Leaving the guild Belle and I went browsing nearby, looking for things I might need tomorrow. Potions were first on my mind, and maybe a small belt knife that I could use for processing some valuable parts from any monsters I came across. The alchemist shop is somewhat as I remembered it, a dusty single showroom with dull red vials almost the color of mud lining the shelves. The only surprising thing was the lack of personnel considering the expensive wares displayed in front of us, as we found the room completely empty aside from our presence. The counter was messy, with pages and books strewn across it, and equipment fallen on the floor further behind it. If I didn’t know any better I’d have thought the store ransacked, instead I looked to the small corridor to the side of the counter that led to the back of the store.

“…Hello?”

I called out somewhat softly.

Peeking around to see if I could see a hint of someone, before sighing.

“Stay here Belle.”

I said before venturing tepidly to the back of the store, walking a few steps down the hall before coming to another door. Muffled sounds came out intermittently, demonstrating that the store was indeed not abandoned.

“Master Cal?” I asked while knocking lightly against the door.

Stepping somewhat to the side.

The sounds stopped for a short while, before low voices and the rustling of clothes and sheets could be heard again. Bare feet pattered on wood floors.

The door opened a crack and out stepped a young servant girl with flaxen hair, her simple dress somewhat askew. Her face flushed red as I looked at her knowingly.

“Hello Ashley”

I started

“Is your master in?”

She nodded meekly before rushing off, too flustered to realize she still hadn’t put shoes on.

Pushing open the askew door with one finger, I let the it drift open, revealing a handsomely dressed young man sitting relaxedly at a cabinet-desk situated next to a large bed. His eyes as bright as his expression.

“She’s a cute girl isn’t she, don't you like her?” Cal asked teasingly.

Not to be put-off by his flippant attitude, I replied seriously to his question. Knowing Cal, indulging any further would only make the conversation impossible. Cal was a womanizer beyond any other, and he loved nothing more than to show off his women.

“Enough of this Cal, I did come for a reason you know?”

Cal stared at me for a second before responding. Smiling the whole time.

“The young lord Keaton has come to me for something? To what do I owe the honor.”

“Please Cal, enough with the titles. Compared to you I may as well be a peasant. ” I replied somewhat bitterly at the sarcasm. 

Having grown up together as one of my closer friends, naturally Cal knew about my situation but continued to poke at my sore spot. His position was certainly better than mine, his father the local lord, a baron, and he was the second son —heir to a sizable estate and a number of businesses. Owing to his passion in alchemy, his father had even rewarded him with this small shop that he could pursue his interests more fully.

Cal tapped his fingers against the desk.

“And aren’t I always saying you shouldn't mind it so much? What's a few words between friends”

If that was true, why does he keep reminding me of it, I thought to myself, a bit peeved at his back-handed good nature.

“—Please have a seat, if you’ve come to talk you may as well make yourself comfortable”, he motioned the bed, the covers still messy from his previous ‘exercise’ with the servant girl.

I grit my teeth, seeing as this conversation was going nowhere fast.

“I’d prefer to stand.”

“Suit yourself.” He said still tapping his finger.

This was another habit of Cal’s, and he knew well how much I hated it. Annoying me seems to be something of a pastime for him.

“I didn’t come here to talk”

“—how cold. No time for an old friend?”

Ignoring him I continued on—

“I want to buy one of your potions. You are supposed to be running a business here aren’t you?”

I knew the shop was mostly for pretenses, Cal much preferred researching various alchemical oddities over producing anything useful or valuable. He already stood to inherit more gold than he could ever spend in a lifetime.

“Ha. Buy? We both know how much— or perhaps I should say how little gold you have. You have no income. ” Cal replied provocatively while raising an eyebrow.

Having no more patience for where this conversation was headed, I fished through my pockets before flipping a silver coin at him. He made no motion to catch it as it fell and rolled to the ground. My eyes twitched a little seeing such blatant disregard for what represented over half of my remaining funds.

“I’m taking one of your health potions, alright? You can have Ashley look for that coin later, I think I saw it roll under the bed.”

I said while making a speedy exit, not wanting to get caught up in anymore nonsense.

Ashley and Belle were talking together in the showroom when I came up on them. I picked out one of the potions from the display, and wrapped it in cloth before securing it to my belt. The thick glass protected the small amount of murky liquid contained inside, but somehow I still felt a little anxious about leaving such an expensive item exposed to accidental breakage or wayward fingers.

Setting out at a leisurely pace, we headed back onto the cold street with our eye on the anvil sign in the distance. The occasional passerby looked at Belle curiously, beastkin slaves weren't particularly uncommon here in the kingdom, but ones traveling the streets openly and unbound certainly were. Feeling the eyes of passerbys, Belle clung to my arm more tightly as we walked. 

The smithy was a large open-air structure, with no door, or even 'front' to speak of, with side facing towards the road being entirely walk-in, allowing us to see everything going on inside as we came closer. The building was otherwise a tall stone construction, several times taller than the average height, and a basic thatch cover to keep the weather off. The air grew warmer and smelled distinctly of iron as we drew near, and we could hear the loud clanging of men hammering away at hot metal. Finished goods filled buckets near the front, weapons, armor pieces, cooking utensils, and everyday works of all kinds.

There was a stout man with a thick leather apron standing near the goods and surveying the men at work, who I recognized and approached.  

"--Good to see you today Vel, how are you?"

The master smith was a good friend of my father's, although I knew he liked my other brothers far more than I, perhaps owing to their more frequent patronage... or better personalities, we were still at very least acquainted with each other. At least least I hoped he still remembered me. 

"----"

Vel eyed me stonily, completely impassive to my presence. 

"Vel, it's me... Keaton... my father is Lauel... I'm the youngest"

Vel stared at me a while longer before finally replying. 

"...Aye, I know who you be. State your business or be off with you."

Grimacing at the unfriendly reaction, I quickly got on with my task before he could shoo me away. Clearly my miserly reputation preceded me. 

"--I just want to buy a knife, one sturdy enough for dismantling work."

Vel looked at me before gesturing over towards a specific wooden bucket, one with with blades spilling out handle first.

I walked over interested in what I could find, and after a short while I came up with a plain but thick looking knife with a wooden handle that fit into its sheath.

"Five coppers" I heard from Vel, even before I had the opportunity to ask. 

Practically the last of my month's living expenses gone in a day, not much but a copper left. I paid enough for at least a week's worth of time at the inn, but looking back on it I should have been less intent on flashing my newfound wealth and taken more mind to clarify the exact duration of our stay before paying. Considering the money-loving attitude shown by our inn-keep, I doubt she'd give us a favorable rate after such a blunder. If I'm not able to scrape together something soon then we'll be in some truly dire straits. 

---

Back at the inn I was more intent on keeping the noise down. Seeing how the other patrons had started to trickle in by the time we returned, I felt myself feeling somehow more aware of my environment as Belle took care of me. I wanted to get a good rest for the morning, so I had her finish up quickly and let the drowsiness take me as I felt the warmth from her naked body against me. Her tail kept swishing under the blanket and brushing against me as I drifted off.