The next day I think about a goal I want to set for myself. To get a wife. Luckily(?) women’s rights are almost nonexistent in this world and as long as I am a good provider, I should be able to convince parents to give me their daughter. The problem with that is, she will die, and if I will love her, it will hurt.

My second option should be locating a dryad. However, they seem to be rare and marry out of love… And I basically resigned my ability to obtain a girl through that. I think of Atna. She was probably like the girls who squealed from the sidelines, as I ran, and quickly grew tired of me if they came to spend time with me as their boyfriend. She was just more in the spirit of this world, where I haven’t even heard the term of girlfriend or boyfriend, and it seems to go straight to marriage-for-life.

My third option…. Is to ask God. To complete another dungeon and ask for a lifelong companion. I think this is the best option, but at the same time, it puts the action on the backburner, as I feel I should be ready to lose all current relations when I set off to conquer another dungeon.

Having cleared my thoughts like so, I decide to work here for a week before continuing.

I quickly discover that the dungeon is cold too. Luckily, it is so easy for me on the upper floors, that I have no fear for my sweater being ruined.

I only manage to earn some 200 asti for the week, with 70 asti going towards living conditions with the food. The proceeds are honestly pitiable compared to the one week with scarcity in Berliso. I really should just not stay at an Inn, since I have the option, but with the cold, the bed and food are just too comfortable.

Today is my last day here, I have my doubts as to what to do. I have already informed the inn that I would be leaving. I have asked about the road to Rachimov, but I was warned when I did. Apparently, though it is only slightly colder there, the road between the two places get incredibly cold. I am planning to make the trip in a single day anyway, so I am wondering if it is worth it to buy a thick jacket for the trip. They run from 30-50 asti so it isn’t completely cheap.

I also ponder whether I should visit the girl at the brothel again… But paying 100 asti to have a nice chat seems too ridiculous. Using the knowledge from our talk yesterday, I asked about a water bar, but there isn’t one in White Flats.

As I have started pacing a bit back and forth, thinking over my options, I hear a sound. A man seems to preaching.

“… and thus it was that God saw we remedied the unpious ways of the blasphemous, and once again bestowed upon the seeds necessary for life.” Is this what I think it is? A man clothed in a white robe, holding a peculiar staff, that ends by splitting in three, each with a weird tulip-like bulb in the end. He has gathered quite the crowd around him.

“Now, the course is clear for the rest of the world. Rise up, pious believers, rise up and cast out the sinning ways of wicked! Rise up and repel the temptations that lead the innocent astray! RISE UP AND CLEANSE THE SIN OF THE CITY!” The crowd around him cheer.

I recognize that bulbous cross symbol. It was that of the cult-like movement that rose up in Berliso after the dungeon collapsed. The crowd, it is slightly weird. It seems to be mostly women. I thought limiting the reproductive rights was more of a male thing, but the message here seems to resonate more with women. Maybe because there are just more women here now, or that it closes down “places of temptation”, that could lure their husbands.

Shit. I feel it is still my fault. They are marching towards the brothel, where I was thinking of going. People died last time, so I make up my mind and use my incredible speed to get there very fast. I even alarm some people, even though I am usually careful not to show too much of my inhuman side to the public. But this is serious and I only have a few minutes.

I spot the building with two barely-clothed ladies outside. I rush in.

“You gotta run!” I yell. The same old lady from before and the girls look at me in confusion.

“A mob, is coming here, they plan to burn down the place, and maybe even kill some of you!” I don’t rightly know, since I didn’t hear specifics, but I have the experience gained from hearing the rumors from Berliso.

“Young man, what nonsense are you talking about?” The old lady talks to me in a stern tone. Shit, there is no time for this.

I draw my sword and point it straight at the neck of the old woman.

“You guys, evacuate, now!”

I hear her make a sinking sound, followed by a slow nod.