It was cold over the estate, its stone walls golden and darkness across the courtyard in the early morning. Ryo stood at his window and watched Thomas slowly traversing the garden. Today was a day of departure.
His belongings fit into a single traveling pack—a few changes of clothes, some basic tools Thomas had recommended, and a small purse containing his inheritance. The rest of his possessions, accumulated over twenty-two years of noble life, would remain with the estate. He found he didn't miss any of it.
A knock at his door interrupted his morning observations.
"Come in."
Anna entered carrying a covered basket and wearing an expression caught between excitement and melancholy. "Good morning, Master Aldric. I brought you something for the journey."
She set the basket on his table and pulled back the cloth covering. Inside were fresh loaves of bread, wrapped cheese, dried fruit, and several small jars that smelled of herbs and honey.
"Anna, this is too much."
"It's not charity," she said quickly. "It's payment."
"Payment?"
"For teaching me to think about cooking differently. Before yesterday, I was just following recipes blindly. Now I understand that I can improve it." Her cheeks reddened slightly. "Cook says I can help with the household meals now, not just practice batches. That's worth more than some travel food."
Ryo accepted the basket, touched by the gesture despite himself. "Thank you. This means a great deal to me."
"There's something else." Anna pulled a small cloth-wrapped bundle from her apron. "Seeds from the herb garden. Thomas helped me select varieties that grow well in different conditions. He said the soil around Millbrook should be good for most of them."
The weight of the seed packets felt significant in his hands. Here were the beginnings of his own garden, his own kitchen, his own life.
"Anna—"
"I also wrote down some recipes," she continued in a rush. "Simple ones to start with, and notes about the techniques we discussed. And instructions for maintaining sourdough starter, which keeps better than regular yeast for people who don't bake every day."
The notebook she pressed into his hands was clearly her own, filled with careful handwriting and small sketches of different bread shapes. She'd given him her personal collection of culinary knowledge.
"I can't accept this. It's too valuable."
"It's a copy," Anna said firmly. "I spent half the night writing it out. Besides, what good is knowledge if you don't share it?"
Before Ryo could respond, she stood on her toes and gave him a quick, sisterly hug. "Be well, Master Aldric. And write to us when you have the inn properly running. I want to hear about everything you learn."
After Anna left, Ryo finished his packing and made his way to the garden. Thomas was waiting beside a small wagon loaded with supplies.
"Figured you'd need more than just seeds," the old gardener said gruffly. "Got you some basic tools, a few starter plants that should survive the journey, and a bag of the good compost. Can't build proper soil overnight, but this'll give you a foundation."
"Thomas, I don't know how to thank you."
"Don't thank me yet. Wait until you see what shape that Millbrook garden is in." Thomas handed him a leather-bound journal. "This is forty years of notes on what grows well in this region, when to plant, how to handle common problems. Most of it should apply to where you're going."
Ryo opened the journal to find detailed observations in Thomas's neat handwriting. Planting schedules, soil amendment recipes, weather patterns, pest management strategies—a lifetime of accumulated knowledge.
"This is your life's work."
"That's why I'm sharing it. Life's work isn't worth much if it dies with you." Thomas clasped his shoulder firmly. "You've got the patience for gardening, boy. That's rarer than you might think."
The journey to Millbrook took most of the day, winding through countryside that grew wilder and less cultivated as they traveled away from the estate. Ryo rode in the wagon beside James, a middle-aged driver who'd worked for the family for over a decade.
"Haven't been to Millbrook in near two years," James said as they crested a hill that revealed the village below. "Used to be a regular stop for supply runs when the inn was operating."
The village spread along both sides of a modest river, connected by a stone bridge that looked older than the surrounding buildings. Perhaps forty houses clustered around a central square, with fields extending into the surrounding hills. Smoke rose from several chimneys, and Ryo could see people moving about their daily business.
"Quiet place," James continued. "Honest folk, mostly. Farmers, a blacksmith, miller, the usual trades. They'll be glad to have the inn open again—brought them good business from travelers on the northern road."
The inn sat slightly apart from the main village, positioned where the road split to cross the bridge or continue north toward the capital. The building looked solid despite two years of abandonment—stone foundations, timber frame, slate roof. But the windows were shuttered, the yard overgrown, and an air of neglect hung over the entire property.
"Needs work," James observed unnecessarily.
They pulled up beside the front door, where a man waited with an official-looking document case. Middle-aged, well-dressed, with the careful posture of someone accustomed to formal transactions.
"Master Aldric? I'm Garrett Millson, your father's steward. I have the papers for the property transfer."
The legal formalities took less time than Ryo had expected. A few signatures, a brief inspection to confirm the building's condition, and the deed changed hands. Suddenly, he owned property for the first time in either life.
"The previous owner left most of the furnishings," Garrett explained as they toured the interior. "Basic kitchen equipment, tables and chairs for the common room, beds for the guest chambers upstairs. Nothing fancy, but functional."
The inn's layout felt immediately comfortable to Ryo. A large common room dominated the ground floor, with a substantial fireplace and enough space for perhaps thirty patrons. The kitchen connected directly, well-equipped despite its abandonment. Upstairs, six guest rooms of varying sizes surrounded a central hallway.
"Water comes from a well behind the building," Garrett continued. "Deep and reliable, according to the records. The cellar should be dry enough for storage, and there's a small stable for travelers' horses."
After the steward departed, James helped Ryo unload the wagon. The supplies from the estate—tools, seeds, preserved foods, the precious notebook collection—transformed the empty inn into the beginning of a home.
"You sure about this, Master Aldric?" James asked as he prepared to leave. "It's not too late to change your mind. Your father would take you back if you asked."
Ryo looked around the common room, imagining it filled with travelers sharing meals and stories. "I'm sure. This feels right."
James nodded slowly. "Well then, good luck to you. I'll be back in a month or so to check how you're settling in."
As the wagon rolled away, Ryo found himself alone with his new life for the first time. The silence felt different from the estate's controlled quiet—wilder, more open to possibility.
He spent the remaining daylight hours exploring the property thoroughly. The inn itself was structurally sound, though it would need cleaning and minor repairs before opening to guests. The stable could house six horses comfortably. The cellar was indeed dry, perfect for storing food and brewing supplies.
But it was the garden that captured his attention completely.
What had once been carefully tended beds now grew wild with weeds and volunteer plants. But underneath, Ryo could see the bones of a sophisticated growing system. Raised beds arranged for efficient watering. A composting area positioned to catch morning sun. Trellises for climbing plants, though the original vines had either died or grown completely wild.
Thomas had been right—this would take significant work. But the foundation was solid, and some of the herbs had survived neglect to reseed themselves. He recognized rosemary, thyme, and what might be sage among the weeds.
[Passive Growth System - New Location Detected]
Environment Bonus: Owned Property (+25% to all skill growth)
Available Projects: Building Maintenance, Garden Restoration, Business Management
Recommendation: Establish daily routines to maximize skill development
As it turn dark, Ryo lit a fire in the common room and prepared a simple meal from Anna's provisions. The bread tasted even better here, in his own kitchen, eaten at his own table.
Ryo has things to start tomorrow in his mind. He'll begin turning the abandoned building into a functioning inn. Outside his window, the village of Millbrook settled into evening quiet.