My first meal as an adventurer. I can't wait, a small smile crept onto her face without her noticing. Her pace quickened and her stomach roared with anger as she navigated through the labyrinth that was the Adventurers Guild.

Eventually, she made her way to the tavern, a guild-owned establishment. Two large men stood in front of the entrance, their arms folded. They wore leather armor, with the guild's symbol etched on the left side of their chest, and swords attached at their waists. They eyed Elaine as she approached the entrance, their stoic expressions never changing. The sounds of laughter and chatter leaked from beyond the entrance, the smell of food enticing her closer, pulling her in. Until she was met with the faces of the men standing guard.

"Can I enter?", she pointed at the door.

"Proceed," one of the men replied, his voice gruff sounding.

They uncrossed their burly arms and stepped aside, holding open the door for Elaine. As she entered, a flood of different sights, sounds and smells assaulted her senses, overwhelming her. Laughter, chatter, people calling out for drinks, orders being made, food being served and many more noises filled her ears. A mix of delicious smells of stews, roasts, and even desserts assaulted her nostrils, her stomach roared as if declaring war, demanding sustenance.

This is much more boisterous than any one of those drab parties Mother always made me attend, Elaine thought as she scanned the tavern, a smile forming on her face.

The tavern was packed, adventurers from all walks of life were there from grizzled-looking middle-aged men and women to fresh-looking teenagers. They drank and chatted with each other. Many of them enjoyed their meals, others singing songs, while some even had arm wrestling competitions. Elaine scanned the place, looking for a place to sit and dine. She spotted an empty seat at the bar, taking the opportunity to begin dodging and weaving through the crowd, muttering out apologies every so often. Finally, she reached the seat, the start of her salvation from starvation. The seat was slightly worn, the dark brown wood having faint indentations from regular use, however, the bar itself was polished and pristine. Bottles of alcohol lined the back wall, giving the bartender easy access to the finest drinks that the establishment could offer.

Elaine took a seat and looked at the menu that was just handed out to her. She glanced at the menu which detailed the names of dishes, their prices, and a short description.

"Are you ready to order, Lady Autumnbow," a silvery voice came from in front of Elaine, interrupting her reading.

Elaine lifted her head, slightly stunned. Most people hadn't recognized her even though her family managed the land that Wintrell resided on. She squinted her eyes trying to identify the speaker, wondering if they had met before. Standing before her was a gentleman with short, clean, and well-kept black hair, his hazel eyes sparkled with intelligence. His face sprouted a short boxed beard that was kept neat and well groomed. He wore a white linen shirt with loose-fitting sleeves that were rolled up to the elbows for ease of movement, and over his shirt a waistcoat dyed black like his hair.

"Have we met?" her eyebrow slightly raised.

"Not formally, no. Well, when you're the daughter of the nobles who govern these lands, it stands good reason for everyone to know you, does it not? My name is Lucilo," He gave a slight bow, "Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lady Autumnbow."

"Elaine is fine," Elaine waved off his greetings, "Still, most people don't recognize me here in Wintrell."

"Well I for certain am not most people," a devilish grin spread across his face.

Elaine instinctively grasped the hilt of her dagger that was strapped at the back of her waist, not breaking eye contact with the man.

"Please relax, Lady Autumnbow. I mean no harm," he raised his arms in a show of surrender, "Plus the other patrons aren't too keen on seeing their servers cut down for no reason," he gestured around him.

Those who were close enough to watch the interaction had hands already grasping their weapons, ready to unsheathe them at a moment's notice. They waited in anticipation for Elaine's next move. The rest of the tavern continued with their merriment, oblivious to the small pocket of tension that was centered around the bar. Carefully, Elaine let go of her dagger, relaxing her posture as she let go of the breath she was holding. The adventurers relaxed as well, going back to their drinks and meals as if nothing had happened.

Another dumb mistake, her nails dug into her palm again.

"Thank you. Now what would you like to eat, Lady Autumnbow?"

"Like I said, just call me Elaine," she replied, staring daggers at Lucilo.

"As you wish. What would you like to order Elaine?"

"The tavern stew."

"Any drinks?"

"Just water."

"Very well," before turning around and sliding open a small wooden opening that was affixed to the back of the bar.

Sounds of raging fire and men could be heard and he had to speak loud enough so the chef and his aides could hear him, "One tavern stew, please!"

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

Lucilo then closed the door and turned back back to Elaine.

"So Elaine, how goes your first day as an adventurer?" giving her a smug smile.

"How do you know that?"

"Ahh, you see my dear Elaine. The walls sing to me, they sing tales of the present and whisper of the past. Your entrance was most definitely one that left a song to sing," his smile turned devilish, his eyes filled with a mischievous glint.

Before Elaine could ask further she was interrupted by a steaming bowl of stew being placed in front of her. The aroma, the tantalizing sight, and Elaine's growling stomach sent Elaine's head reeling. The stew looked delicious, chunks of meat swimming in a rich brown broth that contained various vegetables, some familiar and others foreign.

"Enjoy your meal, Elaine. I wish you all the best on your journey," Lucilo left Elaine to her meal, tending to the other patrons.

