Making our way into Aisengard we part with Luel at the crossroads as she requested for me to see her next morning. Unsure why, but something tells me she's calling in a favour.
"How are you holding up, Akira?"
"Not bad I guess," Examining my body; bathing in the aftermath, everything still feels strange. "Just feel rather restless, haha."
Thoughts conflicting with each other, I should be glad with the results, but... Tsk, what's wrong with me?
"The bath house, is it opened?"
"Oh. It should be. It's always opened, but into the evening there's just no reception, but you still have to drop a coin."
To escape from a restless night after work, I'd indulge in a hot bath with a glass of red wine. Better yet, it feels right to relax after a hard day.
"All right I think I'll drop by the Sleeping Ogre after."
"Oh, okay.~ It's nice to rest up, especially if you're used to bathing everyday, it's a hard cycle to break for us Hero Candidates! Not like it's a bad thing necessarily. Just don't fall asleep in there.~"
"Gotcha," With a nod, I quicken my pace to pass her with a small wave. "I'll... see you tomorrow."
...
"That's not how you should act to someone you're in debt to, idiot." Thinking to myself as I hold my head beneath the warm water, I almost choke when a splash emits before me as I pull up.
"Here I thought you've settled with drowning yourself, not quite the heroic way to go, boy."
With his large build that could pretty much take the place of two regular guys like me, he greets me with the raise of his palm before joining me at my side.
"Hey, Master... Guess you'd know what I was up to for the day?"
"Ahh, well I suppose you stuck with Rose. Heh, glad you made it out alive, kiddo."
Revealing a grin, he pats my head with his large palm before resting his arms against the bathtub frame.
I can't help but feel even more restless, he may be more of a seasoned Candidate, but he doesn't have to treat me like a kid.
"Hahh..." I slowly lower myself down to where the water would reach just above my chin. "I'm alive, sure, all thanks to them. All I did was horse around, and the only time Luel chose to rely on me, I almost blew it if not for my skill activating."
"Oh? An original skill?" Raising his brow with interest, I show the skill window to him.
"It almost resulted in my death so I can't say I exactly welcome it." Sighing once more, I submerge my face in the water for a moment.
"Hey, anymore of that and you might drown in 'ere. You trying to make me look like a bad guy?"
Not exactly sure if he's only joking around, I could only apologise.
"Feeling like you're less of a man that you actually are?"
"Sorta, I suppose... I guess I just didn't take everything into account. The reality of this world didn't quite catch up to me at that point. So, I thought that I could get away with it. If not for the two, then..."
"Hmmm..."
Averting his attention, he gives a sigh of his own as he looks around at the empty bathhouse.
"To be afraid is to have the will to survive, no one wants to die. Ain't that right?"
"...I guess so."
"Most of the time, you can't afford to make mistakes. But, if you're in a party with say, Rose; she won't necessarily allow it, but she'd accept your missteps and teach you. Now that you've experienced that life and death situation, you know what to do, right?"
Looking at me for my confirmation, my first thought was to look away, however, I chose to stay firm.
"Yeah... You're right."
"That's the way. Rose has been in this gig far longer than most Candidates; she knows the struggle, so. Keep your head up, boy. You don't have to be like her, you just need to follow a path that's fit for you. After all, no one says you have to be an Adventurer."
"...Hah, hahaha," Letting out a small chuckle, I couldn't help but think this to be entirely amusing. "I didn't expect to hear this talk from you, Master."
No one expects me to become an Adventurer; that much is true. However, I believe this is all I have. Unlike the me in the past, it's here where I can change. I've been given a chance to strive and finally be someone like her, even in this afterlife situation.
"Oioi, is that what you should be saying? I may not be as high level as Rose, but I'm still a Hero Candidate, if not retired."
Feeling more at ease as the tight hold on my chest lifts, I give a final sigh of relief as a smile soon reveals itself.
"Heh, glad that's over with," Rising from the bath, he walks off and begins to climbs out of the bath. "An' here I just wanted a quick bath before settling for the night, not listen to anyone's problems."
"Hey, Master?" I call out to him just before he leaves the room as her turns his head back. "My chest piece broke so I was wondering if you could repair it for me."
