Chapter 12
Lilly proved herself adept at improvisation, making me a functional shirt from what scraps were left of the Hostess of Fertility uniform I had. This was a good thing, as I needed to go shopping for any number of things before I could go adventuring again. No belt, no clothes, no armour, I was almost as bad off as I was when I first arrived.
After waking up the next day, not quite as early as usual, I put on my improvised clothes, my grey cloak, and did my morning exercises as usual. Lilly had left after stitching my clothes to go to her last home, a small shop someplace, owned by a Gnome.
The air over my near bald head felt odd. I hadn't found a mirror to take a good look at myself in, but I was a little afraid to. Chandra, the dwarf from Soma Familia, said it had been bad. I'd seen pictures before, back home, of burn victims. Fire safety horror stories they tell older kids to try and teach them respect of fire. Potions or not, I was a little worried.
"Wow." I stopped in mid step at the sudden voice. I turned to spot Nazza, "Lilly wasn't joking when she mentioned your hair. Eyebrows too? Ears?" She shivered.
As she got closer, she held up a little stone jar, "Put a little of this on later, and wash it off an hour later."
"Oh, thank you." I said eyeing the little jar suspiciously, "I did not know you made house calls?"
"Not usually. But since you and Bell are such good customers..." She paused, "I also have a favour to ask."
Bell chose that moment to come join me for morning exercises. "Oh! Miss Nazza!"
We all sat down while Nazza explained herself. "Lord Miach and I are really close to something big... A dual potion that restores both mind and body." She spoke in hushed tones. "But we need to go out of town for one of the ingredients, and I was hoping to get help from Hestia Familia."
"Out of town? How far?" Bell asked.
"Should be a day there, then a day back. Depending on weather." She replied.
"Aren't you an adventurer too?" I asked, "I heard you had the alchemist ability too. That means at least level two." Eina had mentioned something about crafters always being better with the falna related skill from belonging to a Familia.
Nazza looked away, her visible hand touching the forearm her single long sleeve covered. "I'm... no good at hunting monsters anymore." She replied, drawing her sleeve up a little, revealing silver fingertips, before covering her hand again, "It's why our Familia is in such debt. I lost my arm to a monster, and Lord Miach bought me a replacement. It works like it used to, but I just... Can't hunt monsters anymore."
I felt bad for asking, so I gave her knee a pat and looked to Bell, "Bell would be happy to help. Take Hestia with you and make a trip of it."
Bell blinked at me, going red and stuttering a moment until I gave his shoulder a light punch, "I have to do shopping, and replace my armour, so I'd be kind of useless as I am now." I replied, "Maybe even take Lilly along. She looks like she could use the fresh air."
"Are you sure?" Bell asked, "Would I be enough to help, Miss Nazza?"
"Sure. I just have to finalize some things and we can be on the road almost immediately." She replied.
We all looked up as Hestia came through the door, holding a heavy looking sac and nearly in tears. "The guild still fined us for yesterday." She sobbed, giving Bell and I an evil look. "I have to bring this to the guild headquarters."
"We have something that might cheer you up then." I said, "Nazza?"
Nazza re-told her plan to Hestia, making her mood perk up a little.
"Are you sure you want to stay here?" She asked me after.
"Things to do, gear to replace, people to talk to." I replied, "I'll walk you to the guild house in the mean time."
Hestia and I met Lilly at the central fountain, and she walked with us to the guild hall. She smiled, a bright happy smile, when I offered her the invitation to Nazza's little field trip, but frowned that I wasn't going. I gave her head a pat, and found that she had ears again.
"You said you liked them." She mumbled.
"I'll let you pet mine, when I have fur on them again." I replied, gently teasing her ears. "Go enjoy your time outside the city." I looked at Hestia, who was frowning slightly, "And get along." I said to my Goddess, who pouted at me.
"I should update your status before I go." She replied, still sulking. "You had a busy day yesterday."
"As my Goddess wishes." I replied, "I'll asks Eina if we can use the consultation room."
After Hestia paid off her fine, her mood ruined again from having to give up basically everything we had set aside from our dungeon crawling and her part time job, I asked to chat with Eina, and if it would be okay for her to be there when I got my status updated. She said that all things Familia related, aside from names, were kept in strictest confidence, and that she would be honoured to be present. Lilly was also there, as I wiggled out of the shirt she had made, and Hestia poked her finger with quill.
