After creating breakfast for himself and Soph, Lone took their porcelain bathtub out from his Dimensional Storage and created hot water for them to bathe with.

A good fifteen-minute soak and some heavy towel usage later, and the two were now fully dried and dressed.

"So... the, um, Adventurer's Guild?" Soph asked as they were walking down the inn's flight of stairs.

Lone shook his head. "I want to talk to the reception girl's dad if he's about. If he's not here, then I wanna search the city for a blacksmith's and a library. Maybe that girl knows if there are any and where? I wanna research how ranking up works at a library so I know I'm not just wasting my time by starting an adventurer's career. Stat points are nice and all, but I have other stuff more important to do if it won't help me rank up."

"Like?" Soph cocked her head curiously.

"Like farming Acting and Persuasion. I suspect they will be incredibly useful for another goal of mine," he answered.

"Another goal?" Soph was full or questions today. She wanted to know every reason and intention of Lone's so she could better serve to help him.

"Connections. Money talks loudly, but connections can be just as vocal. Money, connections, power. These three things. They rule all sapient life. Some are more weighted than others depending on the society. In this kind of kingdom in this kind of world? My guess is that the order goes power, connections, then lastly, money. At least, that's the list of importance for me," Lone explained.

"Money isn't important?" Soph didn't understand that. Wealth was an incredibly critical factor as far as she saw it. After all, money was what funded the crusades against her. It was what kept God's armies fed and armed.

Lone shook his head once more. "I have my Creation Magic. This is kinda linked with connections since I want to find a good blacksmith to teach me about weapon and armour smithing. As a result, I'll learn more about metals like bronze, silver and gold, no doubt. Three birds, one stone."

Soph took her hand that wasn't being held by Lone and she placed it in front of her face as she began counting her fingers. "One... Connection to a good smith... Two... Knowledge about the metals that make money... Three... knowledge on weapon and armour forging... Huh. If they're the birds, what's the stone?"

Lone laughed softly. "The stone is the fact that I get all three of those in one, silly."

As Soph was wrapping her head around that, the two had finished their descent and found themselves to be in the inn's reception.

Behind the desk was a disinterested-looking young man who was maybe a year or two younger than Lone himself. He spied the two of them and raised an eyebrow. "So Grella wasn't lying. A nine-traited beastkin, and a Golden Foxkin on top of that. What's someone like you doing in a country like Milindo?"

'The girl from last night's brother? She did mention having one,' Lone thought as he wore a smile. "We're just wanderers exploring the world. Milindo happens to be a part of the world, so here we are."

"Huh. Is that so? What kind of places have you been to on your travels?" There was still a clear lack of genuine curiosity in the man's voice, but he was being polite, so Lone saw no justifiable reason to blow him off.

"We only recently started our travelling, so Milindo is the first stop on our journey. We originally lived on an island due west of Teresta. A small place with no official name," Lone claimed.

The man raised his eyebrow again before lowering it and nodding. "Okay. Well, should I tell Ma to make yous some grub? It's still a bit early, but I'm sure she wouldn't mind. It's her job, after all."

"Ah, no, thank you. We plan to eat out today. What time is dinner? We'll be sure to return for that. I want to meet your father if the opportunity should present itself," Lone explained.

The man shrugged. "Anytime between dusk and midnight is fine. Pa comes home at around that time anyway, so I'll be sure to tell him you wanted to talk."

Lone smiled and pulled a few copper coins out from his pocket before he placed them on the desk. "Thanks. You wouldn't happen to know where I could find a library? A bookstore is fine if Ranton doesn't have a library. I also want to find a good blacksmith. Obviously, one who's not a racist."

"You don't need to bribe me for bog-standard info like that, y'know?" Grella's brother said.

Lone shook his head. "It's not a bribe. It's a tip."

"A tip, huh?" He pocketed the coins and reached under the reception desk before he pulled out a sheet of paper.

Congratulations! The host's passive skill [Persuasion] has levelled up! It is now Beginner Level 8.

Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

'Oh, cool. I wasn't even trying to be persuasive. Maybe he'd have refused me if I was ruder?' Lone wondered as he glanced at the parchment and saw a rough looking bird's eye view of what was seemingly the city on it.

The man reached under the desk once more and took out a quill and an inkwell. With graceful movements, he circled five buildings on the map. "This one is the city library. You need a pass to get in which can be pricey, more so for demis. These two are bookstores, although this one is a bit discriminatory against demis from what Pa tells me. This is the most acclaimed blacksmith in town, and this is a demi-run smithy. Take your pick," he detailed as he handed the paper to Lone after he was done pointing at each circled building.

"Thank you. I really appreciate this," Lone said sincerely.

"It's fine. That map and the ink ain't worth six coppers, so I should be the one thanking you," the man replied with a dismissive wave of the hand.

"Well, we'll be off then. See you this evening?" Lone asked.

"Nope. I've got a herbalist's apprenticeship from noon to dusk and I'll be in bed the moment I come back. I'll see you tomorrow morning though," Grella's brother said.

"Okay. By the way, I'm Lone and this is Soph," Lone said as he gestured to himself and then the girl who was hiding behind his tails.

