”If I combine the tavern’s account with my first one, I’ll be absolutely unable to keep track of either.” ~Shallies Mythernal

  While Shallies prepared for her visit to the nearby town, one question kept visiting her mind.

  If this countryside could afford to produce butter and other such condiments including salt and pepper, shouldn’t Elesia have recipes she’s proud of?

  Shallies summed it all up as being the general humility displayed by the people of this region, who were surprisingly welcoming, compared to city-folk. She had been here in the past, a few decades ago and under a different persona, and only one or two citizens had derived themselves from the usual, hospitable personalities that most of the locals portrayed.

  In addition, throughout all her travels around the great continents of Ysvil, food from the countryside had been just as delicious as those in the city. But she figured that she wouldn’t actually get any satisfying answers from the locals if she asked directly. Stachie, however, could hear her inner thoughts.

  [It’s best, I think, if you try some of their cuisine for yourself first, Shallies,] she said. [Memorable as this place is to you, you were enduring the Hunger Curse the last time you were here.]

  Thoughts of that traumatic life raced and blurred in Shallies’ mind as she quickly prevented those painful memories from completely surfacing. She focused, instead, on the opportunity to finally try Cinterbrim Town’s cuisine.

  Preparations for departure first, however.

  Without any other option to store the perishables she had brought from the city, Shallies had Apple create a makeshift cold storage by conjuring a wooden box and ice. The idea was to create a thin segregation to allow the contents to remain dry inside the box, while the ice surrounded it on all sides. More wood and fibers would insulate the ice and trap the cold within. At the same time, it made the melted parts of the ice seep around and under the box before eventually dripping out into the sink.

  Thankfully, since Apple was so meticulous with her temperature control, the ice of the makeshift freezer would last for an entire day before it started melting.

  Inside, Shallies stored her leftover vegetables and butter while Apple selected from the fruits they received earlier.

  Grace observed the contraption with such curiosity. “If you can do this, why bother with a real freezer?”

  “Not mana efficient,” Shallies explained while tying a straw around a basket that held the remaining fruits with the vegetables that didn’t need cold storage. “When I stock up in earnest, we’ll need something ten or twenty times larger than that one, probably bigger, honestly. Melting ice management becomes a chore, not to mention the smell might still escape… I think.”

  Apple took the other end of the straw and tied it on a hook on the ceiling that was probably originally meant for a mana-lamp. She pulled until the basket was suspended high in the air before giving the straw back to Shallies. The makeshift pulley allowed them to keep the fruits and vegetables away from any rodents. Not that they’d seen any so far.

  “If only our Class Inventories could store them, right?” Grace asked with a laugh.

  “Technically, it’s possible, if you upgrade your Inventory high enough. But it’ll take up too much space. It’s not refrigerated storage either, so food spoils. Sorting becomes a pain sometimes. Plus, it doesn’t beat the feeling of stocking up an actual fridge.”

  Grace nodded along. The half-orc definitely didn’t resonate with her. Newbies tend to think of the Class Inventory as an infinitely convenient tool. As far as Shallies was concerned, there was nothing wrong with that line of thought, up to a certain degree.

  “That should do it,” she said, leading Apple and Grace out of the kitchen. “Thank you for waiting, Mayor Schooner. We can go now.”

  The orc had taken the same mana-engine vehicle from yesterday. After a little back and forth, she convinced him to let her refuel the tank. After which, she took one of the backseats, allowing for Elesia to accompany her husband up front.

  Apple double checked everything to make sure the house was in order before locking the gate and making herself cozy inside Shallies’ winter coat. Grace took the other side of the back seat naturally, as though it was expected.

  Driving was smooth sailing. The mana-engine vehicle, and others like it, hovered above the ground. It didn’t matter if the road was uneven, or if pebbles were on the path, they simply flew over them. The odd thing was that these contraptions were such a common sight back in the city as to warrant traffic regulations. Here however, it was all alone.

  The view, much like it was yesterday, was enthralling. There was something different about observing the vista of farms and rolling hills from afar, and riding next to them up close.

  They met a few travelers taking the same road but heading in the opposite direction. Some of them were about to work on their farms, some were on their way home from last night’s revelry. Even fewer were headed for the city. Almost all of them waved their greetings at Schooner as they passed by. Since Shallies was small enough and sat at the back, nobody noticed her just sitting there and observing them.

  She looked out her window and studied the forest that the previous owner had nurtured behind her house. Just like the Mayor had said, it led to a path parallel to the road they were currently on. But something was different from what she had expected it to look like up close.

  When she saw it from afar yesterday, the forest looked like a typical group of trees with a path that had been meticulously made by the previous owner. But now that Shallies could see the makeshift road up close, she realized that even the trees were carefully planted. Basically, it was not a forest at all. Those trees and plants looked more like carefully placed and measured pillars and fences to create a containment-like illusion for whoever walked or rode down the path in the middle.

