“Shall we take a look around?” Aaron asked. Both Isabelle and I nodded like happy children.

I talked with Lady Briele on multiple occasions about North Maledith but the actual information I had was next to nil. This was a completely foreign land to the three of us. I knew the circumstances were different, but my mind considered this almost the same as being thrown into Elesham.

Aaron led us through the bustling crowds and into a narrow alleyway. Both sides of the alleyway were filled with merchant stalls. There wasn’t enough walking space for more than a few people to squeeze through. I felt claustrophobic while we followed Aaron in single file.

The difference between Egestor and Cape Tou was like night and day. Every stall was manned by an adventurer wearing flashy clothing and equipment. The goods on their countertops were flowing with mana. The mana in the air was so thick I could feel it streaming past me.

My excitement tapered off as I looked at more and more price cards. Nothing was cheap. Even the lowest priced item was going to cost me 20,000 Zeny. I pushed the thought of buying anything back and simply enjoyed the scenery.

Aaron continued to peer back and forth from stall to stall. It looked as if he was searching for something in particular. I wanted to ask him what he was looking for, but decided against it. I would have to force my way past Isabelle or shout at the top of my lungs for him to hear me.

We eventually stopped at an inconspicuous stall. There was a chubby gentleman sitting on a dirty rug behind it. Nothing about him looked extraordinary: his hair was brown and disheveled. His once expensive clothing was now mostly worn through. It didn’t seem like he was an experienced adventurer at all. In front of him were a few shabby looking items.

“I need some information, maybe you can help me?” Aaron asked.

The man opened his eyes and sized up Aaron, “Maybe, it depends on what you need.” There was something alluring, even mysterious about the way he spoke.

“I need a map of the local area, as detailed as possible.”

The man pulled something from his coat and started to unfold it. He held it out towards Aaron before jerking it quickly back. “Zeny first.” I marveled at Aaron’s ability to pick out such a reclusive expert in this back-alley mess.

“How much?”

The man held up two fingers and then calmly closed his eyes, as if the entire world was in his grasp. Aaron didn’t respond. He chose to stare at him down in silence instead of arguing. Was there a mental battle going on between them I couldn’t see? I made a note to try this silent technique myself someday.

The chubby man coughed and opened one eye to peer at Aaron. He held out his hand again and then showed one finger instead.

“Ten thousand Zeny?” Aaron asked.

“Yes.”

Aaron started to rub his chin in deep thought. His attitude made you wonder whether buying this map was a life-altering decision. The silence between the two was starting to make me feel uncomfortable. I noticed the chubby man started to fidget. There was a growing crease along his forehead.

“Alright, eight thousand Zeny,” the stall owner blurted out.

“We’ll take it!” said Aaron with enthusiasm.

“Ha…, ha, I was feeling generous today.” Chubby wiped the sweat off his brow and then reluctantly handed over the map.

Aaron quickly stored it in his shirt and then dragged us out of the alleyway into a wider street. I was amazed that he’d identified someone whose goods we could afford.

I was now able to stand side by side with him. “How did you manage to pick that guy out of all the stalls we passed?” I asked excitedly.

“What do you mean?”

“We walked by at least twenty stalls. Yet you picked out an expert and even managed to get the upper hand in a deal.” I praised.

“Expert?” Aaron started to grin. He put his hand on my shoulder while the other covered his mouth to hide the smile. “That man was not an expert.”

“Then how did you pick him out?”

“Everyone else was rich, that man… was poor. Simple as that.”

I thought back to the stall owner’s dirty looking rug and the treasures that lacked mana. My face started to feel hot. I heard Isabelle’s snickering and turned in her direction.

I must have been frowning, because she froze like a deer in headlights. She also put her hand against her mouth and then turned away from me. She was still amused by my thinking Aaron had mystical powers in the marketplace. I heard her cackling softly.

I gave a loud cough before turning back to Aaron. “Let’s take a look at the map.” I nudged him with my elbow.

He sobered up at once and then started to unfurl the soft leather. Isabelle joined us. She was still grinning and gave me a wink.

The map was surprisingly useful for only being 8,000 Zeny. All of the leveling areas and dungeons around Cape Tou were clearly marked. There was even a small amount of detailed information about the types of monsters that were found in each area and their level range.

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The entire infrastructure of Cape Tou was recorded there as well. There was a building called the ‘party hall’. It was something we had never seen or heard of before though the purpose of the room was easy to infer.

“Let’s head there first and see if we can find a tank and another DPS. After that we can find lodging for the night and go from there.” Aaron had a solid plan.

The party hall was the only professional looking building in all of Cape Tou. While the rest looked like beach huts and sand castles, the party hall was a solid concrete. We squeezed our way inside and found a clerk.

To my surprise, the clerk was also an Adventurer. I thought about what Lady Briele said and wondered if the clerk was stuck here after getting in way over his head. He passed us a book, “All the tanks we currently have registered are on pages ten to twelve. Melee damage can be found on pages three to six.”

Aaron took the book and started to flip pages. “How does this work exactly?” he asked while scanning each entry.

“Adventurers who register with us typically come daily to see if anyone has requested to work with them. We’re too small to chase them around.”

Aaron kept his face buried in the book. He flipped page after page before holding it up and showing us. “What do you think?”

The page described a tank, a level twenty Swordsman who had registered a few days ago. There was a chance he was a new arrival to Cape Tou, just like we were. We were similar in level and circumstance. I thought it was a good pick.

