tak
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Footsteps can be heard inside a forest along an isolated dirt road. A woman walks in a hopping but silent and graceful manner. Her black hair flutters from the gentle breeze as she nears the outskirts of the forest. This woman was Selaine Arkegrasper, walking while carrying a crude map on her hands. She looked up and see the sun rising from the mountains, a trickle of loneliness concealed within her eyes.
“I’ll miss them, but I will definitely come back by then”
“Though I feel bad for just leaving without personally saying goodbye”
She arrived at the forest’s exit and looked back. Wearing her clothes from her previous world while carrying a knapsack styled like a modern backpack with additional pockets. Wearing her sleeveless long cotton coat with hem reaching her knees and styled in dystopian colors highlighting grey as her outerwear, her footwear being a heeled sandals, her innerwear, a plain V-cut blue shirt and a dark blue shorts that reached slightly above the knee.
“Thankfully my clothes wasn’t damage. Not even a single bit”
“I guess, lifestyle magic in this world is pretty convenient”
Feeling grateful for the existence of magic, Selaine kept on walking.
* ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Sounds of horses can be heard as a carriage can be seen approaching what seemed to be a medieval city gate. The driver of the carriage looked inside the carriage.
“Miss, we’re now already within the walls of Halemint City, so wake up!”
In response to the driver’s shout, a woman’s head came out of the carriage. Selaine, which came out of the carriage, was feeling a little mesmerized as she looked at the city’s main gate and walls.
“This is somewhat a pretty place to look at… too bad using my phone might attract attention so I can’t use it to take pictures.”
Selaine felt a little regretful but she was immediately called out by the driver.
“Miss, here is your money for helping me out during our journey”
The driver pulled out a string pouch and gave it to Selaine. Within the pouch are 50 brown colored coins. Immediately knowing that it was copper coins, Selaine put the pouch inside the pocket of her coat.
“Thanks…”
“Don’t mind it, you must be unaware but there is a 10 copper coin entrance fee when you go to the city.”
“Eh~”
Selaine sulked as she thought of her money go down to 40 coins as she paid her entrance fee. As she walked in she saw the city roads as people are passing by. Quickly regaining her senses walked and asked directions to some of the citizens.
Following the directions that she have heard, she arrived at a café-like building. She looked at the sign depicting a dandelion with a bed as background, she went inside the building. She was greeted with the smell of herbs, relishing in the smell, a teenage boy approached her.
“Miss, are you here for a meal or do you want to rent a room to stay at?”
“ah,oh…Um, How much for a single bedroom?”
She answered feeling embarrassed. The boy smiled as he seemed to ignore this fact and informed.
“10 copper coin for a single bedroom stay for 1 day, and 1 silver coin for a whole week. There is an additional fee of 5 copper coins for meal services during your stay.”
“The meal service is consist of two set meals for morning and evening, specifically at the seventh light and at the 8 half-light respectively”
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
Selaine remembered that the people in this world used to calculate based on “Light” equivalent to AM while “Half-light” is equivalent to PM in earth’s time. She reached out to her pocket and gave the boy 35 copper coins, again feeling depressed from the expenditure she made.
“Please come with me to the counter”
The boy went to shop’s counter and took out a key from one of the counter’s shelf and gave it to Selaine. The key was made from wood and was inscribed with a roman numeral for twelve.
“The rooms are on the second floor, and as you can see from the inscription on your key you are assigned in Room 12”
“Thanks”
Growl
Selaine felt embarrassed but quickly regained her self and asked the boy if she could take a meal in advance. She went sat on one of the counter tables and waited for the food to come.
“There’s nothing out of place in this place yet but it’s not bad to be cautious”
The boy approached Selaine carrying a tray with food along with an appetizing smell. He putted the dishes in front of Selaine. The dishes consists of a yellow paste that was wrapped in thinly sliced bacon which is placed on a salad, and a bowl of soup.
“Here is your meal, Herb Salad with Bacon-wrapped Corn Paste and vegetable soup”
“Wow…”
“Well then enjoy your meal”
Immersed in the food’s smell Selaine picked up the fork and slowly started to eat, not noticing that the boy already went back to serve other customers. After she finished eating she went to the second floor to check her room.
The room looked empty furnished with only a bed and a desk beside it. After checking her room, Selaine went outside and looked for an administration or information office.
She arrived in front of a Store after asking directions from the locals. She entered and scanned the interior. The store’s inside seems to be something like a post office.
“Welcome to the Transporters’ Office, are you hear to send or receive something or are you hear to seek some information?”
A man smiles at Selaine as he greeted her personally. According to one of the books that Selaine had read in the Temple’s Library, Transporter Guilds not only works like a post office but they also act as mediators for jobs in all aspects (including dark/underground jobs).
“Umm…May I ask you any available job offers?”
“May I ask if the job you’re looking for a part-time, full-time, or a live-in job offers? Oh, there are also contractual job offers available”
“Let me check them all please”
The man presented Selaine to a Bulletin Board beside him. Selaine went check on it. She checked the notes posted and choose one that was posted at the boards’ edge
[Wanted: Housekeeper/Storekeeper
Job type: Part-time (Schedule can be discussed)
Skills Needed: Cleaning, Organizing, Cooking
Job location: Western part of the City’s Residential Sector, Peter’s Books and Wood Crafts]
“Oh Old Pete’s note, you should check now since he will probably be closed tomorrow since he will go to a meeting at the city hall. Take the note so that he will know you are there for the job offer”
“Okay”
Selaine went to job location after asking the receptionist the directions. On her way to the residential west part of the residential sector, she noticed a few things. The roads we’re clean while the alleys were littered with some garbage, she expected the roads to be at least littered with some droppings or whatnot since there are carriages and horses passing by.
While thinking of such things she arrived at the job’s location and went inside the building. Inside were all kinds of books and woodcrafts that was messily showcased on shelves. At the back of this store’s counter was an old man.
“Hello young lady, may I ask the reason for why you came to my store?”
Selaine presented the note to the old man. The old man looked at the note and opened the door beside the counter as he beckoned Selaine to follow him. Inside was a room littered with wood chips and the smell of wood. The old man then sat on a table on the side of the room and called Selaine to seat in the other side of the table.
“I am Pete, young one, the work here is pretty simple since you just have to clean and organize the store’s merchandise along with this building living quarters.”
“Then why do you have cooking as the skills needed?”
“Uhh…I’m not a very good cook so most of the time I have to dine outside, so I also want someone that could at least cook decent meals”
After a few questions, Selaine and the old man reached a conclusion. She’s now able to earn some money before going to travel again.
She went back to the Inn she was staying at and ate before going to sleep. In the morning, she went to Old Pete’s store.
“Oh, you’re here”
“Morning, Pete”
The old nodded in silence as he handed Selaine a metallic key. He reminded her of her important chores, after which he then left for a council meeting.
Selaine opened the store and started cleaning and organizing the entire store including its living quarters. While doing her chores there was some times where she has to stop for a bit to attend to a customer that appears. Although she wasn’t able to do custom-made wood crafts, she made memos to give to Old Pete when he returned.
Most of the customers that appeared were surprised at the new face within the store, but immediately cooled down. There was even a few of them who delves in the mystical/magical arts but most of them being Potioneers and Charm Makers. Selaine would sometimes chat with them learning more of the Mystic/Magic-related knowledge although most of those knowledge are common to general populace.
When it’s almost sundown, Old Pete returned from the meeting looking a little tired as he complains about some of the things that happened from his council meeting. After he rested a little he gave Selaine her salary and told her that she’s done for today.
Selaine then returned to her Inn and ate before hitting the sack for today. This was her new routine for a few days.