As Arthur stepped towards the stall to see what the merchant was selling, he heard the merchant call out.
"Mana stones, fresh from the mines of Durnholde!" the merchant proclaimed, waving a polished blue gem in the air. "Enhance your spells! Prolong your magic! Don't be caught defenseless in battle!"
Magic.
Arthur's thoughts quickened. He was still trying to determine whether magic in this world was an advanced form of energy manipulation or something entirely different. These mana stones might provide some insight.
He approached the merchant and asked, "How much are those mana stones?" Hearing Arthur, the merchant eagerly informed him, "Hello customer, my prices are the lowest you will find in this city. It is only ten silver coins for one low grade mana stone."
Arthur nodded and didn't haggle and took out two replicated gold coins and gave it to the merchant and said, "Then give me as many low grade ones these two can get me.". The merchant was excited seeing the gold coins in Arthur's palms.
It had to be known that a single gold coin can satisfy the needs of a family of four for a month. From this it can be said they are very precious even in big cities like this.
The merchant eagerly took the coins from Arthur's hands and handed twenty one low grade mana stones after counting them to Arthur. He thought of Arthur as a rich customer and wanted to make him a loyal customer to him, that is why he gave Arthur one extra mana stone.
"Please visit again, and as I said my prices are the lowest you will find here. Others will only give you twenty mana stones at the same price."
"Pleasure doing business with you." Arthur nodded and said to the merchant seeing the twenty one mana stones and started to look for other places, as he needed to secure a place to stay and gather information.
With his bag slung over his shoulder, Arthur turned his attention to a nearby inn. A wooden sign, carved with the image of a crescent moon over a tankard, hung above the entrance.
"The Silver Crescent Inn," he read, though it was written in a different language but he used 'Analysis' to understand what was written there. He thought he needed to learn the language first before doing anything else, as the universal translator would not be able to help him in every situation, just like now without his HUD.
It seemed as good a place as any to begin his exploration of this strange, medieval world of myths.
…
Arthur stepped through the door of the Silver Crescent Inn, his senses immediately assaulted by the lively atmosphere inside. The scent of roasted meat, fresh bread, and something spiced filled the air. The interior was warm and rustic, illuminated by glowing lanterns that hung from wooden beams.
The inn was bustling with patrons, humans, demi-humans, and other beings gathered around sturdy wooden tables, eating, drinking, and chatting loudly. A group of fox-eared individuals huddled together, laughing as they shared a jug of ale. A feline-featured man leaned against the bar, sipping from a mug while flicking his tail idly.
At another table, a burly man, likely a mercenary by his rugged appearance and battered armor, was arm-wrestling a wolf-eared opponent, their grunts of exertion drawing cheers from the surrounding crowd.
Arthur kept his expression neutral, though internally, he was analyzing everything, studying behaviors, speech patterns, and the general mood of the establishment. It seemed like a typical medieval tavern, yet there was a distinct cultural nuance to how the patrons interacted.
He made his way to the reception desk, where a woman stood behind the counter, scribbling something on a parchment. She looked up as he approached, offering a practiced but polite smile. She had auburn hair tied in a simple bun and hazel eyes that appraised him briefly before she spoke.
"Welcome to the Silver Crescent Inn," she said. "Are you looking for a room?"
"Yes. A room for one," Arthur replied evenly.
"That'll be one silver per night," she informed him.
Arthur nodded and reached into his bag, withdrawing ten silver coins. He placed them on the counter. "I'd like to book a room for ten days."
The woman's eyebrows raised slightly, impressed by the advance payment. It wasn't uncommon for travelers to rent rooms for extended stays, but usually, they paid in smaller increments.
"Alright, sir," she said as she collected the coins and tucked them into a small wooden box behind the counter. Then, turning her head slightly, she called out, "Nyssa! Take the customer to his room."
A small girl, no older than ten, came bounding forward from a side hallway. She had short brown hair and wide, curious eyes. "Alright, Mom!" she chirped, taking the key her mother handed her.
Arthur followed the girl up a wooden staircase to the first floor, his footsteps muffled by a well-worn rug that lined the corridor. Nyssa reached a door near the end of the hall, inserted the key, and turned it with a soft click. She pushed the door open and stepped aside.
