Behind the gate was even more beautiful than I imagined. People of different races walking around, moving from shop to shop and drink from bar to bar.
Tora stayed invincible as we walked past the shops. We had no problem getting past the gate since we didn't carry many things.
"Now, to find a place to stay, I found little money in the old man's room." I said, smiling.
"Ugh."
"Huh?! There isn't a room for peasants here. Go across the streets!" The man in charge of the inn said angrily.
*Hm? Peasant? Oh, maybe it's my dressing.* I thought, bringing out a little bag containing some coins.
"Here." I said, smiling at him.
He looked down at the bag and asked me to open it. I did, and he counted them before looking back at me.
"Room 121, here's your key." He said, handing a key over to me.
"Thank you." I said, smiling as I grabbed the key.
*OK!!* I thought, walking up the stairs.
The next morning, I went out to have some food.
"Hmm... I'll need to make money if I want to survive in a place this big." I said, walking into the inn.
There were many people there, eating, drinking, serving, and chatting.
"Ahhhh! This wine is so good." One of the men seating near the door said after gulping down his wine.
"We need more!" Anotehr said.
"Yes, I'm coming." Someone said from inside the Inn.
*Whoa... they are compatible with demi-humans, too.* I thought as an elf lady walked out with some food.
"Hey, little boy, what do you want?" She asked, smiling at me.
*Look at those jugs.* I thought as my face turned red.
"O-oh... I was just hungry, I needed to eat." I said, smiling while looking away.
"Come on in." She said as I walked in.
"Hey, little boy, are you alone?!" A man, probably in his forties, asked while chugging down his wine.
"Y-yeah." I replied, sitting on a seat beside his.
"Where are your parents?! Why did they let you run free?!"
"It's not that, I just came here. They're not with me." I said, looking away.
"Oh! Cheer up, boy!" He shouted, laughing while slapping my back.
*This man's loud.* I thought.
"Ahaha ha..."
While having some food, I heard some men talking about the country's guild. They were adventurers.
"Sir, do you think I can become an adventurer too?" I asked the man beside me.
"Hmm? You're probably too young for that. Wait till you're twelve." He said, waving me off.
"Oh..." I said.
*I'm still 11, I won't be allowed to join the adventurers.* I thought while looking down.
"Are you in need of money?" He whispered into my ear.
"Y-yes." I flinched.
"Let's go out." He said, standing from his seat as I gulped.
*What evil will I do?* I thought, walking behind him.
The old man leaned in, a sly grin spreading across his face.
"Listen, kid, I can help you get into the guild. But it's gonna cost you."
I hesitated, unsure if I should trust him. But he seemed to know what he was talking about.
"What do I need to do?" I asked.
"I've got a friend on the inside," he said.
"His name's Grimbold. He's a guild official, and he owes me a favour. If you can promise him some payments, he'll make sure you get in."
I nodded, determination growing inside me. "I'll do it."
The old man chuckled. "I thought you might be interested. Grimbold's got a taste for the finer things in life. And he's not above taking a bribe or two."
He scribbled down a note on a piece of parchment and handed it to me.
"Give this to Grimbold, and he'll take care of the rest."
I took the note, feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. I was really going to do this.
"Just be careful, kid," the old man said, his expression turning serious.
"The guild's not a place for games. You'll be dealing with some shady characters." He said.
I nodded, tucking the note into my pocket. I was ready to take the risk.
"Thank you very much, sir." I said before running off.
"Hmm... he actually sent a kid to me." The man said, looking down at me.
I shivered while looking up at the old man. He looked well built.
"I won't let you register, sorry."
"Huh?"
"You are not of age. Come back next year." He said, tearing the paper.
"Huh?"
"You heard me. Leave now before I call the guards." He said I turned around and left.
"Hm, he sent a kid at this time, I would only get into trouble if I let him join us." The man said.
*Ha... what do I do, I just paid for a room once again, and I don't think I have enough money to last till next year.* I thought lying on the bed.
"Oh, Natsuo, you're back." Tora said, yawning.
"Don't give me that, you lazy partner!!" I shouted.
"What's the problem?" He asked.
"Hmph, I don't know how to get money to keep us here." I said.
"And I'm not of age to start adventuring."
"Why don't you go try out places tomorrow? It mustn't be adventuring." He said as I looked away.
"Yeah, I'll try that out tomorrow." I said.
The next morning, I left very early in the morning and began searching for a job.
"No, you're too young for this, leave."
"No, it's too dangerous for you to do this."
DAY 2:
"No, I can't accept a child."
"Get out."
DAY 3:
"Hmm... nah..."
"Please, can I get this job?"
"No, you definitely can't."
DAY 4:
"NO"
"NO"
"NO"
"NO!!"
Day???:
"No."
"Nah."
"I can't make a kid work for me."
"Hmm? Who do you think you're?"
"Argh!!!" I screamed while kicking against the wall in the slumps.
After weeks of not finding a job, the inn owner asked me to get the fuck ot of his inn and I had no other place to go.
"I'm back." Tora said, a plate of meat in his mouth.
"Where do you get this?" I asked, grabbing a meat.
"Don't ask, just be grateful." He said lying with a big stomach.
"I'm tired of living this way if this continues... we might die." I said.
"Yeah, yeah." Tora said, rubbing his big stomach.
"Looks like you've been feeding well." I said.
"Yeah, kinda."
"You bastard!!"
I went out in search of a job again the next day, but things didn't go differently.
*What should I do?*