by Pirateaba
“Oh. But I don’t know any other innkeepers.”
Erin saw Selys tap her lips with one claw. The Drake glanced around the mostly empty guild and then seemed to come to a decision. She nodded at Erin.
“My shift is over soon. If you want to wait with me until then, I’ll introduce you to a good one.”
—-
Erin walked with Selys down the streets of Liscor, staring around at the unfamiliar sights.
“That’s it. I have no idea where we are.”
She was in a different part of the city, where Drakes were the main foot traffic on the ground and the shops and buildings seemed to cater more to their kind. And she had no idea where she was.
“I never knew Liscor was so…so big! And I’ve never seen this place!”
Selys laughed at Erin for that.
“Erin! You never go anywhere except the Market district and to visit me!”
That was true. Erin blushed as she and Selys walked slowly through the streets, her friend pointing out places she liked to visit.
“It’s not that I don’t like new places, but the first time I came here…”
Erin remembered getting horribly lost and annoying everyone around her. She’d stepped into more than one building to be chased out when she realized it was someone else’s home. Besides, back then she’d felt definitely unwelcome.
But now with Selys at her side Erin felt comfortable, if not welcomed in this part of the city. Some Drakes knew Selys by name and no one was throwing stuff at Erin. It was a good start.
“So who are we visiting? And where are we going?”
Selys pointed down the street.
“We’re heading towards the north side. There’s a good inn there – the Tailless Thief. It’s the most famous—and expensive—inn in the city. The innkeeper’s the one I want you to meet, though.”
Erin felt at her belt pouch.
“I uh, didn’t bring that much money with me.”
“Oh don’t worry. I know the innkeeper we’re going to meet, and you’re new. We’ll get at least one free drink and probably a hot meal.”
“Really?”
“Sure. Peslas is generous. Just let me say hello first.”
Peslas turned out to be the biggest Drake Erin had ever met, with the possible exception of Relc. But where Relc had huge shoulders and massive arms, Peslas was just…huge.
He wasn’t fat. Not exactly. He had a huge belly and he was a big Drake. Some of the fat was actually muscle. Erin was pretty sure of that because when she first saw him, the Drake was hefting a huge keg of alcohol onto a counter by himself.
“Selys!”
The instant he saw the younger Drake, Peslas broke into a huge smile.
“Child, how have you been? It’s been months since I last saw you! Come here!”
Selys smiled politely at the large Drake and moved forwards so he could hug her with one huge arm. Peslas grinned at her as Selys introduced Erin, and then his smile faded a bit and was replaced by surprise.
“A Human? I heard there were still some in the city after the undead attacks but—wait, I know you! You’re that [Innkeeper] in the abandoned inn! Well, you know young Selys?”
“I brought her here to see your inn, Peslas. That’s if you’re not too busy?”
“Of course not. How could I turn away Isshia’s grandchild? And you, human.”
Erin stuck out her hand and received a crushing handshake. She didn’t wince though, and Peslas smiled toothily at her.
“Here to learn from the best, are you? I can’t say I blame you. Some parts of my inn are trade secrets of course. But then, we all start at the bottom so look away! I doubt you’d be able to copy any of it.”
With that, he called for a barmaid to seat Selys and Erin and in moments, they were seated and being served drinks and some crunchy meat pasties. And what Erin saw was an inn in motion.
Peslas’s inn was close to full despite it not even being midday. He had a range of customers, from old Drakes that Erin guessed were retired to younger Drakes who looked like affluent business owners. And of course there were the barmaids, all female, and all Drake.
In short, this was an inn for Drakes and run by Drakes. Erin saw not one Gnoll, and she realized she was getting a lot of casual glances. Selys covered for Erin though, chatting away and keeping their conversation light as Erin looked around.
So. This was a proper inn. Erin could see all the signs. No broken chairs, no holes in the walls or clumsily patched spots, and bright lamps and a bustling staff to boot. The mug she’d been given was filled with some kind of fruity, thick drink that was tasty as it was alcoholic. And the food was good, too! It was an inn without any flaws, fights, or skeletons.
