Section of the map that Richard has, and all the surrounding towns. Check the Glossary for the full map.[https://i.imgur.com/4SUf3sy.png]

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Richard was a bit stunned. Did this world not have a form of transportation? Surely they had to, or else how did people travel? Maybe this was a translation issue on his part, and carriages were not the right word here.

That had to be the reason.

"Er, transportation method. How do you travel? By foot?" Richard asked.

"Of course, it is the only way to travel unless you take a boat." Gregor replied.

This seemed insane to Richard, there was no way that was the case. If it was, then these people were crazy. He had walked ten miles in a day before, that in itself was not an amazing feat. But to travel dozens or even hundreds of miles by foot? That was another story.

"Why not tame an animal, and have it carry you? That would cut traveling time down." Richard suggested.

Gregor asked for another cup of ale. He had to drink at least six cups before he even began to feel the least bit tipsy. Today he planned on drinking to his heart's content, so he wished Roxanne filled him up as soon as he was out.

It didn't help that Richard was asking and saying strange stuff. Where exactly did this young man come from? How did he not know any of this?

"Pah! Used to have a ton of Verlpax around, but the critters in the wild kept hunting them. It'd cost you one gold tale to buy one, but even if you did, what's the point? You'd have to keep watch over the thing to make sure nothing eats it at night. Who'd want to do that?"

Richard nodded slowly and drank some of his water.

He had no clue what this Verlpax was or how it looked, but it was a means of transportation. Which meant that he could find one, eventually.

While it might not be a horse, Richard hoped that it could still fulfill the purpose he was imagining. Because, if it could, then he did not need to make and sell steel. No, Richard could become a merchant.

Buy low and sell high. That was the basic of very basics that traders had to know.

He was not knowledgeable about economics to the extent that some people were. Richard went to university for engineering. However, he knew enough and had concepts that were foreign to this world. If he could apply those concepts, then he'd be in business.

Richard was here, stuck in this place for all he knew. He might as well make the most of it. But, he wasn't interested in fighting wars. He's been there and done that for the US military back when he was drafted. If he could, Richard planned on avoiding fighting or getting involved in any wars.

If he could avoid it, that was.

And as far as he knew, there was a solid way to be above the law. Super simple actually. Be rich. If you were rich enough, you could do whatever you wanted, when you wanted.

Which is what he planned on doing. Getting rich enough that he could influence the direction of this world without lifting a single sword.

But first, he had to learn more about the place he was living in. And second, he had to have some starting funds.

"Are there any here?" Richard asked.

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Gregor thought about this for a second.

"In the southern part of the city, there's a Verlpax breeder."

It wasn't Gregor who answered him, it was Roxanne. She was so interested in their conversation that she ended up replying without realizing she opened her mouth.

Normally she listened and gathered any information she could. People had a habit of saying anything when they were drunk, and having a pretty face helped loosen their tongues. It was how she kept up with everything happening in the city, and knowing when any traders were in town.

Not all of the information was true, but that didn't matter much. She wasn't selling it to anyone, it was just used for her own benefit. It also helped to pass the time.

"I see." Richard said as he looked up at her.

He had the faint notion that he'd seen her somewhere before, but he couldn't remember. Most of his time here has been spent forging weapons, and in the little time that he did walk the streets of Evergreen, he's encountered multiple people. Not that he spoke to everyone, but he's seen a fair bit of people within the city.

His first encounter with Roxanne was long out of his head by this point. While it was not the best experience he had, it was not the worst. To him, it was not something worth remembering.

It was also dark at the time they met.

"You thinking about buying one? That's just a waste of money." Gregor commented.

To Gregor, anything that did not have to do with smithing was a waste. Well, besides some good ale. Those two things were all that mattered in life.

This was probably why he was still single even though he was in his eighties. Middle-aged for a dwarf, but he should have had one or three kids by now.

Richard nodded his head. "I might. First I want to forge that sword for Lord Kirk and obtain land."

"Bah! You're aiming too high Richard! You already have a workshop, what else do you need? What's the point in owning land? There's no good land inside the city, so if you do get anything it'll be out in the wild."

Hearing this, Richard began to rethink his plan. From what he's heard, the wilderness was dangerous. But, he still needed to see about that for himself. How dangerous could it actually be?

"That's not true, there are plots of land inside the city. A few in the south, a lot on the western edge."

Roxanne threw her two cents in.

"I said good land! Clean your ears woman!" Gregor snapped.

It was odd that Roxanne was joining in their conversation. He did not come here to listen to her. He came here to drink and get on Richard's good side.

Now here she comes, trying to sneak her way in. She should mind her own business!

Gregor still wanted some drinks, so he kept his mouth shut for now. Not like he could play it off and say it was the ale.

"I wasn't speaking to you, you filthy dwarf. Now keep talking, and see how much that next drink will cost you."

Roxanne wasn't going to falter at a few words. She's heard worse, and nothing Gregor said would harm her. In here, she ruled.

Gregor said a few words under his breath, and Richard let out a small chuckle. It was interesting to see how the natives interacted with one another.

But hearing Roxanne's quip, he recalled where he encountered her before. It was the nasty woman he met when he first arrived here.

He did not think she was a worker here, or well in this case, she seemed like the owner.

"I liked it better when you weren't here. Where's that slave of yours at anyway?" Gregor asked.

"Hell if I know. He paid for his freedom one night and I haven't seen him since."

Richard raised his eyebrow at that. That slave that told him to steal was owned by her. He ended up screwing her over, and he didn't even know it. Honestly, he felt good about it, but back then he didn't really care.

Gregor's thunderous laugh shook the counter as he couldn't contain himself. A few others at the counter glanced in his direction, but the dwarf didn't stop.

"This land you spoke of, why isn't it considered 'good'?" Richard asked as he looked at Roxanne.

"Because the land isn't fertile enough to grow crops, nor is it in a location that's easy to attract customers." Roxanne answered him before she went to attend to someone else who was asking for a refill.

To Richard, that did not seem like a bad thing. He did not plan on growing crops, nor did he need customers. So, it actually sounded perfect for him. He'd be inside the city and have the protection of the walls.

The door to the tavern opened up followed by a booming laugh. Richard looked back and saw a tall burly man entering the tavern. He was huge, and the two men next to him looked like children in comparison.

Richard couldn't help but wonder if the man was a giant.

"Bah!" Gregor quickly gulped down the rest of his ale. He set down some bronze coins on the counter as he hopped down from his seat.

"Where are you going?" Richard asked Gregor.

"Not sticking around here any longer. That big Oaf's bound to cause trouble." Gregor said but stopped walking and looked back at Richard. "Aren't you coming?"

Richard looked at his water, then at Gregor. Was water free?

He took out a few bronze coins and set them on the table. Less than what Gregor placed down, much less. He only left behind two bronze tales.

"Of course, you still haven't shown me my workshop."