You can have anything you want son. But so can everyone else. The trick is realizing very few people care about what you want.

Herbert Meadows - Father

“Name?” asked the guard

“I’m Miki and this is Kelly. We're hoping to move into Tinder City.”

The guard narrowed his eyes as he looked at us.

“In that case, welcome to Tinder. What brought you here?”

“Nothing unusual,” I answered with a smile. “I was an adventurer but got tired of risking my life everyday and decided to settle down with Kelly. Her uncle's a merchant and had a spare wagon he lent us. Her dad gave us some things to sell in town. I’m hoping to find some work before we run out of coin from selling everything and my bit of savings.”

“Retired adventure? If you're looking for something calmer, the city guard will hire you if you're at least level 12.”

“I'm level 15,” I said with a smile. “Who should I talk to about becoming a guard?”

“Go up to the guard house in the city center and ask for the captain. He'll test you and see if you're actually what you say you are. Can't say you'd be the first adventurer who got tired of the road and not knowing if the next monster would eat you instead of you beating it.”

“Any tips where we might be able to stay the night?” ask Kelly.

“Judging from the look of it, you have a little bit of coin but not a lot. I'd go to the Cat's Paw Inn if I were you. Tell them Jake the guard sent you and you'll get a decent rate until you can find a place that's a little bit more permanent.”

“How about selling our wares?” I asked. “I know in some cities you need a license to sell things.”

“If you want to sell to people individually you will need a license. Most traveling traders just sell to a local merchant in the market. They can buy items off you without you needing a license. Are you selling the wagon too?”

“No,” said Kelly. “My uncle will either come get it in a week or send a message for us to bring it back to him. Hopefully we can have something set up by then and have a more permanent place to stay.”

“It’s no problem. You can store your wagon at the Cat's Paw. You best be moving on.”

With that we were waved in through the gate and made our way inside town without any further scrutiny.

“Well that was easy,” Kelly said once we were out of earshot of the guard. “I thought he would ask us more.”

“The guards are really just looking for a few things: smugglers, people who are obviously up to no good, and any wandering monster that might attack the city. We're just a young married couple new to the city.”

“We arrived early so I have a couple days before the meeting with Anderson's contact. Should we make our way to the Cat’s Paw?”

“Maybe. There is a good chance that it is not the best inn for us. If he's like most guards I know, he gets a kickback for recommending inns.”

We made our way throughout the city and after asking around for 30 minutes we found the guard had recommended one to three inns that actually suited our needs. We ended up deciding to go to the Roosters Rest instead. It was an inn with a slightly better reputation and more importantly every room had a tub with fully functioning plumbing. This was vitally important as I was on the precipice of my breakthrough to sky level cultivation.

I negotiated our stay for a week and Kelly had a little more faith that I may have been the son of a merchant based on my negotiating skills. I was surprised that she let me take the lead on all the negotiations.

Since she revealed why she was coming to the city she had warmed up to me considerably. To be honest I was growing fond of her as well. It felt like a lifetime since I had last seen anybody from my hometown or even a friendly face. The more I talked to Kelly, the more I found myself attracted to her. I know it was probably just an attraction based on the fact that she was the first kind person I had encountered in a while, but she was too damn cute.

I let her have the bath first and sat in the common room while she cleaned up. The young woman who met me as I was finishing up my dinner was hardly recognizable. In a clean dress with all the road dirt washed off of her, I could see why Anderson would want Kelly to marry his son. Simply stated she was gorgeous. I forced myself to not stare as she joined me at a table.

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Playing the role of the young husband I kept her company, chatted with her and attempted to entertain her with stories and jokes. As the evening went on, she continued to warm up to me, smiling and laughing at my jokes and stories as if we were young newlyweds. I didn't want to leave her alone in the common room, but I really wanted to complete my breakthrough. She finally encouraged me to go stating that she would be fine and would join me after she finished her meal and a drink.

