A temporary [Inventory] sounds interesting, since it acts as a storage that takes up no space. I asked Nina at the guild about that when I returned to sell the wolf I'd killed after being dismissed by Princess Elise. The gods are truly powerful if they can store items in a space without space. Or even just create a thing that makes those spaces without space.

Unfortunately, we're unable to use them, ourselves. An [Inventory] is only ever a temporary space, and Nina mentioned that we have thirty days to remove an item from them. The System notifies us of its existence when it's created, and then reminds us of it every three days. On the thirtieth day, the items are dropped in front of us regardless of what we are doing or where we are.

Does that mean that these pocket dimensions, as Nina called them, are unstable and can only last a certain amount of time? Or is that simply a guideline set by the System?

"A guideline set by the System."

Startled, I jump to my feet, half a dozen [Air Bolt]s summoned. Standing only a few feet away from me is a boy who looks around ten or eleven years of age. His hair is a rich brown that reminds me of soil and tree bark, while his eyes are a dark green that makes me think of the thick grass here in the fields and the leaves of the trees of the forest.

The boy has a slender build, and he's dressed in a pair of medium brown pants, a light green tunic, a pair of leather bracers on his arms over the sleeves of his tunic. His boots are brown leather, but rather than laces they have straps. His pants only go halfway down his calves, too, leaving the space between them and his boots exposed. On his belt are various pouches but no weapons or vials or bottles.

How did he sneak up on me without me noticing? I know I was thinking about stuff, but I was also paying attention to my surroundings in case someone decided to attack me. It's not easy for someone to sneak up on me and this kid managed it.

How talented is he?

"Was I talking aloud?"

"The being who created the System," the boy says. "Simply set it as a thirty-day rule for no reason other than to give people an incentive for removing their items from it instead of using it as a temporary storage. There is another version of the temporary [Inventory] which only disappears once the item in is removed. It is not as common, and only done in special circumstances."

"Who are you?" I ask.

"I am Elm," he answers.

"Elm?" I ask.

"Very much like the tree," he nods. "Thomas will give you more information on the item, come your birthday."

"Huh?"

"He learned information that he plans to tell you as a birthday gift," Elm tells me, then looks to the Great Northern Forest. "A storm is coming. It is not the kind of storm one would expect, however."

"Huh?"

"In one week," Elm looks at me. "Return to the outpost which you destroyed today. You will find something quite unexpected there, Max."

"What are you-"

"And practice your water magics," he says. "Ice magics as well if you so wish. You never know when you might need to put out a fire."

Right. I noticed that Lady Elise's guards put out the fires from my lightning. I should have taken responsibility and done that. Maybe that's part of why she was dismissing me earlier? Because I didn't immediately take responsibility for the danger I created and just let it go?

I couldn't help it, though. I was freaked out by the lightning. I still am, that's why I came back to the boulder under the tree by the river after selling the wolf. This place calms me a little.

"Okay," I look down a little.

Is this what shame feels like? It doesn't feel good.

"The guild and the kingdom can be trusted," Elm tells me. "They will ensure you receive what you are due, Max. Go to the guild first thing after breakfast, and you will be given more money than you could have ever imagined having."

"I don't trust the kingdom," I say. "Or the guild. That's why I won't join the guild."

"I know," Elm inclines his head a little. "But I am sure that you will come to learn they can be trusted. The kingdom will be sad to see you leave on your adventure, but they will not try to stop you. No, they will simply remind you that you can always call this place home."

"Sure, they will," I mutter.

"I must be going now, Max," Elm tells me. "But we will meet again."

"Wait," I say. "You're only what, ten? Eleven? How do you know about what I did earlier? Are you a god? You even know my name."

"I am nothing so… well, I am no god," he smiles. "I am simply knowledgeable about things. Good day, Max, and until next time…"

He dips his head to me, then walks toward the eastern hills. I watch him for several minutes, quite confused. Who was he? How did he sneak up on me? I got the feeling he was being honest when he said he wasn't a god, but… I also get the feeling he's not a human.

