It takes me a few minutes to find the location of The Rusted Flagon, but once I am in the area it is pretty easy to spot. It is a stone building far bigger than any house would be. There are potted plans on the windowsill and a large sign hanging above the door, adorned with the inn's name.
I push the heavy door and walk inside the building, and am immediately greeted with the stereotypical medieval tavern. The tables and chairs are all wooden, the floor is stone. The walls are rough and unpainted, but at a glance I can tell they are sturdy. They remind me of stone buildings that have remained standing in my old world for a couple of hundred years.
About a third of the tables are occupied by people drinking and eating, so far they all appear to be human, maybe the demi-human cliche won't play out in this world.
Directly opposite the door I walked in from is the bar. It is made of the same type of hard wood as everything else in the building, The shelves behind it are overflowing with tankards and glasses; none of them uniform.
My guess would be that mass production of glassware doesn't happen here. Most things would be made by craftsmen or peddlers, similar to the linen clothes Baldrick gifted me. This just confirms my suspicions that the level of technology in this world is pre-industrial revolution.
I walk over to the bar and the barmaid gives me a lovely smile. She is wearing a tunic and trouser combo with some kind of vest. She is a quite curvy, so the clothing is slightly tight on her. Thankfully, the tunic she is wearing is cut low, so her ample cleavage is a welcome sight for my eyes. The size of her tits more than compensating for her plump figure.
I suspect this is all completely intentional to draw in the punters. I can absolutely imagine merchants and adventurers coming here after a long day to get a meal, a drink, and a pleasant view like this one.
She pretends like she hasn't noticed me taking in her glorious bosom. 'Good afternoon, what can I get for you today?'
The words flutter out of her mouth, letting me know that she is well practiced at greeting customers, and the way she shrugs her shoulders slightly, pushing her breasts together, confirms my suspicions about her choice of attire.
'A merchant named Baldrick recommended this place to me. I am looking for a room for the night. What are your rates?'
'1 night is 10 copper coins, but if you want dinner the night before and breakfast the next day, it is 15. If you pay for 5 days at a time, it will be 45 copper without meals, or 60 copper with. Whichever you choose, we provide hot water and towels before bed.'
The idea of paying for 5 days up front and saving money is really appealing to my frugal side, but there is no guarantee I will even be here tomorrow, as I haven't made a plan yet.
All I know is that I want to make some money, but I have no plans on laying brick like my last life, so I guess I will check out the adventurers guild after.
'For now I will stay one night with food included please.'
I rummage around in my coin pouch and realise that I only have 12 copper coins.
'Can I pay with a silver?' She nods and gives me a pleasant smile.
'Thanks handsome! Room 12 is yours, top of the stairs second on the right.' I am not normally a fan of thick girls, in my last life, the videos I enjoyed were all asian inspired, so small and slender was my kind of thing. But this girl's bubbly personality might just win me over.
I pick up the 85 copper coins and the key she puts on the counter, and make my way to the stairway that she pointed out to me. The stairs seem well made, but I can hear them creaking underneath me as I ascend.
It's only a few paces from the top of the stairs to my room, so it doesn't take me long to locate it. The door is made of heavy wood, and is stained dark with some kind of oil or laquer. I insert the key and jiggle in around, then open the door to go inside.
If I could describe the room in one word, it would be: simple. There is a simple wooden chair in the corner, and a simple wooden table with four legs pressed against one of the walls. The table has a candleholder on it, but no candle.
The window is a simple wooden frame with wooden boards on hinges, and the bed is basically a board with legs and a mattress. The mattress definitely isn't springy like the ones I am used to. When I sit on it, it gives way easily, it is closer to a giant cushion. I can't imagine them using springs in this world, I guess it is maybe feathers inside.
I stand back up and move to the table, emptying my leather satchel onto it. The contents falls silently onto the table and I take stock of what the merchant has given me.
There are 2 pairs of linen socks and a pair of woolen ones too. A pair of dark trousers and 2 light coloured tunics are also included. 2 sets of men's underwear of some kind are in the mix, but they don't look anything like the boxers I am wearing from my old world.
This is on top of what I am currently wearing, so I have enough clothes for about 3 days if I wash nothing, but the curvy girl downstairs told me they provide us with hot water at night, so I can clean my clothes after bathing.
I leave the clothes on the table, sling the satchel over my shoulder, double-check my sheath and the dagger contained within, and head back downstairs to go to the adventurer's guild.
I reconfirm with the curvy barmaid the correct direction I should be going. Honestly, I remember what Baldrick told me about how to get there. I just wanted an excuse to enjoy that view one more time. She sends me off with a wink and a smile, and I realize that I might actually have a thing for curvy girls afterall.
I walk back out of the door to the inn, and head towards my destination.