Back at the Mage Tower, Lady Evelyn seemed to have largely regained her composure. As we exited the teleportation room, she smoothed her robes and cleared her throat.
“Please follow me to my office. We need to make some arrangements.”
We followed her through a maze of stone corridors before beginning our ascent up the tower. The sheer number of spiral stairs was staggering. Thankfully, Juliana’s max-level physique possessed boundless stamina, so we didn't even break a sweat. Toby, however, was quickly beginning to struggle, his small legs burning from the climb.
Noticing his heavy panting, Juliana smoothly scooped Toby up and hoisted him onto our shoulders without missing a step.
We continued to climb until we finally reached the top floor. The space opened out into a massive, airy office with vaulted ceilings and large arched windows overlooking the city. The decor was grand but functional, featuring several heavy bookcases and a sturdy oak desk.
Lady Evelyn motioned for us to sit on a plush blue couch while she took a seat opposite us.
“I would like to discuss your compensation for assisting us with the upcoming battle,” she began, folding her hands. “We do not have a large amount of liquid funds at the moment, but we can offer other rewards in kind.”
I decided right then that it was best I took over the negotiations. If I left it to Juliana, her 'Good' alignment would probably volunteer us to fight an entire army for free.
I aggressively seized control of our body. Our spine immediately relaxed into a casual, modern slouch. Lady Evelyn’s sharp eyes narrowed, clearly noticing the sudden, jarring shift in our posture.
I cleared my throat, dropping the formal, archaic tone Juliana usually favored. “If you can’t pay us in coin, there are a few things we’ll take in lieu of payment.”
I held up a single finger. “First, I want a hot bath, fresh clothing, and official acknowledgment of Toby here as my personal page.”
Evelyn simply nodded, jotting it down on a piece of parchment. Toby looked incredibly surprised by the promotion, but wisely managed to keep his mouth shut.
I held up a second finger. “Second, free lodgings for Toby and myself, for the duration of our stay in the city, now and in the future.”
Evelyn continued to write.
I raised a third finger. “Third, a daily allowance of one gold coin to cover living expenses for every day we are expected to serve in your army.”
Finally, I raised my fourth finger. “And fourth, I want full access to any available intelligence regarding this war—its origins, the enemy's movements, and all your investigation notes.”
Lady Evelyn looked up from her parchment, frowning. “I can grant the first three easily enough. But the fourth will be much more difficult. I do not possess the direct jurisdiction over the military's classified records.”
I figured that would be the sticking point. “I’m afraid that one is non-negotiable. If you want me at my absolute best in the upcoming battle, I need that information.”
Lady Evelyn gave me a long, tired look. “Fine. I will see what I can do, but I cannot provide any absolute guarantees.”
Before concluding, a sudden thought struck me—a demand I knew Juliana would highly appreciate. “Oh, one more thing. Can you provide food to all the beggars in the city? Just once a day, enough to keep them alive.”
From deep inside our shared mind, I felt Juliana’s warm, glowing nod of approval.
Lady Evelyn sighed heavily. “I would love to, but there is a strict Forlinth blockade on the main roads. Sufficient food simply isn't making it into the city. If we could break that blockade, then yes, feeding the poor is certainly something we could manage.”
“So the blockade is the main issue,” I mused. “If we go out and open up one of the supply routes into the city, would you then be able to honor that demand?”
Lady Evelyn nodded firmly. “Yes. If you fix the trade issue, I can ensure the beggars are fed.”
“Deal. That's everything.”
Lady Evelyn quickly drafted a formal contract with all the negotiated points written out in crisp ink. “If you would please sign here, we can conclude our business.”
I double-checked each clause—a leftover habit from dealing with tricky Game Masters—and scrawled our signature at the bottom.
Lady Evelyn’s face visibly relaxed, and she let out a deep breath. “Well, Juliana. I shall see you when the time comes. In the meantime, if you could solve our blockade issue, it would be greatly appreciated.”
I relinquished my grip. Juliana’s serene, unnerving smile instantly returned, and our spine snapped back to terrifyingly perfect, rigid posture.
“It will be my greatest pleasure to serve the citizens of Freyton City in this capacity,” Juliana said sweetly.
Lady Evelyn openly stared at us, deeply unsettled by the sudden whiplash in our demeanor.
As we stood up to leave, Lady Evelyn handed Juliana a sealed note. “Take this to the reception desk downstairs. It will instruct them to provide you with your lodgings, clothing, and your daily allowance. Good day.”
We descended the seemingly endless spiral staircase. The sheer length of the climb down made me deeply miss the convenience of modern elevators.
Once we finally reached the ground floor, we handed Lady Evelyn's note to the receptionist. She cracked the wax seal, scanned it quickly, and immediately flagged down another runner boy.
“Please fetch the quartermaster,” she instructed.
The boy sprinted off toward a different set of stairs with the letter in hand.
“Please have a seat. The quartermaster will have your items momentarily.”
Juliana smiled. “Thank you for your gracious help in this matter.”
We found ourselves seated once more on the plush velvet sofas. Exhausted from the day's events, Toby immediately curled up on our lap and fell fast asleep. It seemed the poor kid had already taken a strong liking to Juliana, completely trusting her protective presence.
About twenty minutes later, a harried, impossibly thin man clutching a thick ledger practically jogged up to us.
“You must be Juliana?” he asked breathlessly.
Juliana smiled her serene smile. “Yes, and you must be the quartermaster.”
He nodded briskly and handed us two freshly sealed letters and a small, heavy leather pouch.
