of the spirit through my body. When the heat reaches my extremities, I realise with a start that I can sense everything around me, from the light falling through a window to the spiders crawling in their webs around the grubby cellar.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">You have gained a buff: Perfect Sense (Physical)</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">- Duration: 10 seconds.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    I revel in the experience until the buff wears off, leaving me cold and empty inside.


    ¡°What the hell dude. Why aren¡¯t you mainlining this stuff?¡±


    He smiles sadly.


    ¡°It¡¯s dangerous and expensive. The process takes some time, but the tricky part is exposing the product to the moons during a full moon surge. This bottle is all I could make during the last one. Besides, the addiction is a real problem. If I could solve the issues, I¡¯d be set for life.¡±


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">You have discovered a quest: Moonshine.</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">- Korrom has told you about the process of creating the epic spirit Moonshine. Help him solve the issues around producing the heady liquor.</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">- Known issues:</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">- Timing - Moonshine must be infused by the light of a surging moon, the type of moonshine being determined by which moon is surging.</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">- Resources - Moonshine is created from Fairyhome products. A tricky crop to grow as there is never enough.</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">- Addiction - Moonshine is addictive. This is good for repeat custom, but it draws attention from law enforcement.</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">- Duration - The effects from Moonshine are very short lived. Increasing the potency would be good for business.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    He sighs wistfully as numbers begin streaming through my head. I accept the quest.


    ¡°Can I have some Fairyhome seeds?¡±


    He¡¯s clearly caught off guard, eyes widening. After a moment, his body language relaxes and he nods solemnly.


    ¡°Yeah, I can swing that. I¡¯ll prep some seedlings for you for tomorrow. Emmet should be back by then as well.¡±


    We retire for the evening, and I drift off to sleep with visions of coin dancing through my head.


    ***


    Emmet is flustered as he arrives.


    ¡°You sure know how to start trouble. You¡¯ll have to hide in the wagon again. They¡¯re searching for someone to blame for an incident at the mill.¡±


    I groan.


    ¡°Yeah, that kind of slipped away from me. In my defence, I was only planning on stripping them naked and posing them in a compromising position.¡±


    He shakes his head as he starts loading the cart with goods for the town.


    ¡°And I suppose you slipped and maimed them for life?¡±


    Korrom chuckles at this. Emmet glowers at him for a moment. I¡¯m just standing there trying not to look too guilty about the entire thing. I wish it¡¯d happened differently, but maybe it worked out for the best. I break the uncomfortable silence.


    ¡°Let¡¯s head off to your farm. I bet Tiene is getting restless.¡±


    As I get into the wagon, I find a new backpack sitting there. I look at the others. Emmet shrugs and gets ready to leave. Korrom looks bashful.


    ¡°I reckon you could use an upgrade to that manky old thing you were dragging around. The seedlings are wrapped in there, but try to plant them within two weeks, or they¡¯ll start to deteriorate.¡±


    I open the pack to check out the plants.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Fairyhome</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">- Rare.</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">- Known effects: Luminescent.</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">- Base chance to cultivate: 5%</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">- Seedling prepared by Korrom: Base chance to cultivate increased by 20%.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    There¡¯s a bottle underneath, glowing softly.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Paraton Moonshine</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">- Imparts Perfect Sense (Physical).</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    I jump out of the cart, grabbing the little guy by his shirt.


    ¡°That¡¯s worth a fortune you dumbass, you can¡¯t waste that on a fucking adventurer like me!¡±


    His voice is tight, emotional.


    ¡°Then maybe you should give it back.¡±


    He grabs my head by the ears, looking into my eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯ve shown a lot of promise, kid. Stay true to yourself, and do what¡¯s right.¡±


    I¡¯m touched by his words, and I¡¯m about to say something when he rears his head back, smacking his forehead into mine.


    ***


    I wake up during the ride back to town with a splitting headache. A debuff tells me I¡¯m going to be dizzy for another hour. I settle in for the ride as I feel every bumpy road on the way back to the town. I silently curse the developers as I try to rest.


    When we get to the town square, the cart stops. From my hiding place, I can hear the mayor and Mr. Houg talking.


    ¡°Emmet, you came down from the Gennet farm, right? Did you hear anything about this unfortunate happening?¡±


    Emmets answer is muffled, it sounds negative.


    ¡°We caught the perpetrator, but I doubt she acted alone. None of the three are willing to speak though. Seems the big one wants to deal with the issue himself. Sal is a follower. Fred is catatonic, so nothing useful from him.¡±


    My heart starts thumping. Mr. Houg chimes in.


    ¡°We¡¯re sentencing her later today. That should put it to rest.¡±


    Emmet replies, and we start moving out of the town. As soon as I think we¡¯re alone, I get out from my hidden spot.


    ¡°What are you doing boy, get back down. We¡¯re not far enough from the town yet!¡±


    I lean in closer to him.


    ¡°We need to get back. That all happened because I needed to help Yadra. If she¡¯s getting punished for it, it¡¯ll all be for nothing.¡±


    He rolls his eyes. I gesture towards the town.


    ¡°I still need to talk to the mayor to get the introduction I need. Come one, go back there and as him to come here. I¡¯ll be able to talk to him. Please¡­¡±


    He groans loudly.


    ¡°Fine. For fucks sake, you¡¯re turning out to be a lot of work you know. If it wasn¡¯t for Tienes help the last few days I¡¯d let you go back yourself. Just hide here and I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    Jumping off the cart, he starts walking back to town and I hide.


    ***


    ¡°You do know this is awfully suspicious Emmet? I mean, dragging me into the forest like this?¡±


    The mayors voice is as far from concerned as I¡¯ve ever heard it. That man doesn¡¯t let anything threaten him. I can hear Emmet rolling his eyes.


    ¡°I know. Wish it was different. You know me though, there¡¯s a good reason.¡±


    The sound of someone slapping someones back harder than necessary, then a grunt. I get out from behind a tree. The mayor smiles when he sees me.


    ¡°Tee, my boy, how are you? I was wondering where you¡¯d gone to.¡±


    The mayor looks sideways at Emmet as he speaks. I smile back, moving to shake his hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m good Mister mayor. Been busy getting those skills your friend needed. I¡¯m ready to leave now if you¡¯re still willing to vouch for me.¡±


    He raises an eyebrow.


    ¡°Are you now? That¡¯s fantastic! I¡¯ve sent the letters already. If you leave today it¡¯ll arrive a week before you. That doesn¡¯t really explain this cloak and dagger stuff though. Could that be related to the Candrids asking around for you?¡±


    I smile grimly, nodding.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say they aren¡¯t happy right now. They¡¯ll get over it. But if young Johnny Candrid comes asking, tell him where I¡¯ve gone. I promised him.¡±


    The mayor nods, then pulls an envelope from his jacket.


    ¡°Here¡¯s the letter of introduction. Hand it to the Baron Brouswin when you get to his lands. He¡¯ll help you find a suitable plot of land.¡±


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">You have been given a quest: The Barons introduction.</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">- Meet with the Baron Brouswin and deliver the letter of introduction.</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">- Success: Meeting with the Baron.</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">- Failure/Reject: Disappoint the mayor of Hogsmudd.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    I accept the quest by taking the letter. The mayor looks at me expectantly.


    ¡°Was there anything else you wanted?¡±


    Meeting his eyes, I take a deep breath.


    ¡°Yes. I want you to release Yadra to my care.¡±


    This, at least, gets a reaction from him.


    ¡°What? I can¡¯t do that! She committed a serious crime!¡±


    I look away.


    ¡°I know she did. I was there. She did it so I didn¡¯t have to. They had her captive for days, and I was trying to rescue her.¡±


    Understanding dawns in his eyes.


    ¡°Ah. I¡¯m not that surprised. I knew that scoundrel would go too far one day and someone would bite back. Nevertheless, I can¡¯t just release her to you.¡±


    ¡°How about this. Sentence her to a large fine. As large as you need to. Then use this to pay it, releasing her to my custody.¡±


    With a heavy heart I get the bottle from my backpack. Every time I get some cool stuff, I lose it immediately. I guess I just can¡¯t have nice things. The mayor tries hide his reaction, but I see his excitement.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Skill increased: Social Perception.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°For that? I¡¯d have to make some arrangement with Mr. Houg.¡±


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.He pretends to think about it for a moment before agreeing.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do, but you¡¯ll have to leave fast afterwards. You¡¯re a known associate of hers. The Candrids will be paying attention.¡±


    We shake hands, and Emmet takes me back to his farm.


    ***


    Tiene meets us as we disembark. She¡¯s happier than I¡¯ve ever seen her, covered in muck and grease.


    ¡°There¡¯s so much stuff to do here! I have so many ideas. Tee, will our new farm be anything like this?¡±


    Our farm? I smile at her.


    ¡°It depends on the plot of land we get, but whatever I¡¯m offered, we¡¯ll make the most out of it.¡±


    She seems happy with the answer, pulling me along to show me her contraptions.


    By nightfall a large wagon arrives at the farm. The mayor waves as he arrives. In the back is a supply of oats, water, rations and a very annoyed Yadra. She starts cursing up a storm as soon as she¡¯s out of the wagon. We ignore her, which only serves to further incense her.


    ¡°I felt a little bad, taking advantage of you like I did. You¡¯re a good man, if a little naive. The bottle you gave me was worth more than her release, so I got you this wagon. The horses are fresh, and there¡¯s enough food and water to reach your destination inside. You can use it or sell it when you get there. Here¡¯s a map showing the route to your destination.¡±


    Yadra steps between us.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll let you take me along as some kind of property? I made it clear earlier, didn¡¯t I? I¡¯m not going to work for you!¡±


    She¡¯s more animated than I¡¯ve ever seen her, and I¡¯m forced to take a step back.


    ¡°Hey, no, lets not get ahead of ourselves. I¡¯ve worked with you long enough to know that there¡¯s no way I can force you to do anything.¡±


    I look at the mayor. He seems very interested in what I¡¯m going to say next. I look her in the eyes.


    ¡°Think about it. Leaving town is probably a good idea. We have transport and a destination. May as well come with us. When we get there, we¡¯ll see what you decide. Maybe you escape on the way, maybe you leave when we get there. Either way, you¡¯re out of the area. And I¡¯m pretty sure the Baron will need skilled people in his keep.¡±


    She folds her arms across her chest, glaring first at me, then at the mayor. He shrugs and turns towards the road.


    ¡°She¡¯s in your custody now. Best of luck!¡±


    Her eyes threaten to burn through my soul, but I¡¯ve spent enough time with her to know she¡¯s not as angry as she seems. She¡¯s considering the offer. Soon, she throws her hands in the air.


    ¡°Whatever.¡±


    She storms off, grabbing Tiene on her way, sweeping her away for a session of complaining about me, no doubt. I look to Emmet.


    ¡°How about you? Any advice before we start off on our trip?¡±


    He raises an eyebrow, looking towards the women walking away.


    ¡°Stop sleeping. With Tienes ingenuity and Yadras sheer cussedness there¡¯s a reasonable chance they¡¯ll kill you in your sleep.¡±


    I fake a laugh and flip him off, which makes him smile.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a sack of grain you can have though. Should help getting you started on your new plot of land. And don¡¯t forget to write when you get there, we¡¯d like to know how you turn out.¡±


    I shake his hand, and we start preparing the trip.


    ***


    Nine days later we arrive at the keep.


    ¡°I think the back wheel is going to fall off again.¡±


    Closing my eyes, I count to ten. When I turn around, Tiene is asleep, draped across an empty barrel. Her clothes are muddy and unwashed, and her normally light skin has been darkened by exposure to the sun. Yadra is sitting next to her, a faraway look in her eyes.


    ¡°What do you mean? It¡¯s not falling off, we secured it¡­¡±


    With a crash the wheel falls off, shaking the wagon. Tiene shoots up, bloodshot eyes wide open.


    ¡°Watch out, the poofs, they¡¯re¡­ they¡¯re¡­ where are we?¡±


    She looks around in confusion for a moment before sagging back onto the barrel, sobbing quietly. Yadra¡¯s eyes haven¡¯t stopped staring into nothing.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so smug, we made it hours this time. Besides, we wouldn¡¯t have been in this situation if you hadn¡¯t traded away the linchpin.¡±


    I get out of the cart to check out the damage. The tools come flying out of the wagon, nearly hitting my head.


    ¡°Thanks. Can you comfort Tiene? We can see the keep from here, it should improve her morale.¡±


    Like a robot, Yadra stands up, helping Tiene to her feet.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have had to trade the linchpin if you didn¡¯t poison the Leputrian chief¡¯s Wolpertinger.¡±


    Yadra¡¯s voice is devoid of emotion, while Tiene¡¯s sobs finally stop. I grab a nearby twig, whittling it to a more appropriate size.


    ¡°It jumped on my head and started eating me. It¡¯s not my fault dryads blood is poison to those creatures. Besides, who¡¯s idea was it to take the shortcut in the first place?¡±


    With a heave, I manage to get the large wheel back onto the axle. There¡¯s structural damage here, but I can¡¯t fix that with the equipment I have. It should last the final kilometre.


    ¡°I think she passed out again. Will she be okay when we get there? She did not deal well with the golem village.¡±


    A long moan from Tiene turns back into sobbing as I slip the improvised linchpin into the groove, locking the wheel in place. I stand, wiping the sweat from my brow.


    ¡°That¡¯s just great. Keep pushing her back to that place. What next? Should we talk about the cannibalism too?¡±


    I get some mud from the soft ground, packing it around the linchpin. It should help it expand a little, keeping it in place.


    ¡°At least the cannibalism was clean. Do you remember what happened afterwards? I passed through a damn worm, Tee. A worm!¡±


    Yadra¡¯s voice reaches a crescendo towards the end. At least she¡¯s starting to sound like herself again. I stand by the wagon, slowly stroking Tiene¡¯s hair as she tries to pull herself together.


    ¡°Oh, we¡¯re bringing up the worm now? Boo hoo, Yadra got slimy. You want to know what really sucks? Being chased down by a horde of chittering Fangslimes. You passed through in one piece. I¡¯m sure pieces of me are still being passed through those hungry little bastards and¡­¡±


    Tiene sits up screaming.


    ¡°We agreed we wouldn¡¯t talk about Pleasant Valley!¡±


    I look at Yadra with a sheepish look. She huffs, looking away for a minute before looking back at me.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Yadra. At least we¡¯re here now. Just another couple of hours until we can find an inn, and a warm bath.¡±


    She nods as she sits next to Tiene, hugging her close. I jump back into the front seat, egging on the powerful Foxburro.


    ¡°What did you say the chief wanted with the horses?¡±


    Yadra mumbles something, then oomphs as I hear the sound of an elbow to the gut.


    ¡°Yadra convinced him that they were unicorns who had hidden their horns.¡±


    Tiene sounds better after her outburst.


    ¡°I¡¯d guess that either the horses grew horns, or the Leputrians are going to eat well. I thought hares were herbivores¡­¡±


    I roll my eyes at Yadra¡¯s humour.


    ¡°That¡¯s great. At least we got this guy out of it.¡±


    The beast in front of us is build like a bull, with a long pointy face, triangle ears and smooth red fur. Remarkably intelligent as well. We spend the rest of the journey to the keep in silence as I contemplate the trip. We stopped by several little towns on the way, but there wasn¡¯t any mail from my friends, and no activity on our website. I send a letter to Mika updating him on where I¡¯m going, telling him to get there as soon as possible. Even though he¡¯s lying less than five metres away, I miss the big lug. And Rishi. I make myself sad thinking about her, wishing she¡¯d talk to me again soon. At least I¡¯ve been able to upload a bunch of videos of our trip. With any luck we¡¯ll start earning a little money. There¡¯s less than 14 days in game left until we¡¯re going to run out of credits.


    ***


    We arrive at the Barons keep late at night. The surrounding area is flat, broken up by wetlands and a large forest, with a few small hills. The temperature is brisk this late, mild during the day. The keep itself is larger than I¡¯d expected, with banners hanging along the outside walls from the crenellations. Ostentatious displays of fire illuminates walls made from multicoloured stones. Crystal latticework adorns every gap in the battlements, and stained glass windows every window. The entire place seems like a demonstration of the owners opulence. The gates open when we get near, and the guards welcome us as I step off the cart.


    ¡°Welcome to Providence Keep sir. We¡¯re going to search your wagon for any contraband. Afterwards you can stable your¡­ whatever the hell that is at the inn over there.¡±


    His uniform shows the same emblem hanging from the banners everywhere. An azure diamond cut gem on a maroon field, surrounded by golden coins. I help the others down from the cart, and Yadra runs off as soon as the search is over, heading to the inn. The guards seem curious about the fairyhome seedlings, but their commander orders them to let me through. I assume because I have a letter of introduction. They tell me the Baron is unavailable right now, but they¡¯ll send a messenger when he knows when he¡¯s ready to receive me.


    Tiene, still in control of what money I had, stumbles into the inn with the rest of our money, arranging a large room with two beds, breakfast included, and the hottest bath they can provide. Yadra has wrangled a job for herself already, as a barkeep, making sure we don¡¯t get any preferential rates. I make sure Tiene tips her appropriately. As soon as Tiene comes back from her bath, we start drinking. She¡¯s clearly not used to alcohol, and after the second mug I guide her upstairs. I get some looks from Yadra, but I¡¯m in no mood to deal with her right now.


    As soon as we¡¯re in our room, Tiene starts undressing, stumbling into every piece of furniture we have. I gently steer her towards one of the beds, getting her under the covers. In her twilight state she starts mumbling something and I lean closer to hear.


    ¡°No, Tee, we have to wait. Not now. Oh, okay.¡±


    I stand up, feeling my heart beat faster. Wow, no, it is not appropriate for me to be this close to her right now. I walk quietly back to my bed, hoping that sleep will claim me soon enough. At least the trip netted me some skill increases. I check my character sheet as I drift off.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">TeeCee</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Path of Soil and Water</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Professions</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Farmer</td><td width="25%">Level 1</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Abilities</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Charisma</td><td width="25%">5</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Curiosity</td><td width="25%">2</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Endurance</td><td width="25%">8</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Focus</td><td width="25%">1</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Fortune</td><td width="25%">1</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Strength</td><td width="25%">5</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skills</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Animal Handling</td><td width="25%">2</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Athletics</td><td width="25%">3</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Bludgeoning weapons</td><td width="25%">1</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Butchery</td><td width="25%">2</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Crafting</td><td width="25%">2</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Cooking</td><td width="25%">4</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Customer Service</td><td width="25%">2</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Deception</td><td width="25%">3</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Dodge</td><td width="25%">1</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">First Aid</td><td width="25%">1</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Herbalism</td><td width="25%">3 (Profession Enhanced)</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Mycology</td><td width="25%">1</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Leadership</td><td width="25%">1</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Perception</td><td width="25%">8</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Social Perception</td><td width="25%">6</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Repair</td><td width="25%">2</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Resilience</td><td width="25%">2</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Running</td><td width="25%">3</td></tr></tbody></table>

 Chapter 21 - Lordship

    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">You are well rested.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    The sweet feeling of waking up after sleeping in a comfortable bed can never be overstated. Every part of my body ached, but in that good way that happens after a lot of work. I guess that¡¯s going to be my life from now on. The thought makes me smile as I get up, stretching beside the bed. A whimper alerts me to the fact that Tiene has woken up.


    ¡°Good morning sleepyhead. The nightmare is over, you can meet the day fresh and relaxed.¡±


    She turns my way, giving me the evil eye. Apparently, her hair hadn¡¯t dried properly last night, and was a truly impressive sight.


    ¡°Whose clothes am I wearing?¡±


    I laugh, making her twitch.


    ¡°Not so loud, dammit. Why does everything hurt? What did you do to me?¡±


    Moving to the window, I throw open the curtains, greeting the most shining day I¡¯ve seen since I started playing the game. Immediately, I sense another player nearby. Somewhere in the courtyard. Before I can spot them, the feeling has gone. I turn back to Tiene.


    ¡°I guided you gently up to the room and helped you into bed. I¡¯m genuinely uncertain of where you got that underwear though. My guess is you stole it when you finished your bath.¡±


    She looks genuinely puzzled at this.


    ¡°When did I have a bath?¡±


    ¡°Right before you guzzled two large mugs of pretty potent ale.¡±


    She lifts the covers to have a look, then looks back at me.


    ¡°Everything seems to be on correctly. Did you look? Or¡­ you know¡­¡±


    She¡¯s trying to keep a hard look in her eyes, but her cheeks are blushing furiously. I hold my hands up in protest.


    ¡°Madam, I have done naught to besmirch thine honour. I don¡¯t know about the stable boy you brought up though. I fell asleep pretty quickly when you were talking about turning him into a stableman.¡±


    Tossing the blanket aside she stands up.


    ¡°What!¡±


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Ability increased: Charisma.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    I start laughing while she¡¯s spluttering, trying to make sense of her own missing memories. When I come clean, telling her what really happened, she somehow gets even angrier. I tactically retreat from the room, promising to come back with breakfast and some water for washing.


    Downstairs, Yadra is tending bar. As I sit down to order some food, she just snorts at me.


    ¡°Like I¡¯m going to serve you, sproutface? There¡¯s porridge cooking on the fire, help yourself. Bucket of water on the side, heating up for the days cleaning.¡±


    I get the food and cleaning supplies with a resigned sigh, bringing it all up to Tiene. We have a quiet breakfast as she tries to work off the worst pain.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about shouting earlier. It was just that after the trip and¡­¡±


    I interrupt her by throwing a small breadroll at her.


    ¡°The trip was awful. We got through it. If you¡¯re good, I¡¯m good. If you need to talk about it, I¡¯ll be there for you, but if not, I¡¯d really rather just put it behind us.¡±


    She lets out a breath of relief.


    ¡°Thank the Elements for that. I shudder when I think about the vine thing.¡±


    I chuckle.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I thought she was pretty cute.¡±


    Her eyes go wide.


    ¡°But she ate with her¡­ no. I am not letting you goad me back into that headspace. I¡¯m a little worried about Yadra though, she had it the worst of all of us.¡±


    I shrug, having another spoonful of porridge.


    ¡°I¡¯m not. She¡¯s like that, really. I think she just spent too much time with us. She¡¯ll come around when she¡¯s had the time alone she needs.¡±


    As we finish breakfast, we hear a knock at the door. When I open it, there¡¯s nobody there. When I step out into the hallway to look again, I nearly slip on an envelope lying on the floor. Shaking my head at unnecessary hazards, I pick it up and open it.


    ¡®From the quill of His Most Honourable Baron Brouswin, Lord Protector of the Hammerdown province.


    TeeCee the Adventurer,


    You are hereby granted the honour of appearing before his most revered personage, Baron Brouswin the Noble. The audience shall be held at the strike of noon.


    Your Eternal Light,


    Baron Brouswin.¡¯


    I have to blink several times, rubbing my eyes in between, to finish the invitation. When I hand it to Tiene, she goes crosseyed for a moment before she looks at me with a puzzled expression.


    ¡°Is this real? I didn¡¯t think this kind of writing existed.¡±


    Reading it again, I shrug.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what effect he¡¯s going for here. I mean, either he dictated it, or he wrote it himself, but either way, he does like his titles. I think we¡¯re going to have to clean up a bit for this one. How much gold do we have left?¡±


    She checks the purse.


    ¡°Around thirty gold I think.¡±


    My eyebrow starts twitching, and I grab the purse. With practised ease I pour the coins onto a bed and start counting.


    ¡°This is money, Tiene. It has an absolute value in this kingdom, and ¡®about thirty, I think¡¯ isn¡¯t good enough. There, we have thirty coins.¡±


    I feel myself deflating a bit as she starts laughing at me.


    ¡°And five coppers.¡±


    She smacks me upside the head and takes five coins before leaving the room.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to get a bath. You go check if there are any decent clothes around, then get your own bath. We have two hours, give or take.¡±


    She¡¯s gone before I can chastise her about timekeeping. I shake my fist at the universe in general instead.


    ***


    ¡°So Yadra, do you know where I can scrounge some decent clothes? We¡¯re meeting the Baron soon and I¡¯d like to make a decent impression.¡±


    She looks thoughtful for a moment.


    ¡°Drop the clothes, hide in the forest and pretend Tiene is Tee. It¡¯s your best chance of not fucking things up.¡±


    I sigh.


    ¡°Funny girl, I guess you don¡¯t need tips in this place.¡±


    She casually picks up a knife from the counter, sharpening it with a disinterested look.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.¡°I guess that¡¯s all up to you, Tee. But I think I¡¯ll be able to get you some clothes. Simple, but clean. Five gold pieces, and I¡¯ll make it happen.¡±


    I growl a little as I get my purse.


    ¡°I also need a bath, soap if you have it. And if you can find my dignity anywhere, I¡¯d like that back too.¡±


    She laughs at that.


    ¡°Oh Tee, you lost that the first night we met when you gave the old captain a piggyback ride all around the room. I mean, you lost the bet for the ride, but you didn¡¯t have to make the horsey noises. That¡¯ll be six coins total.¡±


    She winks at me as I grumble my response. I go to the bath, finding it filled and steaming already, with a bar of soap floating in the middle.


    She just has to needle me, doesn¡¯t she.


    ***


    When we step outside the inn, I feel much fresher. The clothes were as clean as promised, and the soap had a strong pine scent which really helps mask the general livestock smell of the keep. The courtyard is large, easily the length of the Hogsmudd main street across. All the buildings are clean, and I see a smithy, a woodworker, an administration building and a barracks, in addition to the inn and stables. We head towards the castle gates and wait. Ten minutes before the sun reaches it¡¯s highest point, the doors swing open and a diminutive man walks out with an officious air.


    He stands there for a moment, not looking at us. When it¡¯s clear we have not idea what we¡¯re supposed to do, he sighs nearly imperceptibly.


    ¡°You would be TeeCee the adventurer, I presume?¡±


    I summon everything I remember about etiquette.


    ¡°Yep.¡±


    He rolls his eyes so hard you can actually hear it.


    ¡°May I see your invitation, Sir?¡±


    Heavy emphasis on the sir. I get the envelope, handing it to him. His mouth twitches as he sees the dirt on it. He opens it up, reads it carefully, tests the seal with a finger and finally smells the letter. When he¡¯s finally satisfied, he turns and walks into the castle. Tiene follows immediately. It takes me a few moments to realise I¡¯m supposed to go with her.


    The inside of the castle is much more impressive than the outside. There are rich tapestries of wonderful creatures and epic battles lining the walls, thick carpets of vibrant colour and golden candle holders on every surface. I whistle under my breath, well impressed. The tiny man looks annoyed at me as he continues bringing us deeper into the Barons home.


    ¡°When you meet his lordship you shall refer to him as Sir, Lord or Master. If he shakes your hand, do not wipe it afterwards, do not make eye contact and do not under any circumstance let your body have any noisy functions while we¡¯re in here.¡±


    I consider burping on purpose to see how angry I can make the little guy, but I refrain. I¡¯m here on business after all. After a few minutes walk, we reach another set of doors. These are made from carved royal oak, inlaid with purple fabrics and gemstones. I know already that I can never bring Rishi here. She will rob the place blind or die trying. Repeatedly. Our guide stops outside the doors for a moment, checking an hourglass on the wall, waiting for the last grains of sand to empty. When they do, the hourglass flips on it¡¯s own, and he throws the doors open, marching in. I follow this time.


    ¡°My lord, may I introduce the young adventurer TeeCee, and his travelling companion.¡±


    The lord is much shorter than I¡¯d expected him to be. He towers over his manservant, but he¡¯s shorter than Tiene by a fair margin. His face is round and clean shaven, but his eyes tell me there¡¯s a deep intelligence there. He¡¯s dressed in a purple satin robe, tailored perfectly, with a double column of buttons down the front. On his head is an imperious crown easily adding another three inches to his height.


    Should I kneel? Or will that insult him¡­


    ¡°Welcome, adventurers. Oooh, I cannot express the excitement I¡¯ve felt since my good friend Jas sent word of your arrival. Why, I¡¯ve barely had my twelve hours of sleep today.¡±


    He laughs shrilly as we stand there, smiling as pleasantly as we can.


    ¡°Your lordship, we are honoured to be in your presence. We have a letter of introduction from the mayor of Hogsmudd. I hope it will¡­¡±


    The manservant takes the letter from my hand and walks it up to the Baron. After a minute of reading and a little mumbling, they look at us.


    ¡°So am I to understand that you would like to enter my service as a serf? You wish to live on my land and produce goods for my government?¡±


    I smile and nod.


    ¡°Yes sir. A plot of land to live on, and the opportunity to better my station through hard work.¡±


    He crumples the letter, casually throwing it behind him. The manservant runs to catch it as the baron approaches us.


    ¡°And I take it this woman will be your, what was it, companion, on this farm of yours?¡±


    Tiene smiles brilliantly, curtsying to the men. He seems to be taken aback for a moment, smiling wider.


    ¡°A woman who knows her etiquette! Oh my, Tee, you should take some lessons from her. I am inclined to grant you this favour. I only need to decide what plot of land to assign you to. You will join me for the first dinner in two hours. Now leave me, I need to rest. Humphrey, show them out.¡±


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">You have been assigned a quest: Dining with nobles.</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">You are going to have dinner with the Baron Brouswin.</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Success: A plot of land.</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Failure: Massive reputation loss with Ionian nobles.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    While the little man herds us out, I see the lord wobble over to a bunch of pillows and fall on top of them. I¡¯m pretty sure he was asleep the moment he hit the ground. As we¡¯re walking out, I turn to the manservant, Humphrey.


    ¡°I¡¯m not really sure here, did that go well?¡±


    The little man snorts in an ungentlemanly way.


    ¡°You would do well to heed the lordships advice and learn some manners, or you will not last long. The dinner will start ten minutes past the hour in two hours. Be here at two precisely.¡±


    By the time he¡¯s finished his sentence, we¡¯re already outside. I¡¯m about to ask another question when I suddenly feel the ground shaking a little under me. When we¡¯re suddenly plunged into shadow, I turn around, sensing another player.


    ¡°Ah, my lord Grimguard, please come in. Your room is ready.¡±


    The largest man I¡¯ve ever seen stands right behind us. We move out of the way quickly as he looks at the both of us. He¡¯s encased in black metal armour, rivets visible along the seams. I can hear the clicking of clockwork inside him as he turns towards me with eyes like glowing coals.


