Beth whistled quietly once Glenn reached her stall. “Looking mighty fine there, Redwood. Have you gotten taller? Level 5 suits you, I believe.”

Glenn smiled back and leaned close. “Thank you.” Zack's mother always buttered up her customers, yet the compliment still felt good.

“What have you got for me today?” Beth asked.

Glenn removed the three meager Life Crystals he’d gathered before he spent a night with Becka in the woods, then slid them onto her counter. “Just these, I’m afraid.”

Beth’s lips quirked. “And this is why you’re my favorite customer.”

“Any chance I could pay you three Life Crystals for advice?”

Beth slipped the Life Crystals off her counter and vanished them into her hip pouch. “Oh, that’s intriguing. If you’d asked me that when you arrived, I might have offered it for free.”

He should have considered that. “Can I have my Life Crystals back, then?”

“No.”

Glenn couldn’t fault her for taking advantage of an offer he’d made. “I actually need to buy a gift for someone, but I’m not sure what to buy.”

“Not flowers,” Beth said calmly. “I’ve always disliked flowers.”

“Actually, this isn’t for Becka. It’s for her father.”

“Oh?” Beth suddenly looked excited. “It’s finally time for dinner!”

“Yes,” Glenn said.

“I have just the thing,” Beth said. “Stay right there.”

Beth knelt, rummaged around a bit before, and then stood. She thumped a small misshapen lump of metal on her counter. It was lumpy, dull brown, and unexciting.

Glenn tilted his head. “Ore?”

“Orichalcum ore, or specifically, one ingot,” Beth said. “I actually purchased this off an Adventurer two weeks ago. Blacksmiths use it as a Key Material for high Level weapons, but it can’t be transmuted from Life Crystals. It can only be harvested from rare veins in the wild.”

Glenn remembered his father’s caution about giving Karl the impression he was trying to ‘buy’ Becka. “That sounds rather expensive.”

“Oh, it is,” Beth agreed. “If one can find a buyer. Sadly, Karl remains the only Blacksmith in Wolfpine, and he hasn’t visited in weeks. I hate holding onto anything this long, and given no one but a Blacksmith will buy it, I now regret the deal. I worry Karl’s all but forgotten about me.”

“No one could forget about you,” Glenn said.

Beth smiled warmly. “You’re grown so much more charming, too.”

“Does that mean I get a discount?”

“No.”

“How much?” This ingot did seem like a rather nice gift.

“Twenty crescents,” Beth said firmly.

Glenn sighed. “Any other suggestions?”

“Or, if you’re willing, you could convince Zack to join me for supper.”

“What?” Glenn asked.

“You see Zack every night, don’t you?” Beth asked. “I don’t. He’s been ‘too busy’ for over a week. Getting him to join me for supper is worth an ingot of orichalcum.”

“Zack hasn’t been home for that long?” Glenn couldn’t imagine leaving his own parents unattended for a week.

“He’s been home, but only early in the morning when I’m asleep. He’s always gone when I wake up too, though his bed’s been slept in. I imagine he’s spending all his time with his new girlfriend.”

That was news to Glenn. “Zack has a new girlfriend?”

Beth pushed the ingot across the counter. “That’s my offer. The ingot for one supper with my wandering son. You can take the ingot on good faith, but I’ll expect Zack for supper within the week.”

Beth was being impossibly generous. Glenn wouldn’t put it past her to be making all this up, just so she’d have a face-saving way for a savvy Merchant to give him a valuable item for free. He didn’t know how to thank her, but one thing he wouldn’t do was throw her kind offer in her face.

“Deal,” he said, and took the ingot. “He’ll be home for supper even if I have to drag him there myself, by his arm, while he’s trying to activate [-Shadow Walk-].”

“Try dragging him by his ear,” Beth said. “I’ve found that’s far more effective.”

Glenn glanced down at his pouch, placed the ingot inside, and looked up. What now?

“Dinner?” Beth reminded him.

“Right!” Glenn said, and smiled. “And now I have a gift.”

“And Glenn .... please know I’m very happy for you both.”

Glenn felt a small lump in his throat as he realized this might be the last day he traded with Beth. She’d been good to him over the years. “Thank you again.”

“Just keep me in mind when you’re a big and powerful Adventurer in need of a Merchant to purchase your horde of Life Crystals.”

“You’ll always be my first stop,” Glenn assured her. “Take care.”

Beth waved. “You as well.”

Glenn took that as permission to leave. He’d have to find some other way to repay Beth in the future for this orichalcum, to balance the scales, but for now, he felt satisfied. And if Karl asked about the price, Glenn could honestly say he’d acquired the ingot for free.

Now he just had to make it through one dinner without spilling mead all over himself.

*****

Karl Coldbreaker’s house stood in the corner of Wolfpine, tucked against the northern and western walls. It was a modest, cozy-looking house with a second story that was mostly attic, or at the moment, Becka’s bedroom. Karl’s Blacksmith shop and smithy was attached to the west side, though no smoke currently rose from the chimney. It was just past nightfall, so business was closed.

Despite the bravado Glenn had felt in his room, in his parent’s house, by the time he crossed the winding stone path that curved through Karl’s small but immaculate front yard he had pangs in his stomach. He stood before the heavy oak door, the weight of Beth’s orichalcum ingot tugging at the coin pouch wrapped around his belt. He readied himself as if for battle.

Would Karl like this gift? Would this be a simple supper, or a real interview? Would Karl be asking about Glenn’s future plans? What would he say if Karl did ask?

