“Welcome aboard, adventurers!” A young elven maid in dress and apron greeted Fuji and the adventurers. Fellow adventurers greeted them as if they are already familiar with each other. Corbin noticed how closely-knitted the adventurers in the lodge are. A dwarf played the lute and tapdanced at the table. Two gnomes merrily sang with their mug of fermented wheat. A human bard played the lyre while another elf sang a lovely hymn.

Corbin also spotted a young adventurer bragging about his latest exploits. He wore slicked brown hair with bobbing bangs. Dressed in a red coat with a fur collar and gleaming yellowish armor, a studded military vest, clean white fencing pants, and knee-high studded boots. Corbin noticed his yellow-tinted and crimson saber that twirled like a rosetta. A sculpture of a mighty leo’s head and mane was in his buckler.

An older gentleman stood beside the yapping adventurer. He has slick-back grey hair, a black waistcoat, gray trousers, a white buttoned shirt, a black tie, and black closed shoes. Corbin barely saw something bulging from the old man’s sleeves.

“And then, the savage garou shrills angrily. I waited for the opportunity to stab it with my saber.”

“Excellent, young master.” The older man clapped as the young adventurer vividly described his swordsmanship.

“That’s Prince Randor, the king’s youngest son. He recently ventured into the Florescent Woods to purge the corruption. That’s what he claims.'' Corbin doubted the tall tale. They were the ones who freed the Motherlode from the Messenger’s influence. He ignored the blatant lies and climbed upstairs with the others.

“Make yourselves at home.” The older human maid opened their room. Their room has everything every adventurer seeks at the end of their journey: a comfortable bed, a wide dining table, a wardrobe for their possessions, and, personal baths, After dropping off their equipment at the wardrobe, Milas and Nia headed to the baths. Rez grabbed a grilled taurus hind and a cup of fermented wheat delivered by the maids. He enjoyed the feast ever since they visited Florescent Woods. Corbin immediately slept on the couch without washing himself.

At the baths, Milas and Nia shared what has transpired today.

“I never realized that there would be a gentleman in the city.” Milas scrubbed her shoulders and back at her tub. She used a towel and gently stroked away the dirt. It has been five days since the last time they cleaned themselves.

“There will always be kind individuals, regardless of gender or upbringing. Try to always look at the best of everyone.” Nia soaked herself in the tub’s warm waters and submerges down. Petals of floraes drift inside the tub. She meticulously massages her jet-black hair with a wooden comb.

“I wish I was that very optimistic like you, Nia”

“You’ll eventually become one as you grow wiser.”

“Honestly, how old are you? You’re quite advanced at your age. I have yet more to learn from you.”

“I would rather not divulge it. It’s my secret.” Nia giggled with Milas’s avid curiosity.

“Who wants some grilled taurus hind? I’ll order more!” Rez knocked at the baths' door, nearly peeking at the bathing women.

“Can you please wait?” Milas shouted at the other side of the door. She then threw a soap when Rez slowly opened the door, trying to peek.

The adventurers prepared themselves for the next day. Corbin and Rez took a cold shower from the baths. Corbin lived in harsh temperatures. For him, the cold water sharpens his senses. Rez meanwhile, hated the freezing water. He forgot to warm up the baths. The runic heater would take hours to set up, but Corbin went ahead.

“What weapon would you like to get today? Axe? Hammer? Club?” Rez peeked at Corbin who is facing away from him. He tried distracting himself from shivering.

“Maybe like my sword.” Corbin just thought of it immediately. His orcish drill sergeant instructed them to be proficient in any melee weapons. They should be capable of weaponizing any object, even if it’s merely a twig or a pebble.

Rez sprinted from the baths back to the room’s wardrobe. He grabbed a towel and covered his wet body. He wagged his slinky tail and shook off the excess water. Corbin left the baths wearing a larger towel. He wiped the trail of puddles that Rez left. He got annoyed that Rez acted like he actually owned the room they were renting.

