It turned out Henrik wasn't entirely opposed to bartering grain for property, but the negotiation took the better part of two hours. The old man had a sharp mind for business hidden behind his grandfatherly appearance, and he made sure Ryo understood exactly what he was getting into.
"The roof needs patching before winter," Henrik explained, spreading a hand-drawn map of the property across his desk. "The well water's clean, but the pump mechanism is older than I am and prone to breaking down. The chimney draws well enough, but you'll want to have it cleaned before you start using it regularly. And there's the matter of the cellar."
"What's wrong with the cellar?" Ryo asked.
"Nothing's wrong with it, exactly. It's just bigger than you'd expect. The original owner expanded it over the years, turned it into something between a root cellar and a small warehouse. Good for storage, but it connects to some old tunnels that run under part of the town. Previous owner used them to age his cheese, but they're dark and easy to get lost in."
Elena, who had insisted on staying for the negotiations, leaned forward. "Those tunnels are how I caught the last group of bandits who tried to rob the place. They thought they could break in through the cellar and surprise whoever was inside. Instead, they got themselves trapped underground for three days before I found them."
"Are the tunnels secure?" Ryo asked.
"Secure enough," Henrik said. "Most of the entrances were sealed up years ago. But you'll want to explore them yourself, get familiar with the layout. Never know when having a second way in and out of your building might come in handy."
After another hour of discussion, they worked out a deal. Henrik would accept grain worth thirty gold pieces as partial payment, with Ryo owing another twenty in cash to be paid within six months. It left Ryo technically broke but the owner of his own building.
"Congratulations," Henrik said, shaking Ryo's hand. "You're now the proud owner of the most run-down former bakery in Millhaven."
"Thanks for the confidence boost," Ryo said dryly.
Elena stood up and stretched. "Come on, new neighbor. Let's go take a proper look at your money pit. I want to see how much grain you're going to need to trade for basic repairs."
The grain delivery arrived just as they reached the old bakery. The merchant had brought two wagons full of sacks, each one heavy enough that it took two men to carry. Ryo watched his entire fortune being unloaded into his new cellar and tried not to think about how stupid this might have been.
"Where do you want Elena's portion?" one of the workers asked.
"Leave it upstairs for now," Ryo said. "She can come back for it when she's ready."
"I can take some of it now," Elena said. "My horses need food today."
"Take whatever you need. We'll figure out the payment schedule later."
Elena grabbed one of the smaller sacks and hefted it over her shoulder like it weighed nothing. "I'll come back for more tomorrow. Right now, I want to show you something."
She led him to a section of the cellar wall that looked like solid stone but had a thin crack running down its center. "This is one of the tunnel entrances. The crack is actually a hidden door—you just have to know where to push."
Elena pressed against a specific spot, and a section of the wall swung inward, revealing a dark passage that stretched into blackness.
"How the hell did you find that?" Ryo asked.
"When you're tracking bandits, you learn to look for places they might hide. These tunnels connect to the old mine shafts outside town, plus a few other buildings. The previous owner used to move his premium cheese through here without paying transport fees to the merchant guild."
[DISCOVERY] - Level 1
Experience gained for finding hidden passages
New skill acquired: [EXPLORATION] - Level 1
Passive ability gained: Enhanced perception of concealed entrances
Ryo blinked as the system messages appeared in his vision. Apparently, just being shown a secret door was enough to start leveling up exploration skills.
"You okay?" Elena asked, noticing his distracted expression again. "You keep doing that thing where you look like you're reading something nobody else can see."
"Just processing how much work this place is going to need," Ryo said quickly. "These tunnels could actually be useful. Cold storage for drinks, quick access if someone tries to cause trouble upstairs."
"Or a way for someone to break in without being seen," Elena pointed out. "You're going to want to get some kind of security for that entrance."
They spent the next few hours going through the building systematically. Elena pointed out structural issues that Ryo's untrained eye had missed, while the system rewarded him with skill levels in everything from [CARPENTRY ASSESSMENT] to [PEST CONTROL PLANNING].
The kitchen was in better shape than expected. The previous owner had invested in good equipment—a large stone oven, solid work surfaces, and a pantry that stayed naturally cool thanks to its position against the north wall. It would need cleaning and some minor repairs, but Ryo could already picture himself cooking here.
"You actually know how to cook?" Elena asked when he mentioned his plans for the kitchen.
"I'm decent at it," Ryo said. "Used to cook for myself a lot in my old life. Nothing fancy, but I can make food that people want to eat."
"That'd be a nice change around here. Marcus does his best, but his idea of seasoning is 'add salt until it tastes like salt.'"
They were examining the upstairs guest rooms when Elena suddenly held up a hand for silence. Through the window, Ryo could see a group of horsemen approaching the village. Six riders in leather armor, moving with the kind of confidence that suggested they were used to getting their way.
"Shit," Elena muttered. "That's Gareth's crew."
"Friend of yours?"
"Local bandit leader. Thinks he runs protection rackets in this area, but he's been staying away from Millhaven because I made it clear what would happen if he tried to muscle in here." Elena's hand moved to her sword. "The fact that he's showing up now, right after you arrived, probably isn't a coincidence."
"You think someone told him about me?"
"I think someone told him about you spending two hundred gold pieces like it was pocket change," Elena said grimly. "News travels fast in small communities, and not everyone in Millhaven is as honest as they pretend to be."
Ryo watched the riders dismount in front of the Sleeping Dragon. Even from a distance, he could see they were the kind of men who solved problems with violence first and asked questions later.
"What's the play here?" he asked.
"Normally, I'd go down there and remind them that they're not welcome in my town," Elena said. "But six against one are bad odds, even for me. And if they're specifically here for you..."
"Then running away just delays the problem," Ryo finished. "Besides, I can't exactly start my new quiet life by hiding every time someone causes trouble."
Elena looked at him sharply. "These aren't the same kind of idiots you ran into on the road yesterday. Gareth's crew are experienced fighters who've been working together for years. If you're thinking about playing hero, you're going to get yourself killed."
"I'm not planning to play hero," Ryo said. "But I am planning to protect my investment. This tavern represents everything I have left in the world."
[DETERMINATION] - Level 1
Experience gained for committing to defend your territory
New skill acquired: [TACTICAL THINKING] - Level 1
Passive ability gained: Basic threat assessment
The system messages were becoming almost routine now, but Ryo barely noticed them. His attention was focused on the street below, where the bandits were finishing their conversation with Marcus and starting to spread out through the village.
"They're looking for something," Elena observed. "Or someone."
"Probably me," Ryo said. "Question is, do we wait for them to come here, or do we go to them?"
Elena was quiet for a moment, studying the bandits' movements. When she spoke again, her voice was thoughtful. "You know, yesterday you said those three bandits on the road were 'having a bad day.' What exactly did you do to them?"
"I told you, I just got lucky. They were really bad at their jobs."
"Bullshit," Elena said flatly. "Nobody gets that lucky. Either you're lying about what happened, or you're lying about what you're capable of. Which is it?"
Ryo met her eyes, seeing the challenge there. Elena was smart, observant, and she'd been an adventurer before settling down in Millhaven. She knew the difference between luck and skill.
"Maybe," he said slowly.