Chapter 20: The Workers Guild
"The workers guild?" Julius asked.
"Yes, the workers guild used to be quite popular before the adventurers guild was set up," Mudgob replied. "People could assign tasks and pay others for doing them."
Julius pondered before replying. "So it’s like freelancing?"
Mudgob’s face contorted into what could be confusion. "I don’t see why Lances being free have anything to do with work."
"Forget what I said. So in essence I can do regular jobs and make money?" Julius replied.
"Yes and some of those jobs include requests for items, like logs, herbs...." Mudgob grinned. "...animal parts, among other things."
A small smile appeared on Julius’s face. He had a way to sell the items but he didn’t know how to explain the inventory so he could sell them fast. He didn’t know the limits of power in the world and needed to be careful.
"Hey Mudgob, if I wanted to carry multiple items, how would I go about it, carrying the pelts at once."
Mudgob looked at Julius like he had asked the most obvious question. "You really aren’t from here, Mister Julius..."
"Yes I said that earl..."
"No I mean. You aren’t from this region" Mudgob grinned as he poured some Mudmilk in Julius’s outstretched cup.
There was a pause as Julius processed the question, wondering if it was a bluff at finding him out.
The goblin’s question had a lighthearted feel to it. It was different from how Daren had asked him questions but he still wanted to be cautious.
The goblin interrupted his thoughts. "The questions you ask, how you don’t know the barkeep drinking ritual which is common knowledge," He stopped himself to take a sip, watching Julius from the corner of his eye.
"You are right," Julius replied. "I’m not from around here."
"Are you a spy," Mudgob questioned.
Julius smiled. "I wish, it’s a bit difficult to explain."
"Sounds like something a spy would say," Mudgob countered before dropping his cup. "I have no problems with who or what you are, as long as you don’t give me problems, got it?"
Julius nodded. "Got it."
"And to answer your question, enchantment magic can make items have more carrying capacity." Mudgob dropped his cup to reach inside one of his pockets, small as his hand and produced a rusted corkscrew, a rag and some coins. Items that shouldn’t be able to fit into that pocket at once.
Julius was amazed. "Is it infinite storage?"
Mudgob laughed. "No it’s not, I’ve never seen any enchantment that grants infinite storage space."
Julius was curious how it worked but before he could ask any more questions. The door of the Inn opened and Yumiko walked in. She did not look at Julius or Mudgob and went straight upstairs to their room.
Julius found that odd, he found most of the Nekari’s actions odd but there was a certain tension on her that he couldn’t explain.
Julius and Mudgob looked at each other before Mudgob spoke. "It seems you have issues to attend to."
"She’s not –"
"Whatever you say," The goblin countered.
"I’m not interested in a thief," Julius replied.
The goblin’s eyes narrowed. "She stole from you?"
"Yes,"
There was a pause before Mudgob asked another question. "Did she return it?"
Julius couldn’t see how that was relevant but he answered and recounted the various times she had stolen and returned items.
The goblin rested his chin on his hand. His face looked like one trying to find pieces of a puzzle and one of them managed to click, his demeanour changed before he spoke. "I can take care of food if you have the coin so you attend to her."
Julius brought out the pouch, and counted the last of the coins and gave them to Mudgob. The goblin grinned as he counted them before pocketing them. He stepped towards the door of the Inn to leave
"I’ll be back in some moments, oh and when you sell the pelts, please extend your stay," the goblin grinned before he closed the door.
Julius didn’t know what that was all about but he decided to go upstairs. The hunger was getting worse and he wanted to check on yumiko while he waited for Mudgob to bring food.
He opened the door and saw Yumiko on the bed near the window facing the direction he couldn’t see. He laid on the other bed and brought out his phone.
He turned it on. Opened one of the games his brother had installed for him, and played for a bit before opening the gallery app.
He went to the folder he had seen the other night to delete the remaining contents of his ex, he did this until he came across an image of two of them. It was a selfie she had taken, the two of them in bed.
He never understood why she took the image considering that was the day they broke up, when she travelled and they said their goodbyes. It wasn’t until a couple of months later they saw each other again. But by then things were different.
Julius recalled the last time he was at her apartment.
She had just gotten back for the holidays and her company was in need of a freelance software developer. She and Julius had met up several times after the breakup but this time she invited him over to her apartment.
Julius recalled that night. The way both of them smiled as they reminisced old times, he remembered her coming close, too close for people who were no longer together. He remembered her taking off her clothes slowly and his realization of why she actually invited him over.
That night could have ended differently, exciting even. But he had rules, she was in a relationship and he was no longer interested. He left that night.
He took the job but made an effort not to meet her again. She got the gist and kept her distance.
Julius deleted the photo. It was the last one with both of them. He closed his eyes for a moment of peace.
"Who was that?"
Julius’s eyes widened at the sound of her voice. He hadn’t heard her move. Again. He turned to the other side to find her standing over him. She was close, too close.
Close enough that he caught her scent for the first time. It was warm and earthy. He looked at her face. Her mouth was slightly open, enough to reveal one of her canines. Her yellow eyes were dilated, eager but there was something else, tiredness.
There was silence in the room and Julius thought it best to answer her question.
"No one," he replied. "Not anymore."
