Chapter 15: Minimum Three
The morning air was cool against Julius’s face as he stepped out of the Inn. Zara parted ways but not before letting him know she was watching him.
The Outer Ring was already awake. Carts rattled down the main street. Vendors called out from stalls that hadn’t been there the night before. A group of dwarves argued over a shipment of ore near the corner. Two Lycan women walked past, giggling as they talked.
Yumiko stood beside him, saying nothing. Her tail moved once, then still.
Julius looked left, then right. The arrow that had guided him since the forest was gone.
[The directional marker was tied to your arrival. You have arrived.]
"So now I navigate on my own."
[Yes.]
"Hmm. Do you come with a map feature?"
[No]
Yumiko watched the whole exchange with a puzzled look.
"Where are we going?" she asked.
"Nowhere specific. Just looking."
She accepted this without comment.
They passed a bakery. The smell of fresh bread drifted across the street. The glass case showed various assortments of baked delicacies. Julius’s stomach protested but he had priorities.
They found a tailor shop about five doors later.
The shop had a wooden sign, a display window with bolts of fabric and a few finished pieces.
Julius looked down at his Earth clothes. The jeans were holding up, but the shirt was starting to fray at the cuffs. He had been wearing the same outfit for days.
"I need clothes," he said as he stepped inside.
Yumiko looked at her own jacket. "I’m good with mine."
The tailor was a dwarf woman with thick arms and a measuring tape draped over her shoulders. She looked at Julius, then at Yumiko, then at their clothes.
"Travelers," she said. Not a question.
"Yes."
"I have basics. shirts, pants, jackets. Nothing fancy."
"That’s fine."
The fitting took some minutes. Julius ended up picking two plain shirts and a pair of pants.
When the dwarf named the price, Julius reached for his coin pouch. It wasn’t in his pockets. He turned to Yumiko who was already offering it to him. The exchange surprised him.
He paid and got changed. Taking his old clothes with him.
The Adventurer Guild building was impossible to miss.
It was a stone fortress with iron fittings, three stories tall, with a banner hanging above the entrance. A sword crossed with a staff, both encircled by a wreath. The sign below read: Adventurer Guild — Outer Ring Branch.
A crowd of people were inside and a line formed at the receptionist desk. Julius and Yumiko joined the line.
The interior was practical. Wooden floors. Notice boards covered in pinned requests. A few tables where adventurers sat, eating, drinking, comparing notes. The smell of old leather and cheap ale.
When Julius reached the front, the clerk, a tired-looking Dwelv woman with spectacles looked him up and down. There was a partial note of disgust.
Julius spoke first. "I’m here to register for the guild."
"Me too." Yumiko spoke behind.
She handed them forms and a pen to fill out their details.
The form had a section for name, age, race, occupation, a contract and a section asking party or free agent along side some other details.
The contract was an agreement stating that the guild would not be held liable to any injuries or fatalities.
Julius filled them and ticked the party box. Yumiko did the same. The whole process took minutes.
The woman collected the forms and asked them if they wanted to join a party or make their own. Julius chose the latter.
"A party can only have a minimum of three members. You may complete your registration when you have an extra member," she said.
Julius nodded.
"Your forms are valid for a week, after that you will have to redo the whole process." She added.
"Alright then," Julius replied
"Next!!!"
Julius and Yumiko took their leave. They walked back to the inn in silence.
Mudgob was behind the bar, wiping a glass that was already clean. Julius noted he hadn’t seen other customers in the inn.
"Back already?"
"Didn’t get much done."
Mudgob nodded. "The guild?"
Julius looked at him. "How did you know?"
"The minimum number to register a party is three. High demons can’t operate in the city so it was down to you two." Mudgob replied.
Julius sighed.
"I don’t know anyone in the city. How do I get someone to join my party?" he asked.
"I know a guy. Though they prefer upfront payment and are very busy."
Julius was good with that. "How long till they are free?"
"A few days. Maybe a week." Mudgob responded
Julius recalled the party registration deadline but he didn’t have a choice. For now he would focus on other things. There was the issue of making money.
He still had the bear pelts. Ten of them.
He went to his room and sat on his bed and stared at the ceiling. This morning had been a lot of walking but at least he had new clothes.
A screen flashed across his face.
[Daily Quest: Foundation Workout]
"Huh?"
