Chapter 33:

  Getting Settled

  I pulled the door closed behind me and slid the key back into the lock. Everything in that room would remain where it was, and I wasn’t sure when I’d be ready to open it again. I didn’t have any immediate need for the space, so it felt best to leave that decision for another day.

  With a heavy sigh, I turned and headed down the stairs into the living room. I needed something, anything, else to think about besides the weight of what I’d just seen, and checking on Blue sounded like the perfect excuse to get back outside.

  Stepping back into the fresh air, I chose to take the long way around the hill before returning to Blue. I had already seen the trail leading to the front door, the flowered fields to the west, and the lake and stable to the east. The only place I had not yet explored was the backside of the hill.

  As I followed the western curve of the mound, a sea of beautiful flowers spread out before me, their blossoms rolling like waves beneath each passing breeze across the open fields.

  When I finally reached the opposite side of the hill, I felt a quiet satisfaction as my exploration was rewarded with a discovery. Set into the green embankment, beneath a small shaded awning, a wooden door stood secure in its frame.

  Tentatively, I wrapped my hand around its handle and braced myself for the worst. When no immediate consequences followed, I gave the door a testing pull, and smiled as it swung open freely.

  Well, that was less eventful than expected.

  The room beyond the door was surprisingly cozy, and was more than adequate to serve as a guest house if the need ever arose. It was an open spaced design that was roughly the same size as my dining room.

  A small fireplace occupied the wall opposite the entrance, and to the right side of the room a small, comfortable bed had been placed in the corner. As with my own room, the bed had been stripped of its linens, and its comforts were likely folded away in the chest at its base.

  On the left side of the room, a workbench and a bookshelf stood against the wall, both set beneath a pair of rune lamps mounted into the stone. Their warm light revealed several rows of tools hanging neatly along the wall, and a small pile of empty cores scattered across the workbench below.

  The bookshelf held a surprisingly varied collection, although most of the volumes focused primarily on rune crafting. A few titles caught my eye immediately, such as Novice Core Work, Runes and the Common Tongue, and Wow, I Have Been Reincarnated as a Dirt Pile, but I Am Actually the Strongest Sorceror.

  A small door near the workbench drew my attention. It sat half hidden in the stone, and out of sheer habit, I checked it for runes and other surprises before opening it. When no hazardous traps revealed themselves, I pulled it open and stepped inside.

  To my complete disbelief, I found yet another indoor toilet accompanied by a small stone bath. Both had been crafted with the same care and precision as the main bathhouse inside the home.

  After taking my time to look through the workshop and its attached bath, the only other thing of note I found was a small iron key meant for locking the door inside. With my curiosity satisfied, I stepped back outside, locked the door, and resumed my walk around the hill to check on Blue.

  When I finally made it back to the stable, I found Blue sprawled in the grass, utterly defeated, while a tiny ball of fluff stood guard in front of the thick wooden doors like a miniature sentinel.

  “Blue, you okay, buddy?” I asked as I knelt beside him.

  All I got in return was a faint, miserable grunt, the sound of a broken spirit in the body of a former pack animal.

  I turned my attention to the kitten, whose fur immediately puffed up as it tried its best to look threatening now that I was once again trespassing within its territory.

  I knelt in front of the little orange ball of violence and slowly extended my hand, offering it a small strip of jerky I’d picked up off the ground beside Blue.

  “Listen,” I said in my best diplomatic tone, “we can be friends. There’s no need for all this… poofiness. You’re welcome to stay, but you’ve got to share the space with Blue.”

  The kitten tilted its head, as if genuinely considering my offer, then, in a blur of fur and tiny fangs, it launched itself at me, aiming to rip the jerky right out of my hand.

  Mortified that this was even necessary, I channeled potential through my body and triggered Kinetic Boost. In an instant, my hand shot forward, faster than the kitten could blink, and I caught it by the scruff of its neck.

  It yowled and flailed its tiny murder paws in a desperate attempt to escape, but after a few seconds of struggling, the fight drained out of it. It sagged in my grip, head drooping, as its little body trembled in fear.

  “Now listen,” I said, giving it my best stern expression. “I’m not gonna hurt you, but if you’re gonna stay, we need to establish some ground rules.”

  I lowered the kitten to the ground and gently released the scruff of its neck. This time the little ball of fur didn’t swipe or lunge; it only trembled a bit, as if its brief defeat had forced it to reevaluate its entire existence.

