As I exited the building, my steps gradually slowed.

  A strange feeling of emptiness welled up within me.

  It finally dawned on me – I was leaving Pine Harbor, the place I internally dubbed ‘tutorial town’ earlier on.

  I didn't know when I would return here, if ever.

  I still wanted to explore the tunnels where Sebastian’s memories cut off, but after learning more about the Dark Regions, I realized I had to become much stronger than I currently was. And that would take time… perhaps more time than I had left.

  ‘What should I do now?’

  Did I have any unfinished business here? Thinking it through, all that came up were around two gold coins worth of harvesting mission certificates that I had to exchange at the guild. That, and a few silver coins which I prepaid for the inn. Not that I cared enough to demand them.

  It was around three hours past noon. Driven by instinct, my legs carried me to a familiar place.

  “Back again, young man? You are lucky! I made some pie today, too! And there’s one last slice left.”

  The cheerful old lady proudly pointed at the last piece of the pie.

  “I… I’ll take it.”

  Since I came this far, I might as well, right?

  A minute later, I bit into the crunchy texture of the reheated pie.

  The crust was great, as always, and so was the meat – however, I barely felt its taste. In fact, the only reason I finished it was because of the old lady's proud gaze – I didn't want to disappoint her by throwing it away.

  ‘What should I order to go? Maybe I should grab something for-’

  The casual thought cut off with a sudden reminder – the grip, subtly clenching my chest, suddenly grew many times stronger and frostier.

  Silently leaving a silver coin on the table, I stood up and walked away, towards the inn.

  Part of me wanted this day to end, so that I could leave this town behind forever.

  Another part wanted to take in every second, hoping this day could stretch just a little bit longer. My time here was too short. It was.. too short.

  After walking yet another familiar route, I finally saw the wooden sign in front of me, one with a big blue mushroom at its center. Tonight was my last night at the inn. Tomorrow would likely be the last time I saw this sign again.

  “Greetings, Sebastian! Early finish again?”

  The cheerful smile on Arthur's face slowly faded. I assumed my expression was probably gloomy enough to melt any such cheerfulness.

  “I’ll be leaving for Silverveil tomorrow.”

  I guess this was the first of my acquaintances to hear the news. Well, as an inn keeper, this sort of goodbyes was probably common.

  “Oh.. did something-”

  The innkeeper stopped himself, perhaps coming to the conclusion that we weren't close enough for him to pry. I didn't mind it either way.

  “Have a last drink at the bar tonight. In fact, consider this night on me.”

  “What? No, there's no need-”

  “Nonsense! You helped protect my dear Margret – that alone is worth more than a few drinks. And…”

  The man chuckled.

  “You’ll still have two days left on your tab… And after seeing you drink, I doubt you can handle two silvers’ worth of ale! Ha ha.”

  I flashed him a weak smile - I really wasn't the best drinker.

  “Thanks, Arthur.”

  “No worries! If you ever return here, please don't hesitate to visit. By then, you'll have enough gold to rent the premium suite without batting an eye!”

  “If I return to these parts, I promise I'll rent the suite.”

  The innkeeper smiled.

  “See you soon, Sebastian.”

  With a nod, I proceeded to my room.

  My chainmail lay atop the drawers, with the metal helmet adorning it in turn.

  My backpack lay beside the bed.

  Beyond that, some of my clean clothes occupied two drawers. The third one contained my reason for coming here – a pile of papers, harvesting mission certificates from Julia, waiting to be cashed in.

  I silently took the stack of papers, then made my way out of the inn, and towards the guild.

  “Greetings. How may I help you?”

  It was the same woman that substituted for Jane yesterday. No, not yesterday - this morning. It was just that this day felt like two days – the one before, and the one after.

  “I would like to exchange those harvesting certificates.”

  The woman's face became worried.

  “A-all of them?”

  “…is there a problem?”

  “N-no, just… please, don't save them up like this. Exchange them as you get them – a day or two later, at most.”

  “I… see.”

  It seemed Julia decided to play a small prank on me – at Jane's expense.

  Honestly, when I imagined Jane's reaction in place of this woman, I could see the appeal. However, I didn't feel like laughing right now.

  I waited for the substitute receptionist to go through the thick ledger’s pages, retroactively updating many of the last two weeks’ harvesting missions.

  “2 gold, 1 silver, 3 copper.”

  I thanked her as I took the coins, and proceeded farther in – to the training yard.

  I still had a few hours to fill until sunset, and I decided to fill most of them here.

  whoosh

  A swing of the sword, together with a half-step forward. A follow-up strike in the opposite direction, coupled with bringing my other leg forward mid-swing.

  [Arc Slash] !

  As I began my training, every other thought quietly slipped into the background.

  I simply repeated the well-trained moves, chaining them in both familiar and new, experimental ways, with a skill thrown in at fitting moments.

  Before I knew it, the sun's light had already gained a shade of red – it would take half an hour, at most, for it to set.

  I lowered my sword, before sheathing it behind my back. If this was any other day, I would continue until right before dinner, but today, I had a few things to do.