My gaze goes to his ears, and that's when I realize that they're not rounded, like human ears. The tops of them are slightly pointed at the back. Pointed ears? What kind of being is he?

Then some of his words come back to me. The item? He mentioned an item that Thomas would give me more information about. I get the feeling that Thomas himself doesn't know about the item. Elm said that Thomas learned information that he planned to tell me as a birthday gift. What's the difference between a birthday gift and a normal gift?

Back to the wondering, Max. Elm told me about an item that Thomas has learned more information that relates to it. However, he said it after telling me…

About temporary [Inventories].

Closing my eyes, I play around with the System for a few moments before I locate it, a temporary [Inventory]. With a thought, the sole item inside of it pops out, landing in my right hand.

A golden tree design with a pair of violet metal wings behind it, all encased in a golden circle, though the branches of the tree and the tips of the wings go over the edges of the ring a little, the ring behind both. Set into the golden circle are seven violet gems spaced apart. The beautiful amulet is attached to an elegant but plain golden chain.

Are those amethysts in this? And is that real gold? What kind of metal is purple?

Shaking my head, I examine the item.

The Zanroval Wings Grade: 9 This amulet is the emblem of the Zanroval, a symbol of power tied to their bloodline.

This is a named item, and… it's the emblem of whatever family I'm from? A symbol of my family's power? This was in a temporary [Inventory], too, but I didn't ever know I had it. The temporary [Inventory] is also gone now. It disappeared after I pulled the amulet out.

Rather than continuing to be confused by the amulet, I pull it on and tuck it under my tunic. I'll wait to see what Thomas tells me on my birthday to see if Elm really was knowledgeable. He did know about this temporary [Inventory], though. How long have I had it?

"Max!" Colt exclaims. "You don't normally come here after you finish your hunts!"

I look over to find Colt and Thomas approaching from the direction of the forest.

"I find this place relaxing," I say. "And I'll be really hot regardless of if I'm here or if I'm in the slums. At least I know I'm less likely to have someone try to steal from me while I'm here."

Mostly because the only people I've seen in this particular part of the fields are Colt and Thomas. Well, and now Hailey and her charges. The fewer people who are here, the less likely one of them is going to want to steal from me.

"I suppose that makes sense," Colt says. "We have magic items that cool the houses down, so that is never a concern for me. It feels nice in the castle all summer long."

I want a house like that, but it probably costs more than I could afford for a long time. Colt's family probably built up the wealth for it over several generations. Well, if they have their own house instead of all of them living in the castle, I think it was mentioned they do have a manor somewhere.

"That seems nice," I say.

"What is all this for?" Thomas asks, indicating the cooking setup I have. "If it is just to hold here between days, that is not a good idea. The slimes will likely take them, or someone who comes out here might take them."

"I bought them for me," I shake my head. "Hailey and her group are hunting ingredients right now. I'm gonna attempt to make a stew. From what I know of stew, you just cut up the ingredients and put in a pot for awhile. That should be good enough."

"Not quite," Thomas says. "The reason I haven't made stew for our lunches, Max, is because it takes several hours."

"Oh, okay," I say. "Well, we have plenty of time before sundown. Do you want to give my stew a taste once I finish?"

That was too bold of me to ask, wasn't it? They only eat lunch out here because of the training and the need to eat after. They're probably going back to the castle for a massive feast now. Real food made by real cooks. A slums kid asking them to join him for food is definitely not an appropriate thing.

Crap. I just can't quit messing up today, can I? What are they going to do as my punishment for this one?

"Will your friends be okay with us being here?" Colt asks. "If you're nervous around us even after a few weeks, I'm sure your friends won't be comfortable."

"They ain't me friends!" I huff. "They's just kids from the slums who currently be doin' stuff for me! We's got cooperative interests at the moment and that's it! Ain't nothing more!"