    ¡°A player. Interesting. I am Grimguard. It is good to meet you. We will talk later.¡±


    His voice is deep, echoing inside his suit. He briefly turns towards Tiene.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am.¡±


    Then he stomps off into the keep right behind the little manservant. When he¡¯s gone, Tiene looks at me with fear in her eyes.


    ¡°Do you know what that was?¡±


    I shrug.


    ¡°Another adventurer like me. A pretty big one though. He seems friendly enough.¡±


    She grabs my arm, dragging me towards the inn.


    ¡°We need to tell Yadra. That was one of the kings hunters. If he¡¯s here, there¡¯s bound to be evil as well.¡±


    Oh, great.

 Chapter 22 - Serfdom

    ¡°Wait, so let me see if I got this right. The kings hunters are an order of knights in service of the crown?¡±


    Tiene nurses a mug of a drink Yadra called ¡®good enough for you¡¯. It wasn¡¯t terrible. Yadra leans in from across the bar.


    ¡°That¡¯s about it. And it¡¯s considered universally unhealthy to catch the attention of one. I¡¯ve never heard of an adventurer serving though.¡±


    I scratch my head. The giant golem was terrifying. How would a player even get an avatar like that?


    ¡°He seemed friendly enough, so I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be fine. Let¡¯s get back to the etiquette training. How am I supposed to greet him again?¡±


    We spend an hour training, with Tiene showing me how to hold the utensils, how and when to eat, when to laugh and what kinds of jokes are appropriate. Surprisingly few as it turns out.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill discovered: Etiquette.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: Etiquette.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    ¡°If we had more time I¡¯d start teaching you about decorum as well. We¡¯ll have to hope you won¡¯t mess up too badly.¡±


    Tiene sounded less than reassuring as she headed off to freshen up again. I¡¯m left alone with Yadra, who is being uncharacteristically quiet.


    ¡°Will you be alright here alone? You¡¯re sure you don¡¯t want to come with us wherever we go? It¡¯ll be sad without your glowing personality keeping our spirits high.¡±


    She snorts, throwing her bar rag at me.


    ¡°Shut up stringbean. I¡¯d rather go back to the mill.¡±


    Her eyes darken for a moment as I hand her the rag.


    ¡°Thanks for coming for me by the way. I appreciate the assist.¡±


    I smile at her before downing the rest of my drink. When Tiene comes back, I go and freshen myself up, and we go out to the courtyard. It¡¯s an anxious wait in front of the gates before the doors open, and Humphrey the manservant escorts us in. There¡¯s something off about his mannerisms this time. He seems distracted somehow.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: Social Perception.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    ¡°Humphrey, are you alright?¡±


    I can sense Tiene tense up next to me as the tiny man stops, turning slowly towards me. My best guess is that I broke some sort of code by bringing it up like this, but when I see his eyes I know I¡¯m right.


    ¡°Sir is ever so kind to take notice of a simple servant such as I, but I must insist we keep moving so we do not keep his lordship waiting.¡±


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Your standing with Humphrey the Manservant has changed: Dislike.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I shrug it off. At least I tried. When we continue moving, Tiene hits me to get my attention, stares into my eyes and shakes her head. Yep, clearly a faux pas.


    We¡¯re brought to a completely different part of the keep. A gargantuan table is placed in the middle of a room large enough to fly a kite in. Several fireplaces are set along one wall. Despite half of them being on fire, and the sunny day outside, the temperature in the room is strangely low. The table itself is set with a myriad of courses ranging from eggs and bacon to whole roast hog. On one side sits the Baron himself wearing a different, wine coloured robe. He seems to be talking at Grimguard, who is standing next to him. Humphrey leads us to a few chairs close to where they¡¯re sitting. As we approach, Grimguard¡¯s deep voice lowers further, making it impossible to hear what they¡¯re saying. The Baron smiles at us, gesturing to the seats.


    ¡°Welcome friends. Please, sit down and partake of my hospitality.¡±


    I glance at Tiene, who looks at me, then at the chair in front of me. I hurry to draw out the chair for her, seating her before myself. The Baron makes an effort to look like he¡¯s focused on the food, but I catch him watching us intently.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: Perception.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    With a sense of impending doom, I help myself to a piece of the hog, near where the Baron has already had some. Tiene does the same. Humphrey serves us a cloudy drink from a carafe as soon as we start eating, and we all eat in silence for a minute. When everyone has had a few bites and a sip, I tap my glass with a small spoon. The Baron and Grimguard both fix me with an expectant look. I clear my throat.


    ¡°Your lordship, I wanted to express the gratitude of my companion and I for your exemplary hospitality. Never before have I seen wonders that measure up to the sights in your keep.¡±


    The Baron nods imperceptibly, lifting his glass to me. I raise mine back, and we sip. The drink is heavy and sweet, clearly alcoholic with a hint of apple.


    ¡°This is really nice.¡±


    Tiene elbows me in the side as the Baron gives me a sideways glance.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Your standing with Baron Brouswin has changed: Slight annoyance.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I mentally kick myself. Speaking out of turn is a massive nono.


    ¡°Tell me a little about yourself, Mister TeeCee. You¡¯re the second adventurer to visit after my friend here.¡±


    He gestures to Grimguard.


    ¡°Why would you want to be a simple farmer in a place like this?¡±


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.I wait a moment to make sure he¡¯s finished before I answer.


    ¡°Our mutual friend Jas recommended it to me after I spoke to him about my dreams of owning my own plot of land. He told me of a wonderful province where there would be land available.¡±


    He actually creases his eyebrows now. What was wrong with that?


    ¡°I see. In his letter, Jas mentioned you worked at an inn before deciding to come here. Any reason why you¡¯d rather work the fields than start up a public house of some sort?¡±


    I consider it carefully. It doesn¡¯t look like he¡¯s trying to trap me into anything, but he¡¯s definitely testing me. Grimguard¡¯s unnerving eyes glowing at isn¡¯t helping either.


    ¡°Working at an inn gave me a lot of insight into the World Below. I met many good people and learnt skills I never had before. But I came to this world to produce the items we need, to fill what I perceive as a gap in the markets across the lands. Maybe I¡¯ll extend into an inn one day, but for now, a plot of land and a chance is all I require to succeed.¡±


    He smiles ruefully, his lips a thin line before taking another long sip. When he finishes, he waves at his manservant.


    ¡°Humphrey, I tire of this meal. Could you escort our honoured guests out of the keep?¡±


    My heart drops. Am I being dismissed like this? I stand up slowly, a questioning look on my face.


    ¡°My lord, I¡­¡±


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Your standing with Baron Brouswin has changed: Annoyed.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    He turns towards me, all traces of the fat, decadent ruler gone. In his place is an angry, petulant man child.


    ¡°You have been dismissed, and you will not address me. Leave now, before I¡­¡±


    Grimguard raises a hand, interrupting the Baron.


    ¡°My lord, if you would permit me to speak on this adventurers behalf.¡±


    With a look of clear surprise, the Baron nods.¡±


    ¡°Thank you my lord. While this oaf has demonstrated exceedingly poor manners, he did maintain an etiquette far above any of the common farmers of the region. I believe that if we place him with them, he will be a good influence on their behaviour in general. In addition, I have just finished surveying the old Greenlily region. It would be a perfect place for someone like him to prove himself worthy of your generosity.¡±


    The Baron nods slowly, a smile slowly spreading on his face. He¡¯s back to his old self when he looks at us again.


    ¡°TeeCee the adventurer, will you accept stewardship of the Greenlily region of my province? You will be expected to deliver weekly quotas of produce to the keep, and to keep the lands in reasonable repair. In return, you will have free rein of the region, subject only to myself, the law of the land and those who speak for me. What say you?¡±


    I give Tiene a bewildered look. She nods eagerly, gesturing for me to answer. I look at Grimguard, but his mechanical nature makes it impossible for me to read him. The Baron himself is starting to look impatient. Fuck it.


    ¡°My lord, I accept your charge. With this land I will serve you to the best of my abilities, maintaining the land and meeting your quotas.¡±


    He nods at me, smiling like he¡¯s just tasted something delicious.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Quest complete: Dinner with the Nobles.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Marginal success: You have been provided a plot for your own use in return for producing supplies for the Barony.</td></tr><tr>[tds]You have gained a title: Serf./tds]</tr></tbody></table>


    We are shortly excused from the table, returning to the courtyard. When I see the sun again, I finally let out a breath.


    ¡°I was not expecting that to work so well.¡±


    Tiene looks at me, beaming with happiness.


    ¡°I was sure we¡¯d be leaving this place tarred and feathered. But you got it! I¡¯m so proud of you.¡±


    She hugs me tightly for a moment before releasing me with a shock.


    ¡°I have to go tell Yadra. I¡¯ll pack up our room, and you fetch Reynard and the wagon. I can¡¯t wait to get there!¡±


    Looking at her running off, I stroll towards the stables.


    Reynard? What kind of name for a foxburro is¡­ Ohh, I get it.


    When I arrive I tip the stablehand half a gold coin. Before I know it the wagon and beast are both outside, groomed and cleaned. Ask the kid about instructions as to where I need to go, and the moment I mention Greenlily his eyes go wide.


    ¡°Mister, are you sure you want to go there? It¡¯s haunted.¡±


    I ruffle her hair as I chuckle.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry about it too much. The kings hunter himself has been there and checked it out. He says it¡¯s safe.¡±


    She seems unconvinced by my reassurance.


    ¡°But the ghosts live far underground. They only come out during new moon, or when someone sleeps without circling the camp with salt or¡­¡±


    She goes on for a few more sentences, listing various criteria for ghosts to appear. By the time she¡¯s finished, Tiene comes running out the door, backpacks in tow.


    ¡°Reporting for duty boss. Did you get the directions?¡±


    I nod at her, dismissing the stablehand.


    ¡°Four hours ride along the main road, one hour on the dirt roads. Let¡¯s go buy some supplies. If we hurry we should make it by sundown.¡±


    We head to the general store, buying the basic supplies we¡¯ll need. I get some tools and farming implements, a large tent, two sleeping bags, some torches and an oil lamp. I look longingly at a cooking kit, but it¡¯s out of my price range at the moment, so I have to settle for dried rations and a weeks supply of water. Finally done, I realise we¡¯re down to 5 gold coins in change. As we¡¯re leaving the keep, I check in with the guards about where we¡¯re going and the directions, getting nervous looks in return. Soon, we¡¯re back on the road.


    ¡°Do you think we¡¯re going to have to deal with ghosts?¡±


    I look at Tiene as she contemplates my question.


    ¡°Maybe. I mean, the previous occupants did die quite horribly. On the other hand, they didn¡¯t die until they reached the keep, so it depends on what was there before them.¡±


    Staring at her, she looks back at me.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean what? How did they die?¡±


    She shrugs.


    ¡°Some kind of poisoning I think. It was years ago, so I¡¯m sure it¡¯s fine.¡±


    I grumble as we continue down the road.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t go into the dark forest where the serial killer escaped to after the mental institution. Look out for that pothole, we¡¯d better take a detour up past that cute little castle on the hill covered in darkness. Sure mister, I¡¯d love a monkeypaw. Wishes you say? What could possibly go wrong.¡±

 Chapter 23 - Arrival

    We arrive at our parcel of land just as the sun starts to set. We¡¯d made good time at first, but soon enough the dodgy wheel popped off once again, forcing us to repair it. At least Tiene was in a better state so she could do the fixes. Good thing too, as the road to the Greenlily plot was barely more than a trail of dirt.


    Located on a slightly lower level than the surrounding area, I could see most of the plot from the top of the path. An old shack stands a few hundred meters from the border, with a heap of stones nearby. Dead or dying bushes cover most of what I guess is the field. All of the plants I can see are a sickly brownish gray. Even with my limited farming knowledge I can tell it¡¯s not a healthy state. In the southeast part of the plot is the edge of a forest that stretches far across my border, giving me access to wood. The only thing we¡¯re missing is water.


    By the time we reach the border the sun is down, and Paraton shines his light down on us. The moment I cross the invisible boundary, my interface lights up. My farming interface has become active, and a new icon is visible in the corner.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">You have arrived at a parcel of land where you have the right of control. Do you wish to claim the Greenlily plot?</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I let Tiene take over steering the wagon while I accept the prompt, checking out my new interfaces.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Greenlily plot.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Buildings: ???</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Resources: ???</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Production: ???</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Population: 1</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Hm. Not a lot of information available for the plot. What about my farming interface?


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Farmer level: 1</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Criteria for next level:</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Plant common crop (not met).</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Harvest planted crop (not met).</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Primary skill level 3: (met).</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">No available fields for planting.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I guess we¡¯ll have to explore more in the morning. Tiene stops the cart by the old shack, a dilapidated wooden construction barely standing. Tiene starts setting up the tent as I groom and feed Reynard.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: Animal handling./tds]</tr></tbody></table>


    Lying in our bedrolls, we share a small meal to stave off the worst of our hunger, in an attempt to ration our food a bit. We lie in silence listening to the sounds of the night, insects and smaller mammals, an owl and something larger snuffling through the woods. I drift off to sleep wondering what Rishi and Mika are up to.


    ***


    I wake up with a start as the sun is starting to come up. I¡¯d had a dream about the day we lost Rachel. I¡¯d kept failing my heals and getting out of position making it impossible for Mika to keep the aggro contained. At the end, Rachel had been hit, screaming as she died.


    Tiene stirs in her bedroll, turning in her bedroll before grunting and falling back asleep. I carefully get out of the tent to start breakfast. Outside I find Reynard trying to chomp on one of the containers of his feed, so I take care of him first. I put him on a long leash so he can roam a little on his own. When Tiene finally gets out of the tent, there¡¯s a simple porridge and a dark, bitter coffee to wake us up properly.


    ¡°I did not sleep well last night, Tee. It was somehow worse than sleeping in the cart. I think our first priority should be to fix up the shed so we can have a proper place to sleep.¡±


    It¡¯s hard to take her seriously when she hasn¡¯t wrangled her hair. Long, blond hair in strange angles showing no sign of ever giving up.


    ¡°Do we have the resources for that though? I mean, we have the forest over there, but I don¡¯t think we brought a saw, just the axe.¡±


    She suppresses a yawn as she points to the forest.


    ¡°I can see what needs doing. In the best case it just needs a clean and a few nails. Worst case, we¡¯ll have to make a new cabin out of logs. Not hard, but time consuming with just the two of us. In any case I can go back to town and resupply when we know what we need.¡±


    I point at the pile of stones nearby.


    ¡°What do you think that used to be?¡±


    She looks over with a thoughtful expression.


    ¡°I¡¯d guess that used to be a well. Maybe we¡¯ll find fresh water if we restore it.¡±


    Clearing up the leftovers to store them for later, I move closer to the pile.


    ¡°I used to have a dowsing rod. That bastard captain Tubbins stole it from me the first night I was in this world.¡±


    She snorts at me.


    ¡°Yeah, I heard about that. It would be a useful item to have right now. No matter, let¡¯s get to work.¡±


    I have a look at the broken down shed with Tiene, to see what needs doing.


    <table><tbody><tr>[tds]Building discovered: Shed.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Structural integrity: 40%</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Checking the interface, the building count has increased. Selecting it, I get a new list containing the buildings available. Neat.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t as bad as I thought. I have to reset the door and patch some of the walls. The spiders will have to go, but the frame is solid. I just need to patch the roof. I can do that with material from the tent, until we get what we need from town.¡±


    I look at the tent. It would be nice to sleep indoors, even if it is a mangled shed.


    ¡°Go ahead with that, and I¡¯ll have a walk around the property to see if there¡¯s anything else interesting.¡±


    She grunts something from inside the shed as I walk away. I have a look at the plot interface, focusing on the population tab.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Population: 1</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Tiene Candrid (working)</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Selecting her entry, I get a small status screen.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Tiene Candrid</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Relationship: Admiration./tds]</tr><tr>[tds]Current activity: Cleaning shed.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Not exactly groundbreaking information, but I guess it¡¯ll be good for when I have more people working the land. I head to the pile of stones to check a hunch.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Building discovered: ???</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I call for Tiene to come over and look at the pile of rocks. She¡¯s not happy about the interruption, but she hurries toward me. She looks at the pile, moving a few rocks around, and looks at me like I¡¯m an idiot.


    ¡°It¡¯s a destroyed well. It¡¯d take a massive effort to restore it. Try not to fall in.¡±


    In a huff she goes back to the shed as I check the plot interface.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Buildings: 2</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Shed.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Well (destroyed).</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Well (destroyed)</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Structural integrity: 0.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    So since her skill is higher than mine when it comes to repair and buildings, she gets more knowledge from inspecting them. What she learns updates the plot interface. Or maybe it¡¯s a profession thing. I never did check what profession she has.


    I look towards the shed in time to see her throwing some broken planks out the window. Maybe I¡¯ll ask her later instead. If I¡¯m right, though, the field should give me some confirmation.


    The field itself is approximately 500 by 500 meters, with an island in the middle. My skill tells me the island is there to make sure that nature has a place in the field. Birds, insects and mice all have a role to play on a farm. I have to fight my way through the bushes to get to the edge, finding a distinct line separating the field from the rest of the farm. I kneel to look closer at the dirt, and get an update.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Field discovered: medium sized (390x580).</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Current crop: Fallow.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Soil quality: poison (???).</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I stand up, dropping the dirt. Poison? I look at the plants surrounding me. It¡¯s all dead or dying vegetation. It doesn¡¯t seem to be affecting me though, or the forest nearby. I head to the highest spot nearby, the island in the field. The vegetation here is still alive, but dying. There are trees, bushes and a dead beehive. From the vantage point, I can see the edges of my land, the forest and the shed. I notice a trend in the colouring, like an aura of death rippling out from a point near one of the boundaries, between the field and the forest. I head towards it. I either figure this out, or I¡¯m dead in the water before I¡¯ve even started.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: Perception./tds]</tr><tr>[tds]Skill discovered: Field Perception.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Huh, another Perception subskill.


    As I get closer to the centre of the blight, there¡¯s a clear change in the soil colour, and the stench of decay starts to fill the area. In the very middle, next to the boundary, is a hole in the ground. It looks old and abandoned, with trails of dark matter growing from the edges. As I get closer, I recognise it as a form of fungus.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Miners Sludge</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Common.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Known effects: ???.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Base chance of cultivation: 0.5%</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Resource discovered: Old Mine.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I look down the hole, careful not to fall in. It looks to be a ten metre drop to a pile of dirt and broken planks. I gather a sample of the fungus and head back to the camp. Interrupting Tiene again, I call her over.


    ¡°I think we¡¯ve been had. The ground is poisoned, there seems to be an old mine over there. This stuff was growing out of it.¡±


    She gives me the stinkeye before checking out the sample, gasping in surprise.


    ¡°Tee, that¡¯s bad. Whatever they used to dig out of the ground over there has fed this stuff. With every rain, the slag from the mines has drained poison into the groundwater, killing all the plants. It¡¯s probably what killed the people who used to farm here too.¡±


    I groan, putting my fists on my temples. After a moment I look at her with hope.


    ¡°Do you know how to deal with this kind of thing?¡±


    She looks thoughtful for a moment.


    ¡°Yes and no. If the groundwater has been poisoned, we¡¯d need to cleanse it somehow. We¡¯d need a power druid or water mage to do that. But first we¡¯d have to stop the cause of the poisoning, which means finding the slag pit and removing it. And even after that, we¡¯d have to get rid of the fungus somehow.¡±


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">New Farm tasks available:</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Cleanse the groundwater.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Remove the slag.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Kill the fungus.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I lie down on the ground, staring up at the sky.


    ¡°So we¡¯re boned. The Baron will send someone soon to get his tithe, and we¡¯ll be sitting here with our hands down our trousers living off the forest and¡­¡±


    I sit up.


    ¡°Why is the forest still vibrant?¡±


    She looks towards it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. It should use the same groundwater as this farm.¡±


    I get up, a vague sense of hope blossoming in my heart.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to check it out. There has to be something in there we can use.¡±


    I mean, the developers wouldn¡¯t let the game fuck us this thoroughly without giving us a chance, right?


    Tiene follows me to the forest, clearly worried about my mental state. The trees here are healthy, with no sign of the blight affecting all the other vegetation. Even the underbrush seems strong and vital.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Resource discovered: Forest.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">You have trespassed into the domain of a Dryad female.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I look at Tiene with a confused expression.


    ¡°You know I¡¯m half dryad, right?¡±


    She nods.


    ¡°Apparently this forest is the domain of a full blooded one, a female.¡±


    Her eyes go wide and she turns to run. She almost gets to the edge of the forest before roots shoot out of the ground, entangling her feet and arresting her movement. A throat clearing behind me makes me turn around to see the true ruler of the area. Standing at five foot two, her short stature does nothing to hide the vicious power emanating from her green eyes. Dressed in leaves and bark matching the forest around her, her long hair intertwined with fresh leaves. With a flick of her hand, the roots slam Tiene to the ground, slowly covering her up, her whimpers growing softer under the cover of nature. The dryad comes closer to me, showing me her sharp teeth as she speaks.


    ¡°As an offering, she¡¯s not terrible, but it would take much more for me to take a halfblood like you for a mate.¡±

 Chapter 24 - Talk

    My mind scrambles to find a solution. Questioning her about mating habits doesn¡¯t seem like a great path to go. Shit, she¡¯s looking at me, I have to say something.


    I take a deep breath, straightening my back and squaring my shoulders.


    ¡°Do I have the honour of addressing the ruler of this forest?¡±


    She moves closer, reaching a hand towards me.


    ¡°You do. I am Leona Cethi.¡±


    She touches my cheek, turning my head side to side as if inspecting a side of beef.¡±


    ¡°And who are you to approach me in this manner?¡±


    ¡°I am TeeCee the adventurer, serf to the Baron Brouswin and the current holder of the Greenlily farm.¡±


    She drops her hand with a snort, walking past me to the writhing bundle of roots that Tiene has become. With a gesture, the roots stand up, revealing the face of a really annoyed Tiene. Leona inspects her the same way she did me, ignoring the spluttering objections.


    ¡°I can sense good breeding in her, she¡¯d make a good host. Tell me, serf of the Baron, why should I pick you as a consort?¡±


    I scratch my neck sheepishly. Here goes nothing, I guess.


    ¡°My lady of the forest, this woman is not meant as an offering, she is my companion. We were unaware of your presence in these woods.¡±


    Leona¡¯s eyes darken for a moment before she puts on a haughty expression. Did I hit a nerve?


    ¡°I suppose my claim to this forest is too young to have travelled far. I will forgive you that trespass, but that still leaves your presence in my lands to explain. Talk fast, half breed, for I tire of your face.¡±


    She¡¯s powerful here in her domain. Her connection to the land is so strong I can feel it, but she¡¯s young. Her lands are on poisoned soil. She¡¯s hiding it well, but she¡¯s inexperienced.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: Social Perception.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    ¡°My lady, it¡¯s true that we were unaware of your presence, but our meeting was ordained by the fates. We¡¯re looking for a way to combat the poisoned soil.¡±


    Her eyes go wide, anger apparent in her posture.


    ¡°The poisoned soil was caused by her people. The trees have told me how they dug into the earth and brought the evil rocks up. They broke them apart, taking very little and leaving behind the worst toxins I¡¯ve ever seen. It¡¯s all I can do to keep my grove from dying.¡±


    Standing by Tiene, I keep the angry dryad in front of me.


    ¡°This all happened long before we got here, but the sequence of events sound like what would happen with these people. They lack the connection with nature our blood affords us.¡±


    For a moment it looks like she¡¯s going to get angrier, but the fight seems to leave her as her shoulders slump.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Ability increased: Charisma.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense, they live here just as we do. Why do they keep killing nature?¡±


    I reach out to touch her shoulder. She looks at my hand, but doesn¡¯t pull away.


    ¡°Humans rarely make sense from the perspective of nature. But we¡¯ve been given a chance here, to heal the land and show the others how technology and civilisation can coexist with nature.¡±


    She puts a hand on mine, her lips a slight smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m not well versed in the ways of your kind, halfblood, but I can tell you¡¯re building up to ask me something. Ask your boon.¡±


    Smiling my most disarming smile, I pray I¡¯m not pushing too hard.


    ¡°Will you help us combat the poison? Use your magics to prevent it from destroying my crops so we can meet our obligations to the Baron. From there, we can start earning money and influence in the province, letting us get the equipment and manpower we need to remove the evil once and for all.¡±


    She thinks about my words for a long moment, her face inscrutable. After what seems like forever, she closes her eyes, nodding.


    ¡°I will help you. I will protect one quarter of your field from the poison so you can grow your crops there. You will have to find water somewhere else, however.¡±


    I bow to her, making her chuckle.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that kind of thing, TeeCee. Just go and fulfil your side of the bargain.¡±


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Quest accepted: The Dryad Gambit.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- You¡¯ve made an agreement with the dryad Leona Cethi.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- You will prioritise removing the poison from the Greenlily land.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Success: Increased standing with Leona.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Failure: Decreased standing with Leona. Suffer the dryads wrath.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    She turns to leave and I interrupt her.


    ¡°Could I ask for one more favour?¡±


    She turns around, a gleam in her eye letting me know she¡¯s entertained for now, but not for long.


    ¡°Could I please have my companion back? She¡¯s going to be really angry if I leave her here.¡±


    Leona laughs, snapping her fingers as she leaves. Tiene falls to the ground as the roots unravel. I hurry to help her up, avoiding her eyes as much as possible. If I start laughing now, I probably won¡¯t survive the night.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Your standing with Leona Cethi has changed to Amicable.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I turn back to the dryad, but she¡¯s already vanished into the forest. Tiene walks off in a huff, and I hurry to catch up to her.


    ¡°I think we dodged a bullet there. Are you okay?¡±


    She stops without turning, her voice cold as ice.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to have to leave me alone for a while. For the next few hours I will be in the shed breaking things and swearing. It would be best for the both of us if you didn¡¯t interrupt me.¡±


    I stop, letting her get ahead of me. When she¡¯s safely in the shed, I hurry to the cart, careful to stay away from the storm brewing in the poor shed. I retrieve the sack of grains the mayor left for me, inspecting it¡¯s properties.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Emgrass</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Common.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Known effects: ???.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Base chance of cultivation: 10%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Emgrass is a simple, hardy cereal. Commonly grown in forested areas, it matures quickly and requires less nutrients than other grains. Will deplete soil.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Amount in container: 3000.</td></tr></tbody></table>Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    Only a 10% chance to cultivate? There must be something I¡¯m missing.


    I grab the tools from the cart, hauling them and the sack of grain to the field, one piece at a time.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Ability increased: Strength.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    As I survey the area, my farming interface updates with details on the field.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Field 1: small (100x100).</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Current crop: Fallow.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Soil quality: Normal (high mineral content).</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Field needs to be prepared for planting.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Clear debris from field.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Remove weeds.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Select crop for planting. (2 choices available).</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Checking the choices, I¡¯m not surprised to see I can pick either the Fairyhome or the Emgrass. I select the Emgrass.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Current chance of cultivation: 3%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Base chance: 5%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Skill modifier: 3%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Racial bonus: 10%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Seed bonus: 10%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Soil modifier: 0%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Field prep modifier: -25%</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I quickly cancel prompt. Apparently, preparing the field properly is the way to go here. With a weary sigh I start picking the largest pieces of debris, gathering it in a pile next to my tools. After an hour of this I shift to clearing weeds and smaller rocks, gaining several blisters in the process. Finally I spend several hours tilling the hard soil, breaking the dry upper layer apart to find the darker, living dirt below. I go back to the grain to check how my chances have changed.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Current chance of cultivation: 53%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Base chance: 5%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Skill modifier: 3%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Racial bonus: 10%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Seed bonus: 10%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Soil modifier: 0%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Field prep modifier: +25%</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Well, it lets me break even, but it¡¯s still not great. I wonder if that chance is per seed, per square or per field. I guess my best chances of increasing this is by upping my herbalism skill, increasing my farming level or learning how to work the field more effectively. I decide to go for it.


    As soon as I¡¯ve accepted the prompt, a grid is superimposed over the field. Each square of the grid has a different colour, and all of them have a red border. I pick up the sack of grains and move to the closest square. Taking a single grain, I drop it on the ground. Nothing changes. I take a handful and spread it over the approximately one foot square area, and the border changes to a slightly more orange red. Checking the bag, I find I¡¯ve spent 37 seeds. A quick count shows me that there are a thousand squares on the 100x100 field. That means I¡¯d need around 37000 seeds if I want to go at it this way. That can¡¯t be right.


    I go to the next square, taking a single seed. This time I dig a little hole, placing the seed inside and cover it up. The border around the square changes colour, nearly matching the colour of the square inside. I plant another one and the colour matches perfectly. Looking back to the first square, I try pushing as many of the seeds into the ground as I can find. I¡¯m rewarded with another colour matched square. Awesome, so I can do this with 2000 seeds instead, leaving me almost a thousand as backup for when things go bad. Diligently, I start sowing each square.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill increase: Herbalism.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    By the time I¡¯ve finished, my back is aching and I¡¯m parched. Each square on the grid is matching it¡¯s border, and most of the squares are yellow. Some of them seem to have increased towards green, while some have regressed towards orange, telling me that there¡¯s a random element at work here. As a finishing touch I use a watering can to dampen the topsoil. Satisfied with my work, I check the field status.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Field 1: small (100x100)</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Current crop: Emgrass (1000)</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Soil quality: Normal (high mineral content)</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Growing cycle: Sown (0)</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Average health: 80%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Needs: None.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    It¡¯s as good as it¡¯s going to get I guess. I head back to the cart, finding Tiene cooking dinner. She gives me a tired look as I return.


    ¡°I cooked some of the root vegetables for dinner. How did the farming go?¡±


    Sitting down heavily, I pour some water for the two of us.


    ¡°Not too bad I think. As it turns out, despite the training I don¡¯t really know what I¡¯m doing here.¡±


    She laughs, pulling a tuber out of the pot.


    ¡°You¡¯re not alone, Tee. I think I was supposed to peel this thing before I cooked it. Or possibly cube it with the skin on. Right now it sort of looks like a walnut.¡±


    Boggling at the poor vegetable, I take over the cooking while she lies back to relax.


