I had figured we would find a scared and lonely Yasia in the room we left her in, but as push aside the door and sound the bell it strikes in the opening motion, we are met by a “Welcome” from Yasia, clad in the plain tan dress we bought her yesterday.

“Ah, you’re back!” She says, as she realizes who it is.

“What are you doing?” I ask confused.

“Ah, well, I thought I wasn’t of much use so I asked if I could work here to lessen the rent, and Big Mother agreed.”

“Big Mother?” I ask confused.

“That would be my wife.” The inn owner chimes in, while smiling in a way that makes him look embarrassed. What a strange nickname.

“So how did it go?” He seems to try and change the subject.

“It went fine. I got to let loose a little.” I say confidently. I think Patir shuddered under the implication of me letting loose… Well, it did have a pretty nasty result for Kurat.

“The place where they trained was a complete mess.” Kassa adds. “It was like some terrible force of nature ravished through it.”

“Hey, that was not my fault, it was that guy’s fault for like, gluing himself to the earth or whatever it was that he did.”

“Haha, sounds like you’re real bigshots.” The inn owner laughed.

“Right.” I said and flashed the yellow plaque. He immediately stopped laughing.

“S-sir! Forgive me if I was being rude!” He suddenly takes up a strict and meek attitude. The hell? Are 1st rankers feared or something?

“Ehm, no it’s fine. Anyway, we should start earning some cash tomorrow, but what do we do from here?” I turn to Patir.

“Not here, in the rooms. Yasia, you come too.” Yasia directs a gaze to the inn owner.

“Of course, the young missus can go. We wouldn’t dare cause trouble.” What the hell. Up to this point he seemed like a friendly and somewhat playful fellow. Also, he called her missus… What has she been going around telling people?

“Hey… What gives about this attitude change?” I ask him. He visibly flinches.

“I-is there anything to be dissatisfied with, sir?” I was called sir instead of boy or young man… I sigh and give up.

We retreat to the room of Patir and I, where we sit down on the floor in a circle. Patir speaks.

“Right, first off, did you run into any trouble, Kassa?” She shakes her head.

“Seems they pretty quickly figured out something was off, and then that I was a Silvestri. They acted like the village folk did at first, but many of them seemed to be determined to make a good impression.” Patir nods along.

“I had counted on Yian becoming a big shot, but this system is making it advance much faster than I had thought.” He turns to me and looks me in the eye. “This is going to be like in the village, but many times worse, since there are many times the amount of people. Be sure to reject any gifts or attempt to influence you properly, if you aren’t ready to reciprocate them.” I feel a bit annoyed that Patir is giving me orders again, but I can’t really blame him, given how Yasia came to be in our care, so I simply agree.

“We should first of all save up some coin, and once we have enough, move to the capital.”

“Why are we going to the capital? Isn’t it fine staying here?” I ask Patir.

“Nonsense. The capital will have more money flowing in and out, and more luxuries to indulge in.” He sports a big grin. It’s not that I don’t care, but won’t trouble follow in equal measure?

“Whether in the capital or here, there is only one thing we are missing to make it really big.” Patir declares. “I want to find a storage user. If we had such an individual, I wouldn’t put it past Yian to empty an entire dungeon, every day.”

“You only say that because you have no idea how large a dungeon is, or how brutal the monsters get.” I interrupt his little day dream, but he brushes it off.

“I will take care of any financing or negotiations regarding new members, it is something I have worked with for many years after all. Then, tomorrow, it may be only Yian and Kassa going, but if you manage to get a good surplus, we will accelerate our earnings from the next day onwards by hiring suppliers.”

I feel like that lives both Yasia and Patir with very little work, at least for the coming period.

“So, does anyone have anything to add?” Patir asks out in the room. I feel like whatever I propose will be shot down by his arguments and way of talking, so I still my mouth. Yasia, surprisingly, raises her hand, which Patir nods in response to.

“Could… Could we swap rooms?” We are confused.

“Anything wrong with your room?” I ask.

“Ah, no, I mean… I wanted to swap with Patir.” She wanted to stay with me.

“I don’t plan on sleeping, you know… You will be left alone in the room over the night. And I don’t know if it would be proper for Kassa to share a room with Patir” She seems a little downcast.

“No problem for me!” Kassa energetically answers. Stay quiet, you!

“Bu-but still… Isn’t it only right for husband and wife to share a room?” She looks at both me and Patir. Patir looks at me. When Yasia isn’t looking I shake my head, but he gives a grin.

“Of course it is only right for the couple to stay together. Forgive me for ignoring such an obvious fact.” Yasia brightens. What the hell, Patir?

“Right, if there is nothing else, meeting dismissed!” Patir exclaims. He leans over and whispers to me “Don’t be too loud tonight.” He doesn’t know how I am feeling about the whole situation, probably.

I feel like the people here are conspiring against me.