The Flying Emporium

Hearing Milly’s explanation and observing Gorik’s off-handed reaction to her words, Severin felt confirmed in his earlier judgement about the dwarf; he decided to take care of Gorik’s portal fees and make sure he was taken care of whenever he visited the Emporium in the future. For now, however, there were more important things to take care of.

“In that case, let’s first get you settled. Also, you look like you could use a breakfast; Bandur should have something prepared for you guys. Come, follow me,” that said Severin didn’t turn around, but took one more step towards the new arrivals. Or rather, towards their luggage.

“Bandur?” asked Milly and Gorik as one, but it was the latter leaning to the side and looking past Severin and towards something- or someone- behind him that really drew his attention.

Severin stopped in his tracks and also turned around.

Only to find that his employees hadn’t let themselves be brushed off that easily.

“You guys?!”

“What? You think you could leave just like that? That we wouldn’t follow you and go straight to work?” asked Bandur, who seemed to act as everyone else’s spokesperson.

Severin’s response to this was to exaggeratedly throw his hands into the air.

“Well, if you guys are already here, you might as well lend a hand. Come help us carry. And welcome your new co-workers, will you?”

Everyone started moving, but before anyone could do their introductions, it was Gorik who opened his mouth.

“Who are you?” he asked his fellow dwarf, who he still hadn’t taken his eyes off since the moment he first learned his name.

“Just a cook,” came the friendly sounding answer delivered with a grave expression.

“What kind of question is that?” Milly demanded of her friend, unaware of the significance of the exchange. And so she didn’t wait for an answer and instead rushed towards the self-proclaimed cook. She grabbed his hands and announced, “It is my understanding we will be relying on you? My pleasure.”

After how upset the [Cook] had been just minutes ago regarding the inn and how it might affect him and his kitchen, Severin wasn’t sure how Bandur would react to Milly’s sudden appearance.

The following second of silence almost made Severin sweat in apprehension. Completely in vain, as it turned out.

“Likewise,” he replied, disarmed by the woman, who was so obviously eager to leave a good first impression with her future colleagues.

A short-lived smile of relieved formed on the elf’s face. Then, “Nel? What are you doing? Stop just standing there gaping. Come, say hello. You have more than enough time to explore everything later.”

She then turned her attention. “Oh, and you must be Emily? Great to finally meet you, Severin talked a lot about you.

Nel! Introduce yourself,” she admonished again when her son still hadn’t reacted to her previous request.

“Hello, Miss…?”

“Milly. Just call me Milly.”

“Miss Milly. I heard what you said earlier. How busy you’ve been all night. I think you should accept Sev’s invitation to get some breakfast! Replenish your energy and do our introductions with a full stomach.”

“Oh, my. What a thoughtful girl you are,” Milly said, delighted, not understanding why all of Severin’s staff suddenly started laughing as if the girl had said something particularly funny.

***

The first breakfast in the new, otherwise empty inn had been a great success.

The food was tasty, the atmosphere welcoming, and everyone seemed eager to introduce themselves and get to know their new co-workers. And with Severin’s employees having been unaware of his plans themselves, there was more than enough to talk and speculate about while occasionally prodding Severin for some more details.

The overall atmosphere was friendly and casual.

Still, Milly wasn’t oblivious to the restraint some of the people were showing, with Emily, as the youngest and least experienced of the group, being the most obvious about it; several times the woman caught the thoughtful girl eyeing the newcomers or suddenly clasping her hands over her mouth when talking about matters like the most recent over-night changes or her responsibilities as a potion crafter.

‘She is part of those pseudo-classbearers,’ Milly reminded herself. ‘She is careful not to reveal anything to outsiders. They mentioned penalties… I just hope Nel, also…’ Milly didn’t finish her thought as she looked over at her son. At first, he had barely touched the food; the prospect of working here in this place and being surrounded by real adventurers was all he cared and could talk about.

And then he remembered that this was the place where that food had come from. The one that had made him feel like an adventurer himself.

Now seeing his antics, Milly could only tiredly shake her head and hope her boy would find a good friend and influence in the girl.

However, Milly wasn’t the only one to make such observations.

Surprisingly, Gorik, who most people thought of as a rough drunkard-also understood something was going on. Just that, unlike the elf, Gorik didn’t know what exactly it was; only that apparently Milly was somewhat in the know.

After eating his fill, stuffing his pockets with leftovers, and ensuring that Milly and her brat were being taken care of, the grouchy dwarf excused himself of his own volition and without making a fuss; that was after throwing a last indecipherable look towards the only other dwarf in the room.

Milly didn’t think much of it. She was grateful to her loyal friend and resolved to make it up to him in the future. For now, however, she didn’t stop him from leaving; she had too many burning questions which she understood simply couldn’t be asked in his presence.

Strangely enough, even after the dwarf had excused himself, the shift in atmosphere Milly had been expecting didn’t occur. Instead, when she tried to steer the conversation in the according direction, a poignant look of the old woman who had accompanied Severin the night before, let her know it was still not time.

Only that Severin himself caught a glimpse of the exchange and immediately understood. “It’s okay. I think it is time.

Krill? Sabina? I promised you two some answers. And you two, as well.”

Milly didn’t exactly understand what was going on, much less so her son, when the dwarven [Cook] pointed out in obvious apprehension, “Severin? What are you…? We only have three…!”

“It’s okay Bandur,” Severin assured when everyone else but Mylana seemed visibly confused by the exchange.

Only then did Milly catch on. ‘Not everyone here was actually initiated!’ In her tiredness and stress, she had somehow forgotten about maybe the most important part Severin had told her about. She had almost jeopardized their future with her carelessness.

Not revealing anything about that strange System to the uninitiated, was the one condition she had been warned about not to violate.

‘And to think I was worried about Nel,” she sighed to herself.

Sabina and Krill seemed similarly taken aback by Severin’s sudden willingness to explain himself, but unlike Milly, they didn’t fully understand the full significance of what was happening, yet.

They were simply happy to finally get some answers to their question.