    ¡°I finished clearing out the shed. There were a few issues with the structure, but I can fix them.¡±


    I manage to slice the root, releasing an eerie hiss as the trapped gases escape.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to go into town tomorrow for more supplies. We¡¯re going to run out of water soon if I don¡¯t. If you need anything, write it down and I¡¯ll grab it.¡±


    Using a skillet and a little oil, I fry the mushy vegetable over the fire, making a serviceable meal out of it despite Tiene¡¯s best efforts. She makes a point out of not commenting on it as we finally sit down to eat. After the meal, we lie there as the sun goes down, revealing the moons and stars.


    ¡°Tee¡­ Why haven¡¯t you tried anything with me?¡±


    I nearly swallow my tongue. What kind of question is that? My mind starts racing, showing me memories of Rishi, of others I¡¯ve cared for in the past. I look at her, her eyes firmly fixed on the dark sky.


    ¡°Tiene, did you want me to try anything?¡±


    She shrugs audibly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know really. I kind of expected it. A grand adventure with an adventurer, travelling together across the realms. But then Yadra came along, and I like her, but it didn¡¯t really fit with the fantasy. And now there¡¯s Leona, who you clearly have a lot in common with, and now I don¡¯t know what my place here is anymore and¡­¡±


    She stops talking, leaving me to fill in the awkward silence.


    ¡°Tiene¡­ Yadra scares the bejeebus out of me. Leona is powerful and all, but Yadra is a whole other level of terrifying.¡±


    Taking a deep breath, I try to find the right words. She looks at me, her eyes somewhere between laughter and tears.


    ¡°I can¡¯t get involved with you any more than I am now. I need you as a companion, as a friend and as a partner. The way things are now, I can¡¯t give you or anyone anything more.¡±


    She smiles at me, nodding as she looks back up towards the sky.


    ¡°Good. Because Yadra gave me this knife and told me to show it to you if you tried something.¡±


    With a snapping motion, she plants the knife between us. It¡¯s the same one I got from Fred. I look from it to her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what a bejeebus is, but I think she¡¯s pretty scary too.¡±

 Chapter 25 - Supply

    Tiene drifts off to sleep soon after, leaving me alone in the darkness. I bring up the portal to our external website to upload the days video, doing some basic editing. I cut part of Leona¡¯s appearance, making her seem a bit more mysterious and saving Tiene¡¯s dignity. A short montage of the farming process gave me filler material to work with. Finally, a mood shot of our late night chat with some guitar music on top. That should give the viewers a taste of farming life in the World Below. There¡¯s still no videos uploaded by the others, which makes me worried. Hopefully there¡¯s a letter waiting for me at the keep. The videos I uploaded previously has garnered a few hundred views. Not exactly a viral video yet, but anything is better than nothing. If our viewership keeps growing at this rate we¡¯ll be able to pay next months rent in about six months. I sigh sadly, letting the voices of the night lull me to sleep.


    ***


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">[You are rested.]</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Birdsong greets me in the new day. I stretch, bumping into Tiene in the process. She swears a little before going back to sleep. I chuckle as I get out of the tent. Morning is breaking slowly and I light the fire, preparing our breakfast. As I¡¯m grooming Reynard, I catch movement in the corner of my eye down by the field. A dark shape is hopping around, sniffing at the ground. No, not sniffing, pecking. A magpie?


    I drop the reins running towards the field. Flailing my arms, I scream as I approach. Before I get withing ten metres, the bird flies off with a caw. I pick up a rock to throw after it, missing it by miles. With a thought, I bring up the field interface.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">[Field 1: small (100x100)]</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">[Current crop: Emgrass (430)]</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">[Soil quality: Normal (high mineral content)]</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">[Growing cycle: Sprouting (1)]</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">[Average health: 67%]</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">[Estimated Yield: 0.]</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">[Needs: Weeding. Watering.]</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Crap. Stupid greedy bird. How much did it eat? I start weeding, repairing the damage as much as possible as I go along. The distribution of colours has changed since yesterday. Several sections are black, where the feathered fiend feasted. Some are greener than yesterday, showing some healthy little sprouts. Most of them are still orange to yellow.


    As I keep working the field, the colours begin to improve showing a much healthier hue than when I started. I replant the darkened squares, losing another handful of seeds, and water everything. This brings the average health up to 82% and the crop number to 1000. At least I could recover from the damage, but I need a way to keep the damn thing from destroying my work.


    While I¡¯m thinking about the problem, Tiene comes to join me with some cold breakfast. I complain to her as I eat, and she gets a thoughtful look in her eyes.


    ¡°I think I can help with that. We just need a scarecrow. I need some materials to make one. Two sticks, about yea high.¡±


    She holds her hands out to show me.


    ¡°Some old clothes, some stuffing, a bag for the head and something shiny to dangle from the side.¡±


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">You have been given a quest: Nightmare Fuel.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Tiene will build you a scarecrow if you get her the materials.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Success: A staple of horror to call your own.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Reject: Probably the sane choice. Birds need to eat too.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I roll my eyes as I accept.


    ¡°I guess I¡¯m heading into town then. Can you keep an eye out for the little bastard? I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be back as soon as I turn around.¡±


    She nods, smiling.


    ¡°Oh, before you go, here¡¯s my list. Get me this stuff and we¡¯ll have a place to sleep before long.¡±


    I head back to the cart and strap Reynard in. He¡¯s a bit grumpy since I didn¡¯t finish grooming him this morning, but a handful of oats makes up for the heresy. I start the long trip with high hopes.


    ***


    The guards at providence greets me as I arrive in the late afternoon. I park at the stables, exchanging pleasantries with the stablehand before I head to the general store. Handing over the list, with the addition of the scarecrow materials, I get ready for the bill.


    ¡°More water, eh? I thought there was a well on that old plot.¡±


    The old man is climbing some rickety shelves using what I can only call a parody of a ladder. I stand underneath, stabilising it for dear life.


    ¡°There was, but it¡¯s been destroyed. Don¡¯t know if it was the old owners or time and weather, but I¡¯m not going to be able to open it up any time soon.¡±


    He grunts as he pulls an old tarp from a high shelf, nearly falling over.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a source of water closer than the keep. Have you met your neighbours yet?¡±


    For a moment I¡¯m left speechless. It didn¡¯t even occur to me to check out the farms around me.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t had time yet, but I¡¯m going to make it a priority going forward.¡±


    He hands me a carton of nails as he goes to dig around for the rest of my order. Finally, he hands me a tally.


    ¡°Thirteen gold?¡±


    My mind boggles at the price.


    ¡°I can¡¯t afford that right now. I haven¡¯t even had my first harvest yet.¡±


    He gives me a serious look as he puts a hand on the cudgel at his belt.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a charity, friend. Do you have anything to put up as collateral?¡±


    Thinking about it, I realise how poor I am.


    ¡°Can you give me a loan against the Emgrass I¡¯m growing? It¡¯s a fast growing crop, so I should be back with the first delivery in a few days. I can throw in three gold pieces as a down payment.¡±


    I can see the gears grinding in his mind. Frankly, it¡¯s a terrible deal. I wouldn¡¯t agree to it myself, unless there was some real collateral.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take the gold, and you¡¯ll owe me seventeen more. I¡¯ll take part of it in trade, but I¡¯ll need at least ten coins cash. I¡¯ll give you a week to repay me, or I¡¯ll take your cart and foxburro in lieu. How does that sound?¡±The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    A seven gold markup makes it very expensive, but I don¡¯t really have a lot of choices right now. The cart and Reynard are worth much more than twenty gold though. If it comes to the worst, I can sell them myself and pay him off.


    ¡°Throw in a can of lamp oil and a bag of potatoes, and you have yourself a deal.¡±


    He grunts as he puts out his hand, and we shake.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">[Skill discovered: Trading.]</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">[Debt acquired: You owe seventeen gold to Quarn the Shopkeeper. You have put Reynard and your cart up as collateral. You have 7 days to pay.]</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I carry the goods out, loading the cart before I head to the administration centre. Inside I find the InterDaemail console.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">[You have 4 new messages.]</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">[ Mika - Sorry.]</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">[ Mika - Dude!]</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">[ Mika - Portal.]</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">[ Rishi - . . . ]</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I check Rishi¡¯s mail first. As I select it, I feel excited in a way I didn¡¯t expect. I shake it off as I start reading.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">[Subject: . . .]</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">[Hi Tee. We should talk.]</td></tr></tbody></table>


    My heart sinks at her words. That can¡¯t be good. I read Mika¡¯s letters in the order I received them.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">[Subject: Portal]</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">[ Are you going to start uploading anything to the portal soon? We¡¯ve put up hours of adventures, but we¡¯re not getting any traction. I think it¡¯s pretty standard fare, so there¡¯s a lot of competition. Rishi is feeling better. I think. Actually, I have no idea. She tore a lizardman apart yesterday. Check out the video!]</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">[Subject: Dude!]</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">[Oh man, I forgot to say! We¡¯ve been out of contact for more than a week. After the mercenary mission we joined an expedition into a ruined city underground, made by some sort of protodwarf. Suffice to say there wasn¡¯t a lot of mail consoles.]</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">[Subject: Sorry.]</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">[I think I know what¡¯s going on with the portal. We¡¯re not able to see each others videos. It would give us an unfair method of communicating with each other, so we can only see our own uploads. I¡¯m not sure how the company is policing this, but I¡¯m going to assume you¡¯re uploading as well. We¡¯ll see soon enough when the advertising money comes in. Oh, and we¡¯re going to start travelling to you now. It was the Deephammer province, right?]</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Dammit Mika. That kind of jumping to conclusions led to him shouting at me so many times when I was a healer. It was a big part of the reason why I¡¯d had enough. I compose a response.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">[Subject: Calm yourself mountain man.]</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">[Haven¡¯t you learnt by now that your first instinct is always wrong? I¡¯ve uploaded a few videos. Not a lot of views yet, low hundreds, but I¡¯m hopeful for the next few clips. I won¡¯t have produce to sell for a while though, I¡¯m scraping the barrel with regards to cash. Take care brother, see you soon.]</td></tr></tbody></table>


    And one for Rishi.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">[Subject: You know where to find me.]</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">[But I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get lost on the way. Probably chasing a squirrel. I¡¯ll keep a light on for you. Best, Tee.]</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I almost put in ¡®love¡¯, but delete it. No reason to complicate things. I send the messages, collecting the change left behind. Before I head off, I go to check in with Yadra. The inn is busy. It looks like supper service, making me feel nostalgic for my first few days in this world. Shaking it off, I sit at the bar and wait. Soon enough I¡¯m smacked upside the head with a wooden spoon.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing here? Goofing off? You¡¯re going to lead that poor girl into misery the way you¡¯re keeping on.¡±


    I rub my head as I smile at Yadra. She¡¯s wearing an apron with food stains. She¡¯s clearly working hard.


    ¡°You¡¯re looking good. Sure I can¡¯t convince you to come with us?¡±


    She snorts.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather wipe my ass with nettles.¡±


    I nod, chuckling.


    ¡°That¡¯s fair. I can get you some nettles if you need any. Also Emgrass, if you have a way to mill it.¡±


    She raises an eyebrow, clearly interested.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if there¡¯s any use for that kind of thing here¡­¡±


    She starts her negotiation, but I interrupt her.


    ¡°Come on, we¡¯re not doing this. If you can use it, I¡¯m going to sell it to you, and you¡¯re going to pay a reasonable price with the friend discount.¡±


    She bristles at first, then relaxes.


    ¡°Fine. Come around with a sample when you can. If the quality is good enough I¡¯ll buy some off you. It¡¯s an uncommon grain in this area, but I have a few recipes I think will sell well here.¡±


    I consider that for a moment.


    ¡°You know, if you¡¯d prefer I can trade part of the grain to you in exchange for a share in the finished goods.¡±


    She puts out her hand faster than I¡¯d like.


    ¡°Deal.¡±


    As we shake, I can¡¯t avoid the feeling that she played me this time. I quickly forget it as she comps me an ale, a small keg and a parcel of food to bring back to Tiene. When I¡¯ve finished I head back to the stables. It¡¯ll be well dark before I get back, but I should be fine with the lamp. The wagon is heavily loaded, but the repair seems to be holding as I sit in the drivers seat. As we start rolling toward the gates, I see a large figure standing in my way.


    I approach Grimguard, slowing down in good time. I do not want to ram this guy. He walks over to me, and even sitting in my elevated position I have to look up to meet his eyes.


    ¡°Good evening. Leaving?¡±


    His voice thunders against the calm evening.


    ¡°Yeah, I have to head back to the farm. It¡¯s quite a place you helped us get, I really appreciate the assistance.¡±


    I try to keep the sarcasm out of my voice. It¡¯s impossible to read his expression as the glowing embers of his eyes keep burning.


    ¡°Welcome. Baron request.¡±


    He hands me an official looking scroll. I take it and wait for him to keep talking.


    ¡°Will visit. Two days.¡±


    I nod.


    ¡°We¡¯ll look forward to it. Is there anything we can prepare for you? Any hospitality we can offer?¡±


    There¡¯s a whirr of cogs and axles inside of him for a moment.


    ¡°Anything interesting. Good talk. Travel safe.¡±


    He turns around, walking away from me. I find myself wondering what kind of player would voluntarily play something like that. I¡¯d understand it if he was in the army, on the front lines. As I¡¯m about to leave, I notice that the people he passes give him a wide berth as he stomps back to the keep. Interesting.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">[Skill increased: Perception.]</td></tr></tbody></table>


    By the time I get back to the farm, the moons have kept me company for an hour already.

 Chapter 26 - Deadlines

    Under the cover of night I manage to groom and feed Reynard before I sneak into the tent, falling asleep as soon as my head hits the ground. In my dreams I see Rishi again. She¡¯s standing in a group with Rachel, Tiene, Betha, Yadra and Leona. They seem to be engaged in an animated discussion, hands waving and pointing, until Leona sees me. With a smirk, she gestures towards me, making the others turn facing me. Their eyes wild with rage, they move towards me. I evade their grasping hands, dodging for my life as I run down a long corridor. Alcoves along the walls every five meters hold mirrors, and in each of them one of the women stare back at me. The hallway seems to go on forever as I hear a raven caw. When I turn around to look, there¡¯s a door in my way. I open it carefully, only to find Selene¡¯s hooded figure. She hooks two fingers in her cowl, slowly pulling it back, revealing a shining light.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to wake up Tee. You need to see to the fields. The bird was back, but I chased it off for you.¡±


    I blink at the sun behind her. How long did I sleep? And no rested state either. Grumbling under my breath I climb out of the tent. Tiene has already unpacked the wagon and the skeleton of a scarecrow is leaning against the card.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Quest completed: Nightmare Fuel.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    ¡°I¡¯ll go check the field.¡±


    A deep rumbling from my stomach makes Tiene stop her work and stare at it.


    ¡°Actually, I think I¡¯ll just have a bite to eat first.¡±


    Burnt bread with butter. I guess she was trying for toast. I force it down, deciding to either give her a cooking course or hire someone with the right skills. Afterward I head to the field to check the damage.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Field 1: small (100x100)</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Current crop: Emgrass (707)</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Soil quality: Normal (high mineral content)</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Growing cycle: Mixed (Sprouting (1) 40%/Growing(1) 60%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Average health: 75%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Estimated Yield: 8.6.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Needs: Weeding. Watering.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    So slightly more than half the plants from yesterday survived, and most of the ones from the first day. I guess the crows prefer seed to sprout. The yield number is interesting. I guess it means that if I harvested the field right now I¡¯d get 8.6 bushels? No, that doesn¡¯t seem reasonable. Seeds? Maybe. I guess I¡¯ll find out tomorrow.


    I spend a few hours evening out the colours, planting the rest of the seeds I have. The average health grows to 85%, making me hopeful for a strong harvest soon. By the time I finish, Tiene comes over with the scarecrow. A flannel shirt, straw hat and linen trousers, all stuffed with dry bushes and debris. This thing is better dressed than I am. As she installs it, I check the field status again, finding a new entry there.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Features: Scarecrow (simple)</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I hug Tiene as I thank her. She blushes from the unexpected attention.


    ¡°I thought I¡¯d go and explore the area today, see if I can meet some of the neighbours. Maybe they can trade with us for some water so I don¡¯t have to go all the way into the keep every three days.¡±


    She looks thoughtful as she nods.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    A deep breath.


    ¡°I was just hoping you could help me out with the shed today. There¡¯s some heavy lifting and I just don¡¯t have the muscle mass for that kind of job.¡±


    Even if I ignore the hopeful look in her eyes, it is an important job to do.


    ¡°That¡¯s a good call. Let¡¯s do it.¡±


    She disengages from the hug, walking away briskly. I grab the tools and follow her.


    The shed is much cleaner now. She¡¯s removed all the damaged sections of wall, and most of the roof is gone. I start carrying materials from the cart as she lays it out in the order she needs in. As I work, I check out the shed details.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Shed</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Structural integrity: 35%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Repair progress:</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Roof: 0%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Walls(E/S/N/W) 0%/0%/0%/0%</td></tr></tbody></table>


    After a few hours working we¡¯d gotten into a good groove. She¡¯d call out what materials she needed, and I¡¯d hand her whatever looked the most like it. As I watched the percentages climb upwards she taught me many new swearwords. By the time the sun started setting we had a reasonable looking shed at 75% integrity and fully repaired walls. There was still some work to do on the roof, but with the darkness it was getting too unsafe to climb around up there. Instead we lit the campfire and started cooking. I¡¯d even gained some skills.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill increase: Repair.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Skill discovered: Carpentry.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Ability discovered: Agility.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    ¡°What do you think we should do tomorrow?¡±


    Tiene, lost in thought, looks at me.


    ¡°Huh? Oh, I guess I can finish the shed on my own. I¡¯ll try to build some shelving or a chest so we can store some of our stuff, maybe a door to keep the animals out. Maybe I can start on the well.¡±


    I look at the pile of stones.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s the best use of your time. I mean, I¡¯m sure you can fix it, but then what? The water is toxic.¡±


    She thinks about it for a moment.


    ¡°What about the mine? I can make a simple ladder, and we can explore it. Maybe there¡¯s something down there we can use.¡±


    I like that idea better, but it sounds dangerous.


    ¡°Do we have any protective gear? I guess we have to search it to determine what¡¯s gone wrong. Let¡¯s put a pin in that idea. I still think we need to go talk to our neighbours and see what¡¯s available in the area.¡±


    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.She nods slowly as I get the pot of food from the fire. I¡¯d made boiled grains with peas for the evening, seasoned with salt. Not exactly gourmet eating, but it¡¯ll do until we get our feet under us.


    After dinner she takes care of Reynard while I clean up campsite. Soon we¡¯re both asleep.


    ***


    I wake up the next morning with a start. There was another dream, with a snake and a¡­ a courgette? Before I could take stock, the dream vanished. The sun is barely up now, but Tiene is already outside humming a tune to herself. I leave the tent to join her.


    ¡°I think the scarecrow worked. I can hear the bird, but it¡¯s not in the field for once.¡±


    She smiles wide as we eat the leftovers from last night. I grin back at her. If I¡¯m right, I should have about 800 plants growing, with a decent percentage getting close to harvest time. Before I go check, I update our portal. I add another montage video, this time of me and Tiene fixing the shed. I notice that I¡¯m close to breaking a thousand viewers. Combined with what the other two must be pulling, we¡¯re nearly halfway to what we need for advertising pay the rent. The thought puts a spring in my step as I head to the field.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Field 1: small (100x100)</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Current crop: Emgrass (783)</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Soil quality: Normal (high mineral content)</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Growing cycle: Mixed (Sprouting (1) 10%/Growing(1) 30%/Growing(2) 60%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Average health: 86%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Estimated Yield: 7736.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Needs: Weeding. Watering.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I freeze. Can that be correct? I¡¯ve spent three thousand seed with about 50% success rate. In return I get nearly eight thousand grain back, and that¡¯s before the field is even matured. Makes me wish I¡¯d check how much I need to mill to gain a kilo of flour. As I mind the crops, tenderly nursing the smallest sprouts, I can¡¯t keep the smile off my face. Everything¡¯s coming up Tee.


    I finish as the sun crests the sky, letting me know it¡¯s noon already. Walking slowly back to the shed, I can see Tiene standing on the roof, scouting towards the road.


    ¡°Tee, somethings coming. Something big!¡±


    I jog to get back to the cart as a massive figure comes walking towards me. Seems like my two days were up. Raising my hand in greeting, I meet him halfway.


    ¡°Grimguard. It¡¯s an honour to have you here.¡±


    He nods mechanically.


    ¡°TeeCee. Nice farm.¡±


    I gesture towards the shed and pile of rocks.


    ¡°My home and castle. You came here just in time, I just checked my plants, and they are coming along beautifully.¡±


    He tilts his head as a servo whirrs.


    ¡°Really? How? Ground poison.¡±


    There¡¯s clear surprise in his cavernous voice as he looks past me to the field. I guess he knew what he was sending me to when he volunteered the place.


    ¡°Ancient dryad secret. We¡¯re good with soil you see.¡±


    Best not to reveal my secrets too soon. After a moment, he grabs a scroll attached to his chest and hands it to me.


    ¡°Orders from Baron.¡±


    Before I have a chance to break the seal, he takes a sack from his shoulder, dropping it on the ground.


    ¡°Supplies.¡±


    He turns, apparently about to leave.


    ¡°Hey, Grimguard, before you go.¡±


    He stops mid stride, rotating his upper body to face me.


    ¡°Uhh, yeah, I just wanted to ask if you could shift that pile of rocks for us. There¡¯s a well underneath, probably, but it would save us a lot of time if¡­¡±


    He turns the rest of his body towards me, his eyes glowering at me.


    ¡°I am not here to serve you.¡±


    He turns again, taking off at a slow jog. Step by step he picks up speed and power. By the time he leaves our line of sight, he¡¯s flying down the road at breakneck speed. On one hand, it¡¯s pretty awesome to watch. He¡¯ll be back at the keep in an hour at that rate. On the other hand, that¡¯s gonna destroy the road. Oh well, it was worth trying. I open the scroll to check what the Baron wants.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Quest Received: The Barons Order.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Serf TeeCee</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">You have been granted the honour of serving the Baron by supplying a feast. Your contribution will be ten kilos of flour for bread, one crate of vegetables, one kilo of butter and a keg of fine ale. The feast will be held in two weeks.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Your lord the Baron Brouswin.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Failure: loss of the Greenlily farm.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Success: Variable, based on degree of success. Less than 80% is considered a failure.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I¡¯m speechless. This is much more than I¡¯d expected. There¡¯s no way I can get this done with the small plot of land I have. Just the flour will take four days per ten thousand, if I¡¯m lucky. And the rest of the order¡­ I sit down against the cart heavily. Reynard stalks across the field to muzzle me and I lean into his furry face for comfort. After a few minutes, Tiene approaches as well.


    ¡°That was quick. Are those the Barons wishes?¡±


    I nod quietly, handing her the scroll. She reads it, wrinkling her brow.


    ¡°I think we can do most of this. I mean, you¡¯re doing well on the farming front, right?¡±


    Sighing deeply, I look up at her.


    ¡°The field is doing pretty well. The problem is that I don¡¯t know how much grain I need to mill to get enough flour. Not to mention the ale and the vegetables. I¡¯m sure Reynard wouldn¡¯t mind being milked, but I don¡¯t think you can make butter out of what you¡¯d get from him.¡±


    She makes a face at that.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be disgusting. Besides, he¡¯s already following me around too much as it is. Look, you pulled farmable soil from toxic wasteland. You¡¯re a hard worker and good at what you do. You just have to buckle down and stop whining.¡±


    I blink at her.


    ¡°As far as pep talks go, I¡¯d give that one a five out of ten.¡±


    I stand up.


    ¡°But you have a point. Feeling sorry for myself isn¡¯t going to get shit done. When you¡¯re done with the roof, can you start on the ladder you talked about?¡±


    I pick up a piece of coal, then head to the shed. I start drawing rectangles in a line. Crossing out the first three, I turn to her.


    ¡°This is where we¡¯re at now.¡±


    I fill in a square six days forward.


    ¡°This is when the shopkeeper wants his seventeen gold.¡±


    Her eyes go wide as I fill in a square fourteen days in the future.


    ¡°This is D day.¡±


    I straighten my back as I look out across my tiny domain.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to go meet our neighbours now. When I get back, we¡¯ll see about exploring the mine. If that doesn¡¯t yield anything useful, we¡¯ll go talk to Leona and see if we can wrangle some extra support from her.¡±


    Holding out my arm, hand flat towards the ground, I look her in the eyes.


    ¡°Greenlily, on three.¡±


    She looks confused, so I take her hand and put it on top of mine. I count down slowly, showing her the motion, and finally, she gets it.


    ¡°Greenlily!¡±


    She beams at me as she runs off to continue working, and I feel like an ass for getting her hopes up like this.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: Leadership.</td></tr></tbody></table>

 Chapter 27 - Plans

    As soon as she¡¯s busy with the shed I head to the forest. I need information about the areas around us, and I¡¯m betting Leona is the best source nearby.


    I get a hundred metres into the forest before I cross the invisible border of her domain. It felt like walking into a spiderweb. I walk for another few steps before stopping, waiting for her to make the first move.


    ¡°Back again so soon? And all alone. I¡¯m beginning to think you¡¯re after more than just my vast power over nature.¡±


    As her hand touches my shoulder I yelp in terror, jumping out of my skin. She¡¯s a ninja in the forest. I turn towards her and she laughs, a bright sound that brings out birdsong all around us.


    ¡°Lady Cethi, I didn¡¯t see you there. Please forgive my¡­¡±


    She waves me off.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly. If I wanted you to see me you would have. Now please tell me, why are you here?¡±


    She cocks her hips as she asks, clearly trying to fluster me. She damn near succeeds as well, making me pinch my side to keep my mind from drifting.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Ability increased: Focus.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I step closer to her, ignoring the sudden aroma of fresh wildflowers, looking into her eyes. She¡¯s fazed by my audacity, giving me a slight advantage in our conversation.


    ¡°I¡¯ve come to ask you for some information about any nearby farms. Nobody knows the surrounding area as well as you.¡±


    She nods sagely, accepting my compliment without noticing it.


    ¡°And if you know about a source of water closer than Providence Keep, I would love to hear about it. The poison ground isn¡¯t helping our saplings grow.¡±


    Her shoulders drop slightly as she sighs.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I can sense your plants growing, and they love you for your effort. Most of them will be mature soon, and you will need to find something else to plant, otherwise the soil will be exhausted. The Emgrass is a greedy child. Nevertheless, the poison grows stronger. It feels like it¡¯s reacting to your efforts. We may not have a lot of time to solve the problem.¡±


    She straightens up again, shaking off the sadness and smiling at me.


    ¡°There are three farms nearby, beyond your own. The furthest one has a lot of angry beasts, and I wouldn¡¯t recommend going there without a good reason or strong weapons.¡±


    She points as she tells me about each farm.


    ¡°The closest one has started suffering from the same blight you are. If they chose not to leave, they¡¯ll die in a few years. Then there¡¯s the last farm. I don¡¯t really know anything about it, as animals stay away from the place. They have healthy crops and a source of water, so I think they would be your best bet.¡±


    I think about it for a moment. I guess the closest farm is my first port of call. For no other reason then to warn them about the problems they¡¯re facing. My attention drifts back to the woman next to me.


    ¡°Oh, I forgot to mention. Tiene and I are going to explore the old mine tomorrow. Hopefully we can narrow down what¡¯s wrong and make some headway against fixing the soil here.¡±


    Her eyes widen briefly in surprise.


    ¡°Already? I expected you to drag your feet and take forever to get started since I already gave you what you wanted.¡±


    I smile at her.


    ¡°You¡¯ve given me more than I could have ever hoped for, and every time I meet you I leave with more. I only wish I could return your generosity in a way worthy of a lady of the forest such as you.¡±


    She straightens up, hardening her face in a stern expression. With her narrow eyes I¡¯d consider her angry, if it wasn¡¯t for the red shade spreading across her cheeks. I bow my head to give her a moment to compose herself.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill discovered: Etiquette.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I can hear her regulating her breathing, and when I look at her a moment later, she¡¯s smiling again. A lot of smiling, actually. As I see the rows of razor sharp teeth in her mouth, I recall the reactions some people have had to my dryad blood. Female dryads are true monsters. I backing away from her, moving towards the farm to get away from the situation, and she watches me the whole time.


    ¡°Thank you again, Leona Cethi. I will be back to visit you soon.¡±


    She fades into the forest, and her voice is different. Deeper. Huskier somehow.


    ¡°I will be looking forward to it, Tee.¡±


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Your relationship with Leona Cethi has changed to: Friendly.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    As soon as I¡¯m out of the forest I spend a few minutes just standing still with my eyes closed. It feels like I barely escaped with the skin on my back. I shake off the feeling and head to the shed in time for Tiene to finish the roof. I check the info as she¡¯s climbing down to the ground.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Shed</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Structural integrity: 95%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Current use: None.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    ¡°Fantastic work Tiene, but why are you stopping at 95%?¡±


    She looks puzzled for a moment before realisation dawns.


    ¡°Oh, of course you can see the status, you¡¯re the owner. Normally you have to have a high skill in construction, a specialised perception skill or an engineering profession. It¡¯s stuck at almost perfect because my profession level is too low. I can repair stuff pretty well, but I can¡¯t return anything to pristine condition.¡±


    I raise an eyebrow.


    ¡°So you¡¯re an engineer? I¡¯m sorry, I never really thought to ask.¡±


    She rolls her eyes at that.


    ¡°Nobody ever does. I¡¯m also a Courtier, because my father had plans for me.¡±


    Smiling, she looks at me.


