With more bounce in his step, Thaddeus got to the Ugly Goblin on time. When he reached the tavern, he could see several groups of players outside relaxing, laughing, and drinking beer. But when he walked inside it was a different situation, drunk players were yelling, whistling at the barmaids, and arguing loudly with one another. It looked like several fights were about to happen at any moment.

“Thaddeus over here,” Dustin yelled from the corner. He was sitting at a large semi-circle booth.

“I didn’t know orcs were allowed in human towns?” Henry asked curiously.

“We are, but there’s a lot of bias and unjust discrimination towards orcs,” Dustin said angrily.

“Before you got here Bogrum was telling us he was thinking about leaving Pinewood and settling in with an orc town,” Dustin said.

After hearing the name Bogrum, Henry looked at everyone’s players’ IDs. This was his first time seeing everyone in the game. Dustin was a human swordsman named Sebas. He looked middle-aged and his blonde hair matched his full beard. Chad was 8 feet tall, emerald green-skinned, balled orc, with a braided goatee named Bogrum. Katherine was a beautiful, 5 feet tall, olive-skinned, wood elf named Maria, Finally, Heather was a tanned, pretty, slender, 5-foot human alchemist, named Sabrina. Of everyone at the table, she most resembled herself outside of the game. When Henry looked at her, she gave him a warm simile and slid over offering him a seat next to her.

Henry nodded appreciatively, sat down next to her, and asked the group, “what he missed?”

Chad, Dustin, and Katherine had recently finished a quest with the university guild. They were a part of the main attack force that cleared 20 team undead dungeon. The dungeon had been cleared long ago by the major guilds, but they hoped to make the top 10 team rankings. While they cleared the dungeon, they did not make the top 10. But, the hot topic of discussion was the recent players being picked off to join stronger guilds.

Chad for one did not like the idea of their guild being a feeder team for stronger, financially backed guilds. Henry guessed he was angry because he hadn’t been picked by stronger guilds. Kwon, the co-president was the first to be picked off by Starlink Guild, which was backed by a billion-dollar company. According to Dustin, they offered to make him a middle-range officer with an annual salary of 2.5 million, plus perks.

Chad complained the most about Kwon’s departure. He was the strongest player in their guild. His leaving stopped the guild from taking on more difficult dungeons. Now, over 14 people had left for guilds that paid annual salaries and better loot. Katherine wasn’t sure how much longer the university guild would last with their talents being picked off.

After listening to Dustin, Chad, and Katherine talk for a long time they finally got around to Heather. Heather was quiet, she didn’t say much except that she reached the apprentice level in alchemy. She was currently working for a local alchemist in town and started selling her potions to players. She excitedly talked about all the potions she made and the failures that help her grow. But, most of what she earned was used to buy expensive ingredients, pay rent, and spend on food. She was poor, that eating out was a luxury. After hearing her story, Henry offered to pay for her meal.

When it was Henry’s turn, he told them about his visit to the Crafter’s Guild, City Hall, and the Training Ground. When he was finished, he showed them his guild card and deed.

“I can’t believe you can afford to join a guild. I heard joining a guild was expensive even with the perks,” Heather said impressed.

“What perks?” Dustin asked.

“You can charge more for goods, you have access to merchant guild’s traders, and get a discount from other crafters’ shops,” Heather explained.

“Wait, back up! Did everyone skip over the part where the Mythical Guild recruited him, and he turned them down? Explain,” Dustin said in his guttural orcish voice.

“They wanted to me to work in their guild hall crafting guild items. I didn’t play this game to be a factory worker. Hephaestus was very understanding and wished me luck, he was nice about it all,” Henry explained.

“What! Are you saying, you turned down a Mythical Guild executive? I bet he offered you all kinds of crazy money and perks, and you turned it all down. You could have been a millionaire?” Dustin complained.

“Money’s not important to me,” Henry explained.

“Spoken like someone who has money,” Katherine complained.

“That’s not fair. He only got that money because his parents died,” Dustin said defensively.

“I think it’s nice you’re following your dream. Crafting is a lot of fun. Every time, I mix a new potion correctly, I get a big sense of achievement!” Heather explained.

“Have you been recruited?” Katherine asked curiously.

“No, it’s probably because I hid away in my potion room and brewed potions all day. I rarely go outside, unless it’s to go to the market to grocery shop,” Heather said.

“Poor girl, you have got to get out more. Maybe meet some men,” Katherine said sadly at hearing about Heather’s hermit lifestyle.

The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

“I’m happy. But I was thinking about joining Henry on his homestead?” Heather said meekly.

“Joining me? But I’ll be living in the wilderness. It will be dangerous. I might die, several times. I’ll be living in my cramped wagon until my farmhouse is built,” Henry warned her.

“I don’t mind, plus I’m sure there will be plenty of magical herbs nearby, I can start an herb garden,” she explained.

Henry thought about it, it might be nice to have company. But if they lived together, wouldn’t that mean they were basically dating?

“Eh, Sabrina, I probably should have asked you this a long time ago, but do you want to go out with me?” Henry said in a choppy voice.

“Yes,” Heather said excitedly.

“Finally! Now we can all move on with our lives. That will they, won’t they, was getting seriously old.” Chad said ruining the moment.

“Bogrum don’t be rude,” Katherine said hitting Chad.

“Do you want to have breakfast tomorrow at the Prancing Pony and then we can go shopping? That way we talk alone?” Henry asked unsurely. He hadn’t dated, since his parents’ death. He had forgotten the dating do’s and don’ts.

