Pride fills me as I put the new healing potions on the shelf next to the few remaining lesser healing potions. It isn't a big achievement worth any Karma, but I feel good about it anyway. Now I only need to see about replenishing the other potions. I'll need to study my recipes and collect ingredients. Or in some cases I need to let others do the collecting. Most of that is a problem for another day though.

There is something entirely different on my agenda first anyway. Dinner. Even more so since I missed lunch. My stomach grumbles in agreement.

I close the shop, although it is still a little early. I doubt anyone else will drop by today, considering the rush in the morning. Then I'm off to the inn.

Today's meal are baked potatoes, filled with sour cream and with plenty of fresh kitchen herbs and a little salt on top. They are still steaming hot, thus I take my time eating. I have more time to enjoy the taste that way as well. I get a mug of light sour beer to go with it as well. Nothing too strong. I don't need to indulge in alcoholic beverages two nights in a row after all.

The atmosphere isn't as lively as last night, but that isn't really a surprise. There are still plenty of people though. The knight and his squire are still around as well, but they probably won't be staying for much longer. I wouldn't be surprised, if they were to leave tomorrow.

While I'm still eating someone else comes to sit with me. It isn't one of the adventurers though. No, it is Agnieszka. I greet her with a smile.

“Good evening!”

She returns the smile and takes a moment to savor the smell of the steaming hot meal.

“Evening Valeria! It seems I just missed you back home.”

One of my eyebrows rises a little, but my reply stays brief as I have a bite of hot potato in my mouth right now.

“Oh?”

She nods enthusiastically.

“Yes, I wanted to see you about the new clothes. Or, to be a little more precise, I wanted you to try them on, so I could see if I still need to make any adjustments.”

Again my reply is brief. It isn't due to me eating this time around though. No, this actually is a pretty nice surprise.

“Oh!”

Again she nods enthusiastically.

“I don't expect everything to fit perfectly right away, but I doubt there will be many alterations I'll have to make either. Would you drop by my place afterwards? So we can get the fitting done?”

I swallow another bite while she speaks. Then I have a sip of my beer before I answer.

“Sure, I don't have any urgent business to take care of right now.”

I pause briefly, as something comes to my mind, before I continue.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

“I might head out some time later tonight though. I still need to collect those Night Candles. Hopefully I won't run into any trouble this time around. I really need them to stock back up on mana potions.”

My explanations give Agnieszka a chance to catch up with eating, at least a little. Neither of us can eat too fast after all, as these potatoes really are still quite hot. In the end she nods though, while swallowing.

“Good, good. I wish you the best of luck with the herb gathering. The fitting shouldn't take too long either, so I won't be keeping you from it.”

In the end I finish first but wait for my neighbor to finish as well, so we can head home together. I come along with her right away instead of heading home first. That way we can take care of my new clothes right away.

She is, of course, right. This really doesn't take very long although I end up trying everything, from the new underwear to the overall and the summer dress, on to make sure everything fits. In the end she only needs to make a few minor adjustments, as she already tailored the clothes to my measurements.

It hasn't even become properly dark by the time we part ways again. We hug, but Agnieszka doesn't let go of me right away.

“I think I can finish the rest tonight. Would you mind if I drop by in the morning?”

I snort but nod anyway.

“I don't mind, but don't ruin your eyes doing delicate needlework at night. I'm not that much in a hurry to get these new clothes. You know?”

She laughs out loud.

“Never mind that. It's just that sometimes sleep eludes me and then I need to keep my mind busy. If I were to just lie awake in my bed I would go mad.”

I finally pull away.

“Fine, fine. Just don't overdo it.”

“You too. Take care when you go out at night like that. Post a request for an escort if you intend to range further away from the village. Yes?”

“I will. Don't worry.”

Then, with a final wave I'm off.

I'm a little giddy. I said that I'm not in a hurry to get those new clothes, but actually I'm really looking forward to wearing them. Now more than ever. Agnieszka really knows what she is doing. She turned those plain fabrics into some pretty nice things. Nothing too exciting, but still.

Sour Cream is already waiting for me as I return home, staring accusingly at her empty bowl.

I pet her briefly and pour her some of her namesake treat. Then I get ready for the night. I get a wicker basket and a sickle which I put inside it. I even put the sheathed dagger back on my belt, although it hasn't done me much good last time I ran into trouble.

Tonight I don't stop at that though. Instead I bring my enchanted staff as well. At worst I can still use it as a crutch but it is a pretty decent weapon as well. And the enchantment might proof useful one way or another as well. The feeling of its well worn wood is enough to reassure me greatly already.

Sour Cream leaves the house as well, as I head out for the night. Curiously enough she jumps out the window though, despite the door being wide open. Silly thing!

I stop dead in my tracks after closing the door, entirely unlike the cat which disappears into the underbrush. Where should I go? I bite my lips. Should I head in the same direction as during my last nightly excursion?

I'm not quite sure. In all honesty, various predators and carrion eaters probably already have taken care of any remains of my desperate fight by now, but I still don't want to take the risk. The thought alone, that I might end up stepping into something gruesome is enough to send shivers running down my back. No, I don't need that.

Thus I end up heading in another direction. For the first leg of this trip I end up following the dirt road past Agnieszka's house and several more farmsteads beyond it. This way takes me further away from the creek than I have been so far and this worries me a little. Especially I'm worried that without this easy to find and follow landmark I might end up getting lost.

I stop and turn to look back for a moment. I can still see some of the village's lights and more importantly, the thin smoke columns rising into the clear night sky. As long as I use those for a landmark I shouldn't get lost.

I sigh and nod to myself before I continue in the direction of the next gathering spot grandma mentioned in her book. There is no helping it anyway. I need to get to know the lay of the land and there is no better way to do that than with your own feet.

I push away those worries and start to look for the telltale glow of the flowers I'm looking for and it doesn't take me long to find the first patch either. I cut some and start in the direction of the next patch, which by now is easily visible. After several more stops my wicker basket is starting to fill up nicely.

Instead of heading right back I stop at a small rock formation. Well, it isn't much of a rock formation. Just one big rock with a few other smaller ones littered around it, and it is even easily climbable from one side. That is what I do. I climb the rock and sit down for a little while to marvel at the night sky and the not so distant village that is laid out beneath it.