n

n

nThe next day Erik woke up in the room he had rented.

n

"Well, that is still irritating.

" He mumbled as he stood up. Finding the abruptness of it all, a bit much.

nHe took a few minutes to get over this irritation, slowly getting up and stretching. Not having anything to change into he simply headed to the inn's common room, getting himself something to eat and drink.

nEnjoying the tender chicken breasts and a strange fruit juice, it's taste similar to lime. Having an added sweetness, Erik quite enjoyed it.

nErik wondered what he was going to do today. He knew that he needed to find a way to make money, like all other players he had 20 silvers to start with. SImply the dinner yesternight along with his lodging and his current breakfast had cost him 12 coppers.

nWhile this meant he could live without working for over a hundred days, Erik felt this was only an optimistic estimate. He was certain that he would spend more during the day, lessening that number by a large amount.

n'Let's just explore today.' He told himself, calling the map, wondering where he should go for the day.

n'Oh, there is a library. But it is quite far.'

nErik had no idea what scale the map was made from, from a rough estimate he felt it would take him a few hours to reach the library.

n'Are there any stables?' He wondered next. As the map responded to his question he remembered that he did not know how to ride a horse.

n'Are there any carriage stables?' He asked next, finding the map search function extremely useful. It even seemed a bit too useful to him.

n

"Sorry!

" Erik called to the waiter,

"Can you tell me where I can get a ride?

"

n

"Certainly, where do you wish to go?

" The man asked, turning back to face Erik. Holding a tray with Erik's plate and cup.

n

"The library.

"

n

"Do you really know how to read?

" The man asked in surprise. Realizing that he was talking to a dryad the man's cheeks turned red. Quickly he spoke up again,

"The nearest passenger carriage stable is a few blocks from here if you hea...

"

nErik interrupted him before he could continue,

"Do you know the name, or what direction from here?

" To which the man pointed to the back of the inn.

nLooking at his map Erik quickly found the nearest stable in that direction,

"Thank you.

"

nAs he left, Erik gave the man an extra copper. Glad that the man had been so cooperative.

n...

n

"Sir, do you wish to travel somewhere?

" A young stable hand, in dirty clothing, asked Erik as he was approaching the stables.

n

"Yes, I want to go to the library.

"

n

"I will go fetch one of the drivers for you!

" The young man quickly disappeared into the building next to the stables. Erik chuckled at the young man's enthusiasm.

nWhile waiting Erik took some time to observe the stables. Finding that there were two horses with six legs at the back.

n'Magical beasts? Here, in such a basic stable?' Erik questioned, finding it difficult to believe such a simple and common stable would be able to house magical beasts. The stable itself looked to be on it lasts a few poles, the building next to it having many holes in its walls. The building's windows being simple holes, which would be closed by a wooden cover at night. These covered were hanging on their last hinges, not far from falling.

n

"Are you the sire, whom, wants to go to the library?

" A man with long gray hair asked. He was wearing what would have been a nice suit, if not for age having clearly ruined it. The suit had multiple small tears, most of the frontal ones having been fixed. Repeatedly.

nErik paused for a short while, still wondering what the six-legged horses were and how such a rundown place could have them.

"Yes, how much would it cost?

"

n

"The standard rate for intra-city travel is 10 coppers, sire.

" The old man then turned to the young stable hand, who quickly ran into the stable to fetch the horses and a carriage.

n

"10 copper. That's fine. Can you tell me about those six-legged horses while we wait?

"

n

"Certainly, they are called Exi horses. They have much better endurance than normal horses, but their speed is slightly lower. They are great for long travels.

" The old man gave the information easily, making Erik wonder if the horses were even special.

n

"How special are these, Exi horses?

"

n

"Sire, they aren't too special. At least here in Vruntis we have many of them, allowing most stables to house at least a pair.

"

n

"I have heard that stables in the noble district even have Okto horses. There are even rumors that some have Pegasi, though I am uncertain of this claim.

"

nErik nodded, finding this world to be something he would like to explore more. While he now wondered about the other horse species the old man had brought up, he decided to not ask. Believing that the old man wouldn't be able to give him a good answer even if he asked.

nWhile thinking of Eldrian, Erik also thought that he needed to tell him to stop taking this game so seriously. That he really needed to stop and smell the roses, as people often say.

nErik continued talking with the old man even after they had climbed onto the carriage. He learned much from their talk, the first being that the old man was called Alba. Alba had been working at this carriage stable since he was 12, having needed to help support his dying mother. His dad, being a soldier, was often away. Leaving the two of them alone, needing to fend for themselves.

nCurious Erik had asked why they hadn't used magic, only to hear that even the simplest spell would cost 1 silver. His mother had needed at least a Tier 2 spell, so the priests had told them.

nThis costed a total of 10 silvers, something they could not afford. Even after Alba had worked for a year, they had only managed to make a single silver.

nWhen his father had come back, instead of supporting them with his war pay, he had gone and spent it on his mistress. A few months later his mother had died and his dad had left him to fend for himself.

n

"I am sorry you had such a rough life.

" Erik said at the end of Alba's story.

n

"Thank you, sire, but it is nothing special. Most of my friends have similar stories. Life was always hard, yet I pray for the younglings.

"

n

"The war has made everything so much worse. Taxes have increased and so have the cost of spells. Most sick people are now sentenced to death, even if it is simply cold and the diseased is old. Then that person is almost certain to die. The Tier 0 spell needed for its cure costing over 1 silver and 50 coppers.

"

n

"How can they be so heartless.

" Erik was shocked, having no idea why simple sickness would lead to death. In reality, it was so easy to get antibiotics and vitamins, it made getting sick far less common and the effect from it almost nothing.

n'I guess they don't have any medicine...' Erik realized in sadness.

n

"Sire, that is life. It shows no mercy.

"

nThis did not make Erik feel better. But he understood, even in reality such things were still present, in some places. He shouldn't have expected it to be better in a game, set in medieval times, in a war against monsters.

n

"Can you tell me more about Vruntis, Alda?

"

n

"Certainly, Vruntis is a great kingdom. We aren't one of the strongest, but we have many mountains on the border, making defending far easier.

"

nHearing this Erik casually turned his head sideways, finding that he could actually see a mountain on the left. He then turned his head to the right, finding another. Both sides having walls going up the mountains, with towers spaced on the walls. Looking like dots due to the distance.

nErik continued to ask Alda questions about the kingdom, finding that he was in a city called Vuetvale. One of the gates to the rest of the kingdom, at least from the east. These gates also being the connection to the kingdom called Terikos, which bordered Vruntis for most of its eastern border.

n

"They have been in hard times. I heard from refugees that they had lost five cities. Soon they might also be destroyed.

"

n

"Wait, what?

" Erik was astounded by this news. Didn't this mean that Vruntis would soon be in danger?

n

"Sire, it has been assumed that we will enter the war in a few months, at the most.

"

n'Maybe I will need to learn how to fight.' Erik grumbled, finding his spirits far lower than it had been when he had joined the game.

nAround an hour later they finally arrived at the library, the sight not being what he expected.

nInstead of finding a peaceful and neat place, they instead found a place in chaos. With people rushing out of the building, others rushing past it and even soldiers rushing about, in full equipment.

nIt looked as if a war was about to break out.

n