I walk down the main street, heading to an inn I passed on the main road. The inn is in a good location, about halfway in between the city gate and the guild. The entire way Nox is chirping in my ear, at least he knows to be quiet when im talking to others but other than that it's as if he’ll die if he doesn't keep speaking!

  “Ren, you really should start enjoying yourself more now that you have money. Oohh look at that, that looks tasty! Ah but that looks tastier!”

  He licks his lips as he jumps back and forth above my head. Surprisingly, everything he points out happens to be liquor. If I remember correctly he said something about being able to taste things through me since we share senses when he is resting in my soul. I didn't think it was much but it seems that it’s important to him.

  “Are you really such a drunk? Aren't you supposed to be some oh so noble dragon?” i cant help but mock him a little

  “A drunk? Me? I'm merely a connoisseur!” he shouts, a little indignant

  “Is there even a difference when what you're a ‘connoisseur’ of is alcohol? Besides im not old enough yet to drink”

  “Hmph, and who came up with that stupid rule!? I have to wait a whole year!”

  As we bantered I passed a stall that caught my eye, skewers of grilled monster meat. I'm not sure what kind of monster it is but it smells much better than deer or boar meat and my stomach growls for the first time in a while.

  “How about some monster meat instead of alcohol Nox?”

  “Oooh that sounds much better than those berries!”

  I give the merchant 2 copper for a skewer and continue on my way. Nox hides back in my soul so he can taste it too but I still hear his voice as I bite into the meat.

  “Ah that's good! What is that sauce? You humans definitely have the best food, even the food out here in the sticks tastes better than anything we dragons ever came up with!”

  “It really is good, do you know what monster this meat comes from? Maybe ill hunt a few”

  “No, but it's definitely from a lizard monster species.”

  “Huh? Isn't that cannibalism if you're technically eating this too?”

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “Cannibalism?! Do you never tire of insulting my race, you're lucky it's me! Any other dragon would have eaten you for such comments by now!”

  I can't see him since he's in my soul currently but I can imagine he's standing on his hind legs with his chin up and his little lizard arms crossed while he said that. The thought is too much and i cant help but let out a laugh

  “You're laughing? Hmph! Just you wait, once I get my body back you'll be bowing your head in awe!”

  “Sure, sure, of course i will oh ye noble dragon”

  I say that last part as the front of the inn becomes visible. Walking in I spotted a burly middle aged man with an eye patch and slicked back black hair dotted by gray. He's sitting behind the counter with his eye closed and arms crossed, resting against the wall.

  “Excuse me i was wondering if you had any rooms available”

  He merely opens his eye to look at me then grunts and goes back to closing his eye which seems a little rude for an inn keeper but I toss a silver coin on the counter and smile.

  “Im willing to pay for several nights up front”

  He opens his eye again and once he sees the silver he's shocked.

  “You weren't sent here by them?”

  He asks as he picks up the silver coin to make sure its real. It makes me feel a little better that he seems to have mistaken me for someone else.

  “Were you expecting someone?”

  “Ah, it's nothing” He waves his arm to dismiss the matter “Sorry about that, its four copper a night so this will cover you for just under a month but ill bump you up to a full month since you paid up front”

  He tosses me a room key then points to the door on the other side of the room.

  ”The dining room is in there, we serve breakfast and dinner which is a copper coin per meal and the stairs lead up to the rooms. Your just in time, my wife is about to serve dinner so go settle in”

  Taking his advice I head up to my room on the second floor. It's just a simple bed on one side and a table with a couple chairs on the other side so I just place my weapons on the table except for my hunting knife which I keep strapped to my waist.

  I don't have much to unpack anyway so I just head back down to the dining room. As i enter i smell a sweet and savory scent wafting through the hall, its just a large square room with a bar on one side and round tables spread around the open area.

  Once i pull back a chair at the corner table i hear a gasp coming from behind the swivel door at the end of the bar before a beautiful middle aged woman comes out. She looks at me for a second before blurting out “ we have a customer?”

  “Ah where are my manners, I'm Ann. Will you be enjoying dinner with us?”

  She smiles and i can tell she must have been an amazing beauty in her prime with her wheat blonde hair, grey eyes and oval face. Though the signs of age can still be seen on her face it somehow gives her even more charm. I can't help but curse at that greying old man thinking to myself ‘How is this woman his wife?’