Hestia drew her finger over my back, the four of us breathing the only sound I could hear in the little private room. Again, I felt the tingle of my 'excilia' mixing with Goddess's blood, and the little flash of heat rising out of me to surface on my back. I heard first Hestia, then the other two, gasp as the blank paper was touched to my back and revealed to them.
"Umm." I started, suddenly feeling a little chilly.
"This..." Eina started, the paper rattling behind me.
"Can I put my shirt on yet?" I asked. Hearing the paper rattle more.
"Lilly wants to see!" A rattle later, "Ohhhhh..."
"Hey no peeking!" Hestia said, the paper crinkling as she snatched it away.
I gave up and put my shirt back on, wiggling my torso around a little to get it to settle properly on my shoulders and bust. Yep, still not teasing a woman about her wardrobe ever again.
"Kodori... What exactly happened since your last update?" Eina finally asked, snatching the paper from the two others and handing it to me once my hands were free.
"Well... I fought with that twit Zanis, and that other guy with the sandy hair." I replied, running a hand over my fuzzy skull. "I didn't even beat him. But I stopped him from cooking Bell and I with that dagger..."
"Magic sword..." Lilly and Eina said at the same time. They looked at each other, but Lilly looked to the floor first.
"Lilly had that dagger first. Lilly had it for emergencies. It was stolen from Lilly by one of the other members of Soma Familia." She explained. I couldn't resist patting her head and fuzzy ears to show her I didn't mind.
"It's okay Lilly." I looked to Eina, "Magic sword? A sword that uses magic?"
"Yes." She smiled faintly as Lilly started to squirm in her chair trying not to giggle. "Some very skilled smiths can put magic into a weapon or item. The ability is very rare, and the price for them is very high. They break after a few uses, though. The metal unable to hold the power any longer." She paused, then her eyes went wide, "You stood IN FRONT of a magic sword?!"
"Twice." I said, backing away from the suddenly angry Eina, making Lilly squeak in surprise as I hugged her like a teddy bear.
"lilly can't breath."
"Are you insane?! You stood in front of a magic sword, and let it hit you?!" She yelled at me. Even Hestia was backed against the nearest wall.
"I didn't know better?" I countered weakly, loosening my grip on poor Lilly, making her gasp for air. "If I hadn't, Bell would have died." I set Lilly down and continued, "I had one chance to try and let us both survive, and I took it." I shrugged, my initial fright at seeing my consultant enraged wearing off, "He pushed me out of the way of the first blast. And I protected him while he drank a potion. I would have been too slow to carry him, and he was too hurt to carry me."
Eina sighed, crossing her arms and sitting down, the paper in her hands fluttering loosely, "Here." She handed it to me.
Kodori
Power: D 583 - B 701
Endurance: A 807 - S 956
Dexterity: E 459 - D513
Agility: D 541 - C 634
Magic: C 660 - S 943
Congenital Magic: Self Re-enforcement
Through will alone, boost basic stats and magic resistance.
-Home of the Goddess: Uses Congenital magic to grant natural armour.
-Judgement of the Goddess: Uses Congenital magic to grant increased strength.
Boost is greater in the defence of others.
Curse: Weapon's Bane
Weapons used to attack will break upon impact.
Titan's grip
Grants an unbreakable grip.
Kitsune's Rage
Grants a boost in strength.
May lose control.
I looked at the paper, noting the difference and scratching my chin. "This is... The second time in a row their has been a change to my magic." I mumbled, "And that jump in stats again..."
"How are you advancing so fast?" Eina asked bluntly, the other two recovering their seats.
"I can guess." I replied, looking at the other two, "You two should hurry, Nazza will want to leave soon."
I gave them both a pat on the shoulder and got one in return as they left. Eina waited patiently, still frowning slightly, but held her peace until the door had closed again. "So?"
"It started when you gave me the information on the other Renard." I replied, "She, a wonderful young lady, gave me a hint on how to use my magic." Eina nodded, blushing slightly, remembering that said young lady worked in the red light district, "After, I went to the Hostess, and trained with them there." She nodded again. "As well, every day." I rubbed my scalp, "Almost every day, Bell and I spar in the morning, and if we have time after a dungeon run, again when we get home."
Eina nodded firmly, "So you have basically been training with far more experienced people, as well as with your rival, and taking stupid risks."
"Be fair." I countered, not letting her angry gaze fluster me this time. "I am not from around here. My old life had none of what Orario has. My only other encounter with magic is Bell and his Firebolt." I smiled, "I wonder what it would feel like to get hit by it.." He had never used it against me in our training, saying that if he missed we would have to fix what ever it hit.
