by Aaron Oster
“Speaking of rooms, would you happen to have an extra one for my friend, Sam? He escorted me here from Farmer’s Rest, keeping me safe from monsters and he even saved me from a group of bandits.”
“But of course! Any friend of yours is a friend of mine,” Class Cee said, leaning in and taking Sam’s hand, placing a wet kiss on the back of it.
Sam, for his part, just tried not to gag.
“It’s nice to meet you as well. Anyone who would treat Milly well is alright in my book.”
Milly flushed a bit at that and Class raised an eyebrow in surprise, then a very different smile curled his lips and he wagged his long yellow eyebrows at them.
“I never thought I’d see the day when Milly found a decent partner. Try not to be too loud and disturb the other guests, ah!” He then burst out laughing at the expressions on both their faces.
“I am only teasing, of course!”
Then his eyes fell on Gordon and his smile widened even further.
“I see we have another guest. Do excuse me for not introducing myself,” the gremlin said, bowing slightly at the waist.
“Your manners are impeccable, good sir,” Gordon replied, as Class pulled something from his pocket and tossed it to him.
“Thank you for the compliment, my dear canine. I haven’t seen your like around since I left the Grempire. ”
Seriously! Why are these names so bad?
“You can understand me?” Gordon asked, as he snapped the treat out of the air and chewed with an appreciative expression on his doggy face.
“But of course! Doesn’t everyone?”
Gordon and Sam both shook their heads at the same time.
“No one’s been able to understand him, other than me,” Sam said, wondering if perhaps the gremlin knew why.
There was a loud crashing sound and Class Cee spun, already screaming at the poor server who had dropped the stack of bowls. Sam couldn’t be sure, but he was fairly certain that the man would not be keeping his job for long.
“Well, guess we should head up then?” he asked Milly, whose face was still a little flushed.
He found himself wondering why she was the one who was flushing. After all, she was the one who made men clumsy around her.
“Yeah. Class can be a little hard to work with, but I think I can manage just fine,” she said, heading out of the kitchen and back into the dining room.
After fetching their room keys from Quentin, who didn’t seem at all pleased that he’d now be taking orders from Milly, they headed upstairs.
Just by looking at tapestries and paintings decorating the walls, Sam could tell that Class Cee had poured a lot of money into the inn. There were a total of thirty rooms, each one marked by a gilded bronze number that softly reflected the flickering light of the lanterns.
They finally reached their rooms at the end of the hall. His room was 29, and Milly’s 30. After the day they’d had, Sam was more than ready to get some sleep, supper or not. Before Milly went into her room to prepare for the evening, he stopped her.
“Alright, Milly. I believe that I’ve completed my quest. I’m exhausted and want to get some sleep,” he said, covering a wide yawn.
“Aww, I was hoping you’d forget that,” Milly pouted. “I was going to use it as an excuse to keep you around.”
“I’m not planning on going anywhere, at least not for the next week. There’s probably a lot to do in a city and I wanna learn more about Somerset before I set out.”
“Oh, alright,” Milly said with a sigh. “You’ve completed the quest.”
QUEST COMPLETE
Congratulations! You have completed the quest: Escort the escort!
Speak with Milly to collect your rewards.
Rewards: 400 XP, 10 Silver, Milly’s gratitude
Sam swiped the notification away and Milly handed him 10 silver coins, which Sam immediately stuck in his pocket.
He would have to transfer it to his Spatial Wallet later.
“Thanks for that,” Sam said, rubbing at his eyes. “Have a good night.”
Before he could turn away, Milly launched herself at him. Caught completely off guard, Sam had no choice but to catch her as his back hit the hallway wall. Before he knew what was happening, Milly’s lips were pressed to his in a passionate kiss.
Sam was so shocked that he just stood there like a statue, as the beautiful elf proceeded to turn his brain to mush. Then, she pulled away, slightly breathless and he just stared at her, heart pounding a mile a minute and his face a deep scarlet.
“Looks like my charm hasn’t completely worn off then. I was beginning to worry,” Milly said with a sly grin.
Sam just nodded dumbly, then felt his heart rate spike alarmingly as she leaned in and kissed him again, this time on the cheek.
“I expect I’ll be seeing you soon enough, so I can show my gratitude .” She winked at him, and with a light giggle, walked into her room, closing the door behind her with a soft click.
Sam stared after her for a long minute, his mind still not completely believing what had just happened.
“Gordon. If this is a dream, don’t you fucking dare wake me up.”
“I would not dare impose,” the dog replied.
19
Sam couldn’t fall asleep after that. He lay awake for hours, staring at the fancy curtains of his four-poster bed, and thinking about that kiss. It had been like nothing he’d ever felt before, not that he’d had much experience with girls, to begin with. That had been different though. In the past, when he’d kissed someone, it had been hesitant or chaste. With Milly, it had been special. He could feel her passion and her desire as well, which confused him more than anything.
He found himself wondering as to what a girl like that, saw in a guy like him.
Rolling onto his side, Sam stared at the slow rise and fall of Gordon’s back as he slept soundly next to him.
