Tears fell from my face to fall on the paper as I read. I hadn't even realized that my eyes had teared up. I was overflowing with different types of emotions.

The largest of those was relief that my mother wasn't actually dead. When my father mentioned it, I couldn't bring myself to truly accept it. I had to shut the information in a tiny impenetrable box deep in the darkest reaches of my mind.

The fact that she didn't just leave us and that she missed me and wanted to see me sent off explosions in my heart like fireworks during the summer festival. I did have some anger in my heart as well. I wanted to know why she had left and what she had been doing. I needed to understand why she and my father had to lie to me.

I took up the keycard in my hand and held it tightly. That small piece of metal was heating up in my grip and was my link to finding her. I vowed then that I would do whatever it took to see her again.

I secured the paper and the keycard on my person. I didn't want it to be too far away from me. It had become the most important item I owned.

A paper pad and a pen were on the right corner of the desk where the box was resting. I took a moment to compose a quick note. I folded it and placed it back in the box, then pressed the button on the side of the door to call the attendant.

I was glad to see the older gentleman that helped me previously.

"If I place a note in this box, will it ever be discarded?" I asked. I was trying to see how long the box was purchased for but didn't know how to ask. The old man just looked at me quizzically.

"Uh, how long has the box been purchased for? What is the length of time it will be available?"

"Ah, yes," he said in realization. "Sir, this is a permanent purchase. It will be here as long as the bank is."

"Oh, great!" I sagged slightly in relief. "I'm ready to go then."

The attendant secured the box. Then I followed him back to the room they were all stored in and watched him put it back. Afterward, he escorted me back into the main area. When we were back where we had started, he turned and bowed slightly.

"Thank you for your patronage, sir. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"Yes, actually. I need to find out about transportation to the capital city. Do you know where I could get more information about that?"

"Hmm," The man thought for a minute. "There are a few different methods to get there. If it was me, I would first go to the train depot. They have trains leaving every day for the capital. Plus, the accommodations would be the best, depending on the price. Of course, those prices can be excessive. But the price is worth it since they are the safest and the fastest.

"Also, there are caravans that leave for the city regularly. I couldn't tell you how often. Although, they don't usually take passengers. You usually have to be a laborer or a guard, but I suppose it wouldn't hurt to ask."

"Thank you for all that. Could you give me directions to the train depot? I will go there first."

The old man graciously gave me directions to the train depot, and I immediately set off. His directions made it seem as if it would be simple to get there. Sure, it was on the other side of the city, but he only mentioned two places where I needed to turn. Based on such simple directions, I thought I would get there in no time.

Three hours later, I arrived at the depot. I felt bedraggled and had I not had a water skin, I was sure I would have died of thirst. I had never been so hot in my entire life. It seemed that there was no wind to be felt in the entire city and all I could do was swelter in my sweat.

While walking, I passed a few stores I wanted to check out. One that contained weapons and another that had general goods. I made a note of them on my map so I could return after purchasing a train ticket. I was happy that I could still use my robot functions with the low amounts of De circulating in the area because, without my map, I probably wouldn't have made it to the depot.

The train depot was an intimidating structure, even more so than the bank. Like the bank, it appeared to be hewn from large stone pieces where the seams were impossible to see. It also had large pillars at the top of a monumental stairway, the width of the entire building. It seemed that the stairs and pillar combo were popular architectural designs when they were made.

The size was the most significant difference between the train depot and the bank. The depot was at least three to four times larger than the bank, just from the front. Multiple trains parked in the station peeked out from the end of the building. I was sure that inside I would be able to see even more.

It took me a few minutes to find the counter where I could purchase tickets. Once I walked into the building, it opened up into what I could only describe as a vast waiting room. The area was almost entirely open, with only a few wooden and brick kiosks scattered about. Most of the site was littered with chairs and benches where people could wait.

The place to buy tickets was at the far end, inside a small alcove before the entrance to the area where the passengers boarded the trains. The sign was small, and I probably would have walked right by if not for the line of people in front.

As I waited in line, I noticed a large clock hanging above the area on one end of the building. I had seen it before, but I didn't give it much thought as I was busy looking for the ticketing area. However, I quickly got bored standing in line, and as I waited, I noticed the clock and the time.

I had come into the city in the early morning, and it was already well past midday. I hoped there were still tickets for a train leaving that day, or I would have to find a place to stay.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

"Good afternoon, sir. How can I help you?" The ticketing agent said with a placid smile once I reached the window.

"Hello. I would like to purchase a ticket to the capital."

"Certainly, would that be one-way or round trip?"

"Round trip?" I asked, perplexed.

"Will you be returning here or staying there?"

"Uh, staying there, I guess."

"One way it is," the agent said monotonously. Then she glanced at me with a raised eyebrow. "I assume you would like to travel via class C?"

"What are the classes?"

She sighed loudly. "We have three classes, A through C. Class A will cost eighty silver coins, Class B costs sixty-five, and Class C costs forty."

