I stared at her departing back, wishing I had asked her name. However, it was already too late. With the kind kobold's directions fresh in my mind, I then set off down the passage she indicated. The rough stone underfoot was cool and slightly damp, a reminder that these tunnels ran deep beneath the earth.
As I walked, I passed the storage rooms just as she'd said. The pungent smell of dried meat and mushrooms filled the air, confirming I was on the right path. My stomach growled at the scent, which made me wonder again at my metabolism. I'd have to find out how mealtimes worked too, but that could wait until later.
I turned at the second right, the tunnel branching off into a darker, narrower passage. The air grew heavier, carrying a faint but unmistakable odor. I must have been getting close. The tunnel widened slightly, and soon I spotted a series of small alcoves carved into the stone walls, each one just large enough to accommodate a kobold. These were the bathroom pits, simple but functional, offering some privacy despite the cramped conditions.
I hesitated for a moment, unsure of the etiquette here. In my previous life, things had been so different. But I pushed the thought aside, realizing that this was part of adapting to my new reality. The important thing was that I had found what I was looking for, and without any major mishaps. I slipped into one of the alcoves, grateful for the solitude, and let out a quiet sigh of relief.
I was faintly surprised that there were toilet pits in the central area, but after thinking about it, I realized it made sense. After all, there was a lot more traffic and people living in the center areas. Having completed my business, I decided to start exploring again.
However, I didn't see mines or mushroom farms in the central area. I also didn't see the animal and bug farms. I was even somewhat surprised to see that there were not any kilns, forges, or crafting stations in the center area. The center area mostly seemed to be full of newborn sleeping areas, adult communal sleeping areas, communal cafeterias, and specialized rooms.
The specialized rooms were mostly for the kobold sorcerers, a dragon shrine, a throne room, and a merchant area. I was starting to wish I had asked the maid to escort me around. She could have explained some of the rooms to me as I passed. Instead, I had to dig through my ancestral memories for the answers.
The merchant area actually intrigued me. I didn't expect to find it in the center of the city. After all, the tunnels were often too small to transport many things a merchant might want to sell. Also, how would they carry all their items at the same time? I quickly found out that there were three merchant areas. One was near the surface. One was in the bottom layer of the city near Chuck Norris Bridge.
The last one was actually only used by kobolds. Foreign merchants weren't allowed there. Kobolds in the city sold trinkets, jewelry, and small items that other kobolds might want to buy or trade for. For example, one of the kobolds might have "found" something while scavenging near one of the human cities. Or they might want to sell their old shovel once they bought a new one. Mostly, however, jewels were the most commonly traded items.
My room was actually the furthest away from the surface and was actually not that far away from the lower merchant area. I suppose this was because the kobolds weren't as worried about invaders from deep underground as they were worried about invaders from the surface. I was a little confused by the fact that the tunnels there were wider and higher.
However, I didn't really want to bother thinking about the reason. I was sure they wouldn't go through all the extra work unless there was a real reason for doing so. Also, I was getting tired. Because of this, I started to retrace my steps back through the winding tunnels. I felt more at ease now that I had a better sense of the layout of the city. It was like a gigantic multi-level maze.
Despite my newfound confidence, I soon got lost. I sighed, quite disappointed in myself. At the next intersection, I started looking around. However, although I hated to admit it, I had no idea where I was. It was at this moment that a female kobold approached me. It was almost as if she had been waiting for me to need her.
"Hi, I'm Týja, one of your caregivers," she said as she approached me.
She had that same peaceful aura that my other two caregivers possessed. Unfortunately, she also looked very similar to the younger maid I had met, Fylgja. Now I was worried about confusing them as well. I hadn't seemed to have discovered the knack of noticing the details to tell similar looking kobolds apart.
Týja didn't seem to notice my momentary lapse into silence. She asked, "Do you want me to take you back to your room?"
"Yes, please," I said. "Can you tell me about how I can make sure that I don't get lost again?" I hated admitting that I was lost, but they seemed to understand.
Týja smiled and started leading me through the tunnels. While we were walking, she pointed out different tunnels and directed my attention to various markings on the walls at each intersection. "See those? Those are markings that indicate which rooms are not in those locations," she said as she pointed at scratch marks.
At first, I was confused, but then I realized the markings were false. They were meant to mislead invaders who might know the draconic language. They would see the "treasure" markings and would rush in that direction. More than likely, it would instead be a room filled with traps. Still slightly confused, I asked, "If that is where the rooms aren't, how do I know where they actually are?"
"Most wyrmlings stay with various attendants all day, every day. Their caretakers take them to morning contemplation where they contemplate their inner dragon and then take them back to the nursery. Most wyrmlings are able to memorize the path over time. However, for those few wyrmlings with short memories, we do have a few markings that hint at where the tunnels lead."