    ¡°I never thanked you for that, did I? For taking me away from there, giving me a chance to be myself for once. Risking yourself. Thank you Tee.¡±


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Quest completed: The Farmers Daughter.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Tiene considers your pledge complete. She is no longer considered your companion.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Your relationship with Tiene has increased to Glorification.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Your relationship with the Candrid Family has dropped to Vilification.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Note: Your relationship with Tiene has reached the highest level. Any overflow will be added to a buffer against negative changes.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Tiene Candrid is no longer your companion.</td></tr></tbody></table>Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    I¡¯m left speechless for a moment. I didn¡¯t really expect to lose her as a companion over this. But when I look at her, I can tell she¡¯s happier now than when she was bound to me by the harsh bindings of the quest. From now on she would be here because it was where she wants to be.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">[Skill increased: Social Perception.]</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">[Ability discovered: Wisdom.]</td></tr></tbody></table>


    ¡°You¡¯ve been the best partner I could have asked for. Without your knowhow and spirit, there¡¯s no way we¡¯d have survived the trip out here. This farm is yours as much as it is mine, for as long as you want to stay here. And when you want to leave, I¡¯ll do my best to buy you out so you can continue your adventure with some resources.¡±


    We hug for a while. Afterwards, I prepare dinner for later. Tiene starts building a ladder while I set out for the nearest farm. I decide to chance using the road, considering that my skill in navigating the forest is mediocre. It¡¯s an excellent opportunity to see the area during daytime, however. There are old trees here, and a gradient boundary where I can see the poison has reached. At least a couple of kilometres from the farm. Once I¡¯m out of the blighted area, there are a lot more birds flying around. I spot squirrels running about the trees, and traces of larger forest creatures. Probably some kind of moose.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: Perception.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">You are now a Beginner in the skill Perception.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Specialisation options available:</td></tr><tr><td width="25%"> - Sight</td></tr><tr><td width="25%"> - Taste</td></tr><tr><td width="25%"> - Hearing</td></tr><tr><td width="25%"> - Touch</td></tr><tr><td width="25%"> - Smell</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I consider the alternatives for a moment. I wasn¡¯t really aware of this aspect of the game, but it makes sense. My Perception is at 11 now, so I guess I gain a rank every 10 points. But which option to chose?


    Sight is obviously useful. But hearing could be helpful as well. I¡¯m uncertain as to how much use I¡¯d get out of Taste, maybe it¡¯d help me identify poisons and bad food. Touch is much the same, unless it works for tremors. Smell being the final option, makes me think of the future. Many products require a keen sense of smell, especially anything brewed. It¡¯s a tough choice. I decide to do the responsible thing and postpone the choice until later.


    By then I¡¯d reached an intersection, where a road led me back towards the blighted area. I follow it, noting how the world seems clearer than it was before. More details are available, smells are just a little bit richer. Increasing my skill rank had a much more pronounced effect than just improving a skill.


    After another ten minutes I reach the boundary of a farm. Stepping across it, I see three buildings clustered together. A well, what looks like a barn and a small house, barely larger than my own shed.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">[You have entered Old Jacksons Hollow]</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">[You are considered a visitor here.]</td></tr></tbody></table>


    As I approach the farm, I see two fields in the distance, both of them grey and dying. A sound makes me turn around to see an old dog running towards me. Wait, not old, just sick. It growls at me, but I kneel, reaching a hand out to it.


    ¡°Hey there fella. Where¡¯s your owner? I¡¯m just here to talk.¡±


    The dog barks at me twice, then retreats a little, regarding me with suspicious eyes. I stand up and turn towards the fields, just waiting. Soon enough a figure emerges from the tall stalks of the field. A young man made old by exposure to the sun and wind. Big and muscled, he¡¯s wearing coveralls and a straw hat. I raise my hand in greeting, and he raises his as he whistles for the dog. It takes a long detour around me to get to it¡¯s master as he approaches me.


    ¡°Hi there, I¡¯m Tee. I just started farming on the Greenlily plot.¡±


    He pushes his hat back, pale blue eyes searching me for any sign of hostility. He relaxes a bit, obviously not considering me a threat.


    ¡°Hey. The names Cullen. I run this farm together with my brother Dale. He¡¯s off to town to get some supplies at the moment, but he should be back any minute now.¡±


    A guarded stance, warning me about reinforcements. He¡¯s not afraid, but doesn¡¯t take any chances. That¡¯s fair enough.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be frank with you, Cullen. I know that you¡¯re suffering from the poisoned soil here.¡±


    His body tenses from my words.¡±


    ¡°And I am too. I suspect I know where the source of the problem is, but I need help in sorting it out.¡±


    His eyes narrow in suspicion.


    ¡°And I should just take you at your word?¡±


    An excellent point by the farmer. I remove the sample from my backpack.


    ¡°I got this sample from an old mine on the property. It only grows on the poisoned soil. There¡¯s a lot of it surrounding the mine. I feel confident that if we go down there, we¡¯ll know what¡¯s happening.¡±


    He scoffs.


    ¡°More words, and a sample of fungus. If that¡¯s all you¡¯ve got, I think it¡¯s time for you to leave.¡±


    I sigh, digging through my backpack again.


    ¡°I¡¯d also like to trade a little with you. I¡¯ve got a crop called Emgrass. It grows fast, but depletes the soil. I need a crop that¡¯ll let the soil recuperate. Can we trade something?¡±


    He looks at the seed I brought. It should be enough for him to see what it can yield. Grunting, he hands it back to me.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of it, but I can see it¡¯s value. I can trade you the seeds two to three for this.¡±


    He hands me a pod, and I examine it.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Voidsiphon</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Common</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Known effects: none</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Base chance of cultivation: 10%</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I nod at him.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good plant, but I think I¡¯d like to have two per seed for it. The Emgrass grows fast, and has a high yield.¡±


    He considers my offer for a moment, then reaches out his hand.


    ¡°That¡¯s a deal. I¡¯ll send my brother to your plot when he¡¯s back. Anything else I can do for you?¡±


    I nod towards his dog.


    ¡°What¡¯s his name?¡±


    The farmer smiles as he looks at the dog.


    ¡°Her name is Selkie. She loves the water.¡±


    His face darkens a little.


    ¡°The poison is killing her faster than it¡¯s killing us.¡±


    He closes his eyes for a moment before opening them, looking at me.


    ¡°If you do find the source for this curse, let me know. I won¡¯t withhold help if you can provide proof.¡±


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Your relationship with Cullen has increased to Wary Friendship.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    No quest notice shows up, which surprises me. This is the kind of thing that I¡¯d expect to be chronicled. I kneel down and address the dog.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry sweetie, I¡¯ll do what I can to fix what¡¯s happening to you. Just stay strong, okay?¡±


    She whines silently, wagging her tail. She¡¯s loosing fur, but there¡¯s still strength in her. I stand, shaking Cullen¡¯s hand before I head out. There should be time to visit one more farm before I have to return to Tiene.

 Chapter 28 - Varelse

    Finding my next stop takes longer than I¡¯d like. I manage to get lost on a backroad that led me in roughly the direction Leona pointed when it doubles back onto the road in a different spot than I¡¯d expected. The general state of disrepair doesn¡¯t make the roads any easier to travel. When I arrive, the sun is already on it¡¯s way down. I enter the parcel of land.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">You have entered Serran¡¯s Reach</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I have indeed. The place is desolate. There are five buildings in what must have been the courtyard, giving the impression that place was abandoned a long time ago. The only incongruous element here is the field. Rows upon rows of dark corn waft slowly in the evening breeze. As I go closer to investigate, I realise it¡¯s actually teal ears on green stalks. I reach for one to take a sample when I hear a noise behind me. Turning around I see a tall, gaunt man behind a lantern.


    ¡°Good evening traveller. We get so very few guests. Would you like to come inside for a spell?¡±


    He gestures towards a building I hadn¡¯t noticed earlier, a light visible in one window.


    ¡°Thank you. My name is Tee, I live over by the Greenlily farm.¡±


    He lets me walk in front as we head to his home. When I get closer, I see it¡¯s in much better repair than I thought it was. Lilacs are growing outside the door, and their pleasant scent fills the air.


    ¡°I am Vlyk. I live here with my wife and children.¡±


    Opening the door for me, he shows me down some stairs on the inside. The walls are decorated with chalk pictures clearly made by children. Halfway down I nearly fall as I trip on something. When I look back, I can¡¯t see anything but Vlyk and his lantern.


    ¡°It¡¯s an interesting design you have here. Right into the cellar from outside?¡±


    I¡¯m getting a bad feeling about all of this, but I don¡¯t want to antagonise him, since I really need his help. Finally, we reach a larger room.


    The walls are adorned with framed, dried plants. A crackling fireplace is happily pouring heat into a room that¡¯s already warmer than necessary. They seem to be burning some sort of coal, with a large bucket placed next to the fire. Around a table is a woman, and six young children. The woman smiles at me with eyes that are too large, and more teeth than you¡¯d expect. Each of the children¡¯s heads snap towards me as I enter. Three girls and three boys, nearly identical to their parents. Vlyk directs me to a chair facing the others, with my back to the door.


    I look up at him, seeing that he has the same eyes and teeth as the woman.


    ¡°You have a lovely home.¡±


    The children start talking to each other, their voices chittering and clacking more than actual words. The sounds make my head hurt. The female snaps her fingers, and as one they stop. Her eyes haven¡¯t left me. Vlyk sits down next to her, facing me.


    ¡°The Greenlily farm, you say. We saw the kings man come from there.¡±


    I wait a moment to see if he had a point to make, but he lets the silence hang in the air. Nodding a little, I start talking.


    ¡°Yep. He wanted to have a little chat. That¡¯s actually one of the reasons I was coming by to talk to you. You see, the soil on my ground is sort of poisoned, and¡­¡±


    The kids start talking again, but the female is on top of it, smacking the closest on top of his head, making a clicking sound with her mouth. The male keeps eye contact, creeping me out more by the moment. I suddenly realise what¡¯s wrong with them. They have no body language. They¡¯re sitting perfectly still, none of them are blinking. I¡¯m not even sure they¡¯re breathing. A chill goes down my back.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: Social Perception.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    ¡°So yeah, poisoned. I was wondering if you knew anything about soil quality, old mines or fungus, like this one.¡±


    I get the sample from my backpack, holding it out towards the man. He sits perfectly still, looking at me. After a moment, I stand up to lay the sample on the table in front of him, then return to my seat. He never looks at it, but the children turn their heads, sniffing towards it. Before they act, the mother raises an arm, a rolling click emanates from her throat. Each of them look away.


    ¡°So, have you seen anything like it before?¡±


    He glances at it for just a moment, and the world dims for a moment. When he looks back, everything goes back to normal.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Well this guys is intent on doing this the hard way, isn¡¯t he.


    ¡°Is there anything you can tell me about it?¡±


    He nods eagerly.


    ¡°It makes a very tasty soup.¡±


    I blink a few times.


    ¡°Wait, you can eat it? It grows on the poison coming out of the ground. By all rights it should kill you outright.¡±


    He shrugs. After another few moments of awkward silence, it¡¯s clear that he¡¯s not going to elaborate.


    ¡°Okay then. So I¡¯m going to go into the mine where the poison comes from. Would you like to come with us? There¡¯ll be plenty of that slime if you¡¯d like some.¡±


    He shakes his head.


    ¡°No.¡±


    I close my eyes, counting to ten.


    ¡°No what? You don¡¯t want any, or you don¡¯t want to help me?¡±


    ¡°Neither.¡±


    I take another moment to breathe, trying not to loose it. I can¡¯t tell if he¡¯s trying to troll me or if there¡¯s something I¡¯m not picking up on. Actually, as I¡¯m drawing breath there¡¯s a strange flavour to the air. It¡¯s masked by the burning coals and the residual lilac, but somethings there. Making my decision I bring up the Perception alert, selecting Smell as my specialisation. For a brief moment it feels like a bolt of electric ice shoots up my nostrils, burying itself in my sinuses. Then a world of smells open up to me.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">You have chosen the specialisation Smell under the skill Perception.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I discover that I can separate the smells in my mind now. There¡¯s a distinct, heavy cloud wafting from the fire. The fresh fragrance of the lilacs from outside. There¡¯s an unpleasant, pungent odour seeping out of the sample I brought. And a warm, fuzzy fragrance streaming off the people in here.


    ¡°Before we continue, do you mind if I ask you a personal question?¡±


    His smile never falters.


    ¡°Not at all.¡±


    I breathe through the fabric of my shirt, finally getting a puzzled look from the female. The kids start talking as soon as she¡¯s looking away.


    ¡°What exactly are you?¡±


    He looks away from me to the female. She nods at him, and he looks back. His smile fades slowly.


    ¡°I can show you, or you can leave. Pick carefully.¡±


    I shrug, standing up. He stands as well, and we move towards each other, until we¡¯re face to face. His proportions are still wrong, but now I can see the cracks in the illusion. His skin is flowing over his muscles when he talks. His eyes are painted on, made up to look real.


    ¡°I¡¯m half dryad, friend. My best friends are human, and I¡¯m getting to know a full blood dryad. If you¡¯re friendly and respectful to me, I will extend the same courtesy to you.¡±


    With a nod, he walks back to the sofa, sitting down with the female. The children¡¯s chittering gains in frequency and volume, and the world slowly starts melting.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Ability increased: Charisma.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    The walls around me turn to dirt, roots and rocks sticking out at random places. All the furniture morphs to mounds of earth and clumps of wood and grass. Each of the children changes into little creatures a foot across. Mandibles up front, six legs, chitinous body. Looks like a cockroach.


    The male and female grow together into a creature two meters tall, hunched over in the small cave we¡¯re in. His carapace has the same colour the little ones have, but there are more spikes, more decorations, and more arms. He¡¯s standing on two legs with six more appendages along his upper body, each pair serving a different function. One pair looks like shovels, another like sickles. The third pair are hands, four fingers and a thumb. It looks at me, tilting it¡¯s head. A voice echoes in my mind. His voice.


    ¡°This is our true form.¡±


    I look around, shrugging again.


    ¡°Cool.¡±


    His faceted eyes observe me for a moment.


    ¡°So what will you do? If you want our royal jelly you will have to kill us.¡±


    Grimacing, I shake my head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what your royal jelly is, but I know I don¡¯t want part of it. And I really don¡¯t want to kill you. As I said before, I want to be friends and neighbours. Is that going to work for you?¡±


    I swear the insectoid abomination is confused.


    ¡°Yes? We have never met a human who did not hunt us. We found this farm after the previous owners had abandoned it. We continued growing the driftcorn, but nobody came to collect. We leave it for the fungus to eat. We do not think anybody knows.¡±


    I consider their size for a moment.


    ¡°Uh, so you guys eat fungus? Anything else?¡±


    He points to the spot where the fireplace used to be. In it¡¯s place is a pit in the ground, surrounded by glowing worms. In the pit is a viscous looking liquid that slowly bubbles, giving off the smells I noticed earlier.


    ¡°In there is various fungus. Plants we grow. Used to be animals we¡¯d capture, but they no longer come here.¡±


    That makes sense.


    ¡°Look, if you don¡¯t want to come with us tomorrow, do you want me to bring you back the fungus I can? If you¡¯re interested, we can trade for it. I need fresh water for my farm, and any crops you can spare.¡±


    He seems to consider my offer for a moment.


    ¡°I will agree if you will help keep our secret.¡±


    I sigh, shaking my head.


    ¡°You¡¯re not getting this, are you? As long as you act with honour and respect, we¡¯re going to be friends. And friends help each other out with stuff like keeping a secret. You¡¯re not hurting anyone, as far as I can tell. That makes you good people to me.¡±


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Your relationship with the Vlykkyhs collective has increased to Not-Food-Friend.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I blink at the notice for a moment. I guess they do eat their enemies. I notice that Vlykkyhs has extended his hand appendage, and I take it, shaking it carefully.


    ¡°But out of curiosity, and stop me if I¡¯m being rude¡­ What happened to your wife?¡±


    He takes a step back, first gesturing to the body, then to a large extrusion on the side of his neck.


    ¡°Female is body. Male is mind.¡±


    As he says this, the growth moves, showing itself to be a larval creature.


    Sure, that¡¯s not disgusting. I hide my reaction as I take my leave, crawling out of the cave with the bug. Whatever illusion they used to make me see the farmhouse, it camouflaged the long tunnel down as well. When we surface, we¡¯re inside a dilapidated building. As we get outside, it¡¯s nearly pitch black, with only the moons to light the way. I turn to Vlykkyhs, noticing that the front of the building is broken down, the light from before nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°Friend Tee, before you go, I am assuming you are not able to see in the darkness.¡±


    I nod quietly as she grabs at her back. When her hand comes back, she¡¯s holding a grub. With a twist, it lets out a squeak, going limp. After a few moments it starts glowing softly.


    ¡°Take this. It can be dangerous out there.¡±


    I shake her hand again.


    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m happy that we can be friends. I¡¯ll be back soon with news of the miners sludge.¡±


    They wave at me as I start down the road towards home. The darkness under the trees is nearly complete, making the glowworm invaluable. While I¡¯m walking, I breathe deeply of the forest air, picturing the scents in my mind. The freshness of trees breathing after a long day of working under the sun. The decay between roots and old logs where the smallest life recycles everything.


    I feel content, in a way I never did as a healer.

 Chapter 29 - Mine

    The trip back home takes longer than the trip out. When I finally arrive, there are barely embers left in the campfire. I see the tent is prepared, but empty, and a basic door is in place on the shed. I guess she finally had enough of sleeping rough. With a chuckle, I bed down in the tent to avoid disturbing her sleep.


    ***


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">You are rested.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    The smell of burnt porridge wakes me up. I groan in disappointment, cursing myself for not prepping something before falling asleep. With considerable effort I manage to get out of the tent to greet the morning.


    Outside, Tiene is happily ignoring the poor pot suspended over our campfire in favour of a piece of wood she¡¯s whittling. I clear my throat as I grab the stirrer to try to salvage breakfast.


    ¡°Oh, Tee, you¡¯re up. Wait until you see the improvements I did in the shed. We have beds now! Well, kinda.¡±


    Her beaming happiness makes the morning feel harder. Wishing desperately that I had coffee, I force a smile.


    ¡°That¡¯s great. What are you working on there?¡±


    She looks at her work, almost surprised to find it there.


    ¡°Oh, this. It¡¯s just an improvement to the shed. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    I¡¯m pretty sure she¡¯s covering something up, but it¡¯s too early for me to dig into right now. Everyone needs their secrets.


    With some effort and leftovers from before, I manage to salvage the remnants of the porridge. When I try to hint at her not cooking anymore, she laughs it off as a joke and I decide not to pursue it any further. I make a silent vow to myself that I¡¯ll get better at waking up in the mornings. After breakfast I tick off a square on our calendar, then go to check out the field.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Field 1: small (100x100)</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Current crop: Emgrass (783)</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Soil quality: Normal (high mineral content)</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Growing cycle: Mixed (Growing(1) 5%/Growing(2) 30%/Mature 65%</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Average health: 90%</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Estimated Yield: 10175.</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Needs: Weeding. Watering. Harvesting.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Mostly mature already. I like the way this crop grows. A shame I won¡¯t be able to replant it immediately. Picking up my tools, I get to work. Two hours later, my field is again in pristine condition. The average health has increased to 93%, increasing the yield by a few hundred. I stand back to consider my options.


    I could leave it for tomorrow, letting more seeds mature, but that might ruin the ones that are ready now. As an alternative, I could try to harvest only the ones that are mature, letting the rest stay behind. Tempting, but it would delay planting the next set of crops. Harvesting everything now would let me prep the soil for when Cullen¡¯s brother comes here with the Voidsiphon.


    With my mind made up, I go to work harvesting the crop.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Skill increased: Herbalism.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Profession level increased. Your farmer level is now 2.</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Level 2 criteria:</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">- Primary skill(Herbalism) level 3 (current level 5)</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">- Plant common crop. (done)</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">- Harvest common crop. (done)</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Secondary skill enhancement unlocked:</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Available choices: Mycology.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Level 3 criteria:</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">- Primary skill (Herbalism) level 10. (current level: 5)</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">- Secondary skill (unselected) level 5.</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">- Grow common crop with average health above 98% (current best: 93%)</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">- Grow 5 different crops of common rarity or above (current count: 1)</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    I¡¯m barely able to finish the job when the notifications assault me. The profession enhancement sounds interesting. I know I¡¯ll be dealing with fungus soon, so it¡¯s a reasonable choice. I select it immediately, and am rewarded by more notifications.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Skill Mycology has been profession enhanced.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    With a burst of clarity, I realise I know how to grow mushrooms. I know what kind of environment they need, what nutrients and how to care for them. I definitely need to get Tiene to build me a moisture chamber. Somewhere dark and dank where I can keep an eye on them.


    As the thoughts go through my mind, my eyes are drawn to the mine. It would be pretty perfect, if we can clear out the poison. I shake myself out of the reverie. Gathering all the harvested grains I tie the straws together, making bundles of the Emgrass ready for drying and threshing. Afterwards I prep the soil, returning it to a pristine state. The soil quality drops to ¡®slightly depleted¡¯, but the high mineral content remains. I wonder what that can do for me in the future. Shrugging, I grab my readies crops and haul them back to camp.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Tiene helps me hang the produce, and a quick inspection confirms the timeline for me.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Crops ready for threshing in 8 hours.</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Estimated yield: 10000</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    I say a silent prayer of thanks to the algorithms controlling this game, thankful for the fact that some of these mechanics are sped up significantly. Tiene prods my shoulder to get my attention, and I turn around in time to see a horse drawn cart come towards our farm. Reynard makes a high pitch braying sound that sounds like a complaint, but the stranger takes no heed of the foxburro¡¯s annoyance. A young man with long, brown hair waves at us as he stops. He¡¯s the spitting image of Cullen, except for a mischievous gleam in his eyes. We approach him as he jumps from his seat.


    ¡°Hi there! You must be Tee. I¡¯m Dale. Cullen sent me to do some trade with you, although by the looks of that setup you got there, I¡¯m going to have to wait a while for my goods.¡±


    I feel a slight annoyance at his cavalier attitude. I¡¯m not thrilled at the way he eyes Tiene either. I reach out a hand in greeting.


    ¡°I am indeed. Thanks for making the trip but.¡±


    When he clasps my hand it feels like I¡¯m trapped in a vice. Then he squeezes with the power only hard work can provide. It takes every ounce of willpower I have to avoid screaming in pain.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Ability increased: Focus.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    As he releases my hand, I shake it demonstratively.


    ¡°But I just managed to finish the harvest. It¡¯ll be ready by nightfall, so if you¡¯re willing to wait you can hang around. This is my partner, Tiene.¡±


    I gesture towards her, and her training takes over as she curtsies. A deep blush comes over her when she realises, and she looks away. Dale chuckles quietly before focusing back on me.


    ¡°That sounds like a plan. It¡¯ll let me take a load off for a while. Cullen¡¯s a great farmer and a good brother, but he¡¯s a horrible taskmaster. So what have you got going on here?¡±


    He walks past us towards the field and I follow. He¡¯s a good head taller than me, and I have to rush to keep up.


    ¡°This is our field. As I said, I just finished harvesting, but I need a different crop to let the soil recuperate. Emgrass depletes it harshly.¡±


    He nods knowingly, his eyes scanning the ground for a moment before he turns back to me.


    ¡°And how are you fighting the poison? The ground around this plot is clearly toxic, but you¡¯ve managed to get a great crop going. What¡¯s your secret?¡±


    I smile, enjoying the sensation of knowing something he doesn¡¯t.


    ¡°Ancient dryad wisdom. Let¡¯s call it a family secret for now.¡±


    He nods, clearly unhappy with my answer. Before I can continue, he looks behind me. Tiene is coming towards us, hands full of rope and wood. He pushes past me to go help her, annoying me further. She unloads the burden on him and hands my backpack to me.


    ¡°Are you ready for our little adventure?¡±


    Her smile is infectious. Checking out the backpack, I find a dozen torches, two waterskins, more rope and the leftovers from breakfast. The contraption she left Dale with is the ladder she was making. I grin back at her, then at Dale.


    ¡°So Dale, fancy a bit of spelunking?¡±


    I enjoy the confusion on his face as we lead him to the old mine, explaining on the way.


    We all stand around the hole, looking down. We can see the pile of rubble on the ground, with dead plants and vibrant fungus all around. I hand out cloths for everyone to put over their mouths. Dale objects for a moment until I explain the dangers of breathing fungal spores. After that he puts on the scarf with no more fuss. Tiene starts fastening the ladder as I talk to Dale.


    ¡°Are you sure you want to go with us? I don¡¯t know what waits for us down there, and it might be dangerous.¡±


    He snorts at me, masking his uncertainty.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me mister green, I can hack it.¡±


    Rolling my eyes, I go and pick up a solid looking branch, giving it a few practice swings. Not exactly a weapon for the ages, but hopefully it¡¯ll be enough to hold any monsters at bay. I look at Dale.


    ¡°Do you have any weapons?¡±


    He points to his belt, showing me a long dagger. I nod satisfied, getting ready to descend. Tiene clears her throat, making it clear she¡¯s annoyed at something. I look at her for a moment, making it worse. She pulls a length of iron from her backpack, handing it to me. A crowbar.


    ¡°Drop the stick, use this. It¡¯ll do more damage. And not that you asked, but I still have the knife. I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    As I look at the crowbar, Dale snickers at me. Before I have a chance at responding, Tiene has started climbing down. I hurry to stabilise the ladder, following her down as soon as she¡¯s ready. I find the descent incredibly hard, nearly falling off several times. By the time I get down, my heart is racing.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Ability increased: Agility</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">You have discovered a dungeon: Abandoned mine.</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Age: young.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    I shake it off and help Tiene set the ladder for Dales descent. When he¡¯s down, we take a look around us.


    The entryway is around ten meters across, with three exits. One towards the farm, one towards the forest and one away from the farm. There¡¯s a small stream of water flowing from the third entry towards the northwestern wall. The walls in here are moist and covered with fungus. When we¡¯ve secured the floor I¡¯m definitely coming back to harvest some for Vlyk. I grab a torch from the backpack, and Tiene lights it for me.


    ¡°So which way first?¡±


    They both look around for a moment. Dale shrugs noncommittally.


    ¡°Well, the northern passage goes under our farm. That way would be our fields.¡±


    She points roughly in the direction where the little stream vanishes.


    ¡°So the source of the stream would be a good place to start I believe.¡±


    I nod. It¡¯s what I was thinking too.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do it. I¡¯ll go first, Dale guards our backs.¡±


    He mutters something, but I ignore it as I lead on into the darkness.

 Chapter 30 - Slag

    The passage is winding, leading us away from the central chamber. After a few minutes of walking, I notice a sound. Like someone is hacking at rock with a little miners pick. I gesture for the others to stop as I carefully sneak ahead to get a look. I notice a strong smell of sulphur in the area that makes me tune down my enhanced sense of smell. After a minute I get to a long hallway with an upwards incline. The floor is smooth except for a slight impression carved into the ground by the stream. My eyes are drawn to a rock set against the wall. A few moments go by, and it starts moving, the clicking sound steady until it stops at another spot. I carefully creep back to the others.


    ¡°So there¡¯s a rock down there.¡±


    They look at me like I just asserted water is wet.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be dicks. There¡¯s a rock that¡¯s moving around. Some kind of elemental or golem maybe.¡±


    Dale looks from me to Tiene.


    ¡°So¡­ this is a dungeon, right? There was bound to be monsters. Let¡¯s kick some ass.¡±


    I look at him carefully. He sounds so much like a player. I shrug as I look at Tiene. She nods excitedly, despite the clear expression of fear on her face.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: Social Perception.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">You are now a Beginner in the skill Social Perception.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">...</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I minimise the prompt. I can deal with that when we¡¯re out of this place.


    ¡°Okay then. A farmer, an engineer and a¡­¡±


    I look at Dale.


    ¡°A coachman?¡±


    He shrugs.


    ¡°Close enough I guess.¡±


    I turn towards the passage.


    ¡°Not exactly the kind of adventuring party they write ballads for. I guess it¡¯s bouldering time.¡±


    As one we move into the passage.


    The boulder is in mid movement when we get close enough for it to spot us. Like a bunched up newspaper it unravels itself, standing to half my height. A vaguely humanoid shape, a chest, two legs, two arms but no head. It¡¯s arms end in pick like growths, giving it¡¯s posture a distinctly aggressive tone. We fan out, ready to attack together. Tiene takes the torch so I can use both hands on the crowbar. With an unsettling quiet, the little monster comes at us.


    Dale moves first, stepping into the golem¡¯s reach, preventing it from using it¡¯s full strength. With a push, he topples the monster, leaving it in a heap on the floor. I circle it as Tiene stands back, giving us light. Dale looks at us with pride.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry guys, I got it and¡­¡±


    I push him aside just as the monster is about to nail his foot to the floor. Why do people always brag before checking if the job is done. It¡¯s Dales turn to crash to a heap as I turn towards the golem. It¡¯s reconfigured itself to a rock on the floor, glowing eye pointing towards us, with four limbs swinging towards me. I throw myself to one side to avoid the worst, suffering a glancing blow in the process.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">You have been hit for 30% damage.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I get to my feet as fast as I can, standing next to the others, now much more careful.


    ¡°What should we do? It¡¯s not coming at us.¡±


    Dale¡¯s voice has a petulant twang to it now. He¡¯s right though, the creature is taking it¡¯s sweet time just waiting for us to attack. I guess that makes sense. We could bypass it, but then we¡¯d have it at our backs, not knowing what¡¯s ahead.


    ¡°My best guess is that the eye is a weak spot. Alternatively we have to disable it¡¯s arms somehow. Can you two distract it for a moment? I¡¯ll try to tag it when the arms are clear.¡±


    They both acknowledge my suggestion, getting ready for the attack. With a shout, Tiene springs forward, dealing a glancing blow to two arms before jumping back out of range. The limbs both reach for her as Dale repeats the movement from the other side. For a brief moment, the critical spot is clear, and I lift the crowbar in both hands, aiming it like a spear. With all the power I can muster, I lunge. A loud crack sounds around us as I strike the target, and we¡¯re all showered in light for a second.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: Leadership.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Skill discovered: Piercing weapons.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    As the light fades, I look at the others. Tiene is nursing her arm and Dale is limping slightly. All in all a good round. I check them both out more thoroughly, but their wounds are already healing. Good thing too as I don¡¯t have my healing magic in this world. I pat Dale on the shoulder.


    ¡°Great work buddy. Now we know how to kill those things.¡±


    He smiles sheepishly.