Elaine wasted no time digging into her meal, scooping up the broth and meat along with the vegetables. Her grip relaxed as she savored the mixture of flavors, spices, textures, and juices that exploded within her mouth. Elaine lost herself to her stew, devouring it completely. Her spoon scraped the bottom, collecting the remnants of the stew that had evaded her grasp till now. The flavor lingered in her mouth; she wanted more, craved more. It was a satisfying meal. She placed her spoon down, resting it on top of the now-empty bowl.

Elaine sighed, her body felt relaxed and her stomach was appeased. A feeling of fullness settled in, Elaine smiled, a content look spread across her face. Looking around the room, she observed adventurers chatting, eating, and drinking, all in all having a good time. Yet there was an emptiness within Elaine.

I miss everyone. I miss Gertrude's cooking. I miss Mommy. I miss Daddy, she thought as a heavy sigh escaped her mouth.

"Was the food not satisfactory?" her melancholic thoughts were interrupted by Lucilo.

"It was satisfactory," Elaine replied bluntly, her eyebrows furrowed.

"That is good to hear. Is there anything else you desire?"

"No. How much?"

"First meal is on the house," Lucilo gave a toothy grin, "and if you ever desire to listen to a song or two feel free to drop by."

Elaine paid him no heed as she walked off.

I don't like that guy.

Elaine returned to her room, locking the door behind her. She removed the bandages wrapped around her hands. She looked at the nail marks that lined her palms. Small droplets of blood dotted her palms, where the nails dug deepest. All she could do was sigh as she stared at her wound.

Mistakes mean pain, she thought as she walked over to her bag.

She dug into it pulling out a crystal, it was an iridescent silver color and roughly fist-sized. Channeling some mana, which caused it to glow, a small portal opened up, the borders sharing the same silver glow as the crystal. She reached inside it pulling out a change of clothes and a towel. The flow of mana was severed, and the portal was closed in response. She tossed the crystal onto the bed, landing dead center, before heading into the shower.

As the water flowed down her body, she winced as it touched her palm. The small wound stung slightly. After a relaxing shower where the day’s dirt, grime, and worries were washed away, she toweled herself before donning a fresh pair of clothes: simple sleeping garments made of silk that allowed for easy movement and comfort. Returning back to the main room she tossed her dirty clothes onto the floor and stored the crystal back into her bag. As she plopped herself onto the bed, arms and legs sprawled out, she stared up at the wooden ceiling.

I miss my bed, she sighed, but still beats sleeping outside like when Daddy was training me.

Elaine reminisced, the memories of her travels with her father as he taught her how to survive in the wilderness. Teaching her the different methods of hunting, gathering, crafting, and trapping. Her body grew increasingly heavy, eyelids following suit. A wave of tiredness swept over her as she fell deeper into her memories.

Daddy always said... sleep is... important, she thought, the words in her mind slurring.

She drifted off to sleep, embracing the soft mattress and warm sheets. A peaceful, dreamless slumber awaited her.

***

Elaine's eyes shot open, and the rays of the sun assaulted her vision, blinding her. Her hand immediately went in front of her face shielding herself, her eyes slowly adjusted to the brightness of the morning.

"Forgot to draw the curtain last night. Ugh," Elaine groaned.

Slowly sitting up, she yawned as she stretched her back, feeling her spine pop as she arched backward, relieving the built-up tension. She rubbed her eyes, the tiredness still lingered. After a few brief moments of stillness, Elaine slipped out of bed, her feet touching the cold wooden floor, sending a chill up her spine. Standing up, she stretched her legs before making her way to the bathroom, her bare feet patting against the hard wooden floor. She washed her face with cold water, still groggy from sleep but slightly more refreshed from the wake-me-up.

Today's the day I complete my first quest, she thought while skipping back to the main room, over to the pile of dirty clothes.

Picking them up, she cast 'Cleanse', the spell name clear in her mind. She molded the mana that flowed out from her hands, it turned a pale blue as she guided the spell to the dirty clothes. The pale blue mana enveloped the dirty clothes as the spell took effect. It traveled down the clothing, any stains, grime, dirt, and filth on the clothes stuck to the mana, turning it a murky black as it absorbed it all. With her clothes now clean she gathered the mana back to her hands, clinging to her palms, before walking over to the bathroom. With her hands over the sink, she released the spell causing the mana to disperse. The accumulated dirt fell into the sink, only to be washed away with water.

She donned her now clean gear, storing her sleeping garments in her spatial storage crystal. She slipped on the boots that were neatly stored at the foot of her bed. She strapped her daggers, secured and ready. With breakfast in mind, Elaine left her room, making her way down to the tavern. The sounds and smells of the patrons' early mornings assaulted her. The adventurers chatting, ordering, and eating were as noisy as ever despite the early hours of the day. The smells of delicious food assaulted her senses once again. Her stomach rumbled in response, demanding sustenance. Her meal was quick, choosing to gobble down a bowl of pottage and some bread. In part due to hunger and another part not wanting to interact with Lucilo again.

With a belly full of food and a purse slightly lighter, she headed back to the guild hall. Just like the tavern it was filled with adventurers, more so than yesterday. They were gathered around the quest boards that lined the sides of the room, looking at the different quests they offered. The receptionists were busily processing the incoming quests and adventurers alike. She walked over to the quest boards, each board was made of a clear crystal causing the board to look brown from the brown backing that held these crystal boards up. Above each board were signs that detailed the ranks of quests available.