And Peslas was at the center of it all.
The big Drake moved from table to table, not with the speed of someone serving drinks, but a lazy amble that took him to each customer, where he could chat, share a pint, and gossip. Occasionally Peslas would disappear into the kitchen and return with a plate or show someone to a seat – or lift a keg – but these were clearly all things he did as a favor to friends. He didn’t need to work.
What Peslas did do was interact with customers. He made sure they were served on time, listened to their worries and successes, and talk. His mouth never stopped moving.
“No. She left you? Even after you got her the ring?”
Erin saw Peslas sitting across from them two tables over, listening to a maroon-scaled Drake as he sniffled into his meal. Peslas was holding a tankard in his hands – the sixth Erin had seen him drink in the hour.
Apparently, from what Erin could gather, the Drake that Peslas was talking to had lost his girlfriend of several years right as he was about to propose. After the woebegone Drake had spilled out the story, the older Drake’s eyes were brimming with tears.
“You were always too good for her.”
Peslas wiped the tears from his eyes as he patted the younger Drake on the shoulder. He turned and shouted for a barmaid. She came over with two mugs and Peslas seized one.
“Everyone, a round is on me! Let’s all toast young Relss and drink to his luck in future loves!”
The inn cheered. Erin found another large drink heading her way and wondered how many times Peslas did this every week. Or every day. He was generous. Sometimes he insisted a meal was on the house if a customer had had a bad day, or he’d invite someone from off the street for a free drink.
“Can he afford all this?”
Erin whispered to Selys at one point when they were finishing their meals. Selys looked surprised, and then nodded.
“Oh yes. He’s quite wealthy, and his inn does a tremendous amount of business. All of his regulars come by often. Well, they’re all just as rich as he is.”
“And he’s the best innkeeper in the city?”
“The best innkeeper in a hundred miles, you can be sure!”
Peslas boomed from behind Erin and she nearly spilled her drink. He caught it, laughing as he seated himself at the table.
“I’ve heard there’s an innkeeper who’s nearing Level 40 in the Human city up north.”
“Which one?”
“Oh, the biggest one. What’s it called? First Landing. Yes, that’s the one. That’s the highest-level innkeeper on this continent, but then, most of the ones around my age are at least Level 20 or higher. Some are even Level 30, like me!”
He tapped his broad chest and laughed. Selys and Erin smiled at him, and Erin scooted back a bit so she wasn’t right next to the big Drake. He grinned toothily at her again.
“So? What do you think? Can your little inn take some of my better ideas?”
Peslas gave Erin a patronizing smile, but the human didn’t rise to the provocation. Erin nodded to herself as she looked around.
“I think so. I’ve figured out something, at least.”
“Oh?”
Peslas and Selys leaned forwards over the table, expectantly. Peslas’ eyes were dancing, but Erin didn’t p
ay him any mind. She gestured to one of the Drakes serving a table.
“I need a barmaid. Or a waitress. Or someone who can serve drinks and clean up while I cook.”
Both Drakes blinked. Erin went on.
“I’ve got Toren, but he’s not really the serving type. Plus, if I don’t have to cook I can do other things. Like not cook. So yeah, that’s my new goal. Get a barmaid.”
Peslas looked incredulous.
“You don’t even have a barmaid? Are you by yourself in your small inn, Human?”
“I’ve got a skeleton, but he’s busy finding firewood and getting water for me.”
For a second, Peslas stared at Erin and then he howled with laughter. Other customers looked around, already smiling for the joke as he slapped the table. When he’d stopped guffawing and entering into the wheezing stage, he looked up at Erin, wiping tears from his eyes.
“I like you. Yes, you’re nothing like the Human nuisance I heard about!”
“Oh?”
“I’d heard you were just a pest that went around causing trouble. But you’ve got spirit for a Human! I like that. A shame your inn will never be half the inn mine is.”
