Boran arrived at the Infinite Tavern. Feeling hungry, he approached the counter to look at the menu.
After ordering from the menu, he waited for a short while. Suddenly, a tray appeared in his hands. On it was steaming pasta and a drink in a crystal bottle. Boran went to an empty table and set down his tray.
His eyes widened when he looked at the pasta. The Wizard's Magical Pasta changed color every second — sapphire blue one moment, then amethyst purple, followed by emerald green... The Fairy Dust on top scattered sparkles, performing a glittering dance. The creamy sauce had taken on a silvery tone from the natural phosphorescent glow of the Moonlight Mushrooms.
When he took his first bite, he was overwhelmed by the explosion of flavors in his mouth. The cream wrapped around his tongue with silky smoothness while the light woody and earthy aroma of the mushrooms spread across his palate. The pasta was cooked to perfection — neither too hard nor too soft. With each chew, a different note of spice emerged, dancing like a symphony in his mouth.
He took a sip of Forest Fairy Nectar and felt instantly refreshed. The drink carried the essence of hundreds of flowers — wild rose, acacia, linden, and many others blending on his palate. Sweet like honey but not cloying, rather invigorating. With each sip, a slight sparkle appeared in his mouth, as if tiny stars were dancing on his tongue.
He savored this magical experience throughout the meal. When the pasta was finished, the plate had cleaned itself, and the crystal bottle was empty, but the sparkle in his mouth and the energy inside him still remained. Boran thought he hadn't had such an enjoyable meal in a long time. It was definitely better than Dark Crawler meat.
Boran walked down the corridor with tired steps, listening to the creaking of the floorboards in the dim light. When he reached his room's door, he took the key from his pocket and unlocked it.
When he entered, his heart sank as usual. The room was a complete dump. An old, worn mattress in the corner, damp walls, and a layer of dust on the floor... With no windows, it was both dark and stuffy. There was only light seeping in from the corridor and air coming through the gap under the door.
"This won't do," Boran muttered. "I need to make this place at least livable."
First, he shook out the mattress and put it in his inventory. He started coughing as a cloud of dust rose into the air.
He examined the walls. The damp stains were especially concentrated in the corners. "This won't work. I need to get some cleaning supplies."
Boran headed to the "Traveler's Necessities" counter in the Infinite Tavern. The shelves behind the counter were filled with various household items, cleaning supplies, and daily living tools.
Boran looked around, examining the items arranged on the counter and shelves:
Cleaning Cloth (1 Gold)
Soap (1 Gold)
Garbage Bag (1 Gold)
Dust Repellent Spray (3 Gold) - Magical formula that repels dust and prevents dust accumulation for a while
Mini Broom Set (2 Gold) - Hand-sized broom and dustpan, ideal for cleaning corners
Water Bucket (2 Gold) - Durable, lightweight and easy to carry
2 Candles (2 Gold)
Boran checked that the supplies he bought were properly arranged in his inventory. Everything needed for cleaning was now ready.
Boran headed towards the water fountain inside the Infinite Tavern. The fountain was installed to meet the water needs of tavern residents. He held his bucket under the fountain and waited for it to fill. When it was completely full, he put it in his inventory and walked to his room.
He began wiping the walls with the cloth he took from his pocket. With each wipe, he would wring out the cloth and wipe again. Gradually, the walls began to look cleaner, though the moisture stains wouldn't completely come out.
The floor was harder to clean. The thick layer of dust seemed to have accumulated over years. After thinking for a moment, Boran took out the broom set and began sweeping the floor. He collected the dust with the dustpan and put it in the garbage bag. It looked better when the dust was cleaned, but the job wasn't finished.
He started scrubbing the floor with the wet cloth from his bucket, wringing it out as he went. The dirt mixed with water turned to mud at first, but as it cleaned up, the true color of the wooden boards began to show.
There were cobwebs in the corners of the room. He cleaned them with the broom handle. He checked every corner, every crack. Even small insects scurried away during the cleaning.
He didn't know how to solve the ventilation problem.
After rearranging the mattress and placing its cover neatly, Boran found a small piece of wood protruding from the floor near the headboard. Making the best of what he had, he decided to use it as a temporary nightstand and placed a candle on it.
Finally, he stood in the middle of the room and looked at his work. The room still wasn't perfect—it was damp, had no window, and was sparsely furnished. But it was now livable. It was clean, organized, and had at least a small personal touch.
"There we go," he said to himself. "It may not be a home, but at least it's a place where I can rest."
After all the cleaning, sweat dripped from his forehead. Taking a moment to check himself, the sharp odor of body sweat made his nose wrinkle - it was definitely time for a bath.
"I forgot about bathing among all this work... There must be somewhere in the tavern where I can wash up."
Boran looked around the Infinite Tavern. At the end of the corridor, he saw a wooden sign that read "Bathhouse." Underneath it said "Time for purification after every adventure." When he entered, the warm steam hitting his face made him feel relaxed.
The attendant at the entrance was sitting behind a small desk. He was scribbling something in his notebook, looking quite busy. When he noticed Boran, without looking up he said, "Welcome, adventurer. Bathhouse fee is 5 gold. Includes waistcloth, soap, and towel."
After paying the fee and collecting the provided items, Boran entered the changing room with its neatly arranged wooden lockers. Removing his clothes and storing them in a locker, Boran wrapped the waistcloth around his waist.
