The wanderer followed the guard to the alcove. The guard didn't even check if the wanderer did follow him, but the wanderer felt it, an innate sense of being gazed at.
It was a weird sensation for the wanderer. For the first time he knew, he knew someone was looking at him. But he didn't react to it.
The guard stopping right in front of the open alcove, half turned and said, "just for you and me both, please put one of your hand on the table. Be assured, I'll protect you."
The wanderer didn't hesitate and yet he fumbled just a bit with his pack, letting both the pack as well as his left hand land on it.
The guard looked at the pack and realization hit him, "ah, so is that part of the reason to the so-called 'town hall'?"
The wanderer nodding affirmed it. "Yes, a bit better would be to say I am trying to go to something that could be called as a 'town hall' or 'town guild'."
The guard continued, "I see, so basing on that it will be best you go to 'Borough Hall'. There are five of those in this city." The guard scanning the wanderer's look, "Ah yes, I should introduce myself as well as the city."
"I am Slin. A gate guard on four days of the nine day week. Other times, I am just a forest adventurer", replied Slin the guard.
"The city's name is Ashtrim." Slin had a weird glint in his eyes, a very prideful one.
The wanderer didn't reflect that glint back. Slin didn't question it. The only thing that was in the wanderer's mind was 'where is this gaze coming from?'
The wanderer's both hands were quite relieved just by the time Slin had done his duties of questioning the wanderer. Slin's parting words to the wanderer were simple.
"Follow along the main road, yes this one we are standing on. You'll end up seeing three of the five Borough Halls. Enter any. And be safe while venturing out of the Earthen wall into the outskirts."
The wanderer didn't enter the first one. It was too grande he felt.
He was now staring at the second one while noon had just arrived. Ashtrim truly was big.
The wanderer felt the second was even more…. bigger. He was baffled.
Baffled not by the architecture of the city, but by its massiveness. The wanderer had travelled dozens of leagues through twists and turns never stepping out of the main road.
Yet, he saw the rise of a market, it's fall, then another rise of houses. That's when he saw the first 'Borough Hall', it's sign in simple language.
The houses slowly let the rise of another market happen, then it's fall is what the wanderer was witnessing but suddenly he just happened to arrive at the second Borough Hall.
He entered it this time, curious now to find the workings of the city. More like he was tired of walking leagues upon leagues.
Adjusting his brown dirty overcoat, rotating all four of his colored rings and weighing the pack once again, he walked towards the table. The largest one in the opening hall.
The wanderer somehow felt calmer than anywhere he has ever been just by stepping in this Borough Hall. No sensation of being gazed at.
For the woman sitting behind reception, it was just another number walking in. But for very few people in this hall, the wanderer was more than a number. It was just a sign, a sign to venture.
The wanderer approached the reception table. He put the scroll Slin gave and the pack on the table. He pointed to the pack and said, "I just killed 17 swimbeasts, and I wish to get the reward for completing a request by the monarch. Here's my city scroll."
The receptionist looked up, knocked on her fellow receptionists back. The other receptionist looked at the wanderer, "may I count the swimbeasts to confirm? As for the reward, the reward was raised this morning from 1 wheat Riga per corpse to 1 stone Riga per corpse. Any queries regarding the currency?"
The wanderer nodding affirmatively, "yes, you can. I have a few Beret coins, I wish to change them to Riga. And I want to also know how to be a 'forest adventurer'?"
"Oh so you met Slin or Litora-"
"Slin."
"Ah, so let me clarify. There is nothing such as a 'forest adventurer'. Both of those teens just calls themselves that. There is but Adventurer. In other kingdoms, it does get intermixed with hunters and pioneers." Clarified the other receptionist.
The main receptionist kept concentrating on her work as she kept flinging back her falling raven hair up with her pen.
A hand fell on the table a few paces away from the pack. The wanderer placed his hand firmly back on the scroll and the pack.
"Alive much. That's good", said a voice from behind their large shield. Was it wooden or steel, or even obsidian? But that was not the question on the wanderer's mind.
"Not now, moving-rock. Both of us are busy", clapped back the main receptionist. She didn't even glance at the one who came later.
The shield holder went away, to the open gallery above.
The main receptionist continued her partner's words, "the reward is once again raised by 1 wheat Riga more with this scripture that I am holding. So each corpse is 1 stone Riga and 1 wheat Riga."
The main receptionist proceeded to take the pack of swimbeast heads, continuing her rant, "And 1 wheat Riga is equal to 20 stone Riga. While 10 stone Riga is equal to 1 orange Riga. 20 orange Riga is equal to 1 Beret coin or 1 metal Riga. And finally, 12 metal Riga is adds up to 1 gold Riga."
The wanderer followed the deluge of information.
The other receptionist confirmed the kills, and put a total coin bag of 17 stone Riga and 17 wheat Riga. As the wanderer touched the bag it felt to him as if the coins attracted something out of him.
He just couldn't tell what. But he was glad, the money issue was mostly solved, probably.
The main receptionist smiled now, looking up and at the wanderer, "good day to you sir, I am Mina and she is Ulrina. Welcome to Ashtrim. Do you wish to become an adventurer? We will be delighted to help get you acquainted with the workings of being an Adventurer."