Curious, Erin leaned forwards slightly. The alcohol was good, but she wasn’t getting drunk thanks to her skill. Peslas looked slightly tipsy, though.
“Why’s that?”
Peslas flicked his fingers at the same time as his tail.
“Why else? Location, girl. I told the Human who used to own that inn the same thing, but he never listened.”
“There was a Human who ran Erin’s inn before her? I never knew that.”
Now Selys was part of the conversation. The Drake blinked down at her second tankard and then at Peslas. He nodded at her, smiling and waggling a claw.
“That was years ago. Back before the Necromancer—well, we got a lot more visitors from the south. People weren’t afraid to cross the Blood Fields back then, and there were more than a few villages. A small one grew up around that inn, thanks to the human who ran it. But it was all destroyed.”
“Why? What happened?”
For a moment Peslas’s broad face grew serious as he looked at Erin.
“The undead happened. They forced everyone to flee the area. When the human did come back, he never really got the inn running again. No one visited and one day he just stopped coming into the city. I warned him. The fool.”
Erin remembered the skeleton in the upstairs room. Peslas laughed, and she looked at him.
“I think he was brave.”
He shook his head at her, chuckling.
“Stupid, yes. Brave? Maybe, but bravery doesn’t sell drinks.”
“But he did his best. Anyways, he started his inn from scratch.”
“You need more than your best. You need something special. That’s what you need to learn, young—Erin, was it? You need a hook.”
Peslas gestured around his inn.
“My inn’s known for being the best around. Best service, best food—best beds and best drinks as well! What do you have to offer people to make them come all the way to visit you?”
Erin shrugged. She wasn’t sure she agreed with everything Peslas had said about his inn. It was good, but if it only served Drakes, how good could it be?
“I play chess. I’m not the best at it, but I’m pretty good.”
This time Peslas’s laughter echoed even to the furthest corners of the room.
“Chess! There’s something interesting! You play, do you? Would you wager on a game? A few gold coins? Silver? I’d bet two coins to your one. Whatever you like!”
Selys frowned at Peslas, but the larger Drake didn’t seem to notice. For Erin’s part, she remained calm.
“Oh, if you wanted to make a bet, I’d bet everything I had. Ten gold coins? Fifty? Your inn? Want to take me up on it?”
For a moment Peslas blinked. Selys cut in, smiling at the innkeeper.
“Haven’t you heard? Erin beat Olesm in a game of chess the first time she met him. She’s never lost a game to him, and he plays her almost every day.”
That caused a ripple among the Drakes who were listening to their conversation. But Peslas just laughed again, and waggled his tail in the air.
“Spirit! Humans are full of it. Just like I said to the last innkeeper. What was his name again…?”
He flicked his tail dismissively. Erin stared at Peslas, not smiling. He was rude, or maybe just drunk. She would have offered to play him a game anyways – perhaps with a handicap like being blindfolded – when she felt something touch her foot. Erin nearly freaked out until she realized it was Selys’ tail.
The young Drake smiled at Peslas as the larger Drake finished laughing again and making a joke to his friends about humans looking alike.
“It was nice to see you again, but Erin and I have to visit some of our friends. Thank you for letting us watch you at work though.”
“Of course. Give my regards to your grandmother, will you?”
Peslas got up and showed both Selys and Erin to the door. As Selys had said, he made no mention of the bill, but he did stop Erin at the door.
“My inn is always open to other [Innkeepers]. Come by if you’re ever bored and have a drink with me! But I think even your far-off inn will be getting business soon enough, Erin.”
“Oh? Really?”
He nodded sagely, tapping the side of his nose—or was it snout?—with a claw.
“My [Intuition] skill tells me that this is so. I’ve never known it to be wrong. Prepare your inn well, and perhaps you might level up a bit young Erin. Ah, well. Best of luck on your little endeavor!”
—-
They were several streets away from the inn when Erin finally decided to break the silence.
