The village of Millhaven looked exactly like what Ryo had been hoping for when he'd imagined his new slow life. Small wooden houses with thatched roofs lined a single main street, smoke curling lazily from chimneys. A water wheel turned slowly beside a stream that ran right through the center of town, and he could see fields of grain stretching out beyond the buildings. The whole place had maybe two hundred people, tops.
Perfect.
The first building he came to was a weathered wooden sign that read "The Sleeping Dragon Inn." The irony wasn't lost on him that he was looking for a place to stay at an inn when his goal was to run one himself. Through the windows, he could see a handful of locals nursing mugs of what was probably ale.
Ryo pushed through the door, and conversation died as everyone turned to look at the stranger. He got the usual mix of curiosity and wariness that small towns reserved for outsiders, but nobody seemed hostile. Just careful.
The innkeeper was a big man in his fifties with graying hair and the kind of arms that came from years of hauling barrels. He looked Ryo up and down, taking in the quality traveling clothes and the noble bearing that was apparently hard to shake.
"Don't get many travelers through here," the man said, wiping down a mug with a rag that had seen better days. "You lost, son?"
"Not lost," Ryo said, walking up to the bar and settling onto a stool. "Just looking for a quiet place to settle down. This village taking on new residents?"
The innkeeper raised an eyebrow. "Depends on what kind of resident you're looking to be. We're simple folk here. Don't have much use for troublemakers or folks who think they're too good for honest work."
"I want to open a tavern," Ryo said simply. "Somewhere I can cook good food, serve decent drinks, and live quietly. That sound like the kind of trouble you're worried about?"
A few of the locals chuckled at that. The innkeeper's expression shifted from suspicious to amused.
"A tavern, eh? Planning to compete with me, are you?"
"Not really," Ryo said honestly. "Your place looks like it's doing fine. I was thinking more like a small spot where people can get a good meal and maybe stay the night if they need to. Different clientele, you know?"
The innkeeper considered this, then extended a hand. "Name's Marcus. I own this place and most of the brewing that happens in town. You seem all right, but I've got to ask—what's a boy who dresses like minor nobility doing wanting to run a tavern in a place like Millhaven?"
Ryo shook the offered hand. "Long story. Short version is I used to be nobility, decided it wasn't for me, and got disowned for my trouble. Now I want to try something that actually sounds enjoyable."
"Disowned nobility," Marcus repeated, and several of the other patrons perked up their ears. "That explains the clothes and the way you talk. Most noble sons would be crying into their silk handkerchiefs about losing their inheritance."
"Most noble sons didn't spend their previous life working themselves to death in a corporate job," Ryo said, then caught himself. "I mean, most noble sons don't know what real work is like."
Marcus laughed. "You're an odd one, I'll give you that. Tell you what—there's an old building at the end of the street that used to be a bakery. Owner died last winter, and his kids moved to the capital. Place has been sitting empty for months. If you're serious about this tavern business, you might be able to buy it cheap."
"How cheap is cheap?"
"For someone who can fix it up and bring some business to town? Maybe fifty gold pieces. It needs work, but the bones are good. Stone foundation, decent roof, big enough for a common room and a few guest rooms upstairs."
Ryo did some quick math. He had about two hundred gold pieces from his noble allowance, which should be enough to buy the place and get it running. "Can I take a look at it?"
"Sure thing. Hey, Elena!" Marcus called out to a woman sitting near the fireplace. "You mind showing our friend here the old bakery?"
The woman stood up, and Ryo got his first good look at her. She was probably in her early twenties, with auburn hair tied back in a practical ponytail and the kind of build that suggested she did physical work for a living. Her clothes were simple but well-maintained, and she had a sword belted at her hip.
"Elena Brightwater," she said, offering her hand. "I'm what passes for town security around here. Used to be an adventurer before I decided I'd had enough of risking my life for treasure."
Ryo shook her hand, noting the calluses and the strength in her grip. "Ryo. Former nobility, current aspiring tavern keeper."
"Former nobility who got into a fight with bandits on the road, from the look of those scuff marks on your clothes," Elena observed. "You handle yourself all right?"
"I wouldn't call it handling myself," Ryo said honestly. "More like they were really bad at their jobs and I got lucky."
Elena snorted. "Bandits around here aren't exactly the cream of the crop. Come on, let's go look at your future money pit."
The old bakery was exactly what Marcus had described. Two stories, stone foundation, solid roof, and about six months' worth of dust covering everything. The main floor had a large open area that would work perfectly as a common room, with a smaller space in the back that had obviously been the bakery's kitchen. Upstairs were four small rooms that could serve as guest accommodations.
"It's perfect," Ryo said, running his hand along the bar that dominated one wall. The wood was good quality, just needed some cleaning and maybe a new coat of finish.
"You say that now," Elena said, leaning against the doorframe. "Wait until you see the state of the chimney and the well out back. And don't get me started on the rats."
"Nothing that can't be fixed with time and effort," Ryo said. He could already picture how the place would look once he got it cleaned up. Maybe some simple decorations, a good fire in the hearth, the smell of cooking food drawing people in from the street.
[CONSTRUCTION PLANNING] - Level 1
Experience gained for visualizing renovation projects
New skill acquired: [MAINTENANCE] - Level 1
Passive ability gained: Basic structural assessment
Ryo blinked at the blue window that appeared in his vision. The system was apparently going to reward him for everything, even just thinking about fixing up a building.
"You all right?" Elena asked, noticing his distracted expression. "You looked like you were seeing things for a second there."
"Just thinking about all the work this place is going to need," Ryo said quickly. "So you're the town guard? Just you?"
"Just me," Elena confirmed. "Millhaven doesn't exactly attract the kind of trouble that requires a full garrison. Mostly I deal with drunk farmers, the occasional bandit group, and making sure the merchant caravans that come through don't try to cheat anybody."
"Bandit groups, plural?"
"Maybe one every few months. Usually just desperate idiots who think a farming village is an easy target. They find out different pretty quick." Elena's hand rested casually on her sword hilt. "Speaking of which, you said you ran into some on the road. How many?"
"Three," Ryo said. "They wanted to rob me, but it didn't work out for them."
"And you handled three bandits without any training?" Elena's voice was skeptical. "Either you're lying, or you're a lot more dangerous than you look."
"I'm really not dangerous," Ryo said. "I think they were just having a bad day."
Elena studied him for a long moment, then shrugged. "Well, whatever happened, good for you. Most people wouldn't have made it through that kind of encounter without at least some cuts and bruises."
They spent another hour going through the building, Elena pointing out various problems that would need attention. By the time they were done, Ryo had a mental list of repairs that would keep him busy for weeks. The system had also rewarded him with several more level-ups in skills he hadn't even known he was developing.
"So," Elena said as they headed back toward the inn. "You really think you can make a go of this? Running a tavern isn't exactly easy work."
"I'm hoping it'll be easier than my last job," Ryo said. "And a lot more satisfying."
"What was your last job?"
Ryo thought about trying to explain corporate life to someone from a medieval fantasy world and decided against it. "Let's just say it involved a lot of stress and not much sleep."
Elena laughed. "Well, you'll definitely get more sleep here. Millhaven rolls up the streets at sunset most nights."
As they walked back to the Sleeping Dragon, Ryo felt something settle in his chest that he'd almost forgotten existed. Contentment. For the first time in either of his lives, he was exactly where he wanted to be, doing exactly what he wanted to do.
It was a good feeling.