  “Mayor Schooner, does that road stay the same until Cinterbrim Town?” Shallies asked, pointing at the private path that she now owned.

  “Amazingly enough, yes,” he replied. “There’s a gate that should mark the end of your land, but the previous owner received permission from the previous mayor to keep the road going until it reached the town. If I’m not mistaken, she was a Grovekeeper. Or maybe a tier higher than that.”

  “Biomekeeper,” Shallies said. She felt a certain melancholy. Memories she wanted to stay submerged swam to the surface. “That’s amazing…”

  “It sure is,” Schooner said. “A pity she was gone too soon after she made that road. Catelyn was her name, if you’re curious. The old lady helped child-me and my father acclimate to this province. She was a fancy one, many stories about raids and Divine Wars…”

  The submerged memories completely made themselves known, no longer allowing themselves to be drowned out now that the Mayor had invoked her name. Out of all the options Shallies had at a semi-retired life, she chose this one in order to fulfill a dream she had promised with the previous owner of that house.

  A promise with Catelyn.

  She knew it would only be a matter of time before someone mentioned her name. A Biomekeeper, after all, was a formidable Class. In comparison, it was a tier lower than Cataclysm Archmage. But even if it was one behind the highest, reaching just that tier alone was an achievement so few mortals could reach.

  Those who did were more than just heroes. They were recognized and favored by the gods themselves.

  Shallies and Apple had known Catelyn well. They had mentored her from the time she had been just a young Druid. They had gone through many quests together, had participated in raids and had even defeated divine cults until she had eventually become a Biomekeeper.

  Her dream had been to open a tavern after the Divine War. It had a decade to defeat the evil god, and by the time she had returned, she was already too old to chase that dream…

  Grace nudged Shallies out of her stupor. “Are you okay?”

  She blinked, acting dumb while she desperately forced her memories as a Godkiller back into the depths of her vast history. Those were meant to stay there, out of mind, out of worry, out of thought… She had a promise to keep, and a peaceful life to lead for the next half century or so.

  “I’m okay,” Shallies said. Apple went out of the pocket and sat on her master’s shoulder, tapping her neck. She responded by patting the fairy’s head. “I’m okay, really.”

  “Are you sure, Shallies?” Elesia asked. “You went silent for a while. We thought Schooner’s stories made you fall asleep.”

  “Sorry, I was just thinking about a few things,” she replied, smiling. “I haven’t had the fact that I’m here in the countryside sink in yet. Or that I’m running a tavern.”

  “Well, I’m sure you’ll like it here, Shallies,” Schooner said this time. “And we’re here.”

  Only then did the new Chef notice the large gate in front of them.

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  Dirt road was replaced by well-packed cobblestone. Armed soldiers in half-plate armor made their salute as the Mayor’s vehicle passed through. People of varying origins went along their day, greeting each other, exchanging rumors, or playing bets on whatever free space they could find. Kids ran around flailing sticks while repeating heroic quotes from stories that they’d memorized to heart.

  The atmosphere, to put it simply, was peaceful.

  From where they arrived, the road led to the residential area of the town. Two-to-three-story houses were packed closely together, with only a few managing to afford a small courtyard or lawn. Some used wooden fences to mark their end of the land, while others were happy enough to leave that segregation blurred.

  Schooner and his family had arrived back in the tavern an hour early, looking to prepare for Grace’s upcoming adventure. This meant, people in town were just about to get their breakfast now.

  Various fragrances filled the air. Fresh baked bread, steamed rice, sautéed aromatics, brewing coffee. Some households were even cooking heavy protein this early in the morning. There was a faint smell of something charred. As the vehicle turned a corner, they found a small group of people having a barbecue party. The aroma was mouthwatering, for sure, almost tempting her to go ask for a bite.

  She kept that to herself.

  “You mentioned the bank, correct?” Schooner inquired. He drove slower compared to when they were on the open road.

  “Yes, please.”

  “We’ll drop you off,” Elesia said. “We have a few more things to purchase for Grace. Do you have any plans this afternoon?”

  “We’ll probably roam around town and see what we can find.” Shallies continued to pat the fairy’s head. “Any recommendations in particular? Apple would like to visit a tea shop if there’s one. I also like to know where this Enchanter and Tinker are located.”

  “Ah, they’re all around in the same area,” Schooner said. “It’s nothing like the city, but we still have a pretty sizeable market. Just the one, though. The builders aren’t particularly hard to miss. They’re across the park in front of the bank. If you head a little deeper, you should find the wet market. Then beyond that are the products on the luxurious side, like tea leaves, rather than the essential side. No offense to Apple.”