Earlier in the morning, Nia went downstairs to the main kitchen to get their breakfast. She got toasted pans and bowls of greens. While visiting the main kitchen, she found the other adventurers sleeping either on the stone floor or wooden benches. Some complained about headaches after drinking excessive amounts of fermented wheat. Others took a bite of spicy capsicum with salt and raw avian egg to sober up.

Milas came back from her morning routine outside the adventurer’s lodge. There were a few women observing her practicing her fighting skills. The nosy women peeked behind the street. It was the first time to witness an oriental female fighter in Capital City. She was wondering what the women were doing behind her.

The four met again at the adventurer’s lodge and finished their breakfasts. Rez went festive yesterday, but he feels disappointed with the plain breakfast. He eventually emptied his plate to please his companions. After breakfast, the four went in their separate ways. A tall order of jobs was waiting for them.

“We’ll meet before nightfall. Same lodge and room.” Corbin and Rez visited the southern city district.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“See you later, Corbin!” Milas jogged west towards the crowd.

“Be careful and good luck!” Nia returned to the adventurer’s lodge and helped the maids.

Fuji was waiting for Corbin and Rez at a nearby monument. He arrived earlier than the two while eating a crusty pan sandwich. Inside his meal were avian eggs and curd milk. They proceeded to visit Fuji’s acquaintance, who was staying in the southern city district.

Milas took a job as a porter at the bazaar. She planned to buy some knickknacks from the merchants at the bazaar.

“So, who is this blacksmith you mentioned before?”

“His name is Gargol, a good friend of mine.”

The three entered a run-down smithery. The roof has broken tiles and avian nests. Stacks of broken weapons piled up outside the shop. Bricks almost tumbled down from the wall. Intoxicating black smoke fumed from the inside. A furnace blasted flames from the inside.

“What did you get there, Fuji? New customers?” A towering grey troll was hammering metal from an anvil. Dressed only in blacksmith attire except for protection for his top, the troll was squatting and tinkering at a huge anvil. He scowled at the new customers and spat at a metallic jar.

“They need your service, Gargol.” Fuji requested Corbin hand down his worn-out sword. Corbin pulled the sword from his back. He carefully held the blade while Gargol reached for the handle. The grumpy troll inspected the sword with one hand. Squinting with precision. he looked at each cranny and corner, then violently tapped at it.

“Hmph, human craftsmanship. This is trash.” Gargol smashed Corbin's sword in the anvil and threw it at the weapon pile. He stood up and grabbed a hung sword from the upper display case.

“Wait, that’s rude!” Rez complained at the sight.

“Hush, let him be. Corbin eld Rez’s shoulder.

“Take this training sword. It's slightly better than what you’re using.” Corbin borrowed the sword from Gargol, went outside, and swings it in the distance. He practiced orcish fencing to test the sword’s durability and sharpness.

“Quite an impressive swordsmanship for a deserter, eh?” Gargol crassly commented.

“Slightly better.” Corbin sheathed the sword on his back. He wondered how Gargol knew his circumstance.

“Mind you, that one is antique. Used by the city guards. It will break sometime.” Gargol walked towards his workbench to resume his repairs. There were piles of weapons yet to be fixed. He then noticed Rez who is hanging out at the blacksmith and wiping his firearm.

“You there, your firearm looks like a filthy taurus paste. Smells bad, looks crude, and shoots badly.” Gargol spitted again at the jar, banging it with the impact.

“Excuse me? I poured everything to make this beauty!” Rez proudly showed his firearm, which looks more rugged than ever. It had dents and scratches from the previous battle. The engraved design began to fade.

“Relax Rez, Gargol can distinguish which weapons need maintenance.” Fuji tapped Rez’s shoulder. Gargol has been the city’s veteran blacksmith. He outlived other blacksmiths since the 5th civilization. Everybody respects in the city recognizes and respects his craftsmanship. Adventurers and city guards often commissioned the rugged troll.

