I don't remember what I dreamed about, but I woke up screaming and sweating. It was not a pleasant awakening. My first reaction was to reach for my neck. For over a year, I had an iron collar there, which made me obey the man who experimented on me. I didn't want to experience it again. So when I didn't find this magical tool on my neck, I was very relieved.
The innkeeper warned me against the noise from the next door brothel. But, except for my nightmare in the morning, I slept like a log all night. My assumption that I would wake up in the early morning, long before sunrise, was wrong. I woke up at dawn. My sleep was long and undisturbed, something rare to me.
It didn't change the fact that this was a new beginning for me, a fresh start in a new world. So, where to start? My plan was non-existent. I had no idea what to begin with, the only thing I had was a few small goals. First, kill Dungreen. Second, destroy the fae. Third, if possible, find my way back to Earth. The last two goals could contradict each other because Fae could travel between realms. I knew that.
However, I was not in a position to go looking for my jailer, nor did I have the strength and training to do so. Finding fae was an even more challenging goal, especially when they were masters of tricks. More people or creatures may have known how to travel between realms, but I had yet to find out.
I decided to start my new life on Eleaden with something simpler.
Breakfast.
Innkeeper Byron was already behind the bar when I entered the pub. He was full of energy as he ran from the bar to the kitchen. The young girl I saw running with a tray between the tables yesterday helped him in the kitchen. The tables were almost empty in the morning. There were only two men and one couple.
As soon as I reached the bar, the innkeeper noticed me. He came out of the kitchen and asked me if I would like breakfast. The nine coppers, according to the innkeeper, were not much for scrambled eggs with bread. I had to trust Byron in that. However, the truth was that even though I only had water to drink, the scrambled eggs were excellent, and the portion was decent. I almost began to shed tears as much as I enjoyed it.
"Are you all right?" The girl asked as she walked past my table.
I nodded. "It was excellent."
"I'll tell our chef," the waitress said.
"Didn't the innkeeper cook those eggs?" I wondered.
"Uh-hmm," the girl smiled and disappeared into the kitchen.
After a long time, I was so happy with the food that I didn't even want to get up from the table. However, exploring the city was waiting for me. I got up and headed out of the inn.
"Miss Grey!!" the innkeeper called to me as he left the kitchen.
He stopped me just as I reached for the doorknob.
I turned to the innkeeper. "Yes?"
"How satisfied were you with the room?" He asked me. "Did you mind the noise?"
"I was really exhausted. I slept all night." I said.
"Glad to hear it. Will you sleep here tonight?" Mr. Byron asked.
I scratched my neck and smiled. "To tell you the truth, I don't know. I want to look around Castiana today. Get my bearings here. Find out the prices of accommodation elsewhere. Find a job."
"I understand. So I won't keep that room for you. Key please," He asked me for a key that I totally forgot about.
The key was in my storage, which was a really convenient thing. I gave it to Byron immediately.
"Here, I'm sorry. Please don't get me wrong, I slept really well. I haven't slept so well in a long time. Breakfast was excellent. It's just that I arrived in the city yesterday, and I want to find out how things work in the city first," I explained.
"You have nothing to apologize for. This is a business. Customers come and go," he smiled. "If the room is not occupied, I'll be happy to rent it to you again. You will be welcome here."
"Thank you."
Innkeeper rested his elbows on the counter. "As for work, I'm looking for someone to help in the inn."
"Really? What do you need help with?" I asked him.
"Well, it's usually full in the evening. It's a lot of work just for the two of us sometimes. It would help us a lot if someone washed the dishes during rush hour in the evening, maybe a little help in the kitchen," said Byron.
"That doesn't sound so bad. Why isn't someone else working here?" I wondered what the catch was.
The man frowned. "It's only two to four hours of work. It depends on how many guests come and how much we cook. I can give you 10 coppers per hour, no more. Most people are looking for something more permanent and for more money."
"I'll think about it," I told him.
My dream wasn't to wash the dishes, but I definitely didn't want to turn down my first job offer in this world, and one had to start somewhere. It was one possibility, hopefully not the last.
"I also know that at the Broken Heart, they're looking for someone to do their laundry. You can ask there if you are interested. But I would wait until noon with that. The girls work mainly at night, now they will still be asleep," said the innkeeper, smiling.
I thanked him once again for everything, but I did not promise him anything. My goal was Castiana City Hall. More precisely, notice boards in their hall with job offers. When I got there, it was no less busy in the hall than yesterday. I headed straight for the notice boards, where I started reading the individual job offers.
Very quickly, I noticed one thing the job offers had in common. None of them wanted to employ beastsmen, demi-humans, or half-beastsmen. It was written even more clearly on some notes. Only Humans. I was human, but I wasn't sure others would see it that way.
To my surprise, there wasn't a single offer without this restriction. That's why I decided to stand in line to ask the receptionist why this was the case and if I had a chance to get a job. Of course, I chose the same receptionist as yesterday.
"Hello," she greeted me, but her smile faded when she noticed who was standing in front of her. "Did you come to complain about Timmy?"
