You figure you'll be able to stretch out your alcohol supply just long enough to get your next shipment and you'll just have to hope for the best.



That very night you're already getting comments that the ale doesn't taste quite as strong, this results in the miners ordering MORE ale since they aren't getting drunk on what you're currently giving them. This means you end up having less alcohol to stretch things out.



By the end of the week, you're getting loud verbal complaints about the ale, and outright accusations that it tastes like water. Several miners are insulted and leave the inn claiming that they've been loyal patrons here for so long and that they don't need to be treated like this. You attempt to explain, but they shove you out of the way and tell you to go back to your fancy college.



"I wish I could." You quietly say to yourself.



You aren't optimistic about the rest of the month. Sure there's still adventurers and the odd wanderer, but not enough to turn a profit before you get in the next shipment. This still wouldn't be so bad except it's going to be time to pay Mr. Reynolds soon and you're going to fall short again.



Your mother can't bare to see you get hurt again and suggests forgetting all about the inn and just taking off with all the remaining money you have and going to live with your crazy aunt Enora.

You stick around

"Do you think you'd still be able to get a good price for this place?" you ask your mother.

"Yeah, but not before next payment! That's why we just need to get out of the city now!"



You grab what payment you can afford and start heading for the door.



"What're you doing?!"

"I'm going to see Mr. Reynolds early."

"What?! You can't! He'll kill you!"

"No, he'll have me beaten. Look, if we leave he's just going to track us down and he probably will kill us by that time. If I pay him this now, I'll take a beating, but he's going to figure I'm still a source of income for him. We can then pay it off completely when you sell this place. Afterwards, well we'll see what happens."



Your mother still doesn't want you to go, but you're determined so she doesn't stand in your way. You walk several blocks into bad neighborhoods half expecting to get mugged on your way to see him, but for once luck is on your side. Mr. Reynolds sits at his desk counting coins with both of his goons beside him as usual.



"Well this is unexpected, what can I do for you today m'boy?"

"This is all we can afford for this payment. I guarantee the next one will be much bigger." You say plopping the bag of coins on his desk.



He lifts the bag and frowns at its weight.

"Feels a little light kid. You do realize what's going to happen next right?"

"Yes, that's why I came early to get it over with." You say trying to sound brave.

"Heh, you're trying your best to be brave, but I know deep down inside you're terrified. It's okay, you should be. (Sigh) Olaf. Reggie. Just beat him up, don't break any bones, I'm in a good mood today."



Olaf approaches you with a little disappointment that he doesn't get to break any bones today, but he still takes glee in punching you in the face. Reggie picks you up and holds you while Olaf beats on you some more. You try not to think about the pain, but instead try to think about how it's absolutely amazing that Olaf manages to pull his punches enough that he doesn't break anything. It's the odd ogre that can show restraint during violence.



Olaf does fail eventually though, when everyone hears an awful crunch sound and blood flies everywhere from your nose which is now completely broken.



"Oh Olaf, I told you not to break anything! All right he's had enough, drop him Reggie." Mr. Reynolds orders and steps from his behind his desk to speak to you.



"That's two times I've been lenient kid. Next time, well for your sake there better not be a fucking next time because you're not exactly the hardy type to take beatings like this. Olaf carry this kid back to his inn, he can't make it home in his condition."



You don't even remember what happens in the next few moments since you're drifting in and out of consciousness. When Olaf arrives at the inn he dumps your limp body inside and walks off. Your mother makes sure you're still alive and somehow manages to get you to crawl to the bed of one of the empty rooms.



During the remaining week the inn stays open to make a last bit of change before closing for good and selling to the city. Some of the miners seem a little sad by it, but there were so many changes within such a short period of time that most seemed content on finding a new place since the old one wasn't like how it used to be anymore.



When the inn is sold off, you barely make enough to cover the debt, but at least you and your mother aren't in any immediate danger now.



Your mother finds work as a cook for a short time, but eventually decides she can't really stand living in the city without your father anymore. She leaves to go live with your aunt Enora in Teckleville, which is to the east on the outskirts of the Delantium Kingdom.



After a long time of the inn just sitting untended and forgotten due to the council having more pressing matters and red tape, it's broken into by several homeless people who use it as a place to sleep. The homeless are soon ousted by a local gang who use it as a safe house. Eventually though they cause enough trouble that the Klyton Militia has to take severe action and storm the place, resulting in a small fire.



At this point someone in the council finally notices it, decides that the place isn't worth salvaging and proposes that it be knocked down to build a medical clinic in its place to try to uplift the area. The motion passes.



As for you, you find a job thanks to your education level, but it isn't anywhere in the field that you would've liked. You're a clerk in tax office, filing away items, straightening out reports and such. You never really move up and you never make enough money to save away to get ahead either.



You don't really have a bad life so much as a mind numbingly mundane one. You do have your good days, but ultimately you never really achieve your goals and always have a sense of dissatisfaction with your life.



Sometimes you look back and wonder where you exactly went wrong with the inn and how you could've done things differently.



You'll never know.