Eina's frown changed to a scowl, "See? Stupid risks!" She thumped the desk with her fist to punctuate her comment.
I reached over and put a hand on her fist, "You told me that to level, I would have to do something even the Gods themselves would notice. In other words, be a hero." I let her hand go, "So that's what I'm doing. I'm testing myself, constantly. So is Bell. I have never seen someone as driven and at the same time, so critical of himself."
"I've heard him mention that a few times." She sighed, "He's chasing after the back of some one he thinks he will never reach."
"And I am trying to follow him. In my own way. I'm older, so my way of looking at it is different." I laughed, "I'm not going to explain it to Bell though."
She sighed again, then did her 'to business' cough into her hand, "Ahem. So, was there anything else?"
"Yes. I am looking to upgrade my things. As well go past floor ten, when Bell gets back. With Lilly as our supporter, and not having to worry about Soma Familia trying to collect her again, I think we will do well." I watched Eina's expression settle down as I talked about the usual stuff.
"Before you go down that far. I want you to get a few things." She replied, writing some things down.
I spent a good part of the rest of the day hunting for supplies. I returned to the bargain bin shop on the second floor, chatting with the old dwarf there while I put together another pair of non-spiky gauntlets and simple shin guards. He didn't know what to say when I told him the last set had almost literally melted off of me.
He pointed me to another shop, where I managed to barter down the price of three salamander wool cloaks. Said to be almost totally fireproof, it was one of the, and I quote, 'most essential pieces of armour after floor ten', on the list of things Eina had written down for me. Nearly flat broke again, I managed to get some spare clothes for myself again, as well as a few other bits and bobs that I knew our humble home was in need of. I also picked up a simple knife, used by supporters for cutting out the magic stone of monsters. It was literally at the bottom of a barrel in the rookie shop, and covered in rust when I found it, so I got it for almost nothing.
After getting all of it back home and putting it away, I got dressed in proper clothing and headed back out. I hadn't had much chance to just... Explore. It wasn't the biggest city I'd ever been in, but it was still a very big place, and I'd seen almost none of it.
It was then, as I walked down a side street, that I could have sworn I felt a pair of eyes on my back. I had been basically walking from store to store, noticing as they got further and further apart. Eventually it became purely residential, with most of the shutters drawn and windows closed. It looked vaguely familiar, until I realized, I had come to the exact spot I had arrived in the city.
Then an arrow slammed into a cobblestone, the back of the metal head just barely visible after sinking into the rock. I wasn't even aware that I dodged it either. My body simply reacted to the faint whistle of it a moment before I stopped and shifted to one side. I put my back to the nearest wall and looked up from where the arrow had come from. Four figures, dressed in dark form concealing robes. One of them held a bow, with another arrow set on the string.
Silently, as one, the other three jumped down, forming a semi-circle around me. I held my spot, looking at the profiles of each of them. All were a little shorter than me, and as they drew their weapons, I looked for a way out.
Three swords and one bow against myself. Luckily, I never left home without my armour on, provided I actually owned any, so I wasn't totally defenceless. I still didn't like the odds. I took a long deep breath, then another, letting it out slowly.
The archer made the first move, the bow and string tightening with a quiet creak and instant before the 'snap' of the fired shot. I didn't guess on where they were aiming, so I ducked left towards the shortest of the three, hearing the arrow crack into the wall behind me. I stopped half way, seeing the three move in as one, and pushed back with my lead foot, springing me towards the one on the right. I saw that one start an upward cut, but I punched downwards with my armoured fist, slamming my knuckles into theirs, hearing a collection of pops from their sword hand, as my shoulder slammed into them. I heard the sword clatter to the ground as the man, from the sound of the scream he made, and I tumbled together to the ground.
I landed with my back on him, and I used the same trick I had used to escape Zanis, except I slammed a hand and elbow against the guy under me instead, earning another cry of pain from him as I levered myself to my feet again. I had no time to get my proper footing however, as the two others had stepped over their downed companion and started alternating swings and stabs with their short swords.
I was just getting into a rhythm of a fighting retreat when the archer let loose again. This time I saw the arrow fly, and managed to dodge, but one of my two opponents punched me in the chest.
And I hardly felt it.
I mean... It hurt, but it was as if I had run into something vaguely fist shaped, instead of being punched. The force of the blow still sent me sliding backwards, nearly pushing me off my feet, letting the other one step in and draw a line across my bicep with their sword. I hopped back a little further, suddenly letting out a laugh.