"No," I shook my head. "I was satisfied with his services."
The woman smiled. "I'm sorry, a lot of people come back to complain about him just because he's Terran. What can I do for you today?"
"Well, I've been looking at job offers, and they're all just looking for humans. Will it be a problem for me?" I asked her.
"I'm afraid so, they won't take you as a demi-human," said the receptionist.
I smirked. "But, I'm human!"
"Can I look at your ID Card?" The receptionist asked me, her face revealing nothing.
Even though she saw it yesterday, I didn't blame her for not remembering it. Not with the number of people they had here every day. That's why I showed her my card without any objections.
"Where did they give it to you?" The receptionist asked me.
"Here, in the guard's barracks," I said.
The woman behind the counter nodded. "So Captain Rayden herself checked you out, good. What happened to you?"
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
"Um, I don't want to talk about it," I told her.
Definitely not in a hall full of people, where I had no idea who could hear me.
"Unfortunately, it doesn't change your situation. People will consider you Demi-Human with your appearance. Wait a minute, I'll see who might be willing to turn a blind eye to your condition,"
The receptionist then placed a large thick book on the table and began flipping through it.
"...no, definitely not...maybe..." the receptionist muttered to herself.
When she came across a job offer where I might have a chance to get a job, she placed her hand on the book and a blank paper beside it. I had no idea if everything in the book was transcribed on paper or just the information she wanted. It was a very cool skill anyway.
"So that's all. I do not guarantee that they will give you a job, but you have the best chance with them," the receptionist told me. "Of course, you can try to look for work in the city yourself. But I'm afraid you will encounter the same problem as here."
"Is beastsmen discrimination so bad here?" I asked.
The woman frowned. "I don't know where you came from, but I'll give you some advice. Don't call someone like Timmy, Beastsman. It's offensive, and if you run into someone with a hot head, it could end badly. They're Terrans. Likewise, half-beastsmen is an offensive term for demi-humans. When it comes to discrimination, it's not as bad as it may seem. There is simply no job for Terrans. After the Federation's disintegration, there are many of them in the whole Sahal and even more in Castiana."
"Oh, I had no idea," I said, not asking any more questions.
I got six possible places from the receptionist where they might be able to give me a job. These places were spread throughout the city.
To find them faster, I arranged a guide who, at my request, became Timmy again.
I took full advantage of his services. My goal was not just the six of my potential employers I got at the city hall. I wanted to buy a few things, and Timmy knew where to buy cheap and good quality goods. Buying second-hand clothes was nothing foreign to me. There were many such shops on Earth, and one could find great pieces there very cheaply. However, I had my limits. After seeing the already used clothes' condition, I refused to buy them—these pieces looked disgusting.
So I had to resort to buying new clothes, but still as cheap as possible—several pairs of socks and underwear, a shirt, shorts, and shoes. I had to buy a backpack too because all this couldn't fit in the ring. I finished the purchase by buying soap with a towel. It all cost me 25 silver, which was a big part of my hoard.
I was warned not to have high hopes, yet I could not help but be disappointed when I was gradually rejected everywhere. Worse, it wasn't entirely for the wrong reasons. They didn't want me at the bakery because of the hair that could fall in the dough. They had the same problem in the restaurant, even if the work involved only cleaning dirty dishes.
"Timmy, how do you like working for city hall?" I asked the little boy as we went to the last place on the list.
"Amazing, but the other guides have more work than I do," Timmy said.
I looked at him for a moment before I sighed. "Because you're Terran?"
"Yes, miss," he nodded. "A lot of people who come to Castina would rather choose a human as a guide than Ria or me."
"Is she Terran too?" I asked.
"Foxkin," Timmy said.
"....and your race is?"
"Wolfkin. Are you Kirin, miss?" asked the little wolfkin with sparkling eyes.
I shook my head. "I am just human. I was a slave, and my master was very evil. He did a lot of ugly things to me, and that's why I look like this. Why do you think I'm Kirin?"
"My mother read stories to me about them. They are beings with immense strength and a generous heart. They are beautiful creatures with horns, wings, and tails. Are you really not one of them?" He asked me again.
"I'm sorry Timmy, but even in my Status, it says I'm human," I said.
However, I was determined to find out more about these beings later. Someone might have experimented on Humans, perhaps Terrans, in the past. There could be a clue in those legends on how to remove mutations from my body.
"It's a shame. They say they'll show up when the Terrans are at their worst. When I grow up, I want to become a labyrinth seeker. I will make a lot of money and help my mom and dad," he told me.
"A labyrinth seeker? What are they doing?" I asked.
Wolfkin looked at me. "Don't you know? Here in Castiana, seekers go to the labyrinth for treasures. They fight monsters, looking for valuables and raw materials, which they sell for big money. I want to become a seeker, but I have to wait until I grow up."
I had an idea of what kind of profession the seeker was. Only my notion could differ from reality. They could be different from the adventurers I imagined. This was the real world, not a game or story in a book. When I was younger, like Timmy, I dreamed of becoming an adventurer. However, such a profession didn't exist on Earth. To do this, one needed uninhabited wilderness full of monsters or dungeons, apparently called labyrinths here. But I could have been wrong.