How did the dog fall asleep so quickly?
He rolled to the other side, now staring at a plush leather armchair that was probably worth more than his first car back on Earth. He growled softly to himself as Milly’s face popped into his mind once again.
He’d only just met her yesterday. Why was he already so smitten with her? Damn you, emotions! I’m not cut out for this shit.
Sam was about to roll out of bed, when there was a loud gong in his head and a screen popped up before his eyes.
DIVINE BOON
You have gone for an entire day without breaking a rule, as such, you have been granted a divine boon!
Effect: +100% Health Duration: H 23 : M 59 : S 59
“Holy shit!” Sam exclaimed, forgetting for a moment where he was.
“Do try to be quiet, Samuel. It’s already past midnight. You should at least try and get some sleep.”
Sam gritted his teeth at the use of his full name, but forced himself not to throw something at the dog.
So apparently there was a good reason not to break the rules, aside from avoiding a curse. Getting a massive boost to his HP was nothing to sneeze at, even if it was only a temporary buff.
He closed the screen, then pulled up his stats to see what the new rule was.
RULE OF THE DAY
You must defeat a dungeon boss
Well, shit.
***
Sam awoke the next morning with a pounding headache. Groaning lightly, he forced himself to get out of bed and shuffled over to the sink set in an alcove on one side of the room. Turning the spigot, he filled the basin to the brim, then proceeded to dunk his entire head into it.
Fuck me!
He pulled his head from the basin with a gasp and felt some of the icy water run down the back of his undershirt.
Definitely should have taken it off, Sam thought as he examined his features in the looking glass set above the sink.
His eyes had large bags under them and were very noticeably bloodshot. Letting out a long sigh, he turned back to his bed, where Gordon was still sleeping.
“Ge
t up, you lazy mutt. We have shit to do,” he groaned, throwing the towel he’d been using to dry his hair at the dog.
“Do not call me that, simian, else I will begin using your full name once again.”
“You’ve already used it twice, dickwad. Don’t think I’ve forgotten,” he replied, pulling his shirt on over his head.
Gordon just yawned in response, then rose from the bed and dropped to the floor, stretching his back and shaking himself vigorously.
“I have not used your full name. Merely your first name.”
“Same shit,” Sam replied, sliding his feet into his boots and throwing his pack over his shoulder.
“My rule for today is to defeat a dungeon boss. So, are there any dungeons around here?” he asked, adjusting his pack so it lay comfortably across his back.
“There is indeed a dungeon near the outskirts of the city. However, I do not believe that we can defeat the boss alone. We may need to request aid from the Adventurers Guild.”
Sam just rolled his eyes.
“Of course there’s an Adventurers Guild. And let me guess: they have a large presence throughout Somerset and all the strongest people are part of it.”
“That sounds about right,” Gordon agreed, prompting another eye roll from Sam.
“So, which all-powerful Adventurer is in charge of the guild here?”
Gordon shrugged.
“If I am being honest, I have no idea. This area of Somerset is fairly low-leveled, so the people around here should not be too strong.”
“Yeah. Mind explaining that to me?” Sam asked, pulling up his map and zooming out as much as he could. “Milly mentioned a whole bunch of different country rulers last night, but I was under the impression that the Overlord ruled Somerset.”
“It is a very lengthy and intricate topic, one which would take the better part of the day to explain. I assume, however, that you do not wish to break today’s rule, and as such, do not have the time to dally. I would also recommend that you buy some new equipment and sell the items that you no longer need. What you have will not hold up once you start to face serious opposition. If you would like, I can answer a few questions on the way.”
“Fine,” Sam said, scanning over the map. He could see 13 distinctly marked territories on the map, each one with a different name. The one they were in currently was called The Four Kingdoms and when he zoomed in, he could indeed see four, each a roughly square-shaped piece of land bordering the others. As far as he could tell, he was currently in the kingdom of the West, which was the closest to the neighboring territory, called The Grempire. He’d heard Class Cee mention it last night, so it had stood out to him when he’d looked.
Closing the map, he let out a long breath, then took one last look around his room to make sure he hadn’t forgotten anything. Nope, all good.
Pushing the door open, Sam waited for Gordon to exit before closing and locking it behind him. He glanced over to Milly’s room, wondering if she was in there. Shaking his head, he headed down to the dining room. Several people sat at the tables throughout, and Sam debated ordering something to eat. Then he remembered how expensive this place was and decided to pick something up on the way.
Quentin was waiting for them at the door and he pulled something from his breast pocket and handed it to Sam.
“The lady Milly asked me to deliver this, should I happen to see you.”
“Uh, thanks,” Sam said, awkwardly taking the letter from the man. He was eager to tear it open, but decided to wait until they’d left the fancy inn.
Emerging onto a now very busy street, Sam looked back and forth, wondering where their first stop should be.
“I would recommend we stop for some nourishment,” Gordon said, emerging from the inn behind him. “I believe that there is an affordable eatery just off the main street in that direction.” Gordon lifted a paw to indicate the direction and Sam nodded, heading down the crowded street a brisk walk.
