/Author's Note\
Hey guys I’m back, this last month has been pretty hectic for me between losing my job, getting a new one, and paying my bills I haven’t had much time or energy to write.
The good news is things are calming down now and I’m looking forward to writing some new chapters.
Due to my financial situation, I’ve been considering putting up the option for donations to lessen the burden on my wallet so I can focus a little better on writing.
That said, I would first like to know the opinions of my readers on whether it is worth doing so.
I would greatly appreciate it if you guys took the time to answer the poll with your opinion.
Also, If you know how to add a way to donate on this site please pm me.
Either way I’m returning to releasing chapters.
Also, in my previous chapter I received a lot of feedback regarding character interactions and I would appreciate it if you commented your thoughts at the end of the chapter.
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Chapter 9: The town of Berrik
As Alric and Catherine walked along the road toward the town of Berrik Alric mainly inquired about the various plants and animals that they happened across along the way.
However, Alric realized that he was being slightly anti-social and decided to steer the direction of the conversation into a different area.
“Catherine, you said you were headed to Berrik in order to sell medicine, do you run a shop in town?”
“Nope, I’m actually a traveling physician. I spend my days journeying from town to town selling my medicine. That allows me to help more people and it also makes it easier for me to gather the ingredients for my medicine as they don’t all grow in the same area.”
“Wow! That sounds really great being able to travel and meet new people. Is that a common job from where you come from?”
“Actually, no, my people, the squirrel tribe, are normally a very tight knit and solitary people, obtaining their resources through their powerful foraging ability. Actually, it is that ability that is the secret to my success as a physician. A squirrel Beastman will never mistake one plant for another and once learned they will be able to remember all the characteristic signs that a certain plant is growing nearby. Most squirrel tribe stay in their communities gathering and stockpiling resources instead of having any formal occupation. The only times they would interact with other races is to obtain resources unavailable through gathering.”
“What prompted you to leave your community and take to the road as a physician? If you don’t mind me asking.”
“In my case it was simply that I was born a little bit more intelligent than the other tribe members. When I was young I was just like everyone else. However, when I began to learn about the plants around our community I realized that I had an emotion the others did not. Instead of simply learning in order to provide for the community I also had a yearning to learn more about other plants simply for the sake of knowing. Thus, I decided that I would set out and lead a wayfaring lifestyle, in pursuit of knowledge.”
“That’s truly inspiring. In my case my goal is more ambiguous, I simply have the desire to leave my mark on the world. To change it for the better in a way that only I can do. I admire how put together and focused you are. I only hope that I can learn my own goal soon.”
“I thank you for your words of admiration. But to me, I also admire your way of thinking, you dream big which may have risk of failure, but when you complete your goal it will be that much sweeter. I have a feeling that you will be able to achieve that goal of yours.”
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“Thanks, I truly appreciate your words of confidence.”
“By the way we are almost to the town. Alric, will you be staying in the inn?”
Alric groaned and shook his head.
“I can’t believe I didn’t realize it, but I don’t have any money.”
Catherine laughed, “You sure are a strange one. I have an idea, I need to sell my medicine, but I also need to deliver some herbs to the alchemist in town. It would save me a lot of time if someone were to deliver them for me. How about it? I’ll pay you enough to stay at the inn for a couple nights if you deliver them for me.”
“Thank you very much, I think I’ll take you up on that offer.”
“Just meet me at the inn at sundown after you deliver the herbs, you should also have enough time to explore the town.”
Alric and Catherine rounded the corner and the town of Berrik came into sight.
In the large clearing amidst the towering pines there was an expanse of fields surrounding a small town.
The small town was surrounded by impressive walls ten feet high hewn from wood.
Most impressive of all was the main gate which was carved out of a single stump forty feet in diameter.
Unconsciously Alric stopped to take in the enormous walls that seemed out of place around such a small town.
Catherine chuckled and said, “Aren’t they impressive? In fact the entire wall and gate are all made from a single tree.”
Alric’s jaw dropped. “How? And why does such a small town need such grand walls?”
“This town was founded on an important trade route as a rest stop for merchants by an enterprising wizard. Originally this clearing was home to a single massive tree whose roots spread across the open area you see in front of you. The wizard chose this spot for two reasons. The first was that, for him, it was easier to chop down one large tree than many smaller ones and the second was that due to the size of the tree the wizard suspected that this area had a higher mana concentration which is believed to improve the general wellbeing of the town.”
Alric looked around at the clearing and found that it was, indeed, the case. There was a higher density of mana than the area that they had traveled through previously if only by a little.
“The wizard chopped down the tree using a special water magic known only to him and formed it into the walls you see today. As for why the town needed walls, in those days there were a large number of vicious beasts known as greater timber wolves. Four feet tall and able to leap another three, ten foot walls were required to keep them out.”
Alric and Catherine reached the gate.
“Here are the herbs to deliver to the alchemist, just meet me at the inn tonight.”
Alric took the herbs and parted ways from Catherine, setting out to find the alchemist.
He asked a resident to point out the way to the alchemist's shop and proceeded to head over.
As he walked through the town, he observed that the state of the living conditions was rather good.
There were many sturdily built wooden houses, as there was no shortage of timber.
There seemed to be no cases of homelessness or unemployment.
Children played happily in the streets and the residents greeted each other in a friendly manner.
All in all it seemed a prosperous, peaceful town.
Soon enough Alric was standing in front of a homely building two stories tall christened with a sign that read Alchemist’s shop.