The sky was already covered in purple and orange hues when Meiris left Stegat's workshop. A large dark cloud loomed on the horizon in the east... Were she more experienced, she would know that there would be a storm tonight.

On her way to the inn she passed by a few people. Some greeted her and she answered them politely. The locals were still mostly strangers to her, which was to be expected as she put no effort in trying to know them.

However, other than the Donemies, there was one other bunch she got to know whether she tried to or not- The four adventurers that came nearly every day. The same ones she just saw entering inside...

When she got there herself, Jonarth didn't seem to mind that it took her so long. Instead he asked-

"Did he take the money?"

"Yes, with some difficulty."

She lied. After all, Stegat proposed the idea himself and the five silvers that Jonarth gave her were no small amount. That could last her nearly a month, or she could buy an okay set of clothes for it... Though her estimations for commoner spending were based on records, not practice.

The idea that this was a test did cross her mind, but Stegat had presented the money as an offer - in exchange for her agreement to his request...

"That guy... No aptitude for business whatsoever." sigh "You know, barely anyone had seen him for months after he had moved here. A shame, really. Such a young talent, wasted... His tools are far better than Berchae's, that's for sure."

So he was young... At least for Jonarth's standards.

"Berchae's?"

"She works across the square. I used to place orders from her parents, amazing magesmiths... Sadly, Berchae doesn't have their knack for it-"

Jonarth started talking about a mana lamp that almost caused a fire - and those generally don't produce heat. Nonetheless, he sympathized with the woman because she had a kid to feed, and her husband wasn't a much better hunter than she was a magesmith.

After the short exchange, he went to install the shower piece, while Meiris picked up her evening routine. It had been expanded recently, so that she could now take orders. Her cooking lessons had only started yesterday, but there was a soup on the stove and various beverages under the bar or behind it.

Without Helrin around, the merry group of adventurers paid her more attention than usual-

"You know any magic yourself?"

It was a boy with pale-green hair and matching eyes named Wald who asked her that. He seemed younger than she was, but Meiris gathered that spellcasting was his forte.

"I know a little, but it's nothing worthwhile."

This, naturally, sparked his curiosity.

"Can you show it?"

The inn's interior was primarily made of wood, but it was well lit and she wouldn't fall over a random item on the floor. It couldn't hurt to show him her basic flame, could it?

snap

"Ohhh, fire! I think I have learned the same spell-"

Wald lifted his left hand forming a fist and then opened it. A mirror of Meiris' flame appeared above his palm.

"Do you like it as well?"

Meiris asked him. She found light to be the most elegant, but there was something attractive about the wild flames...

"It's fun."

He retracted the spell and she followed.

"But I have moved on to earth and light. They are much better at controlling fights."

"Right, he's gotten quite good at it. But wait until I tell you what he did when we were attacked by-"

"Come on Dianna! We agreed it's a secret!"

"Hmph. I never received that compensation chocolate you promised us."

The girl folded her arms and spun around, her chin-long black hair lifted into the air for a moment.

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

"...You're unbelievable."

There was a wide grin forming on Dianna's face and her golden eyes were already laughing.

cough "Excuse those two. That's what you get with a couple in your party..."

As far as Meiris was aware, the man who just spoke was their leader. Cerulean eyes, short white hair and slight muscle... Though he was visibly leaner than Helrin, and probably younger.

His name was Retmor.

"Admit it, you're jealous. I know I am... Not of Wald, of course."

A maroon-haired beauty with verdant eyes chimed in - Awyn.

In contrast to the rest of the party wearing ordinary shirts and pants, she was clad in armor- Part leather, part metal.

Thus far Meiris hadn't caught on why that was...

"No, thank you. I wouldn't stand to see the love of my life risk her life."

"Liar. You don't mind throwing that spear of yours straight into danger~"

"That's what weapons are for."

Retmor answered Awyn's tease with a straight face and gulped from his tankard.

"I think it's romantic? And I can't imagine not knowing if Wald is okay..."

Dianna stroked Wald's head. Their height was similar, but was he maybe a tad bit shorter?

"So, are we just going to ignore that you don't mind risking our lives?"

Her voice was light and her gaze drifted to Retmor. She and Wald sat to the right of Meiris and he was on the far left of their group.

"That's your part. Who am I to tell you what to do?"

