Elis went over the inventory. "From the hotel we have clothes, canned food, light orbs, and other necessities. All we're missing now is transportation, a map to Charn and tents. I feel the best transportation would be a horse would be the best choice. As for the tent, any would do."
"Alright then." I took out the map Eric gave me. "The nearest place should a couple of streets west."
I frowned "Wait a minute. Why don't we just go through a gate?" A gate is a magical device that also teleports people to different locations across the world as long as there is another gate over there. It works by pushing one into a separate space called "The network". Then magic power is used to protect everyone and everything inside a protective space before pushing them through to another gate on a separate side. Everything is regulated by a magic intelligence that was made by over a thousand high level mages thousands of years ago, when everyone still had access to to the 10th realm.
Elis flushed with embarrassment "W-we can't afford to build and maintain a gate in our city. To start with, Orcans aren't a powerful and rich race. Even if we are known as one of the 100 great families, we are one of the worse and in a state of decline. We can barely maintain our city as it is. If it wasn't for the artifact we inherited, we would long have been equal to a low class family by now. Truth be told, our city is more like a small town instead."
"Then you aren't rich and noble? Then why am I traveling with you?"
She looked slightly panicked now. "We still have a castle and some furniture and some relics from ancient times." She hurried to persuade me.
"Fine." What I was truly curious about was the artifact they had inherited. Jamie seemed to have never heard of it, even if he had worked with them for years.
"But what about those strong bodyguards?"
"Oh, we gave them a technique that makes their power seem higher than it truly is. In all honesty, most of them are weaker than me."
"Oh? Can I see the technique?"
"I don't have it on me, but when we get back to Charn, I'll show you the manual."
"Alright then."
"We sell the best horses around. I guarantee that each and every one of them is well fed, strong and clean. We also raise other beasts that are much faster than these horses though. Would you like to take a look?" A averagely dressed man with a beer belly and a straw hat showed us the stable where the horses were kept.
"How much for 2" I inquired.
"500 commas"
"Alrig-"
"What! Outrageous! Look at these horses. They all look sluggish." Elis pointed at a horse that was eating. "It's obvious that this ones teeth were never checked. Food is constantly falling from his mouth. Also, what is the food even made of. That looks like some trash from a dumpster! How could they possibly be worth that much. They would all probably die outside. I bet you never even let them out to exercise resulting in weak muscles. All you ever do is give them food to keep them alive and polish their coats to make them look good. In the real world they would all just collapse."
Under Elis' assault, the man didn't even change his expression. It seemed that this happened a lot to him.
"Do you realize how hard it is to raise horses? Of course we may not be able to give the horses premium feed, but I guarantee that what we give them is safe and keeps them alive and strong. They might not go outside often, but that's to keep them away from the stronger beasts. We can't focus on one animal now can we? Overall, these horses can get you to places fast and efficiently. They are well trained so their loyalty is unquestionable."
"Of course, but see how this one's nose is..."
After a couple of minutes of haggling, threats and possibly seduction, he agreed to sell 2 horses, a map and a tent to us for 240 commas.
'It seems I shouldn't look down on a seasoned businesswomen.'
Seeing as how she was a daughter of a "great" family, she had been in contact with money and politics all of her life. She was also quite good at what she did. I was prepared to just pay the sum he suggested, but after thinking it through, weren't commoners supposed to be frugal? Did they truly have money to waste? I decided that I wouldn't create anymore commas for the time being.
I also noticed how the man had had a peculiar expression on his face when he had seen the clothes we were wearing. It seems we had to change cloths again so as not to give off the impression that we had money.
In the woods
A tribe of gorilians were crowded around a shining bright blue stone.
The tribe head picked it up and examined it. His white fur turned black.
"Hooo Hooo!" He screeched. A elder passed him his staff. He placed the stone at the head of it. The stone embedded itself on the staff.
They feasted through the night.
All around the world, primitive tribes revived a blue stone from the sky.