"Okay," Atomu tapped his fingers against the stool. "We'll get to that later. Can't we sleep here?"

"It's full. There's a three-season-long waiting list if you're interested!" she beamed, showing a long paper that was pinned to the wall. "So many reservations for Gorro..."

"Why are there so many people trying to get in?" Chyuuichi shook his head.

"Business and beer," she muttered. "Lots of people come and go to earn money. I'm the same in some aspects."

Atomu started losing hope. "C-Can you recommend someplace, then?"

"Hm. Give me a second." she turned around and headed into a room that was next to the toilets, searching for something. Atomu turned to the others.

"Are the three of you just going to sit there? At least say a bloody word!" he muttered, stressed.

"You're the leader!" Chyuuchi pointed, slowly bopping his nose.

"Leader or not, I can't handle talking to people!" Atomu said, with a raspy voice, pushing Chyuuichi's hand away.

"I'll help!" Morio proposed.

Jyuzou chuckled.

"Okay, got it." she waddled, placing a big map in front of their eyes. "Here, Swania has lots of inns around, but it's an unwritten rule that Tributals are only welcome there. Next up, Homieo, which, as you might have guessed, has lots of homes, and by extension, inns. You can try one of the seven seed ones, they usually have a plethora of vacant rooms. That's the best place if you're looking for some kind of peace. No other inns in Midcity, and I don't really recommend Handulia or Kyrkogarde." she pointed around with her finger. "Fifty Silver, everywhere." she reminded.

Atomu breathed out.

"Can I have this?" Morio asked, with gleaming eyes.

"The map?" she asked.

"Mhm!" Morio smiled.

"I do have a few in the back but these get soaked by beer all the time." she pointed with her thumb. "There'll be another at the inn, but I doubt..." she stopped, before raising her eyebrows. "What are you doing?"

"I r-reckon you ought to pay for that." Jyuzou crossed his arms, turning to the woman, while Morio desperately copied everything he saw, flipping page after page in his journal. The woman chuckled, before shaking her head.

"Well then." Atomu glanced back. "No other answer. We'll have to find places to work in. Thank you for everything, miss-" Atomu eyed her.

"Phew." she let out some smoke from the cigar, leaning against the wall. "Ella."

"Mrs Ella, alright." Atomu nodded.

Morio and Jyuzou jumped off the stools and Atomu and Chyuuichi slowly headed to the exit downstairs.

"Ooh, one more thing, I almost forgot!" Morio uttered.

"Yeah?" Ella leaned closer.

"Have you met Mr Bancho?" he climbed up again, putting both hands on the edges of the counter.

"Bancho?" she raised her eyebrows.

"About your height, short grey hair, a beard, um, a grey coat, gloves. He rides on a black horse too." Morio explained. "Smaller than the ones here."

"No need for all that, Morian! Of course, I met Bancho, haha!" she snickered. "One of the few Morians here keeping me sane. Drinks like a beast too, but to get him drunk, oh man." she smiled. "Yeah."

Morio's eyes lit up.

"I guess I do know him. Everyone in Magna does."

"So, do you know where I could find him?" he asked.

"Eh?" she raised a brow, before moving forward. "Haven't seen the guy in seasons. How should I know?"

Morio's expression shifted, at that very moment. His smile disappeared, and Jyuzou glanced over, fixing his glasses.

"Wh-what do you mean?" Morio stepped off. "He told me we'd meet right here in town."

"I'd know if he came by, and I probably wouldn't even have to say a word," she admitted. "Sorry, kiddo."

Morio looked to the side, frowning. He glimpsed at the ground in disappointment.

"That Bancho?" Atomu whispered.

"Who's Bancho?" Chyuuichi answered.

Jyuzou walked up to Morio, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"It's okay." Morio nodded, breathing in. "We handled everything until now all by ourselves. He's going to come any minute now. I'm sure."

The two Morians stepped down the staircase, with Chyuuichi following suit. Atomu stood for a little while, unsurely glancing around.