    ¡°Yeah. Thanks for saving me there. It¡¯d be embarrassing to die to the first monster in the dungeon.¡±


    I chuckle, but Tiene looks serious.


    ¡°How can you two laugh at that? You can come back, Tee, you¡¯re an adventurer. If either of us die, we¡¯re gone.¡±


    We both stop and look at her. Dale steps forwards and hugs her.


    ¡°If we die, we die. And we need to keep our wits about us. Better not to worry.¡±


    I join the hug.


    ¡°Everyone deals with it differently. And I¡¯ll do everything in my power to keep you both alive.¡±


    The anger drains from her, and she hugs us back.


    ¡°Fine. Lunkheads. But that¡¯s not an invitation for you to die, you hear me?¡±


    I smile at her.


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am. Now let¡¯s continue. I don¡¯t know if this little guy will respawn, but best not to take any chances.¡±


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.Bending over, I check out the remains before we go on.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Broken golem core (Minor)</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Slag</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Looking closer I notice that the stone is actually hardened slag around depleted ore. That¡¯s interesting. I pocket the core for later.


    ¡°We¡¯ll split the loot when we get out of here.¡±


    They nod and we move on.


    Soon the cave opens up into a larger room. The ceiling here is damp earth, water slowly dripping down. In the middle of the cave is a large pile of rocks, distressingly similar to the golem¡¯s body. I look at my companions.


    ¡°If that thing starts moving or glowing, run. I¡¯ll distract it. There¡¯s no way we can kill something that big.¡±


    When I stop talking, there¡¯s an echo around us.


    ¡°thing that big¡­ that big¡­ big¡­¡±


    We carefully approach the massive heap, seeing the striations clearly. The roof here is thin, and when there¡¯s been rain, the water has carried pollutants with it further down the mine, into the groundwater. With my enhanced sense of smell, the odours here are terrible. All around us are puddles of brackish water, with various kinds of mushrooms growing floor to ceiling.


    ¡°So what are we doing here? Is there anything we can do?¡±


    Dale is poking at the slag heap with his foot. At least it¡¯s not waking up to eat us.


    ¡°Spread out and search the room. If anything moves, shout and we¡¯ll meet by the entrance.¡±


    I hand out torches to the others and we begin investigating.


    I¡¯m certain there¡¯s something wrong in this room, but I can¡¯t put my finger on it. I go to the furthest corner to check out a deeper puddle against the wall. There are rainbows on the surface, indicating either metal or oil, but there¡¯s nothing down there when I root around with my stick. I¡¯m about to return to the others when I notice something green growing from a crevice.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: Perception.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I get closer to investigate, finding a small vine attached to a fat pod like growth, green with pulsating purple streaks. I reach out to check it¡¯s stats when I hear a voice behind me.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t touch that.¡±


    The voice is cold and hard, but tries to be playful. I spin around, but there¡¯s nothing there but a puddle of water, rippling. For a moment I channel Dale, considering putting my face closer to the surface, but I ignore the impulse, heading towards the others. The room is big enough for the others to be out of sight in small side passages and crevices, but when I get to the centre of the room I realise I can see three torches.


    ¡°Guys, meet up at the entrance. I think there¡¯s trouble.¡±


    My voice echoes back at me, followed by the grating voice giggling at me. None of the lights are moving. In high alert, I move towards the furthest one, watching my steps as I go. When I¡¯m about halfway, a spray of water hits me from the side. I manage to cover the torch with my body to prevent it from going out, but whatever is playing with me has found a new favourite game.


    I get to the side cavern in for Tiene to look at me. A spray of water drenches me from behind, finally extinguishing my torch when she runs towards me. I hold my hands up to stop her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get too close. We need to keep distance between us to keep it from putting out our torches. Quickly, light another one and hand it to me.¡±


    She freezes for a moment from the conflicting command, then catches my thrown torch. As soon as she returns it we hear movement from behind me. We turn as one to see Dale coming towards us looking like a drowned cat. Tiene lets out a laugh as she looks at his miserable expression. I¡¯m about to meet him when a stray thought catches me off guard. I reactivate my enhanced sense of smell, ignoring the overwhelming sulfurous stench. I realise I can tell exactly where Tiene is. But the Dale in front of me smells no different from his surroundings. I raise the crowbar, gesturing for him to stop.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Tiene sounds surprised. The thing that might not be Dale stops, taking a step back.


    ¡°If you¡¯re Dale, turn around and go towards the exit. We¡¯ll be right behind you.¡±


    It complies, walking backwards out of the cavern. We follow as close as we dare. In the central chamber, there are twelve separate torchlights glowing, all in different places. I groan quietly as I see several copies of all of us wandering around the cave. Some meeting each other, others attacking. I address the room at large.


    ¡°Look, I get that you want to play with your guests, but can we just drop the theatrics? We¡¯re kind of in a hurry here.¡±


    Every creature in the cavern stops for a moment except one, two caves down from us, who looks around in apparent confusion. Dale. I smile, taking a step forwards. With all my weight I whack the thing in front of us, and it explodes, showering me with reeking, stagnant water, extinguishing another torch. Tiene gasps. Then the one I think is the real Dale looks towards us and seems to make up his mind, dashing towards us.


    ¡°No, you idiot, we¡¯re coming to you. Don¡¯t¡­¡±


    He¡¯s already reached us by the time I finish my sentence, and I get my confirmation. This guy smells like a farmer.


    ¡°What the hell is going on? Those people over there tried to get me to put out the torch, and I found this weird plantlike thing in the cave.¡±


    He seems to be slightly unnerved by the excitement.


    ¡°I think this is the first level boss, but I haven¡¯t seen it¡¯s physical form yet, just these copies.¡±


    We relight our torches and form a wide triangle, making our way carefully towards the exit.


    ¡°That plant thing you found, do you think that could be the weak spot?¡±


    I look at Dale.


    ¡°I considered it. I found one too. As soon as I was about to touch it I was interrupted. We¡¯d better come back when we¡¯re better prepared though. We can¡¯t defeat anything we can¡¯t see.¡±


    We reach the main entrance, dashing out as soon as we get there. We make it five metres before we reach a dead end.


    ¡°Wait, this isn¡¯t where we came in.¡±


    Tiene looks at me.


    ¡°Of course it was. There¡¯s the¡­¡±


    She points at the floor, but the stream isn¡¯t there anymore.


    ¡°Shit, it tricked us.¡±


    We turn back towards the cavern to find several of the copies standing there, looking at us. I turn to Dale.


    ¡°I think we need to fight our way out.¡±


    He shrugs, drawing his long dagger.


    ¡°Hold my torch.¡±

 Chapter 31 - Breathe

    I take his torch, putting my crowbar down first. Dale steps toward the enemies, dagger held behind him. In a burst of speed he lunges forward swinging his weapon wide, slashing two enemies. At the end of his attack he raises the dagger above his head, plunging it into the neck of a third. They explode as one, showering him thoroughly. Tiene gasps as I look at my crowbar. There are still four copies, and they¡¯re refocused on Dale now, moving towards him with intent. I hand a torch to Tiene, who glares at me. I shrug apologetically as I douse the last torch and pick up my crowbar.


    ¡°Duck!¡±


    Dale kneels as a heavy, wet arm swings towards him. I meet it with the business end of my weapon, splashing the copies still advancing. In turn Dale stands up, raising his dagger in a crescent. The dagger bites deep, bursting the monster. Panting, we¡¯re left shoulder to shoulder against the remaining three. We look at each other, and he grins.


    ¡°Keep attacking them. I¡¯ll stand my ground and defend.¡±


    He nods, stepping back. Each of the copies take the bait, attacking me. I pull off a two handed block against one of them, suffering two blows in return.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">You have been struck for 18% damage.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">You have been struck for 20% damage.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Skill discovered: Parry.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    With their attention on me, Dale manages to lay into one of them. After that it was just a matter of cleaning up, leaving the three of us alone in the cave. I look at Dale who dries his dagger before putting it away. He looks back, an innocent look in his eyes.


    ¡°Coachman, eh?¡±


    He chuckles.


    ¡°Coachman, farmer, highwayman, smuggler. You could call me many things. Right now, I think we have more important things to worry about.¡±


    I glare at him for a moment. Showoff. Then I feel a smack at the back of my head.


    ¡°If you two are done posturing, we need to find the exit. Preferably before these things kill us.¡±


    Stopping for a moment, I check my surroundings. Tiene tries to hurry me up, but I gesture for her to stay still. In the innermost part of the cavern I notice a subtle difference, something green.


    ¡°Keep an eye on the entrance. Whatever is out there may take offence at this.¡±


    Moving closer, I see it¡¯s the same kind of plant that I saw before. A green vine with a sack or pod with purple veins. This time I manage to inspect it.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Disciple-of-darkness</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Rare(mutated)</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Known effects: none</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Ooh, rare. I carefully harvest the plant, taking care not to puncture the sack. The moment I have it free from the wall, the vine left behind points towards me, spewing a purple mist into my face.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">You have been afflicted by Dark Mephitis.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Poison resistance failed.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Resistance increased: Poison.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I cough twice and turn around to look at the others. Then the ground suddenly rises up, smacking me in the head.


    ***


    ¡°Is he waking up?¡±


    Someone pinches me rather hard, making me groan.


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s coming too. How are you doing with the creeps?¡±


    I blink a few times as I find myself staring straight into a torch. The light is painful, but at least there¡¯s plenty of darkness around us.


    ¡°It¡¯s good so far. They¡¯re slow and fragile. As long as I move I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    A blinking icon draws my attention.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">You are poisoned.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Effects:</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Aversion to light.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- All regeneration reduced when not in complete darkness.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- duration 30 minutes.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Notice: duration reset when not in natural light.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Tiene leans over me, a mixture of concern, relief and annoyance on her face. I try smiling at her.


    ¡°Hey you.¡±


    She sighs.


    ¡°If you¡¯re done touching things you shouldn¡¯t, can we move on now?¡±


    I make an effort not to look at her chest as I nod and she helps me up. The floor here is wetter now, and a puddle is forming against the walls.


    ¡°Ah, just give me a moment.¡±


    Before she can stop me, I move back to where I found the plant, scraping a few samples of the poison into a vial. When I turn back, she looks angrier than I¡¯ve ever seen her. I shrug.


    ¡°It might be a source of income. We need money, remember?¡±


    She turns back to Dale.


    ¡°You were right, he¡¯s still an idiot. Let¡¯s move.¡±


    She leaves the cavern, a chuckling Dale following close. I pick up a torch leaning against the wall and hurry to join them.


    In the main chamber, things still look bleak. More than a dozen sources of light are visible across the room, all around the giant pile of slag. Several doppelgangers are moving slowly towards us. Both of my friends look to me.


    ¡°So, great and brainless leader, any thoughts on getting us out?¡±


    Sounds like Tiene is going to need some more time to forgive me. Thank goodness for that relationship buffer. Focusing on my sense of smell, I take a deep breath, immediately regretting it. A strong chemical scent mixed with the sulphur feels like a kick up my sinuses. After a minute of this, I catch a whiff of fresh air. I point in the direction as I take a long drink from the waterskin.


    ¡°There¡¯s fresh air in that direction. It¡¯s the best I can do.¡±


    They look at me sceptically for a moment before we make a push to get to the target location, a long stretch of wall between two sources of light. As we get closer, I can see the stream of water leading through the rockface. We have to fight a few more clones before we get there, but soon we¡¯re close enough to touch the wall. Tiene goes first, putting her hand up against it. With no discernible effort she pushes through, falling across the boundary. Dale and I are left behind to keep away the copies. Soon, Tiene sticks her head back out.


    ¡°It¡¯s the right place. Come on, hurry.¡±


    Dale stabs another monster and turns to run. I retreat slowly, until my back is against the barrier. Finally, the room is completely dark. I sigh in relief from the harsh light as I hear a large splash somewhere in front of me.


    ¡°I told you not to touch that. But listening isn¡¯t something your kind does well, is it?¡±


    Sounds of fighting come from behind me. Steel on rock. I guess the golem respawned. I close my eyes, inhaling. The smell of brackish, decaying water surrounds me, and I know I should retreat, but the darkness is so comfortable.


    ¡°Will you stay here with me then? Forever under the soil, guarding the slag for our master?¡±


    I can sense something close to me. It¡¯s cold and soft, dead and vibrant. I can smell it. Underneath all the chemicals and dross is a source of clear, fresh water. I open my eyes to stare into the void.


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.¡°No, but thank you for your hospitality. I think I¡¯ll leave now.¡±


    Throwing myself backwards, I hope for the best. An angry shout follows me as I sail halfway through the illusionary wall into the painful light. On the other side I see Dale limping badly, and another golem downed. Tiene is by the wrong wall, hammering against it. When she sees me, she yelps. I reach out to her, and she helps pull me fully into the light.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    She pants from the exertion as I get to my feet.


    ¡°Later. It¡¯s coming for us. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s illusions can reach us out here, but the husks can.¡±


    Hurrying to Dales side, I put his arm across my shoulder as we hobble towards the exit chamber.


    By the time we get there, their wounds have healed. Tiene starts climbing immediately while I try to escape from the burning light as my debuff starts counting down. With some coaxing from the others I finally make my way up to the light, suffering withdrawals and seepage for the thirty minutes the affliction lasts. Afterwards we make our way back to the campfire to rest and eat. When we get there I catch a few crows picking at my crops. The others help me chase them away before we finally get to sit down and rest.


    ¡°There¡¯s still another four hours until I can finish threshing the emgrass.¡±


    I slowly turn a stick covered in dough over the fire, cooking a simple dinner.


    ¡°We can always head back to the mine. There¡¯s two more paths we didn¡¯t take, remember?¡±


    Dale seems casual about the experience. Tiene just sighs.


    ¡°I think we¡¯ve had quite enough of spelunking for the day. But I¡¯d like to analyse this core. Can I have the one you picked up earlier?¡±


    Tiene is holding the broken core from the second golem. I look at Dale, who nods in agreement, and hand it over to her.


    ¡°Do you think you can do something with it?¡±


    She¡¯s turning it around in her hands, holding it up against the light and shaking it gently.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. A golem core is magical in nature, and that¡¯s not really my wheelhouse. With the right tools I might be able to convert it into a construct core, but we¡¯d have to find a way to repair it first. Or we could sell them. They might be worth a few silver to the right person.¡±


    I sigh as I retrieve the food from the fire.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: Cooking</td></tr></tbody></table>


    ¡°So not exactly a source of unlimited income. If we farmed the things for long enough I guess we¡¯d get a pile of these, but flooding the market would reduce the price severely.¡±


    I consider the problem while the others chow down.


    ¡°What if we managed to get the cores intact? Would that increase the resale value? What would you need to convert them into something you can use? And what can you to with a construct core?¡±


    She looks at me indignantly, her teeth just sunk into a piece of bread. I wait patiently while she chews and swallows.


    ¡°If we got the core intact it would be worth more, but I doubt it would be a particularly powerful core. I¡¯d need a construct workshop to convert them, which would cost a lot more than we have right now. And if we get a lesser construct core from the process, I¡¯d be able to create a small construct. A walking alarm, ratchaser or a noisemaker for the scarecrow. At that size they¡¯re more like toys than tools.¡±


    Again, not a gamechanger.


    ¡°I think we need to go back down and finish exploring the cave. Before we do, however, lets move the scarecrow up here first. I¡¯m done feeding these damn freeloading crows.¡±


    Dale straightens up as a plaintive caw comes from the woodlands.


    ¡°I¡¯m not opposed to going back down, but you¡¯re going to have to pay me for my time. I¡¯m thinking one core for the first trip and one for the second.¡±


    Tiene¡¯s eyes go angry, and I can tell she¡¯s about to start shouting. I hold up a hand to stop her, which serves to piss her off more.


    ¡°Sure, not a problem. You take the two cores in exchange for coming with us. We keep any loot we find on the second trip.¡±


    He grimaces a little, then extends his hand.


    ¡°Deal. You¡¯d better not find wild riches down there, or I¡¯m going to be very annoyed.¡±


    I laugh.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: Trading</td></tr></tbody></table>


    ¡°If we find wild riches down there I¡¯ll buy out your farm, and you can roam the land without your brother nagging you.¡±


    Tiene harrumphs as she stands up, grumbling all the way to the field to retrieve the scarecrow. She¡¯s in the middle of a rant when she gets back, ignoring us completely.


    The skill increase reminds me of the social perception notification. I pull it up to check it out.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">You are now a Beginner in the skill Social Perception.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Specialisations available: Spoken language, body language, interpersonal relations, species: insectoid.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    When I discovered the Social Perception skill I thought it was a bit nebulous, but it seems to be a pretty fundamental skill to have. As it¡¯s increased, I¡¯ve found it much easier to interact with people and respond to social cues. It¡¯s interesting that I can select insectoid as a specialty, but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to come up very often. Spoken language and body language have both been important in my game so far. Interpersonal relations is the only one I¡¯m not sure what means. It could be invaluable or nearly useless.


    After a few more minutes of consideration I pick Body Language.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">You have chosen the specialisation Body Language under the skill Social Perception.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    ***


    Climbing back down the ladder feels weird. I¡¯m more aware of everything my companions do. Every move Dale does seems to be made in an effort to impress Tiene or somehow gain a position of domination over me. Tiene is spending a lot of effort to neutralise her body language, which int turn results in a lot of little slipups showing her frustration with herself. I¡¯m forced to tune down the impressions after a while, as it¡¯s becoming impossible to focus on what I¡¯m doing. Finally back underground, we take stock of the situation.


    ¡°I think we should head towards the woods.¡±


    Tiene points to the passage away from the stream. Dale shrugs his shoulders.


    ¡°I¡¯m just a mercenary on this run. I¡¯ll go where you tell me.¡±


    I nod in agreement, and we start moving. Me in front with Dale watching our back. The passage continues for a few steps beyond the entrance when it ends in a wall of roots. Moving closer, I put my hand on them.


    ¡°I think I can guess who¡¯s behind this.¡±


    Tiene takes a step back, a look of worry on her face. Dale just looks confused.


    ¡°Who? Isn¡¯t this just some roots? Let¡¯s chop them down and continue.¡±


    I turn around in alarm, blocking him from the barricade.


    ¡°Shut your damn mouth man! Look, let¡¯s skip this one for now. Just trust me when I say that cutting down those roots will cause more trouble than you can imagine.¡±


    He sighs and turns around, and I let out a breath of relief. Tiene is already in the centre chamber, staying far away from anything to do with Leona.


    ¡°Right, only one more option then, straight ahead.¡±


    Dale takes lead this time and I can sense annoyance in his attitude. I guess he doesn¡¯t like to be bossed around. This time we come to a passage which is clearly man made. The sides are smoother and supported by thick wooden beams. Hooks for lanterns are spaced out along the walls, a few of them including rusty scrap lanterns for the ambiance. The path is declining towards the end of the hallway, with a entrance halfway down on the left hand side. We move carefully towards it, with me and Tiene holding torches so Dale can focus on his dagger. He stands up next to the opening, carefully glancing inside before entering fully. Before we¡¯re able to catch up with him, he pops his head back out.


    ¡°All clear. Kinda. Come on in.¡±


    We follow him in, Tiene clearly angry at his casual attitude.


    ¡°Nothing much in here but some old mouldy wood.¡±


    Surveying the scene I¡¯m happy to disagree with him. The room is a bonanza of mushrooms.


    ¡°I wonder what this place used to be?¡±


    Tiene is wandering around looking at the broken furniture.


    ¡°Either storage or an office I¡¯m guessing, but I know what I¡¯m going to use it for.¡±


    They both look at me.


    ¡°This is going to be our mushroom cave.¡±


    The silence is palpable for a moment, until Dale barks out a laugh. Tiene follows suit, leaving me blushing and annoyed.

 Chapter 32 - Crux

    ¡°A mushroom cave?¡±


    As they¡¯re laughing I stare at them defiantly before turning to the fungus present. They keep mouthing off as I search the room for harvestable mushrooms. I discard a lot of common inedible ones before I make two promising discoveries. I turn around, showing them what I found.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Name: Nuns blush</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Rarity: Common</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Known Effects: None</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Base chance of cultivation: 3%</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Edible</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Name: Capped Bloodgrin</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Rarity: Uncommon</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Known Effects: Colours saliva red.</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Base chance of cultivation: 1.5%</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Edible</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Skill increased: Mycology</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Dale laughs harder when he sees them. Tiene turns away, blushing slightly.


    ¡°What¡¯s with you two? These are both edible. They grow really well in this environment. They require very little maintenance, and they taste good.¡±


    To demonstrate, I take a bite of the bloodgrin. After a few seconds of chewing, I smile at them.


    ¡°See?¡±


    I let some saliva drip out of my mouth to make my point. Their expressions make this whole excursion worth it.


    ¡°Dear gods, spit it out, you¡¯re bleeding!¡±


    Laughing, I swallow the mouthful. When I explain it to them, Dale insists I give him a few to scare his brother with. Tiene leaves us in a huff, going back towards the central chamber.


    ¡°How do you two get anything done? You¡¯re constantly pissing each other off.¡±


    Dale looks a bit perplexed, and I chuckle.


    ¡°We¡¯re not really like this. Actually, it¡¯s only when you showed up that she started being so¡­ belligerent?¡±


    I know full well I¡¯m probably the one with the problem here, but I¡¯m not going to admit that to him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s search the piles of scrap, see if there¡¯s anything interesting here before we go on.¡±


    He shrugs.


    ¡°If you want to continue without her, sure.¡±


    We spend an hour searching the room without finding anything of interest. There was a small pile of papers, but they were all mouldy beyond recovery. I let him do most of the work while I plan out how to set up the grow boxes. I¡¯m going to need logs, dirt, water and spores to make this work. All of which there is an abundance of around us. When Dale has had enough, we leave the room to continue down the corridor.


    We follow the path another ten metres before the decline gets steeper, and soon we find a rough cut stairwell going deeper into the ground. I look at him for a moment, and he nods eagerly.


    ¡°Lets check it out. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s more loot further down.¡±


    I¡¯m not hard to convince. We stalk down the stairs, descending a good fifteen metres into a new hallway. The smells here are different, more musky. I sneak forward until a larger cavern opens up. The walls are more earthen than above, browner. The supports seem stronger as well. As I raise my torch, the flames light up less than a quarter of the room. Right outside of the radius we see glittering gems. Dale is about to move into the room to investigate, but I stop him.


    ¡°Are those things moving around?¡±


    He breathes in deeply as I grab a spare torch. I light it and throw it into the room, revealing large ratlike creatures. They hiss and escape the light. Looking at him, I shake my head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we have the equipment to deal with all these guys.¡±


    He nods silently, and we turn around to go back upstairs. We meet an agitated Tiene at the mushroom cave.


    ¡°You went on without me? Is this place making you both stupider?!¡±


    I¡¯m about to speak, but she interrupts me.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to hear it. Back to the central chamber. March!¡±


    We go in silence under her harsh stare. When we get there, Dale climbs up as I turn around to talk to her.


    ¡°Look, I¡¯m sorry about going on without you, but we came right back. I¡¯m going to stay here and collect some of the mushrooms here, okay? I need them for a friend.¡±


    She lets out a breath it seems she¡¯d been holding for a while.


    ¡°Okay. But don¡¯t stay too long, and don¡¯t stray. I¡¯m going to go back and make sure Dale doesn¡¯t piss off Reynard somehow.¡±


    I give her a quick hug, and she scrambles up the ladder, leaving me alone with the darkness and fungus. I hum a wordless tune as I harvest the mushrooms I can. Soon, I realise I don¡¯t have anything to carry them in, so I go up to fetch some cloths and bags. I spend two hours working in the dark before I go back up.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Skill increased: Mycology</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Skill increased: Mycology</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    I find that there¡¯s two ways to look at the mushrooms I gather. Either as individual units of mushroom, or as a collection of mushrooms giving me a report on the average quality of the pile.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Miners Sludge: 121 (Low quality)</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Nuns blush: 140 (Low quality)</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Capped bloodgrin: 34 (Low quality)</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Cave Lichen: 64 (Low quality)</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    I¡¯m not impressed by the quality, but I guess it¡¯ll get better when I grow these myself. It seems I have to leave these in the sun to harvest spores. Then, from the spores, I can grow more when I prepare the appropriate medium. Poisoned soil for the Sludge, wet rock for the lichen and wood for the mushrooms.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Name:Cave Lichen</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Rarity: common</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Known Effects: none</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Base chance of cultivation: 3%</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Edible</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    I climb up topside, dragging my treasures behind me. They¡¯re quite heavy, promising good eating. I¡¯ve already planned a meal for the nuns blush. With an effort I drag it all back to the shed, finding my two companions playing with Reynard. When I clear my throat, they both come to help.


    ¡°Looks like the scarecrow did it¡¯s job. And the crop is ready for threshing. Help me laying it out would you?¡±


    I have a large tarp for the process, though a stone floor would be more suitable. I grab a wooden flail in both hands, and Tiene does the same. Dale stands back, more than happy to support us with encouragement for now. Spreading the straws across the tarp, we start wailing on the poor crops.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Ability increased: Endurance</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Ability increased: Strength</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    After an hour I take a break. Tiene lasted less than twenty minutes, but she kept working after each break. I count the proceeds as I try to stretch out a little.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Emgrass grain: 2932</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Straw: 3000</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    I look to Dale.


    ¡°How much voidsiphon did you bring?¡±


    He casually looks to his own cart.


    ¡°One thousand. Cullen said I was to expect two thousand grains back for the batch.¡±


    I nod. That was what we agreed on.


    ¡°I¡¯ll throw in another nine hundred if you help Tiene with another batch of grain for threshing. While you two do that, I¡¯ll go and plant the voidsiphon. Deal?¡±


    He seems to consider it, clearly not enthused about the idea. I look to Tiene, who rolls her eyes at me and undoes a few buttons on her shirt.


    ¡°It¡¯s really hot work. Are you sure you can¡¯t help?¡±


    It¡¯s such an obvious play, nobody in their right mind could fall for it.


    ¡°Fine, you have a deal. Help yourself in the cart.¡±


    He removes his own shirt, revealing a lithe form with scars across his chest and back. I feel a tinge of regret at leaving them alone as I move to his cart to retrieve the voidsiphon. I find two large sacks, each of them containing five hundred golf ball sized bulbs. Once again I start dragging, heading towards the field with the sound of Dale working hard, and Tiene fawning over him.


    Am I jealous?


    I shake off the feeling as I get to the field.


    Opening the interface shows me the details I need to know and I start preparing the field. This time, I have to dig little holes for each of the bulbs. I manage to get six hundred spaces prepared in the available soil. When I¡¯m done, I select voidsiphon as the crop to plant.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Current chance of cultivation: 61.25%</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">- Base chance: 10%</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">- Skill modifier: 6.25%</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">- Racial bonus: 10%</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">- Seed bonus: 10%</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">- Soil modifier: 0%</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">- Field prep modifier: +25%</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    A good base chance for the this crop, considering the emgrass only had 5%. The skill modifier was also good to know about. My herbalism skill is 5 at the moment, which means the skill modifier is 1.25 times the skill, up from 1 before. Maybe another bonus from improving my farmer level. Some times I hate that the game gives so little information. I confirm the plant and start working, placing each bulb in a hole. When I¡¯m done, the coloured grid shows me a greenish yellow across the board.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Field 1: small (100x100)</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Current crop: Voidsiphon(600)</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Soil quality: Slightly depleted (high mineral content)</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Growing cycle: Planted (0)</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Average health: 84%</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Needs: None.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Not too shabby at all. Now I just need to reposition the scarecrow and we¡¯re set for the night, at least for this part. I go back to rejoin the others, who have managed another batch of seeds.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Emgrass grain: 6534 (-2900)</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Straw: 6000</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    I collect the grain I owe Dale in a separate sack and join them for the rest of the job, releasing Tiene to move the scarecrow back to it¡¯s post. Studying his technique, I try to improve the way I thresh. It seems like no time has passed at all when the acrid smell of burning plant matter fills my nose. Luckily, we¡¯re finished already, so I run to save the poor mushrooms Tiene is trying to cook. During the meal, Dale shares a drink he¡¯s brought which fills us with warmth as we enjoy the night. Handing him the seeds, I invite him to stay the night in our tent as we¡¯re using the shed, and he accepts. Before going to bed, I count up the resulting goods.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Emgrass grain: 6900</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Straw: 10 000</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="25%">Skill discovered: Threshing</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Not terrible I guess, but less than I¡¯d hoped. At least I¡¯m confident I can make more on the next harvest. I only wish I could use the full field. Before I fall asleep, I edit and upload some more videos. I start from the earliest farming experiences, showcasing the hardships I face. The trip to the keep for more supplies. A scene with the harsh shopkeeper forcing me to put Reynard up as collateral. Our small successes with plants, the crows and the scarecrow. I avoid showing Grimguard, but make sure the barons demands are visible, showing the desperation we¡¯re facing. I cut out the part where I meet Vlyk, focusing on Cullen instead. I stop there, to save some for the next upload, and check the stats. A rush goes through my body when I see my numbers have nearly doubled. Maybe we can actually make this work after all.


    Sleep takes me soon after, and the world shifts to one of shadows and movement. I¡¯m running through a cave, wet with damp and filled with monsters. I attack the ones I meet, but there¡¯s always another. I realise I¡¯m following a voice through the caverns, running faster by the moment. There¡¯s no way I can reach her, and the thing in the dark is going to feed on her again. By the time I¡¯m close enough to see her red hair, her blood is cold.


    I sit up with a start. Everything is darkness around me, and I realise it¡¯s still the middle of the night. Tiene is sleeping on a pile of straw, one of the results of our threshing. I¡¯m on the other side of the room, near the door, on my own little pile. Unable to get back to sleep I get up, going outside in the deep night to calm my nerves. The dreams are getting worse every night. I go to the field to check up on the plants, carefully weeding a little where necessary. They seem to enjoy it, growing slightly healthier. I haven¡¯t lost any yet, which is good. By my count, at least two hundred will die by morning. Oh well. I look towards the forest. Dark and foreboding under the light of Paraton, with green Elaph strangely bright. I walk towards the trees, welcoming the emptiness embracing me. Soon, I feel the familiar tingle heralding her arrival. I turn my sense of smell up, and can tell exactly where she is.


