Chapter 35: 35 – Bustle

She’d known the news of a nascent dungeon would spread to nearby communities like wildfire, but this … this was even more than she’d expected. Did they take the Obelisk? The only way so many people could have gotten here so fast was through teleportation. Though, that was a costly method. To Ari’s perception, at least—her finances were in more dire straits than most, she knew. For getting access to a dungeon early, these people likely thought the obelisk fees a reasonable investment.

But still … so many people.

How would they all fit? Molehill’s Guild might be the largest structure in town, and have plenty of spare rooms … but not this many spare rooms.

A loud, shrill voice caught her attention. Near the arched doorway entrance, a slim girl with white hair was glaring down at some poor fellow, despite her being a foot and some change shorter than him. Two well dressed individuals flanked her, carrying suitcases in either hand. Helping her move in?

Ari couldn’t make out what the argument was over, but something about the girl’s sharp cheekbones, and the way her chin jutted into the air, suggested entitlement, which had Ari wrinkling her nose.

It was unfair to make a judgment without even knowing what was going on, but the girl’s scathing tone—piercing through the din of the Guild, though only just barely—had Ari immediately not liking the girl.

“This is crazy, isn’t it?” Lurran asked.

Ari started, having been so focused on the colorful assortment of people milling about, and the altercation the white-haired girl was in, that she hadn’t noticed the halfling receptionist approach. To be fair, Lurran only came up to her waist, so missing her in a crowd wasn’t the hardest thing to do.

“Seriously,” Ari said. “Crazy … that’s putting it lightly.”

“I’m not looking forward to my shift today. It’s gonna be hectic.” She held a coffee in one hand, eying the surroundings. The night-time receptionist, Met, had a line at least twenty people long. Lurran would be changing over with him shortly.

“I bet.”

Lurran glanced at Ari, chewing her lip. She seemed like she wanted to say something.

“What?” Ari asked.

The hesitant expression resolved to a grimace. “I’m … you should start looking into places to stay, Ari. The Guild’s gonna start price gouging these rooms. I’m not sure you’ll be able to afford it.”

Ari blinked. “But … my guild dues pay for my room.” Ari didn’t pay for room and board directly; the dues she sent off to Goldshield had it covered.

“Not anymore, they won’t. The Adventurer’s Guild sets the prices, and they’re gonna ramp things up.” She gestured around at the hall, the sudden influx of adventurers. “Supply and demand. The good news is, I think Molehill’s putting together some rooms for locals. We’re not gonna let you guys just get booted out. But long term … I don’t know.”

Huh.

This hadn’t been something Ari had expected. She’d thought her room had been secured as part of membership with Goldshield. Then again, now that the topic had been broached, she couldn’t say she was shocked. She’d have to be blind or willfully ignorant to think profit wasn’t a big motivator to an organization like the Adventurer’s Guild.

But still. Crap. Ari could only afford room and board at the Guild because she was sponsored by Goldshield—‘sponsored’ being a generous way to put it—so if the prices went up and Goldshield’s dues didn’t cover it, then she’d be out of luck. And seeing how Lurran was saying it wouldn’t, Ari could take it at face value.

“Rooms for locals?”

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“Yeah. You know. We look out for each other.” Lurran looked around at the newcomers, and it wasn’t quite disdainful, but Ari could tell she wasn’t pleased her job had become so busy—and that the locals were going to be struggling, now, at the fault of the out-of-towners.

At least she didn’t blame Ari because she’d been the one to report the dungeon. It would’ve been ridiculous, because doing so was a strict obligation, punishable by serious jailtime if she hadn’t, but people got upset for less reasonable things all the time.

“Huh,” Ari said, not sure what else to say.

“Should I try to find you one? A contact?”

Ari thought about it.

Maybe this was the prompting she needed to move in with her Menagerie, honestly. She’d been considering it yesterday, and the universe might be giving her a signal.

Sure, she wouldn’t have her precious modern amenities—but only for so long. With the money a group of three adventurers could make, even low level adventurers, Ari should be able to scrounge together the necessary items to be comfortable, even so far from civilization.

And waking up every morning with Claire, Lori, and Silvy.

Morning sex.

Well, when she put it that way …

“I think I might have something else,” Ari said. “But thank you.”

A sly grin crept across Lurran’s face. “Something else? Does it have something to do with a certain black-haired mage?”

Ari blinked. “Elise? What about her?”

“It’s a bit fast to be moving in together, don’t you think?”

Why did it sound like Lurran was teasing her? Why would she tease Ari about Elise?

“I mean … we’re friends, so it wouldn’t be that weird.” Not that that was Ari’s plan, even. Though, now that she’d brought it up, in a worst-case scenario, Elise could let her crash in her room. Not that Ari wanted to intrude like that. Maybe better to use it as an excuse, though.

At the grin on Lurran’s face, Ari was missing something. But she couldn’t imagine what.

Lurran rolled her eyes, then took a swig from her coffee. “Well. Either way, it’s good you have something. But I better go relieve Met. Time to accept my suffering.”

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