Ryo woke to unfamiliar sounds—birds he didn't recognize, wind through different trees, the distant lowing of cattle. For a moment, the stone walls and wooden beams confused him. But it quiet satisfaction he'd never felt waking up anywhere else.
Sunlight streamed through the common room windows as he descended the stairs. The inn felt different in daylight—larger, more substantial. Dust motes danced in the golden air, and he could see the full extent of what needed attention.
Everything, basically.
But the prospect didn't daunt him. If anything, the scope of work ahead felt liberating. No deadlines imposed by others, no artificial urgency, no metrics to optimize except his own satisfaction.
He built a fire in the kitchen hearth and prepared breakfast from Anna's provisions—bread, cheese, and tea brewed from herbs she'd packed. Simple food, but it tasted better than any business lunch he'd ever endured.
As he ate, Ryo studied Thomas's journal, planning his first day's priorities. The gardening notes suggested starting with soil assessment and basic cleaning before attempting any planting. Sound advice for both garden and inn.
The main priority was obvious: the inn needed to be habitable before it could serve guests. But habitability could be achieved gradually, room by room, task by task. No need to tackle everything at once.
[Passive Growth System - Daily Routine Detected]
Morning Planning Session: +5% efficiency to all daily activities
Structured Approach Bonus: Projects will develop systematic skill growth
Current Active Skills: Gardening (0.2), Cooking (0.3), Observation (0.1)
Ryo dismissed the notification and finished his tea. Time to begin.
He started with the common room, the inn's heart and the space guests would see first. The previous owners had left basic furniture—wooden tables and chairs, benches along the walls, a long bar counter. Everything was well-made but thick with dust and grime.
Cleaning, Ryo discovered, was more complex than he'd expected. Different materials required different approaches. The wooden surfaces needed gentle treatment to avoid damage, while the stone hearth could handle more aggressive scrubbing. The process demanded attention, patience, and systematic thinking.
Exactly the kind of work that appealed to him.
[Passive Growth System - Activity Detected]
New Skill Discovered: Cleaning
Current Level: 0.1
Synergy Bonus: Systematic approach (+15% skill growth)
Hours passed without his notice. Ryo worked steadily through the common room, learning as he went. Which cloths worked best on which surfaces. How to clean thoroughly without waste or damage. The satisfaction of seeing grime give way to underlying quality.
"Excuse me?"
The voice startled him from his concentration. A young woman stood in the open doorway, silhouetted against the afternoon sun. She was perhaps twenty, with practical clothes and the kind of callused hands that spoke of regular work.
"I'm sorry," she continued, "I saw smoke from the chimney and wondered if someone was staying here."
Ryo set down his cleaning cloth and approached the door. "I'm the new owner. Aldric Ravenspire."
The woman's eyes widened slightly. "The new owner? But this place has been empty for two years."
"I bought it from my father yesterday. I'm planning to reopen it."
"Really?" Her expression shifted from surprise to cautious hope. "That would be wonderful for the village. I'm Elena Brightwater, by the way. My family has a farm just down the road."
"Pleased to meet you, Elena."
She peered past him into the common room, taking in the half-finished cleaning. "You're doing this work yourself?"
"Is that unusual?"
"Well, most noble families would hire workers for this kind of thing."
Ryo considered his response. Elena seemed straightforward, practical. The kind of person who might appreciate honest answers.
"I want to understand how everything works. Hard to manage something properly if you don't know the details."
Elena nodded approvingly. "That's sensible. My father always said you can't lead what you don't understand." She hesitated. "Would you mind if I looked around? I used to help here when I was younger, before the previous owners left."
"Of course. I'd welcome any observations about what needs attention."
For the next hour, Elena guided him through the inn with the perspective of someone who'd seen it in operation. She pointed out details he'd missed—a shutter that didn't close properly, a floorboard that creaked ominously, a window that leaked when the wind was wrong.
"The kitchen is well-designed," she said as they toured that space. "Martha, the previous owner, was an excellent cook. The placement of everything is very practical."
"What happened to them? The previous owners?"
"Martha's husband died unexpectedly. Heart gave out during harvest. She couldn't manage the inn alone, especially with a young daughter to raise." Elena ran her hand along the worn wooden counter. "Sad story. This place was the heart of the community."
They ended their tour in the overgrown garden. Elena's expression grew more animated as she surveyed the chaotic vegetation.
"Oh, this was beautiful when Martha tended it. She grew most of her own herbs and vegetables. Even had fruit trees along the back wall, though they're completely wild now."
Ryo could see the ghost of that ordered garden beneath the weeds. "Do you think it can be restored?"
"Absolutely. The soil here is excellent—rich and well-drained. Most of the perennial herbs have survived on their own. You'd need to clear the weeds and rebuild the structure, but the foundation is solid."
She pointed to a section near the kitchen door. "That area was Martha's cooking garden. Herbs, onions, garlic, the things she used daily. Very convenient for someone preparing meals."
"Would you be willing to help?" The question surprised him as much as her. "I mean, I can pay for advice and guidance. I know the theory from books, but practical experience would be invaluable."
Elena studied him carefully. "You're serious about doing this work yourself?"
"Completely."
"And you're planning to actually reopen the inn? Not just use it as a private residence?"
"That's the goal. Though it'll take time to get everything ready."
Elena smiled—the first genuinely warm expression he'd seen from her. "In that case, I'd be happy to help. This village needs the inn back. And..." she hesitated. "Well, it would be nice to see this garden productive again."
They spent the remainder of the afternoon walking through the garden while Elena identified plants, explained the previous layout, and described the seasonal rhythms that had once governed this space. Her knowledge was deep and practical, earned through years of working her family's farm.
[Passive Growth System - Learning Accelerated]
Mentorship Bonus: Elena Brightwater (+50% Gardening skill growth while learning)
New Skill Discovered: Plant Identification
Current Level: 0.1
As evening approached, Elena prepared to leave. "I can come back tomorrow if you'd like. Mornings are usually best for garden work anyway."
"I'd appreciate that very much. What should I do tonight to prepare?"
"Get a good night's sleep," she said practically. "We'll be doing a lot of physical work tomorrow. And don't try to tackle everything at once—restoration is a long process."
After Elena left, Ryo prepared dinner in his slowly-improving kitchen. The simple meal of bread, cheese, and vegetables felt more satisfying than elaborate business dinners ever had. He was tired in a way that felt earned, productive.
As darkness fell, he lit candles in the common room and reviewed his progress. One room partially cleaned, a garden plan beginning to form, and a local ally who understood both the work ahead and its importance to the community.
Not bad for one day.
[Passive Growth System - Daily Summary]
Skills Advanced: Cleaning (0.1 → 0.3), Gardening (0.2 → 0.4), Plant Identification (0.1)
New Connections: Elena Brightwater (Local Expert)
Property Status: Foundation established for systematic restoration
Recommendation: Maintain consistent work schedule for optimal growth
Ryo closed the system notification and settled into a chair before the fire. Outside, the village of Millbrook had grown quiet except for the occasional night sound—an owl, distant laughter from the tavern in the village center, the soft lowing of settling cattle. He'd never felt so productive or so peaceful, This would bring more work to do.