When he entered the inner area, the size of the bathhouse impressed him. Crystals hanging from the ceiling illuminated the space with a dim light. The walls and floor were covered in light gray marble. Blue veins occasionally caught the eye in the marble surfaces. These veins seemed to glow slightly as if alive, adding a mystical atmosphere to the room.
There was a large pool in the center. A light steam rose from the water's surface, dancing in the crystal light. Small waterfall-like fountains were arranged around the pool. Each fountain had a marble washing basin and seat beside it.
Boran sat down at an empty washing basin. The water flowing from the fountain was lukewarm, just the temperature he wanted. He first wet his hair, then lathered up the soap the attendant had given him and washed from head to toe. The day's fatigue, sweat, and dirt flowed away with the water.
He noticed the exfoliating cloth on the small shelf next to the washing basin. He took it and began scrubbing his body. His skin first turned red, then dead skin began to peel off. With each motion, he felt lighter and cleaner.
After finishing washing, he decided to enter the central pool. The water was slightly warmer than body temperature. He leaned against the edge of the pool and closed his eyes. The water's buoyancy was relaxing his tired muscles.
Suddenly he heard women's laughter and conversation from afar. Boran didn't pay attention at first, but as the voices approached, he felt something was off. When he opened his eyes, he met the shocked gazes of a group of young women at the other end of the pool. The women were clutching their towels tightly, frozen in place.
"I... I..." stammered Boran, shrinking further under the water. "I think I entered the wrong bathhouse..."
One of the women shouted angrily: "What are you doing here? This is the women's bathhouse!"
Just then a voice rose from behind the group: "Boran? Is that you?"
Boran felt a mix of surprise and relief when he saw who the voice belonged to. It was Fire—the girl he had saved from Mur-Azar. Her red hair was wrapped in a towel, and her face showed both surprise and a slight smile.
The girl stood behind the group; her hair was vibrant red even when wet, the loosely wrapped towel clinging slightly to her skin. Boran's gaze involuntarily wandered—the graceful lines descending from her shoulders, the curve of her slim waist, and her pronounced hips were eye-catching. Her breasts rose prominently within the towel, but he struggled to focus on Fire's facial expression.
Boran immediately averted his eyes. His cheeks were burning. "I... I'm really sorry!" he stammered, trying to hide his body further under the water.
Fire turned to her friends. "Relax, girls, this is Boran. The man who saved my life. I knew he was a bit strange but..." She looked at Boran with a laugh. "The men's bathhouse is through the right door. You accidentally went through the left one."
The other girls seemed a bit more relaxed but were still uneasy. Boran quickly got out of the pool, adjusted his waistcloth, and headed to the changing room with his back to the girls, taking quick steps.
"Wait," said Fire after him. "I'll be in the main hall of the Infinite Tavern shortly. We need to talk."
Boran nodded and quickly left. His face was still bright red as he got dressed. He never thought he'd end up in such an embarrassing situation. At least having Fire there to save the situation was fortunate.
Half an hour later, he was sitting at a table in the main hall of the Infinite Tavern. A goblin beer sat on the table. His eyes kept drifting to the door, waiting for Fire. Finally, the red-haired young woman appeared. She was now wearing a dark green tunic and brown pants instead of a bath towel. Her hair was still damp.
"So," said Fire, sitting in the chair across from him, "still causing trouble, are you?"
Boran smiled sheepishly. "Believe me, this time it really wasn't intentional. The attendant was so distracted..."
"I know," said Fire, "that attendant is always like that. I've been there several times, but each time he's so absorbed in his book that sometimes he doesn't even look at who's in front of him." She paused for a moment. "I didn't think I'd see you again after you helped us. I didn't even get to thank you properly."
"It's not important," said Boran. "Are you okay?"
Fire nodded. "I'm fine. Actually... a lot changed after that day. Meeting that boss and you was like a sign. Now I'm a solo adventurer too."
Boran looked at her in surprise. "Really? How... I mean, when did you decide?"
"After you saved me that day," said Fire, "I felt very powerless. Helpless, defenseless... I never wanted to feel that way again. That's why I left the team."
"I'm not surprised actually. Sorry, but they didn't seem like very good people."
"Yes, I guess it was meant to be," said Fire. "What about you? What did you do after defeating the boss?"
Boran thought for a moment. How much should he tell Fire? He decided to tell everything. A few minutes later, he had told her everything that had happened.
"No way! Show me your finger!" said Fire.
Boran raised his hand and showed his bandaged finger. It had been bandaged for several hours. When he removed the bandage to check how it was doing, he noticed that the wound had completely closed but his finger was still not in place.
"I wish you had come out right after us..."
"It's not important. Besides, we were able to kill the boss. I'm sure it gave good rewards. I'll check what dropped before going to bed. Then I'll level up."
"What about those men who came. Could you figure out who they were? Maybe you noticed a guild emblem?"
"No, I don't know who they were. Just selfish people, they won't be a problem for me anymore."
"Are you serious about starting a guild?"
"Yes. If I can find enough money or if I can make a deal with my friend, I'll start the guild."
"Can I join?"
"What?"
"I said I want to join. I don't have a team or guild right now. If you want, we could be a team and I could join your guild."
"Well... sure. Why not?"
Fire extended her hand to Boran. "Noemi. My real name is Noemi Rosa."