"But it must be dangerous," I said.
"It is miss. That's why the empire has rules that must be met before you can become a seeker," Timmy told me, sounding like he was quoting an encyclopedia.
I nodded. "What rules?"
"You must obtain permission to enter the labyrinth, a certificate that you are a seeker. Then you have to join one of the companies that have a permit to work in the labyrinth. You can't enter there alone," he explained.
"I assume it's not easy to get this certificate?" I muttered.
The little wolfkin shook his head. "The seeker must be able to go through the first floor of the labyrinth himself."
"So, anyone can become a seeker?" I wondered.
"You have to register with the city hall first, go through the first floor of the labyrinth yourself, and then you get a certificate. It's not easy, even if you only face Horned Hares on the first floor. Many beginning adventurers underestimated them and fell victim to them or were seriously injured. It's best to have professions like warrior, archer, mage, something that will allow you to fight," he explained with great enthusiasm.
"Thank you Timmy, how do you know all this?"
"I learned it at city hall. Guides have to know a lot of things."
I could do nothing but admire the little boy. He was less than ten years old, and knew exactly what he wanted to be and went after the dream. I also had a lot of dreams in his years. One of them was to be an astronaut or a fashion designer. I also had a period when my dream was to become a waste collector. However, none of this came true for me. The determination gradually faded, and I was satisfied with my profession as a florist. Of course, I dreamed of opening my own flower shop one day, but that probably won't happen. Right now, I was a little lost in what to do, what I should focus on. That's why I was looking for a job to buy time.
Finally, we came to the stables at the north gate—a large complex of buildings with dozens of horses inside. The owner was not so easy to find. I had to ask a few people because Timmy didn't know it that well either. I eventually found him, and his view about me was the same as in the previous places.
As it turns out, horses often react badly to Terrans. They see predators in them, so they are scared, which was not desirable for the stables. He simply didn't want to risk the possibility of an incident unnecessarily.
That topped off my options from the city hall.
As I was told, I could try to go around individual businesses and workshops and ask for a job myself. But after previous experience, I didn't feel very confident.
Instead, Timmy and I paid a visit to a number of inns around town. Most of them were in better condition than The Broken Mug, but nowhere did they offer such a cheap room. Of course, it always involved more than just a bed. At the moment, I wasn't looking for more. Even though I bought a few clothes, I didn't need to have a closet or a chest for that. I could simply stuff them in a backpack or throw them on the floor. The same was true on Earth. There was a massive mess in my bedroom. Clothes were everywhere, and sometimes I felt like I had fewer clothes in the closets than in the room itself.
Anyway, I was where I started. I had no job or new accommodation. I paid Timmy for accompanying me around town for six hours and returned to the city hall with him. As it turned out, it wasn't so crowded at noon. Apparently, everyone was having lunch somewhere. Thanks to that, the reception was almost empty. After just a few minutes of waiting, I was looking at my familiar receptionist.
"So, how did it go?" She asked me when she saw me.
I sighed. "No one has changed their mind. But I am not here because of that. Timmy talked about wanting to be a...a labyrinth seeker?"
Woman giggled. "Yeah, he talks about it all the time. Are you thinking about that?"
"Yes, I wanted to ask what exactly does that mean?" I asked.
"First of all, I must warn you that it is a dangerous profession where you can die or end up as a cripple. Castiana is a labyrinth town. From your look, I guess you don't know what that means?" She looked at me, questioningly.
I shook my head. "No, I'm sorry, but I don't know."
"I won't ask why. That means that the city is built on the labyrinth. The labyrinth is a magical structure, of which there are only twenty-six on Eleaden. All known labyrinths are ancient, discovered thousands of years ago. It is unknown when they appeared on Eleaden, nor was there ever a new one like the dungeons. As a labyrinth city, Castiana is rich, but this wealth depends on what the seekers bring from the labyrinth.
"The deeper the seekers go, the rarer materials and monsters they found in the labyrinth. How deep the labyrinths actually are is still unclear. Our labyrinth has 162 floors confirmed. The deepest known has 255 floors. However, these are not the labyrinths' last floors, only the deepest floor that the seekers reached.
"Being a seeker means confronting the monsters in the labyrinths, fighting them, defeating them, and surviving. Even if you only go there to collect herbs or mine minerals. Fighting is an integral part of the seeker. Inside the labyrinth, you must constantly be on the lookout because you don't know when or where something may attack you. It is not a profession for everyone, and not all classes are suitable for it." She explained. Her allusion to my class did not escape me.
I nodded. "Timmy mentioned it to me."
"That's why I'm telling you to really reconsider it. You only have one life, and I have seen many people who have gone to the labyrinth with great hope not to return. Many returned with a missing limb, without the possibility of paying a healer at a level that would replace the missing limb. More than half of them ended up as debt slaves, and I don't think you want that," she said.
She was right. I didn't want to end up as a slave again. I'd rather die.