Chapter XVII. Stratholme

Outside Stratholme, the marina.

Perhaps it's because of the small number of ships that come and go - after all, humanity hasn't officially set foot in Kalimdor on the western continent, and the second largest city on Lordaeron with a permanent population of 600,000 has only built a small dock.

After thanking Captain Kelly Sendra for her care and saying goodbye to Passarena, Roland checked his salute one last time to make sure he had missed nothing and set out on the steep stone road to the city of Stratholme.

Coming to this human city for the first time, the young man seemed to be in high spirits, climbed the ramp as fast as he could, stopped by the city wall for a while, and entered the bustling city.

The street is densely packed with various storefronts, and the stalls in front of the stores extend directly to the street. Even though it was close to evening, there were still many passers-by standing in front of the stalls and bargaining with the shopkeepers, and the road was full of horse-drawn carts full of goods passing by from time to time, which seemed to be very prosperous.

Perhaps because of the hood, or perhaps because of the handsome appearance of the High Elves, Roland looked a little different from the crowd, and from time to time someone would turn their heads to look at him. So, instead of stopping at the market, he rented a carriage by the city gate that connected to the port and went straight to the inn "Golden Oak" near the Plaza des Seniors.

It was a lodge recommended by Captain Lisendra, and according to the woman, it was not only quiet, but also comfortable, and more importantly, the smoked lamb chops and spicy lobster were some of the most delicious food she had ever eaten anywhere. As a foodie country, Roland said that it was necessary for him to practice it himself.

The speed of the carriage was not fast, after all, it was in the city, and the coachman of the rental car company could not go on a rampage like the coachman of the nobles. Luckily, the Plaza for the Elderly wasn't very far away, and after passing through a few bustling markets, the carriage pulled into a relatively secluded street and finally stopped at an intersection.

Roland jumped out of the carriage and looked at the vast mix of stone and wood in front of him. Because the human beings of this world like to use wood in their buildings, even stone buildings like to mix some wood into them, so there are almost not many high-rise private buildings, and this hotel is no exception, only two stories high, surrounded by white masonry, and a huge signboard engraved with four big characters in gold.

After settling the fare, Roland pushed the door open and entered the inn that Lisendra highly recommended. Unlike the inns he had seen in the game where he had to go through a hallway to enter the lobby, there were no extra corridors, and the entrance was a dozen neatly arranged oak tables, opposite the innkeeper's counter and a small wine rack with several wooden planks crossed over, and all kinds of wine were placed horizontally on the slanted wine rack, everything was in order.

Probably because when it was time for dinner, the hall was full of people, and most of the diners were immersed in their feasts, and from time to time let out a few exclamations. Five or six waiters in uniform kept going back and forth between the kitchen and the hall, constantly busy.

Roland quickly looked around, there was no room for a table near the fireplace, but fortunately there was a small free round table in the corner next to the counter, otherwise it would not be a good place to sit by the door. With a little rejoicing, the young man took a few quick steps and sat down at the round table. The hard, well-textured wooden table is lacquered with a layer of resin, which feels good to the touch.

He leaned back in his chair and flipped through the menu on the table, and in a short time a handsome waitress came to the table and asked him if he wanted to order.

"Smoked lamb chops, spicy lobster, and a fish soup." The young man's fingertips slid lightly over the menu, and he quickly ordered his own dinner, while flicking a gold coin into the palm of the other's hand.

"In addition, I want an ordinary single room, which will be about half a month, which is a prepaid fee."

Soon, an attendant arrived at Roland's table with a silver plate full of plates and began to serve him.

A large plate of meat steaks, grilled hot, overflowing with fat that exudes a burst of meaty aroma; A plate of crimson lobsters, neatly arranged together, with a translucent red shell and special spices, makes people appetize; Even the soup that goes well with your meal is extraordinarily delicious.

Roland quickly swept away the food on the table, leaned back in his chair and had a beautiful aftertaste, before summoning the waiter not far away to go to the guest room to rest.

Following in the footsteps of the squire, Roland walked out of the hall. The rooms of the inn include the second floor of the lobby and the courtyard behind it around a "golden" oak tree, which is probably where the inn got its name.

The broad canopy of oak trees covered half of the courtyard, and silver lights hung from four branches in different directions near the ground. Although the cool breeze has blown in the autumn evening, there are still many guests gathered around a small round table under the lamp to enjoy a glass of sweet fruit wine, while enjoying the intoxicating sunset and the surrounding nature.

The squire who led the way took Roland to a south-facing bedroom on the second floor, left the key and turned away.

The Golden Oak's attendants were very well-behaved, without the broker style that Roland imagined, and there was no unexplained mess, which was their way of doing things - not to provoke strangely dressed or mysterious creatures.

A small bedroom, with the window facing the verdant oak trees in the courtyard, does not have the hustle and bustle of a large city, but reveals a trace of tranquility and indifference. Although the cost of accommodation for two silver coins made him a little painful, he was still very satisfied with the environment here.

The sky gradually darkened, Roland did not light the lamp, well, there is actually no lamp in the room that needs to be ignited, in front of the desk by the window, the delicate lamp emits a little fluorescent "light", although the brightness is not very suitable for reading and writing, but it is definitely much brighter than the oil lamp, and there is no unpleasant smell.

According to the introduction of the waiter before leaving, the principle of this "fluorescent lamp" is very simple, it is just a fluorescent plant from the northern continent of Kalimdor into a lamp-shaped container with a sturdy bottom and exquisite workmanship.

As long as this fluorescent lamp is placed in the corridor during the day to receive the sun, it can emit a pure white light at night, although it is not as bright as the magic lamp, but it is cheap, ingenious, and has many more advantages than the traditional oil lamp, and it is the preferred lighting tool for small merchants and inns in Lordaeron nowadays. The plants in the lamps were turned into rushes by the people of Lordaeron.

After two days of sailing, Roland was eager to pounce on the soft bed in the corner, he was fed up with the wooden bed dangling from the Three Sisters. After a thorough cleansing, the young elf buried himself deep in the soft futon and closed his eyes.