  Feeling encouraged by its submission, I reached out to give its tiny head a reassuring pet. It was shortly after this decision, that I realized I had made a grave miscalculation. The kitten wasn’t trembling with fear… it was vibrating with pure, righteous fury.

  It sank its tiny needle sharp teeth into my hand and, before my brain even registered the pain, my body reacted. The little menace was suddenly airborne, sailing back toward the stable as my hand released it into the air. It landed with infuriating grace and vanished into the shadows like a furry little assassin.

  Not willing to let the little terror get away, I sprinted after it and flung the stable doors open. The moment I stepped inside, I froze, and my mind struggled to comprehend the sheer audacity of the space in front of me.

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  This is a stable? Its as nice as the inside of the house…

  As my eyes took in the room, I completely forgot about my adorably small assailant. My body moved to explore the space, as I wanted to see all the features it contained within. I had a sneaking suspicion that Blue was going to become far more difficult to motivate once he experienced the luxuries of this room.

  On the left side of the stable, four large stalls stood ready with their thick metal gates propped open. Each stall housed a self filling water trough that cycled periodically, releasing old water into the stone drains carved into the stone floor below.

  Overhead, a ventilation duct hummed softly, as it drew out the scent of the room, and replaced it with cool, fresh air. When the time eventually came to clean up a stable full of animals, I had a feeling this feature would be the one I was most thankful for.

  The right side of the stable had been devoted entirely to a space that prioritized care and maintenance. A polished stone workbench sat beneath several rune lamps that warmed the area with a steady amber glow. Grooming brushes, metal picks, and other maintenance tools hung from carefully spaced hooks that made the farmer in me satisfied with the arrangement.

  Below the workbench, several small storage crates held everything from repair tack, to jars of salves meant for irritated hooves and minor wounds. This wasn’t just a stable. It was a well crafted workshop, built for someone who prided themselves in the proper care of their animals.

  The rest of the room opened into a broad space that held several large barrels of grain and a small hayloft built against the far wall. Runes had been inscribed into the surrounding stone, the same ones I recognized from the pantry inside the main house, which meant they were likely there to keep the feed fresh and ward off pests. Near the base of the barrels, I spotted the remains of several unfortunate mice, no doubt victims of our resident feline assassin. It seemed our little Murder Mittens was a proper barn cat after all.

  Shovels, picks, and other farming tools hung neatly along the wall below the loft, and I couldn’t help but notice a sickle in far better shape than the battered one I was currently carrying.

  Naturally, I made the swap without hesitation.

  I really need to upgrade my weaponry. A farmers sickle isn’t going to cut it if I cross paths with those gnolls again…

  Overall, I was extremely satisfied with everything I had found during my trip around the hill. The only real concern now was figuring out how to make friends with the feisty little demon that lived inside the adorable body of our resident orange kitten.

  I stepped back outside and made my way over to Blue.

  “Hey, buddy. I think the kitten is hiding for now. Let’s get you up so we can check out your new stables. I have a feeling you’re going to like it.”

  Blue grudgingly forced himself to his hooves, and the rest of our supplies slid off his pack and hit the ground in a heavy crash. He gave me a pointed sideways look, then marched forward as if the mess he left behind had absolutely nothing to do with him whatsoever.

  “Sometimes you really live up to that jackass title,” I said, as I followed after him with sagging shoulders.

  As expected, upon entering Blue trotted straight into the largest stall and let out a satisfied little whinny.

  “It’s a lot nicer than the barn back on the farm, huh?”

  Blue stamped his hooves in approval, then glanced up at the hayloft. His ears perked, and he looked down at the empty floor of his stall… then back up at the hay… then down again. He repeated the motion a few times before I finally caught on.

  “Oh. You want something soft to lie on?” I asked.

  He snorted as if to say obviously.

  It took a little while, but after negotiating with a very irritable kitten in the hayloft, I managed to put together a decently soft bed of hay for Blue. Despite being a royal pain at times, Blue was faithful, and had already proven he’d fight to the death for me if it came down to it. I would always make sure he had the best that I could offer.

  “Blue, I’m going to get these supplies you left outside into the house. I’ll leave the stable open until sundown, so I’ll see you in a little bit.”

  When I turned back to face him, I found he was already curled up in his new bed, fast asleep. He was no doubt exhausted from the journey, and painfully full from the generosity of the valleys residents. I smiled as I stepped out of the stables and began gathering up the supplies that had been scattered across the lawn.

