[Alexander Stone]

Race:

[Human]

Level:

[1]

HP:

Lightly Battered

MP:

Low

Having magically learned a new language, Alex opened his menu to see what had changed. Nothing showed up in his skills, but his magic was now low. It seemed that the language skill used magic to learn new languages. That’s why it was Poor. It could be improved, probably to take less magic. He would have to be careful until then.

Eventually, he made it into the city. The gate guards never even questioned him, though they did look at him oddly. He was dressed strange and looked worn down. The city was fantastic. He felt like a tourist visiting a poorer nation. Nothing was built like it was back home. He tried his best to not gawk at everything and everyone, though. Honestly, he wasn’t sure what to do. After work, he typically went home and cuddled his cat. Here, he didn’t have any money, didn’t know the city, and knew no one. He was stranded in a foreign world. He needed information fast.

“Excuse me,” Alex spoke for the first time in this new language. His skill automatically translated for him. Luckily, it took no magic to speak. He was addressing a random man wearing nicer clothes. “Is there a library in town?”

The man looked at Alex like he was scum off his boots. “A what now? A library? Can a commoner like you even read? What in the Great Mother would you even do in there? Get away from me.” The man hurried away, leaving Alex to feel like dirt. That was okay, though. Alex was used to being treated like crap. It wasn’t like being a janitor gave you much of a status in society.

He continued on, looking at all the run down buildings that lay close to the gate. They ran down the main road that followed the river, facing towards the water. Every couple hundred meters, there would be a bridge crossing the river to a more opulent side of the city. Buildings looked like they were actually cared for over there. The entire city seemed to have countless side streets branching off further between buildings on either side of the city. One city, split into two by the river. The high quality buildings on one side and the slum life on the other. It was a cliche overdone type of fantasy city and Alex wondered who designed it this way and why it was so lazily done.

Several feet to his side, he listened to a redheaded man with big bushy cat ear and a big bushy mustache tell what seemed to be his lavender haired daughter, “Hahaha! Well, Lilly of my Heart, we’ve made it to Lodering!” his jovial laugh warmed Alex’s heart, who had a soft spot for happy families.

The younger cat girl pulled at the older mans’ hand, “But Papa! Mama is on the other side of the city! It’ll take hours to get to her!” Alex watched them continue on, stopping his listening in on their conversation. It wasn’t any of his business, but now he knew where he was. Convenient ho someone named the city right when he was thinking about it. Lodering. Pronounced Load-Ring. A strange name for a strange city. It seemed to be built in a circle, maybe that was where the ring came in. He didn’t know.

He could get food, shelter and water in this city, Alex knew. He just needed to first find employment. It would hopefully be easier than he thought it would be. Finding a job on his world was tedious. Background checks, ID, work history, filling out a resume just to put all the info again on the online application that no one even cared to look at. It was, in a way, a kind of hell. Alex had no ID here. He had no provable work experience. He had no background. He couldn’t just tell people he walked through a portal. Even if magic was real, who would believe him?

The only was to proceed was to try anyways. Alex walked into the first inn-looking place he saw. He tried to read the sign above the door that had words and a picture of two beers, but apparently language didn’t cover that, or maybe it wasn’t enough words to get a reading skill. He walked right up to the bar, put on his most charming smile, and did his best to not fidget or scratch at the peach fuzz blooming on hiss face. He needed a shave too.

“Hello, my name is Alexander. I’m looking for work. I can clean well.” He did his best to sound jovial and polite. It didn’t work. The bartender glared at him and barked,

“If you don’t have coin, leave. I’m not looking to hire some layabout!” the weathered skin pinched in an intense frown. The brown haired barkeep wasn’t a pleasant man, and Alex took this loss gracefully and rushed out the door. His first rejection.

He went from door to door at every single place he could think of. It didn’t matter what kind of business, Alex tried his best.

“Not interested,”

“We’re not hiring,”

“You don’t fit what I’m looking for,”

“Why?”

And so on and so forth. Alex was beginning to think he wouldn’t find work. If it was that easy, everyone would work. “Sir!” He walked along the dirt road, head down in thought. “Sir, over here!” Was it because he was on the main road? Even in the poorer side of the city, this was the prime real estate. “Young man, I’m talking to you! With the black shirt!” Alex looked up. Was someone calling him? Between an inn and a barber shop a young woman was trying to wave him down. She was about 3 feet and 6 inches tall and built like a brick house. “Yes you, over here!” He walked over to her, having nothing to lose now. “I heard you were looking for a job, yeah?” Her voice was thick, like she wasn’t used to talking the language. The accent was incredible. Nowhere on Earth had he heard the same.

“Um, yes ma’am,” Alex replied politely. He wasn’t going to start being rude now.

“Then follow me! I’ll put you right to work, yeah? You handy with a broom?” Now that was what he was needing!

“Yes ma’am! I’m skilled at cleaning,” which while true, made him wonder if there was a cleaning skill.

She scowled at him, “Don’t call me ma’am! I’m only 86! I’m Jenetta Higgens. You’ll address me as Jenny, or Miss Higgs. My tavern needs a new house keep. You do a good job, and we’ll take care of you there, yeah?”

“Yeah,” he agreed. He didn’t really get it.

“Good! Now who the hell are you?” She was fast for someone so small. They slipped around alleyways and across back streets. Alex was already lost.

“Erm, I’m Alex. Alexander Stone.”

“Well met, Alex. Let’s get you situated at the Broken Spoon, then.” He guessed that was her tavern. This was going to be interesting.