Lance was having a full-blown meltdown. His eyes bulged, his insides twisted like they were being wrung out, and his soul was actively trying to escape his body.
Before him stood the true horror of his nightmares. Not a monster, not some dark, eldritch force—no, this was worse.
"FIVE HUNDRED?!"
The shopkeeper, an elderly man with round glasses and an unsettlingly cheerful smile, nodded. “Yes, sir. But for you, I’ll make it four hundred ninety.”
That did not help.
Lance felt lightheaded. He’d have to take double shifts at the bar for two months just to afford that. He could already picture it—endless hours of scrubbing tables, dealing with drunken idiots, and dodging his boss’s random flying objects.
He turned to William for guidance, but his companion was suspiciously silent. No doubt enjoying his suffering.
The shopkeeper tapped the counter. “Now, now, young man. This here is a top-grade lifestream storage crystal. A true beauty! Worth every coin.”
Lance wiped an imaginary tear from his eye. “Sir, at this price, I think I’d rather store the lifestream in my own suffering.”
The shopkeeper chuckled. “Ah, but suffering won’t help you break into Tier 2, now will it?”
Lance clenched his fists. Stay calm. Breathe.
“Alright,” he said, inhaling deeply. “What about something… cheaper?”
The shopkeeper’s face lit up. “Ah, you’re a man of fine taste but limited budget! I understand completely.” He reached under the counter and pulled out a tiny, cracked gemstone. “This one here is much more affordable. Only fifty gold.”
Lance blinked. “And what does it do?”
“It can store lifestream. But, uh… only about a spoonful. Maybe two, if you’re lucky.”
Lance stared at the tiny rock in disbelief. “…So it’s useless.”
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“Well, I wouldn’t say useless—”
“Sir, that is a decorative pebble.”
“—Useless to you, maybe.”
Lance pinched the bridge of his nose. “Alright, I need a real solution. Is there any way I can get a proper storage device without selling my soul?”
The shopkeeper hummed. “Well… there is an alternative, but it’s a bit of a gamble.”
Lance hesitated. “Gamble… how?”
The shopkeeper’s smile widened. “Well, you could try gambling.”
Lance stared at him. “That’s… that’s not what I meant.”
“But it’s an option.”
Lance groaned.
************************************************
The tavern was already packed when Lance arrived, the usual mix of rowdy adventurers and students looking for a break from studying. He grabbed his apron from the back and nodded to Brokkr, who was wiping down the counter.
“Cutting it close, kid.”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m here.”
As Lance started taking orders, the sound of a lute filled the air, and the chatter softened just a bit. A bard had set up near the hearth, strumming a lively tune. At first, Lance barely paid attention—bards came and went all the time. But when the performance ended, he stopped mid-step.
Coins. So many coins.
The bard’s container was overflowing, and on top of that, Brokkr walked over and handed him a heavy sack of gold as payment.
Lance stared.
People paid that much for music?
An idea sparked in his head.
Before Lance could fully process it, William’s voice chimed in, laced with amusement.
“Well, well, look at you. Only took you the entire day to come up with something halfway decent.”
Lance rolled his eyes, grabbing a mug to wipe down. Oh, now you decide to talk?
“I was busy,” he muttered under his breath.
“Busy panicking.”
Lance ignored him and glanced back at the bard, who was now counting his earnings with a satisfied grin.
“So… music, huh?”
“Music,” William confirmed. “You’ve got the skills. Might as well put them to use instead of running yourself ragged serving drinks.”
Lance frowned. “It’s been years since I actually played anything.”
“You’ll pick it back up. Muscle memory and all that. And besides, if you do it right, you won’t just be playing music—you could weave your magic into it. Like that Cedric fellow. ”
Lance paused at that. Magic and music?
Now that was an interesting thought.
