Chapter 43: Ream

Shane: “We’re here.”

Nathan: “So this is Ream?”

The town of Ream, a quaint and quiet slice of life. Farms sprawled across the landscape, growing all manners of produce, some he recognized, others didn’t seem like produce at all. There was a unpleasant smell of farm animals, but he chalked it up to his strong senses, the smell didn’t seem to bother everyone else.

Besides from the farmers working their fields, not many people in the area. Everyone wearing a warm smile, the few they rode by, waved to them as they passed. The Carriage stopped at a shack not far inside, you aren’t allowed to ride the carriage around the city, streets were pretty small. Nathan jumped out of the carriage and Anais and Iris sitting on each of his shoulders respectively.

Shane: “Alright here what we’re gonna do, those hornets eyes should be worth a lot, so were gonna go cash’em in.”

Nathan: “Oh okay, but is she gonna be alright?”

Nathan pointed to Beatrice, who was sulking in a corner of the carriage.

Elise: “She’ll be fine, she just not very good with rejection.”

Tin Man: “Better question, are you gonna be alright?”

Nathan: “I know, I’ll keep the hood over my face, things could get complicated if someone sees me, ever since the Demon Lord dark skinned has been shunned. Though it’s not as bad as it once was, but you should still be careful.”

Tin Man: “You didn’t have to quote me word from word.”

Nathan: “How could I not, you repeated nine times.”

Shane: “Bwahahahahaha.”

Tin Man: “Well, excuse me for being cautious.”

Shane: “Alright, alright, for now, Elise, head over to the inn and get rooms for everyone.”

Elise: “Right, Nathan you can come along with me.”

Nathan: “You meant me too, you don’t have to do that.”

Shane: “Nonsense, you saved our asses back there, what we get is as much yours as it is ours.”

Nathan: “I don’t know what to say.”

Shane: “Don’t say anything, just head on over to the inn and will be by in a little while.”

Elise and Nathan strolled away, Nathan taking a quick look back, seeing everyone else disappear down another street. Nathan looked to Iris, giving her a signal to follow them. She immediately flew off in pursuit, disappearing down the same street.

Elise: “Is something wrong?”

Nathan: “No, I was just a little curious about where everyone else were off to.”

Elise: “I see………..well, the hornet eyes should be worth some money, so will get a price on them and there a few other things we have to get sorted out.”

Nathan: “The cages?”

Elise: “I can’t tell you anything more, but if you join our party-”

Nathan: “No thanks.”

Elise: “So quick to reply, is their a specific reason why you want?”

Nathan: “Yes.”

Elise: “………….. Is it us?”

Nathan: “No, I said I didn’t care about your jobs.”

Elise: “Then what is it?”

Nathan: “I……really can’t say, something personal.”

Elise: “…………..*Sigh* Okay, I won’t pry any further.”

Nathan: “I thank you for that.”

Nathan and Elise continued down the street, chatting about nonsensical affairs, soon they arrived at the inn. It was pretty big compared to the other buildings around, which made sense, it had to be one that was big enough to house so many people.

Elise and Nathan entered the building, instantly being greeted with a bow.

Receptionist: “Hello, welcome to Staryd Inn, the best and only inn in town. I’m Kiera the receptionist for the evening, how can I be of service?”

Elise: “Yes, I, huh…………….Nathan?”

Nathan looked around, disgusted. It was faint, but a foul smell had wafted from inside the building. It wasn’t unbearable, but noticeable.

Kiera: “Is everything alright?”

Nathan looked at the four women surrounding him, none of them seem to notice it, another thing his strong senses picked up on that no one else did.

Iris: “*whisper* Master, is everything okay?”

Anais: “(Uggghh I smell it too).”

Nathan: “Uh, I guess.”

Nathan step up to the counter next to Elise, who puzzled by Nathan strange reaction.”

Kiera: “So again, how can I help you?

Elise: “Yes can I have two rooms, both three beds?”

Kiera: “I’m so sorry, we only have three rooms available. One single, double and triple respectively.”

Elise: “Ah, oh no.”

Nathan: “I don’t remember seeing that many people in the street.”

Kiera: “I’m sorry, because of the tournament in Loegrey, many guess book rooms in advance.”

Elise: “Ah right, it is around that time.”

Nathan: “What tournament?”

Kiera: “Huh, you don’t know about the Loegrey Champion’s tournament?”

Elise: “She’s not from around here.”

Kiera: “Oh I see, well in any case, the rooms have been booked in advance and the occupants should be arriving anytime now. We can’t very well rent the room out, I’m very sorry for the inconvenience.”

Elise: “No, it’s okay, will just take all three rooms the boys can sleep in the three room, my sister and I in the two and you can have the single.”

Nathan: “You don’t need to do that, I can bunk with the guys.”

Elise: “What!?”

Kiera: “Goodness.”

Elsie and Kiera both made faces both went beet red.

Nathan: “Yeah it’s no problem.”

Elise: “A-Absolutely not.”

Nathan: “It’s fine.”

Elsie: “It most certainly is not.”

Nathan: “What’s wrong with you, I don’t mind sharing a bed.”

Elise: “Sh-sh-share a bed.”

