It’s nighttime, me and Eseli are heading downstairs and leaving this cake shop. My character waved his temporary goodbye to Orana. We promised to see her again whenever we have the chance. I say that, but to me it sounded more like Eseli has already made an agreement with Orana and has established Madam Pink, the cake shop, as our home here in Susana. It’s still amazing, albeit frightening, to know that Eseli’s mood can determine how active she is. I guess since she does not have a middle ground, her activity levels can radically alter, this is what frightens me. If I journey with Eseli and fight some monsters, what if she suddenly becomes lazy during a fight? Then I will have to make sure she doesn’t get harmed while laying around like a sleeping cat. Anyways, it’s great to know what I’ve gotten my first companion in this game and according to what FeeNix told me yesterday, apparently companion characters are rare in this game. I assume because there are few people or reasons to why an NPC would follow you around. Maybe this is something overpowered? I shouldn’t let WiseMaster667 know about this because he’ll like try to find a way to unbalance the game into his favor. Oh crap…maybe Krafty or May will tell him about Eseli and-

Eseli: “We have arrived at the city hall. It is a fairly large building compared to the other buildings in this town, is it not?”

MC: “Yup, it sure is!”

Either the City Hall was a lot closer than I thought it would be or I was really lost in thought while looking around this whole area. I think there are more people walking on Main Street right now, at night, than the last time I was here. There are mostly men, some drunk and some simply walking around. A few couples. No children or elderly. I guess this is what you’d expect in a medieval-like fantasy town. Anyways, Eseli is right…this building if pretty large. There are two distinct wings/sides of the building which stretch out. There are many windows and there is a large door in the center leading to the entrance. Compared to the other buildings in this town, this City Hall looks fairly modern. Something that you would see in the old-town sections of historical European cities. There are also even more lights shining from this building’s window than what I saw while walking down the Main Street, which already has MANY lamps dotted around.

Walking inside, the interior is as bright as it was promised outside. There are long carpets leading to each direction. Obviously, we’re walking towards the center, which is very open, but behind it are some stairs leading upstairs. I assume those places are for the town’s administration. And there are several people sitting next to a large desk-like table. One of them is asleep…

Receptionist: “Good evening you two. What have you two come here for?”

MC: “I’d like to gain a town pass for me and my friend here. Also, I was told here by a guard to check and complete my request in meeting the Lord-Mayor, I come here from a request of a village not too far from here.”

Receptionist: “Let’s see…firstly, about those town passes… It will be 10 silvers for the both of you since you are foreigners. But I must first ask you both a few questions. What is your name. Where do you come from or generally reside at. What is your purpose for obtaining a travel pass for the town of Susana?”

MC: “My name is Amulet Pond. I am a traveler, so I have no home. My purpose for obtaining a travel pass is because I am seeking to find some work in this town.

I hope that response was good enough. Ooo! I can see him actually write things down on some sort of scroll or something. He isn’t just moving around in animation, but he’s also changing the properties of whatever he’s writing on. Isn’t that incredible…!

Receptionist: “Okay…next, you Snowmel”

Eseli: “My name is Eseli the Clear Enhanceress . I come from Malus-Seversi. I am the assistant of Amulet Pond, so I require the travel pass just as he does.”

Receptionist: “Eseli the Clear Enhanceress? Hmm, something about that name sounds familiar… something about Orchard Hills. No? Ah never mind. Anyways you are a mere assistant so I’m likely confusing you with someone else, pardon me. So, let’s see here…the passes are ready. Now all that remains is for you to pay the 20 silver coins.”

Ha, a mere 20 silvers coins. Don’t worry, I got 150!

Also, did I just hear Eseli say something interesting? Ho ho! Looks like I am learning something new about Eseli every day. Clear Enhanceress is one thing, but what is this “Malus-Seversi” place she just said? Not to mention…the receptionist might have confused her with someone else, that can’t possibly a coincidence…right? I’m catching up to you Eseli! Ah right, the coins…I guess I grab them from my inventory and then I place them on the desk.

Receptionist: “Yes, this is exactly 20 silver coins. Thank you very much and I am glad to hand you two your pass for our town. Now…about the second topic you mentioned. I am afraid that you’ve come too late. Your request to meet the Lord-Mayor was yesterday, and the guard should have mentioned that by tonight the request would become invalid. Correct?”

Honestly, I can’t remember. I guess I could scroll through the dialogue in the Dialogue Log but that would take me a while and this NPC will lose interest in talking to me. But I do remember something about a time limit…and I guess it does seem like I’ve waited too long. Damn! I totally forgot about the time limit.

MC: “Yes, that is correct.”

Receptionist: “Well, there you have it. I am sorry to say but your request to meet the Lord-Mayor has been denied due to time constraints. However, you may request right now to send another request to meet the Lord Mayor. But this time, you’ll have to arrive back here in two days. The Lord-Mayor’s schedule doesn’t permit time for tomorrow. That is the main option, but if you really must see the Lord-Mayor, there is a second option. However, it’s highly advised against (by me personally as well) to choose this option as it will likely not be beneficial to your well-being. But it does greatly increase your chances of meeting the Lord-Mayor, even at this very moment. I heard that you have come here at the behest of a village? If whatever you have come here for is of dire importance, then I assume it would be also wise for you to consider the second option, however, under a normal circumstance…just don’t.”

Is this village of dire importance? Hold on, I don’t even know that village’s name. I guess it wouldn’t hurt to schedule a request a couple days later. But maybe that village really does need extra protection, there is a reason after all why the village elders requested me to do this quest. Yet, I haven’t run into any bandits in this region besides those Marauders, so I don’t think there will be anything that would harm the village... tough choice… I don’t really want to have this quest looming over my head for two days. I just want to get it over with. Plus, there isn’t anything else I am doing right now, so I might as well do it now.

MC: “I wish to do the second option. I must meet the Lord-Mayor as soon as possible.”

It’s not really “I must meet the Lord-Mayor soon as possible”, that just sounds dramatic, Amulet. But at least it looks like Eseli is happy about my decision. She has a grin right now; she must have also wanted me to pick this second option.

Receptionist: ‘Sigh…very well. Please do not think about the moment when you meet the Lord-Mayor but instead a less colorful but stable future.”

What?

The receptionist pokes one of his sleeping coworkers and tells him to go to the Lord-Mayor’s palace to inform the Lord-Mayor about my request

It has been 10 minutes and the messenger has already returned. He looks awfully tired. Was he rushing, why?

Receptionist: “It seems like your request to meet the Lord-Mayor has been approved. You should head to the Lord-Mayor’s palace now. It is a little further up the Main Street and then to the left. A magnificent building with a large yard surrounded by a gated fence. Easy to spot."

MC and Eseli: “Thank you”

Me and Eseli are leaving the city hall. Now we are heading to the Lord-Mayor’s palace. I am finally going to meet them. This is the first time I will be interacting with a possibly high level or important NPC in this game, so it might be a different experience. But this shouldn’t be a hard quest to complete, right?