Delayed Transfer

Mark stayed in the chapel talking with Father Joseph. He asked the priest all sorts of things about the world in general.

The priest informed Mark that the name of the world in the common language was called Veltun. There were four seasons, winter, spring, summer, and fall and 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at least this timekeeping was kept by major cities in the world as far as the priest knew. Priest Joseph then showed Mark a huge book called History of Veltun where the priest said that some of the common knowledge of the world could be found, like why there were seven days in a week or why there were 24 hours in a day. Things like that.

The book also included the most common knowledge like where the names of the cities came from and the names of the most common major gods and minor gods and the realm they govern.

Mark was grateful for the priest for lending him the book and he immediately replicated it and kept a copy in his inventory to read at his leisure time.

For lunch, Mark treated the priest to some fine sushi in a bento and some soda. Both Mark and the priest devoured a lot of sushi with the priest kept on mumbling that he was now ready to die after eating the food of the gods.

After lunch, the priest kept praising the food and mentioned that he was impressed with Mark’s culture to be able to develop the type of cuisine that could be mistaken as the food of the gods. For a moment, it sparked a wanderlust in the priest and Mark saw it, but then it was distinguished by the man’s faith mentioning that if he weren’t called to service by the goddess Andarte to govern this village’s flock, he would have liked to travel and taste the different food that could be found in different parts of the world.

Mark asked the priest about the negative part of the world like evil entities or gods, slavery, and wars. Priest Joseph gave him a summary but reminded him that it was also in the book that he lent. Mark promised that he would return the book the next day before he left town.

Late afternoon, Mark left the priest and strolled around the village to see how common people of this world live their lives. He saw mothers and daughters doing their chores. He saw the men coming from their fields after doing a hard day’s work farming. He saw some hunters carrying some game from the forest. He saw some girls with baskets filled with herbs or vegetables from the forest as well. He saw children playing different games.

Mark was glad that the first village that he saw was not some cliché from the stories that were being devastated by monsters or bandits or a land torn by war. He was happy that the people that he was seeing were happy and content with their lot in their lives.

When evening came, Mark went to the inn to have some local dinner and talked with the innkeeper. While he was eating, he asked Edmond, when the last attack on the village by a bandit group or monsters and the innkeeper told him that it was during his great great grandfather's time when a group of bandits attacked the village but left disappointed after finding out that there was no treasure to be found.

Edmond also mentioned that since there was a chapel of Andarte in the village, monsters would not attack the village since it was protected by the goddess's powers. Mark wondered why the priest didn’t mention it and he thought that more than likely, it was because they’ve talked about a lot of things that of course not all would be covered.

Mark was planning to leave the next day so he asked Edmond if anybody was selling their cart and horse and the innkeeper said that he would make some inquiries.

The next day, Mark was awakened by some noise, and he was surprised to see a caravan of performers coming in. He went outside his room and asked the innkeeper’s daughter about the performers. She mentioned that some bards or performers band together to create a caravan to hold plays and shows and sell some trinkets to different cities and villages that they traveled to.

Mark was excited to learn that something like this existed and since he didn’t really have anywhere to go or any schedule to adhere to, maybe he could join these performers and travel the world with them. Of course, he would check it out first to see if they were worth being friends.

Mark saw the performers setting up a mini theater on the plaza and was excited to check what the entertainment in this world looked like. He looked around and checked the different performers and their equipment. He was not wary of being accused as suspicious since he was not alone in doing so. A lot of the villagers, most of them were the youths, were doing the same thing.

He joined a group of teenagers asking questions from one of the performers. The person shouted loudly that they would be able to see some magic and stories that would fill their lives with wonder. The person said that his name was Lorendo the magician and that they would be able to see him perform that night. Not only him but there would be bards and plays and all sorts of entertainment. The people listening to him clapped and Mark joined them in clapping.

Lorendo the magician said that they would see a play about a pair of lovers separated by the cruelty of a noble. How in the face of adversity, their love was proven true and everlasting. Mark could see the eyes of the young people shine with wonder and excitement. The magician also informed them that they would see animals that they only thought of as myths and see wondrous trinkets that were formed by magical tinkerers and that they could have those trinkets for just some paltry sums.

Mark was impressed by the showmanship of the magician and just like the youths there, couldn’t wait to see the show.