[ ––––––––– ֎ Day 38 ––––––––– ]

Cartographers considered the expedition to be a success and each member received roughly twelve silver coins, based on the value of the loot, with chitin bug plates being the most expensive pieces.

Nevertheless, Noemi wasn't satisfied with the outcome. She could still remember the choice of a dead man. She couldn't accept that someone would give up on life so easily.

Ghatash approached the girl. - “Noemi, can we talk?”

Noemi was averse to the suggestion but ultimately agreed.

“You have my gratitude for saving Minakh.” - Ghatash bowed deeply.

“It was our duty.”

“Yes, but Treya told me what choice you had to make, and you chose the right thing. Nobody would blame you If you chose differently.”

“That's my warrior codex.”

“I applaud your convictions.” - Ghatash straightened. - “That's why I would like our last argument to be forgotten.”

Noemi sighed, she had a sad expression. - “I already forgot it.” - She still remembered Ralsos's fate.

“Your last argument also changed my outlook on the labyrinth, but I still can't betray my heritage. Despite our differences, I want to learn as much as you do, so If you're willing to exchange some of the spear techniques with our tribe, you can ask Dune Boars about me.”

[ ––––––––– ֎ ––––––––– ]

Noemi needed to vent and since Augmi was occupied with the shop, she went straight to Dekhan's Inn. She earned another two silver coins, but she planned to spend it on alcohol.

“Is Arath busy now?” - The girl asked Dekhan.

“Ah, we opened a small restaurant-bar at the main guild district, for a richer clientele. He's in charge.”

“A new bar? The business must be going well.” - Noemi was astonished.

“You bet... but your friend is a hell of a scary guy. He already adapted to most of the new ingredients and took extra hours. For the last two days, all he does is only work and sleep. He must really love his job.”

Noemi knew it was not the case. - “Thanks for the information. I'll check on him.”

[ ––––––––– ֎ ––––––––– ]

Noemi reached the main plaza and noticed a signboard 'Daybreak Lantern'. It was a tiny, but cozy place made out of walnut boards. The bar, together with chairs for customers, was located outdoors and the color motive was yellow. It was opened just recently, and in the current phase served only drinks.

When Noemi approached, Arath was already at the counter and serving customers. The lizard girl had trouble finding a place to sit, but she managed to occupy the chair of a client who was just leaving. She waited for her turn, all while listening to the words of praise from nearby clientele.

“Welcome to Daybreak Lantern, how may I serve you?” - Arath finally arrived. He was looking very elegant, wearing a yellow shirt and a dark green vest.

“What do you suggest?”

“Our morning special, 'daybreak kiss'. A drink made of vodka, sweet herbal liqueur, and bittersweet fungi juice.” - The last ingredient had a taste similar to orange.

“Sounds good, I'll have two.” - Noemi nodded.

“Twenty four bronze coins.”

“Twenty four? That's outrageous!” - Noemi whispered silently. - “It's the cost of two meals!”

“Laws of market. We maximize the profit.” - Arath answer was as calculative and impassive as ever. - “Do taste it, and decide If it's a fair price yourself.”

Noemi removed a small umbrella made out of a sweet mushroom similar in appearance to chanterelle, then took a sip.

Something was wrong.

It tasted at least five times as good as what Arath had served when they've arrived at Zurno.

“How... did you... it's so... good” - Noemi couldn't choose the right words. - “Where did you learn that?”

Arath moved to serve other customers, all while replying to Noemi. - “Study of ingredients, local recipes, and practice. The library helped.”

Good food always improved Noemi's mood, so she quickly forgot about her woes. Instead, she focused on what nice happened to her. She told Arath about the new places that she has discovered and foes she has defeated. Arath listened silently, every now and then bringing her a new drink.

At last, Noemi reached the point, where Ralsos died. - “What do you think about it, Arath?”

Arath's face was slightly paler than usual. - “What do I think? I think that he was lucky.”

“Lucky!?” - Noemi, mad, almost jumped out of the chair.

“Yes. Lucky that it didn't take close to a day of constant torture to give him peace.”

“What are you talking about!?”

“About the guide. He suffered from a similar curse... but the poison didn't work... his skull was impenetrable... stabbing the heart was inefficient... cutting the arteries made them regrow... without explaining, taking his life was equal to solving a puzzle... a very painful one.”

Noemi gasped. - “What kind of god would allow the creation of something so atrocious?”

“Perhaps none.”

Noemi looked at her empty glass. Conversation halted for a minute. Perhaps the Lynnian was right.