    ¡°This is an unusual time to come visit me, halfbreed.¡±


    I turn towards her, and she seems disappointed that I didn¡¯t startle this time. I tilt my head as I look at her.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep. Dreams are haunting me. I don¡¯t know if dryads sleep, but I thought I¡¯d take a gamble, maybe you were up for a conversation.¡±


    She saunters towards me, the vines covering her body tightening around her form. A sign of uncertainty camouflaged as an advance.


    ¡°Conversation is it? Are you sure it¡¯s not something more vigorous you¡¯re after?¡±


    Laying an arm on my side, she moves mine to her waist. She¡¯s going to push this all the way if I let her, but I can¡¯t see what her endgame is. I pull her closer, exposing my throat to her sharp teeth.


    ¡°I know how dangerous you are, Leona Cethi. For a traveller, death is just another kind of sleep. If you want to send me there, you can.¡±


    Her body shows signs of uncertainty. She pushes me away far enough to see my face. Her eyes are emerald green with a blue tint, shining in the moonlight.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    Her voice is different. The haughty lady of the forest is gone. A lost girl in the woods is in her place. I smile at her, and for a moment, her eyes go white. Afterwards, she nods.


    ¡°Okay, I think I get it now. You can sleep here if you wish. Your dreams won¡¯t bother you tonight.¡±

 Chapter 33 - Attenuate

    She takes me by the hand, leading me to a circle of trees. I lay down on the ground, finding it softer than I¡¯d expected. Her body language is relaxed, as if she¡¯d completely forgotten our exchange just a minute earlier. I close my eyes, letting the sounds and smells of the forest lead me to sleep. As she promised there were no more dreams that night.


    ***


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">You are well rested</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Your standing with Dale has increased to Friendly.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I am woken by birdsong as the sun slowly comes out from beneath the horizon. Stretching, I enjoy the sensations of the forest. It¡¯s easily the most comfortable sleep I¡¯ve had since starting this game. With some regret, I leave the circle of trees to return to the farm.


    My first stop is the field to check how bad the damage is from overnight.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Field 1: small (100x100)</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Current crop: Voidsiphon (384)</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Soil quality: Slightly depleted (high mineral content)</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Growing cycle: Sprouting (1)</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Average health: 78%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Needs: Watering, Weeding.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    As expected, just above 200 bulbs lost. I refrain from replanting them this time, opting for a second planting later. Weeding and watering increases the average health to 87%, promising a good harvest of vegetables. By the time I finish, I see movement up at the camp. When I get there, Dale is exposing himself to the elements. Apparently he likes to sleep in the nude. I ignore it as best as I can, ticking off another day on the calendar.


    ¡°Morning!¡±


    He spins around, relaxing when he sees it¡¯s me.


    ¡°Good morning Tee. I didn¡¯t hear you wake up this morning. Is Tiene up as well?¡±


    I shake my head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, she was sleeping when I left.¡±


    Technically true. I enter the hut to find her on the pile of hay, a sack over her head to keep out the light. I go back outside without waking her.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get breakfast ready before she¡¯s up.¡±


    Soon the earthy aroma of roast mushrooms fill the air. I take the opportunity to heat up a pail of water as well, and soon a groggy woman slinks out of the shed.


    ¡°Good morning sunshine. Food is ready, help yourself to all the mushroom you can eat, and some clean hot water for washing.¡±


    She gives me a look somewhere between hate and love as she sits down and grabs a bite to eat.


    ¡°Sleeping indoors is better than sleeping in a tent, but the straw isn¡¯t good enough for sleeping. We need proper beds, sooner rather than later.¡±


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">A new farm task is available:</td></tr><tr><td width="25%"> - Procure beds.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I smile at her misfortune until she throws the rest of her meal at me. As she starts cleaning up, I go to help Dale prepare his cart for travel.


    ¡°Thank you for your hospitality.¡±


    He smiles, extending a hand. I shake it.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a pleasure. I hope you¡¯ll come visit us soon again.¡±


    Tiene hugs him, and as he rides away we stand together, waving him off. Afterwards we start cleaning up the leftovers.


    ¡°So what¡¯s the plan going forward?¡±


    I sit back, breathing deeply.


    ¡°We need money, quick. I¡¯ve got three more days until Quarn repossesses Reynard and the cart, which would suck. Before then, we need seventeen gold. Currently, I have two.¡±


    She nods, casting a worried glance towards our pet.


    ¡°After that we have a few more days before the Baron wants his goods. That¡¯s going to be impossible if we can¡¯t fix the fields and improve our output. If we manage to fill that order, I¡¯m pretty sure there¡¯ll be another, much harder one, but that¡¯s a problem for future us.¡±


    Complaining about our rent seems pointless at this time.


    ¡°So my plan today is to visit Serran¡¯s Reach. There¡¯s a¡­ farmer who lives there. He¡¯ll trade water and supplies for the miners sludge. When I come back I¡¯ll start preparing the mine for growing mushrooms.¡±


    After a few minutes of silence, she stands up.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s get started. I¡¯ve got some ideas for the field and for the caverns.¡±


    She hesitates, looking towards the forest.


    ¡°If Leona doesn¡¯t kill me, I think I¡¯ll find the resources I need in there.¡±


    I roll my eyes.


    ¡°She won¡¯t kill you. Just be polite and don¡¯t antagonise her. She¡¯s a very young dryad so she¡¯ll be open to talk.¡±


    I stand up, hugging her.


    ¡°And if she eats you I¡¯ll chastise her when I come back.¡±


    She hits me as I dodge away laughing.


    Before I leave I prepare an area near the field for drying the mushrooms. Planting four stakes I tie a piece of cloth between them, raising it off the ground. Then I place half my mushrooms on top. With any luck I¡¯ll be able to collect some spores when I get back. The rest of the goods, together with a thousand emgrass grains, I place on the cart. When I¡¯m ready, I set off with Reynard to visit Vlyk.


    ***


    The farm was, if possible, even more dilapidated in daylight. The teal corn makes for a spectacular sight as it sways in the afternoon breeze, and I consider taking a sample for myself. I decide against it when I see the human form of Vlyk come towards me grinning widely.


    ¡°Friend Tee. You came back. Did you bring with you the tasty mushrooms?¡±


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.I nod, handing her a sample of the mushrooms and lichen. She investigates each of them, eating them as she goes along. The lichen gets stuck in her teeth, which are already coloured by the bloodgrin. When she¡¯s finished she looks at me with her usual wild eyes. After a moments silence, I pick up the conversation.


    ¡°So are you interested in trading?¡±


    She looks genuinely surprised.


    ¡°You brought more? This is a most happy encounter. Yes, we are interested in trading. What do you need?¡±


    I smile as I look around, taking stock of whats available. I¡¯m brought back down when I realise there isn¡¯t a lot other than the corn.


    ¡°To begin with, can you show me the crops you¡¯re growing?¡±


    She nods eagerly, leading me to the edge of his field.


    When I get there I try accessing the interface, but get a notification telling me I lack permission. Vlyk turns toward the field and starts making some clicking sounds, then waits. Soon I hear a rustling from the corn stalks. Four of the little cockroach creatures come scurrying towards us, clicking excitedly. Vlyk in turn makes some chastising sounds, which makes them scatter, and I hear the sounds of stalks falling. Another minute passes and they return, dragging along a stalk with several cobs of the teal crop. I kneel and pick it up, earning a hiss from one of the critters. Looking closer, I see it really does look like corn, except it¡¯s teal.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Umbral Delver</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Common</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Base chance of cultivation: 10%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Edible</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I can use this. Looking at Vlyk, I catch her staring at my cart. Stretching my merchant muscles, I get ready to haggle.


    ¡°I guess I can swing a trade against this, but I¡¯ll need water too. Maybe some soil.¡±


    She nods eagerly.


    ¡°Yes. I can give you two crates of the corn for your mushrooms. Water is from the well. Soil in the ground.¡±


    Scratching my head, I consider the trade. She¡¯s too eager, too happy to agree. I kick myself lightly for not picking the insectoid perk for Social Perception.


    ¡°Two crates? For the two hundred mushrooms I brought.¡±


    More nodding, followed by a series of clicks. The critters click back until he raises his voice, then they scatter, harvesting corn as they go along.


    ¡°Come, we get water.¡±


    She leads me away, and I fetch the wagon.


    The well is as run down as the rest of the place, but at least it¡¯s functional. I taste the water, finding it fresh and clear. Pail by pail I fill the barrels I brought, happy that I¡¯ve finally found a closer source than town. By the time I¡¯ve finished, the little ones have finished the first crate, and she helps me lift it into the cart.


    ¡°Tell me Vlyk, where did you come from?¡±


    She stops, nearly dropping the crate.


    ¡°We came from underneath.¡±


    I wait for a moment until she continues helping. When we¡¯ve placed the crate, I hand her the remaining mushrooms. She breathes deeply from the bag, a content smile spreading on her face. The little ones click angrily, but she ignores them.


    ¡°Underneath where? Did you live underground?¡±


    The question brings her halfway out of her happy place. She shoots me an annoyed look.


    ¡°Underneath everywhere. This is not a topic for discussion.¡±


    She turns back to inhaling mushrooms, and I focus on the goods instead. Grabbing a sack, I start filling it with soil. With a little ingenuity I should be able to create a planter for things like the poor fairyhome. By the time I¡¯ve finished, the little creatures are done as well, chirping happily at Vlyk who reluctantly hands out a few samples of mushroom.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s time for me to leave now.¡±


    She nods in agreement.


    ¡°Friend Tee has been good. We will see each other soon, yes?¡±


    Smiling, I hold out my hand. She takes it after a moment.


    ¡°We will indeed. Oh, and before I forget, do you have any more of those glowworms? I¡¯ve got to explore underground in a place where torches don¡¯t work.¡±


    Tilting her head, she looks at me in confusion for a moment before a look of understanding dawns on her face.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    I blink a few times, counting quietly to ten.


    ¡°Can I have some please?¡±


    She nods.


    ¡°I will get.¡±


    When I finally head back to the farm I¡¯m the proud owner of ten maggots the size of baguettes. She didn¡¯t give any instruction in how to care for them, so hopefully my animal handling is good enough not to kill them.


    ***


    I arrive back at the farm as the sun starts dipping under the horizon. The campfire is bright, and Tiene is working on something in the light. When she sees me she jumps up, spilling her tools all around her, and runs over to greet me.


    ¡°Come on, there¡¯s still light, we can still check it out!¡±


    Her excitement is infectious, so I hurry through grooming Reynard before I follow her towards the mine. The first thing that greets me is a lid. She¡¯s put a large, hinged piece of wood on top of the hole. With some effort she lifts it off and starts climbing down. The rope ladder has been exchanged for something more solid, making it easier to get up and down. When we reach the entrance chamber, she lights a torch.


    ¡°You were right about Leona. She¡¯s really nice when you get to know her.¡±


    She leads me to the path to the slag pile, showing me a construction across the entryway.


    ¡°I made a dam to stop the flow of brackish water.¡±


    I look at the block of wood blocking the water. I point to a root thicker than my chest that goes from the deepest part of the puddle she¡¯s created up through the roof.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    She grins.


    ¡°Remember the water pump I showed you back in Hogsmudd? I made a bigger one with Leona''s help. She managed to completely seal the cylinder, which means I can pump the water from down here to a basin on the topside.¡±


    She¡¯s almost glowing as I look at the construction. I¡¯m not sure how it would work.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t the vacuum slip when there¡¯s no more water?¡±


    Her face drops, showing obvious annoyance at my raining on her parade.


    ¡°There are some design issues, but I¡¯m confident I can fix them. It¡¯s just a matter of making the dam bigger. It¡¯s not going to fix the problem, but at least it won¡¯t make anything worse.¡±


    She turns away from me with a huff, and I suppress a laugh. I put my arms around her in a hug instead.


    ¡°It¡¯s fantastic. A true show of genius. I know you¡¯ll solve any and all issues.¡±


    She leans her head back towards me, and I let her go, nearly dropping her in the process. She looks at me, confused and a little hurt. Looking around, I try to find a distraction.


    ¡°Did you get anything done in the mushroom cave?¡±


    She nods slowly.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ come on, I¡¯ll show you.¡±


    There are twenty five rocks here, equally spaced out. Each of them flat on top, perfect to put the growth medium on. I turn to smile at her, but she¡¯s already left me alone in the gloom. Putting my back against the wall, I bump my head into the stone rhythmically for a while.


    ¡°What the hell is wrong with you?¡±


    There¡¯s no answer.

 Chapter 34 - Doghouse

    I gather my thoughts, heading back to the surface. On the way I admire her handiwork again. She really does have a talent for this kind of engineering. I don¡¯t really know enough about real world physics to tell if it would work, but it looks solid enough. Out in the open I find the other side of the mechanism. A long box tilted thirty degrees into the ground, with a tube coming out of one side. After a few meters it ends up in a large wooden basin, half full of the toxic water. I guess I can take the water away when it gets too full, dumping it where it can¡¯t do any damage.


    By now the sun has set completely. Even with the moons it¡¯s hard to see where camp is. When I reach it, saying goodnight to Reynard on the way, I stop outside the shed.


    Should I sleep inside or should I take the tent. If I go inside she might get the wrong idea. Whatever that would be. But if I stay outside she may take that the wrong way too. Sighing deeply I open the door, skulking inside. The soft sound of her breathing tells me that whatever is going to happen will wait until tomorrow. Creeping quietly, I bed down on my pile of straw. Soon, I¡¯m sleeping fitfully.


    ***


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">You are rested</td></tr></tbody></table>


    ¡°Tee!¡±


    My jaw aches for some reason. Opening my eyes I look into Tiene¡¯s worried eyes.


    ¡°You were gnashing your teeth and writhing in your sleep. Are you okay?¡±


    Coming back to my senses slowly I realise I can¡¯t remember my dreams from last night. I shake my head and sit upright.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m sorry to worry you, I¡­¡±


    She interrupts me with a gesture.


    ¡°Later. Wash up and get outside. We have a visitor, and it doesn¡¯t want to deal with me.¡±


    Her eyes betray a sense of worry, maybe fear. I get up and follow her instructions before heading out the door. The sun is barely up, but the intimidating presence of Grimguard is impossible not to notice. He tilts his head towards me when he notices me.


    ¡°Serf. I am here to check on your progress.¡±


    I put on my best smile.


    ¡°Hello Grim, good to see you as always. Everything is great. I¡¯ve managed to fill the vegetable quota already. Just some flour and some dairy to go.¡±


    The colour of his eyes changes just a little, gaining a new intensity.


    ¡°Show me.¡±


    I take him to the cart, pointing towards the crates. He stomps after me, picking up an ear of the umbral corn. His lack of any real body language annoys me.


    ¡°Good enough for vegetables.¡±


    Without missing a beat he picks up one of the crates, holding it in one hand.


    ¡°Do not tarry with the rest.¡±


    As he turns to leave I raise my voice.


    ¡°Hey Grimguard, before you go¡­¡±


    He stops abruptly, turning slowly to pierce me with his glowing eyes.


    ¡°I was just wondering if you had a moment to chat. There aren¡¯t any other players around here and I.¡±


    A sound like bellows blowing into a furnace erupts from somewhere inside his chest.


    ¡°There were two who were looking for you in the keep. They moved on. Your friend in the bar seems alone.¡±


    He turns around again, taking off at a run as I¡¯m left scratching my head. That guy is seriously weird. I wonder if he was like that before he picked the class or if he picked the class because of it. Shrugging, I turn to deal with breakfast when I notice something missing in the cart. There are only four of the glowmaggots there. I can¡¯t see them anywhere nearby, nor under the cart. Maybe some birds decided they wanted an early worm. I sigh, chastising myself as I deal with breakfast.


    Tiene is curious about Grimguard, but otherwise stays quiet during the morning. I ask her to build a planter for the soil I brought before going to start my morning chores. When I get close to the field, I notice that the poisoned plots are covered in a layer of black sludge. Hurrying over, I¡¯m met with an unexpected prompt.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Field 2: small (100x100)</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Current crop: Miners Sludge (143)</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Soil quality: Poisonous (High mineral content)</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Growing cycle: Germinated (1)</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Average health: 21%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Needs: Pruning.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    The other two fields look the same. A piece of the puzzle falls into place and I check the spore collection setup I prepared yesterday. The mushrooms I placed there are all dried up, but the spores are nowhere to be seen. There must have been a disturbance, a wind maybe. And as a result, the spores flew away. All except for the ones who like the cursed soil. Obvious in hindsight. Cursing myself I start fixing the fields. I may as well let it grow.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: Mycology.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: Herbalism.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    When the mushroom field is looking healthier I move on to the voidsiphon.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Current crop: Voidsiphon (384)</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Growing cycle: Growing (1)</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Average health: 81%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Needs: Watering, Weeding.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Estimated Yield: 460.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    That¡¯s a pretty good yield for the effort. A few hours work bumps the health up to 85%, leaving me with a uniformly green-yellow grid across my field. As I¡¯m standing there admiring my handiwork, Tiene comes over with the planter. Dumping it next to me, she gives me a sad look.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.¡°I¡¯m going to take Reynard in to town to visit Yadra.¡±


    She turns away and I follow her.


    ¡°I can come with you, let me just¡­¡±


    Stopping, she gives me another look.


    ¡°That¡¯s okay Tee. I¡¯d like some time to myself. I¡¯ve been cooped up here for longer than you have. If I can¡¯t make it back by night, I¡¯ll stay with Yadra. Don¡¯t wait up.¡±


    Unperturbed I escort her to the wagon.


    ¡°I get that. I¡¯ll unload the stuff you won¡¯t need. Take some samples of the vegetables and the Emgrass to show Yadra. Maybe she wants to buy some. The mushrooms as well, and if¡­¡±


    This next look tells me she really doesn¡¯t need me to continue talking. I quickly unload the wagon, waving at her as she leaves. How bad did I actually screw up? I haven¡¯t received any updates on our standing. I shake it off, choosing to focus on work instead.


    Filling the planter with soil is a quick process. I place it by the field close to the scarecrow and plant the fairyhome. I¡¯m given a 65% chance of success in total.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Basic planter</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Soil: Standard.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Health: 11%.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Current crop: Fairyhome (1)</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Growing cycle: Planted.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: Herbalism.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I boggle at the health level. It has been a while since I got the seedling from Korrom, maybe it¡¯s degraded more than I¡¯d expected. I¡¯ll have to be on the ball when it comes to taking care of this little bastard. After that I focus on the mushrooms. In my new experiment I make much smaller tents for the spores, leaving nothing but the mushroom caps in the open air. Hopefully that¡¯ll get me a few spores to actually get my cave project started.


    ***


    The mine is dark and smells of sulphur. With nothing else to do until the plants need more care, I decided to explore a little. Before I go down I crank the pump until the brackish water stops flowing. Afterwards I explore towards the slag pile, meeting another golem. This one is coated with a glistening layer of slime. I manage to get within a metre before it notices me, turning to face me full on. I use the crowbar to test it¡¯s reactions and defences. Now that it¡¯s standing upright it can move towards me, but as a golem it¡¯s severely lacking in agility.


    I stab at it, aiming for it¡¯s arms more than the eye, but it blocks each attack. When I overstep it gets in a counterattack, forcing me to retreat or lose a lot of health. I find that my high endurance helps regeneration and hitpoints, but since I¡¯m wearing no armour at all each hit takes off a third of my health. With no way to determine it¡¯s integrity I keep striking it on the same location. Slowly, it¡¯s arm gets more and more battered until the solid iron of the crowbar wins out and the poor golem is one limb poorer. I repeat the process with the other arm, taking another half hour of sweaty work before it¡¯s completely disarmed. I¡¯m about to go for the eye when the monster tilts to one side, balancing on one limb and starts spinning. The whirlwind attack makes it hard to get a solid hit in, so I stand off, content to block its attacks when I can. By the time its third limb is broken, my own weapon is starting to look a bit worse for wear. Luckily, the creature flops onto it¡¯s back, feebly waving the remaining arm at me. By hiding on the opposite side of its body I get the time I need to pry out the core, finally getting a whole one.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: Dodge.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: Bludgeoning weapons.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: Parry.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Ability increased: Strength.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Ability increased: Agility.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Ability increased: Endurance.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Lesser golem core</td></tr></tbody></table>


    As an experiment I stick my head into the slag room, finding it calm and dark as we found it the first time. I take one of the glowworms and crack it, ignoring the subdued squeal, and throw it into the largest pool I can see. It floats on the surface, glowing softly. Those will do nicely. I duck back out before whatever lives in there wakes up, going to the central chamber.


    Turning towards the forest, I go to the wall of roots. Touching them, I try talking to Leona for a few minutes, but there¡¯s no reaction. I guess I¡¯ll have to meet her in the forest and ask her about this in person. Only one more thing to check out while I¡¯m here. I head towards the second level of the mines.


    The stairs empty into the same large chamber, with the sound of skittering paws everywhere around me. Killing another glowworm I launch it into the darkness, catching glimpses of the furry denizens of this room. Rats the size of golden retrievers scatter from the impact site at first. After a minute of silence, a particularly large specimen starts sneaking towards the worm, sniffing the air. With a lunge it grabs the dead maggot, quickly chomping down on it. As soon as the skin breaks, bio-luminescent fluids splatter all around it, showing me the outlines of a dozen more critters jealously eyeing the bravest one.


    When he finishes they turn towards me as one. Then they start approaching me menacingly. They form a semicircle around me, just inside the glow from my torch. I wave it at them and they creep back for a moment before coming closer. I slowly retrieve another worm from my pack, leaving it alone this time, and throw it on the floor in front of me. The big one tries to get it again, but a smaller one gets there first, snatching it and running away. The larger one screeches, following it.


    The rest never take their eyes off me, but the hatred in their eyes has changed. There¡¯s a glimmer of hunger there instead, maybe even a little hope. I take the last worm I have, dangling it in the air in front of them. As one of them carefully comes forward, glaring at me with it¡¯s milky red eyes. It sits up on it¡¯s hind legs, stretching to grab the worm with it¡¯s front paws. An idea forms in my mind as I release the wriggling snack into the waiting maw of the ratlike beasts.


    ¡°You guys just wait here, I¡¯ll be right back.¡±

 Chapter 35 - Deeper

    I run back to the surface, taking the stairs two at a time. Climbing the ladder is easier now that it¡¯s upgraded from the rope construct. Once back on top I head to the shed where we¡¯re storing the surplus produce. As I¡¯m about to step through the door I notice the makeshift calendar, updating it to today. My heart sinks a little when I realise there¡¯s only two days left for my deal with Quarn. There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll get the money in time. Shit.


    I gather a handful of the teal corn, a hand of emgrass and some straw, adding a few mushrooms on top for good measure. I have no idea what these creatures like to eat, but they should be able to find something to enjoy here. Swallowing my anxiety about losing Reynard I slink towards the cave.


    Back in the rat room the creatures flock around me. They keep a few feet between me and the circle, but I¡¯ve clearly been identified as a source of food. I start off with handing out a couple of ears of corn. A quick consensus is reached, and two of the rats scamper away happily with their treats. Next is the emgrass, strewn across the floor in a line. The rats seem less impressed with this offering. They eat it, but none of them retreat to enjoy the spoils. That¡¯s fair enough I guess. I put a few mushrooms in piles around me, letting them pick the ones they prefer. Apparently they prefer all of them but the miners sludge. They briefly fight over the fungus until they each get a piece, running away in different directions. Afterwards there¡¯s only one rat left. Clearly the runt of the litter, it sniffs daintily at the last pile.


    ¡°Go on fella, chow down.¡±


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: Animal handling.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Ability increased: Wisdom.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    A tentative lick at the glistening pile is followed by a careful nibble. Soon it¡¯s eating with gusto. When it¡¯s done, it turns away from me, heading towards the darkness of the cavern. Then sideways towards the wall. Then back towards me. It stumbles around for a bit until it freezes mid step, then falls over like a dropped plate. A few twitches later and it¡¯s perfectly still. Moving closer, I try to see what¡¯s wrong.


    It¡¯s muzzle is foaming, white with dark specs oozing out of it¡¯s mouth. I guess I found out why the others didn¡¯t want to eat that particular mushroom. Shrugging, I turn to explore the rest of the cavern. There are many holes in the walls here, crevices and hiding places. None of them larger than a cat. This isn¡¯t the rats nest, but it does seem to be one of it¡¯s egresses. With no intention of sticking my hands or any other limb in there, I exit the room through a different passage.


    As soon as I¡¯m out of the rats chamber, the ceiling gets moist and drippy. The chemical smell of the slag runoff permeates the air down here. With my enhanced sense of smell it¡¯s not particularly pleasant. One glorious day I¡¯ll be tasked with infiltrating a bakery or a candyshop. That¡¯ll make it worth the investment. Soon I come to a crossing, with three ways to go. I mark the way I came from with a piece of coal, drawing a circle with an arrow inside, pointing away from the room. In the leftmost path I draw a square with the number one and an arrow pointing into the darkness. Job done, I walk down the path.


    After a minutes walk I reach a larger cavern. There¡¯s a small lake of the foul smelling water here, with slimy trails running down one of the walls. It seems like Tiene¡¯s dam has had an effect down here already. In one corner of the chamber is a much larger version of the disciple plant I saw upstairs, with green vines spreading across the wall in a sunburst pattern. Some of them stretch upwards, disappearing into the ceiling. Underneath it is a large green stem, pulsing intermittently. I¡¯m about to step into the cavern when I notice a disturbance in the pond. Stopping, I bend down slowly to pick up a rock, hefting it in my hand before throwing it into the middle of the pond. A large splash is followed by rapidly expanding rings, waves crashing onto the floor of the cave. It¡¯s clearly deeper than it looks. I hope I don¡¯t have to empty it on my own. Maybe we can extend the pump system, make a stack or something.


    As I¡¯m considering the options available, the pond goes completely still for a moment. Then a large, flabby hand bursts out of the water, hitting the ground with a wet slap. Another follows close after, and I prepare to head out of here. I¡¯m just not equipped to deal with any kind of dungeon boss creature. With effort, the creature lifts itself out of the water. A morbidly obese humanoid, pink with blue grey keloids mottling it¡¯s skin. A single eye scans the room, clearly unable to see me. Instead, it focuses on the source of light. Opening a slimy mouth, it bellows a mournful noise before scrambling towards me. Deceptively fast on it¡¯s thick legs, it¡¯s claws dig into the ground as it propels itself towards me, mouth open. Without thinking I throw my torch to the side and move the other way, hiding in the entryway. The monster leaps, smashing into the wall with a wet splat, extinguishing the torch in the process. Swearing to myself, I move away from the noise, attempting to find the way back by memory. Luckily I¡¯m not particularly deep in the mine yet.


    I manage to find my way back to the rat chamber without being followed. There is still a vague glow from the maggot, giving me enough light to know where I am, but not enough to see anything useful. Heading directly towards the stairs up, I stop when I hear a scrabbling noise. A single pair of eyes glitters in the poor light, accompanied by a disturbing wheezing. I get the scraps I have left in my backpack, dropping it on the floor in front of me. The glowing eyes come closer, ignoring my meagre offering. Drawing my crowbar, I get ready to fight. I guess a single rat isn¡¯t going to be a problem.


    Stepping forward, I slam the crowbar into the creature. Expecting a quick resolution to the problem, I¡¯m pleased with the heavy impact against a furry body. I¡¯m less enthused when it bites back.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">You have been bitten for 45% damage.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">You have been poisoned.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">You have taken 5% poison damage.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Taken aback by it¡¯s strength, I attack again. This time I try stabbing at the glowing eyes. I need a solid strike to kill it fast enough. A jarring shock goes up my arm, causing me to drop the weapon.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">You struck ground. Weapon lost.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I rub my hand, slowly circling the glowing, unblinking eyes. Sweeping my feet around as I move I try to find my weapon with no luck. There¡¯s barely a click as pain radiates from my foot.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">You have been bitten for 45% damage.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">You have taken 5% poison damage.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">You are in the between¡­</td></tr></tbody></table>


    The world dissolves into the familiar greytones of the land of the dead. Or wherever you go when you await respawn. I really need to get some better equipment, or just stay away from combat altogether. It¡¯s a shame to admit it, but I kinda miss the high adrenaline action of a good fight. I shake my head at my own idiocy. No way to back out now I guess. Rishi would log out and cut my balls off. I bring up the respawn command.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Do you wish to respawn? (Warning: you will be unconscious until the clock runs out.)</td></tr></tbody></table>


    As I¡¯m about to accept the prompt, a sound makes me turn around.


    ¡°Seems to me your adventure is a bit all over the place brother.¡±


    Clad in a grey trenchcoat, wearing a fedora and smoking a cigarette, he¡¯s leaning against a lamppost I swear wasn¡¯t there before.


    ¡°Rezzer.¡±


    I nod as I approach, reaching out a hand. He looks at it for a moment before he offers me a smoke. I accept it, and he lights it for me. We stand there just savouring the moment, despite the fact that the smoke doesn¡¯t taste anything. Everything is an illusion in the grey lands I guess. I exhale, watching the cloud pass, before I look at him.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you guides were allowed to talk to players after the tutorial.¡±


    He grins.


    ¡°Guess I just couldn¡¯t get that green body of yours out of my mind.¡±


    I laugh, and he winks at me.


    ¡°Generally you¡¯re right, but you¡¯ve caught the attention of some important people with those videos of yours. I was sent here to tell you what the new deal is. Your partners are getting a similar meeting.¡±


    Finishing the smoke, I flick it aside. The embers fly a few feet before winking out of existence in the mists. He continues.


    ¡°Your rent will be taken care of in the real world for one month. In return, you up the frequency of your videos and forfeit the earnings you¡¯ve made from your videos so far. If you manage to continue gathering viewers the way you have the admins will revisit the agreement at the end of the month.¡±


    I try to bring up the portal to get fresh numbers, but I¡¯m being blocked. Can¡¯t access it from here. Going by the last numbers I saw, I¡¯d say it was a good deal. Pretty much break even by now, unless there was some kind of massive surge. Still.


    ¡°Only the earnings from my uploads, right?¡±


    He nods.


    ¡°And only the earnings so far. Any future earnings are safe.¡±


    A pull of his cigarette and another nod.


    ¡°What about some in game benefits? I could use some financial aid right now.¡±


    He grins.


