52 A House of Secrets

Gerard stood before his favourite receptionist at the adventurer's guild.

"Camilla, I know we come to you for everything, but could I trouble you for a non-guild related question?"

"Yes, what is it, Gerard?" Camilla sighed, not even attempting to hide her displeasure.

"Would you know where we can look for a house to purchase?"

"A house? What's your budget? A few people specialise in buying and selling houses in Solares."

"I'd like to spend two platinum coins or less. And would you be able to change over some gold for me here?"

"Just how much?"

"Three hundred?"

"Not here, no. The National Bank can change that for you, and a couple of buildings down is Harry's Home Hunting agency."

"That business sounds shady."

"For your price range in Solares, that's the only place I know."

"Thank you again, Camilla."

"Wait a minute, Esma brought some clothing for you, and a request has been made for you and Sprite personally by another client." Camilla stepped out the back and returned with Gerard's tunic, coat and a quest.

"The Blue Beast of the Mountains is causing havoc in the western forests. Please get rid of it." Gerard read the quest aloud.

"So?"

"It doesn't include many details, but we can try. What do you think, Sprite?"

"I didn't get to test my strength during the heis-"

Gerard quickly covered Sprite's mouth.

"You mean during our last mission? Yes, I agree. Seeing just how much stronger we've become could be fun. We'll take it."

*Sorry...* Sprite pursed her lips and looked up at him like a sad puppy.

*It's okay.*

"Then I'll let the client know you've accepted it."

"Who is the client?"

"They wish to remain anonymous."

"Interesting..." Gerard smiled mischievously.

"I won't reveal their identity. Guild confidentiality."

"Fine." Gerard pouted.

---

Gerard followed directions given by Camilla and brought Alder to the bank. After a grand commotion about a monster entering the building, he successfully changed his gold into three platinum coins.

"Did you see the look on their faces?" Sprite bellowed as they left the bank.

"Well, I couldn't help it. I wasn't going to carry an extra two hundred coins. That's stupidly heavy."

"True. Just the fifty in my pack was getting annoying."

Gerard took Alder back to Donny's stables before returning to the bank.

"So, this place is supposed to be just down the road from the bank?"

"That's what Camilla said."

The wooden building stood out amidst the other brick and stone establishments along the busy street. Its age was evident in the faded paint and creaking boards that groaned with every gust of wind. The shingles on the roof were weathered and curled at the edges.

The building's exterior had a rough and unfinished look to it, with jagged edges on the wooden beams and uneven gaps in the planks. The front door was a large and heavy wooden slab with a metal latch that hung slightly off-kilter. Above the door, a worn and faded sign swung gently in the breeze, reading 'Houses for Sale' in peeling gold letters.

"This has to be the place, right? It's so-"

"Shady."

"Yeah..."

Gerard opened the door to see a man with a ragged suit standing behind a ramshackle counter. The man smiled with a mostly toothless grin.

"Welcome to Harry's Home Hunting agency. I'm Harry; how may I assist you today?"

"Uh, what's the cheapest house you have for sale that would suit two adventurers?"

"Please show me your citizenship before we continue."

Harry sat two pieces of stained paper on the desk between them, and Gerard and Sprite touched one. The information about their citizenship slid onto the paper, and after Harry looked over the documents, he smiled.

"I might have just the house you're looking for."

---

The old abandoned two-storey building stood tall and lifeless, surrounded by overgrown grass and weeds almost as tall as Sprite. A rusty iron fence surrounded the property, and through the gate, a cracked cement path led to the front door, and small rocks and debris littered the path. The building was constructed from a mixture of grey stone and dark wood. Moss and algae covered the roof. Many of the windows were boarded up with old, rotting planks of wood.

The front door was large and heavy, made of dark-stained wood and cobwebs hung from the corners of the door frame. The building seemed to exude a sense of abandonment and decay, as if time itself forgot about it, but the building showed no signs of damage.

"Why is everything except the house itself damaged?" Gerard looked at Harry curiously.

"Well, that's one of the mysteries of the house! Much unknown magic is still affecting it, and for some reason, time does not have any effect on the structure or interior of the building."

"Can we enter?"

"Of course!" Harry grabbed a key from his pocket and unlocked the front door.

He gestured for Gerard to enter first. As Gerard pushed open the heavy wooden door of the large dusty house, he was greeted by the musty scent of neglect that permeated the air. He coughed as a plume of dust escaped through the door.