Nodding, the man answered, "Nice to meet yous both. I'm Phil."

"Likewise, Phil." With that, both he and Soph left the inn.

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

Checking his map once more, Lone mumbled, "So this is the most acclaimed blacksmith's shop in Ranton?"

Lone walked into the well-decorated building as he held Soph's hand. Once inside, he could see weapons and armours of all kinds completely filling the shop floor, however, they were all arranged perfectly so as to give enough room to move around as well as to best display each item.

Since it was still quite early, there were only a few customers inside, all of which looked at Lone with interest or clear contempt.

He tried his best to ignore that as he headed towards one of the three serving counters at the back of the room.

"Can I help you, Miss?" the clerk asked as he blanked Lone and looked at the blind Soph.

"U-Um... Em.. Lone... He... Um..." Soph didn't expect to be spoken to so directly by a stranger. She hadn't prepared for that, so she was starting to panic.

Lone tightened his grip on her hand and said, "I was wondering if you could help me. My master is very shy, so if you don't mind, please speak with me, not her."

"Hmm..." The man behind the counter gave the two of them a quizzical glance before he shrugged. "Okay. How can I help you, Demi?"

'No 'Mr'? Well, could be worse, I guess,' Lone thought. "Well, I was wondering if it was possible to apply for an apprenticeship under the blacksmith who owns this business? If not, then perhaps under one of their students? I'm eager to learn the craft."

The man behind the counter laughed in Lone's face. "A demi learning under Master Seloph? Not in a million years. If you're not here to buy something or get something repaired, then piss off, yeah?"

Lone scowled. "My master has afforded me a lot of coin for this should the apprenticeship fees be a bit more expensive for a demi such as myself."

"Hah. Look, Demi, do you even have the Metalworking skill or the Blacksmithing one? Do you have either one at even beginner rank?" the clerk asked mockingly.

"No, but I do have the Logging and Woodworking skills, so I'm sure some of that is transfer-"

"See? You've got no skills but you come in here demanding Master Seloph teaches you herself? Fuck off. You're not welcome here. Neither you nor your master," the man rudely said as he interrupted Lone.

Lone felt himself being taken over by his quickly-building rage. He did manage to reign it in since he knew he couldn't afford to lash out here for this blatantly unfair treatment. "Fine. I'm sorry to have wasted your time," he said as he bowed his head lightly then walked out of the shop with Soph in tow.

Silently and secretly, the pitch-black orb that Lone kept in his front-right trouser pocket pulsed excitedly before it settled down again.

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

"This... This is the demi-run smithy?" Lone asked with uncertainty in his voice.

He double-checked the map and the buildings around him to make sure that he hadn't accidentally gotten lost, but even after a third check, Lone confirmed that he and Soph were in the right place.

They were on the edge of the slums on the opposite side of the city, and in front of them stood a slightly larger hut than the others, and it had a big metal door. There were no windows, but there was a chimney with black smoke rising out of it constantly.

"Well... Soph, can you feel demis inside?" Lone asked her.

She nodded her head with hints of uncertainty in her expression. "I think so? There are two people in there. Both of them are really short. They're only slightly taller than the goblins, but one of them doesn't feel like a child, so maybe they're demis?"

"Huh... A short demi race? Do they look like humans?" Lone questioned.

Soph nodded once again. "Yup."

"Maybe some sort of gnome or dwarf? I guess there's only one way to find out." Lone raised his fist and knocked on the metal door a few times.

"Ah, fer fook's sake..." The sound of locks being opened filled Lone's ears before the big metal door slowly swung open and a beard-covered face angrily frowned towards him. "Ah fookin' teld ye. Ah'll no make any fookin' arms or armour for a prick with a stick so far up 'is own arse that ah can see the blasted thing pokin' oot of 'is mouth!"

A few seconds of silence passed as Lone and this short man with ginger scruffy hair and a well-braided beard stared at one another.

"A dwarf?" Lone muttered.

The man half Lone's height only scowled even fiercer. "Ye'r naw that arsewipe from afore. Who the fook're you?"

"Um..." Lone was incredibly shocked. 'Okay. So accents are obviously a thing here, but really? This guy is more Scottish than even I am... What the fuck...'

"Ah asked ye who ye were, Laddie. Ye gonna tell us? If naw, then get tae fook. Ah've work tae do." The apparent dwarf started closing the door, but Lone caught it.

"Sorry. I was just a bit shocked. I've never met a demi like you before. My name's Lone, and this is Soph. I want to learn how to craft weapons and armour, so if you'd have me, I'd like to become your apprentice. I've got plenty of coin if that's an issue," Lone said quickly.

One of the man's caterpillar-like eyebrows shot up. "Apprentice?"

"Yes, apprentice. I heard that you were a great blacksmith, and I genuinely want to learn how to make the best weapons possible," Lone honestly replied.

"... And ye've got coin?" the apparent dwarf asked.

Lone nodded. "Yes, lots. I'll pay you whatever your rates are and I promise to take your teachings very seriously."

The bearded man let go of the door and wore a toothy grin. "In 'at case, come on in. Let's talk over a mug ah mead or two. Ah'm Grimsley, the best fooking smith this side of the whole bleedin' continent."