As Lucas grasped the gem, a profound sense of timelessness engulfed him. In those few moments that felt like an eternity, Lucas questioned if his decision was correct. However, to his great joy, the gem emitted a brilliant green light that appeared brighter to Lucas than anyone else's. He released his hold on the gem and turned back to his meal, resuming his enjoyment of the food relieved that it worked.
Master John had been making his way towards Lucas, his steps slowing as he awaited the test results. When the gem glowed green, a fleeting look of surprise crossed his face, unnoticed by others, before his scowl returned. He continued on his path and intercepted the priestess before she could proceed to the next test.
"As I was saying," John stated plainly, arms crossed, "it's common courtesy to speak with the host before inconveniencing his guest. I believe my customers have extended enough courtesy, and it's time for you to leave."
The priestess displayed a look of disbelief as she responded, "The White Lady has entrusted me with the task of searching for heretics. I cannot return to the temple without completing her directive."
John took a deep breath and explained softly, "That may be your problem, but my concern is ensuring my customers can relax and unwind after a long week. As the owner of this tavern, it is my duty to provide the service they pay for. You'll have to search elsewhere."
The priestess appeared shocked that the tavern owner did not want her to fulfill the White Lady's task. After a brief moment, her expression hardened into one of stubborn resolve.
"The city lord has granted me protection and the authority to search for heretics. Move out of the way," she declared, lifting her head slightly, expecting John to comply.
John's friendly facade vanished, replaced with an unwavering resolve. "The lord may have the power to grant permission within the city, as you rightly pointed out. However, according to the king's law, I am the rightful owner of this establishment and I have the final say on who is allowed inside. By exercising my rights, I am denying you the privilege of being present in my establishment. Leave."
Wide-eyed, the priestess began to speak, "Heretics are a danger to all and-"
John swiftly interrupted her, his voice firm, "You have been asked to leave. Fail to comply, and I will strip you naked from your robe before throwing you out, as is my right. This is your last chance."
The priestess stood in stunned silence, her mind unable to comprehend the situation. Fortunately for her, the guards recognized John's determination and stepped forward to escort her out of the tavern.
As the priestess was led away, a hush fell over the tavern. John walked back behind the bar, his eyes surveying the establishment. He then addressed the patrons with an apology, his voice initially calm before he raised it to a shout.
"I apologize to anyone who was bothered by our uninvited guest. First drink is on me!" John announced, eliciting cheers from the crowd. Even Lucas couldn't help but join in, knowing that a free drink from John's stash was well worth the minor inconvenience. He chuckled to himself and returned his attention to his meal, enjoying the lively atmosphere as the tavern roared back to life.
As the first rays of sunlight peeked over the horizon, Lucas awoke in his warm bed. Reflecting on the morning, he couldn't help but compare it to the previous day. Yesterday, he had woken up on the floor with no recollection of how he had ended up there. Today, however, he remembered bidding farewell to the Drunken Squirrel before making his way home. Lucas was relieved that he hadn't encountered the priestess on his way back.
He also had to admit that Lauren was right about the bedding. The blankets had provided perfect comfort last night, and he woke up without any lingering back pain that had plagued him the day before. After a brief stretch to loosen up his body, Lucas made his way to the bathroom to attend to his morning routine and freshen up for the day ahead.
With his bathroom rituals complete, Lucas ventured into the kitchen. He filled a pot with water and retrieved some rice to wash. While waiting for the water to reach a boil, he started compiling a shopping list of ingredients he needed to buy. Although he found comfort in a simple bowl of rice for breakfast, he desired more options for his lunch. As the water began to bubble, Lucas carefully placed the rice in the pot.
After savoring his breakfast bowl of rice, Lucas made his way to the storefront. It was the start of a new week, which meant the shop needed to reopen its doors. Glancing around, Lucas was reminded of how little remained on the counters. A few metal decorations that had been there since he first moved in caught his eye, along with a twelve-piece set of silverware displayed in a locked glass box.
However, apart from the relentless presence of dust bunnies scattered everywhere, there wasn't much else left in the shop. Lucas had vivid memories of spending countless hours dusting, but it seemed he had overlooked numerous nooks and crannies. Determined to rid the place of the persistent critters, Lucas opened the front door and raised all the window shades before making his way to the bathroom to grab a bucket. He couldn't bear to sit still and wait for customers with the dust bunnies mocking him from every corner. It was time for a thorough wipe-down of the entire shop area until the customers arrived.
For the first few hours, Lucas made significant progress in his cleaning efforts. He worked his way from the high shelves down to the lower ones, diligently eliminating every speck of dust he could find. However, as midmorning arrived, his progress slowed as customers began to trickle in. To no surprise, these customers weren't looking to browse merchandise or place new orders; they were there to cancel their existing orders. Despite the fact that their orders were not due for completion this month, they expressed their unwillingness to wait and see if Master Barlet would return in time.
However, to their surprise, Lucas did not offer any apologies or discounts in response. Word had spread about how he had resolved customer issues and compensated for inconveniences the previous week. Some of the more assertive customers tried demanding similar treatment, but they were left speechless by Lucas' firm rebuttal.
"Your order is not due at this time, and the shop is perfectly capable of completing it by its scheduled deadline. Why would I offer an apology or discount?"
