The Innkeeper's Portals

Chapter 2 - A Tale Of Perseverance And Frustration

Hailey stood atop the dilapidated inn, looking out at the sprawling landscape before her. She let out a deep sigh, feeling overwhelmed by the task ahead of her.

"I can't believe I let myself get talked into this crazy project," Hailey muttered to herself. "Renovating this old inn was supposed to be fun and exciting, it was supposed to be my dream. But now it just feels like a big headache." Hailey thought to herself.

The location of the inn was remote and isolated, making it a real fixer-upper.

The Wandering Wayfarer was not only a very extraordinary place, it was also a very distraught one too. It had been up and running for countless decades, yet it appeared to have still been functional. Hailey wanted to make it more than functional, she wanted it to be magical. Thus, adding her own touches to the inn's exterior, interior and the island itself.

She faced a number of obstacles along the way, such as cleaning, finding the correct flooring, what type of carving she wanted on the wood and so forth.

"Who knew there could be so many different types of carvings for wood? That's insane!" Hailey thought to herself, feeling agitated. "I just hope all my efforts to transform the Wandering Wayfarer into a thriving business will be worth it." Hailey said as she sighed.

She slowly realized the inn location showed her many flaws. As every item she lifted became heavier, so were her doubts. "I should've asked that old man some questions before accepting this!" said Hailey with an annoyed tone, while fixing another broken floorboard.

"The location is so remote and isolated, this is going to be a real fixer-upper," Hailey said, shaking her head. "And the lack of available resources on this island isn't making things any easier. Soon I'll be all out of supplies."

Indeed, the lack of resources had been one of the major obstacles Hailey had encountered. With no easy way to transport materials and supplies up to the inn, she had to get creative in order to find more resources she needed to renovate the inn.

In desperate need of materials, Hailey thought of a plan. "I'll need to get creative with my DIY solutions, I could use some of my skills I've learned from my DIY survival books back at home," Hailey said with a smile. "I've made tables, chairs, and carpets using twigs and grass. All while being able to improve the inn's appearance by decorating with natural resources from the island."

In search of a nearby survival book, Hailey went back to the library. Greeted by the grand oak doors of the library, she pushed them wide open and went ahead searching. While scavenging through the, what seemed like, endless book titles, Hailey stumbled upon a book that had a cover that closely resembled her favorite flower; the Lily of the valley. Though it appeared to have had a different name instead, the Valerian Whisperbloom. This sparked Hailey's interest and she skimmed through some of the pages in the book.

Hailey later learned that although the items in this world may have a different name, they all appear to be the same as the ones back in her world.

After a few minutes, Hailey returned in awe with a newfound knowledge of her favorite flower and the DIY survival book she initially came for.

"Even if there are only twigs and grass left, I will still be determined to push through, to succeed" she said, assertively, in hopes of being able to pump her spirits up.

Hailey knew that the inn was more than just a building; it was a home and a refuge for travelers, and she was determined to make it the best it could be. Even if it meant that she would have to sacrifice a significant amount of time.

Things were not smooth sailing, but at least things were going somewhere. Hailey saw this day as a reminder of the hardships that were coming ahead and remained optimistic and adamant on transforming the inn for the greater good. Not only because she was destined to, but because she knew the inn was beyond being a mere building; it held the power to become a cherished refuge and a loving home for travelers.

Many days and nights have passed and Hailey began to see some real progress. She still made a few mistakes here and there but the inn was starting to take on a new look. With the rooms and walls slowly being repaired and renovated. Although it had not been much, Hailey was proud of what she had accomplished, as she had finally made a difference. All this change made her look forward to fixing more and more problems.

Hailey was proud of what she had accomplished, and she was grateful to the old man for believing in her. Not only did she overcome a challenge that not many would have completed, but she did it with persistence, eagerness and with the old man's impactful wisdom by her side, Hailey had a lot to be proud of. But as soon as the mini celebration parade in her head was over, the feeling of turmoil soon struck over her as she realized that running an inn will be a daunting task without the help of any staff whatsoever.

"Darn. I guess next I have to start looking for some staff to help me renovate the inn," Hailey said to herself with a dreadful, long sigh.

Although renovating the inn may be a lot of fun for Hailey, she knew that the feeling wouldn't last forever, since she is the only one and she has the responsibility of decorating an entire inn on top of renovation. She needed all the help that she could get, even if that meant hiring staff. Hailey knew that finding staff was going to be a tough challenge. A tedious one at best.

The inn was located in a secluded location so it was very far from civilization. It was unlikely that she would be able to find people that lived anywhere near The Wandering Wayfarer, let alone to find staff and experienced ones at that. Finding experienced staff or any other skilled workers who are willing to come and work in such a remote location was definitely going to be a task for Hailey.

"Being on a floating island alone is not ideal for renovating an inn. I need staff! But how do I go about this? I'll need to do a lot of planning ahead for this.." Hailey muttered to herself, feeling slightly bothersome. Hailey knew this was going to be another one of her long, perturbing missions that she'd have to complete, but with her head held up high, she also knew she'd accomplish it.

In addition to running this inn, Hailey was excited that she was finally going to experience her dream come true. "And they said running an inn is going to be a boring experience..." Hailey thought to herself, with a small smirk, slowly forming on her face.

Despite the challenges, I am committed to making the Wandering Wayfarer a success. I know that it will take hard work and dedication, but I am determined to create a welcoming and comfortable space for travelers.

Hailey is excited to see the inn thrive and become a popular destination for travelers looking for a peaceful and relaxing escape. This is the beginning of her adventure as the Innkeeper of The Wandering Wayfarer. This is how her story begins.