Heat assaulted Walter as he walked inside the tavern followed by the smell of stewed meats and vegetables. Flipper turned his nose up at the smell and ducked inside Walter’s shirt. The god of death had to stop himself from squirming. Flipper’s flippers were tickling Walter’s shoulders.

Finally, the sea turtle situated himself in a good spot, and Walter took a look around the room. Patrons sat on stools surrounding various tables. In the center of the building sat a pot as large as the man beside it, which was quite wide.

“Have a seat!” The squat man said jovially.

Walter walked over to an open table, sitting himself next to a muscled man in guardsman gear. The squat man grabbed a small pot on a table beside him and filled it with soup, then grabbed a plate towered with bread and brought it over to Walter.

“Here for the coronation?” the innkeeper asked.

“I heard about it on my travels,” Walter lied again. He didn’t like having to, but honestly who would believe him if he said, ‘oh I’m just on my way to collect a stray soul that won’t come.’

“Truly a shame to see Garegom go,” the guard next to Walter said. “He was a good man.”

“A good beast, you mean,” the innkeeper said with a smile.

It was then Walter noticed the man’s strange features. Well, stranger than normal on Sod’s world. The innkeeper was squat, but not in the hunched way the other natives seemed to have. It was more akin to dwarfism.

The innkeeper caught Walter staring. “Ah, wondering what animal I was before?”

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Walter said.

The innkeeper laughed. “Think nothing of it! There aren’t many like us outside Garegom’s Empire! It’s natural to be curious.”

“It ain’t that rare,” the guardsman said.

“It’s rare enough,” the innkeeper countered. “Besides, this one here looks like he’s from far away.”

“Guilty as charged,” Walter answered. The innkeeper’s joyful inflection was contagious, and Walter found himself relaxing.

“Ha!” the guardsman laughed. “I like that! Guilty as charged.”

“Well then, stranger,” the innkeeper started, sitting on the stool across from Walter. “Where do you hail that uses such creative language?”

“I’ll answer you if you answer me,” Walter said with a smile.

Flipper squeaked, poking his head out of Walter’s shirt.

The two men blinked in surprise at the turtle.

“I think you have yourself a deal!” the innkeeper laughed. “If only so I can ask about your friend.”

“Well, I came to the continent from across the seas,” Walter started using the backstory he’d crafted with Davy. “From the Scholar’s land. Flipper here is a beast that I bonded with on my journeys.”

“Ah, a former scholar?” the guardsman asked.

“It would explain why he’s so pale,” the innkeeper laughed.

“Exactly,” Walter said. Truthfully this time. After all, college was a place of study.

“What made you travel all the way here?” the guardsman asked.

“I think it’s my turn for a question,” Walter said.

“Quite right!” The innkeeper laughed. “And I think you’ve got one ready to hop out of your mouth!”

“What kind of beast are you?” Walter asked, his lips still curled in a smile.

“An Earth Digger,” the innkeeper said.

Walter mentally flipped his translator to change the name back. “A Grakelec?”

“A small, furred thing that makes a mess of everything digging,” the guard ribbed.

“You wound me, friend,” the innkeeper laughed. “I like to think I was a bit more organized than my fellows.”

“That’s incredible,” Walter said. “I know I have a question to answer, but I have to know what made you want to start an inn?”

“Haha, I’ll answer that for free!” The innkeeper said. He slapped his belly, “I love food! The more the better!”

“He’s known for being the most generous cook this side of the city,” the guardsman said. “So, what brought a scholar across the continents?”

“Curiosity, mostly,” Walter said. “I’d always wanted to travel, and decided that it was better to go sooner while I still had working limbs.”

The other two nodded.

“Smart,” the guard said.

The innkeeper smirked, seeing a chance to retaliate for the earlier rib. “Well, Gom, he is a scholar.”

Walter chuckled as Gom frowned good-naturedly. “I was hoping to find a place to stay for the coronation,” Walter said.

“Ah, my rooms are filled, unfortunately,” the innkeeper said. “Word got around that I’ve the best tavern this side of the city.”

He winked at the guardsman.

Gom rolled his eyes. “Yes, yes. It’s my fault your business has boomed.”

“Is there another inn then?” Walter asked.

“Tell ya what,” Gom said. “If you don’t mind a stranger’s place, I can house ya. Just know I’m going to be asking for stories as payment.”

“Like, where you met this little guy,” the innkeeper cooed.

“He’s a sea animal,” Walter said. “Came right up to my boat one day. He’s really good at protection and has saved my life more than once.”

“Here I was hoping for a grander story,” the guardsman said.

“Don’t worry,” Walter laughed. “I’ve got plenty of more interesting ones.”

“Well then,” Gom said, standing. “Let me show you to my place and you can tell me all about your exciting adventures.”

Walter readied to follow, then remembered. “Oh, right.”

He fished out a few coins from his pockets, but Gom stopped him.

“No need to worry about that,” he said. “I’ve got a standing tab with Lele. He can just add it.”

“If you’re sure,” Walter said.

“Sure I’m sure,” Gom answered as he walked out the hut. “But make sure that story of yours is a good one.”

“Of course,” Walter said as he followed the guardsman out the door.