"Here's your room, sir!" she said brightly. "If you need anything, you can ask my mom."
Arthur smiled slightly at the child's enthusiasm. "Thanks, kid."
Nyssa bobbed her head and scampered off, leaving Arthur alone. He stepped inside, locking the door behind him.
The room was simple but functional. A sturdy wooden bed with a thick mattress occupied one side of the room, covered in a plain but clean blanket. A small writing desk and chair sat against the opposite wall, next to a wooden chest, likely for storing belongings. A single window overlooked the bustling streets below, its shutters slightly ajar to let in the cool evening breeze.
Arthur sat on the bed, his mind already shifting to the next phase of his plan. Information gathering.
But before that, he should return to Trakkun-5 as it had already been a few hours since he was here. He will come back here tomorrow.
He closed the window and then reached into his dimensional pocket, he pulled out the obelisk and activated it. The air in front of him shimmered, and a dark portal formed. Without hesitation, Arthur stepped through.
…
The moment he emerged, he was back in the cavern on Tarkuun-5. The familiar dim lighting of the underground chamber greeted him. He deactivated the obelisk and stepped outside.
As he exited the cave, something immediately felt… off.
The position of the sun hadn't changed much.
Arthur frowned. He had spent several hours in the other world, but here, time seemed to have barely moved.
He contacted the guardian AI of the Spear of Heaven. "Guardian, status report. Can you determine how much time has passed since my departure?"
The AI responded promptly. [Affirmative, Commander. Analysis of temporal discrepancies suggests a time dilation ratio of approximately 1:24. Every earth day spent in the alternate world corresponds to only one earth hour in this universe.]
Arthur exhaled, processing the implications. This meant that while he could theoretically spend an entire month in that world, only a little over a single day would pass here. Although he doesn't yet know how many hours a day have in that world, he will figure it out later.
"Interesting," he muttered. "What about the reverse? If I spend a day here, does that mean a month passes there?"
[Based on the current temporal distortion parameters, the reverse may also hold true,] the AI replied. That means one day here could also possibly mean one hour in that world, it was all confusing but it worked in his favour.
Arthur leaned against the rocky wall, contemplating. It meant he had time to explore, learn, and understand the world before making any major moves.
He didn't waste any more time thinking about it. Pulling out the obelisk once again, he reactivated the portal and stepped back through.
…
Arthur reappeared in his room at the inn, the transition seamless.
He glanced at the window. The sky outside had darkened slightly, indicating that evening was setting in. The sounds of the city were still vibrant. Laughter, footsteps, distant music, and the chatter of merchants finishing their sales for the day.
Since he now knew he had plenty of time to operate here, he decided the first order of business would be to gather information. Learning the language was a priority, but he also needed to understand the culture, economy, and power structures of this world.
With that in mind, he left his room and descended the stairs, returning to the reception desk.
The innkeeper looked up from where she was tallying some numbers on parchment. "Something you need, sir?" she asked.
Arthur leaned slightly against the counter in a relaxed posture. "Yeah, I was hoping to get some information. I just arrived in the city today and was wondering where a traveler like me might learn more about the world."
The woman gave him an amused look. "Sounds like you're not from around here."
"You could say that," Arthur said with a small chuckle.
She considered for a moment before responding. "Well, it depends on what kind of information you're looking for. If you want news, the taverns are your best bet, people talk when they drink. If you're after historical knowledge, the city has a library, though they usually only let scholars in or people with a lot of money. And if you want rumors, well…" she smirked, "you just have to listen."
Arthur absorbed that information. "A library, huh? Where can I find it?"
She waved a hand toward the exit. "Head down the main road until you reach the plaza with the big fountain. Take the left street from there, and you'll find it at the end of the district. It's run by the Scholars' Guild, so you might need to convince them to let you in."
Arthur nodded. "Thanks. Also, do you have any food available?"
"Of course! We serve three meals here. For guests, it's included in the stay," she said, gesturing toward the dining area.
"Good to know," Arthur replied. "I'll take a meal first, then head out."
With his next course of action set, he took a seat at an empty table, ready to observe, learn, and begin his deeper dive into this strange new world.
***
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