"For example," she said, pointing to faint, almost imperceptible markings on the floor near a tunnel junction, "you can see here that the path on the left has the draconic word for 'hatchery' while the one on the right has the draconic word meaning 'forge.'"
The kobold city was unlike anything I had ever seen before. That included the computer games I used to play. Everywhere I looked, there was something new to learn, something fascinating to take in. It felt like I was inside a brand-new solo roleplaying game.
"Of course, we do have another method. A few members of our family have eyesight problems, which makes reading a little difficult. Because of this, we regularly bring special scents to mark the tunnels. Go ahead," she said, motioning for me to take a whiff.
Tentatively, I moved closer to the intersection and smelled each tunnel. Surprisingly, there was a difference. The tunnel leading to the hatchery smelled like some type of cooked meat. The tunnel leading to the forge smelled like spicy peppers and gave my nose a slight burning sensation. As for the direction we had come from, that tunnel smelled like pine trees.
Týja moved confidently through the labyrinthine tunnels of the underground kobold city, explaining the smells associated with the different locations. For example, the treasure room smelled had a metallic smell. The mushroom farms smelled like mushrooms, which was no surprise.
The tunnels leading to the mines smelled like freshly turned earth. The tunnels leading to the weasels had a musky smell. Had I known, I could have found the wormfood areas where I could go to the bathroom by also following the smells. Just thinking about this made me realize there was a tunnel beneath where I had gone to the bathroom earlier. Carrier crawlers, worms, and other creepy-crawly creatures would wait eagerly in the tunnel below.
As we ventured deeper into the city, the tunnels widened and intersected, revealing a complex network of interconnected passages. The air was thick with the scent of earth and the distant echoes of bustling kobold activity. Týja deftly navigated the maze, relying on a combination of scent, instinct, and the subtle markings on the tunnel floors that only a trained kobold eye could decipher.
The walls themselves were adorned with bioluminescent fungi, casting a soft glow that illuminated our path. The occasional drip of water echoed through the tunnels. Everywhere, there was evidence of the intricate traps set up by the kobolds to deter intruders. Týja, however, skillfully avoided these pitfalls, having memorized their locations and trigger mechanisms.
As we walked, we passed by chambers carved into the rock walls. In each tunnel, I noticed that artisans had crafted intricate sculptures and etched murals depicting scenes from the kobold tribe's history, usually emphasizing a great red dragon. I was tempted to study them, but I didn't really have enough time at that moment.
We passed many small gatherings of kobolds who worked on various tasks. Some were carrying back precious gems and metals and others carried trapmaking and mining supplies. Týja greeted them with a nod and a "wings gesture" as we passed fellow tribesmen.
At one point, Týja offered to show me to the communal bathing pond so that I could wash up. However, after remembering what happened in the water, I politely declined. I definitely wasn't old enough, or curious enough, to see dozens of adult kobolds "playing" in the pools.
I soon discovered that Týja was a bit less reserved than Kiva, although equally kind. She was also perceptive since she noticed that I was tired, and gently asked, "Would you like me to carry you?"
"No thanks," I said. After spending hours exploring the city, my legs ached with exhaustion. Despite that fact, I still wasn't willing to be carried back to my room like a little child. Instead, I followed her through the tunnels until they started to feel more familiar.
It didn't take us too long to arrive back to my room. The moment she opened my door, the smell of food wafted through the air. The smell of roasted meat and herbs encouraged me not to think too much about the origin of the food.
Týja must have arranged for a meal to be ready when we returned. Týja stopped just outside the door, giving me a gentle pat on the back. "Here we are," she said with a small smile. "There's food waiting for you inside. Eat, and then get some rest. You deserve it."
I stepped inside and looked around. The room was as I'd left it, but the table now held three steaming plates of food. Apparently, my insatiable stomach had inspired them to give me extra food. "Thank you, Týja," I said to her with a smile.
She nodded and smiled. "I'll check on you later." With that, she quietly closed the door.
I climbed up onto the chair and then onto the table. There, I sat and began eating. I ate slowly, trying not to think about what I was eating. As long as I didn't think about it, I could enjoy whatever it was that I was eating. Once I finished, I set the plate aside and climbed down from the table before climbing onto the bed.
I made a mental note to ask for smaller furniture when I woke up. However, at that moment, I didn't care. Warm food filled my belly. As I was falling asleep, a new thought occurred to me. If I was in one of the important guest quarters, that meant I was probably sleeping near the green kobold's ambassador.
That made me wonder. If the ambassador was nearby, why had I not seen any guards? Were they that adept at stealth? Had I completely missed their presence? Did I need to worry about protecting myself? However, just as those thoughts drifted through my tired mind, I fell asleep.