“If that nickname doesn’t die off within a week, I’ll take you back where I found you.” Gilbert mumbled under his breath. “Let’s just go to the inn I told you about. The owner, Rosie, can be a bit intense at times, but she’s not the type to turn people away, so she can probably offer a room for you even though you don’t have any money.”

The first thing Anastacia noticed once she entered the city, was the oppressive yet pleasant scent of all the food stalls set up all over the market area that opened up straight after the gates. Loosely arranged into a grid around a fountain in the middle of the market, the stands offered a somewhat random assortment of items, ranging from baked goods to trinkets to alchemical potions. The buildings around the market housed even more services that an adventurer would find useful, like a blacksmith and tailor.

Every stand they passed seemed to have something that caught Anastacia’s eye, something she had never seen before. They spent almost an hour going through the selection, without any intent of actually buying anything.

“The stalls around here will usually buy pretty much anything valuable-looking you might find out there, but keep in mind that everyone else is bringing them in too, so don’t expect any mind-blowing offers. Still, it’s good to know what everything is worth out there, so you won’t get outright scammed.” Gilbert advised the necromancer as she tried on a few hats she had spotted. “The snacks are freshly made and taste amazing too, but for a proper meal, you should speak to Rosie.”

Anastacia placed the hats back where she had taken them from after getting a glare from the merchant and moved on to the next stall. “Is this Rosie like your wife or something? You never told me you were married.” She asked.

“Nay, nothing like that. I’m not the type to settle down, but she’s a dear friend of mine, and people tend to group us together because we sort of keep an eye on things that aren’t really the guild’s business. Like making sure you get started on your new life here.” Gilbert laughed.

“That just sounds like you tried but weren’t man enough to climb that mountain.” Anastacia giggled.

Gilbert groaned and grabbed her hand so that they would finally get through the market, as they were only halfway though.

By the edge of the market, there was a large four-story building that clashed slightly with the architecture of the walls and some other buildings around it. It was obviously built well after the rest of the city, probably by the adventurers themselves instead of the original builders of Valor – whoever they were. Above the door was a crudely painted sign that said ‘The Inn’, but under it was a second, far ruder name that had been covered with as little effort as possible, and was still visible.

“Did Rosie change the inn’s name?” Anastacia asked and pointed at the sign.

“Aye, the guild said that the original name she gave it wasn’t suitable for the area, since there are a few kids around.” Gilbert laughed. “Rosie is… well, a character.”

“Amazing…” The necromancer said, not entirely sure about the company she was about to start living with.

Even though the door, they could hear people laughing and generally being merry. It was something Anastacia hadn’t heard often where she was from, but it did make her less nervous to open the door. When she finally mustered up the courage to do so, the most delicious scent she had ever smelled washed over Anastacia. The snack stalls had been good, but the scent inside the inn was enough to make her speechless, so much so that Gilbert had to push her through the doorway.

Inside, there were ten tables scattered around the tavern floor of the inn and around them were adventurers from all over the world, drinking, eating, playing cards and so on. A few of them turned to see who had entered the inn but returned to whatever they had been doing after Gilbert greeted them.

Though many of the adventurers were curious sights to say the least, the most eye-catching of the inns inhabitants was leaning against the wall behind the counter: a female beastfolk, tigress to be exact. Tall enough to dwarf most men of any race and well-built enough to toss them out if need be. Wearing a worn and stained apron that had ‘ROSIE’ clumsily sewn on it, one of the letters was the wrong way around but Anastacia was sure that no one had dared to point it out. The tigress had been staring at Gilbert with an unpleased frown on her face from the second they had entered the inn.

“I take it that that’s Rosie? She doesn’t eat people, does she?” The necromancer asked and stared at a wall to avoid making eye contact with the innkeeper.

“At least not for as long as she’s been here. Just be nice to her and she’ll help you out.” Gilbert whispered.