“Um, thanks for letting me visit the inn, Selys. It was really helpful.”
Selys looked at Erin out of the corner of her eyes and then burst out.
“You’re not mad? I’m so sorry about Peslas, Erin. I didn’t know he’d be so rude!”
“He wasn’t so bad. I’m sorry too—that I was rude to him at the end, I mean. I know he’s your friend.”
Selys made a face as they walked along.
“Erin, he’s not my friend. I barely know him. He’s an acquaintance of my grandmother, that’s all. I barely talk to him every other month. Besides, he married a girl who’s nearly as young as I am!”
Erin tried to imagine that and thankfully failed. Selys scowled as she walked along, her tail twitching in irritation.
“Anyways, he’s a jerk. I’m glad he hasn’t earned more than one or two levels even after his inn became the biggest in the city.”
“Really? But his inn’s so busy.”
“Yeah. Isn’t it strange? I guess there’s some other reason why he’s not leveling, but it doesn’t really matter. Peslas is rich, and that’s all he cares about. He doesn’t need any more levels.”
“I guess. It’s just that his inn was nice. I just thought it was odd he didn’t have any Gnoll customers.”
Selys hesitated.
“They don’t—come here that often. It’s not that he wouldn’t serve them, it’s just that they don’t ever really go outside their parts of the city.”
“I see.”
“Humans go wherever, but your kind don’t really live in the city.”
“Right.”
Erin was still thinking. She was thinking about her inn and she understood what Peslas had meant about location. She thought he was wrong, but she got it. She and Selys walked on again, out of the Drake residential district. At last, Selys broke the silence.
“Anyways, I’m sorry he was like that. He’s not rude to me. But you’re another [Innkeeper] and…Human.”
“It’s no problem.”
From there the conversation lightened. Erin and Selys were smiling again by the time they reached guard barracks.
It had been a huge surprise to Erin to learn that Liscor did not in fact have a hospital. Selys hadn’t even known what
she’d meant when Erin described the building and its function.
In Liscor, people either healed up in their homes and hired a [Healer] to visit with herbs and potions, went out to get cured, or relied on organizations they belonged to. The Adventurer’s Guild had several beds for wounded or homeless warriors for instance, and the Watch had the same.
So that was where Erin and Selys found Ceria and Olesm, resting up in a secluded part of the building. The half-Elf and Drake weren’t strictly under guard, but neither were they free to run around. But they weren’t in trouble, either.
“We can’t really be blamed for the entire ordeal. The city knew we were going in, and besides, we lost almost everyone in the attack.”
Ceria explained the situation to Erin as she accepted a cut and peeled apple from the young woman. She was resting in one of the beds while the other three sat around her. Ceria was still quite thin and paler than normal, but Erin was happy to see she looked a lot better than she had.
“We fought, rather than just run away. That helps. And there’s also the fact that all the treasure—such as it is—was taken by the city. That’s enough of a fine.”
“And I told them that Ceria and the others shouldn’t be blamed.”
Olesm sat on the stool, nodding furiously as he crossed his arms. He was more active than Ceria, although he too looked thinner and paler than normal. He gestured in the direction of the rest of the building.
“I told Zevarra that, and she was very understanding. I think the adventurers will be let off without any charges. But um, they might not get their equipment back.”
“As if we could use it. The few that survived are either still wounded or don’t ever want to pick up a sword again. I went to see Yvlon and she’s barely responsive. As for me—”
Ceria shifted in her seat, lifting her other hand as she chewed at the apple. Erin and Selys both froze up a bit as the yellow bone and blackened skin of Ceria’s spell-damaged arm appeared. The mage grinned crookedly.
“I’m not going adventuring anytime soon. My good hand’s ruined and even if I do decide to adventure, I have no wand or spell books. Rot, I don’t even have any gold to my name. I dropped it all in the Ruins.”
Erin exchanged a look with Selys. She looked at Ceria, trying not to make it seem like she was staring at the skeletal hand.
