While searching for the Infinite Tavern, he encountered a massive door. Tens of thousands of people were going in and out through this door. Judging by their armor and weapons, anyone could enter regardless of their level.
The door's most striking feature was that its interior was completely invisible — only a mysterious beam of blue light filled the doorway, making it impossible to see what was on the other side. Though this strange sight made him a bit uneasy, he felt reassured seeing the adventurers around him pass through without hesitation. Taking a few steps toward the door, he merged into the constantly moving crowd and let himself fall into the blue light.
Inside was an enormous tavern. Hundreds of adventurers sat at tables stretching as far as the eye could see; some chatting with their group mates, others examining the quest board while eating their meals. Along the tavern's walls, adventurers walked to and from their rooms through corridors, while some browsed room rental notices. The massive quest board hanging from the ceiling gleamed with thousands of notices, with crowds below competing to grab the best quests. From every corner rose conversations in different languages, laughter, and the clink of swords and armor.
"This place is enormous!" he said while his eyes scanned the surroundings. "I should go get something to eat... but wait! Have I earned any gold?"
He immediately opened his inventory and started searching.
"Found it! I have 170 gold. I think I can get something nice with this," he said and headed toward the crowded counters. Staff behind the counters were serving customers.
Before he could even speak with the staff, a notification screen appeared in front of him as he approached the counters.
[What would you like to purchase?]
[Food] [Drinks] [Room]
He pressed Food.
[Bucket of Wyrmling Wings - 10 Gold]
Wyrmling wings marinated in their own scales, fried in Fire Flower sauce. Served with french fries.
[Troll's Hunter Stew - 20 Gold]
Wild boar meat hunted by mountain trolls, cooked in giant cauldrons with underground mushrooms and root vegetables. Served with dwarf bread.
[Wizard's Magic Pasta - 5 Gold]
Color-changing special pasta prepared in cream and Moonlight Mushroom sauce. Served sprinkled with Fairy Dust.
[Merfolk's Soup - 10 Gold]
Soup made from deep-sea fish, seaweed, and shellfish, prepared with Merfolk chefs' special recipe.
The menu continued downward. He rested his chin on his hand and carefully examined the descriptions.
"What a strange menu... Even though the names and descriptions are weird, I want to try them all."
He pressed Drinks.
[Dragon's Breath Wine - 15 Gold]
Wine made from grapes grown in the Dragon Mountains, has a lightly smoky and spicy taste. Makes light smoke come out of your mouth while drinking.
[Forest Fairy Nectar - 8 Gold]
Nectar distilled from hundreds of flower essences, temporarily gives the drinker's mouth a slight sparkle. A sweet and refreshing drink.
[Goblin Beer - 3 Gold]
Beer fermented with goblin masters' secret recipe, has a sharp and strong taste. Don't let its greenish color frighten you.
[Glacier Water - 5 Gold]
Snow collected from the Eternal Glaciers, kept in special crystal decanters. Never melts and invigorates the drinker.
The drinks menu was as interesting as the food. The list continued.
"Well, what's this room thing about?"
He pressed Room.
[Basic Room - 1 Gold/Night or 150 Gold Purchase]
A simple but comfortable room with a single bed, wardrobe, and desk. Shared bathroom.
[Adventurer's Suite - 50 Gold/Night or 5,000 Gold Purchase]
Double bed, weapon rack, armor stand, and private bathroom. Magical window shows views from different realms.
[Guild Room - 500 Gold/Night or 50,000 Gold Purchase]
Spacious room for four, with conference table and strategy board. Private bathroom, equipment maintenance corner, and magical storage chests included. Equipped with special communication crystal. Special portal access provided for guild members.
[Wizard's Tower - 1000 Gold/Night or 100,000 Gold Purchase]
Three-story tower room with spiral staircase. Includes magic laboratory, library, and observation terrace. Features self-illuminating crystals on walls, floating light spheres, and self-writing magical quills. Laboratory is stocked with all materials and tools for potion-making (materials can be restocked upon request or specific materials can be added for a fee). Library contains self-updating maps and audio books. Observation terrace includes magical telescope for stargazing and runic weather measurement tools.
[Knight's Headquarters - 1000 Gold/Night or 100,000 Gold Purchase]
Spacious suite with armor room, weapons hall, and private training area. Features specialized armor maintenance station and weapon sharpening tools. Training area includes dummy targets, weight equipment, and various exercise machines. Includes private stable rights and mount care services.
"Wow!" he said, eyes sparkling. "You can even buy a permanent place here..." He checked his gold inventory again. "I have 170 gold... Should I get the basic room?"
"Hmm... Paying 1 gold per day for rent on the basic room seems reasonable. But maybe buying would be better? 150 gold... almost all my money would be gone, but at least I'd have a permanent place."
After thinking a while longer, he weighed his options. Paying rent daily for a basic room would be more expensive in the long run. On the other hand, while paying a large sum now to buy the room would be difficult at first, it would pay for itself later. Plus, having a permanent place would give him confidence and would be an important step in his adventurer career. After going back and forth between all these thoughts, he finally made his decision.
"Yes, I'll buy it! If I want to be an adventurer, I need my own base of operations. Maybe I'll save up for a bigger room later."
He clicked on the Basic Room option and selected the purchase option. He paid 150 gold and the system displayed a notification:
[Congratulations! You now own a room in the Infinite Tavern. Your room number: 26112004]
"Great! But what a big number..." he said with a smile. The room key had appeared in his inventory. "Now I have a place to rest. I have 20 gold left, I can use that to fill my stomach."
He bought a Bucket of Wyrmling Wings and Glacier Water. After confirming his order, a tray appeared in his hands.
Looking at the tray, he saw perfectly fried wings coated in a red-orange sauce that looked crispy. Alongside were arranged golden, crispy french fries. Steam was still rising from the food, releasing a spicy and appetizing aroma.
In the tall crystal glass beside it was ice-cold, clear water. Small ice crystals had formed around the glass, and the water inside sparkled as if stars were dancing in it. Even the glass itself was frosted from the cold.
He looked around for an empty table. Finding a suitable spot, he walked over and sat down.
"They look delicious! Time to dig in."
At the first bite, the crispy coating of the Wyrmling Wing dissolved in his mouth. When the spicy and slightly hot sauce met his tongue, his eyes lit up with pleasure. The meat was so tender it almost separated from the bone by itself. The potatoes were fried to perfection too — crispy on the outside, soft on the inside.
When he took a sip of the Glacier Water, he startled at the feeling of refreshment spreading down his throat. The water was so cold it was like drinking snow from mountain peaks. With each sip, crystals danced in his mouth and his tongue became slightly numb.
"Mmm..." he murmured while finishing the last bite on his plate. With the satisfaction of having filled his stomach, he leaned back in his chair and folded his hands over his belly. "I didn't expect it to be this delicious. Definitely worth the money!"