[NR] A Place To Sleep - Chapter 765

With the main reason they’re here settled, the group changes to another equally important topic.

Rosha, “So uh, does this place have somewhere for us to stay?”

Old Liam laughs, “Don’t worry! While we don’t have an inn, you aren’t the first coming through this way. We’re the last stop before what most consider ‘the wilds’ begins. That river being a convenient boundary between civilization and nature.

“Though given you just came from the expansion point, it won’t really seem like much. We’re talking less a place left to grow wild and more a managed place that people just don’t go to as often.

“It might not have the straight-line rows of a tree farm, but groups travel through there all the time. Culling monsters, harvesting herbs, and chopping down any tree too interesting to ignore. Over there isn’t managed as the royal forest, but it isn’t not managed either. At best you call the forests ‘old growth’ and move on.”

Courtney, “Well, that makes your situation odder, but doesn’t answer where we’ll be sleeping.”

Old Liam fake coughs, “Ah right, that. Anyway, people are always coming through and staying the night so we have a visitor shack. Pavilion? Hmm, well, it isn’t an inn, more of a rough single-room building, but it’s big as my house. No one mans the place, but we keep it clean and don’t charge for simply staying there. Though any food or firewood, of course, needs to be taken care of on your own.”

Courtney raises an eyebrow to which Old Liam can only shrug. “We’re a farming town, selling food is what we do. Besides that, look around. Where are the trees we would be getting our wood from? We either need to buy it from outside or head across the river.

“Not that we’re allowed to fell too many trees. It’s more about grabbing the trees that are already dead so they don’t knock over other trees on the way down.”

Jason laughs, “Fair enough. Well, I guess we should go see where we’ll be staying for the next little while.”

Old Liam puts the lid back on the jar of tea and guides them down the road. “Now, I hope you don’t mind it, but the place for visitors to stay is actually the closest river.”

Rosha smirks, “Putting us on the front line, eh?”

Old Liam laughs, “You better believe it! And here it is. Make yourself comfortable. We’ll figure out what you can help with tomorrow.”

Having shown them the place, Liam wanders off to give them some privacy and so the four are left standing outside of the building.

Rosha sighs and pushes open the door. After a quick look inside, yep, exactly what she expected. He hadn’t been lying, it was a building about the size of his house with only a single room. Like some kind of studio apartment, except a lot rougher.

Courtney, “Well, I suspect this might be the original building. Or one of them.”

Jason nods, “Very much like my first few attempts, except they’ve kept them. Though I guess they have more room to build than we had back at the clearing. Besides, they’ve clearly figured out a use for it.”

Rosha sighs, “I say we keep Liam and Marry company whenever it’s time to eat.”

Courtney smiles, “Tired of campfire cooking?”

Rosha points into the building, “There is a campfire in the center of the room. I don’t expect a magic store or anything, but not even a regular stove? I know they have them. I just want regular food. We’ve basically been eating trail rations since forever ago!”

Jason laughs, “Well, they did basically offer us some, if we can pay.”

Rosha sighs, “Well, let’s go in there and make sure everything is in order. I know he said they keep the place up, but maybe a kid got in or some such and caused a mess.”

Jason looks in through the door, “It is dirty if you accept dirt on a dirt floor as being dirty.”

Rosha enters the building and looks around. “Okay, fair enough. There isn’t exactly much to mess up in here.”

Courtney enters behind her, “If by not much, you mean exactly the fire pit. There’s nothing else in here.”

Jason enters and looks around. “Well, he wasn’t lying about it being one room. Oh, and there’s a chimney up there that seems proper enough. At least there won’t be any rain coming into the place if the weather turns.”

Rosha sighs, “Well, the floor is flat. Anyway, what kind of things do you think they’ll have for us to do?”

Jason shrugs, “I’ll probably have to move a few heavy things. Maybe a boulder or two. You know, regular nonsense farms like these would put up with. And of course, Courtney is a healer, which there are never enough of to begin with. You though? I figure you’ll be the main one looking for the beast.”

Rosha crosses her arms, “Are you saying I’m not useful for something normal?”

Jason shrugs, “More like the beast is what you’re best at handling. There aren’t any normal animals causing trouble, so this is what you’re best at. Besides, lifting heavy objects isn’t exactly a skill. They’re just going to have me handle the things instead of waiting for a bunch of people to handle it.”

Rosha nods, “That is true! I’m quite the ranger, after all.”

Jason, “Yep, and while you don’t use it as much as you could, your magic is none too shabby.”

Rosha, “Hmm, that is a good point. I wonder how good the local mages are? Maybe it is leaving a Mana trail, but the creature has a stealth skill that can cover that?”

Courtney, “Well, I’m sure we’ll find out soon enough. Given how it was described, I doubt we’ll go too many days without seeing it.”

Jason, “At least it will be interesting to find out what the monster is. Like, if the lack of Mana is a thing, that might be the creature’s gimmick. Though you have to wonder why it is hanging around. The tail is long gone by now.”