Chapter 9

*Buzzzzz buzzzz*

The vibration of the phone awoke J from his thoughts. He was sitting on his bed, piecing what little information he had together. After he had checked himself in the mirror he had logged in to verify his thoughts. His body had very closely transferred from the game to real life. Apart from his elf like appearance, everything else was exactly the same. Even the tattoo which he thought he got from Adra as he burned him, was exactly the same in game.

‘If everything in game transfers… it couldn’t be…’ J stuck his left hand out hesitantly. He closed his eyes hoping beyond hope. He made the gesture of opening up his information window as he would in game. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes. His breath caught in his mouth.

There was nothing.

He sighed a heavy sigh, full of relief. His shoulders sagged, tension eased from his body. ‘Now this is complicated…’ and before J could finish his thought, he was interrupted by the buzz on his phone. It was Sarah, he picked it up.

“Hello.” He said.

“Hey, are you alright? I’ve been trying to reach you since you just ran off like that. I’m sorry for shocking you just now.”

“Its… its okay. No worries.”

“From the looks of it, you didn’t realize did you?”

“…”

“Well… we’re all the same. Everyone from the society, they all reported some physical changes from in game to reality.”

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Raizel laid in bed staring at the ceiling, contemplating the words he had just heard from his friends. ‘So I’m not the only one… interesting…’ A pair of eyes glinted in the darkness of his room. He looked without moving his head, and saw Steia. She had grown a little and now was the size of 3 quarters of Raizel’s head. Steia flapped her wings and flew towards Raizel. Suddenly she dug her head instead his clothes.

“Sto..stop it! You can’t fit in there anymore.” He said brushing her head out. She looked at him face to face, with eyes of satisfaction. They stared at each other for a moment and she quickly pecked his head resulting an “OW” from the victim. Raizel waved her away as he got up and sat. She flew around the room then perched herself on Raizel’s shoulders. He checked the time and day on the interface, then left his room with his companions.

His friend, Sarah, had invited him previously to a meeting up in a town in Mascria, to which Raizel accepted. The meeting was in a couple of days, but the meeting place was a couple of days ride ahead of him. He had no time to lose. He told his master and Gus his plans and quickly bid them farewell.

Having travelled through the tunnels Gus pointed him towards for several hours, he at last made it out. As usual, he was aware of 4 presences concealing themselves within the trees. For a normal adventurer, they wouldn’t even notice their existence. But not for someone of J’s calibre. One of them jumped down in front of J and bowed, as was customary for someone of lower rank. He then began to explain.

“Sir, you are close to the borders of Mascria, if you head further east, you will reach it with 3 – 5 days. The things you requested are just ahead.” He made another bow and disappeared back into the trees.

J headed towards the direction as said, and no doubt a horse and a wagon was present. Steia and Adra immediately jumped onto the wagon nestling their own spot. J reached the wagon last and entered. Inside the wagon were filled with scrolls, jewellery, skins and all sorts of materials to be sold or crafted. J opened his inventory, and put on the items he had found in the guild.

A hat was placed on J’s head, just wide enough to cast a shadow over his face, but small enough to move with ease. A linen shirt was worn with 2 brown leather belts across his waist forming an X. Two daggers sat on either side of J’s waist, little pouches were formed on the belts to place weapons inside. A pair of comfortable trousers were worn with sandals on his feet. A large semi-dark brown cloak circled his body, concealing everything from his neck to his feet. A light brown bag placed over the cloak and most importantly, 3 rings rested on J’s fingers.

Everything was ready, as he looked around the wagon, Adra and Steia seemed to have claimed their spot. Steia perched herself on a ledge near the front of the wagon whilst Adra made a nest-like bed just short of the driver’s seat. J moved towards the front of the wagon and stood at the driver’s spot. 

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

‘About time my secondary profession came in handy…’ he thought to himself. He sat down, and moved the horse into action.

People would recognize that no doubt, this man was a merchant. Albeit a shady one. But none the less, a merchant. 

Half a day has passed and things were going very well for J. Each time he’d pass a fellow merchant or a random stranger, they’d give a slight nod to their heads to greet one another. Nobody was suspicious! After a while, J began taking the scrolls from the wagon and reading them on his way. As requested by him, his master has gathered the necessary tools and guides to becoming a merchant.The basics were all written down in front him, and some of the scrolls were stolen during assassinations. Priceless artefacts. Of course, he was only given the copies, but none the less, the information was priceless. 

J had around 3 days to engrave it into his head. He spared no time, morning and night he read and read. Information on current market prices, fluctuations, quality of materials, quality of gems, jewel crafting, all he could read about, he read about. He would occasionally pick up two gems and identify the better quality one. Test himself on memorization, identification of herbs, gems, potions etc. ‘This is not so different from law… reading… reading… and reading…’ J thought as he drifted to sleep on his first night.

On his second day, he repeated his routine of studying whilst travelling. Mid afternoon, he stopped by a meadow and rested. He picked up a scroll which entailed a map of the continent of Atlantis. ‘Oh… so that’s how it looks like…’ He turned it around a few times and gave it a stare. The continent were divided into 5 parts, kingdoms so to speak. One in each direction and one bang in the middle. If correct, the assassin’s guild headquarters would be somewhere around the middle of the continent. Considering the tunnels that spread to everywhere, it seemed it was most convenient. ‘Hmmm… but it doesn’t say who actually governs what…’

The remaining days passed by the same, reading, resting, asking for directions and so on. Eventually he had arrived at his destination, The town of the free. He booked an inn at the merchant’s guild and parked his wagon inside their stables. He placed traps which he learnt from Gus around the entire wagon and left satisfied with Steia on his shoulders and Adra by his side.

He carried half of the skins he had on board and sold it towards the guild, gaining him a nice profit. Since he didn’t actually spend money on them, everything was a profit.

Congratulations! Completed your first transaction!

You gained a huge profit!

Reputation with Merchant’s Guild +50

Chances of bargaining to lower the price of items in the town of the free increased

He stored most of his money in one of his rings put placed some coins in a pouch and dangled it on his belt. Every time he’d walk, the coins would clink and draw people’s attention from all over. J smiled underneath the shadow casted by his hat, people have to know that he is a merchant. What better way to show it than money.

Just as he was getting too much unwanted(wanted) attention, he spotted the society gathering at their meeting place. He headed over and immediately found the only person he knew, Sarah. He tapped her on the shoulder, she turned with a growing smile on her face as she slowly adjusted to the shadow casted by his hat.

“You made it!” she hugged him screaming with delight.

“Yeah… yeah I did.” After she released him from the hug, she finally caught notice of Steia who flew on top of J’s head to avoid getting hit by her arms. Not that Steia had an expression, but Sarah got the feeling it didn’t like her much.

“That bird… that dog… it can’t be…” A familiar voice sounded from behind J. He had sensed everyone’s presence, but none alarmed him as they moved normally. Now they did. His hand moved under his cloak towards his weapons…

“Adra!”

*Woof!*

J was suddenly taken aback, he turned around to see Adra being petted by a familiar girl. Next to her stood 2 oh-so-looking familiar guys. And then he realized.

‘Oh God Damit’ he cursed inside his head.

“You sold my gem yet?” Andrew said to J with a smile on his face.