Nathan: “Yeah, it’s really not that big a deal, I done so before.”

Elise: “Before!?”

Two people sleeping in one room, wasn’t uncommon back in his world. Whenever he went on a trip with friends, to avoid paying extra for rooms, a lot of the time, he would have two or three people to one room. He remembered playing rock, paper, scissors to see who would get the bed while the rest slept on the floor.

Kiera: “*Ahem*Sorry to interrupt, but we don’t allow more customer in a room then there are beds.”

Elise: “Well that, settles that, the three rooms please.”

Kiera: “Right away.”

Nathan: “(What in perverted things are they thinking?) Hey Elise, you don’t think-”

Before he could finish, Elise dangled the room key in his face.”

Elise: This is your room key, room six.”

Nathan: “But-”

Elise shove Nathan away, she wasn’t hearing anymore of what he had to say.”

Elise: “No buts, off you go, really, sharing the room with a bunch of men.”

Nathan walked away, turning down the hallway and heading for room six. Anais peaked out of his hood, where she had been taking a nap.

Anais: “Hey, you should have cleared things up with her.”

Nathan: “She didn’t really give me a chance, even so, I don’t think any of them are the type to jump a woman, except Shane, but I could put him down easily. More importantly, do you smell that?”

Anais: “That really awful smell, is this why you stopped earlier?”

Nathan: “Yeah, it was faint earlier, but it a lot more potent now.”

Anais: “It must be your senses, I only smell it faintly right now.”

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Nathan held his nose as he walked to his room.

Nathan: “Here it is, room six, lets hurry inside and get away from this smell.

The moment he opened the door, a foul smell invaded his nostrils.

Nathan: “UGHHH!?”

Anais: “Aw, the fuck is that!?”

?????: “Is something wrong?”

Nathan turned to fine a burly woman standing behind him, she was wearing the same green and white maid outfit, the receptionist was wearing.

Nathan: “Yes miss, um?”

Merla: “You can call me Merla.”

Nathan: “Yes, Merla, Inside, there this awful smell.”

Merla: “Oh?”

Merla stepped in the room and sniffed around for a moment.

Merla: “I’m sorry, but I don’t smell, anything.”

Nathan: “What do you mean, I can smell it out here in the hallway.”

Merla: “Well seeing as how, I just clean this room, I don’t see how it could.”

Nathan: “You cleaned it, you sure?”

Merla: “Excuse me!?”

Nathan and Merla stared each other down, both in complete disbelief of the other. The smell was definitely there, yet Merla is denying it.

Nathan: “You know what, that was rude, I apologize. Maybe there is something wrong with the plumbing?

Merla: “Plaming, what is that?”

Nathan: “Y-Your joking, right?”

Merla had just about enough of the customer in front of her. Insulting her cleaning skills, not to mention making up words, she was livid.

Merla: “Miss, I really don’t have time for games, if you have a problem with the room, you can just leave. Now if you will excuse me.”

With that, Merla left the room in a huff, leaving Nathan standing in the hall.”

Anais: “That ass, how can she not smell that……..Nathan?”

Nathan: “……………..She didn’t know what plumbing was.”

Anais: “So, I don’t know what that is either.”

Nathan looked down into Anais’s eyes, she was telling the truth. This gave Nathan a very bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. Nathan held his nose in enter the room, it did indeed look clean, but the smell was just all consuming. Further in was another room, as he moved closer, the smell grew stronger.

*open*

Anais: “Ugh, it got worse, what is tha- Whoa!?”

Anais found herself tumbling to the floor, for Nathan was knocked unconscious, foaming from the mouth.

Anais: “Nathan!?”

_

_

*Knock**Knock**Knock

Anais: “The door?”

Nathan: “The window.”

Nathan opened the window and Iris fluttered inside. Iris went to greet Nathan, but was surprised by the rooms décor.

Iris: “Master, why is this room so decorated?”

All around the room, all manner of flora, covering the room entirely. In an adjacent room, the plants created a miniature forest, with no possible way to enter.

Nathan: “So that I can breathe, this world doesn't have plumbing.”

Iris: “Huh?”

Nathan: “Don’t worry about it, since your back I presume everyone else has returned as well?”

Iris: “Yes, there all downstairs, having a meal.”

Nathan: “Good, we have some time, tell me about their conversation from the other.

Iris: “Right.”

Iris went through in great detail of the conversation they had while Nathan was away. From before and after they learned that Nathan had a Legacy, it seemed their views on him had change dramatically.

Anais: “They were thinking of trying sell him off?”

Iris: “Yes, since your race was considered extinct, they would stand to make a lot from selling you off.”

Anais: “Then wait, the cages on the carriage-”

Nathan: “Most likely unfortunate individuals, who they captured before we met. Did you get a look at them?”

Iris: “I’m sorry even I couldn’t get a glimpse, without rousing suspicion.”

Nathan: “That’s fine, so after they found out about your Legacy, they opted instead to recruit me.”

Anais: Well like they said, having a Legacy is a rarity among rarities, no matter how insignificant, they are treated with the highest esteem.”

Nathan: “Having someone with a Legacy on their team, would raise their parties fame.”

