Chapter 6: A Day at the Inn

In this city, people tell time by the church bells.

First, they ring at sunrise, noon, and sunset.

Then there’s one between sunrise and noon called “midmorning,” and another between noon and sunset called “midafternoon.”

So they ring five times in total.

The city gates open at sunrise and close at sunset.

The inn’s day began before sunrise.

After the old man prepared the bread dough, he cleaned the entrance.

The landlady lit the stove and prepared soup and meat.

Their daughter quickly cleaned the dining area and served breakfast to guests wanting to leave the city at sunrise.

In those cases, they were served bread baked the previous day.

My job was cleaning the baths and toilets.

Once the sunrise bell rang, we’d squeeze in our own breakfast whenever we found the chance.

The old man showed me how to wrap packed lunches so they’d be easy to carry.

Apparently, once I got used to it, that would become my responsibility.

The commuting employees arrived and helped with serving and cleaning in the dining area.

Freshly baked bread, soup, and assorted platters were brought out.

Some customers complained there was too much food, others that there wasn’t enough, making the place lively and noisy.

The old man handled the payments.

He warned me to be careful because some customers tried to haggle.

Once guests checked out, we cleaned the rooms, collected the sheets, and checked for forgotten items.

If there were animals being kept in the stable, we took care of those too.

When the midmorning bell rang, we did laundry, shopping, and repairs.

Part of it was due to the building getting old, but guests also broke things, so it felt like we were repairing something almost every day.

Lunch was bread stuffed with ingredients and tea, followed by a short break.

This was also when work-related discussions and consultations took place.

Once the noon bell rang, the dining area became extremely busy.

The regular customers included city craftsmen and traveling merchants.

Some adventurers who hadn’t found good jobs drank ale during the day.

Once the number of customers started decreasing, the landlady began preparing ingredients for dinner.

The old man organized the lodging records and supply ledgers.

That was when I got my break.

The moment I sat down, I blacked out.

Apparently, I’d fallen asleep sitting there.

When the midafternoon bell rang, we prepared the rooms for arriving guests.

We chopped firewood, heated the baths, and prepared lamps and candles.

By the time the sunset bell rang, the first floor was in chaos with newly arrived guests and returning adventurers.

Sometimes the adventurers came back covered in mud and blood.

Serious injuries were treated at the temple, but for lighter wounds, we helped with first aid ourselves.

Once things settled down, it was time for dinner.

Only guests who requested dinner were served, so at most there were sixteen people.

Compared to earlier, it was a relatively calm period with some breathing room, and the commuting employees went home before this.

Apparently, the place used to operate as a tavern, but they stopped once the daughter reached a delicate age.

The landlady strongly opposed it because dealing with drunkards could become dangerous for her.

We ate dinner ourselves, then cleaned up the dishes and tables.

One by one, everyone took a bath.

The landlady extinguished the stove fire.

The old man checked that all the doors were locked, and the day finally came to an end.

By then, I was completely exhausted and slept like a log.

…Can I really find time to prepare for becoming an adventurer like this?