Chapter 10: RodentSlap
The sky was starting to turn red, giving a warm dusk hue as Arthur walked through the city streets. The roads weren’t too crowded—just a few merchants closing their stalls, kids running home, and the faint smell of baked bread drifting from afar.
"Almost there," Arthur muttered while glancing at the blinking bread icon on his card.
Bounciechomie, now comfortably perched on his shoulder, let out a soft sound.
Bloop... bloop... (with a "bread bread bread" rhythm playing in its head).
Arthur shrugged. "Yeah, yeah. I know. You’re more excited than I am."
A few minutes later, they arrived in front of a small rustic bakery. A sign read "BAKERIN – Fresh Bread Anytime", though the ’N’ looked like it was about to fall off. The air was filled with the sweet scent of dough and melting butter.
As Arthur opened the door, a small bell rang, and a middle-aged man in a flour-covered apron immediately turned toward him.
"Oh! You’re here for the rat quest?" he exclaimed with a mix of enthusiasm and stress.
Arthur nodded. "Yeah. The one with the free bread bonus, right?"
The man gave two enthusiastic thumbs up. "Exactly! But... there’s a little extra detail I didn’t get to write on the notice."
Arthur frowned. "Extra?"
Bounciechomie stopped swaying and stiffened on his shoulder.