  The rest of the afternoon went by quickly as I moved supplies, dusted the house, and took stock of everything I had in my possession. The home wasn’t perfectly clean, but that was something I could gradually chip away at over the next couple of days.

  At the moment, I had the two pairs of clothes I’d brought from home, plus whatever my uncle had left behind upstairs. My boots had seen better days, but for now I wasn’t too worried about replacing them just yet.

  I had several days’ worth of jerky, far more carrots than anyone could reasonably need, and a stone cache of rice in the pantry alongside a handful of herbs and spices.

  My blankets from home were still in great condition, aside from the dirt and grime from travel that had stained the fabric. That was something I could wash out easily, especially with the laundry system downstairs.

  The last thing I inspected was the new sickle I had taken from the stables. I hadn’t given it much thought earlier, but now that I looked it over properly, it was clear that even if it wasn’t a combat tool, it was made with far better material than my old iron sickle. At the very least, it would hold an edge longer and endure more punishment in the days ahead.

  My coin purse currently carried more wealth within than I had ever held at one time: six gold, twenty four silver, and five copper. Whatever supplies I needed for training or adventuring, I felt confident I could at least afford the basics. And if something proved too expensive, I wasn’t afraid of putting in a little work to make up the difference.

  After getting everything sorted and put away, I stepped back outside and locked up the stables for the night. Blue was still sleeping peacefully, while the kitten I now thought of as Murder Mittens watched him suspiciously from the hayloft above. I closed the doors and wished my friend a good night’s rest.

  Shortly after, I headed back downstairs into the basement and began to draw a bath. The pool filled much faster than I expected, and soon steam drifted upward, wrapping the room in a warm, comforting haze.

  I sighed as I eased myself into the water, feeling the tension in my muscles melt away little by little. This was more than I could have ever hoped for, and before any lingering guilt could creep back into my thoughts, I slipped beneath the surface, washing away not only the dirt on my skin, but the anxieties that tried so desperately to cling to my thoughts.

  When I resurfaced, I let myself float comfortably in the warm water as my thoughts drifted toward the days to come.

  Slowly, a small task list began to form as my thoughts settled around a few short term goals that felt manageably within reach.

  First, I needed to finish cleaning the house. Dusting was an annoying chore, but it was one that needed to be done. If I were to host anyone, I couldn’t stand the thought of inviting them into a poorly managed home.

  Next, I wanted to explore the valley and get to know the people who lived here. There were several tradesmen in the village, and it would be good to introduce myself as their neighbor before requesting any of their services.

  I also planned to visit the Claybrooks and share dinner with them again as soon as I was able. I had only known them a short time, yet they already felt like family I had grown up with my whole life.

  Above all, it was time to start focusing on my skills and abilities. So far I had simply stumbled upon their applications, and it felt as though there was still so much left to discover. The Duke’s guards would arrive within the next five days, and I wanted to feel as though I had made at least some progress on my own before being placed under their tutelage.

  Eventually, I made my way back upstairs, and stepped into what was now my bedroom. I opened the chest at the foot of the bed, and spent a few quiet minutes replacing the bed’s furnishings.

  Despite spending several years in the chest, the blankets were still fresh, and carried the faint scent of lavender within their comforting folds. The smell relaxed my body and I suddenly felt the tiredness of the road settle over my body once again. As I slipped beneath the warmth of the covers, a smile made its way onto my face, and I gave thanks to the path that had led me here.

  Tomorrow, I would take my nexts steps into a future filled with possibility.

  Kinetic Boost: (Rank 1: level 2)- Amplify the kinetic potential of a target, temporarily enhancing their strength and agility. This boost greatly increases the targets speed and power for a short duration, after which they may experience a period of fatigue. This skill scales with the target’s strength and agility

  (Bonus worldbuilding notes that I just felt like including)

  YEAR STRUCTURE

  SEASONS

  Spring’s Blossom – Season of renewal and early growth

  Summer’s Reign – Season of heat, strength, and rapid cultivation

  Autumn’s Harvest – Season of gathering, storage, and the soil’s reward

  Winter’s Rest – Season of quiet, reflection, and preparation

  SPANS & DAYS

  weeks just so it's easier on the reader)

  This creates:

  OR (The 30th of Summers Reign, 85th year of House Lysander’s Rule)