  ***

  “Oho? Leaving so soon?”

  I simply nodded.

  “It’s such a shame. In only two weeks, you brought in nearly as much as any of the men who'd been doing this for years. I'm not sure if you're just that talented, or they became this complacent.. still, such a shame…”

  My first visit was to Julia's alchemy workshop. I thought about buying something before I left, with over 60 gold suddenly freeing up.

  In the end, upon Julia's recommendation, I ended up purchasing a [Minor Stamina Potion] for 10 gold.

  As the name suggested, it gave a minor stamina boost. From Julia’s description, the whole potion likely gave less stamina than my skill, but on the other hand, there were no side effects besides the regular ‘potion fatigue’.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  Potion fatigue, by the way, referred to the buildup of certain toxins inside the body after consuming a potion. One could also think of it as a soft cooldown.

  If you consumed too many potions of the same type, or those with incompatible ingredients, you could face dire consequences – from mild poisoning, to complete reversal of the potion’s effects, to major reactions that could lead to near-instant death.

  That was also the reason behind peculiar bottle and vial sizes – typically, a single potion bottle had just enough substance to not trigger ‘potion fatigue’.

  Usually, potions had a label, specifying the ‘cooldown’, potential effects from different stages of overdose, and some more technical information that only a real alchemist (or herbalist) would recognize.

  “Wait right there, dear.”

  After saying that, Julia hastily strode into the back room, returning with a tied sack, roughly twice the size of my fist.

  “Here you go.”

  She tossed the sack my way, leaving me no choice but to catch it.

  “???”

  “That’s herbal tea. It has no magical properties, but it helps drive away the flu. Also, it's quite good, if I do say so myself, ho ho.”

  “You really shouldn't have…”

  “It's alright, dear. If you want to repay me, how about you become my apprentice in a few years? Ho ho ho.”

  “I’ll… keep this in mind.”

  “That’s more than enough, dear. Safe travels.”

  “Thank you. And farewell.”

  With those words, I turned around. It was time to visit one last shop.

  ***

  “Oi, we are nearly closed! If ya’ want to buy something, better make it- Sebastian?”

  “Greetings, Goromir.”

  “Right back at ya’, lad.”

  The half dwarf gave a hearty smile, before remembering something.

  “Oh! If it's the money you came for, I finished my appraisal. Everything together is 29 gold, but I'll make it 30.”

  I was confused.

  “Just… I know it's for you, but since it's the town who brought them, I'll need to issue them proper receipts. So how about you collect it tomorrow?”

  Ah, so that’s what it was about. I was a little surprised at the final tally, but it was likely the greatsword that brought the total up, and by a lot.

  “It’s not about that.”

  I shrugged. Perhaps due to my tone, or perhaps noticing something in my expression, Goromir’s face turned serious.

  “What’s this about, lad?”

  “I’ll be leaving for Silverveil tomorrow. I just wanted to take one last look around, see if there was anything that caught my eye. That, and say my goodbyes, I suppose.”

  “...I see.”

  The smith’s voice was filled with hesitation.

  “Sebastian.. what happened today?”

  “I… got in a fight.”

  “And you crushed your enemies into such fine mist that only their bone dust stained those weapons? Weapons which lay in my own junk pile last month. Bought by the Sun Temple, for whatever reason.”

  The smith clearly figured out quite a bit. It was largely due to his unique circumstances as the weapon's supplier, but regardless, it seemed like whatever he suspected was close to the truth. Once the fake story got out, he would likely be able to put two plus two together.

  I looked at the smith with a gloomy gaze.

  “I could tell you, but know this. This is classified information.”

  The smith had already kept a great secret for my sake – even if part of it was his desire to stay away from truly dangerous business, he could still make use of the information regarding my sword, even indirectly.

  I had no intention of hiding what happened from him, but I had to warn him of the dangers.

  “I will also be testifying before the Ministry of Internal Security, in a true interrogation. They might ask me about who I told this information to.”

  Goromir's face sank into deep thought.

  “Is there anything that is bound to be announced to the public soon? If so, just tell me anything important from there. I'll figure out the rest.”

  ‘He almost sounds like he has experience with this kind of thing.’

  I could put two and two together myself, and judging by the fact he used to run Dark Region expeditions, the blacksmith before me clearly wasn't just any commoner.

  After all, starting this venture certainly wasn't cheap -- the initial capital was more than what a few gold coins, saved up each year, could buy in a lifetime.

  Moreover, now that I took a closer look, his own aura felt closer to that of Bern than of a regular person.

  “Amelia… is dead.”

  Goronir was taken aback – he opened his mouth, but no words came out.

  “Those responsible for her death are also dead.”

  Since it was ‘cultists’ who killed her, I used plural when talking about her killer.

  However, given everything Goromir knew, and what I hadn’t said, once the priest's death would be made public, the smith would be able to deduce he was at least one of those responsible.

  Without saying a word, the smith walked to the door, flipping the wooden “open / closed” sign around, and motioned me to follow him.