"Forty silver coins is the lowest?" I scoffed. Coins were relatively simple in our nation. There are three types of coins: copper, silver and gold. One gold is equal to one hundred silvers, and one silver is equal to a hundred copper. After buying my pastry, which cost ten copper, I had one silver and five copper. It looked like I wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. "Where am I going to find that much money?" I said absently.

"That's not really my problem, sir. If you aren't going to be purchasing anything, can you please move to the side? Others are waiting." She made gestures to shoo me to the side.

I was dumbfounded and needed to sit down for a moment to think of what to do next. Thoughtlessly, I moved to the nearest chair to sit and ponder my next move. How can I make money here? How do I even find out where to make money?

"CoreLink, search Crescent City jobs," I said once I remembered the ability of my robot.

Searching CoreLink…

Approximately 29,500,000 results (0.26 seconds)

Top Result –

Current Job Postings – City of Crescent City

Would you like to select this option? Y/N

"Yes," I said.

I was amazed at the list of jobs that showed up. Not only was it an all-expansive list of seemingly every job offered in the city, but it also showed me how many openings there were. The only problem was that I couldn't do most of the jobs. On top of that, I had no idea how long it would take me to make enough money in those jobs to buy me a ticket to the capital. I had to change my search.

"CoreLink, what jobs make the most money?"

Searching CoreLink…

Approximately 604,000,000 results (0.23 seconds)

Highest-Paying Careers

Rank Occupation Median Wages

1 Obstetrician 1,040+ GC Annually

1 Gynecologist 1,040+ GC Annually

1 Oral Surgeon 1,040+ GC Annually

(7 more rows)…

I selected my display to show the additional rows of information, but I didn't see the information I wanted. It just broke down jobs by salary, and it seemed to start with jobs that I had no idea what they really did, and the additional ones appeared to deal with jobs for the local royalty. A bit lower on my display seemed to have something that piqued my interest.

Lucrative Jobs In Crescent City That Secretly Make The Most - GClovers.cos

-Perhaps the highest-paying job in the world, in a traditional sense, holds the number one spot in this article: Monster Hunter in the local guild. While it's hard to quantify the salary of this job due to it being dependent on the amount of work put in, it is the only job listed that can bring in more than 300 GC a year through a combination of killing monsters and selling their parts. The list, however, does not take into account Royal salaries, politicians or those they directly employ. (more)….

CoreLink, where is the Crescent City Monster Hunter's Guild?"

Searching CoreLink…

Location found - Would you like to plot a route to this point? Y/N

"Yes, place it on my map."

I left the train depot with haste since the guild didn't seem too far away, at least compared to the depot from the bank. However, I learned I couldn't be too sure in the city. I must have been moving too quickly and staring at my map too closely because just as I turned around a large pillar at the bottom of the depot's stairs, I collided with a person that sent us both stumbling to the ground.

I heard a groan from my unlucky collider. "Ah, man. You idiot, why can't you watch where you're going?"

I picked myself off the ground while the man was complaining, and when I looked in his direction, he was still sitting on the ground. He was wearing well-worn boots and a simple pants and shirt combo. He gave me the impression of a local worker, and I had just interrupted his duty, whatever it had been.

"I'm so sorry," I said while extending my hand to help him get up. He looked at me for a moment as if he was considering the help, but he eventually accepted.

Once standing, he ran his hand through his black, slightly slick hair. His robot was a small, oblong, four-legged contraption that sat perched upon his shoulder.

"Look, uh, sorry I snapped at you. It wasn't your fault. I wasn't looking either." He looked me up and down after that. "Say, you look like your new here, yeah?"

"Yeah," I confirmed. "I just got in this morning. I'm so sorry I bumped into you, but I'm in a hurry."

"Ah, forget about it," he waved it off. "Where you headed, and why are you in such a hurry, if you don't mind me asking?"

I didn't see the point in denying him the information. So far, everyone in the city had been extremely helpful. I wanted to take advantage of every opportunity for some extra assistance.

"I'm currently headed to the Monster Hunter's Guild. I have a couple things to get done today. I'm hoping to make as much money as fast as I can."

"The Monster Hunter's Guild, huh?" I nodded to his question. "That's not too far from here, but the only way will take a while. I know a shortcut."

"That's not necessary, I have a -" I was about to tell him about my map software and that he didn't have to worry, but he cut me off.

"I insist as an apology. Besides, I wouldn't feel right leaving you to navigate those streets alone. Especially now that I know you're new. This street might seem safe, but you turn down the wrong one, and you can find yourself in a world of hurt." He pointed to himself with his thumb. "You won't have to worry about that with me. Ole Jimmy John here knows everybody, and I can get you there freaky fast. Come on." He turned and started walking without letting me answer.

He seemed nice enough, just like everyone else in this city. I had truly been lucky with all my interactions with people, except perhaps the lady at the train ticketing booth.

Jimmy was a few people lengths ahead of me when he turned down a narrow side street. I glanced at the map and noticed he had turned the wrong way. I started jogging to catch up to him and let him know. When I turned the corner, I couldn't see any sign of him.

"Jimmy?" I hollered and moved deeper in, and that was when something struck me in the back of my head.