The two swordsmen paused, as I looked at my arm, the cut on it no worse than an oddly placed paper cut. I had started this fight with my inner magic warmed up, and it was starting to really show. I took their hesitation, and used it to take another deep breath. Behind the two I was facing, the one whose hand I had broken was getting up, bringing a potion to his lips.
I let my magic seep into my skin, my muscles, watching the four of them, settling into a fighting stance, turning a fist up to them, and giving them a wave forward.
The archer let loose an arrow, my ears and eyes hearing its release and tracking its motion. I crouched low, my feet staying flat on the ground, letting the arrow pass over head. As I started my dodge however, the others took a step back, and jumped up to the roof tops. As I recovered my stance, the four of them faded away in four different directions.
I waited, listening, for ten long breaths. Hearing nothing, seeing nothing, I let myself relax, letting the tension out of my body slowly, before I started back towards the main street.
For the rest of the night I wondered what the hell that was all about. Aside from the cry of pain, none of them made a sound. There were four of them, all dressed the same, all hiding their identities, and with the way they had surrounded me, they knew what they were doing. It might be a little egotistical, but it felt as if they were after me, specifically.
Grumbling, I pushed those thoughts aside, finished my simple meal, and went to apply some of that salve Nazza had given me.
The big bed felt cold and empty without Hestia in it. The whole place felt kind of empty without Bell and Hestia around. It was kind of odd really. Before coming here, I'd spent about five years living on my own, in my little apartment, not really caring how empty it was. Now, after less than a month of living with people again, I found it difficult to imagine living without them.
Then again, before coming here, I wouldn't have prayed to anything. Or thought of Gods and Goddesses being real.
When I woke up the next day, I was surprised to find that I had hair again. Not a little either. Nazza's hair tonic had caused my hair to grow to just above my shoulders. Even my eyebrows had grown back in. Thankfully, I found a pair of scissors, and they didn't break when I cut my bangs.
As usual I started my morning with a bit of exercise. I was just starting on some shadowboxing outside when I heard some footsteps approach.
"I'd heard rumour that there was another Renard in the city, but I wouldn't have believed it until just now." He might have been a little taller than me, with wheat blond hair and oddly orange eyes. He looked almost like he was walking off the set of a wild west movie or some such.
"To what do I owe this honour, Lord...?" I asked in English, with a not quite formal voice. His speech was perfectly understandable too, like Hestia or Takemikazuchi.
"Oh, another true rumour." He replied, doffing his hat and sketching a bow that was like my tone of voice, 'not quite formal'. "She speaks in a language only the Gods understand." He saw that I was unimpressed by his bow, but when I offered a hand for him to shake, he accepted it, "Hermes. A pleasure."
"Kodori." I replied, noting that for his playful demeanour, he had a good handshake. "Let me guess... Delivering a message?"
"Mostly." He replied with a hint of mystery.
"Then you are now the third least strange divinity I know now." I replied with my best (not very good really) mysterious smile of my own. "Tea? Or are you in a rush? How about your companion?"
His eyes widened a little when I said that, "Oh, sharp. How did you know? Asfi?"
I watched as a severe looking lady stepped out from behind a pillar. About as tall as Bell, her blue hair framed a serious face, with blue eyes behind rectangle glasses. "You're a God. Walking around alone isn't something Gods often do." I replied, not actually having known some one was there, but the only two gods I had ever seen alone, outside of their own home, were Hestia and Takemikazuchi.
"True true. Kodori, this is Asfi, my second in command." He said with a smile.
"Greetings." She said simply, her tone formal, almost cold.
"A pleasure." I replied, "So, message?"
"Well, two actually. Soma wanted to see you." He rummaged in a pocket and pulled out a scrap of paper. He handed it over.
Unfolding it, I had to catch a small coin that fell out. On the inside of the paper was a messy scrawl of writing that said, "Buy something for me." I mumbled out loud. My ears perked up as I realized what he meant.
"Annnnnnd." He handed me a second bit of paper. This one was a neatly folded square.
I noted a small wax seal of Hephaestus Familia's sigil on it before I peeled it off and unfolded it. First was a message, saying simply, "Come see me. H." And second was a small map, with the word 'Crozzo' written on it, with a little red dot on a house in the middle of the map.
"Well, going to be an interesting day then." I said, smiling to myself. "Thank you, Lord Hermes. Was there anything else?"