“How else would the world get created?” - The girl asked, to test the Lynnian.

“I don't know.”

“You know, I might have an answer. My grandparents lived at the beginning of the labyrinth's formation.”

Arath took Noemi's glasses and started cleaning them in his free time. For the first time, he was a bit interested in what Noemi had to say, since in the Lynn, creation of labyrinth occurred roughly one and half thousand years ago and Lynn was relatively young, when compared to chronicles of other cities in the library.

Noemi continued. - “They told me of stars, shining dots at the endless sky. How they disappeared, one by one. How the earth got pulled apart and raised to the heavens, and how unnavigable waters replaced it. Our shamans teach that we got devoured by a large beast. The labyrinth was created as it chewed us and we're now in its esophagus...”

“...so, your god is a monster without a name?”

“No. We believe that god is something greater than that, but beyond our grasp. The beast is just a part of nature, but on a cosmological scale.”

“I despise anything that could create the labyrinth, and If it's just some overgrown animal, you can be sure I'm going to try to hunt it down.” - Arath was unusually bitter, like he bore a grudge.

Yet, Noemi never thought about it like that. She never considered that a celestial beast could or should be slain by a mere, tiny mortal. Arath's ideas were just words, but she admired them. It was always a great honor for a warrior to slay a big beast, and killing the devourer would be the greatest exaltation.

“I'm in!” - Noemi didn't think twice.

Arath was taken aback because he was speaking just hypothetically. He didn't understand the girl's intention.

“Let's hunt it down together!” - Noemi smiled.

“Sure...” - 'I doubt it even exists' – The boy thought to himself.

[ ––––––––– ֎ Days 39 – 43 ––––––––– ]

Noemi and Arath worked hard for the past few days. The lizard girl joined cartographers and continued to complete quests for them, then exchanged spear-fighting knowledge with Ghatash after work.

Arath continued to work overtime. The biggest surprise to Noemi, was her share of the royalties generated by the Lynnian man.

Per average, the new bar had a twenty percent profit margin, which averaged one and a half bronze coins per drink. Per full day, there were about three hundred guests, each on average ordered two drinks. In seven days, it amounted to one hundred twenty-six silver coins. Three quarters of it was taken by Dekhan, who reinvested most of it, while the remaining quarter was split evenly between Arath and Noemi, as in the contract.

For his standard work and overtime, Arath earned twenty-five silver coins and forty-four bronze coins.

However, it was not everything, since normal food also attracted more guild members, and thus increased the usual profits. On top of that, Arath received bonuses for his new recipes.

In the end, Noemi received about twenty-five silver coins, while Arath saved forty-two. Altogether, Arath had fifty silver coins and Noemi had sixty.

Today evening was the day of Noemi's quest for Augmi and the potential start of Arath's short internship.

Arath and Noemi met at the bank, to withdraw cash and buy supplies for Noemi together.

“Exchange it for the gold coin.” - Arath gave forty of his coins to the lizard girl.

“Ah, you're clever! It'll give us leverage in trade.”

“That was not my original intention. I'm giving it to you as prepayment, due to two reasons.”

Noemi was all ears.

“You are the warrior in our group, therefore I aim to invest in you and maximize your chances of survival, so we can continue the contract. Second, it's a payment in case that I'm unable to pay you a tribute in the future.” - Arath's voice sounded cold and calculative.

“You're always two steps ahead, aren't you?” - Noemi heartily laughed. - “Thank you! Sounds like a good deal to both of us!”

Arath and Noemi arrived at the bazaar. The boy used his money to buy a roll of good quality suture (2 sc) and six sets of bandages (3 sc 30 bc).

Meanwhile, the lizard girl haggled down the price of a shield of her choice to eighty silver coins. It was made of brass and iron and was embellished with quality leather.

The next point of the visit was Augmi's shop, which was suggested by the mouse herself, but after Noemi purchases either a durable armor or a shield. Alchemist girl knew what dangers await her dear friend, so she applied an acid-resistant resin to Noemi's shield for the remaining twenty coins, and with a huge discount. One could easily tell it was more of a gift than an actual purchase.

Noemi thanked everyone and was ready to depart, but Arath has stopped her.

“One last thing.” - He pulled goggles made out of leather and glass found at the city fountain. - “Take these, just in case. They're already coated in resin.”

“Arath, where... did you... get these?” - Noemi was worried they could be stolen.

“I crafted it out of trash, it was the cheapest option. I and Augmi already have one.”

Noemi nodded and smiled. She was ready to go.