Just as soon as the sun set it rose up again,tainting the room in a reddish orange on the wall by the door.

it slowly opened as the maid walked into the room, gazing at it all with eyes that never stopped on the same place for more than half a second.

She started by looking at the bed which was empty and then into the table with a small wall mirror made from a sheet of glass that had aluminium poured over on the back, all the while walking further into the room until she stepped on something and her foot sunk into the soft mass.

Mitch - *huuuuf* *cough* *cough* what the! Oh crap i fell asleep on the floor, sorry.

He quickly rose up after the initial jump and tried to stretch his shirt straight.

She looked at him with a tiny grin as she tried not to laugh and apologise at the same time.

Maid - im really sorry, i should be the one apologising, i stepped all over you.

Why were you sleeping in the floor anyway?

Mitch - i guess i just fell asleep there.

Isn't it a little early to be calling me anyway?

Maid - everyone already expected you to be up and around by now, thats why i came to call you over, they are all waiting for you!

He got up and thanked the maid before washing his face with cold water and roughly combing through his hair with his fingers.

The maid had brought him a set of new clothes made for him, they had even taken into account his “clothing problem” as the left arm hole on the undershirt had been widened into the armpit and the jacket had been cut to to only have half a sleeve and sowed with a wide strip on the inside (almost like the pocket fabric) for his arm to go through and several strings to then tighten it back up.

Mitch - Done. Lets go!

They quickly moved through the castle onto the dining hall, there the other three were already having breakfast.

Mitch sat down and tried to find out what exactly all that was.

A boiled egg as long as his middle finger had been boiled and pre-cracked along with some bread drizzled in “olive oil” and some pieces of fruit.

He struggled to eat it all before the others had finished as not to waste their time.

Mitch - what are we gonna do today? Does anyone know?

Ana - i think we're going to have actual training today, the morning is going to be physical training and sparring, and the afternoon will be magic and basic spell arts.

And just as she said so Nigel the instructor walked in.

Nigel - are you folks ready!?

They walked into the training field as guards went past them making their rounds through the castle grounds.

Nigel - alright then, we are gonna start by training long range and then follow up with some combat and fighting techniques.

The heroes were each handed a bow except for Daniel that already had his crossbow, and were all instructed to fire at the wooden logs set across where they stood.

Each one of them fired for almost an hour until they could semi consistently hit the target near its center.

Nigel - you've had a pretty good progress with the longbow (and crossbow), i think it's a good time to follow up into the more direct combat.

Are you ready?

Daniel - what are we gonna use now?

Nigel - wooden swords, poles for spears aaaand i think that's it, also wooden shields and basic leather armor for cushioning.

Mitch - wait why do we have to train against each other? Or to fight against armed opponents?

Inês - some of the monsters made by the flood are intelligent and will be armed.

Mitch - should have remembered that!

The training continued with them sparring one another this time, trying different types of weapons and strategies As to stop each other.

Mitch went with a spear and a shield for his training, holding the shield on his right hand and the spear on his left one even with the slight bulk of the glove.

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Nigel - why aren't you holding the spear in your right hand?

Mitch - cuz im left handed *duh*.

Nigel - fuck, i gotta train a devil hand!?

Mitch - fuck you, there is nothing wrong with left handed people!

Inês - can you people be quiet!!!

Mitch and the instructor both quieted down and left this discussion aside for later.

The training continued without any accidents for almost 2 hours, the heroes were left tired and sweaty from all the exercise even though the day had barely started yet.

Nigel - i think that will be enough for today you all look quite spent, go take a shower and we will be done with this earlier so you can walk around and visit the city, maybe find some useful equipments and maybe have some fun.

The heroes each had a different reaction to it with Ana celebrating before laying on a bunch of boxes to rest, Daniel walking back to the castle by the shade and right behind him Inês did the same.

Mitch sat across Ana resting as well.

Ana - do you have any place in mind to go to?

Mitch - Not really. I think i'll just look around the city, and you?

Ana - im gonna go meet some nobles and look around the shops.

