"Name and identification?" the guards ordered.
"Identification? Don't you see that I'm a wizard?"
"Why do we need identification anyway? It's not like this is the capital," Alwyn thought to himself.
"...Sir, with all due respect, you're the fourth 'wizard' we've seen in a week. Having funny-looking clothes doesn't count much for identification."
The two guards beside him laughed, nudging each other.
"Tch, wait a second, then," Alwyn said, rummaging through his pockets. "Ah! Here it is!"
He presented a small golden medallion in the shape of a star. The three guards burst into laughter at the sight.
"Oh, shit! Ha! Big-shot coming through! Watch out boys!"
Alwyn gritted his teeth, and it seemed as if a vein was going to burst. "Are we free to enter?"
"Oh, right! Go ahead, great wizard!"
The gate was pulled up and the two were permitted entry. As they walked further inside, Linnie started to scowl involuntarily, pinching his nose.
"What is that smell?"
"Shit, if I had to guess. I don't know why. Their plumbing must be broken, let's just hope it isn't as dirty where we're going."
Linnie looked around, observing the dingy place. It was unlike anywhere else he'd ever seen. Certainly, it was bigger than his hometown. That didn't mean grander.
"Why's everything so... depressing? I feel like I wanna die right now," he laughed.
"I don't know, I've never been here before. I heard this place wasn't terrible, but it's a total dump. I wonder if something happened? Eugh, the inn should be just down this street."
The streets were muddy and uneven, and the buildings were rotting and falling apart. Once they came across the inn, they saw their first sign of life besides the few and scattered passersby.
They pushed open the doors which were leaking bright light into the streets and were greeted with an extremely lively tavern.
"OIIIIIII... YOU FUCKIN'—hic—baasTAARD! CHEATING BASTARD! YOU LOOKED AT MY—hic—CAAAARDS!"
"Oh shut up you drunken fool. It's not my fault you only gamble when you're drunk."
"Ay, boys, better not start another fight or boss'll force me to kick ya out ya know. And for good this time!"
"Yes ma'am!" the two apologized.
Similar, bar-likely events were happening, and every table was full. There seemed to be twice as many drinks as there were people.
"Well, this place seems more like it, doesn't it, Linnie?"
"How many times do I gotta tell you to call me Lin, not Linnie!"
"Oh? Can I help you, sir?" the waitress asked, spotting the two standing by the door.
"Well, first, we'd like a room. You do have those, don't you?"
"We sure do!"
"And we'll have something to eat, too. Whatever you think is best, we're hungry from traveling. And, uhh... beer." Alwyn looked at Linnie and laughed. "For me only, of course!"
"What? I'm old enough to drink!"
"Fourteen? Not only is that not old enough, but you've got the constitution of a waddler. No way in hell am I letting you drink."
"Oh, well, I'm sure we can get some juice for you, cutie!" the waitress beamed, patting Linnie on the head.
"Does she think I'm a dog? I should bite her hand off for touching me..." Linnie growled.
"Oh—! Well, find any seat, I'll be back soon~!"
The only seats left were part of a long table. It seemed as if a large group of adventurers, or perhaps a mining party, made up the rest of it.
"I hope you don't mind us sitting here, do you?" Alwyn asked after sitting down.
"Well... of course not! The more the merrier, right!?"
The entire table cheered.
"Aha! That's more like it! You know, when we got here, I totally thought this town would be full of dying, rotting, corpses, since it's so disgusting and stinky, but it's good to know there's some life left here!" Alwyn laughed.
The entire table went silent.
"You... dare? I ought to—!"
Alwyn rested his hand on his fist, scoffing and rolling his eyes at the man. The man jumped out of his seat, but was stopped by one of his friends.
"Calm down, Jeremiah. Obviously he just got here. It's no wonder he's surprised at the state of this place. As much as it hurts to say, it's not like he's wrong."
"Ahem, well, excuse that boy Jeremiah. He's a good boy... it's just, he lost both his parents to the illness," one of them added.
"...Illness? Is there a disease going around here?"
"That's right! The worst disease this damned kingdom's ever seen! And just wait until it spreads to somewhere that 'matters' like the capital! Then it'll be a big deal when it kills everyone, including that bastard of a king we have sitting up there!" Jeremiah shouted in a drunken rage.
"Watch your tongue, Jeremiah! Words like those'll get you executed!"
"Hm, I permit it, go on," Alwyn said.
"When's the food gonna get here...?" Linnie thought, staring into space.
"And who exactly are you to 'permit' anything? I don't need your permission to say what I want!" Jeremiah yelled.
"Pfft, I'm the great Everflame Wizard, Alwyn, and I'm telling you to continue. I'd like to hear more about this illness."
"A wizard...? So that explains the stupid clothes, then! But I've never heard of a wizard called—"
"Just continue, drunk bastard."
"What'd you call me!?"
"I said continue, damn it! I'm getting impatient."
"Tch, alright then. It was this past autumn when it appeared. A filthy disease, purple boils all around your body. Blackened limbs, milky eyes. Then they start their shakes and shit... that's when you know they're—fuck!"
"Purple boils? Blackened limbs...? Huh. And there's no treatment?"
"Well, recently, an alchemist started helping out. Some people say she's from the capital, but I doubt it. No way the capital would send someone out here. Plus, her store's been on that corner since before the illness even appeared. She's an angel, that alchemist, but she can only do so much. People are dying every day."
"People die everywhere, every day, always, no matter what," Linnie groaned. "Where's my food?"
"This... fucking... haven't you taught your boy-slave any manners?"
"'B-boy slave'!? The fuck!?" Alwyn recoiled. "Is that what you guys get up to in this place...?"
"Hell no. That's all you strange wizard-folk, with your boy-slaves and such."
"We have no such thing! Nothing like it! I've never even heard of that! Oh, I think I'm gonna be sick... has our reputation sunk so low?"
"I don't even know what a boy-slave is, but I'd happily be one if it meant my food would come out," Linnie grumbled.
"Patience, boy. Don't you see? It's a full house," one kind man explained.
"You'd think with some plague going around, everyone'd just stay at home."
"Pffft, tell me, what's the point in that? Wouldn't you rather have fun if you had a chance of dying every day than living the rest of your days in fear?"
"...I guess I didn't think of it that way! Pass me a beer!" Linnie grinned.
"Sure th—"
"No, he isn't allowed to drink beer," Alwyn stopped him.
"Damn, I thought he was still dazed from the boy-slave comment," Linnie cursed in his head.