A thick layer of dust coated every surface. In the living room, the plush velvet sofas and armchairs were still luxuriously upholstered. The intricate carvings on each of the armchair's ornate wooden frames had cobwebs hanging in the corners like wispy drapes.

Sprite took one look at the filth inside the house and stepped back outside.

*Are you okay?*

*I don't like spiders...*

*I'll finish up soon, and I'll get someone to clean the house if we buy it.*

*I'll wait out here, then.*

"Is everything okay?"

"Yes, my companion doesn't feel well. Let's continue."

"Of course!"

As Gerard moved further into the room, he saw the remnants of what was once a grand piano, now a broken and dishevelled heap of wood and strings. The mantlepiece above the fireplace still held vases, and a painting hung on the wall. Gerard wiped the dust from the artwork to reveal a landscape with a city similar to Solares as the focal point.

"As you can see, the previous owner spared no expense with their taste in furniture. The piano is the only damaged piece of furniture in the building, I assure you. Just imagine the relaxing atmosphere of sitting in these chairs with the flames crackling in the fireplace!"

The windows, which would have let in streams of light in better days, were now covered in thick cobwebs and grime. The dust was so thick that the sunlight that filtered through the filth looked like a muted amber haze. The house's silence was broken only by the occasional skittering of tiny creatures and the scuttle of large spiders across the floor. Gerard could hear the creak of his footsteps as he made his way through the room, disturbing the dust that had settled like a fine powder over everything.

Despite the dilapidated state of the house, there was still a sense of grandeur about the space, as if the house still held onto the memories of its former glory. The high ceilings and wide corridors seemed to beckon Gerard further into the house, daring him to explore its secrets and uncover its mysteries.

Much of the house was more of the same, but Gerard stopped when they reached the kitchen.

"This..." Gerard stared at the room before him.

"Yes?" Harry asked nervously.

"This kitchen is completely functional?"

"From what information I've gathered, that seems to be the case, yes."

The large hearth, once used for cooking, was now cold and filled with ash. Beside the hearth rested a fire-heated oven. A collection of pots and pans hung from hooks on the walls, still in remarkable condition. A marble bench sat in the centre of the room for food preparation. A layer of dust covered the bench, as were the shelves that lined the walls, filled with old cooking utensils and jars of dried herbs and pickled fruits and vegetables.

A large sink stood against the wall, filled with murky water. A few mice scurried across the floor, looking for any scraps of food that the previous owner may have left.

In the corner of the room, a large cupboard stood, its doors slightly ajar. Inside, rows of crockery and glasses glinted dully in the dim light. A few spiders had made their homes among the cups and saucers, scurrying away as Gerard opened the cupboard doors wider. This space had seen countless meals cooked and memories made, and even now, it held a sense of warmth and familiarity.

*Why does it feel like I'm home?* Gerard's hair stood on end.

"If you like this, wait until you see my favourite part of the house."

"Let's see it, then."

Harry guided him back to the hall and past the staircase into a small room in the back. As Harry opened the next door, Gerard smiled in response to the view.

The air was thick with steam, which rose from the heated water below. The bath was lined with smooth, polished stones that were warm to the touch and filled with water that shimmered and glinted in the flickering light of the fire elementals beneath the water's surface. Glowing crystals were housed in the walls of the bathhouse; their bright purple light illuminated the room.

As Gerard made his way into the room, he noticed two large slime monsters, one slithering across the floor and the other on the walls. The slimes appeared to be in the process of cleaning the grime from the tiles and walls of the bath, leaving them sparkling and pristine.

The ceiling was high and vaulted, with skylights that let in the bright sunlight during the day and would show the twinkling stars at night. The floor felt warm and soothing beneath Gerard's feet.

Fire elementals crackled and hissed in containers beneath the water's surface, providing the heat that made the bath so inviting and the steam so thick.

Gerard couldn't help but feel a sense of peace and relaxation. Gerard swished his hand through the warm water while the soothing atmosphere worked its magic on him.

Surely, this bath would ease the day's tensions and leave him feeling renewed and refreshed.

Gerard tried to contain his excitement.

"It's not bad. What else is there?"

"We have what I would assume to be a library between here and the living room, but the door won't open. Beside the bathroom, there's a strange contraption, but I can't understand what the use is. Upstairs, we have three bedrooms, another door that won't budge, and then there's the attic."