  Apple laughed in a chime.

  The mana-engine vehicle hovered over a bridge. It crossed a narrow river that separated the residential area from the busier parts of town. Shallies saw some elderly people lounging by the riverbank with fishing poles. One of them had quite a haul already.

  The bank wasn’t that difficult to miss once they entered the park. Three buildings, actually, stood out from the rest. The left one was definitely the bank, as it had physical bits—square and rectangular coins—carved out of large stones and placed over the structure. The middle one was the mayor’s office, because Schooner pointed it out. And the right one was the Adventurer’s Guild Hall, which Shallies recognized simply because of the massive quest board that she could see from inside the building.

  The three prominent structures surrounded a circular park where groups of people did outdoor activities. More kids socialized and horsed around while their parents or nannies made sure no one got hurt. One adventurer party was training, discussing their Skills and brainstorming how they could complement each other.

  Most of these people recognized Schooner’s mana-engine vehicle, which in turn, made Shallies realize the fact that it was truthfully the only one here in town. She thought of asking how he had gotten one, but held back her question. They had only known each other for a few days, and this particular curiosity might get interpreted the wrong way. Besides, no one seemed to really be bothered by it, so it was probably something he had earned legitimately.

  It’s not that difficult to get one in the first place… she reminded herself.

  “Here’s your stop, Shallies,” Schooner said. “As long as you present your Badge to the bank personnel, there shouldn’t be any issues.”

  “Thank you, Mayor.” She pushed the door open before acknowledging the rest of the family. “Elesia, Grace.”

  “I forgot to mention,” the wife began, “We’d love to have you two join us for lunch. I’ll send Grace to meet you here this afternoon.”

  The new Chef turned to the new adventurer. She was staring intensely with a silent plea.

  Shallies smiled. “We’d love that, thank you.”

  Apple grinned and made a thumbs up.

  “See you later, Shallies!” Grace said with a bright smile. “I’ll make some nice tea for you, Apple.”

  The bank was only about to open by the time Shallies climbed the steps. In fact, she saw a human employee turn the sign on their glass door. This meant, not a lot of people were in line. She found that reality odd. Convenient, but odd.

  The employee caught her standing there and beckoned her over while opening the door.

  Shallies took her steps slowly. Aside from Schooner, who had a better understanding of the nature of adventurers, this would be the first time she would be using her fake identity in an official capacity. She had everything prepared. After years of expansive experience, putting on a new identity was a natural thing for her, especially now that this one wasn’t that far off from her true self. Still, testing its effectiveness in an official sense, with legalities, documents, and profiles involved, it would always warrant her some sort of cautiousness.

  “Thank you,” she said calmly.

  “Are you lost, miss? Do you know where your parents are?” he asked. “I could ask for someone to help you find them.”

  Shallies and Apple blinked and looked at the man. They stifled a smirk, and made sure not to frown either. So, they just stared at him for a while.

  It had been years since someone mistook Shallies for a kid or a teen. Schooner had the pre-knowledge with the fact that she had approached him regarding buying Catelyn’s house. And he most likely had that conversation with his family. This unknowing fellow however, had all the right in the world to assume that she was simply a lost kid who looked too young to be twenty years old, putting aside the other twenty millennia.

  “I’m not a kid,” she began, avoiding any of her amusement or irritation to seep into her words. The sarcasm easily slipped through, however. “I’m here to do business with your bank. Unless, of course, I have the wrong place.”

  The employee quickly straightened up and bowed.

  “Welcome to Cinterbrim Bank,” said the employee. He was well-dressed: polo shirt, slacks, and leather shoes. A Badge hung around his neck. “I apologize for my misunderstanding. You’re a new face. I didn’t know adventurers start out this young now.”

  Shallies didn’t bother correcting the man. She entered the establishment while removing her winter coat, storing it inside her Class Inventory with a practiced flourish.

  “I’d like to open a second account, please.”

  “Right this way, ma’am.” He nodded while staring curiously at Apple. The teacup fairy flew around, observing the structure of the entire building. The employee didn’t seem to mind. His eyes were more focused at the new adventurer, curiously wondering whatever he was thinking.

  He led Shallies further inside where it was warmer. There was a desk with an active System Console. He unclipped his Badge, swiped on the console, and quickly entered his personal password. She was courteous enough not to pry.

  Instead, she looked around and noticed a lot of things were lacking. There were no vaults for physical bits or valuable items, for instance. There were only two desks. Chairs were provided for the non-existent clients. And there was no security at all.

  “Are you the only employee here?” Shallies asked.

  “At this time, yes, ma’am. My coworker arrives much later to take the afternoon shift until evening. Badge please.”

