Kaels mind was still spinning by the time he returned to the inn about two hours later. One of the two large backpacks Barbara had loaned him was enough for him as, even with everything he owned filling it, it still had some room left. Leaving the second one entirely unused. Upon Kael's return to the restaurant, Sean, the bartender slash waiter, guided him to the third floor. Separated from the commercial part of the restaurant, the third floor was reserved for the staff rooms, Sean explained.

As Kael unpacked his meager belongings, he felt exhausted. The entire day had been an emotional roller coaster that left his mind numb and in dire need of rest. Even though the day was still relatively young, Kael simply fell onto his bed after unpacking, asleep in mere seconds.

The next day greeted Kael with sunlight shining into his eyes as he blinked them open. Confused, Kael felt around for the sheet that was his roof. That was when he felt the foreign material he had been sleeping on. Since when had concrete turned soft? Slowly his sleep-addled mind began working, and with it came the memories of the last day. Sitting up, he looked around the, no, his room. Different kinds of wood dominated the space. He had been too exhausted last night to care much for his new home, but now... As he inspected the wooden furniture that adorned his room, he fell deep into thought.

The day had begun just like every other for the last year. Waking up with back pain from sleeping on the cold, hard concrete before finding food and going about his business. His life had not been complex. Looking for work, visiting his sister, and the occasional trip to pick some pockets were enough to keep his time filled. Now, he was sitting in a clean and modest room. Furnished with a bed, wardrobe, and even a desk.

Going by the clock hanging in his room, it was just past seven-thirty in the morning. What was he to do now? How could he have just fallen asleep last night? Nice job, making a good first impression here, Kael. Stellar performance, really. He struggled to decide what to do next. Should he wait or leave his room? Thankfully, all of that came to an abrupt end when he heard a knock on his door.

Kael jumped off the bed in a fit of surprise panic and quickly walked to the door. Hand on the handle, he took a deep breath, trying to calm down a little, before he opened the door. Kael found himself in front of the red-haired Barbara. "Good morning Kael. We weren't sure if you were awake yet. Breakfast is ready and most of the staff is downstairs waiting to meet their new coworker. There is still some time before we open for business, so you can take it easy. Was the room to your liking?"

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Swallowing once, Kael quickly answered. "Hello, uh, good morning Barbara, yes, of course, it's marvelous. I still can't believe that I am here. Again, thank you very much for all you have done already. I will make sure not to let you down." Her face lit up with a smile, and she said: "And I am sure you will do your best. Come, the others were getting a little antsy to meet you."

He felt his hands turn cold and his shoulders starting to cramp up. Jerkingly nodding to his new boss, he could only force out an: Of course. As any more would have made his voice crack and turn into a whisper. Evidently, Barbara had picked up on his nervousness, despite Kael trying hard to hide it, and placed her hand reassuringly on his shoulder. "You are going to be alright. Everyone working here has or had trouble themselves before. They won't expect you to be perfect on the first day, if ever. Just be yourself, and it's going to be okay." With that said, she pressed his shoulder forward a little while giving it a reassuring squeeze. Getting the message, Kael began to walk down the corridor.

The pale green rug under his feet dampened his steps as they walked down the brightly lit corridor. Last night was still somewhat foggy in his memories, so this was the first time he got a good look at the staff areas of the restaurant. His eyes quickly found some oddities as they walked towards what he suspected to be a spiraling staircase.

The walls were built in the same style the outside had been constructed. Looking around, the first thing that stood out to him was a metal ring mounted on the wall to his right. Then he saw a second and third one, quickly noticing a pattern. They were evenly spaced along the corridor, alternating between both sides of the wall. Considering the entire building, he could make a good guess what they were for. While not in use anymore, Kael suspected that the metal holders once held torches or oil lamps to illuminate the hallway. In between the holders, old wood and beautiful paintings decorated the walls. By now, Kael was sure that the building was built a long time ago and not just designed to look that way.

They quickly made their way down to the staircase that connected the upper three floors. When they reached the ground floor, Barbara stopped him and said: "Before we go in. I just wanted to let you know that while all of them know of magic and are more or less gifted, it is not a topic to discuss lightly. If you have questions, come to me first. Of course, should they initiate the conversation, you are free to speak with them."

She halted a little, seemingly considering her words for a moment before she spoke again. "Just as you have your troubles, so do they, and some of them are related to the craft. Should they choose to share something with you in confidence, I expect you to respect them and keep their secrets. Your training will be handled by me, and we will begin once I have had the chance to investigate some elements of your story. At least until you can enter the school this fall." She quickly held up her hand, stopping Kael from speaking. "Nothing will change between us. I know that you were an unwilling third party, and no responsibility will fall on you. There are just some questions that need answers before I know how to continue."

He had wondered about his enrollment since they had not discussed it until now. Before he could ask Barbara about it, they had already reached their destination. With only a door separating Kael from the people he would spend a good part of his time with, the jitters that had disappeared during the walk returned in full force. Despite his obvious discomfort Barbara opened the door and pressed her hand on his back, forcing him to step forward.