"Heh, sure thing, I'll take a look at it. Just bring it by tomorrow. I'll charge you extra for the words of wisdom."
"Right... I'll see you then."
"Hah, be seeing you, kiddo."
...
Walking back on an empty stomach, I realise I haven't even had a bite to eat this day.
"...Can a Candidate die from hunger? I wonder if there's a status effect for it."
I'm sure if I went a day without food back in my world I wouldn't even have the strength to move. Surely I would've collapsed already.
"Hahh... Out with one problem, in comes another." Entering the Sleeping Ogre, Keith doesn't seem to be behind the counter. There goes my saving grace.
"...Wait a second."
If I recall correctly, am I even allowed to keep using the same room without any money? Better yet, I didn't even pay on the previous night.
"..."
I'll work hard tomorrow.
...
After borrowing the room for the night, as I then head down to see Keith before the morning rush.
"Hey, umm... Keith?"
In the middle of wiping the tables, he cocks his head at me before continuing on.
"Mornin', Akira. Looking for Rosé?"
"Ah, no actually."
She mentioned being at the Adventurers Hub to turn in the quest and said she'd meet me at Luel's.
"It's about my room, uhh..."
"Somethin' the matter with it? Need maintenance?"
For some reason, it's like he hasn't noticed.
"Asides from the first, I haven't paid for the nights I've been in there."
"Whatd'ya mean? She didn't tell you?" Placing his cloth down as he turns to face me, it seems like he knows something I don't. "She bought it out for you, it's no longer up for rent but owned by you."
"...I'm sorry, what?"
It's too early in the morning for jokes, or better yet I don't think he's joking which doesn't make it any less jaw dropping.
"Unless you want to forfeit your ownership and pay up when it suits you; biweekly, weekly, that's fine by me, but that may go against Rosé's goodwill."
"...Hahh..." Almost collapsing, I take a quick seat against the bench. "Unbelievable."
...
Heading to Xavier's with bread loaf in tow as a sample of his morning batch, tearing bits off on the way, I indulge in the simple, yet satisfying warming flavour.
"Quite the guy..."
Who would've thought the guy also makes all his bread in-house.
"Hey, I'm-"
About to greet the Master behind the counter, he appears to be speaking to another customer. Geared in some sort of plate armor that resembles the medieval times, his voice is a lot softer than I anticipated; perhaps someone in their late teens early 20's.
Taking the time to look around despite knowing I shouldn't purchase unnecessary items, I begin browsing the weapon selections. Sure enough, most of the ones that appeal to me have requirements well over my current status, not to mention I didn't notice before that some even need mastery of the associated weapon handling skill.
"Hahh..." Looking at yet another weapon out of my range, I sigh. "Sure sucks being both broke and low level."
Moving on wards to the armor, I'd like to have more than a just a plate protecting my chest; perhaps a helmet to protect my head or decent gloves to assist my grip. As the customer thanks the Master before setting off, I make my way towards the counter.
"A regular?" Resting my arm against the counter, I pull out the chest piece for him to inspect.
"Somethin' like that." Taking a magnifying glass out, he closely inspects the chest piece as a small window soon pops out just above it. "Haven't seen him in awhile though, thought he must've skipped to another city, glad he's still kickin'."
Placing the glass back into his pocket, he flips the window to me as though to show me the contents.
"Not like I quite needed to conduct a thorough examination, but to take one direct hit from a force that strong would surely destroy any light metal."
The window contents displayed a more extended information of the equipment, rather than just the requirements. With the durability at zero, it also states the cause of various damage, until the final strike by a heavy force.
"So... it's beyond repair?"
"Not beyond, but it's easier to toss this away and buy another. For both of us."
"Hahh... Can't say I'm exactly eager to buy anything when I'm in debt."
Even in this world, it doesn't seem I can run away from money problems. Is this a status, a curse?
"If it helps, I can buy it off you. Not like I need to, but I can dismantle it for some spare materials. But if you're short on the money, you can trade drops for some easy coin by the general store. While more specific items are sold to a more specialized store."
"For example," The Master heads into the back for a short moment, before returning with an stone of some sort and shifts it around in his hand to show me. "Things like these, you'd generally sell things like ores and such to blacksmiths such as myself."