"I don't know... Our leader?"

They went on like that for nearly two hours, before saying their goodbyes and heading out for the night.

Meiris thought it would have been fun to be in such a party... But would she ever truly be a part of it? Would it last? Maybe one day...

sigh

Other than them, the inn got a couple guests, but the evening was calm.

'Calm before the storm...'

She recalled the saying as she realized there was less than a week left until the festival in Caphrim would end... She should enjoy the peace while it lasts.

A while later into the night, she was finishing up when Helrin stepped through the entrance. It was the first time she saw him with a weapon- A longsword on his back.

And good thing that the shower piece was working. It looked like he tried to wash the dirt and blood off of himself, but traces of it still lingered all over his clothes, body, his black hair...

Must have been a long day for him, she thought as she headed for her makeshift bedroll...

----------------------------------------

It was long past midnight when her rest was broken-

"EEEH!"

A mind-numbing screech woke Meiris up. It echoed through her thoughts, the nightmare unwilling to let go of her... But it was only the scream - nothing before it, nothing after. Nothing to justify the fear and pain she felt in that moment...

She wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and looked around- There was no hint of dawn yet. She could hear rain falling outside and lightning struck every once in a while.

Helrin was fast asleep on his bunk. She probably hadn't screamed herself, but her breathing was erratic.

Coming to her senses, Meiris was able to calm herself down.

At this point she was used to being lost- A lie. But what else could she do right now?

Tomorrow she would try to get an answer from Stegat. At the very least she might be able to arm and protect herself. Earlier she had a thought about her shifting the imbuements... Was her using the gloves further contributing to her mana's growth? Would she be able to wield powerful magic if only it was suited to her?

Her gaze drifted to the shelf she was assigned, where her artifacts were wrapped inside the cloak... But she couldn't do anything now, not tonight.

It was best that she tried to slip back into sleep for the time being...

----------------------------------------

The morning was... Normal.

Helrin was back behind the bar, preparing breakfasts. Meiris cleaned the four rooms that were used last night - none of the sheets required washing, so she was done early.

She was curious where he had been, though she was reluctant to ask. But it just so happened that the topic surfaced while they were talking- It turned out that Helrin was a member of a larger adventurer guild. Not a particularly active member, but the claims she heard about his strength must have been grounded if the guild sent him a direct request.

Apparently an artificial dungeon had opened several kilometers east of Pathenam. Helrin hadn't been chosen for the clearing party - that would have been straight up shocking - but he was on the protection duty outside. Much needed, if his appearance yesterday was anything to go by...

Meiris asked him if she could leave the inn for a couple hours. He didn't intend on being nosy, but inquired her back about the reason out of curiosity - she hadn't asked for anything like that ever since she arrived here. It didn't make him any less curious when she said that Stegat asked her to come, but he just let her go.

The roads were a little wet following the downpour that happened at night, but it wouldn't be long before the warm summer sun dried them.

ting

The inside of the shop looked exactly the same, save for the fact that it was brighter - the wind must have opened a few of the shutters...

However, unlike before, Stegat appeared before she had the time to reach the counter-

"Come."

A raspy voice reached her ears, just like yesterday.

She had wanted to greet him, but he bested her and motioned her toward the corridor right away.

"Alright."

Even though Meiris had already realized that he wasn't the type to waste his time on pleasantries... She still hasn't gotten used to it.

There was a door on the left wall of the passage she entered, but Stegat was already disappearing up the stars at the end of it. Had it not been for the tiny window up ahead, she would have been surrounded by near complete darkness-

thump

She kicked a step on her way - those were significantly higher than she was used to...

Upstairs she found herself in an open room lined with windows- All of their shutters closed.

'Why do you dislike the sun so much?'

He then led her to a room straight ahead. At the very least there were two dim mana lamps on a wall, because otherwise she was surely going to fall over something.

The room itself was surrounded by shelves filled with... nothing she could recognize. In the middle she spotted two workbenches, one with a wheel lying on top... Or whatever it was, it had a circular shape. The other held some kind of instruments she guessed, but what they did was beyond her.

"Let's start with measuring your mana." Stegat announced. "Put your hand here."

His finger pointed to a small platform that was a part of one of the instruments.

"Alright..."

Meiris wasn't all too sure about this whole thing, but she placed her hand on the item either way-