They each got up and went into their respective rooms waiting for the maids to guide them.

The maid soon showed up in his room and took him upstairs into a small room with a copper tub.

Maid - i will prepare the water, you can start undressing and getting ready for the bath.

Mitch stared at her for a second confirming what she had said with her nodding positively.

He quickly undressed as she filled the tub with water conjured from a spell and shot a flame into the tube that wrapped all around the tub warming the water with it, she did this five time until the water seemed to release a bit of steam

Maid - its ready, you may enter.

Mitch walked past her while trying to keep a serious face.

Mitch(within his mind) - don't get a boner, don't get a boner, don't get a boner, don't get a boner…

He placed both feet on the water while holding himself up with his arms, slowly dropping into the warm water below.

The maid searched through the cabinet, taking out two lidded jars one orange the other green.

Maid - here you go, ill be heading out now.

Mitch - wait you are just going to walk out?

Maid - yes, why did you think i was gonna bathe you?( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Mitch - am i supposed to be honest?

Maid - yes.

Mitch - then yes!

Maid - oh my how lewd.

Mitch - then why did you tell me to undress with you still here.

Maid - cuz i wanted to, orange his for your hair , green is for your body and the towel is right under the tub.

She closed the door behind her, leaving mitch alone in there.

Mitch - i don't know what i expected!

Morpho - neither did i.

Mitch - so you are awake again, care to stop “showing up” intermittently, either be here and talk or not.

Morpho - fine what you want?

Mitch - you said you could make a gun yesterday, can you make it now?

Morpho - yes i can, but just so you know don't go firing willy-nilly it cost mana for each shot and you don't have much yet.

Mitch - ok, ok!

The metal cracked as the gauntlet arched upwards a bit with just enough space for the hole of the barrel to be seen poking from the wrist and the base of the hand.

Morpho turned back into a bracelet and Mitch washed himself as quickly as he could.

Another set of clothes had been prepared for him, this time however there were no adjustments made since they had brought him a large robe/jacket that went to the middle of his thighs.

Maid - before you go out you have to talk with the minister of finances.

Mitch - where is he?

Maid - he's waiting near the front of the castle you can't miss it.

Mitch - thanks.

Mitch walked past the maid and suddenly turned around.

*Slap*

Maid -Haaaa! why did you do that?!

Mitch had slapped her bottom at the last moment all the while a huge grin grew across his face.

Mitch - just so you know two can play that game!( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

The way to the front of the castle only took him a couple of seconds.

All the while taking in the sites of the gardens and fields within the castle grounds.

he soon found the one he thought to be the minister of finances standing right by the gate.

Minister - so another one comes, hello … i'm sorry i guess i forgot the name.

Mitch - its ok. The name's mitch.

Minister - well mitch we can't have the heroes walking around unprotected through the city for several reasons so before you head out and we give you your “allowance” we are sending you out with a guard, he will also be dispatched with you anywhere you are sent to or go.

Mitch - got it! Now can you give me the money and let me go?

??? - sure! Why not, am i right minister?

A man in his thirties taller than mitch looked from behind the gate.

He was extremely well built and the only one mitch had met that was taller than him on this world by 5 cm (1 to 2 inches), had slightly grey skin, along with two little stumps poking from his forehead that could barely be seen at all.

From afar he would easily be confused for a really tall dwarf or an extremely stout giant covered in dust.

??? - hey boy, i heard ya dont mind demies, is that true?

Mitch - if you mean demi-humans , then yes i'm ok with them.

??? - tis good to find more accepting people than these blokes.

He slightly turned to the minister as he said so, but only enough for mitch to notice.

Minister - i guess that will do for now, mitch here's your money, 45 thousand royals, and you can trust Pence over there to help you out, he was one of our best recruits into the royal regiment.

Mitch - ok ,then lets go.

Pence - where do you wanna go to?

Morpho- now that i think about it i could really use some stuff, go to a blacksmith.

Mitch (both to pence and morpho)- i guess we could go to a blacksmith, i would love to know what we can get there!