The variety of the people around him was the first thing that stood out Sam. There were elves, dwarves, gnomes and what he thought were sprites, to name a few, but there was an abundance of races that he didn’t recognize at all. Some were squat like the dwarves, but their facial features and skin color were different. Others were tall, with leathery skin and protrusions of bone emerging from various parts of their bodies. It didn’t escape his notice that the vast majority were still humans.
“So, Gordon, how about a little geography lesson? I’ve noticed there is an abundance of different races here, but why do the majority seem to be humans?”
“That is a simple enough question to answer. The Four Kingdoms are what you might call the birthplace of humankind. This is the homeland of humans, and as such, the majority will be human.”
“And what about The Grempire ?”
“The Grempire is the homeland of gremlins and their sub-races. As you can imagine, the territory is quite divided. By the last estimate, there were over forty separate countries within the territory, though they all answer to the Emperor, Grem Linn.”
“Why are all these names so on the nose?” Sam asked when he heard the Emperor’s name. “Also, that name sounds kinda female, or am I wrong?”
“Yes, Grem Linn is a female. Unlike in your world, leaders in Somerset, be they male or female, all have the same title. As for the strangeness of names, I cannot say that I know what you are talking about.”
Of course, the dog wouldn’t think a name like Grem Linn was strange if a name like Class Cee didn’t make him so much as blink.
“So, do The Four Kingdoms have one ruler? If so, would their name happen to be Hugh Man?”
“No, the kingdoms have four separate rulers and I do not know where you would get the idea of such a strange sounding name.”
Sam resisted the urge - not for the first time- to punch the dog in his smug face.
“You said that this was a low-level area. Does that mean that all humans are weak compared to other races?”
“No, humans are neither weaker, nor stronger than any specific race. Every territory has both strong and weak areas. For example, if you left this city and headed north for three weeks, you would enter an area where even those near level 70 would have a difficult time.”
“Yikes. Remind me to avoid those areas please.”
“But of course,” Gordon replied, “ah, I believe we have arrived at our destination.”
Sam looked up to the sign swinging above the door of a small stone house.
Eat Here was written in sloppy lettering, but by this point, Sam was all out of fucks to give. Somerset seemed to be not only a land of mystery and magic, but a land of bad puns and horrible names.
“Alright then, I wonder what type of stew we’ll be treated to today,” he said with a grin as he pushed the door open.
20
It was vegetable stew, Sam’s least favorite type of dish. He grumbled to himself that it was more like a vegetable soup than a stew, but ate it all the same. His stomach wouldn’t allow him to pass on another meal, no matter how unappetizing it appeared to be.
Gordon sat on the floor next to him, happily tearing into a bloody steak bone, his tail wagging vigorously behind him. Sam decided that this was the last time he would allow the dog to choose where they ate. He was quick to polish off the rest of the stew, completely ignoring the brown bread and drinking the mug of whatever they’d placed before him.
The dog was still eating by the time he’d finished, so he quickly pulled Milly’s letter from his pocket and opened it with slightly trembling fingers. He still wasn’t entirely sure how he felt about the elf, but he found that he was excited to read her letter.
Dear Sam, Hope you had a pleasant night. I’ll probably still be asleep when you wake in the morning, but I expect to see you later this evening.
~Milly
Sam found that he was a bit disappointed that the letter didn’t contain more than that and silently chided himself for expecting so much.
Cool it, R
omeo. You only met her two days ago.
Folding up the letter, Sam placed it in his pants pocket and rose from the table.
“Come on, Gordon. We’ve still got a lot to take care of before going to the Guild headquarters in the city and I still need to defeat a dungeon boss.”
“Very well,” Gordon said, snatching the bone up between his jaws, and following him out of the small eatery.
Emerging back onto the street, Sam looked both ways before spotting a supplies store. Deciding that it would probably be the best place to start, he headed in that direction.
“Tell me something, Gordon. Are people like me the only ones who have rules to follow, or does everyone in this world have to?”
“Only those chosen by our illustrious Overlord have the privilege of following his specific rules. The rest of us must simply go about our lives.”
“Poor you,” Sam replied with a snort.
They reached the supplies store and Sam entered without even bothering to read the sign. He knew it would only annoy him.
A bell tinkled overhead as he entered, and a small, plump woman sat up straighter behind a very familiar looking counter.
So, all the stores seem to have the same setup, or at least the supplies stores.
The woman gave him a smile as he approached, and Sam couldn’t help but smile back.
“How can I help you, my dear?” she asked.
“I’m looking to buy a few items and I was wondering if you could help me.”
“Of course. Do you know what it is that you’re looking for?”
“Yes. Rope, some trail rations, and a new bag. Preferably a bigger one than this,” Sam said, shaking the 10 slot bag.
“Of course, just give me a moment.”
The woman then pulled a small bag from under the counter and Sam’s eyes widened as she began pulling one item after the next from inside.
A bag of holding! The trademark of any good RPG!
Sam’s fingers twitched and he eyed the bag hungrily as the woman finished pulling items from inside. When she was done, a selection of ropes, trail rations, and four bags lay on the counter.