    ¡°Nah brother, that¡¯s against the rules. Prime wouldn¡¯t let them. Besides, last time I gave you any aid you got yourself robbed, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    I flip him off and he just laughs.


    ¡°Do I get time to think about it?¡±


    He looks away, shaking his head.


    ¡°Deal expires when you accept that prompt mate.¡±


    Growling softly to myself I start pacing back and forth. There¡¯s going to be a catch somewhere, but the deal is too simple. I turn towards him, nodding.


    ¡°Where do I sign?¡±


    With a flourish he draws a scroll from inside his coat, handing it to me.


    ¡°Just press your thumb to the dotted square, and you¡¯re good to go.¡±


    Taking a deep breath, I sign it. The scroll dissolves, and a feeling of anxiety I didn¡¯t even know was there is gone. We¡¯re safe for a month. Rezzer looks around, searching for something. When he doesn¡¯t find it, he looks relieved as well.


    ¡°Right, we¡¯re no longer being watched by the admins. They¡¯re probably celebrating the deal by now.¡±


    He comes closer, putting his arms around me, hugging me close. He smells like fresh tobacco.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how you managed to get noticed by Prime, but he¡¯ll be paying attention to you going forward. Be careful, brother, and don¡¯t forget where the ripcord handle is.¡±


    I swallow heavily, feeling his warm breath on my ear.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m going to press the button now, okay?¡±


    He steps back, grinning.


    ¡°Hey, I can¡¯t let you leave without trying it on. You know how it is.¡±


    He lights another smoke as he returns to his lamppost. I roll my eyes as I wave, accepting the prompt. The grey world blurs around me as I go unconscious.


    ***


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">You are affected by Respawn Sickness: Level 4. 10 minutes remaining.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I groan as I wake up on a pile of hay. The soft light from outside tells me it¡¯s late in the day. At least I get to lie still until the worst of the sickness has passed.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">You are affected by Respawn Sickness: Level 3. 30 minutes remaining.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I stand up when I hear voices outside.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure where he went, he was here when I left earlier.¡±


    Tiene is back. I hope it¡¯s not the next day already, I have crops to deal with.


    ¡°He can get a bit strange sometimes. He thinks to much is all. He¡¯s probably just down in the forest over there.¡±


    That voice, I¡¯ve heard it before. I move too fast towards the door and my vision swims a little from the exertion as I go outside. Tiene is standing with a large man. They both turn towards me as I steady myself against the wall. I hear Tiene shout something as I¡¯m grabbed from behind, and a cold dagger is pressed against my jugular.


    ¡°I have looked forward to this for weeks now.¡±

 Chapter 36 - Surge

    The next few seconds go by in a blur. Tiene lunges towards me, fire in her eyes. The big guy lashes out, grabbing and restraining her gently. Tiene, being in no mood for that kind of shit, stomps his foot. As the shock forces him to release her she elbows him. On a normal sized man she¡¯d probably hit his gut. I can see his eyes cross as he collapses like wet cloth. Torn between kicking him some more and saving me, Tiene goes for the power move.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t let him go right now I¡¯m going to rip off his balls and choke you with them.¡±


    Gesturing towards the big lug on the floor, she¡¯s less than happy with the reaction she gets. The moaning, crying lump of man starts laughing, a booming sound. The woman behind me is giggling, the knife long gone from my throat. She steps forwards, hands out to the side.


    ¡°Please, not his balls. He needs those for.. Wait, what did you need them for again?¡±


    The big guy stands up, still laughing.


    ¡°Beats me Rain, it¡¯s not like you¡¯ve let me stay in one place long enough to find anyone interesting. Now move aside. There¡¯s business to attend to.¡±


    He comes towards me, an irresistible force to my soft and movable object. His massive arms engulf me and he squeezes me so hard I feel like I¡¯m about to go back to respawn.


    ¡°Tee! We¡¯ve missed you. What happened, you haven¡¯t replied to our mails for days!¡±


    I kiss him on the forehead and he lets me back down. Then I punch him in the gut.


    ¡°Are you sure you sent them? Maybe you just ate them. Some of us have been hard at work eking out a living.¡±


    Tiene is standing there, spluttering. By my estimation she is about five seconds away from an eruption violent enough to bring down the shed, two fields and a good chunk of the forest. I move to her, putting an arm around her. She flinches a little. I can see a smug smile under Rains hood.


    ¡°Rain, Stomp, this is Tiene. Tiene, these are my companions from the other world.¡±


    Stomp bows deeply. Rain barely nods, smirk firmly in place. I don¡¯t like where this is going. She steps forwards to touch Tiene, tracing her collarbone through her jumpsuit with a finger.


    ¡°I guess this is why he hasn¡¯t replied for a while. What¡¯s the matter Tee, too busy ploughing?¡±


    Tiene strains against my hold, but I persevere. When she calms down I whisper to her.


    ¡°Can you go and check up on Reynard and the other animals with Stomp? I need to talk to Rain alone.¡±


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Your standing with Tiene has fallen to Loyalty.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I close my eyes and try not to groan. Tiene snorts and walks off, the gravity of her mood enough to pull Stomp along. I move to stand in front of Rishi, trying to catch her eye. She avoids mine.


    ¡°So¡­¡±


    She rolls her eyes at me.


    ¡°So.¡±


    I point at her weapons.


    ¡°That¡¯s a nice dagger. Who¡¯d you have to murder for it?¡±


    She pulls it out, brandishing it with skill.


    ¡°This little old thing? An orc tribe raided a wizards convoy. The wizards were distracted protecting the civilians and children, so the leader claimed his personal belongings. This was my reward for retrieving the loot.¡±


    She steps towards me, a different gleam in her eyes. Talking about her exploits always got to her.


    ¡°The loot and the leaders head, of course. You wouldn¡¯t believe the things he promised me. First he tried to recruit me, then he tried to get me to leave. In the end he just wanted me to end him quickly.¡±


    She leans in, her mouth at my ear.


    ¡°But you know I don¡¯t do requests.¡±


    Then she bites me. I try not to yelp, but she has a way of being terrifying in new and exciting ways. She pulls back giggling, with no trace of the mood from before. Her avatar is lithe, built for speed and agility, every inch covered in dark leather or cloth. She pulls back her hood, revealing smooth, scaly skin. Big yellow eyes adorn her face, with fangs protruding past her lips. A snakekin. I whistle in appreciation.


    ¡°That is an amazing look for you Rish. Your guide must have been all over you.¡±


    She gives me a puzzled look.


    ¡°My guide? Why would they be all over me?¡±


    I tilt my head in confusion.


    ¡°Yeah. I got this really weird one with a trenchcoat. A cool guy, but he kept hitting on me.¡±


    She looks incredulous for a moment before something clicks and she starts laughing.


    ¡°My guide was a dwarf. He gave me instructions, helped me get used to everything and kicked me into the game. Maybe I was too skinny for him. Mika¡¯s guide was a functionary of some sort. He wore a suit and everything. Literally ticked off each action as he completed it. You must have lucked out something fierce. I didn¡¯t even get the name of mine.¡±


    I scratch my head.


    ¡°What about your gifts? What did you get?¡±


    She just smiles.


    ¡°I got a spell. Invisibility, kind of. Drains mana like crazy, and it¡¯s not perfect, but it¡¯s been useful so far. Awesome for pranking dumbasses.¡±


    I scratch my head sheepishly.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t tell you. I¡­¡±


    She turns away from me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t. Mika told me about it. Told me how you felt.¡±


    Folding her arms around her body, she looks down.


    ¡°I just wish you hadn¡¯t kept it from us.¡±


    A high pitched laugh makes us turn towards the others. Mika is showing off his strength, lifting Tiene high into the air. He seems to be some kind of half giant, grey skinned and as tall as Grimguard. I stare at them, lost in thought, when I realise Rishi is looking at me again. An inscrutable look disappears from her face, replaced by the casually playful expression she wears.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.¡°So what else is there to do here?¡±


    I give her a brief tour of the farm. When we get to the forest I tell her about Leona. She wants to go meet her immediately, but I manage to convince her to wait until tomorrow. She shows no interest at all for the voidsiphon, but I had expected that. As soon as I show her the miners sludge, however, she starts paying attention. I give her some samples, which makes her happy as she hides away in her tent. Back at the camp, I sit down with Mika and Tiene, the latter sitting close to the big guy.


    ¡°I hear you¡¯ve been through some shit. What are your plans going forward?¡±


    Mika doesn¡¯t mince words. I clear my throat.


    ¡°I¡¯m probably going to lose my pack animal tomorrow.¡±


    Tiene¡¯s face pales at the news. I continue.


    ¡°After that, I have about a week to fill a massive order. After that, my schedule is pretty open. It¡¯s nice not to worry about paying rent for a while.¡±


    He looks at me with a confused expression.


    ¡°What do you mean? Our site isn¡¯t going that well.¡±


    His eyes phase out for a moment as he checks the portal. They go wide as he looks back at me.


    ¡°I can see your section now. I guess we¡¯re close enough that it doesn¡¯t matter to the controllers. You¡¯ve done much better than us. If this continues we might pay rent before we¡¯re kicked out.¡±


    I grin when he pauses, then tell him about my encounter with Rezzer. He¡¯s sceptical at first, and envious of my guide. When I show him a screenshot of the contract, he picks me up from the ground, throwing me into the air. When he¡¯s done, he heads to the cart, coming back with two kegs.


    ¡°I got these as commission for a painting I did for a lord. He tried to convince me the exposure was payment enough, but Rain visited him in his room and showed him the error of his ways.¡±


    He cracks one of them, handing out mugs to us and calling for Rishi, who doesn¡¯t acknowledge us at all. It tastes strong and sweet, dark with undertones of honey.


    ¡°Stomp, can I have the other keg? I need fine ale for my order with the Baron.¡±


    Nodding, he rolls it over to me. I pick it up with great difficulty, storing it in the shed. Hopefully the Baron will accept it. That makes two out of four items so far. All I need is the butter and flour. I go back to the fire, and we drink until the fire dies down. By now, Tiene has fallen asleep with her head on Mika¡¯s lap. When she¡¯s out, he looks at me with a serious expression.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how long we¡¯re staying here. I don¡¯t know what Rain expected to find, but a groupie wasn¡¯t even on her list. I¡¯m guessing you didn¡¯t really get to resolve anything with your brief chat.¡±


    I shake my head, and he sighs.


    ¡°God dammit Tee. It¡¯s always like this, isn¡¯t it. Girls falling over you, and you showing just enough interest to hook them before you start ignoring them.¡±


    Taking a deep breath, I look up at the sky.


    ¡°Not always. Not everyone.¡±


    He gently lifts Tiene off his lap like a ragdoll, wrapping her in his cloak before walking over to me.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go for a walk.¡±


    Standing up slowly, I feel like a child about to be chastised for breaking a rule. I can feel the petulance rising in my chest, forcing it back down. Lighting a torch, I lead him towards the field, towards the mine.


    ¡°You need to focus on the now, Tee. She turned you down and she¡¯s gone now. We honour her memory by continuing, by staying together and being there for each other.¡±


    A low growl escapes my throat.


    ¡°She didn¡¯t turn me down, she just couldn¡¯t let herself. It just wouldn¡¯t have worked. Look, me and Rishi will be fine. She¡¯ll corner me when I¡¯m alone, beat me stupid and then she¡¯ll be back to normal.¡±


    He¡¯s about to answer when the world is bathed in a green light. We both look up as Elaph, the Essential moon, showers us in it¡¯s light.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">You have been exposed to a moon surge</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">An uncommon occurrence, the cause has never been ascertained. The results are many, and depend on what moon is surging, how much exposure you get and what you¡¯re doing.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Your affinity for Elemental Essence has increased temporarily.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    All around us the world glows with an inner green light. With a startled expression, I run to the planter, leaving Mika behind with a beatific look on his face. The fairyhome is glowing stronger than it¡¯s surroundings, having happily absorbed every morsel of the light it could get.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Basic planter (Fairyhome)</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Soil: Standard.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Health: 84%.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Current crop: Fairyhome (1)</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Growing cycle: Mature.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Status: Essential Affinity Surge.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Estimated yield: 5.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    With reverence I harvest the shoots, getting 5 bulbs out of the one. I quickly clean up and water the mother plant, hoping for a second harvest later. When I¡¯m done, the Essential glow all around us has faded. Mika comes over to see what I¡¯m doing.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think we¡¯re done talking about this.¡±


    I hold out one of the bulbs, letting him investigate it.


    ¡°This is pretty cool. I bet Rishi would love to check out one of these. Her alchemy skill could use some work. All she knows so far is poison.¡±


    I chuckle darkly. That seems about right.


    ¡°I bet. But it¡¯s getting late, and farmers get up early. I¡¯ll show you my personal dungeon when you guys have helped me do the chores.¡±


    He grins, about to answer, when a we¡¯re interrupted again, this time by a roar coming from the forest. We look at each other for a moment before we run towards it, all common sense thrown to the winds. My respawn sickness has faded to level 1 now, but I¡¯m still unable to keep up with Stomp as he dashes through the forest.

 Chapter 37 - Taker

    Another roar, higher pitched than before. It¡¯s close. As I¡¯m wheezing my way towards the sound, I note that I¡¯m heading towards Leona¡¯s territory. A sense of dread shoots up my spine as I run faster, pushing through my screaming muscles.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">You are Exhausted.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Ability discovered: Willpower.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I arrive at the clearing in time to see a large pile of rocks slam into an insect the size of a car. All angles and jagged edges, it rises up on four rear legs to swipe away the debris with a club-like leg. A whimper draws my attention away from the creature. A few meters away, up against a splintered tree, lies a pile of fur and branches. I keep the combatants in front of me as I inch towards the impact site. It¡¯s attention focused on me, the insect rears up again. I¡¯m trying to guess whether it¡¯s going to be a ranged attack or a charge when an arm reaches out from the pile of rubble, grabbing a rear leg and pulling. Unable to stop it¡¯s leap, the insect pulls a fully reformed Stomp with it for a few metres before crashing into the ground.


    ¡°It was fighting that bear¡­ thing over there. See if you can help it. Heal, dammit!¡±


    Quashing a rush of annoyance, I turn towards the pile of fur. I find what looks like a bear, covered in bark with threads of thorns winding around and through it¡¯s body. No question that nature magic is involved here. There¡¯s definitely a real creature underneath, as the fur and blood attests to. A large puncture in it¡¯s side is pulsing blood slower by the moment. I scramble to it¡¯s side, pushing aside a weak paw trying to fend me off.


    ¡°Lie still, dammit.¡±


    I don¡¯t know if it obeyed my command or was just too weak to do anything, but it lay still afterwards. Inspecting the wound, I see several splinters, along with a puncture wound that seems oddly symmetrical. Like it was made by an over sized syringe. I put a hand on the bears shoulder as I look in it¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Brace yourself. This is going to be really unpleasant.¡±


    The sounds of fighting behind me is intensifying as I start plucking out the splinters.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">You¡¯ve been stung for 5% damage</td></tr></tbody></table>


    An undignified yelp escapes my mouth as I pull back my hand. In the fleshy part between my thumb and index finger I see a wriggling larvae. No more than a pincer with counterhooks and a tail for motion, it¡¯s clearly trying to burrow deeper into my flesh. Shit. I squash it quickly before I dig back in, much more carefully now. In the centre of the crater I find a soft, squishy mass. When I palpate it, I feel it pop and crackle under the pressure. Carefully I dig my way around it, ignoring the stings as much as I could.


    <tbody><tr><td width="25%">You¡¯ve been stung for 5% damage</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I¡¯m down to below 60% by the time I¡¯m certain I¡¯ve gotten a solid hold of the mass. A weak mewling is the only indication that the bear is still alive, rising to a half hearted roar when I pull, yanking the entire lump out. A spray of vital fluids come with it, obscuring my vision, sparing me from the worst of the sight. I drop it to the ground, stomping it a few times for good measure, as I frantically remove the parasitic pests busy making their homes in my body. When I¡¯m done, I turn back to the bear, noting a much slower flow of blood. It¡¯s either a good sign or a terrible one. Checking my inventory, I realise there isn¡¯t much I can do to help. I chew some of the bloodgrin I have left and mush it together with the cave lichen, pasting the result into the cavity. Then I grab some moss from a nearby tree to pack it all in, applying as much force as I dare.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Ability increased: Wisdom.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: First Aid.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Skill discovered: Alchemy.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I sit still, wheezing from the exertion as the sounds of fighting starts coming closer. Turning to look I see stomp taking a heavy blow to the side, only to grab a hold of the claw. With a twist of his hip, he uses the giant insects mass against itself, smashing his skull into it¡¯s triangular head. A growl from the bear brings my attention back to the matter at hand. It¡¯s slowly trying to stand, having gained enough strength to ignore my attempts at keeping it still.


    ¡°If you go back to the fight now, it¡¯s going to kill you. Again. I kinda brought you back from the dead, or something worse, considering those parasites.¡±


    Turning it¡¯s large head towards me, it gives me a look that tells me to mind my own business. I raise my hands in surrender.


    ¡°Fine, your funeral.¡±


    As I stand up, it lumbers slowly towards the field of battle. I shake my head at the waste when I notice something new. A green glow in the forest, towards Leona''s domain. Taking one more glance at the fight, I see Stomp taking a vicious pincer to the gut as the bear goes on the offensive. I head towards the light.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: Perception.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I find Leona, weakly leaning against a tree right on the border of her domain. She looks at me with tired eyes.


    ¡°They¡¯re so damn strong. Please, Tee, I need some water.¡±


    I wave away a quest prompt to dig through my backpack. No water. I do have something else though. With a heavy heart, I hand her the fairyhome. She looks at it, first in confusion, then in awe, then with a tinge of sadness. She nods and takes it from me, tilting her head back and squeezing the contents into her mouth as a prompt tells me I finished the quest.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Your standing with Leona Cethi has changed to Gratitude.</td></tr></tbody></table>Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    She begins glowing, faintly green at first, then brightly emerald. Her feet leave the ground as she hovers for a moment. Translucent wings grow from her back as her features grow finer, more delicate. When she opens her eyes, the green orbs shine with a new intelligence.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    She races forward, toes dragging a line through the dirt as her wings propel her directly towards the fight. I follow, hustling to get there before the fun is over. By the time I get back, Leona has already crushed the insects thorax, disabling it completely. Not a moment too soon, judging by the state Stomp is in. A large gash across his chest, and a large crater in his thigh. Sighing, I instruct him to lie down on the ground. He complies as soon as I tell him about the parasites, and I manage to dig them out in short order. As I squish them, I notice their blood gives off a dim glow in the darkness. Interestingly, the infestation stops all health regeneration. As soon as the mass is extracted his body starts healing itself as normal. The large bear is licking it¡¯s own wounds, thankfully free of parasites. Finally we can all sit down and rest for a moment. I take the opportunity to introduce them.


    ***


    ¡°And that¡¯s when Tee decided not to take point anymore.¡±


    Leona laughs, an ethereal sound in her new state. I give Stomp a sideways glance. It¡¯s not the worst story he could have told about me, but it¡¯s right up there with bed wetting and calling the teacher mom.


    ¡°As I was going to say before so rudely interrupted.¡±


    Stomp grins.


    ¡°What happened exactly?¡±


    Leona looks away for a moment, her glow fading a little.


    ¡°At first the surge was good. My trees gained some new properties, the animals grew stronger and I enjoyed the sensation. Then the first of those things attacked. It must have been supercharged by the surge as well. That one was easy enough to dispatch, but as soon as I finished it my sentinels reported another two attacks. Both on the borders of my domain, far away from where I was. I rushed to one side and sent my guardian to the other, expecting a similar fight.¡±


    She smiles a grim smile as Stomp leans closer to listen.


    ¡°The second attack was too far from my hearth tree. I overestimated my power, and barely managed to kill the second one. I was left with almost no energy as my guardian kept taking blows.¡±


    Raising a hand, she touches Stomps hand gently. Another pang of jealousy runs down my spine, and I make a note to take a good look at myself later. What the hell is going on with me.


    ¡°You both arrived just in time, and thanks to your healing and his combat prowess, my guardian was saved. But I was still out of energy.¡±


    Stomp nods, gently caressing her hand which is still touching him. Stomp replies.


    ¡°And I wouldn¡¯t have been able to kill the thing. I spent all my daily abilities, even my racial attack, only to keep it at bay.¡±


    I grunt at the mention of healing, and Leona continues.


    ¡°So when you found me, I begged you to get me water.¡±


    Her eyes dim, a sadness on her face.


    ¡°You went above and beyond, Tee. And at the same time you doomed me.¡±


    I sit up.


    ¡°What? But you¡¯re more powerful now than before. I can feel it.¡±


    She shakes her head.


    ¡°More powerful, but the energy from the fairyhome was too pure, too fresh. It¡¯ll be enough to last me a few days, maybe a week. As soon as I¡¯m out of the Essential power, I¡¯ll die.¡±


    Stomp looks at me with an expression of disappointment mixed with hope.


    ¡°Tee, how much¡­¡±


    I wave him off as I bring out the rest of my fairyhomes. Easy come, easy go I guess.


    ¡°I have four more. If you¡¯re careful they should help preserve you longer. By the time you¡¯re out I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll be able to find a more permanent solution. Right Stomp?¡±


    He nods, a new look of confidence on him now. Leona looks uncertain for a moment before the usual haughty bearing takes hold.


    ¡°Tee, as always your worthiness as a paramour is proven without a doubt. Sadly, I am no longer an appropriate mate for you. As a Dryad I was a creature of Magic. With these gifts I will be a creature of Essence, a minor goddess in my domain. Thank you.¡±


    She leans over to kiss my cheek. When Stomp whoops, we both glare at him for a long second before we break out in laughter again.


    When we finally calm down, Stomp sits up on one knee, bowing to Leona.


    ¡°Lady of the forest, if you will grant me the honour, I pledge my service to the cause of finding you a permanent source of Essence.¡±


    She stands up, back straight and head high, producing a long wooden staff from the shadows surrounding us. With gravity befitting the solution, she taps each of his shoulders.


    ¡°Sir Stomp, I accept your offer. You will have at most four weeks before I will run out. Depending on what happens, I might run out sooner. Do not tarry.¡±


    When the silence stretches a little bit too far, I stand up. With a blank look on my face I start a slow golf clap. They both look at me with raised eyebrows before we laugh again.


    Afterwards, Leona sends us on our way back to the camp. The fire is no more than embers when we get back, with Tiene curled up against the cold. Stomp is about to lift her, but I stop him with a gesture. He nods sagely and heads to his tent as I pick her up. As soon as I stand up, she puts her arms around my neck. In a tired voice she whispers in my ear.


    ¡°Where were you?¡±


    Her breath on my neck make shivers go down my spine. Carrying her to the shed, I use my back to prod open the door.


    ¡°We decided to sneak in a quick adventure in the dark forest before bedtime.¡±


    She giggles sleepily as I lower her onto the bed.


    ¡°Now go back to sleep. It¡¯ll be a long day tomorrow.¡±


    She grumbles something and turns around. I spend a moment stroking her hair, making sure she falls asleep properly. Maybe there¡¯s a chance after all. I turn to go to sleep, emptying my mind and letting the darkness claim me.


    ***


    A rotten creature grabs for my shirt as I run through the puddles. Every time I get closer I¡¯m diverted, but this time I¡¯ll make it. The world around me is a blur of shadows and darkness. Out of nowhere an insect attacks, bowling me over. From underneath it I stab into it¡¯s thorax, glowing blood pouring out as it aims it¡¯s proboscis. I¡¯m about to parry as everything stops. In the distance I can see her, collapsing to the ground, suspended mid movement. The outline of a person is standing next to her, admiring her red hair. It turns towards me, bright white eyes boring into my soul.


    ***


    I wake up with a headache, sore muscles and a dry throat. If I didn¡¯t know any better I¡¯d think I was hung over again. A new icon is waiting in my hud.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">You are suffering from sleep deprivation (mild).</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Well that¡¯s just aces.

 Chapter 38 - Crow

    I stretch my achy muscles, bumping into a body lying next to me.


    ¡°About time you woke up. Dawn will break soon.¡±


    She drags out her s more than necessary. Probably trying to unnerve me. I turn my head, meeting yellow, narrow slitted eyes.


    ¡°Good morning to you too, Rishi.¡±


    A long tongue flickers out from between her lips as she smiles. Admittedly, that¡¯s a little unnerving. She grabs me, pulling me close.


    ¡°I missed you, Tee. I¡¯m going to punish you, of course, but I¡¯m happy to see you.¡±


    Her voice is earnest, unusually vulnerable. I laugh, a feeling of comfort rushing through me. She¡¯s still the same, we both are. She¡¯s about to pull away to shout at me, but I hug her back. After a minute, I release her and sit up straight.


    ¡°Time to do some work, snake girl. The farm waits for no one.¡±


    She groans, grabbing a handful of straw to cover her head, hiding her face. I leave her there, chuckling as I exit.


    Getting outside to the dawn, I find Mika and Tiene sitting around the campfire. A kettle is heating up in the flames as he stirs a skillet filled with vegetables and meat of some kind. She¡¯s observing his actions intently, often sneaking a glance at his literally rock hard body. I ignore it for now, focusing on the delightful smells as I go to the fields. When I get there, I¡¯m met by an unexpected sight. Two fields are covered in the miners sludge, one field is bare dirt and the last one has the voidsiphon, happily growing. I investigate the bare field first.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Field 2: small (100x100).</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Current crop: Fallow.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Soil quality: Normal (high mineral content).</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Field needs to be prepared for planting.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%"> - Clear debris from field.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%"> - Remove weeds.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%"> - Select crop for planting. (multiple choices available).</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Was this a result of the surge, or is it Leonas new powers. Either way the timing is perfect. I look at the other fields.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Field 1: small (100x100).</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Current crop: Voidsiphon (384)</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Growing cycle: Growing (2)</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Average health: 79%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Needs: Watering, Weeding, Pruning</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Estimated Yield: 1450.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    The yield makes my eyebrows rise. I¡¯m looking at a pretty impressive harvest in a few more days. I get to work on the poor plants, weeding, pruning and watering wherever the grid tells me there¡¯s an imbalance. Soon I have a soft green glow across the board. I¡¯m about to start the new field when I hear a cough. Turning around I see Mika there with a bowl of food and a cup of dark liquid. Definitely coffee.


    ¡°You were so focused on your work, I didn¡¯t want to interrupt earlier.¡±


    He gestures to the voidsiphon.


    ¡°Looks good? I guess? But those other fields are a bit slimy.¡±


    I walk over to him, taking the offered foodstuffs. We sit down.


    ¡°The voidsiphon, those root vegetables there, they¡¯re doing well. I¡¯m going to clear that second field now and plant more emgrass. It¡¯s like grassy wheat. Those other fields were an accident, but I know a guy who loves the stuff. Besides, it¡¯s the only thing that grows on the poisoned soil.¡±


    He nods sagely as I skewer a cube of teal vegetable. I guess they decided to try out the delver. I bite into it, savouring the taste. A nutty aroma rises into my olfactory passages, followed by a hint of greasy mutton and something I can¡¯t quite identify. As I finish the food, he looks around the farm.


    ¡°So that Leona lady. You been hitting that?¡±


    I nearly choke on a vegetable. Coughing, I look at him with an incredulous expression.


    ¡°No I have not.¡±


    He gives me an infuriatingly knowing look, telling me he doesn¡¯t believe me at all.


    ¡°It¡¯s only that she said you weren¡¯t compatible anymore, and¡­¡±


    I hand him the empty cup and bowl, forcing them into his hands.


    ¡°It¡¯s a joke. She enjoyed taunting me with something she thought I¡¯d want. When she realised I wasn¡¯t biting, it became a running theme. Look, why do you care?¡±


    He chuckles, turning towards the campsite. After a few steps he turns back to me.


    ¡°Hey Tee, do you mind if Rain and I check out that mine?¡±


    I sigh.


    ¡°Sure, but I get half of any loot you find.¡±


    He narrows his eyes, crossing his massive arms.


    ¡°Half of any resource and money loot, no claim on equipment.¡±


    I laugh out loud.


    ¡°Good one, maybe you want me to rub your back and feed you grapes for the honour. Half of everything. You get first dibs on any non quest equipment with first refusal on buying it from the pot.¡±


    He nods at me.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got a deal.¡±


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: Trading.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    He turns around as I begin working the remaining field. It¡¯s a good hour before I finish, spending another thousand emgrass seeds. With a 73% chance of success, I was hopeful for the future.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Field 2: small (100x100)</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Current crop: Emgrass (1000)</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Soil quality: Normal (high mineral content)</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Growing cycle: Sown (0)</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Average health: 80%</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Gauging by the suns position, I¡¯ll have to go to the keep soon. If not, I¡¯m going to be branded a thief and a liar. I¡¯m about to go to the cart when I see Rishi and Mika heading towards the mine. Close in tow is Tiene, dagger at her side and a heavy wrench over her shoulder. I move to intercept them.


    ¡°You guys heading down already?¡±


    Rishi stops and is about to say something when Mika bumps into her, sending her sprawling. As she splutters and curses, he gives me a wink before picking her up, carrying her towards the entrance. Tiene is looking at me, an eyebrow raised.


    ¡°You¡¯re going with them?¡±


    She nods.


    ¡°They¡¯ll need me to help out in the slag chamber, and to work the pumps. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not going to interfere with your relationship with Rain.¡±


    I take a deep breath.


    ¡°Look, me and Rain, we¡¯re¡­ It¡¯s a bit¡­¡±


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.She rolls her eyes and moves to get past me. I turn towards her.


    ¡°Dammit Tiene. Just be careful.¡±


    She stops, hands to her sides. I take a step towards her, putting a hand on her shoulder.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose you.¡±


    After a sharp intake of breath, she turns towards me. There¡¯s a hint of anger in her eyes, mixed with frustration and sadness.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to lose me, maybe you should stop being so damn passive and try harder to keep me. Now if you¡¯ll excuse me I have to go join your friends for a dungeon crawl.¡±


    She turns away in a huff, walking briskly to the mine. She calls down first, turns to look at me then jumps in. I¡¯m about to run, to check if she¡¯s okay, but I realise Mika will have caught her. I turn to the camp instead.