"Actually, yes. But... Asfi? Can you understand her?" I had been speaking English to him again without realizing. Asfi frowned and shook her head. "Curious. Now, I've been almost everywhere, and I've never heard that language before."
"I'm not really surprised." I replied, in the local language. "I speak the other one to the various divinities so I am not misunderstood."
He frowned at me, making me think is lack of knowledge, and my unwillingness to give a hint of information to him seeming to bother him. "Well, my curiosity is satisfied. I don't suppose you've seen the other Renard?"
He smiled as a felt my face go a little red. "Yes, we had a talk about some things. Very informative." I at least managed to say that without stuttering.
"Good good. You should see her again some time soon. She could use a friend. One that isn't paid by the hour." He replied, earning the most terrifying frown I'd ever seen, from Asfi. He didn't flinch from her, but he did from me, as I felt my ears twitch forward and my tail poof out as I felt a moment of aggression. I quickly calmed myself, but he was already fanning himself with his hat, "Sensitive topic, sorry."
Asfi herself was surprised at Hermes's reaction as well, but said nothing. "I will visit some time soon then, regardless. If you see her, ask her to arrange some time off."
"I'll do that." He replied, turning his back to me and putting his hat back on, "What's next Asfi dear?"
I watched them leave, and went back to my routine. It was still too early to go visiting people, so I figured I'd have time.
Hephaestus was at her desk, looking a little out of place doing paperwork. A broad shouldered Amazon had seen me to the door and let me in, announcing me simply as 'that fox is here.' I suppose, with only one or two other Renards in the city, she would know exactly who 'that fox' would be.
"Ah, good. Give a moment." Hephaestus said, not looking up from her paperwork. She drew a few lines on it with a quill, stamped it, then set it aside. "For being so laid back, Hermes can certainly deliver." She looked up, stood, and offered her hand.
"Apparently." I shook her hand and sat after she did. "So what did you need?"
"Well, your order is being filled, slowly. Not many people bother with material gathering." I nodded and shrugged, expecting that. "And about that machine you drew out... I had one of my best people try and design it, and I have to say, its amazing." She smiled brightly at me, and I felt almost the same as when Hestia smiled at me.
"That's good. Maybe the more flexible armour, with less gaps, could save more lives." I smiled then said, "I figure it might be pretty popular when you can mass produce it."
She nodded, pointing to her anvil. Next to it was a small leather bag. "Take that to Welf." She said, "Welf Crozzo." She corrected. "Too bad I have all this paperwork. I'd love to see the look on his face when you give it to him."
"Call it a signing bonus." I said with a smile. "Wonder if he knows how to make patterned steel..."
"What?"
I clapped my hand to my forehead and started explaining.
"Me and my big mouth." I mumbled, the small bag of raw adamant over my shoulder. She knew what I was talking about when I had explained it. Folding metal on itself and then etching it with a mild acid to bring out the pattern hidden by the folding. For the next hour we had basically compared notes on old techniques verses modern short cuts. Oddly, for the first time since my arrival, I kind of missed the internet.
The map led me to a much more rural section of town. Most of the buildings were single floor and of simple construction. Wood walls, hay or clay roofs. The bare minimum for keeping the weather out. Humming to myself while I listened to the various sounds of hammering, grinding and other such creative noises, I followed the map until I was standing outside of a small Japanese styled wood shack. It had a small stone chimney, glassless windows and a thatch roof. I compared the location to my map, and circled the little hut for the entrance. Black smoke was coming from the chimney and I could hear hammering from within. This Welf person was home.
There was a tiny mud room, with a little step up to a nice solid wood floor. Exactly how a Japanese home was designed. Quietly, I took off my boots, the only thing that had survived all of the other disasters my wardrobe had suffered, and stepped up onto the wood floor.
My first impressing of the fairly tall red haired man at the forge was 'focused'. If he had noticed me enter, he showed no sign. Instead, he was concentrating on everything he was doing. One hand worked a wooden box bellows, feeding air into the coal furnace, while the other hand held a bit of metal bar in the fire with a pair of tongs. His grey-blue eyes squinted against the heat, watching the metal heat up and change colour. Something changed in the metal, I knew not what, but he pulled it from the furnace smoothly and picked up a hammer.
I watched as he hammered the bar of metal flat, drawing the metal out easily, lengthening the bar while narrowing it. Before the metal's colour could cool too far, he put it back into the fire to heat again. It was only then that he turned to face me.
"Need something miss... Oh..." He must have actually taken a good look at me.