Lucas stood his ground, recognizing the importance of upholding the shop's reputation and professionalism. He refused to provide unwarranted compensation when there was no legitimate cause for complaint. The customers, taken aback by his response, had no choice but to accept his stance and leave.
During a lull in customer activity at lunchtime, Lucas decided to lock the front door temporarily and make a quick trip to Craving Haven. Rabbie was just finishing up with a previous customer when Lucas arrived. He swiftly gathered all the necessary ingredients and filled Lucas's bag. As Lucas was about to pay, a sudden recollection of the delightful tea he had shared with Lauren the day before prompted him to inquire if Rabbie had any in stock. Luckily, Rabbie had a few packs left, which Lucas happily purchased. Expressing his gratitude to Rabbie, Lucas headed back to the shop.
After unlocking the front door and ensuring it was open for customers, Lucas returned to the kitchen. He started a simple rice and vegetable soup, allowing it to simmer in the pot while he carefully stored away the recently acquired ingredients. Though the soup was humble, it provided nourishment and filled Lucas's stomach. He enjoyed a satisfying bowl before returning to the front of the shop.
Lucas continued his cleaning campaign against the dust bunnies. Of course, Lucas was forced to stop a few times for customers wanting to cancel orders. Similar to the customers earlier, they were surprised to be leaving without compensation. He hoped word would pass around that the free compensation train at Hammered Glory had ended.
By mid-afternoon, Lucas had finished wiping down the display cases and counters facing the customers. However, he was not going to allow the dust bunnies a chance to resurface. He began doing a deep cleaning behind the register bar and inside the cabinets. It was in the back of the cabinet beneath the register a few hours later that Lucas found a stack of books.
Placing them on the counter, Lucas noticed that each book had the shop's name printed on the front. Opening the first one, Lucas was presented with a list of columns and rows. While the handwriting was starting to fade, he could still make out some of the information listed.
The book seemed to be a list of payments from customer or to suppliers for materials like iron ore. There were dates listed on each row. Lucas flipped to the last page and checked the last date. It ended five years ago, the year before Master Barlet recruited him as his apprentice.
Lucas quickly checked the next few books and found they went in order. One book per year, every year from nine years ago to suddenly end five years ago. However, there was one empty book without any thing listed. As Lucas was slowly checking each page for a listing, an elderly gentleman entered the store.
The gentleman wore a collared shirt with a button-down vest as a cover. His slicked back silver hair had thinned with age. He was dressed in light brown slacks and black shoes that shined. In one hand, he carried a cane, and in the other, a large bag filled with papers.
As the elderly gentleman turned towards him, Lucas quickly closed the book and greeted him with a warm smile. The man returned the smile and approached the counter.
"Good afternoon, young man," the gentleman said. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything important."
"Not at all," Lucas replied. "How can I assist you today?"
The gentleman leaned on the counter and squinted at Lucas. "I haven't seen you around here before. Do you work here?"
Lucas nodded. "Yes, I'm Lucas, Master Barlet's apprentice."
A flicker of interest crossed Harold's face. "Ah, it's a pleasure to meet you, Lucas. My name is Harold Vandrake. I used to visit your master at the end of each month. Could you please inform him of my arrival?"
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Harold Vandrake," Lucas said politely. "Unfortunately, my master left town last week, and I'm unsure when he will return. I'm currently in charge of the shop in his absence. Is there anything I can help you with?"
Harold's eyebrows raised momentarily before he chuckled and shook his head. "No, no. I just thought I'd stop by and see how things are going. This place holds a lot of memories for me. I see you've been doing some cleaning."
Lucas nodded. "Yes, I've been trying to give the shop a fresh start. It needed some tidying up."
Harold's eyes gleamed with curiosity. "Did you happen to find anything interesting during your cleaning? Perhaps some old, forgotten treasures?"
Lucas hesitated for a moment, contemplating whether to share his discovery with Harold. He couldn't explain why, but he had the feeling that the man was visiting with the best of intentions. Finally, he decided to trust the old man. "Actually, I found a stack of books hidden in one of the cabinets. They seem to contain payment records and materials lists from several years ago. They all abruptly end five years ago."
Harold's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Payment records, you say? That's quite intriguing. Have you had any luck deciphering anything?"
Lucas smiled and shook his head. "Nothing just yet. So far, everything I've found is before I started here at Hammered Glory. I'm still trying to make sense of it."
Harold glanced at the books on the counter and hesitated for a moment. Then, he nodded to himself as if settling something internally. He looked at Lucas and said, "I have quite a bit of experience with accounting books. If you'd like, I can help you go over them if you need assistance?"
Lucas nodded in agreement. "I'd be honored, sir. I just happen to have purchased some tea. How about we close the door and discuss it over a pot?"
With Harold's agreement, Lucas closed the front door and invited him to join him in the kitchen. Placing the books on the kitchen table, Lucas filled an old kettle with water to prepare for tea.
As they both took their seats, Harold began, "Let's start with the basics, okay?" Seeing Lucas nod, Harold took a deep breath.
"I believe we should begin with your master, Lucas. I happen to know that he didn't go on any journey and that he has passed away."
Lucas froze on the spot, never expecting his secret to be uncovered. However, Harold wasn't finished speaking.
"I should also mention that I work for the King."
Lucas's heart sank as the kettle blew in the background.