“I have drafted a letter of introduction to a nearby inn, The Horse's Gable. They will forward any bills for your lodgings and meals directly to the Tower.” He pointed to the second letter. “This one is to be taken to a shop called Gunther's Tailoring just down the street. The shopkeeper there will assist with properly outfitting your... page.”
The quartermaster then tapped the small coin purse. “I have put ten gold coins in this bag, which covers your daily allowance for the next ten days. If you are still enlisted with us in ten days' time, come ask for me again. Do not worry about paying back the excess should you be dismissed early.”
Juliana nodded her head gracefully.
“With that sorted,” the quartermaster continued, checking his ledger, “Lady Evelyn left notes regarding the trade blockade. If you clear the Northern Blockade, we can finally send messengers out to the rural villages informing them of the open route. When you leave the city to clear it, please inform the gate guards of your departure.”
Juliana beamed. “That all sounds wonderful. I look forward to working with you on this righteous matter.”
The quartermaster simply blinked, gave a curt nod, and hurried back to his duties.
We gently woke Toby and stepped out of the Mage Tower into the fading daylight. We finally had a proper base of operations, steady funding, and a brand-new main quest.
We headed straight for our new lodgings. It wasn’t hard finding The Horse’s Gable; it was practically right across the street from the Mage Tower.
As we entered the lobby, I immediately noticed the quality of the establishment. Polished wood, plush rugs, and the smell of expensive incense made it vastly nicer than any inn I had ever stayed at during my time in this world.
We approached the front desk. A tall, impossibly thin man standing behind the counter looked the two of us up and down, his eyes lingering disdainfully on Toby's filthy rags.
“Welcome to The Horse’s Gable,” he said stiffly. “If you are looking for work, I’m afraid we have no need of any extra kitchen hands at the moment.”
Juliana smiled serenely back at him. “I have this letter from the Mage Tower. It would please me greatly if you would have a read.”
She handed the sealed parchment over. The receptionist cracked it open and quickly scanned the contents. The color rapidly drained from his face.
“Oh! I must humbly apologize, Lady Juliana!” The man immediately bowed so deeply he nearly hit his head on the counter. “We have a premium suite ready for VIP guests of the Tower, and I will have a warm bath drawn for you immediately. Additionally, as a matter of apology, I can offer some fresh clothing for you both.”
Juliana’s unblinking smile remained fixed in place. “Oh, that would be most wonderful. I do not require any new garments, as my vows dictate what I must wear, but some nice clothes for young Toby would be greatly appreciated.”
I severely doubted the clothing was purely an "apology." It was far more likely the innkeeper just didn't want a street urchin tracking mud and lice through his pristine hallways.
The man stood up straight, offering a sycophantic grin. “Of course. Now, once you have bathed and settled in, please join us downstairs in the dining hall for a meal. It is fully covered by the disbursements provided by Lady Evelyn.”
“That sounds amazing. We are truly grateful for the opportunity to try your lovely food,” Juliana responded sweetly.
The innkeeper snapped his fingers, summoning a young bellhop. “Please show Lady Juliana and Master Toby to Room Fifteen.”
We followed the bellhop down the carpeted hallways until we reached a heavy, sturdy-looking oak door with a brass number fifteen. He unlocked it and ushered us inside.
The furnishings were anything but modest. A massive double bed dominated the room, piled high with soft, feathered linens. There was a sturdy writing desk with lockable drawers, a large wardrobe, and a separate door leading to a washroom.
The bellhop stepped into the washroom. “I will heat your bath for you.” He pointed a finger at the porcelain tub, spoke a short, sharp incantation, and the water immediately began to bubble and steam.
I had to admit, seeing magic used to completely bypass the mundane chores of medieval life was pretty incredible.
“Please enjoy your stay. Do not hesitate to call on me if you need anything at all.” The bellhop pointed to a braided silk pull-string on the wall. “This will ring a bell downstairs, and we will be at your door as quickly as possible. I will leave the young master's clothing outside the door shortly.”
He backed out of the room, gently pulling the door shut behind him.
“Well, Toby, how about we wash up? Would you mind bathing together?” Juliana asked gently.
Toby shook his head shyly. “No, I don’t mind.”
Juliana helped Toby out of his filthy rags and stepped into the steaming water with him. Without any hesitation, she got straight to work, diligently scrubbing months of stubborn street grime off the boy. Toby sat quietly in the warm water, wide-eyed, just taking in the sheer grandeur of the porcelain tub and the safety of the room.
Once they were both thoroughly clean, Juliana stepped out. She carefully dried Toby off first, then dried herself, and slipped back into her druidic clothing.
“I shall retrieve your new clothing. Please wait right here,” Juliana told him, her maternal warmth shining through.
She opened the door and found a neat parcel wrapped in brown paper sitting on the floor. It wasn't just a simple tunic and trousers. It was a tailored suit jacket, matching dress pants, a crisp white shirt, and a black silk vest. There was even a pair of polished black leather shoes and actual cotton socks.
This was way too fancy to be a standard freebie. The innkeeper was definitely trying to buy his way out of insulting a 9th-level magic user.
Once Juliana helped Toby get dressed, she led him over to the full-length standing mirror. Underneath all that dirt, he was actually a remarkably handsome kid. In the tailored suit, he was practically unrecognizable from the dying urchin in the alleyway.
Toby stared at his reflection, gently running a hand over the lapel of the jacket. His eyes started to water.
“Is it... is it okay that I look so nice?” Toby whispered.
“Absolutely,” Juliana replied simply, resting a gentle hand on his shoulder.
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!
Use arrow keys (or A / D) to PREV/NEXT chapter