“Eight hundred gold?” Adam gasped, staring at the large pouch full of his payment. It was bulging, with many angular bulges within it.

“It is the gold offered by the Iyr,” Zijin said, passing the pouch to Adam.

Adam wasn’t sure why the orcish Iyrman had come to offer him the coin, but feeling how heavy the pouch was, he didn’t care. He slipped his fingers into the bag, feeling the roughness of the various gems, as well as the smoothness of the gold coins.

What a glorious feeling it was.

Currency

15GP -> 65GP

(17) Tiger Eye

Adam hadn’t expected so much money, but as he thought about it, he tried to analyse how much Fire Fang sold for. Considering the gems they had given him, seven gems each worth fifty gold each, plus the fees for using the shrine.

‘Roughly one thousand and three hundred?’ He wasn’t sure if that was a decent amount, but feeling the bulge of the pouch, he emptied it into his own pouch.

“Whoa,” Adam said, fondling through the coins and gems. “I’m rich.”

“As an Adventurer, you should be careful,” Sonarot said, staring at him with her brows raised. “Right, right,” Adam replied back, nodding his head. Adventuring was extremely expensive. From hiring guides, to inn costs, to buying rations, information, armour, weapons, magical components, healing potions.

Even though he had almost a thousand gold, he knew it would be blown through quickly. A new set of armour would set him back a few hundred gold, and once he made more coin, he’d be able to buy greater, and far more expensive, armour.

Then there were the gems used for resurrection.

“You should be celebrating,” Sonarot said, noting the look on his face. “Not even Iyrmen make so much coin when they’re so new to adventuring.”

“I should celebrate,” Adam said, nodding his head. “Though I’m not sure how I should be celebrating.” He wasn’t in a town, where he could go and buy some delicious food and some ale, he was in the Iyr.

“It’s not a bad idea to save your money for now,” Zijin said, revealing his wisdom as an Elder.

Sonarot opened her mouth to protest, only to wonder what kind of advice was about to leave her lips. She had accepted Adam, and so she needed to take responsibility for him within the Iyr. “I will request for some more meat tonight, as well as some cheese.”

Adam smiled, though it did not reach his eyes, which squinted slightly. The cheese of the Iyr was a little too flavourful for his taste.

“It will be different cheese this time,” Sonarot assured, smiling up at him innocently.

“Thank you.”

“I will have Jurot show you to the nearby river,” Sonarot said. “I will find some clothing in your size.”

“Ah, oh?” Adam cleared his throat. “Right. Thank you.” He wasn’t sure how to respond to that. He was fine wearing his current clothes, though understood that Sonarot was politely asking him to bathe. Luckily for him, he had a spell that dealt with such issues, but he was missing the feeling of bathing.

Jurot returned not long after finishing his morning training and checked up on his mother. She was still sick and needed assistance, so he remained nearby in case something happened.

“Jurot,” Sonarot said as he approached, “take Adam with you to the nearby stream.” She gave him a look, one which he would understand.

Jurot nodded his head. Adam would need to be taken to the nearby stream and not the main river. The half elf was still not allowed to see the Iyr in its entirety, just the parts which would assist in his daily life.

Jurot had grabbed a towel for himself as well as some soap, tossing Adam a towel. Sonarot had found some dark clothing for Adam to wear, which he awkwardly accepted.

The pair made their way through a specific tunnel, one which Adam had never walked through. It led to a long open area which surrounded a stream.

Nature Check

D20 + 3 = 15 (12)

It wasn’t a natural stream, Adam gathered. It was definitely man made, splitting off from the main river. It flowed smoothly, quite gently, and it became deep in certain pockets throughout. There were already a few Iyrmen bathing within the stream, and some had brought their children with them, who were partly swimming within the stream and splashing around, with their parents nearby to make sure they didn’t drown.

Jurot dunked himself into the water without a word, before stepping back onto the smooth stone and soaping himself with the brick of soap.

Adam glanced at the river and back to Jurot, before he stepped into the water. It was quite deep where he had stepped, and he allowed the cool water to rush over him, before he climbed out, using the footholds which had been carved into the rock. Adam shuddered as he came out, the wind cooling the water all over him.

Jurot slid the soap over to him. Adam rinsed off the soap to see how soapy it would get, but barely anything came off of it. He was uncertain about the soap, but considering he didn’t have anything better, he brushed the soap along his body.

It was hard and smooth, and it slid over his skin. It was dense, extremely so, to the point Adam could use it as a blunt weapon if it ever came down to it, and even though he had rubbed his entire body with it, it had barely grown any smaller.