"You." Ella pointed to the Paladian, who seemed startled. "Swing by in the evening. Have a couple of drinks, talk for a bit."

"Mmm." Atomu trembled a bit. "Am I really that interesting?"

"I'm mostly asking this since you're obviously the oldest, and the only one that should be drinking from that little team of yours." she shook her head. "...and yes. It looks like you have even more unanswered questions if I'm not mistaken."

Atomu slowly nodded.

"Exactly." she pointed. "See you, then."

"If I make enough money, that is." Atomu reached into his pouch, feeling the same forty-four Silver as before. He breathed out and headed to the exit.

***

Magna was divided into five districts, Midcity, Handulia, Homieo, Swania and Kyrkogarde.

The one the four found themselves in was no other than the Midcity, which spanned from the Birching Trees port to a small island with quaint cobble streets, going up and down, red roofs, long lines from window to window with different coats, vests or undershirts hanging from above.

Various staircases led up to different apartments or shops with pots of red or yellow flowers placed on the railings, next to long candles above the doors. If you stepped over the City Bridge, you'd find yourself on the main square, where if you stood right near the well, you'd get the best view of the statue of Darius.

All around were many tables, chairs or signs, open bars with cocoa, and people selling things on the street, however, there was an empty spot left, dictated by lighter and smoother stones placed in a star-like shape. No one was to sell on this plot, as it was reserved for special events, home to Eryk Nuil-Tukman's words.

Much of the buildings following the main square stuck with the same rule as they did for the island on the other side of the bridge. If you went further, following a row of red roofs, you'd find a castle-like line of buildings, placed next to an overhang, neighbouring a palace, with high, golden towers, a blue inside and a waterfall made for Eryk. The castle spanned a massive basement, which connected to the church of Shin, and the next few streets led to wooden boats, which would take you anywhere you'd like for only one silver.

The group set out on two separate boats, first making it to Swania, on the opposite side of the castle. As the man rowed, many tall towers were revealed, some fading into a crimson shade, with others basked in their grey glory, decorated with strangely shaped windows and long poles sticking out on the sides. Some Tributals sat inside those houses, carefully observing every citizen that passed through the waters, even though not everyone had a good reason to do so.

When the four stepped on the land, they were immediately greeted by a different feeling under their boots. The stone felt smooth, somehow even silky, and the roads led up many different stairy paths, which Tributals, and some Morians, trod to reach their refuge. Some towers were thinner, others, bigger with very sharp roofs, and small rectangular holes near their tops.

Big walls surrounded the towers, built from a thick red brick, and from time to time you could spot ladders reaching above the masonry and into the glassy gardens beneath the smaller buildings.

There weren't any shops, rather, a calm atmosphere and subtle notes of the bukra, (a piano fused with a wooden guitar, somehow) combined with an aroma of flowers. Swania was also filled with lots of birds flying by, either hanging around the rooftops or chirping somewhere above the masonry. Some of them were considered pets to the Tributals, while others gently flew by.

At first, the four looked out for some kind of job opportunity, perfectly knowing that staying at one of the two inns in Swania would end up in judgemental looks or strange comments. Tributals didn't hide their grudges, even if they had no reason for them. Simply put, Tributals were a race that always thought highly of themselves, with a judgy look in their eyes. However, if you were to meet one, they'd sometimes turn out to be a way nicer person than you'd think. They'd reveal their spiky, animal-like ears or swing their hair into ponytails, and give you a polite smile.

Morio eyed around carefully, slightly intimidated by their appearance. White robes, covered in colourful emblems of different flowers, animals or parts of nature, long hair, and beautiful stallions, way bigger than ones used in Wendigo or Mistwick. They passed through the main road and settled towards either two destinations, Handulia or Homieo.

Atomu gave Morio a strange look, and the white-haired sat on a boat, perched on the other stone shore of the isle.

"This boat's going to Homieo, Morio. We don't have any money," he added.

"I need a minute to breathe, and we can also start looking for a good inn," Morio replied, with a small smile.

"We need to earn money first, even the bare minimum. We won't have a place to sleep for the night if not. The sun's already setting, as well." Atomu looked up.

