Magic of course (Part 2)

With Iris gone, Kit's focus returned to the young man, he wondered if he had a chance of accompanying him on his night hunting. Kit, determined to overcome his nerves, approached the new customer and took a seat across from him.

As he glanced at the large man, he felt a wave of nausea rise in his throat; this man was intimidating! Still, Kit mustered up some courage and hoped that the man's appearance didn't match his personality. "Hi there, I'm Kit. I just arrived in town today, and I have to say, your armour is quite beautiful." Kit began with a compliment, hoping to make a good impression on the formidable stranger.

"My name's Kai. This armour isn't just for show, it protects my body," he stated curtly, giving Kit a dismissive look.

Despite Kai's unfriendly demeanour, Kit pushed through his discomfort and continued to ask questions. "Are you on a quest right now?"

"Yes, I'm hunting an elusive shrewd shifter around Sweet Meadows. They only come out at night as predators, making it difficult to track them. It's rare for them to be seen in this area, so I must take the opportunity when it arises."

Kit was taken aback by Kai's willingness to answer his questions. He had expected to be brushed off or told to leave. Encouraged by this, Kit offered, "My friend and I could help you on your quest if you need assistance."

Kai let out a booming laugh in response. "You wouldn't even be able to swat a fly! How can you possibly help? But thanks for the entertainment."

Feeling embarrassed, Kit lowered his head and avoided eye contact. He regretted striking up a conversation with Kai now. He could never understand why some people enjoyed humiliating others. "I'm sorry for bothering you," he mumbled before getting up to leave.

But before he could go, Kai stood up and bowed in a formal apology. "Wait, I apologise, I have been rude." Kit was surprised that the large man would apologise for being rude. Kai kept his head bowed.

"Uh...thank you?" Kit stammered.

Kai lifted his head and gave Kit a small smile. Just then, Iris arrived with Kai's dinner and Kit took the opportunity to make a quick exit from this uncomfortable situation. Despite being discouraged by Kai's words, Kit still wanted to learn more about this quest.

Perhaps Mars and he could try searching for the monster themselves after levelling up a bit. They were currently in a low-level area, so they should be able to handle it. Kit sat at the bar, lost in thought. As Iris finished putting away clean cups, he decided to ask about a place to stay for the night.

"Iris, Mars and I were wondering if you have any affordable accommodations for us. We don't have much money," Kit said, trying his best to look pitiful like Kat does.

"I already figured you two would need a place to sleep. You can stay in the loft above the stables for free since you helped me out tonight. There's plenty of fresh straw and I'll give you some blankets." Offered Iris.

"Thank you, Iris. That's more than we could have hoped for." Mars and Kit chatted with Iris while waiting for Kai to finish his meal. Eventually, Kai left for his night hunt, bidding farewell to them as he did so.

Ding!

[CAL]

Quest complete: The Waddling Duck waiter, common.

Rewards: 100 EXP, 50 bronze crowns, 10 reputation points with Inn Keeper Iris.

Iris shut the door of the Inn and faced Mars and Kit. "Thank you both for your assistance tonight, I truly appreciate it. If you're able to help me out for the next two evenings while Rose is away, it would be a big help. I can handle the morning and lunch service by myself."

Iris gazed at them, awaiting their response. Kit didn't want to risk losing their free lodging in the loft, so he quickly replied, "Of course, Iris. We'd be happy to lend a hand. It was actually quite enjoyable tonight."

Ding!

[CAL]

Quest accepted.

The Waddling Duck waiter, common.

Help Iris with the dinner service, do not let any customers leave angry.

Iris handed Mars and Kit warm blankets before leading them through the back door and into the stables. Inside, there were four clean stalls with piles of straw in each corner. Only one horse was currently occupying a stall.

Above the stalls was an open loft, not the most luxurious accommodation but at least it wasn't the cold ground. Kit eyed the rickety ladder that led to the loft, grateful that he wasn't afraid of heights, or he would never make it up that fragile-looking structure.

"I'll leave you two here for the night. You can use the back door to enter in the morning and I'll have breakfast ready," said Iris.

"Thank you, Iris. You're a kind soul," Mars beamed at her.

