Reaching for the Stars

Chapter Fifteen

Even though I had told myself that I didn't care about how much money was in the spatial tattoo, that I wouldn't use it before my own money ran out, I was curious, so when I woke up the next day, sitting in my private room, even though Orpheus was also in here, I had gotten a room with two beds, even if the innkeeper had given me a funny look for wanting an extra bed for what I'm sure he thought was my spiritual beast.

With Orpheus still asleep, or at least pretending to, I had noticed that when we were still in the Silver Woods, if he wanted to ignore me, he would just pretend to sleep, the only way to tell was how his tail occasionally twitched in response to my words. So, with curiosity being the pure motivator, I send a thin whisp of spiritual energy into my spatial tattoo, instructing it to give me all the gold coins it has, I am expecting it to conjure out a chest of coins or something, not the stream of coins that starts spilling out.

Very quickly it forms a pile on the bed, growing bigger and bigger every second, so big they threaten to spill over and hit the floor. "Stop! Stop! Stop!" I flail trying to stop the seemingly endless supply of gold coins from coming out, it only stops once I get my mind together enough to direct another whisp of spiritual energy to it with the command of stopping what it's doing. I look at the ginormous pile of gold coins on the bed, not sure what to think of it.

It was the most money I had seen ever, and it wasn't even the full amount of what was stored in my spatial tattoo, but even though I feel shocked by the sight of it all, relieved that I won't have to worry about having money to buy food for a long time, I can't keep all of this money out here with me. So, I quickly use another thread of spiritual energy to direct all those coins back inside my spatial tattoo.

"Done admiring your riches?" I jump, startled to hear his voice, I turn around and see that he has assumed his human form, somehow in a different set of clothes then he last was, though I've never once seen him change, and with him following me around in fox form all the time, I think I would have noticed.

"Gosh, you startled me, and I wasn't admiring, just curious is all. I've never seen that much money in my life, and I've lived without food for days before. I just feel relieved that I won't have to worry about something as simple as not having enough money for food." He tilts his head, and I almost feel like his eyes soften as he looks at me, maybe there was even pity on his face, but of course he opens his mouth and destroys any thought that he might have pitied me.

"Yes, poor you, beaten by your family and starved, but look how healthy you are, you received an allowance of three gold coins a month right? Such a hardship to have to survive on that alone." I glare at him, not at all pleased that he was mocking my hardships.

"Hey! That's not fair and you know it. I would gladly live like a peasant with only three gold coins a month, but have you ever tried having to live and dress like a high noble and not having enough money to do it the easy way? To know that if you dressed to shabbily, you would be beaten, and meals would be taken away? To know that if you bought fabric the quality of what was expected of you, you wouldn't have money to buy food for when they starved you? I know my life hasn't been the hardest, but it still wasn't easy, I had my fair share of hardships just like everyone else, and I don't appreciate you mocking me for them. Not when the all-powerful fox that you are, has likely never felt powerless to do anything, or at least you haven't in a very long time, what right do you have to judge me?" He smirks at me, looking way to smug for someone who just got called out for their hypocritical actions.

"I have all the rights, as you've said I am an all-powerful fox, and the strong rule our world, now are we going to keep arguing or get on with our day?" I huff and look away, knowing I was unlikely to win this argument.

I pack up my things and get ready to leave, Orpheus having turned back into a fox as soon as it was clear I wasn't going to argue with him anymore. After eating the hot breakfast, I had paid for the night before, we set off, except while I went to head out of town on foot, Orpheus scoffed and walked away from me, leading me to follow him out of curiosity, of course my curiosity had led me to regret one thing today so what could possibly go wrong?