"Then..." Pulling out the small remainder of the semi solid jelly like fragments from my pouch, I place them against the counter. "What about these?"
"Those, you'd sell to the general store, though they don't go for much, I'd say at best three seraphs for a handful like that depending on the buyer."
Placing the ore down behind the counter, he reaches over and grabs a piece and rolls it between his finger tips.
"Hasn't Rose told you they're the core ingredient in pora pudding? She'd probably buy them off ya to save the hassle."
"Hmm, then how much were you thinking of buying this chest piece from me? You're basically recycling, right?"
"Let's see..." Crossing his arms, he stares at the broken piece on the counter, perhaps inspecting the all the different parts that make it. "Twenty seraphs."
"Twenty..."
That's not even half to what I paid for it. Though trash is garbage, there's no use pulling it along with me.
"All right, I'll do twenty."
With a smirk, he brushes the chest piece aside and places the coins against the counter.
"Y'know, I would've went up to at least thirty, given if you could talk me in to it. Think of this as a lesson boy, you gotta learn to barter to get by in this world. Especially in your position; every seraph counts."
Accepting the coins in somewhat defeat, the thought did entertain me, however, he was the one who sold it to me in the first place, not to mention offering an inner garmet to go along with it.
"Feel like I shouldn't dabble with things too deep or else people would start to hate my guts."
...
Unable to buy any replacement armor from his wares, he said he'd cut me a deal, but I can't say I'm all willing to accept other peoples charities considering my position. Being in debt to numerous people is distasteful, despite knowing the dangers, I can't help but feel this way.
After all, no matter how much I did, I couldn't have ever repaid my debt towards my parents.
"Hahh... Once I pay off my debt to Luel, it'd be one burden off my shoulders. Though, it's not like I have enough on me right now."
No one tells me to be an Adventurer. But I'd like to be. In any case, I don't think there's many options open for me; at least in my current state. Perhaps further down the road...
Staring up at the sun which still slowly rises to it's peak, my decision was already set in stone.
"A Hero, huh? If that happens, I wonder if she'd be proud of me..."
...
Stepping inside Luel's Apothecary, I greet Graffios at the front before hand as I move towards the front counter.
Like the last time, the area's dim with the only light source emitting from her table top.
"M-Morning... Luel..?"
Sleeping rather soundly, despite on a chair with a book covering her face as she leans back.
"Urgh."
Answering with a small mutter, she moves in as she catches the falling book just before it reaches her legs and places it upon the table, whilst pulling her hood over with a yawn.
"Was getting tired of waiting, Akira."
"Well... I had to visit Xavier beforehand, and umm... Are you all right?"
Referring to the battle before, it's not an exaggeration that we both received quite severe injuries. I for the most part am all right thanks to being a Hero Candidate, but she made it clear dwellers don't share the same boons as we.
"Been through worse so no need for concern. I may be a dweller, however you'd be surprised how one fares in the midst of battle and after."
"I see..."
Looking around the area, it appears Rosebelle isn't here despite declaring we'd meet up here.
"However, it'd seem like I owe you, Akira."
Rising from her chair, she walks towards one of the bookshelves and runs her hands against the spines.
"For..?"
Following her with my eyes, she slides out a book and returns to her chair.
"After I downed the griffon, you were out cold beneath a tree."
Flipping through the pages as she speaks, her pupils move left to right at a pace which seems rather inhumane; as though she's reading every text within the pages before they turn.
"You may not have mentioned it to me, but I was well aware to what occurred. You covered for me as you were told, and almost paid with your life."
Stopping a quarter away from finishing the book, she places it down against the counter and takes the strange contraption from the side of the table and hovers it over the book.
"My emotions; yet fleeting, I'm grateful for what you did, Akira."
"Well sure... but."
Leaving it all up to mere chance and luck, it was fortunate enough that I have this skill and for it to activate at such a time. Should I be happy about that?
Spinning the middle glass piece on the contraption as she then slowly turns the smaller, more intricate piece, a magic circle appears as it expands before contracting above the book; causing the area to glow a vibrant purple.
"I wouldn't be where I am now if I constantly burdened myself with the things that do not matter."
Sliding her hand across the pages, she soon pulls sharply to the left as a paper soon materialises in her grasp as she then hands it to me.
"This is..?"
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