I knew I was close to a breakthrough after defeating a group of monsters earlier in the day. Once in our room I stripped down then pulled out the water generating crystal and some soap. While the tub had plumbing to both fill and drain the tub, I didn’t want to use all of the water from the cistern to clean myself. I sat naked in the tub and started to cultivate.

I only had to cultivate for 15 minutes before I made my breakthrough.

Congratulations! You have reached early stage sky cultivation. +20 to all stats.

Name: Miki Meadows

Age: 29

Race: Human - Earth

Cultivation: Sky - Early Stage

Level: 40

Exp: 200/11,000 to next level

HP: 560/560 HP Regen 4.67/min

Stamina: 178/578 Stamina Regen 4.81/min

MP: 315/315 MP Regen 2.63/min

Strength: 102

Agility: 105

Endurance: 106

Intelligence: 106

Wisdom: 96

Luck: 118

Skills:

Let Your Sword Do the Talking

Scan

Languages:

Orcish - Tamerish

Marcosian

Satisfaction, accomplishment, and the sense of superiority flooded into me. Once more I was on top of the world, feeling like nothing could ever get me down again. The feeling lasted longer than all the previous times. Where the other breakthroughs caused a feeling that lasted a handful of seconds, this time it lasted a full minute.

Then the filth leaked from every cell in my body. It was like a combination attack as all the joy and wonderful sensations quickly left only to be replaced with a sensation of uncleanliness. I used the crystal and soap and let the filthy muck wash down the drain. After 15 minutes I finally felt clean and tried to hurry to dry myself.

As soon as I finished getting dressed Kelly knocked on the door.

“Well aren't you handsome,” she said looking me over. “I couldn't really tell with all that dirt covering you.”

“I wasn't exactly covered in dirt when we met. Did you think I was handsome then?”

“I may have found you a bit attractive. But I was more concerned about finding a mercenary who didn't look like he was going to take advantage of me once we were alone.”

“Understandable. Now I just need to decide where to sleep. I don't really fancy sleeping on the floor. I think I might sleep in the tub.”

“Don't be silly. A husband has to share a bed with his wife.” She flashed her mischievous grin at me.

“Are you certain? I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable.”

“We have spent a week together in the wilderness. All of that time you have watched over me while I slept. I don’t have any concerns about you forcing yourself on me.”

“If you are sure.”

The bed was plenty big enough to fit both of us with room to spare. I turned down the covers on one side and prepared to get in the bed.

“What are you, a barbarian? Take your pants and shirt off.”

She blew out the candles illuminating the room and went to her side of the bed.

I had never really shared a bed with a woman before. Sure Joanne and I has sex many times but it was never really in a bed. Or in a room for the matter. Needless to say we had taken many strolls in the countryside during our time together. I just decided to listen to Kelly and stripped down to my underclothes and climbed under the covers.

“You don’t have to be so far away,” Kelly said and she grabbed my shoulder and pulled me onto my back.

Before I could think about it she was on top of me, kissing me. Two things were immediately clear to me. One was that I thoroughly enjoyed kissing her. The second, Kelly was not wearing anything.

“Don’t you think a husband should make love to his wife after such a long journey,” the very naked Kelly asked me.

Before I could respond her hands found their way down between my legs.

As for the rest, a gentleman never tells.

Who am I kidding? I'm not a gentleman. We had sex. We fucked like wild bunnies. Turns out that the endurance stat helped with more than fighting. It was probably the single greatest episode of nighttime debauchery that I had ever experienced. Definitely better than the inexperienced fumblings of my first time. Far better than anything with Joanne.

Details? You want details? No, I’m not going to give you details. What kind of pervert are you?

Okay maybe just a little bit of details. All I will say is that it is amazing to have a lover who isn’t afraid to jump you and tell you exactly what she wants, when she wants, and where she wants.

Really, it was a perfect end to an amazing day.