When i entered the main street, i noticed things had changed. How long exactly was i gone? To me it felt like years, but i thought that was only the void's doing. Seems it really were years, decades even.

Good, because it was unlikely a twenty-something looking girl would be chased as suspect for a robbery that took place at least a few decades ago.

Bad, because things ought to have changed. My friends? Old, or dead. Not that i had many, but one or two people were important to me. Oh, that's right. One of them died when we 'acquired' the blue gem.

At least my clothing still fits in. I still wore my 'working-clothes' i had on me when everything went off the rails. Black leather trousers, black shirt. A short grey robe on top. Lots of pockets, for thieving stuff. And my pouch. Lastly, my comfy boots. Well-made dark brown leather, the most expensive piece of clothing i owned right now. If your work has you running about a lot, i mean a real lot, blisters on your feet are not what you want, after all.

No weapon, because i can't really fight anyway.

I chose a grey robe, because it was a nice contrast to my black hair and eyes, call it girlish vanity. For night-time jobs of course, i have a black one too. Well, had. I think my hiding place is long gone. Or another's hiding place now.

Ah, good old times. Now, i need a coffee. Badly.

I checked my pouch. Two silver, thirty-eight copper. Not much, but coffee is like four copper a glas, so i should be fine.

[Haha, you really are an addict, aren't you?] Mocking little shit.

Shut up, Whispy! One glas of coffee every few decades is not addictive behavior now, is it? I fired back.

Anyway, i think the market is still where it used to be. At least i hope so. A few people stared at me while i walked out of the former nobles district. Well, i think it still is, judging by how the people here judge me. A two men patrol of the guard passed by, not even paying attention to me. Nice. They still have the same gear. But that symbol on their chests? It is not the royal symbol i remember. Well, i think leadership changes are expected over time.

I passed over the invisible border between commoners and nobles areas, my goal the big market i hoped still existed. Damn, i need information on current times. But first, a coffee. Yeah, sounds about the right order of business. Five minutes later i arrived at the place i had in mind and tada! It still was the market. Buzzing with life. Merchants praising their wares, children running around between annoyed grown ups, playing guard and thief, or whatever. Oh and the smell! That forsaken void really lacks sensory impressions! Cooked meals truly have an alluring smell. Even the cattle sold here and there, with its strong smell, was like heaven to me right now.

I enjoyed the overload on all my senses for a while, took it like a drowning man takes air, sucking it all in. While i felt life come truly back to me, i scanned the nearby shops for a cafe and soon found one.

[Haha, it is good to be real again, isn't it] Whispy sounded a bit melancholic. Maybe because he was real only inside me? Nevermind now. Coffee, bitch!

I eagerly strolled over to the shop i eyed before, taking large steps, speeding up. I almost crushed into the counter. "Hey, excuse me, dear waitress! Might you serve me some coffee? Make it a big one, and fast, please!"

The woman in her thirties looked up.

"Sure, darling. That will be five copper." She said as she filled a glas from a freshly boiled pot.

Hm, twenty percent increase in price? Ah, i don't care. I took out my pouch, counted five copper and handed them over. For a second, the waitress was silent.

Then she asked. "Is this a joke?"

I was baffled. What?

"What?"

"These are coins from the era where Grundul the Great was emperor, right?"

Oh shit. I forgot that with different times, money might be different too.

"I am sorry. If it is not enough, i can give you enough to make it up in raw material." Copper and silver have worth in and of itself, anyway.

"No, no that is not it! Girl, you can not just run around with these! They are so rare, one is worth at least fifty copper today."

Huh? I was dumbfounded. How many decades had passed, exactly? The years skipped from 'worthless, because it is the old king's money' directly to 'that was so long ago, it is rare now'.

"Oh. I am not from around here. Could you please explain your money system? Forgive an unknowing one like me." I tried to salvage the situation. Never mind a bit awkwardness, as long as it helps you along.

She looked at me, perplexed. "Sure, honey." She took out a copper from behind the counter. "This is a Seagull Copper Coin. A hundred of these are a Seagull Silver Coin. They have the same logo as this copper coin, but are made of silver. Then, ten of those are a Seagull Gold Coin. Above that, there are Seagull Platinum Coins, worth ten gold coins. Nobles use them to buy houses, but the commoner usually does not see even one in his entire life. As you can see, coffee is five copper, so a bed for a night is around twenty copper."

"Thank you very much, kind lady. May i ask, what is a Grundul Silver Coin worth today?"

She looked at me in doubt. "About five gold."

Wow, i am wealthy now. Or at least very far from poor. "Keep two of these coppers then, and give me as much coffee as i can drink. We will call it even then."

She blushed a bit and handed me back three of my coppers. "That is very generous of you, Miss ..?"

"My name is Alira, Alira Wesz. Pleasure to meet you." I offered my hand. She took it, now very red-faced and said. "I am Anne, Anne Lyn. Nice to meet you, too."