Eventually, the group of adventurers led by Darius walked away with Kaizen's refusal and, after a few minutes, he approached the counter to clear his other doubts with the Adventurers' Guild employee.
As Kaizen approached the counter of the Adventurers' Association, he was greeted by a smiling attendant, wearing the characteristic uniform of the place. The man seemed to be used to dealing with adventurers seeking information and was willing to help.
"Hello, adventurer! What can I do for you?" the attendant asked.
Kaizen acknowledged the greeting with a nod and said:
"Hello, my name is Klaus. I am in need of a map of the region and, if possible, the entire nation. Do you have one?"
"Certainly, we have maps of the Pokkir Region and even the Kingdom of Mibothen. It's always good to be well-informed before going on a journey, isn't it? Let me get one for you." The man replied, sympathetically.
The attendant stepped away for a moment and returned with a roll of parchment that contained a map of the Pokkir Region and the surrounding areas. He unrolled the map on the counter, revealing a detailed representation of the lands around Pokkir, including the outskirts, forests and even some places of interest, such as ruins and dungeons.
"This is a very detailed map of the Pokkir region and its surroundings. I hope it helps you in your explorations and adventures." said the attendant, pushing the map lightly towards Kaizen.
Klaus examined the map carefully, studying the routes and points of interest marked on the parchment. He thanked the attendant for his help and asked, "What about a map of the entire nation of Mibothen? Do you have one too?"
The attendant smiled again and replied, "Yes, we have a more comprehensive map of Mibothen. However, it is a bit larger and more detailed. I can get a copy for you, but it will be a bit more expensive compared to the local map."
Klaus nodded, understanding the situation. "No problem. How much is the map of Mibothen?"
The attendant informed the amount, and Klaus agreed to purchase the map, considering that the information would be valuable in his future explorations and adventures, since the map he got from Alina was outdated.
After making the payment, the attendant handed him the second map, which was indeed larger and more detailed. This map showed all the important cities, large villages, trade routes and more, providing a comprehensive view of the Kingdom of Mibothen.
"Thank you very much. Oh yes, I almost forgot one other thing. Do you have Teleportation Crystals for Tretidian or any cities closer to the border?"
With a shake of his head, the man immediately denied. "Unfortunately we don't sell any teleportation crystals that far, sir. You can find them in some store in town, but I believe the prices will be exorbitant. You'll probably find them for a fair price in the Royal Capital."
Kaizen thanked the attendant once more for the information and help. He put the maps away in his backpack carefully, aware that they would be valuable resources on his journey. With all these answers answered, Kaizen bid the attendant farewell and left the Adventurers' Guild.
As he left, he sighed, and as he admired the snowy city street, he thought:
'Looks like my trip will be a little longer than planned. However, it's getting late and I have an appointment with Ashley.'
So, he logged out of Rise Online and rushed to his dormitory. It was just over 8 o'clock in the evening on a Friday, it was a bit chilly, but nothing compared to the winter of Mibothen.
*
A few minutes after arriving at his dorm room, Klaus received a text from Ashley. It was her letting him know that she was already in front of his dorm.
Klaus opened the dorm door for Ashley and was surprised to see her in a sweater, sweatpants, a cap, and even sunglasses.
"What's that?" Klaus asked with a smile, resisting the urge to immediately mock the unusual clothing.
With her face completely red with embarrassment, she inquired:
"It's a disguise."
"What? But why?" she insisted, now hardly able to hold in her laughter.
"Won't the other boys in the dormitory be bothered by my presence here? Won't they report to the campus monitors that there's a girl in their dorm?"
Klaus laughed briefly, then smiled reassuringly at her. "Rest assured, Ashley. Amazingly enough, it's quite common to see other girls in Dorm A-3, especially since many of the residents are from the athletic departments.... Besides, you're my girlfriend, most of the staff knows that, so I'm sure no one will report it."
Ashley seemed relieved by the answer and smiled back at Klaus, a little shyly. "You know, that's the first time you've said that directly." She stated, running her right hand over his chest.
The redness on her face spread to Klaus' face in less than a second by that sentence. "Uh... Are you sure? I almost remember saying that several other times."
"I'm sure you don't." She said and slid her hand from his chest to his right hand, pulling him in, a mocking smile on her face.
Klaus, who was already ready to kiss her, was a little disappointed. "These teasing of yours..."
"Come on, let's go to the bedroom. I can't wait to see where you sleep."
Klaus agreed and Ashley followed him down the dormitory hallway. Their footsteps echoed lightly in the quiet atmosphere as they made their way to his room, which was 25, still on the second floor.
As they entered, Ashley looked around curiously. The room was simple, but cozy. A desk with a laptop occupied the corner where there was a window with blinds, a small shelf next to it displayed some items related to games and books, and two bunk beds were on the two walls parallel to the door.
"You guys' room is pretty nice, but isn't it kind of bad sharing a room with so many people?" commented Ashley, holding her hands back. "I only share with Helen and sometimes I think I'm going to go crazy."
Klaus closed the door and replied:
"Actually, the boys are pretty quiet and clean for the most par..."
However, before he could finish his sentence, Ashley advanced on him and pinned him against the wall, trapping him with her body and a kiss. After a few moments, their mouths pulled apart a little and she inquired:
"Will they be long in coming?"
"About 15 minutes at most. They should be at the bar or the movies." With a smile, Klaus replied.
Ashley smiled back. "Then I'll do my best."
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