The Roadside Inn

He nodded and continued pressing her. "What about [Labeling Spell]?"

"[Labeling Spell]..." Annis's expression turned a little odd. "That was also created by Master Bornhard.

"Apparently, it was an accidental byproduct of one of his experiments with [Labeling Spell].

"It can't appraise items, but it can put a 'label' on items that have been appraised."

She seemed to remember something funny and said, trying to hold back her laughter, "Rumor has it that when the old mage gave his granddaughter a new staff, he wanted to leave her a message on it, so he put a label on it. I think it said, 'Grandpa's love is the greatest love in the world!' His granddaughter thought it was so embarrassing that she refused to take it out with her... Hahaha!"

As she spoke, she suddenly pointed a slender finger at the dagger at He Xi's waist, which had come from the package Tuen had given him.

"For example, that dagger at your waist. It has a label on it that says—"

Annis cleared her throat and read aloud in a mournful tone:

"[If there's a next life, I swear I'll never pick a fight with that damned bear again—left by one unlucky fellow]"

He Xi: "..."

Damn.

It was an otherworldly version of a message board for items, an anti-counterfeiting label, and even a device for recording last words.

Could magic really be this convenient? And from the sound of it, there didn't seem to be much of a learning barrier?

"Master Bornhard really lives up to his title."

He Xi was immediately intrigued.

He plastered on a flattering smile.

"Esteemed Miss Annis, with your vast knowledge, I'm sure you've already mastered such a practical spell, haven't you?"

The implication was obvious—he wanted to get it for free.

Annis clearly enjoyed being asked for advice. She gave a proud little "hmph," lifting her chin even higher. "Of course."

"Then, might I ask you for some pointers on how to learn it?"

However, reality soon doused his hopes.

"Although I'd be happy to teach you," Annis said, spreading her hands with an apologetic look, "the methods for learning spells like these haven't been made public. To learn them, you have to use special Skill Scrolls."

"Skill Scrolls?"

He Xi wasn't unfamiliar with the concept.

In this world, the skill systems of the various professions were intricate and varied, but learning them was extremely difficult.

Most instructors knew how to teach the commonly used low-level skills.

But advanced skills and unreleased skills could usually only be learned through Skill Scrolls.

The former was because ordinary instruction couldn't convey the essence of the skills, while the latter was purely a way to monopolize the market and make money.

These scrolls were made by specialized scribes, who could imprint the essence of a skill onto them in a way that was easy to understand, greatly lowering the learning barrier.

But the process was extremely tedious, so every Skill Scroll was precious and could usually only be used once.

Although his freebie plan had fallen through, considering how useful the two spells were, He Xi still decided to buy them as soon as they reached Rose Town.

"Then how much do those two scrolls usually cost?" he asked.

Annis held up three fingers. "[Appraisal Spell] costs three Gold Shields." She then lowered one finger. "[Labeling Spell] is a little cheaper. You can get one for less than two Gold Shields."

The smile on He Xi's face instantly froze.

Who said there was no barrier to entry?

Wasn't that a barrier?

He counted up all the money he had: the fifty Silver Scales he'd just received, plus the one Gold Shield Annis was about to pay him.

That wasn't enough to buy even one [Labeling Spell] scroll, let alone cover food and lodging.

And he'd only earned that much because he'd gotten incredibly lucky. Where was he supposed to find a deal like that in a normal commission?

Seeing his face fall, Annis kindly added, "Oh, and remember to buy the genuine article from a shop authorized by the Tidal Trade Union.

"The pirated ones on the black market are cheaper, but there's a good chance you'll fail to learn the skill.

"The thing itself isn't valuable, but you'll waste time trying to learn it."

He gave a faint "mm," not taking her words to heart at all.

It wasn't as if he could afford one anyway.

The carriage continued onward. By dusk, they finally reached a place to stop for the night.

"The Roadside Inn."

He Xi pushed open the creaking wooden door, and a wave of heat carrying the mixed stench of sweat, cheap ale, damp leather, and bargain tobacco washed over him.

True to its name, the place was decorated just as haphazardly.

But as one of the few places to stop along this road, it was still packed, despite the exorbitant prices and awful conditions.

Annis's delicate, arched brows drew together slightly. She instinctively fanned her hand in front of her nose.

The inn's common room was dim, and smoke and dust floated visibly in the air.

Dozens of people crowded into the not-so-spacious room, their clamor nearly enough to lift the roof.

Most of their weather-beaten faces showed the exhaustion of travel and the excitement brought on by alcohol.

They wore all kinds of clothes, from mud-caked leather armor to chain mail polished bright with wear, and their waists and backs were laden with all sorts of weapons.

"...I'm telling you, that Two-tailed Scorpion's pincers were this big!" A middle-aged man dressed like a one-eyed warrior gestured wildly at his companion. "If I hadn't been quick, I wouldn't be drinking here now—I'd be in its stomach!"

"Ha! Give it a rest, Buck." His dwarf companion downed a huge gulp of ale and let out a loud belch. "Last time, you said you'd fought a Petrified Lizard one-on-one!"

At a table not far from them, a few hooded figures were playing cards, with a small pile of copper nails on the table.

"Damn it, Rupert! The armor squad again! Where did you get so many Northern Territories cards?"

"One more round! This time, let's play for five Silver Scales! If I win, I'm finding myself a Nightingale in Rose Town and spending a few days in her arms."

"Keep dreaming, Dimi. With your card skills, you think you can beat Rupert?"

In the noisiest corner of the whole common room, a table of dwarves was keeping time by pounding on the table.

Foaming ale had soaked their beards through.

One dwarf, his face red from drinking, had even taken off a boot and was trying to use it as a drinking cup.

A petite, nimble halfling waitress balanced a tray on her head as she wove through the crowded tables, dodging the hands and feet the drunks might stick out at any moment. She kept calling, "Careful! Freshly roasted wild boar leg! No refunds if you burn yourself!"

"Little Cui Di, quit working for that stingy boss of yours and come have a drink with us," a dwarf called from nearby, reaching out as if to swipe some of the grease from the boar leg.

"Keep away from me, Kalin!"

He Xi looked around with interest.

This was just the kind of place where a bartender would tell him to find any seat he liked.

Annis followed cautiously behind him, doing her best to keep her skirt from brushing against the sticky, unidentified gunk on the edges of the tables.

The two of them made their way to the greasy bar, shiny enough to reflect the light.

Annis endured her discomfort and said, "We want three of your best rooms."

Behind the bar, a middle-aged woman with a cigarette dangling from her lips glanced at her lazily. "We don't have a best. They're all the same. Five Silver Scales a night."

"Five Silver Scales? That's so cheap?" Annis frowned. "What are the rooms like? Can we take a bath?"