Kit cautiously climbed up the ladder, holding his breath until he reached the top without incident. Mars followed closely behind. As Kit surveyed the large open space filled with fresh straw, he couldn't help but feel like it wouldn't be comfortable to just sleep on top of it all.

He tied the ends of one blanket together, creating a makeshift parachute, and then stuffed it with straw. Once finished, he had a lumpy round ball of a mattress with bits of straw poking out at random places. Despite its imperfections, Kit was satisfied with his creation and flopped down onto it to make a nice nest in the middle.

Mars watched him with amusement as he made his own round lumpy mattress. Once settled, he turned to Kit. "Thanks for being my friend and finding us a place to sleep tonight. I don't think I could handle another night outside. I really wanted to play this game without relying on my brothers' help. But if I had to sleep outside again, I might have changed my mind," Mars admitted uncomfortably.

"Your family plays CAL?" Kit asked with curiosity.

"Yeah, my parents play for fun, but my older brothers make a living from it. They compete in PvP tournaments and have already made a fortune. They're the typical CAL idols - rich, skilled, and good-looking," Mars spoke flatly about his family.

Kit found it strange that Mars didn't seem proud of his brothers' success. Most people would be bragging nonstop if they were related to famous players like that. He wondered what their relationship was like.

"Are you going to follow in your brothers' footsteps and become a PvP player?" Kit asked.

"No, I want to find my own path in the game. My brothers and I don't get along very well. They are 10 and 12 years older than me and I was an unexpected surprise for my family. My birth caused some financial strain and they had to drop out of their prestigious school because of me. I don't think they ever forgave me for that, even though it wasn't my fault," Mars took a deep breath before continuing.

"My brothers have always been close and since I was younger, they never wanted to play with me or include me in their games. It wasn't until I was 12 years old that I realised hide and seek was just an excuse for them to play together without me around."

"Oh, that's terrible. I'm sorry," Kit said empathetically to Mars.

"It's okay. That was just one of the nicer things my brothers did to me. I've learned to stay away from them now," Mars replied with a sad expression on his face as he talked about his family. Kit thought he would stop there, but Mars continued with his story.

"What hurt the most was how close my brothers were with each other. I was always jealous that they had a best friend and I wanted so badly to be included in that bond. I was a bit awkward while growing up - my mother told me I could be intense towards others because I craved friendship so much. I also tend to get overexcited easily, which can make people uncomfortable. I've tried to tone it down as I've gotten older, but I guess I still overshare sometimes."

Mars' sad expression turned into one of embarrassment as he avoided eye contact. Kit couldn't see anything intense or awkward about Mars from their interactions so far; maybe his family was more traditional and viewed being energetic as intense. The only thing that could be considered "intense" about Mars was his fashion sense.

Kit didn't want to misjudge Mars like he had before - maybe he should share a little bit about his own past to help him feel more at ease? After all, Kat had asked him to try and make friends in the game, and part of being a friend is opening up.

Taking a deep breath, Kit decided to take a leap and see how it went. "I also had a tough time during my final two years of high school - my father passed away. And...I didn't know how to cope. My friends...I guess they didn't know how to handle me anymore."

"I wasn't in a good place to try and maintain our friendships, and eventually, I ended up losing all of my friends. I miss having people to talk to, even though this is the first time I've said it out loud. So, I understand how you felt about being envious of a close friendship."

Kit gave Mars a warm smile. Maybe this game really was what he needed - a chance to make new friends through shared experiences. Kit felt good about opening up a little.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Kit. It must have been so difficult for you," Mars responded sympathetically. "I know I would have fallen apart if I lost my dad, so I'm sure your old friends would have understood if you reached out to them again."

"Thanks for the advice, Mars," Kit replied with a small smile. What he didn't tell Mars was that he had actually tried reaching out to someone who he thought was his best friend, but it ended badly.

"You know, Kit, this might sound cheesy, but thank you for being my friend," Mars blushed once again.

Kit let out a chuckle. "No problem, Mars. I'm happy too. And on that note, let's get some rest. I'm exhausted after all the running around we did today."

"Goodnight, Kit."

"Goodnight, Mars."

Kit closed his eyes and settled into his bed. He wondered what adventures they would have tomorrow. For now, he was just grateful for another day to look forward to in the game.