“I got a proposition for both of you. You stash and mine some good ore. I’ll turn them into good equipment. Agree?” Corbin nodded with Gargol. Rez despised the troll who insulted his craftsmanship.

“Fuji told me you had companions, right? One is a fighter, and another is a priestess. I can make them some good equipment as well.”

Meanwhile, Milas happily took her job at the bazaar. She carried goods from merchant to merchant. Her strength let her finish each request from vendors and merchants. Eventually, she forgot to buy things from the merchants. Her job also let her do sightseeing.. The women who observed Milas earlier approached her. Milas completed her fifth delivery for the day and took a short break.

“Hello missy, where did you learn those moves? Is that a new kind of dance from the East?” A tubular mother asked her. She haphazardly imitated the punches and kicks. Others giggled and copied Milas’s moves.

“From the Lotus Valley. I studied at one of their convents.” Milas made an impressive fighting pose. She made choreographed punches and kicks in the air. The woman cheered at her simple movements/. For them, it looked very complex.

“Lotus Valley? That’s too far! It’s hard for us to imagine how you got there.” A female gnome leaned towards Milas, looking at her well-toned figure.

“And look at those arms. They look sculpted like a stone!” An elderly touched and tickled her out of nowhere.

“Geez! I just worked very hard.” Milas blushed from the women’s compliments and the tickling.

“Can you teach me, sister?” A young girl interrupted the group of busy women.

“Miss, break time’s over. Come, carry the next goods.” An orc in work clothes ordered Milas to resume her duty.

“Sorry, but I got to go. See you later!” She bid farewell to the curious women.

Nia helped the maids clear the dining hall. They are glad to have a helping hand. Most adventurers who feasted yesterday left for their jobs.

“You got quite some impressive companions. Where did you meet them?” The older maid chatted with Nia as she wiped the table with a scented rag.

“We met at the Florescent Woods.”

“Thank goodness Prince Randor saved you. He managed to liberate the forest from the ferocious beasts.”

“I see,” the older maid’s story puzzled Nia. She never remembered a young human swordsman along the way. It was only the four of them who saved the Motherlode.

“The king must be proud of his youngest son. Nobody dared to face the threat in the forest.”

“Someday I would like to marry him. He’s quite dreamy and dashing!” The elven maid joined in the chatter.

“Forget about it. You have some dishes to wash and tables to prepare.” The older maid reprimanded the daydreaming elven maid.

The evening arrived in the city. Night avians hoot from the trees. Some of them swooped a city critter and consume it. The lamp post glowed brightly via runes. Some taverns opened up for another night of socialization. Others were trying to sleep in their lodges along with the noise. The adventurers met up in their room. Nia was reading a book she borrowed from a scholar. She was waiting for them to share their stories.

“Hey, look what I got!” Milas bragged at her bag of argentum coins. The amount was enough to pay for their stay in weeks.

“Good, you’ve learned the value of your hard work.” Nia motherly praised the eager young lady.

“Don’t splurge it.” Corbin encouraged Milas to save her earnings for the day. Rez was about to suggest spending it in the kitchen on fermented wheat and boiled homaridae.

“I was planning to spend it on those random knickknacks back at the bazaar. But, I got too busy.” Milas hesitated to share what she plans to buy. Maybe a robe, a pendant, or a twinkling stone. But meeting the curious women at the bazaar made her realize something better. Money can’t afford earnest companionship.

“You’re really like a child, getting distracted so easily.” Rez jeered at Milas, who swung the bag of money in his face. Rez fell and cowered himself to stop the childish beat down.

“Okay, okay! I surrender!” Rez laughed while retreating.

Corbin chuckled for the first time while Nia gets surprised by the immature banter.

“I see Mr. Soldier chuckling!” Rez took a sharp turn towards Corbin.

“No, I was only coughing.” Corbin lied while peeking away, but for him, the small talk was an important bonding. He never experienced such banter back at the orcish military. They only charge at wars ordered by their orcish chief. Four individuals who used to be strangers know each other more.