I myself still wasn't really good with this kind of attention. To my former self I'd make me into a stuttering idiot too. "Kodori." I knelt on the floor and offered my hand. "Welf Crozzo?"
My looks may have flustered him, but his handshake was solid. "Yes. Can I help you?"
"Yes, but I have some time, tend to that first." I nodded to the metal in the fire, "Don't let it get too hot."
I had only taken very basic metal working. A pair of day long classes that taught me how to make a wall hook, and a basic knife. From the way Welf moved and how he handled a hammer, I was less than an amateur. But I wanted to make a good first impression, and not let new business ruin old business.
He gave me a quick smile, then turned back to his work. I watched as he hammered out what looked like a diamond shaped fencing blade. Heavier than something from back home, but more solid, for some one with super strength. When he finally quenched the blade, in what smelled like oil, not water, and looked down the length to make sure it hadn't warped at all, he turned to me, and placed the blade blank down onto a mat.
"Thank you. Now how can I help you?" He had recovered from his initial look at me, and was all business.
"To be blunt." I said, "I'd like to enter into a contract with you. On behalf of my other Familia member too."
"I don't make magic swords." He said, frowning, starting to turn away.
"I can't use weapons." I replied. I wondered if I had hit a sore spot some how, "But I my partner and I have used a lot of your armour."
His anger was switched instantly to surprise, "Really? You mean that stuff I left at the rookie store sold? Where is it? How did it do?"
"Well, mine lasted until it was melted off of me." I replied, my body shivering despite being next to a forge. "The chest plate is actually still being used by Bell. He and I like your design. It's solid, functional, and light."
His anger was completely gone now, replaced with a kid like joy at having his work complimented. "You really liked it? Really?"
I raised my hands in surrender, "Yes really. That's why Bell and I wanted to enter a contract with you."
He offered me lunch while we discussed what the contract would entail. He seemed a little down on himself for only being level one, and not having the metalwork skill. But after a little reassurance, we got back on track. If he could accompany Bell, Lilly and I into the dungeon, and be supplied with materials that dropped, he would basically work for the group of us freely. The last part surprised me, but after a moment of thinking, it made sense. He would get a share of the magic stone profit, the materials that dropped, and gain exillia towards leveling.
"As a signing bonus." I said, after we shook on it, "Something for when you feel confident enough to make something of it. I put the bag in front of him. His eyes boggled at it, and before he could ask, I answered, "Yes I'm sure. No you can't hug me."
He laughed and raised his hands in surrender this time. "Fine fine. Something you said before, you can't use weapons?"
I gave him a brief explanation and a demonstration with a scrap bit of metal.
He watched the bit of metal turn to dust as I swung it against his anvil. "That's rough. But you can punch things just fine?"
"I suspect, that if the gauntlets were spiked or sharp in any way, they'd break too." I replied, "But I can attack things with my armour. And can use knives and forks on food. If I use something as a tool, I have no problem."
"Hm. Fine. I'll work with that in mind."
"Good. I suspect that we will be heading into the dungeon tomorrow. So meet us at the fountain if you want to join us. I'll let my group know."
"See you tomorrow then." Again we shook, and I left.
I spent the rest of the afternoon trying to find a very specific thing. For a city this size, I was surprised how hard it was. But when I did, I had to barter with a home owner for it. Using the coin given to me by Soma, I traded with the home owner and then made my way to Soma Familia's headquarters.
I was given a very cold greeting by the person who answered the door, and told very firmly to piss off. With a shrug, I went to the adjoining building, the one with the fragrant wood smoke coming out of the chimneys, and was greeted by the dwarf Chandra.
We shared greetings, handshakes, comments, and even a taste of one of the beers they were brewing. He laughed at the face I made, and then escorted me to Soma's garden room. His greeting was some what strained, but then I handed him what I had bought.
A small strawberry bush.
The lady I had bought it from even gave me the soil it had been in, and a proper little clay pot. And while I was no expert, it looked healthy.
"I've looked around you know." I said, as he took the pot and examined it critically, "and the 'failures' you sell are held in very high regard." He snorted, sounding like I had just insulted him, "I'm sure that when you make something of this, you'll make others happy too."
"I will take your advice to heart." He said, still sounding cold, but sincere, "Is that all?"
"Yes, Lord Soma." I replied, "Thank you."
I was just finishing a small carving on a block of wood when Hestia Bell and Lilly returned. Carefully, I put the block down and stood, giving them my best butler bow. "Welcome home."
So ends another chapter. A little eventful, if not exceptionally exciting.
Until next time, good readers.