Garth, the innkeeper

I know I said one chapter a day, but both this and the previous chapters are pretty short, so here you go. Expect 1/day from now until the boss fight, though.

Without even trying to, you happened to stumble across the inn. It wasn't big, as to be expected of a hamlet, but it definitely stood out among the other houses. You step in, a bit anxious. It's a little after lunchtime, so it's quiet, with only a handful of people at the tables. A burly man sits behind the bar, taking a long look as you walk toward him.

"Are you Garth?" You sit on one of two stools at the bar. A stupid question, given God's Eye, but it was better to fit in as normally as possible.

"Who's askin', stranger?"

"Gilford sent me. He said I could exchange work for a place to stay?"

Garth nods, then thinks for a bit. "You ever hun'ed before?"

You shake your head. Hunting was never something that particularly interested you, but you were willing to give it a shot. "I did get this scar from a hornet, though."

Garth gives a deep chuckle. "Then we'll consider it that you've been hun'in, even if you weren' doin' the hun'in. Didja kill the bastard?" He pointed to the scar.

"Yeah, I definitely did." You remember the ball of darkness that shot out and engulfed the hornet.

"Ah, got ourselves a figh'er, do we?"

You nod. "A knight, actually."

"I on't know why yer askin' me, then. Militia could use a man like you. Too many wimps these days to fight off the hornets."

"And what does that make you for sitting back here and serving people drinks?" You raise an eyebrow.

"Rearguard." He raises his leg, and you can see that he's got some kind of mechanical pegleg. "I was one of the lucky uns. You shoulda seen Gilford."

You nod solemnly. "So I guess I'll be headed off, then. Thanks for your time." You slide off the barstool and wave.

"Seeya 'round, stranger."