Using the loot they had found realizing that they still had a bit of time until most taverns started serving food, Alastair constructed a couple of chronographs to increase the sell price. Afterward, they had twelve coins between the two of them. “At typical tavern prices, eight coins should buy us each a hot meal and a beer or two. So we should be able to buy you a single weapon or armor.”

  “Let’s go for armor. I like fighting with my fists. It’s a good feeling.”

  “Your call. The armorer is down this way. I don’t know if I told you about the store drones, yet.”

  “Store drones?”

  “Yeah, they just read out the list of available items like an automaton with no emotion. Like they haven’t either been programmed yet or didn’t want the players to take advantage of them.”

  “Like a text rpg?”

  “Yeah, something like that.”

  “Oooh, fun. Show me the way.”

  The shop wasn’t far from where they were. Since Alastair had the coins from selling the chronos, he gave Galoots the three coins that it would cost to buy basic cloth armor.

  He waited outside while she went in to buy it, and she came out a few minutes later wearing dull new chest armor.

  “Congrats! We’re both making tons of progress today!”

  “Yeah. Let’s go eat and see if I can beat this city,” she said, pounding her hands together in a move Alastair considered overconfident.

  “Sure. You’ll like this place. It’s the real flavor of West Shilgrave dive bar.”

  “Perfect. I leave the comfort of the Monastery with its hearty healthy bread and beer for violence, rat stew, and mop slop.”

  Alastair had considered ordering her the swill, but when she said the mop slop, he realized that wasn’t nice, especially considering that he was trying to repay her favor. They worked through the markets to the Angry Onion, which looked a bit cleaned up since he had been here last. It was the closest tavern to the Mayor’s Manor.

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  The Barkeep level 3, named Nikolette, waved to Alastair as they walked in. “Look here, fellows, it’s a hero of the city! Surely he’ll buy you all a round to lock in his stellar reputation.”

  The crowd was pretty thin but moved toward the bar along with Alastair. He said, apologetically, “Sorry, fellows. We’re just here for a quick meal before we have to move along. But if my business is successful tonight, I’ll get you all that round. Or two.” The crowd grumbled away, except for Irving, Thug 1, who tracked alongside him. Alastair said, “It looks like you’ve cleaned up in here, Nikolette. What’s the occasion?”

  Her raspy voice still grated on him, but it was a bit softer than he recalled. “I don’t know. I woke up yesterday and several repairs had been completed overnight. And not just in here, either, but there are rumors that it happened throughout the city.”

  “Maybe it was when I excised those corruptions on the city interface.” He turned to Galoots, “Did you notice anything change to the monastery when you first completed it? Like random improvements?”

  She shook her head no. “But I wasn’t paying attention to it either. By the way,” she put out her hand, “I’m Galoots. Alastair’s friend from the Monastery.”

  Nikolette and Irving gave each other a look but avoided shaking hands. Then Irving asked, “Where is Flor?”

  Alastair raised his hands defensively, “Look, it’s nothing like that. Flor just needed a bit of time to adjust to some things. I expect she’ll be back along in a day or two. Now, back to business. Can we get two hot dinners and a couple of mugs of the not-mop swill?”

  Nikolette looked at Irving, who began to head back toward his table. “Yeah, sure. It’ll be eight coins, paid upfront.”

  Alastair pulled out the remainder of his coins and put them down on the counter. He was annoyed. “Why upfront?”

  “Just a new policy. I know you, but not her.”

  “Right. Fine. The food please. We’ll be over at the table there in the middle of the room.”

  Alastair went to the chest-high table and sat. Galoots sat next to him.

  “What was that about?”

  “They, meaning Nikolette and Irving, helped me and Flor beat the city the other day. I have a positive disposition with both of them.”

  “Who is Flor?”

  “Flor is my wife. And a player in the game. She’s…somewhere, although we were side by side daily until we beat this area. After that, her rage told her that she should spend some time separated from me because our objectives were too different.”

  “Oh. I guess that explains the cold shoulder. Showing up at your favorite dive bar with a new girl seems like a jerk move.”

  Alastair rolled his head around in exasperation. “Yeah. Probably. But it’s a game, we have chores to do and this place is close to the Manor.”

  They sat in silence for a while until the tavern boy brought over their beers, then returned a few minutes later with their stew. They ate in uncomfortable silence.