  “Not afraid of any robberies?” Shallies reached out and manifested her Badge. It was different from Grace’s, which looked more like a glorified, metal dog tag. Hers was modified, transformed into a cylindrical garnet with runic inscriptions.

  The employee’s eyes were absorbed by the manifestation process. A sign of an adventurer with an Advanced Class. Proof that she had ascended at least a single tier beyond the Base Classes.

  Much like the constant misunderstanding brought by her short height and undoubtedly young look, this part of revealing her Badge was another scene that took most people by surprise. Shallies had to shake it in front of him a few times to get his attention back to reality.

  He blinked, processing the question after receiving the Badge. “No crimes out here, ma’am. The soldiers outside are protection against monsters, not criminals.”

  “Absolutely zero?” Shallies raised an eyebrow.

  “A little hard to believe, no?” He proudly smiled while processing the Badge. He started typing away on the System Console like he was on automatic. “Well, there’s still the occasional bandit problem. But nothing the soldiers can’t handle. I was a little worried at first, as well. Came from the city. You know how it is. What’s the purpose of the new account, if I may inquire?”

  “For business. I’m running a tavern west of town. It’s the house near the main road.”

  He nodded. “I recognize the house. Do you wish to transfer bits from your personal account?”

  “100,000 bits should do.”

  The employee froze, blinking profusely. “100,000, you say?”

  “That should be enough, no?” she said with a smile. “For capital and whatnot.”

  “I will have to check your balance, if that’s okay?”

  “Go ahead.”

  The employee cleared his throat and checked. His typing became a lot more specific, as if he was afraid to make a mistake. Disbelief laced around his voice.

  “Yes, ma’am. There are enough bits for you to transfer.”

  “Don’t worry too much about formality,” Shallies said. “I’m no longer an adventurer. You can verify that too, if you want.”

  Despite her words, the employee still nodded nervously.

  “Yes, I’ll need to make sure your profile is in order, ma’am.”

  “Sure.”

  With a tap on the console, the employee pulled up Shallies’ adventurer and Badge information. He read through her profile. With each back and forth through the lines of her achievements, his eyes widened.

  “You alright?” Shallies asked.

  “This profile is beyond anything I’ve seen before.”

  “Are you sure?”

  Modifications had been made on her Badge to hide her achievements as a Godkiller. She had even made sure to store most of her bits inside her Class Inventory instead of a bank account. Already, her mind was swimming through methods and options she could take to bribe his silence. But it would be better to know exactly what he saw first.

  “Mind if I take a look?” Shallies asked. It wasn’t because her profile was hidden, it was just an act of courtesy not to peer through someone else’s System Console.

  The employee simply turned the screen over to her wordlessly.

  Shallies made sure not to scratch her head to avoid implicating anything. At the very least, the modifications weren’t undone.

  “You’re a new adventurer?” she asked. If Schooner was to be believed, there shouldn’t be anyone aside from Grace. But people received their Badges at different ages.

  “Oh, no, ma’am. I received my Badge a long time ago. I simply didn’t enjoy adventuring that much. Too much danger, you know?”

  “I see.” Shallies returned the screen back to him. “Well, this sort of record is normal for anyone who dungeon delves or tower climbs consistently for a couple of years.”

  “You have raid records as well,” he commented.

  “Was invited a few times. Not many supports, you see.”

  “Ah…”

  “So, that should be clear enough for my second account, yes? You can take the fee out from my first account.”

  “Shouldn’t take more than a few minutes, ma’am. We have seats for you to relax. You’re free to take some coffee as well over at the counter, there. I’ll call your name once I’m done.” The employee nodded and returned her Badge. The conversation helped him ease his nerves.

  “Thank you.” Shallies nodded and smiled.

  As soon as she went to get some coffee, Apple descended from the mana-lamps on the ceiling. She gestured something about wanting those specifically. Shallies took a glance and understood right away. They were intricately nature-themed, emitting a bright yet natural glow.

  “Sure, we’ll check if we can find some of those in the market. Do you want some coffee?”

  The teacup fairy mimicked a shocked face, sarcastically acting like she was offended. They giggled together, but were cut short by a commotion outside.

  “Hey! Get back here!”

  Shallies barely heard the yell from inside the bank, her hearing was acute enough to make some animals jealous. She peered outside the window to find a couple of soldiers chasing what seemed to be a thief.

  “Hey,” Shallies urgently called out to the bank employee, who quickly joined her. “You said there aren’t any crimes here, right?”

  He was surprisingly in shock. “I’ve never seen that man before. He’s probably a bandit or something.”

  “Well, you go take care of my account. I’ll be back.”

  “I think it’s best to let the soldiers handle this, ma’am.”

  “Mmm… Good idea.” Shallies headed out the door. “I’ll check it out anyways. Be right back.”