“That works for me?” Heather said, trying to hide her blushing rose-colored face.

“Ugh, now I’m the only one not in a couple!” Dustin complained.

The group talked late into the evening laughing and talking. They decided to call it quits when a massive barfight erupted. Which Henry learned, was the norm for player-occupied bars. Either teammates or two guilds would get into an argument that would inevitably lead to a fight. It was actually the reason many came out to the tavern was to watch and bet on the evening brawls.

After saying their goodbyes, Henry decided to walk Heather home that evening, mostly out of obligation and desire to talk.

“Why did you decide to ask me now?” Heather asked him as soon as they were alone outside the Ugly Goblin.

“Honestly, I had been thinking about it for a long time. When you asked to come with me, I realized how happy that made me feel and the time was right to put myself back out there,” Henry explained.

“When your parents passed away, I cried for a long time. I felt so sorry for you. You were so closed off and I wanted to let you know I was here for you. If you feel like you should date me out of some sense of obligation, you don’t have to. I’m fine being just friends,” Heather explained.

“No, I like you. I really do, it was just the timing of all. Tonight, I figured there wasn’t ever going to be a right time, so I decided to ask you. But I think you should wait six months before you join me, hopefully, by then I can have the house built and the farm plowed. Plus, there’s not much room in the wagon it’s pretty full,” Henry explained.

“Six months. Fine, I can wait six months. Besides, I’ll be seeing you out of the game anyway?” Heather said happily.

“Yeah, we can go out to dinner or watch a movie, that’s what couples do right?” Henry.

“I would like that,” Heather said tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

Feeling like that was a special moment, Henry leaned in a gently kissed her on the lips. Heather passionately responded by kissing him back. The kiss was quick but helped ease the awkwardness.

“Before I walk you home, I need to talk to the stable master,” Henry explained walking next door to the stable, where 20 horses stood passionately munching away.

“How can I help you?” asked the stablemaster grinning greedily when they entered.

“A stableboy named Tony told me you had a horse for sell,” Henry said.

“Of course, that is if you can afford him. The Clydesdale right, you know stallions are more expensive. I told Tony 10 gold, but I’ll let you have him for nine,” the stablemaster smiled predatorily.

“Three gold coins,” Henry countered.

“Sir, the lowest I can come down is to eight gold,” the stablemaster said faux apologizing.

“Fine, we can agree on four gold. Here take the coins,” Henry said annoyed.

“Good sir, four gold is too low. I’m seven gold is my final offer,” the stable master said annoyed at Henry’s negation skills.

“Are you trying to take all my money? Fine, five gold is my final offer!” Henry said acting angry.

“Surely we can agree on six?” the stablemaster said. He didn’t want to upset an immortal traveler. He would die, but the traveler might only be punished for a few days in jail.

Henry took out his axe from his bag of holding and walked slowly over to the stablemaster menacingly.

“Fine, you win. We’ll split the difference. Five gold and 50 silvers,” the stablemaster said frightened.

He quickly took out the money and handed it to the stablemaster who handed him a receipt and brought him the horse. The horse, Carl, was huge, about 20 hands tall, with a rich bay color and white markings around its face. He looked well-fed, and Henry knew he would make a great plow horse. The stablemaster was so scared of Henry, he even included the staddle in the price.

“Let’s go,” Henry said climbing on top of the horse, before pulling Heather up to sit in front of him.

Henry could feel himself press against Heather’s back as he led the horse down the street to her apartment.

“I’ve never ridden a horse before. Are they all this tall?” Heather asked, her face flushed from the kiss and how she could feel Henry’s breathing on her next. She wanted to melt into him, and she suddenly realized, six months in-game would feel incredibly long.

“No, Clydesdales are larger than normal horses. But they make good hauling and plowing horses. I need them to pull my wagon and help with the logging and farm,” Henry explained.

“Them, how many horses to own?” Heather asked in surprise.

“Two, now,” he explained.

Originally, when he paid for her meal, she was worried that it would be a financial burden on him. It needed to be said that five gold was a lot in the game. Players who had 50 silvers were considered wealthy, and Henry had enough to purchase his second horse and a homestead in one day. How much money did he have and how did he earn so much money in-game already? She wanted to ask but felt it was rude to ask financial questions this early in the relationship.

Instead of talking about money, she changed the conversation, “Have you chosen a name for your homestead, yet?”

“There are so many cities in the Arcadian Empire name after pine, walnut, oak, and ash trees. Just around Pinewood alone, there are White Pines, Pinegrove, Pine Hill, Pineville, Pineview, and the list goes on. I’m thinking about similar but more generic like Woodhaerst,” Henry said.

“It’s not flashy, but it does stand out. Tell me more about Woodhaerst,” Heather said.

Henry talked as the horse walked slowly through the city until it reached her apartment. They hugged goodbye and kissed again. The second time was less awkward but still would take some getting used to. After saying their goodbyes, Henry rode Carl back to the Prancing Pony.

“Good evening, sir! I see you were able to purchase Carl. He’s a fine horse, you won’t be disappointed,” Tony said happily grabbing Carl’s reins.

“You did good, here are ten coppers to take care of Carl and Betsy and another night. You can keep the change. Have them hitched up and ready to go by lunchtime tomorrow,” Henry said to the happy stableboy and jumped off the horse. He could hear Tony happily whistling as he brought the horse into the barn. As he got into his bed, he wondered how Betsy and Carl would get along and replied to tonight’s events with Heather in his mind and logged out for the evening.