“Three rooms?” The small man poked out his head from behind his cart, looked at the group, and voiced his educated guess.

Though the man’s reasoning was flawed, since he still arrived at the right conclusion, Severin didn’t bother to correct him and explain the situation in more detail.

“Right.”

“One of them has to be a double room, though,” Timothy quickly added. “Otherwise, we need four.”

Realizing he had overlooked this detail, Severin simply nodded when the dwarf

once again, shot them an inquisitive look.

“Hm. Shouldn’t make a difference, anyway. Well then, follow me.” With these words, he disappeared back behind his cargo. The next moment, the cart began to move towards Severin and the two youths.

“Guy that runs that place is a cheapskate. Be glad he didn’t have any more rooms available.”

“Oh, he did…” answered Timothy, who was the first to understand what the man, who had just caught up to them, was getting at.

“Hahaha, that bad, huh? To be snubbed even at times like this… well, serves him right, I say.”

Ptui

Unerringly, a yellow glob found its way right in front of the door of the rundown inn where the group had just tried their luck.

Seemingly unperturbed by his obscene behavior, the two adventurers quickly fell in line with the dwarf. Even Severin didn’t even make a disgusted face and also followed; yet again, another novelty had caught his attention. The dwarf’s cart had made the impression that it was heavy enough to warrant the use of a donkey or a mule or some otherworldly equivalent. But now that Severin’s sight was no longer obstructed by the many crates, he took a closer look at the man pushing his cart. And he noticed the dwarf didn’t even have to make an effort.

Severin was taken aback and for a moment considered the possibility that the man was actually a classbearer.

Only to realize that the cart wasn’t actually a cart.

It was more of a hugely oversized box. A box that was somehow floating just a few centimeters above the ground and therefore, it seemed, did not generate any of the friction of a normal, traditional cart. Fascinated, Severin wondered whether somewhere inside this box he would be able to find an embedded pale blue crystal.

For a few minutes, during which the dwarf led them through several hidden passages that only a local would know, Severin's attention was mainly focused on this floating box that perfectly kept a constant distance from the ground, no matter if the road was rising or falling.

Only when he almost ran into Miriam’s heels, as everyone else suddenly stopped, did Severin start paying closer attention to his surroundings again and found himself standing in front of what looked like the rear entrance of a small hotel or pub. Seeing this, Severin almost betrayed his inattention during the last few minutes when he was about to ask, "We're here already?" but was interrupted before he could even open his mouth.

“Alright, first stop. Come to think of it, you might as well help me out a bit. You two,” their guide nodded towards the youths before pointing at one large crate and two smaller sized ones, “grab these for me, will ya.”

Without waiting for a reply, the dwarf then marched over to the door and was about to start hammering it with hands that were large even by human standards, when the door opened from the inside to reveal a simply but neatly clothed man with a friendly face.

“Gorik! I knew that delicate voice had to be yours. Oh, and it seems like you finally took my advice and found yourself some assistance.”

“What assistance?!” came the brusque reply. “Simply taking them to Milly. Thought they might as well make themselves useful on the way.”

The human, who had obviously been expecting the delivery, gave the youths an apologetic smile and nodded briefly at Severin before turning his attention back to the dwarf.

“Milly? She’s back in business already?”

“She will be later today. Otherwise, I wouldn’t…”

That was all Severin caught of the conversation before the two men disappeared into the building; Miriam and Timothy obediently followed them while carrying the crates without moaning.

Seeing this, Severin wondered if the two men even realized that Miriam was able to easily carry all of Gorik’s cargo just by herself; and all at once.

No five minutes later, Gorik stashed away a few coins into a small pouch that was knotted to his belt in such a way that under normal circumstances it was hidden under his long beard.

For the next hour, the group then continued their travel through the side streets of Malcos’ capital, making deliveries; even to some private residences.

Severin was on the verge of complaining, but when only four medium-sized crates were remaining, and the dwarf stopped in front of a surprisingly new looking building that was twice as wide as the surrounding ones and had an extra floor, he swallowed his annoyance.

The weathered sign reading Milly's that hung above the door was a stark contrast to the immaculate-looking facade, confirming that they indeed had finally reached their destination.

“That’s it. Just take the remaining crates with you when you go inside; I’ll be taking my leave.” As if he were suddenly in a great rush, the dwarf started hurrying the two young adventurers.

“Ah, just like that? Alright, I guess. Thank y…”

“Gorik!? What do you think you are doing? Trying to sneak away without any pay?” Seemingly out of nowhere, a portly woman with a messy bun appeared next to the dwarf and started scolding him. While doing so, she somehow managed to maintain a friendly smile on her face. But despite that smile, which reminded Severin of a similarly built woman, she didn’t look especially elvish to him. Though her long narrow ears exposed her exactly as that.

“I just…” It was hard to believe that the helplessly stammering man in front of them and the coarse dwarf called Gorik were actually one and the same person.

“Don’t you take pity on me.”

“I don’t… I… Just pay me back once this whole spectacle is over!” Gorik couldn’t take it any longer, and, with a red face, almost began to shout.

Having seen enough, Severin quickly motioned for his two companions to unload the hovering cart to give the visibly embarrassed man an opportunity to excuse himself.

..

“And you are? I don’t believe that old fool has finally given in and hired some help, has he?”

‘At last, someone with sense.’

“So, that means…” she continued to think aloud.

“He overheard we were looking for a place to stay. Said you might have some rooms for us.”

“And on the way he had you help him out, is that right? Haha, well that sounds just like him, alright. But please don't hold it against him.

At the very least, he didn’t promise you too much. Though my modest inn hasn’t officially reopened yet- I still have some cooking to do, beds to make and dust to wipe- but after coming all this way and helping out that stubborn dwarf, I can not simply refuse you, can I? So please come inside.”