Gerard viewed the mentioned contraption. The design was crude, and it felt like sitting on a block of wood with a hole in the middle, but it was still a flushable toilet.

"Do you know where the hole leads?"

"There's a pipe out the back that goes underground. I think that might be it."

*The sewers? What kind of man built something like this in a world without science?*

"Thank you. I'd like to see the bedrooms and the attic now."

Harry led Gerard upstairs and opened the first door on the right. The walls were covered in floral wallpaper, and cobwebs draped from the ceiling corners. Despite its dusty appearance, the room had a regal air to it. A four-poster bed with rich red curtains stood in the centre of the room, its ornately carved headboard towering above Gerard. The bedding was once vibrant but now lay covered in dust.

To the left of the bed, a mahogany wardrobe with brass handles and hinges stood tall. Gerard couldn't resist the temptation to peek inside, and he saw that the wardrobe was filled with clothes from a bygone era. Elegant clothing with intricate designs hung neatly, waiting for their owner to wear them again.

On the opposite wall stood a large wooden desk with a matching chair pulled up to it. The desk was littered with papers, books and a quill and inkwell. A crystal chandelier hung above, its once sparkling surface now dull and dusty.

In the corner of the room were a plush armchair and an ottoman, both upholstered in a deep red velvet. A small side table next to the chair held a vase of wilted flowers.

Gerard viewed the other two bedrooms but found much of the same before Harry pulled down a staircase leading to the attic. Gerard climbed the steps and entered the final room of the house.

The attic of the abandoned two-story house was a spacious, open room with a high, sloping ceiling that peaked at the centre. It was completely empty, devoid of any furniture or decor. The only things that occupied the space were a few scattered cobwebs and dust particles that danced in the beams of sunlight that filtered through the small windows near the roof.

"How much?" Gerard turned to Harry, who was clasping their hands together.

"At three platinum coins, I'm practically giving this house away!"

"Since there are dangers, inaccessible rooms, enchantments, and all of the cleaning that needs doing, how about we make it one platinum coin and fifty gold?" Gerard nonchalantly approached one of the windows to peer out into the street.

"I can go as low as two platinum and fifty gold."

"Two, or you can try selling this to other buyers."

"Deal. Let's go back to my business and finalise the details there."

Gerard met up with Sprite outside and discussed his findings before following Harry back to his office.

"If you'll just accept this contract..." Harry set out a piece of pristine paper with the contract details scrawled across the page.

Gerard looked over the document and, when happy, sat two platinum coins on the bench before touching the contract and watching his arm absorb the ink.

"Thank you, Harry."

"My pleasure! If you're ever looking to buy another house, please visit me again."

Gerard left the dilapidated building with Sprite in tow.

"So we can really bathe there, and we don't need to use chamber pots or latrines anymore?" Sprite skipped around like a child.

"Yes, it's better than I could have hoped for! Even if we can't get those doors open, it was well worth the money." Gerard greedily rubbed his hands together.

"But it will be cleaned soon, right?"

"That's why we're going to see Brutus now."

"Brutus?"

---

Gerard knocked on the door of Brutus' cottage and waited until the smiling giant came out.

"This isn't another illegal activity you're asking of me, is it?"

"Not at all. I would like to hire you to clean my new house with your magic. How much would you charge for that?"

"Oh, a paying job? I'll do it for a gold piece. What needs cleaning?"

"The entire house is covered in dust, cobwebs and creepy crawlies."

"And repairs?"

"None are necessary since some sort of enchantment kept the house in perfect condition."

"You didn't buy the madman's house, did you?"

"Madman?"

"Rumour has it, a powerful magic user lived in that house for as long as anyone could remember, but ten years ago, he just disappeared."

"That makes sense. Some doors in that house wouldn't open, the furniture and building itself is immaculate, and I get a feeling when I'm in there like I've always meant to be there."

"Well, I know where it is, so I can get to work tomorrow if you want."

"I'll give you three gold pieces if you get to work now?" Gerard took the gold from his coin purse.

"You bought a house and are now throwing gold pieces around..." Brutus eyed him off, "Should I even ask?"

"I was gifted a small fortune. It was in no way gained illegally. That's all I will say, though."

"We all have our secrets. Let's get this done, then!"

"Sprite and I are heading out for dinner. Here's the key to the house, and I should get back before you're done."

"I'll ensure you don't even recognise it when you arrive."

"I have high expectations for you, Brutus."