"Sorry, sorry," Colt puts his hands up a little defensively. "I didn't mean to upset you, Max. I know you don't trust people easy. I just… never mind. Sorry."

And I screwed up again by snapping at Colt! Dammit, Max!

"Okay," I say. "They's comin' back."

Colt looks in the direction I'd looked, where Hailey and her charges are approaching. They have rabbits, herbs, and other stuff in their hands. A few of the kids have slime cores, even though there's the pack I gave all of them. They're probably just proud of their catches and want to show them off to themselves.

I know I did for my first kills.

The group is still a fair distance away, and we probably have about ten minutes before they actually reach us.

"How did your investigation go?" Thomas asks. "Did you find an outpost, or was it a false alarm?"

"Thomas," Colt says. "We went over this, there's not a chance he would have used that many [Flashbang Bomb]s if he wasn't taking on a sizable group. He found a goblin outpost and launched a one-boy assault on it."

"Ya could hear them?"

"Yes," Thomas answers. "Though not as loud as the other day, so I'm assuming you reduced them in power?"

"Nah, they were stronger."

"So we were further away," he nods. "Did you just leave everything there?"

"Lady Elise was traveling nearby," I say. "She and her guards and Daniel and his group came over after hearing the booms. They were going through the remains of the outpost. Lady Elise dismissed me and said that I could collect my earnings at the guild tomorrow. And look at the loot to see what I wanted to do."

"Good," Colt nods. "If you took on an outpost all by yourself, you deserve whatever loot there was. I'm glad you didn't leave it behind."

"But I did," I say. "The princess dismissed me. I've no guarantee I'll get what's due."

"You will," Colt says. "What did Elise say?"

"That if I didn't want to help, I could leave," I say. "And I wasn't helping. I was just… never mind."

"That wasn't a dismissal," Colt says. "Elise was just letting you know that you didn't need to stay if you didn't want to, and that you could help if you wanted to. That loot is yours, Max. Elise would never steal it from you. She's not that sort of person. Even if she was, I wouldn't let her."

As if he could influence the princess.

"Ya know I don't trust that, right?"

"Right," Colt nods. "You only trust what you have proof for. But I'll make you a bet, Max. If you aren't given what you're due for the job, I'll stay in the slums with you for a week. I won't use my family's influence to get me a good bed or home or whatever, and my protective detail will only act if I'm in actual danger, as is their main job. They won't be noticed, otherwise. So unless I'm in danger, it will be as if I'm just another slums boy. I'll even wear clothes that suit a boy from the slums for the week. If, however, you get what you're due, Max, you will go on a camping trip into the Great Northern Forest with me. We'll go Sunday through Tuesday."

Thomas doesn't react to Colt's suggested bet. I'm certain he doesn't like the idea of Colt staying in the slums, so either Colt isn't actually planning on going through with it, or they're both confident that Colt will win the bet.

Rather than asking me to make my end of it be that I'd stay in a house full of people who make me nervous, Colt's asking me to spend time alone with just him and Thomas for several days. Including while I sleep. Is that an attempt at trying to earn my trust?

This bet makes me all sorts of suspicious.

"I know," Colt says. "That you don't really trust me, that you don't know for certain whether I'll uphold this bet, but-"

"There are ways," I say. "Thomas, can I borrow yer knife?"

There's a difference between trusting people and trusting the gods. The gods have always made sure I never suffer death or serious harm. I know it was them who manipulated events to save me from the torture that gave me most of my scars. Even if it could have just been coincidence, it was too much.

That's why I trust the gods. They will ensure that Colt keeps his end of the deal should I be right.

"You know the gods don't really respond to these, right?" Thomas asks as he hands me his knife.

What does he mean by that? The gods always respond. Well, one god in particular guarantees them, but I'm pretty sure he's a god of oaths.

"Respond to what?" Colt asks.