  I did just that, making my way to his workshop, one I had already seen before.

  In the corner, there was a table filled with scrolls and paper. Most of the contents looked like either schematics or manifests

  Before the table stood exactly two wooden stools.

  The smith reached under the table, taking out a flask. Even with my enhanced senses, I had no idea where he pulled it from.

  ‘Are spirits that popular in this world?’

  Actually, they probably were, given the distinct lack of competition compared to Earth.

  At his motion, I sat on the stool beside him. By now, he also took out two small glasses from one of the drawers. The glasses were already filled with golden liquid, which smelled like a mixture of mead and some sweet, minty herbs.

  “For those who are no longer with us.”

  Goromir emptied his glass in one go. I followed suit. Even though I couldn't help but cough a little due to its strength, the aftertaste was actually very nice, almost refreshing.

  “You may not know this, but she has helped a lot of people in this town over the years. There are.. many of us who will mourn her passing.”

  The sadness in his voice was palpable.

  “She was always so damn trusting.. always trying to see the best in people, even when some of those sleazy bastards didn't deserve it. Tsk. A shame. Such a damn shame…”

  I already knew a bit about her reputation in this town – how sometimes, adventurers seek her out after a drunken brawl, claiming to be injured during a mission; How caravan guards, those with stable employment who frequent the Silver Step road, would beseech her for healing after a rough journey, simply to save a bit of money on healing potions or shorten the recovery.

  Of course, she would always help those types as well, if she could.

  One could call it naivety – but perhaps, she knew, and simply chose to ignore it. That’s just how she was.

  The glasses were full once again.

  “And for those left behind.”

  This time, the liquid passed through my throat with greater ease than before. Although it did feel a bit pathetic drinking for myse-

  That's when it hit me – just how self centered I was being.

  ‘Right.. She has been here for nearly three years. She even had friends back at the temple. There are dozens, no, hundreds of people beside me who will mourn her passing.’

  I didn't say a word, but the grip on my chest became a little bit lighter. However, I had to turn away for a moment, as something must have gotten into my eye.

  When I turned back, the bottle had already returned to where it came from.

  “I wish you a safe journey, lad.”

  “Thanks, Goromir.”

  With those words, we exited the workshop.

  “Take care on the road. And..”

  The blacksmith stopped, choosing his words.

  “This town is peaceful, and its people honest. That can make you forget.. how the city is.”

  His view of the city clearly wasn't good. Given his experience and personality, this was certainly more than a second-hand impression.

  “Be careful out there. Especially those days.”

  “These days?”

  “The old lord, Breston Silverton, has been absent from the public eye for months now. There are rumors of his declining health. And if a succession war is looming… now would be the calm before the storm.”

  The half dwarf threw a worried look into the distance.

  “If you don't have any business there besides the.. matters related to today, I would suggest you continue onwards as soon as possible. The city could become very turbulent in the coming months.”

  “Thank you for the advice. And thanks again for.. everything.”

  Goromir just waved his hand.

  “Don’t sweat it, lad. But if you ever find your way back here, bring me the best damn bottle of spirits you come across in your travels. Make it something sweet, too! Ha ha!”

  I chuckled. For the first time today, it was genuine.

  “I’ll see what I can find.”

  ***

  In the end, I didn't even look at the blacksmith’s wares. Still, I considered it anything but a wasted trip.

  Returning to the inn, I threw the tea sack in my backpack, took off the sheath, and simply threw myself on the bed.

  I just lay there, staring blankly into space, until it was time for dinner.

  Well, actually, once I came down, I realized it was almost too late for dinner, but Martha graciously scraped together the remaining baked beef with vegetables, as well as the last remaining half-loaf of fluffy white bread.

  Arthur was already at the bar, his eyes inviting me to approach the moment I finished the meal.

  “Like I promised, everything’s on me tonight. We might only serve rum and ale...”

  He awkwardly chuckled, and a glimmer of pride flickered through his eyes.

  “...but those are the best damn rum and ale in town!”

  With a proud face, he pushed a mug of ale into my hands without me even asking to. Although, given my short history at this bar, and the severe lack of options, this was a sound guess.

  “Just whistle and I'll be there with a refill! Ha ha ha!”

  I realized I didn't know how to whistle. Perhaps the knowledge was buried somewhere inside Sebastian’s memory, though. Still, given the amused tone, however, I assumed this was just some kind of saying or slang.

  gulp

  The sun has long set. Sip after sip, the liquid in the large mag came closer and closer to depletion.

  “Mind if I sit?”

  I heard a rough, deep voice beside me. I just waved my hand dismissively without turning my head – the small bar only had three stools on this side and another one around the corner, so if the other far end was occupied, the new arrival would have to sit beside one of us either way.

  The newcomer ordered an ale, just as Arthur returned from serving one of the tables. I realized I could use a refill myself, so I lifted my mug, turning my head towards Arthur.

  That was when I noticed the identity of the person sitting beside me – it was the Wizard I saw yesterday.