"Still doesn't mean that the day is over." Jyuzou continued.

Morio glanced at him, breathing out. "Just a bit of rest." he sighed, and Jyuzou glanced, with furrowed brows.

"No way!" Chyuuichi yelled out. "I'm not doing anything else until I hit a jackpot!"

"Jackpot?" Atomu slowly turned to him, scared.

"Precisely!" Chyuuichi raised a finger. "Just like Mrs Elba said!"

"Ella," Jyuzou muttered, correcting him.

Atomu breathed in. "Don't tell me you're thinking of-"

"GAMBLING!" Chyuuichi jumped up. "You've seen all the signs around the main square, eh?! I can win thousands of Silver with just some luck!" he raised his voice.

"This is an awful idea," Atomu muttered. "Ghh."

Morio breathed out, and the man standing near the boat's edge waved at him. Jyuzou turned to the two and then looked back at the other Morian, whose expression seemed to suggest something.

"W-We'll catch you later, then," Jyuzou said, sitting down next to Morio. "We'll find in you in Handulia once we find a good inn."

"Okay, then." Atomu sighed, eyes drifting towards the Mirillian. "Don't take too long," the Paladian took a silver coin from his pouch.

"Ah, no need," Jyuzou revealed the one Silver placed in his palm.

"Take one for the road back, though." Atomu smiled.

The Morian nodded, quickly accepting the gift. Morio glanced to the side, and the boat set out towards the lights, looming in the distance.

Atomu breathed out.

"Money, money! Here I come!" Chyuuichi rubbed his hands together, excitedly.

Handulia was, as you could guess, the best place for trading Silver in exchange for literally anything in the world. This district was very attractive to the handlers of Errarion, and often in Gorro, they came from all the places in the world to set up their storefront, even if for a few days, promising to give you rare items for a hefty price, or the other way around. Even in Yule, when it was cold out, people gathered in massive waves of crowds, but you wouldn't guess that when you first stepped onto the island.

From the port, it appeared as if it was nothing but another quiet part of town, filled with round small brick towers, bridges over the lumps of water below and triangular houses, with white designs embedded into the wall and chimneys, which pumped out smoke every so often. It once used to be similar to Homieo, until Eryk Nuil-Tukman took over, changing its name from Enencifan to Handulia, demanding that most shops and sellers move there and away from the whereabouts of his castle.

The deeper you went, the louder it got, and eventually, you reached the main Silvaria Street, with shining yellow lamps placed above the many markets, connected to tall stone buildings, where the sellers lived. In just a few minutes, you'd be gasping for air, trying to put the Silver coins on the table to get your hands on the rarest item you could find.

Animals roamed freely in Handulia, and most of them could be sold for money. Chickens, sheep, horses, and even deer were sometimes spotted. All that led to a bridge at the end of the island, which was once again, rather quiet, with a few inns and restaurants, which had many people sitting next to their reserved tables at night. The bridge, now darker and covered in moss, led to the other part of Handulia, which slowly, with its many islands, guided to the statue of Darius, transitioning into Kyrkogarde. People there often sold small souvenirs connected with Magna, but only in Herbes and Gorro.

With this many shops, came most job opportunities, connected with the shopping culture of Handulia. Most offers were for ten Silver an hour and had you standing around with a sign, pointing to a makeshift casino, much like in one part of Midcity. Other jobs included tending to the running animals, 12 SpH, secondary storefront runner, 15 SpH, a temporary waiter at the restaurants, 14 SpH with a bonus based on how many people were served, helping out at the inn, 12 SpH, cleaning rooms after someone left the inn, twenty Silver per room, and finally, physical work, such as carrying packages from one place to another.

It offered 30 Silver per hour, with a bonus of how much work you've done. You go to one store and ask to work for a specific man, who'll pay you when you tell him that you've finished for the day, tending to many of the sellers who signed a contract with him, and Atomu was especially keen on this offer.

"Cleaning, no." Atomu went through a list. "Making food for stalls? That'd fit Jyuzou better."