"Something your father is going to be upset with you for doing," Thomas answers. "He wants to make a Blessed Oath."

"What's a Blessed Oath?"

"Prick your thumb like this," I demonstrate how to do it, drawing a small, quarter-inch-long line down the pad of my right thumb. "Your right thumb, 'cause that's your good hand."

"You're left-handed," Colt says. "You did your right."

"I's amber stresses," I tell him.

"What?"

"Ambidextrous," Thomas corrects. "Colt, he's good with both hands. Max, you do use your left hand all the time."

"That makes more sense than 'stresses'," I say. "And I train the stuff you teach me with my right hand when I first come out here. Then I take a short nap to rest from that, then I work on magic and aiming spells. It's always good to know how to do stuff with either hand, in case ya can't use one for awhile. Like if ya break it."

"Which makes sense," Thomas says. "Though most still struggle anyway. You can train with your right hand with us, Max. If you want to switch between them, I can help you with either."

"Okay," I say, then hand the knife to Colt. "Make the cut."

Colt makes the cut, wincing a little as he does.

"Not much has hurt me since I gained Levels," Colt mumbles. "And I never really got hurt before now, either."

"You got bruised up in your training," Thomas says.

"Yeah, but that's different," Colt says. "This is… this stings. How could your knife cut me? I know I was using extra force, but still."

"It's not steel," Thomas says.

"Colt," I hold out my thumb. "Put your thumb against mine, with the cuts overlapping."

Colt does so.

"I hereby agree," I say. "Under the watch of the gods, to the bet that was offered with Colt."

Colt gives me a confused look, and Thomas whispers to him to say it.

"I hereby agree, under the watch of the gods, to the bet that was offered with Max."

Zanoralv has heard your oath and gives it his Divine Binding! Party 1: Maxwell Zanroval Party 2: Colton Kedridal Bet Conditions: A bet has been made between Maxwell Zanroval and Colton Kedridal regarding whether or not Max will be treated fairly and given what he is due for his completion of a job request from the kingdom, and whether or not he will be given say in what happens to the loot from the job request, on the date of Tuesday, 7/5/790. Maxwell Zanroval believes he will not, while Colton Kedridal insists that he will. Maxwell Zanroval Wins: Colton Kedridal will spend 1 week (seven days and seven nights) living in the slums, dressed like a slums kid, with Maxwell Zanroval. No one will influence things to make Colt's time there easier; however, Colt's bodyguards will ensure his safety if it is so needed. Colton Kedridal Wins: Maxwell Zanroval will spend three days (two nights) camping with Colton Kedridal and Colton Kedridal's bodyguards in the Great Northern Forest. The dates of the camping trip will be Sunday, 7/10/790; Monday, 7/11/790, and Tuesday, 7/12/790.

"Zanoralv?" Colt asks as I pull my thumb away and move to the river to wash off the blood. "The god of magic?'

"What?" Thomas asks. "A god actually bound it?"

"They always do," I say. "Zanoralv always binds oaths. I wouldn't have done this otherwise. It's why I know you'll carry through when you turn out wrong. A Blessed Oath means the gods bind all parties into it and they cannot intentionally turn back on the agreement. It can be rescinded if both parties agree to it, though a penalty might be incurred on one or both parties depending on the reason for it."

I don't like making these oaths because it feels wrong for a boy from the slums to ask the gods to oversee an oath. However, I felt that it was okay this time because Colt is a noble who lives in the castle. Zanoralv is probably okay with overseeing the oath because of that.

Well, and I don't like cutting my thumb. This will heal on its own, but it will leave a scar until after the full terms are completed. Then the scar will disappear.

Supposedly, even magic can't change that.

"Your acquaintances look hesitant to draw closer," Thomas comments, changing the subject. "We should go so that they can be more at ease."

"No," I say. "Ya can stay if you wish. They're wary of ya. Like me. Hailey! Come on over!"