The possibility that Glenn could become an Adventurer and Becka could not seemed impossibly remote now, yet the specter hadn’t vanished. Everyone in Wolfpine knew someone who had wanted to be an Adventurer and been chosen as Townsfolk, or had experienced that disappointment themselves. Therefore, most common age and even trial age relationships were considered fleeting, no matter how torrid they might be.

The simple fact was that unless both parties in a relationship were given the same role by the Gods, any relationship they had would change drastically once their path was set before them. Townsfolk would choose a Townsfolk Class and be trapped within the walls of the town to which they’d been born until they successfully Leveled a Townsfolk Class to 8. Almost all settled down with someone local, and many had long since requested a child from the church as well.

Adventurers, by comparison, always left the low level zone where they’d been born during or soon after trial age. Every Monster across Grassea would eventually become trivial to an Adventurer, even Vulpor, meaning the Adventurer could no longer Level here. The only path for an Adventurer to continue to improve was to travel to a higher level zone, like Evolan, and then beyond.

For these reasons, an Adventurer and a Townsfolk simply had no long term prospects. Even if a Townsfolk wanted to join an Adventurer in another zone once they reached its minimum Level cap, that was an impossible time for a person on either side of that relationship to wait. And despite the difficulty of the climb, Adventurers leveled faster than Townsfolk …when they lived. That was why the Level cap for Townsfolk was 20, not 40, like it was for Adventurers.

Glenn had already committed to stay in Wolfpine and help Becka Level to 6 before leaving, so she could choose her first Harmcaster Skill. Yet with the Blazer’s Guild on the way, Glenn’s promise might be tested … especially if the Guild offered only Glenn or Becka an invitation.

Yet there was no reason to assume the Blazer’s Guild representative was coming to visit Glenn at all, other than his own hubris. It was Becka who had taken the Quest to rescue Azalea, not him, and Becka who had selflessly sacrificed her Level 4 Skill choice to ensure they succeeded. And ultimately, it was Becka who risked the forever death by willingly leading the Monster horde away.

Finally, Glenn was worrying endlessly about What Ifs and Unknowns. His and Becka’s future lie in the hands of the Gods, and having now reached trial age—16—there was nothing further he could do to influence his chances. What he could do was enjoy a fine supper with a gorgeous woman he adored and get to know her father better. Karl Coldbreaker had always struck him as a fair and generous man.

And thanks to Beth Silverstone, he actually did have a fine gift.

Glenn clenched his fist, took a breath, and knocked heavily on the big oak door. He was pleased his knock reverberated beyond and through the house. It was a good, strong knock. Karl would approve.

He waited longer than he expected for someone to open the door. Should he knock again? Before he could decide, the heavy lock clicked. The door swung open. Glenn expected to find Karl standing inside, and involuntarily stood taller and straighter to prepare.

Yet it was Becka who opened the door, and to his mild disappointment, she no longer wore the stunning dress she’d worn to the square, or those strange boots that made her walk so hypnotizing. Yet the white [Commoner’s Tunic] that fell off both her bare, elegant shoulders made her look quite lovely.

“The conquering Adventurer arrives,” Becka teased softly, low enough that Glenn doubted Karl could hear unless he was standing on the other side of the door. “How was your date with Celes?”

“I haven’t been to the chapel yet.”

Becka frowned. “Cold feet?”

“Mayor Coleman,” Glenn said, with a heavy sigh. “May I come in?”

Becka’s eyes widened with understanding. “So that’s why father’s cooking yet another pig!”

Glenn wasn’t sure he understood. “A pig?”

Becka clutched his hand in hers and pressed her lips together, drawing him inside her home. And then, as she allowed the door to close with its own weight, she thumped back against the wall of her home’s narrow hallway and drew him close. Glenn’s eyes widened.

“What about your father?” he whispered.

“He’s still in his smithy, cooking,” Becka said. “He’s also going to be occupied for some time yet.” She offered the most devilish little smirk. “Whatever shall we do to occupy ourselves?”

Glenn shoved Becka into the wall and kissed her hard, easily trapping her there, careful not to make too much noise. Yet the soft and lurid moans Becka made through their joined lips threatened discovery at any moment. Gods, she was so naughty! Yet another reason he adored her.

Eventually, Becka eased him off and giggled quietly. “My goodness, Redwood. What’s gotten into you today? One could say you’re … growing.”

Glenn didn’t know whether to laugh or groan at her horribly off-color joke. “Please tell me you’re not going to repeat that one in front of your father tonight.”

“No promises,” Becka whispered merrily, before reaching a hand into the neckline of her tunic.

Yet Becka produced nothing more than a small pouch. She opened it and shook it, and two small, brown roots fell into her upturned palm.

Glenn stared at them. “What’s that?”

As she tucked the tiny pouch back inside her dress, Becka’s smirk only grew. “Do you trust me?”

“With my life,” Glenn said honestly.

“Then take one of these roots, crunch it up in your mouth until you’ve made it into juice, and then swallow. It’s for tonight. Trust me when I say we’ll both need it.”

He could have asked Becka what the root did, but he knew she was hoping he wouldn’t. That was part of the fun. He took a root, popped it in his mouth, and chewed without protest. It tasted like grass … not unpleasant, but certainly not something he’d choose to eat.

Becka’s soft lips pressed together. “Don’t you remember what we learned today? About loopholes? I could have just poisoned you.”

“At least I’d die happy,” Glenn offered.

Becka sighed dramatically. “My thirst grows, and yet I remain parched. Levos is so cruel.” She popped the other root in her mouth and chewed. “At least we’ll have mead.”