“I feel like she’ll snap me like a twig if I’m not…” Anastacia whispered back and moved her gaze to the ceiling beams to not seem like a weirdo. “I feel bad for joking about your manliness earlier. There’s not enough manliness in the world to climb those mountains.” She continued and gestured towards her chest.

Gilbert started to push the reluctant necromancer towards the counter while she tried her best to resist, though unsuccessfully as she had only a fraction of the adventurer’s mass.

“The twerps didn’t make it? Big fucking surprise.” The innkeeper asked and leaned on the counter as they got closer. “I tried telling them not to take that quest, and so did you, if anything they earned whatever they got.”

“Aye, it was a complete shitshow. They were setting off faster than I was able to pull them off the previous ones.” Gilbert sighed, pulled two chairs next to the counter and told Anastacia to sit. “You just can’t help some people.”

Rosie glanced at the necromancer and grinned unnervingly before taking out two bottles of mead from under the counter and handing them to Gilbert and Anastacia.

“Damnit Rosie, she’s barely out of the crib and you’re already serving her mead.” Gilbert exclaimed and grabbed Anastacia’s bottle before she could touch it.

The innkeeper laughed, poured Anastacia some juice and grabbed back the other mead bottle for herself. “That’s the problem with you, you’re too nice to the wrong people. One of these days one of your shitty rookie parties will drag you down with them. You need to learn how to say no.” She said while staring at Anastacia the entire time. “And what about this one, are you taking in orphans now?”

Gilbert gestured for Anastacia to introduce herself.

“I… I’m Anastacia.” The necromancer stuttered, still without making an eye contact with the tigress.

Rosie frowned, walked around the counter and pulled Anastacia closer to her. After sniffing the necromancer’s hair, she let out a slight excited growl and started to laugh. “You kidnapped a corpse riser from her home! This is great!”

“I did not kidnap anyone. She was basically a prisoner and wanted to leave, besides, she’s more than capable enough to become an adventurer. So if anything, I just gave her a chance to decide her own future.” Gilbert explained and took a sip of his drink.

Unable to get over the fact that the innkeeper had recognized her home country by smell alone, Anastacia started frantically sniffing her own hair and clothes. “Do I smell like corpses?! I… I need to get one of those bathhouse tickets!” She asked and tried to wriggle away from Rosie’s grasp.

Rosie laughed. “Calm down kitten, I’ve just had a previous run in with your kind and remember the slight hint of decay in your scent, other than that you smell delicious.” She explained and hugged the necromancer tightly. “My name is Rozhmarie, or Rosie, and this is my inn. If anyone here gives you trouble, you come to me, okay? Unlike this useless old fart, I can be mean to people.”

While being forcefully pressed against the innkeeper’s fur, Anastacia noticed that it had a very pleasant spicy aroma. “Uh… Thank you ma’am, you smell nice too.” She mumbled, unsure how she was supposed to respond.

The innkeeper lifted her up and took a better look at the girl. “I love this one, can I keep her as a waitress instead? She’s far too precious to go out there with you lot.” She asked excitedly.

Gilbert reached over the counter for a second bottle. “Actually, I was going to ask you that. Not permanently, but she doesn’t have any money for food or lodging, so if you’d let her work here until I find a suitable quest she could start with, it’d help out a ton.” He said.

Rosie let Anastacia down, but grabbed the necromancer’s thin arms and waved them around a bit, looking slightly worried. “I’m not sure how much she’ll be able to work with a couple of twigs as arms, but I’ll keep an eye on her.” She growled and clapped Anastacia’s hands together.

Gilbert smiled and finished his second drink in a single, long gulp before getting up. “Great! I have some errands to run, so Anna, listen to Rosie while I’m gone.” He said and walked around the counter to toss the gear he was carrying into a corner for safekeeping. “We’ll meet here again tomorrow.”

Anastacia waved after the old adventurer as he left, she wasn’t a fan of being left with almost complete strangers as soon as she had arrived into an unfamiliar city but was able to stay calm as no one in the inn seemed too suspicious.