    I pack up what little I have of value.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Samples:</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Disciple-of-Darkness</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Dark Mephitis</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Crops:</td></tr><tr><td width="25%"> - 4000 Emgrass grain.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%"> - 8000 Emgrass straw.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%"> - 1 crate of Umbral Delver.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Other:</td></tr><tr><td width="25%"> - 1 Lesser golem core.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Quest:</td></tr><tr><td width="25%"> - 1 keg of fine ale.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    And on top of all that wealth, 2 gold coins. I tick off the last day on my shed calendar, marking yet another day to the reckoning with baron Brouswin. At least I have Rishi and Mika to help out with the mine. Hopefully they won¡¯t exterminate the rats completely before I have a chance to try taming them. The thought of offering the baron a kilo of ratmilk butter makes me smile as I prepare Reynard for his last trip into town.


    The journey into the keep itself is as uneventful as always. There are no other people around, player nor NPC. A few smaller animals flee at the mighty braying of Reynard, and I see tracks from larger beasts, but overall I¡¯m alone in the forested lands. Soon I see the keep on the horizon, mighty crenellations reaching for the sky. Before I reach the outer walls, I meet a large group of people walking the other way. At least twenty men and women, dirty and malnourished, pass me in quiet despair. I stop the cart and hail a young man with haunted eyes.


    ¡°Hi there. Where are you all headed?¡±


    He looks at me without really seeing me.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to the quarry, milord.¡±


    I laugh, making him cringe away from me.


    ¡°I¡¯m no lord. So you work for the baron?¡±


    He looks like I¡¯m about to slap him.


    ¡°Yes milord, of course milord. The baron is a great and wise man, he treats us fairly and honestly.¡±


    He shuffles off to catch up with the others who kept walking. I continue towards the keep, pondering what I just experienced.


    The guards receive me as usual, and I decide against asking about the quarriers. Instead I stable Reynard and head to the inn. Yadra is behind the bar as usual, greeting me as I come in.


    ¡°Hey Tee! Did the travellers find you?¡±


    I smile at her, nodding.


    ¡°Yeah, they both arrived yesterday with Tiene. I¡¯m glad they came back. Grimguard said they left in the wrong direction.¡±


    Yadra gives me a confused look.


    ¡°Two? I¡¯ve seen a dozen, at lest. They¡¯re all talking about the farmer and his strange ways. A few of them tipped extra for me to pose with them as well.¡±


    I blink a few times. Strangers? I must have gaped for too long, as Yadra reaches over to close my mouth.


    ¡°And you sent them all my way?¡±


    She smiles, shaking her head.


    ¡°Nah. I guessed you didn¡¯t need the hassle of a bunch of weirdo adventurers stomping across your farm.¡±


    I nod, smiling at her.


    ¡°Yeah, that was probably a good call. Although with some extra manpower I might be able to make some money off this¡­¡±


    She chuckles at me.


    ¡°No reason you shouldn¡¯t make some money too. Some of them reserved rooms at the inn for a week. With the drinking and the tipping, I¡¯m swimming in it. I can¡¯t imagine why the miss didn¡¯t want more travellers back in Hogsmudd.¡±


    As she finishes her sentence, a player walks through the door. Some sort of elf, dressed in green with a bow over his shoulder. He sits down heavily, slamming a coin on the bar.


    ¡°Ale. Keep it coming.¡±


    Yadra winks at me as she goes to serve the patron. I get up and walk towards him.


    ¡°Heya. Mind some company?¡±


    He looks at me with a tired eye, nodding before getting started on the mug placed in front of him.


    ¡°Where are you headed? This isn¡¯t exactly the centre of the World Below.¡±


    Straightening his back, he turns towards me fully. I keep an blank face as he examines me.


    ¡°Same reason everyone else is coming here. Why did you make the trip?¡±


    Suspicion is in his voice. I¡¯m suddenly uncomfortable revealing myself to him.


    ¡°It¡¯s a big world. I was wandering around when I got a quest that left me in the area for a while.¡±


    He nods slowly.


    ¡°Right. And it¡¯s got nothing to do with the agronomer in the area?¡±


    I try hard not to let anything slip.


    ¡°Why? Has he done anything wrong?¡±


    He chuckles a bit, going back to his drink.


    ¡°Not so much wrong, no, although I have heard of a quest to bring him somewhere. It¡¯s a pretty dark questline though, so not a lot of people would pursue it.¡±


    A quest for me? Is it Fred? Or maybe the miss wants her underwear back.


    ¡°So what do you want with him? He¡¯s just a farmer, I hear. Nothing special about him¡­¡±


    The guy laughs as he turns back to me.


    ¡°My name is Krouven. I¡¯ve had a long day ranging through the forest, and I¡¯d really appreciate it if you¡¯d cut the bull. You¡¯re him, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    I sigh, nodding.


    ¡°Fine, yes, I am he. My name is Tee. Now would you please tell me why people are looking for me? Do I need to start hiding?¡±


    He shakes his head.


    ¡°Not at all. You¡¯ve inspired a lot of people with your rejection of the typical adventurer lifestyle. People want to see what you¡¯re doing in person, to see if it¡¯s a viable playstyle.¡±


    He nods towards Yadra who looks like she¡¯s doing anything but listening in.


    ¡°The hot females you keep surrounding yourself with isn¡¯t hurting either. Especially that dryad you found. I wouldn¡¯t mind being entangled in her roots, if you know what I mean.¡±


    I laugh. Leona would love a fresh snack.


    ¡°Fair enough. So you reckon I¡¯m safe then?¡±


    He gets a more thoughtful look in his eyes.


    ¡°Well, safe is relative. Personally I respect peoples right to do what they¡¯d like. Live and let live, ya know? But there are lots of people who love nothing better than to fuck with others game. I¡¯d look out for griefers if I were you.¡±


    I¡¯m about to answer as the doors to the inn opens. Two guards come in, making a beeline for us. Krouven looks puzzled.


    ¡°Serf Tee. You¡¯ve been summoned to the barons court to answer for your crimes.¡±


    Krouven gets up from his stool, making the guards draw weapons pointing towards him. He holds his hands up.


    ¡°Hey guys, no killing. I¡¯m in his party, where he goes I go.¡±


    He elbows me, winking at the same time. Confused, I nod.


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s with me. Come on Toto, we¡¯re off to see the baron.¡±

 Chapter 39 - Ripening

    As we¡¯re walking to the main keep, I notice that Krouven is hanging back a little. Soon the guards around us stop paying attention to him as they open the doors, revealing an unusually happy Humphrey.


    ¡°Serf Tee, how wonderful that you could join us today. Guards, please escort him to the Moonlight room.¡±


    He turns around, and the guards push me to follow. Trying to keep as much of my dignity intact as possible, I straighten my back. There¡¯s no chance of Krouven not filming this.


    We reach a large, nearly empty room. Various shiny objects are hung around the walls, with three skylights being the only source of light in the room. The flooring is well polished hardwood, nearly obscuring old scuffmarks.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: Perception.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    In the middle of the floor is the body of a man, surrounded by some more guards and the baron. As soon as he sees me, he gives me a look of absolute fury.


    ¡°You, you vagabond. You dare show your face here after what you¡¯ve done?¡±


    Another prod from behind prompts me to move towards him. The body on the floor is of a big man. His clothes indicate he¡¯s some kind of aristocrat, and his hands tell me there hasn¡¯t been a lot of hard work in his life. He doesn¡¯t strike me as a magic user however. I bow to the baron when I get closer.


    ¡°My lord, I am at your service.¡±


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: Etiquette.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Behind me, Humphrey snorts at my courtesy, but the baron seems to appreciate it.


    ¡°Well?¡±


    I look at him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand, my lord. Who is this man?¡±


    A sharp intake of breath behind me. Humphrey hamming it up for the audience I guess. The barons eyes darken.


    ¡°This man is my personal taster. Anything I am to eat, he tastes first. Would you like to guess what his last meal was?¡±


    I blink in confusion, which seems to antagonise the man more.


    ¡°Your damned vegetables! The box Grimguard brought back. He ate from the shipment. He even complimented the flavour. Then, during the surge ball, he dies. It was an absolute disaster. My guests left in a panic. Nobody will come to my feast when they know my taster died eating some of the supplies!¡±


    By the end of his tirade he¡¯s breathing heavily. I look at the dead man, contemplating my next move.


    ¡°I¡¯m innocent. I didn¡¯t do anything.¡±


    He looks at me with incredulity. He¡¯s about to say something when the doors swing open, and a procession of servants walk in. Each of them carries a silver tray except the first two who carries a small table and chair. Placing them in front of me, the next three servants in line place plates of umbral dweller dishes on the table. The baron gestures for me to sit.


    ¡°You will eat, and you will suffer the same fate as my loyal taster.¡±


    When I don¡¯t make a move to sit, two guards force the issue, placing me in front of the plate. I take a breath, preparing to eat it. Hopefully there isn¡¯t any poison in here.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Quest received: I didn¡¯t do it!</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">You stand(sit) accused of attempting to poison the baron. Normally, this would call for an execution. Since the baron seems to like his theatrics, he¡¯s giving you a chance to prove your innocence.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Proving you didn¡¯t do it: All charges will be dropped.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Finding who did it: The baron will apologise.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Failing to find who did it: Lowered reputation with the baron.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Failing to prove your innocence: You will be executed and banned from the keep. All local reputations will drop.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%"> - Select crop for planting. (multiple choices available).</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I pick up the helpfully provided utensils and get to work. I go for the steamed dish first. A bit bland, but with a slightly metallic aftertaste. When no status ailments pop up, I move on to the next. Shavings of the vegetable swim around in a distressingly teal soup. It¡¯s managed to cool down already, but I pick my way through the coagulated mess. There¡¯s a strong taste of pepper coming through the creamy soup, making the entire meal rich and delightful. By the end of the bowl there¡¯s still no negative effect, other than a deep feeling of satiation. A quick glance at the guards makes it clear that they¡¯re not satisfied yet, so I go for the last dish. Roast, caramellised dwellers in a sweet, buttery gravy. I¡¯m generally not a big fan of sweets, but this is amazing. With an effort I finish the plate, scraping it clean, before I lean back, breathing heavily.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: Perception.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: Cooking.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    The baron looks annoyed, but he¡¯s clearly having doubts about what¡¯s happening. I stand up stretching before I address him.


    ¡°Not dying yet.¡±


    I nod at the guards.


    ¡°Mind calling them off? It¡¯s not like I can escape if you decide to keep me here.¡±


    With only slight hesitation he nods back, ordering the guards to stand down. Humphrey jumps to obey and soon there¡¯s only two left in the room with me, the baron and Krouven. I turn to the body on the floor.


    ¡°Do you mind if I check it out?¡±


    A flash of distaste crosses the barons face before he agrees. This is clearly not sitting well with him, but I guess he¡¯s running out of options.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: Social Perception.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I kneel next to the body on the floor, removing the sheet on top. A smell of decay hits me, exacerbated by my enhanced olfactory sense. I tune it down as I look closer.


    The man is fat. There¡¯s no nice way of saying it. There¡¯s rolls of flesh everywhere. His clothing seems to be made by sowing together several sets of clothing. Krouven comes closer to get a better look. I gesture to the body.


    ¡°Do you see anything unexpected?¡±


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.He looks at me, then back to the corpse.


    ¡°Other than the sheer size of him? Not really.¡±


    He taps him with a foot, and the entire man jiggles for few seconds. The baron huffs in outrage.


    ¡°Stop that immediately. He was a brave and loyal friend and your behaviour is wildly inappropriate. If you don¡¯t start acting appropriately I¡¯m going to¡­¡±


    I hold up a hand to stop him, which only causes more spluttering and anger. Ignoring him, I prod Krouven. When I have his attention, he looks where I¡¯m pointing.


    ¡°Is¡­ Is he still jiggling?¡±


    Standing up, I take a step away from the corpse.


    ¡°Yes he is. Do you have a knife?¡±


    He hands me a steel blade. Neither of our eyes leave the body on the floor. I move closer, slowly reaching out to the clothes. With unsure movements I start cutting the dead nobles clothing. With the strain his body was putting on the poor fabric, it doesn¡¯t take much before the clothes rip, exposing the mountain of flesh in all it¡¯s glory. The baron actually yelps, turning away. The guards come towards us, swords at ready. Right there on his tremendous gut is a wound I¡¯ve seen before. Like he¡¯s been stabbed by an oversized syringe. I look at Krouven. He¡¯s staring with wide eyes.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡±


    He glances at me.


    ¡°Ready for what?¡±


    I shrug.


    ¡°Lets find out.¡±


    Right before the guards reach us I plunge the dagger into the body, close to the wound. A piercing shriek forces the guards back as I fall on my ass. I backpedal as skin tears, lines radiating from the dagger. With a wet sound, an insect crawls out from the ruined cavity. While the baron screams in terror and the guards shout for backup I¡¯m stunned for a moment. The similarity between the three bugs coming towards me and the children of Vlykkhyhs is uncanny. With a bad feeling, I try to get to my feet as the creatures spread out.


    The first one comes straight at me. Looking around me for the dagger, I¡¯m unable to prevent it from jumping at me. With a heavy impact it hits my chest, knocking me back again. I grab it¡¯s carapace, trying to hold it away from my soft flesh, finding it much softer than expected. Probably hasn¡¯t hardened yet. Out of the corner of my eye I see two guards protecting the baron while Krouven has a bow out, carefully aiming at the one heading for him. I¡¯m shaken out of my reverie by a sharp pain in my chest, followed by a bout of coughing.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">You have been struck for 60% damage.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Your lung is infected by unknown parasite.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    It¡¯s job done, the creature turns and heads towards the baron as I finally get to my knees. I double over immediately, coughing until my vision goes blurry before I catch another breath. I¡¯m about to call out to warn the baron about the new threat when an arrow screams through the air. Impacting next to the bug, it draws everyones attention long enough for the guards to dispatch their first insect. Another yelp escapes the baron as he runs to hide behind his guards. Krouven fires again, hitting the monster with a hollow smack. The only sound left in the room is a scratching noise from the bug that attacked the ranger in the first place. Covered in a sticky substance, it¡¯s legs move ceaselessly to get out of it¡¯s predicament. As another coughing fit comes over me, I see Krouven calmly put a wooden cage over the insect, trapping it. Soon after, I pass out.


    ***


    ¡°Is he still alive?¡±


    It feels like I¡¯m floating.


    ¡°Yeah, but not for long. We need him awake for this next part.¡±


    I¡¯m not sure who that is. He sounds familiar. A slap across the face brings me out of my reverie.


    ¡°Welcome back, Tee. Sorry about this next part.¡±


    Krouven is floating above me with a smoking branch in his hand. It smells strongly of garlic and cloves. As he jabs it into my chest I wake up fully, screaming.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: First aid.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: Herbalism.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    ***


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">You are suffering from debuff: Critical injury (lung)</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Until healed, your max stamina is capped at 50%.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">- Until healed, your max HP is capped at 75%.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I sit up slowly, trying to get my bearings. I¡¯m in a room, with a cheap bed, a window and a desk. Standing up, I feel like I¡¯m already running out of breath. Looking at my chest, I see a large bandage. I stumble to the window and open it, finding a view of the courtyard. I¡¯m in the inn. I can see the sun slowly sinking towards the horizon, bathing the keep in an orange glow. The red moon is already climbing, and for a few moments a peaceful feeling spreads in my body.


    ¡°Shit!¡±


    Quarns debt. I hobble towards the door, nearly toppling a guard standing outside as I open it. I¡¯m about to move past him as he stops me.


    ¡°Serf Tee. The baron wishes to meet with you when you feel well enough.¡±


    I nod at him, moving to the stairs.


    ¡°Yes, fine, I¡¯ll get there as soon as I can, I just have an errand to attend.¡±


    Descending the stairs is slow going at first, but the guard shows enough decency to help me down. I give a quiet thought to the games creators for making it such an immersive experience. Where else could you lose hours and get all this pain at the same time. I growl to myself as I reach the bottom and head to the door.


    ¡°Tee! Where are you going?¡±


    Yadras voice stops me. I turn around painfully to see an expression of worry on her face. She¡¯s not even trying to hide it now. I smile a little before a cough catches me off guard.


    ¡°You god damn idiot, you shouldn¡¯t be up already. Adventurer or no, you¡¯re going to make it worse!¡±


    She tries to drag me to the bar, but as soon as I recover from the cough I stop.


    ¡°I can¡¯t delay. I need to go to Quarn and settle my debt. I have to give him Reynard, or he¡¯ll have me arrested.¡±


    Both her and the guard looks at me with incredulity. She grabs my throat, pulling me closer as she stares into my eyes.


    ¡°How much?¡±


    I roll my eyes.


    ¡°I can¡¯t take your money, Yadra. I¡¯m¡­¡±


    She squeezes, shutting me up.


    ¡°For Reynard and the cart. How much do you want for them?¡±


    I blink a few times until I realise what she¡¯s getting at. Looking down, I answer in a small voice.


    ¡°Fifteen gold.¡±


    She snorts, letting me go.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you twenty. Deal?¡±


    Looking at the guard, I find him looking just as confused as I am. I nod slowly.


    ¡°Okay. Deal.¡±


    She instructs the guard to restrain me, as she walks out of the inn. I let him lead me to the bar and sit down, waiting. A few people complain about the lack of service, but they shut up quickly when the barons man glares at them.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Your debt to Quarn has been cleared.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Soon, Yadra comes back. She has a smug look on her face as she sits on the stool next to me.


    ¡°So I just handed away all my savings and then some. Now what should I do about the ornery creature I¡¯ve been saddled with?¡±


    I smile at her before I hug her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure I could help you out, watch the creature, maintain the cart. I could even lease it from you for say five gold?¡±


    She snorts.


    ¡°I was talking about you. Damn straight you¡¯re taking Reynard.¡±

 Chapter 40 - Rebound

    I spend the night in a comped room, finally getting a decent nights sleep. As I open my eyes, the vestiges of last nights dream fade away, leaving me with the impression of someone eating their way out of a large bag of something.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">You are well rested.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Sleep deprived status cleared.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    A conveniently provided wash bowl lets me freshen up before I head out into the hallway, once more nearly toppling the guard outside.


    ¡°Serf Tee, the baron is getting impatient and would very much like to¡­¡±


    I wave him off.


    ¡°Of course. Please, lead the way. Let¡¯s see our good baron immediately.¡±


    I must have sounded a little more snarky than I meant as the guard gives me a nervous look, chuckling to himself. As we reach the bottom of the landing, I see Yadra isn¡¯t at the bar this morning. A different face brightens in recognition however.


    ¡°Tee, you¡¯re finally up,¡±


    Krouven gets off the barstool, abandoning a tasty looking sandwich. I kick myself mentally for not insisting on eating first as I greet the ranger.


    ¡°Krouven, it¡¯s good to see you. I suspect I owe you for keeping me out of respawn.¡±


    He shakes my hand as he smiles.


    ¡°Just a little trick you pick up when you mostly eat what you kill. Parasites will ruin your day. Never seen any quite as aggressive as those though.¡±


    I nod, thinking of the insects we fought in the forest, of Vlykkhysh.


    ¡°I have. And considering your skill at taking care of problems like that, maybe you¡¯d like to help me out with an infestation at some time?¡±


    He looks thoughtful at this when the guard clears his throat.


    ¡°I kinda have to go see the baron, so¡­¡±


    He interrupts me with a grin.


    ¡°After you. I got the same invite. I guess there¡¯s some rewards waiting for us.¡±


    I roll my eyes as I let the guard escort us out.


    Yeah, like a length of rope and just enough room to use it.


    I have the guard stop by the cart to retrieve the keg of ale before we head to the entrance. The doors to the keep open quickly, revealing a scowling Humphrey. The prim and proper old man looks about ready to burst into an apoplectic fit as he stands aside, gesturing for us to come inside. I¡¯m confused by the naked display of emotion by a man who normally wears such a neutral mask. I nod at him while Krouven, dropping all pretense of stealth, loudly greets him. Grunting back, he leads us to a set of stairs that we climb several levels. I¡¯m carefully controlling my breathing to avoid sounding like I¡¯m about to drop from exhaustion while the others practically run up like mountain goats.


    At the top is a landing with two doors. Opening the largest one, the guard stands aside letting the three of us move up another set of stairs into the morning sunlight. We find ourselves at the top of the keep, on the highest tower. A large table in the centre of the roof has three settings, the baron occupying the largest chair. A small feast of breakfast foods and fruits cover every inch, with no indication that the man has even sampled any of it. Humphrey stops in front of us and clears his throat.


    ¡°Your illustrious lordship, may I present the adventurer Krouven and Tee the Serf.¡±


    Turning on his heels, the servant storms off. I look to Krouven, but he¡¯s already on his way to the table, hunger in his eyes. I try to observe etiquette, approaching in a more obsequious manner.


    ¡°My lord, I brought another portion of the items you requested.¡±


    Handing over the ale, I see the baron has a pleased expression.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Quest updated: The barons order.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Remaining goods: One kilo of butter, ten kilos of flour.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Order 40% completed.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Looking at the ranger, who just skewered a large piece of pink gammon covered in maple syrup, he lets out a suffering sigh.


    ¡°Serf Tee, it¡¯s good to see you again. Although you left quite the mess in our previous meeting, I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯ve made a full recovery.¡±


    I bow deeply.


    ¡°In the service of my lord, I would die a thousand deaths to prove my loyalty.¡±


    Krouven snorts, nearly choking on a piece of egg. We both ignore him.


    ¡°Quite. Well, I feel you¡¯ve proven that you weren¡¯t the person behind this vicious attack, although I do wish you had found out who was. You will no longer be considered a suspect.¡±


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Quest updated: I didn¡¯t do it!</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">The baron is satisfied that you didn¡¯t cause the incident.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Well that explains why Humphrey was in such a sour mood today. He does not like me much.


    The baron gestures for me to sit, and I do so with exaggerated care and decorum. Krouven pointedly ignores me.


    ¡°It was merely our duty as guests in your domain, my lord.¡±


    Krouven grunts in agreement after I kick him in the shin under the table. The baron nods sagely.


    ¡°Please, eat. You need your strength to go back to work, to fulfil your obligations. Sadly, there¡¯s no way for me to release you from them at this point.¡±


    Carefully picking some nice looking fruits, I eat with great care. Krouven burps loudly, intimating that he¡¯s done with his plate. He looks at the baron.


    ¡°So, my lordship,¡± he looks at me with a raised eyebrow as he says this, ¡°Why have you summoned me today?¡±


    I¡¯m torn between facepalming and freezing in terror at how the man will react. I¡¯m relieved to see him crack a smile.


    ¡°Just a reward for the heroic adventurer who helped save my life. You will be able to tell all your friends that you dined with the baron Brouswin.¡±


    Krouven bursts out laughing, stunning both of us. I awkwardly join in, hoping to play it off as a laugh of happiness. After a few seconds, the baron joins as well, looking more confused than anything else. A minute later, the guffawing dies down as Krouven dries a tear.


    ¡°My lord, your rewards are beyond anything I¡¯d ever dream up. Thank you for the honour.¡±


    I blink a few times in shock. That was nearly diplomatic. Even the baron seems mollified, giving a toast to the both of us.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: Etiquette.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    The rest of the meal goes by with the baron bragging about his wealth and conquests, and Krouven trying to stash food in his travellers pack. I spend some time enjoying the view around us. I can see the forest near my farm, but the site itself is hidden from my eyes. I hope Tiene is alright with Rishi and Mika. And closer still is the bug farm.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    When we¡¯ve spent enough time here, I politely excuse myself. Krouven follows without much fanfare, and we make our way out of the keep under Humphreys watchful eye. The ranger gives him a hug when we leave, winking at me over the shorter mans shoulders. When he lets go there are large maple syrup stains on the servants back. As soon as the doors shut we both start laughing loudly.


    ¡°Hey, green man!¡±


    A powerful voice calls me out of my reverie. Quarn is standing in the courtyard with an angry look on his face.


    ¡°You cheated me on our deal.¡±


    Krouven takes a few steps back, clearly ready to scrap necessary. I move towards the reddening shopkeep.


    ¡°What? I¡¯m pretty sure you got what you were entitled to. Much more than the goods I bought were worth in fact.¡±


    He spits to one side, looking back at me.


    ¡°You sold the damn creature right from under me. One more hour and I¡¯d have had the guards repossess the lot. I should have known better than to deal with a halfbreed.¡±


    I blink a few times before I put on my most diplomatic smile.


    ¡°Quarn, my friend. I¡¯m sure you didn¡¯t mean to attack my heritage with your outburst. I¡¯m sorry that you feel cheated, but in truth I followed the law, and the letter of our contract. Now I do have some goods I¡¯d like to sell, but if you¡¯re not interested in them I can sell them to someone else.¡±


    He looks away for a moment. When he looks back, there¡¯s a different gleam in his eyes. I triggered his greed.


    ¡°What kind of goods would that be?¡±


    I bring him to my cart.


    ***


    ¡°Fifty silver for the lot.¡±


    Incredulously, I shout back at him.


    ¡°Fifty silver wouldn¡¯t pay for your mother. The core is worth fifty silver alone! Ten gold.¡±


    He laughs, slapping his knee before he returns to his business stance.


    ¡°Fuck gold. You¡¯re lucky I¡¯ve got the room to take any of it. What can I do with straw and unprocessed grain?¡±


    I stop for a moment. What can he do with it.


    ¡°Fine. Fifty silver for the core, and one gold for the crate of vegetables. Make it one gold twenty silver for the lot, and don¡¯t make me listen to your voice any longer.¡±


    He stares at me for a moment, then at the core. He shakes his head.


    ¡°Eighty silver for both. No more.¡±


    Grunting, I hold out my hand. He grabs it and shakes, grinning like a cat who just ate a canary. Shit, he got me after all.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill increased: Trading.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    With a light step and all accusations forgotten, Quarn pays a big man to take the crate away, pocketing the core happily. Krouven looks after him, clapping slowly.


    ¡°That was a masterclass in haggling.¡±


    I smile weakly.


    ¡°He got the best of me in the end.¡±


    Laughing, he slaps my back.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I mean. He was playing you like a fiddle. He got the good stuff, you¡¯re stuck with the rest. A true master.¡±


    I kick at his legs, but he¡¯s too quick.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to the tavern to talk with Yadra. When I¡¯m done, I¡¯ll head back to my farm. If you¡¯d like to come with me, I think you¡¯d like the area. Plus, there¡¯s an insect issue you might help me with.¡±


    He nods slowly.


    ¡°I just might do that.¡±


    Heading inside, I look for Yadra.


    I find her in the kitchen, doing some chores. I pick up an apron and start helping her out, earning me a sidelong glance.


    ¡°Miss the job this much?¡±


    Chuckling, I splash some suds at her.


    ¡°You know how it is. Sometimes it¡¯s nice to go back to what you¡¯re good at.¡±


    Turning her head towards me she raises an eyebrow.


    ¡°Good at? I think you need to reassess your qualifications, stringbean. Without me to check your work, we might as well let the dogs lick the plates clean.¡±


    We banter a little while until a cough from the owner quiets us down.


    ¡°So I¡¯ve got some emgrass for you, if you¡¯re still interested.¡±


    She looks at me appraisingly.


    ¡°How much?¡±


    I bring her out back and show her what I brought.


    ¡°That¡¯s not a lot. I¡¯ll take it off your hands, and you can come back in a few days for the finished goods. Or I can sell it all, sharing the profits with you.¡±


    I nod at her.


    ¡°That¡¯s probably the best. I won¡¯t be able to get back here for a few days. Five days I guess, before I have to start preparing the flour for the barons order.¡±


    She shakes my hand, and I hand her all the grain I¡¯ve brought. She also gets the straw, talking about bribing the stablehand for some reason. I know I owe her that much at least. It¡¯s good to get that particular load off my mind. I fetch Krouven and make him help me fill up some containers with water before we head out of town with Reynard in the lead. We get to talking, and I find out that Krouven has been in the game for longer than my group, but he logs out periodically. He generally treks around looking for adventure. My vid stream inspired him to find this area. We shoot the breeze for the hours it takes for Reynard to bring us back to the farm. By now he¡¯s learnt the way.


    As we roll towards the shed, Tiene comes walking towards us. I¡¯m worried at first, until I see the loon on her face. She¡¯s actually smiling. I let out a breath of relief until I notice Krouven watching her appraisingly.


    ¡°Tee, you¡¯re back. We were worried about you!¡±


    I jump down from the cart and she hugs me tight. I hug her back. In the distance I see Mika and Rishi doing weapons training, with Mika scoring a rare hit on the lithe rogue. I focus back on Tiene.


    ¡°So how was your first dungeon crawl?¡±


    Disentangling her arms from me, she smiles.


    ¡°It was fine. I didn¡¯t go very far, just to the slag room. The others will fill you in with what they found. I went back outside to work on my pump system. Come on, you need to see it!¡±


    Before I¡¯m dragged away, Krouven clears his throat. I sheepishly introduce them, then bring him to the others. He seems very interested in sparring with Rishi, but Mika stops him. It¡¯s hard to be sure without system assisted social perception, but it seems like he¡¯s being more protective of her than normal. I ignore it for now as Tiene drags me along to the mine.


    The little pump and basin she had before has expanded into a keg twice my height, sitting on a large rock. Underneath the rock is a fire. A pipe is leading from the keg, splitting into a few smaller barrels, all made from solid wood. I look at her sparkling eyes.


    ¡°Had another chat with Leona, did you?¡±


    She nods happily.


    ¡°Yep. Bad water goes into the big keg. Fire heats up the rock, causing the water to evaporate. Steam goes through the different stages, condensating into the different barrels. This first one is pretty toxic. Rain wanted it for some reason.¡±


    She makes a face.


    ¡°The second barrel has acceptable water. It¡¯s fine for the plants and for washing. The steam passes through a section of activated charcoal before ending up in the last barrel, giving us clean drinking water.¡±


    My mind boggles at the construction, my arm resting around her shoulder. She beams at me.


    ¡°The materials are really not suited for this kind of thing, but if you can get me some metal and a stronger source of heat, I¡¯ll be able to make some really cool stuff. Maybe even a steam engine.¡±


    Nodding, I turn towards her. I look into her eyes as I hold her close.


    ¡°You are truly amazing.¡±


    She nods in agreement.