“Sounds good,” said Isabelle and I agreed.

“Can you get in touch with this person?” Aaron asked.

The clerk pulled out a notepad and wrote the name down, “Got it.” We also picked out two possible melee DPS. “Come back tomorrow around mid-day. If they come in before then I’ll let them know and hopefully you can meet them tomorrow.”

“Do you know where we can still find lodging?” Aaron asked. This place was similar to Elesham. It was small but packed with people and we didn’t want to end up on the streets.

“I didn’t want to assume but, you all are new to Cape Tou?” The clerk asked.

“Yes, arrived early this morning.”

“You shouldn’t have any trouble finding a room. Most Adventurers don’t come back once they head out.”

“They don’t come back?”

“Sorry, that sounded terrible. Most Adventurers don’t stay here long. They typically move towards the bigger cities.” He paused. “If you’re still worried about finding a place then head two blocks over and look for an inn called Broken Sword. My buddy Xander runs it. Tell him Guillaume sent you and maybe he’ll give you a discount.”

We ended up doing just that. In fact, Xander was incredibly happy to see us. There wasn’t a single customer besides us interested in a room. We called it a day and decided to relax till morning. Our conversation was desultory; it was pointless discussing future plans just before recruiting two new members.

The following day, we ended up returning to the party hall just after a late lunch. Guillame greeted us and let us know he had managed to get into contact with the tank and one of the melee DPS. He suggested we hang out for a bit, as they were planning to show up within the hour.

He sat us off to the side at our own separate table and allowed us to wait there.

“I’m excited.” I said. I couldn’t lie. I was still having weird dreams from our encounter with the Female Thief Bug. I wanted a tank in the party more than anyone.

I had started to daydream when I heard Aaron’s voice, “It’s you?”

“Not you?” The voice was familiar. I turned my head and saw the chubby stall owner standing over us. He looked back over his shoulder at Guillame before coming to a realization, “Don’t tell me…” His face soured.

Isabelle, on the far side of the man, leaned her head around his large body so as to catch my eye, “Is Mr. Expert the tank?” she asked sweetly. I nearly started choking. She was a demon in human clothing.

“Uhh…” Guillameasked from his desk. He had no idea what was going on. “Have you met before?” He scratched his head awkwardly.

“Yeah, this is fine.” Aaron turned his attention back to the prospective tank. “Come sit down.” Aaron had thick skin. And the former merchant didn’t even seem embarrassed that we were mocking him.

“I’ll leave you guys to it then.” Guillame skillfully excused himself.

Chubby came around the table then sat down, although reluctantly. There was a hint of annoyance on his face. He was definitely tempted to just turn around and walk away. Probably though, he desperately needed Zeny and this was his first chance to group.

“Did you like the map?” He sounded scornful.

“I have to say it’s a very good map. It was a very good price too.” Aaron responded.

For a moment, Chubby didn’t have a retort. “I’m willing to look past the fact you took advantage of my desperate situation.” Chubby forced out a broken smile.

“That’s good. I’m Aaron, an Archer. This is Isabelle, our Acolyte. This is Joseph, our Mage.” He introduced each of us.

“Steven. You already know I’m a tank.” The smile on his face was still twitching. He was obviously trying his best to keep his voice friendly and calm.

“Do you mind if we see your equipment before we make a decision?” I asked. Gear was incredibly important for a tank, arguably more important than any other class.

Steven began pulling things from his inventory and before long the tabletop was full of gear. He gained a bit of confidence back after seeing our stunned reactions.

Aaron started passing item after item to each of us until we had looked over everything. My attention shifted towards the most important pieces for any tank: chest, weapon, and shield.

Sturdy Chainmail*: STR +2, VIT +5

A chainmail of fine craftsmanship. Its links hold strong under any attack.

Duelist’s Blade*: STR +3, VIT+1, AGI +3

Your opponent will always feel your opposition.

Blade Barrier**: STR +1, VIT +6, AGI -2

Its weight encumbers you, its strength protects you.

“Is this why you’re so poor?” our archer asked. I was curious as well. Steven’s gear was quite good. I had absolutely nothing to complain about, especially the most important pieces. Isabelle agreed with her eyes.

Steven nodded. “Yes, I’m poor because I recently obtained new equipment. The Zeppelin ride also took a chunk of my savings.”

“You came from Eastrath?” I asked.

“Yeah, I’ve been in Cape Tou for about two weeks. No one wants to take me as a tank because I’m large.”

It certainly was unusual for an Adventurer to be overweight. It wasn’t a good look when you were forced to move and battle so much. It meant Steven was inactive and probably therefore inexperienced.

“I don’t see a problem with it. You’re well geared at the very least.” Aaron paused for a moment before turning to us, “What do you all think?”

“I think it’s a good idea.” I couldn’t be sure if my desire for a new tank clouded my judgment.

“Me too.” Isabelle said.

“Welcome to the team.” Aaron said. The smile on Steven’s face was no longer forced or broken. He was genuinely happy. He started to scoop up his gear from the table. “Can you stick around a bit longer? We’re meeting with a melee DPS. Since they’ll be fighting alongside you I think you should have a say in it.” Aaron interrupted his departure.

“Oh?” Stevenseemed surprised to be getting so much consideration. There was a new expression on his face as he regarded Aaron: friendliness. “Sure, I don’t have anything planned.”