Iris: “In addition, it seems many who were found to have a Legacy were taken by something called a “Church”.”

Anais: “What’s that?”

Iris: “I’m not sure, they never delve deep into the subject. Just that they don’t want the church to find out about you.”

Nathan: “Dammit I wish I’d figured out what was strange about their fight, before I stupidly reveal my abilities.”

Iris: “No Master, I’m the one to blame, I was the one who taught you that it was birthright, for that I’m truly sorry.”

Nathan: “I’m not blaming you, Iris. It just I rather fight the five of them, then deal with a Church.”

Iris: “Master, you know what it is?”

Nathan: “I got some ideas, none of them good.”

Anais: “It be even worse if they found out about your second Legacy.”

Nathan: “Yeah, since I still haven’t figure out how to use it.

Iris: “Yes, I foresee trouble in the future, we should leave as soon as possible.”

Anais: “But if we were to disappear suddenly-”

Nathan: “They would try to track us down and it will become the same situation we had with the Grassvalley.”

The room went quiet as they thought back to a few weeks ago. Running through the woods for days, being hunted the entire time. At all cost they wanted to avoid a situation like that.

Nathan: “Let’s change the subject, did they do anything else besides earn money?”

Iris: “Ah, yes, they did go somewhere else, if I recall it was called “Sylph Note”.”

Nathan: “Sylph Note.”

Anais: “And what did they do?”

Iris: “To be honest. I’m not sure. When I flew inside, Shane handed a man behind a counter something, the man took it and put it into a green box and they all left and came here.”

Anais: “And you couldn’t see what it was?”

Iris: “Only that it was a piece of paper.”

Anais: “A piece of paper?”

Nathan: “Let’s just go find out, we’re going for a walk.”

Iris and Anais jumped on Nathans shoulder as he got up to leave.

*Open Door*

Elise: “Ah!?”

Nathan: “Elise, what are you doing?”

Elise: “Uh, well we were all sitting down to eat, we were wondering if you were going to join us?”

Nathan: “Uhhh, sure, but I gonna go for a walk first.”

Elise: “Oh, okay, do you wnat me to join you?"

Nathan: “No, I’m good, just, really need some fresh air."

Elise: “Yeah.”

Nathan jogged away, leaving Elise to stroll back down to her friends. Heading into the eating area she sighed, hearing a bunch of giggling women. As usual, Shane had several women sitting all around him, a big stupid grin on his face, as they swooned over his every word.

Tin Man: “Elise I finished mending your clothes, I placed in your room.

Elise: “Thanks as always.”

Tin Man: “Where’s Nathan, is she coming?”

Elise sat down at the table next to Shane’s, where everyone else sat.

Elise: “Yes, but she had to take care of something first.”

Tin Man: “What, what could she possibly need to do?”

Elise: “It not our place to ask, but she seem strange at times.”

Tin Man: “Like wanting to be in a room full of men.”

Shane: “Which by the way I was okay with.”

Elise: “Ugh.”

The girls around Shane laughed at his remarks.”

*Slam*

Beatrice, brought her mug down on the table hard, grabbing everyone’s attention. She threw a death glare at the woman around Shane.

Beatrice: “Leave.”

All the girls around Shane left instantly, leaving Shane behind.

Shane: Dammit, Beatrice, every time.”

Beatrice: “Shut up and get your ass over here.”

Beatrice lifted the cup back up to her face, taking another big gulp of her ale. She always drank when she was depressed and she.

Shane: “Tsk, don’t take away my fun, just because you got rejected.”

Beatrice: “*cough, cough, auuuuuuuuuu, I wasn't rejected, she got other things to do.”

Tin Man: “Why did you say that, you know shes not good with alcohol.”

Shane sulking sat down next to Cerin, While Beatrice cried into her sister embrace.

Beatrice: “I’m good leader right, right Elise?”

Elise: “Yes,Yes.”

Beatrice: "Why did she reject me so fast, aaaauuuuuuuu."

Elise patted her sisters head, as her Liquor induced emotinal state continued.”

Shane: “So, what was strange about her?”

Elise: “Well, just a second ago, when I was coming to get her, it sounded as though she was having a conversation with someone.”

Tin Man: “Did you see anyone?”

Elise: “No, but I didn’t get a good look inside either.”

Tin Man: “Perhaps you were hearing things?”

Elise: “Maybe?”

Merla: “Can you believe that customer in room six, rude.”

Elise: “Room six, Nathan?”

They over heard one of the staff, complaining to another. Venting her frustrations, to her coworker.

Elise: “Excuse me?”

Merla: “Ah, I’m sorry was I too loud?”

Elise: “No, no, about the customer in room six?”

Merla: “You know her, you need to teach her some manners. Telling me that the room I just cleaned smelled awful, the nerve of some people.”

Kiera: “Merla, please.”

Merla: “You should be upset to, not even a thank you after you gave her directions.”

Elise: “Directions?”

Kiera: “Yes, she just asked for directions and left in a hurry.”

Elise: “Where was she trying to go?”

Kiera: “She was looking for some where to sell goods. Oh yes, she also asked where she could find “Sylph Note.”