“Iyrman soap is quite hardy,” Adam said, glancing at it. It felt like no soap he had ever used in any of his lives, and it wasn’t something which the Iyrmen had used in his last life.

“Just like us,” Jurot said.

Adam blinked, staring at Jurot for a moment, who had dressed into a new set of clothes which were fairly light, both in colour and weight. “Was that a joke?”

Jurot walked past him, wordless.

Adam quickly donned his clothing, which was a dark and deep blue colour, like the deep ocean. Along the collar was the pattern of the Rot family, with the blue circle and diamonds. He quickly headed to the tunnel, where he saw Jurot waiting for him, before they returned back to the Rot family house.

‘It feels weird wearing these clothes,’ Adam thought. The cloth felt like any other cloth, but to wear the pattern of the Rot family, it was too heavy for his shoulders. He was no Iyrman, but the others didn’t seem to pay him any mind, not more than usual.

“Sodul?” Adam called out, seeing the Iyrman chatting with Sonarot. At the Iyrman’s side was a large bundle.

Sodul stood, reaching out to shake Adam’s forearm. “Adam,” he replied back, nodding his head. “The enchantment you placed on the blade is very good.”

“That’s good,” Adam said, shaking the Iyrman’s forearm. “Happy customers mean repeat business. Spread the word around. The half elf has whole skill.” Adam was unsure if the slogan would catch on.

Sodul narrowed his eyes but nodded his head. “Are you wishing to enchant more?” Adam had already enchanted twice, and a third time so quickly would take quite the toll on his body.

“Probably not,” Adam said, throwing a quick look to Sonarot. “I have something I am waiting for.” It had been in the back of his mind that Sonarot was heavily pregnant, and she would be giving birth any day now. He couldn’t miss that because he was enchanting a weapon, even if it did mean he’d earn hundreds of gold. Sonarot may need his Omen.

“Come,” Sonarot beckoned. “We will have meat cooked, but the cheese is already ready.”

Adam stared at the small blocks of cheese curiously. He picked one up and popped it into his mouth, courageously. He chewed it slowly, before realising it had quite a mild flavour. “Oh,” he said, bobbing his head approvingly. “Pretty good.”

Sodul brought out the meat from his bundle, which Adam didn’t recognise one bit, and sliced it into thin strips. The thin strips were cooked as is, though in some fat mixed with herbs, whereas the rest of the meat was spitroasted over the fire, slowly being turned. It was covered in some kind of spice mix, one which Adam vaguely recognised from his second life.

He glanced around, looking at Sonarot first, then to Jurot, then to Sodul. Even now, it surprised him to be here. He wasn’t sure how he should feel about it all.

Jurot muttered something to his mother in their tongue, and she smiled, brushing his hair gently.

“I know, but you need to eat it,” she said.

Jurot sighed. He wasn’t a fan of the particular mix of herbs due to the orange root which was used. Sodul’s family preferred it, whereas Jurot found it to taste far too earthy. Still, his mother had told him to eat it, so he would.

Adam, who had no idea what they were talking about, smiled. Seeing this interaction in this life filled his soul. ‘You know what, Belle? Killing me wasn’t a bad idea. I meant the second time. First time too, I guess?’

[…]

Once the strip of meat was cooked, Adam was first to be offered the meat. “Thanks for the food,” he said, almost like a prayer, before biting into the meat. It was fatty and herby, exactly as he imagined.

As far as he was concerned, it was some of the best meat he had eaten in his current life, but considering he had barely spent a month in this world, it wasn’t the highest of praise. It was definitely good, though. He ate the thin strips, before wrapping it around the cheese block and eating it together.

Jurot threw Adam a queer look, wondering what he was doing. Meat wrapped around cheese? What madness was that? Jurot wrapped the meat around the cheese block and bit into it. He chewed it slowly, tasting the way the juices of the meat mixed slightly with the cheese. ‘It’s fine.’

Some wine was brought out, and Adam sipped along it as they began to chat. Sodul began a story, which reminded Adam that he had yet to hear the end of the Blackwater Crisis.

Adam eventually wrapped the meat around the cheese block before holding it near the fire, allowing it to melt the cheese a little. He paid close attention to what Sodul was saying, bringing the hot meat and melted cheese to his mouth.

Constitution Save

D20 + 4 = 13 (9)

Health: 26 -> 25

“Ooh! Ah!” Adam panted, feeling the slight burn on his tongue. He sucked in the air quickly through his lips before chewing the melting cheese and meat together. He swallowed it together, panting out to try and cool his tongue. Save for the burning on his tongue, it tasted much better than he had expected.

He ignored the gazes of the Iyrmen, who were looking at him as though he were some kind of alien.

‘Oh,’ he thought. ‘I am an alien.’