Chapter 103
Wherein to Gather
The tall grasses had to be bent to be passed through. Beads of dew on grass heads sparkled under the sun. It rained in short splatters when the grasses were budged. Along the way, spring’s earliest insects scattered away. Spiders were among the first. Little black ones moved like trickling water over the marsh grounds. The midges did not come near; they hovered in clouds. Birds squawked and leapt from the grass with startling suddenness.
Far enough through the grasses there was a clearing; and goblins that toiled there, digging for mud-loving creatures, scattered. They were quick to dive through the grasses. The scent of fear was like a fishing line hooked upon each goblin. But with Satiation at 93%, there was no need to chase goblins down for a quick snack. Especially not with an inventory full of dreambons and smoked fish, however alluring the scent of fear was.
With all creatures gone from the clearing, whether by hide or by flight, the light of the sun was perfect to inspect the evolution stone with. Rolling it from paw to paw, it seemed like it could have come from a split crystal ball. One side was rounded, and the other was like rough kyanite.
[Use Merchant’s Tent Evolution Stone?]
[Y/N?]
Yes!
The stone melted like warmed ice. It glowed like heated white glass. Like the last blink of an old star, the light vanished.
Slung upon the ground, the Merchant’s Tent backpack changed. It wriggled like a hatching egg. Suddenly there were grommets punched into the burlap. Leather thong cords snaked out and terminated in wooden toggles. The straps became adjustable with gliding buckles. And after the transformation, on inspection, There was more space within, and it was heavier.
…Not much of an evolution.
The backpack required more mana than usual to open. Unlike the tent, the burlap kept unfolding, kept unrolling. Somewhere in the seemingly infinite folds there were sapling thick poles. As if a great wind suddenly billowed, long sections of burlap suddenly rose up to form a near circular wall.The poles sank into the ground to stabilize the walls. The backpack continued to unfold over the wall as if crossing a glass ceiling until the whole structure was covered. The entrance flaps were the last to unroll, and they closed over the entryway like closing curtains.
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
[Congratulations! Your Merchant’s Tent has evolved into a Merchant’s Yurt!]
On entering, the yurt smelled of oak tar and freshly spun fibers. It was quite the surprise to find furniture inside! There were chests, cushioned seats around a low table, a bed of cushions, and a chest of drawers.
[Merchant’s Essential Chest of Drawers acquired!]
[Both lock and key will only appear in your inventory.]
There were three drawers with symbols etched onto the wood face of each one: music notes on the top, a flame beside a snowflake onto the middle, sun and spokes onto the bottom.
Each drawer slid out with ease and contained only a short letter.
Drawer of Ambience.
Place sheet music within for ambient music. Remove sheet music to cease ambient music, or leave drawer ajar to pause ambient music. Sheet music will not be swallowed.
Drawer of Comfort.
Place coals, ice, or temperature radiating item within to affect ambient temperature. All items will be swallowed. Merchant’s Essential Chest of Drawers will not burn, nor be hot or cold to touch, nor take damage from swallowed items.
Drawer of Light.
Place anything that emits light to affect lighting. items will be swallowed.
With the front flaps of the yurt closed, it needed light. The burlap was thick, thickest on the ceiling. Though the day offered only a glimpse of the coming spring, it was still cold. It was quite quiet.
The next thing to explore were the cushions. But which one? They all looked comfortable, like one of Hawkin’s folded wool blankets he had offered me many times to sleep on in his cabin. Hmm… which one to try? The collection that made a bed, or the singular ones around the table?
Hawkin’s wool blanket had been easier to choose because it was the only one, and he had always slept in his cot. All that was missing were friends to occupy each cushion. Only then would it be easier to pick that one which was left. Yes, there were two for Boggo, two for Hawkin, a few for sprawling Barnacle-eyes…
With enough space for friends, it was huge. Yes–what a huge yurt! But why did it seem bigger than Hiccup’s mansion, or more comfortable than Hawkin’s cabin, cozier than Bestie tunnels, homey like Barnacle-eyes’ galleon?
In all my long life…never has there been such a home to offer for friends. Yes, it was meant to trade and barter within; but surely it didn’t take with such gargantuan eyes to see that it was a perfect place for gathering friends. That was its value.
[Merchant’s Yurt. Level 1.]
[11/12 Furnishing.]
[1 more furniture piece may be added to Merchant’s tent without affecting backpack weight.]
[Level up Merchant’s Yurt to unlock amenities and room for more furnishing.]
[Furniture actions do not cease when backpack is folded.]
What a perfect place for the smoker! Yes, right there at the back. It should be a centerpiece like a smoke-breathing shrine. And I shall feed it daily sacrifices!
The sound of a hungry, falling Satiation rumbled through the yurt. It was followed with a burp that displaced the cushions and rattled drawers and chest latches.
…Speaking of smoked fish…