Is it wrong to fleece adventurers at the item shop?

Agnieszka has left me wondering with her last bit of advice. Why exactly should I ask Elzbieta? Of course I could rush after her and inquire, but I really need to get back to business.

Among other things that means grabbing some coin and heading down to the inn to post the mana mill quest once more. Which in turn probably means that I will get a chance to actually ask the pregnant archer sooner rather than later.

Am I forgetting something? With everything going on I can't help feeling that way. I grimace. Either it'll come to me, or someone will remind me, of that I'm sure. For now I better focus on the next point on my daily agenda. And that next point is guild business at the inn.

I grab some coin. I make sure that my clothes are in order too, just in case. There is no real reason for it, as everything is tied securely, even if the fit is not quite right right now. Then I head down to the inn. There is no use wasting time. After all I'm already running late despite getting up early.

In fact the first adventurers are already heading out as I hurry down to the inn. Odolan, Tamara and Szmuel, once again accompanied by Ryszard for example are coming my way.

They are probably on their way to gather more ectoplasm. They still need to fulfill that quest after all. This time though, Danuta is accompanying them as well. Tamara, the young dwarven adventurer seems a little upset, possibly because the buxom witch is along.

I'm tempted to roll my eyes but refrain in the end. I really don't want to upset her any more and to be honest I'm quite glad that they have the more experienced witch along this time.

They are already all geared up, as far as I can tell. In the end we just exchange a quick wave as a greeting as we pass each other.

The inn is still quite busy as I arrive and the same is true for Krystina's counter where she conducts guild business. In the end I decide to get some breakfast instead of just standing in line. It isn't anything special, just a bowl of porridge and a cup of sweetened tea to go with it.

As I eat I watch the adventurers, and quest givers too, come and go. Eventually Elzbieta joins me at my table, with a bowl of porridge of her own, after seeing off Czeslaw and Zofia, her companions.

Their open displays of affection make me blush a little. The way Czeslaw kisses Elzbieta before he is off. The way he has an arm around Zofia's waist as they head out. I still can't quite wrap my mind around it. And at the same time Elzbieta has no qualms about spending time with me.

Is it an adventurer thing? Stories and songs as bards would tell and sing would like to make me believe that adventurers are a pretty open minded bunch after all. Plenty of these stories end in tragedy eventually though.

Or is this specific to this particular group? Before I can spend much more time thinking on it, Elzbieta interrupts my thoughts.

“You are a little late. You didn't work until the sun rose again, did you?”

I snort and almost choke on my porridge in return.

“No. Nothing of the sort, although I didn't sleep too well. And … things happened.”

She raises an eyebrow.

“Things happened?”

I nod and continue to eat for a moment.

“Lets talk about it later. In private?”

In the end she nods, although I can tell that she can barely rein in her curiosity.

Eventually I finish my morning meal and head over to Krystina's counter, as the line shortens ever more. What follows is business as usual by now. I tell her my request and Krystina puts it up on the board once I pay the fees, only for Elzbieta to snatch it away before anyone else can even think about it.

Before long Elzbieta and I are back at my shop, which I finally open. The pregnant adventurer works the mana mill inside, sitting by the fireplace today, as a slight drizzle is coming down right now. Or rather, she should be working the mill, instead she is shooting me a questioning glance though. Apparently this is the limit of her patience.

“Spill it, what happened?”

I let out a sigh, as I leave the counter in the shop out front to join her in the backroom. It isn't an issue, as I probably won't be getting much business today anyway. I already missed the rush of adventurers heading out for the day after all. I look over my shoulders to make sure we are alone and keep my voice down anyway.

“I managed to accidentally curse myself.”

Her eyebrow raises further.

“Yes? Keep going.”

Of course she wants more details. Well, there is no helping it now that I already started.

“I was working on that wet nurse enchantment for Urszula and I finished a first version and decided to try it. Turns out it was cursed and I couldn't take it back off when I tried this morning at the bath.”

She nods and starts working the mill at long last. She isn't ready to drop the topic yet though.

“But you are not wearing it anymore, so I guess this issue is taken care of?”

I sigh again, as I lean against my workbench while I talk with her.

“Agnieszka took me to see Wislawa at the temple after having a look at the enchanted bandanna. Turns out that the curse was potent enough to fool my appraisal skill. And afterwards she took me to see Urszula and her little Melina to take care of the other lingering effects of the enchantment. By the way, she mentioned that I will probably need some more help regarding that, and that I should ask you.”

She stops working the mana mill and her eyebrow starts twitching a little as I speak those last few words. She doesn't seem upset though. No, considering the way she is blushing I'm willing to assume that she is rather flustered instead.

She opens her mouth as if to speak, but closes it again without uttering a word. This repeats several times before she finally regains enough composure to speak up. Her voice is hoarse and it takes a little longer for her to move from uttering individual words to forming whole sentences again.

“Milk … you … and Agnieszka said to ask me for help?”

She is blushing real hard now, but I can't really fault her for it. The same is true for me as well after all. I nod.

“Uhu.”

Elzbieta swallows hard before she finally continues.

“Do you want me to help with that?”

I in turn bite my lips as I nod again.

“Would you? I'd rather not turn this into a quest with the guild though. And you might have to help me several times a day, for a few days at least.”

I fall silent for a moment, before I add another little tidbit of information.

“And Agnieszka mentioned that there might be a possibility that this condition won't go away right away despite the effect of the enchantment wearing off.”

Elzbieta licks her lips, as she nods along with my explanation.

“Several times a day?”

“Ah, yes. In the morning? Probably some time around noon and probably in the evening. I'm not quite sure yet … this is all still pretty new to me after all. Maybe I'll need some relief during the night too?”

She swallows hard as she thinks about this some more, absentmindedly resuming work with the mill.

“If it is like that, should I move in with you? Just for a few days? Uh … until this issue is settled?”

My heart almost misses a beat at the suggestion. And the way she is quick to elaborate makes it ache a little. I really wish she would move in with me for good. I doubt she will though, considering the display of affection between her and her comrades I witnessed earlier in the morning. I decide to keep that particular thought to myself though. And besides, the prospect that I might not be sleeping alone, even if just for a few nights, is enough to make my heart beat faster.

“Would you?”

She nods right away, as if she doesn't have a care.

“Sure? When do you want me to start? Hmm, I will have to get my things from the inn. Doesn't really make sense to pay for a room there while I spend my nights here, right?”

Of course she is right. She won't exactly save a lot, but every little bit counts. I decide to focus on the question she posed though.

“Maybe some time after lunch? If that is alright with you?”