I begun packing my things from the local inn, I've decided to go to Miner's town up north. If it's a Miner town, there's gotta be a constant flow of quests pinned onto the board of the guild franchise. From subjugation quests, to simple delivery missions.
I've already begun my leave, I've calculated at least 5 hours worth of travel time, along with 30 minute intervals. And I cannot simply waste time at night.
'But...' I thought 'If I travel alone, bandits might think of me as some sort of easy target...' I looked down on my left hand 'And I can't risk everyone suspecting that I'm the one behind that incident...' I sighed, but I've got no choice, I've got 50 silver in my pocket, along with the 10 gold bag that I've been saving ever since Darius gave it to me, along with the stuff he asked to be prepared.
'Maybe this is the right time for it...' I thought, I held it tightly in my hands 'Yeah, It's better if everyone thinks I need escorting...' I thought, I went to the guild lady today
"Excuse miss..." The receptionist turned "Yes sir, how might I assist you-" She stopped speaking, then said: "I'm sorry, but you still cannot accept any quests..." I placed my hand on the piece of paper on the table, she looked down at it "I'm here to make a quest..." She looked up "You're not here to accept quests?" "Yes, I'd like to make an escort quest, please..." She asked for my guild card, which I politely handed over "Well, you aren't allowed to take quests here, doesn't mean you can't make quests as a citizen or a traveller..." she said smoothly, She inspects everything that I've written down, and finally said "Very well, but since you are an adventurer, you can be notified immediately through your card, once it starts to glow..." She then brought out a box "As for posting an escort quest, the quest's rewards will be 5 gold..." I opened my pouch and reluctantly placed the gold inside the box, which disappeared like rocks when you toss them into a river.
'Fascinating...'
"You will be notified when someone has taken your quest, please be here once you are notified..." But I've decided to read some of the books, that I couldn't afford time to read before. On a guild table, casually ordering a sandwich every 30 minutes so they don't kick me out. But then just as I was almost about to give up and then book it, someone finally took up my quest...
But it wasn't just one person, it was two. One of them is short, neatly dressed, and sporting a dagger to his belt. The other one was much larger than the first one was, he is fat in some places and wrapped a great sword behind him, the shorter one introduced himself "Hey there, I'm Hans, and this is Ruben, we'll be your travel buddies for this fine quest..." He said coolly, like a jock in a horrible rendition of High-school musical. His 'cool' demeanor however caused some girls to laugh, not giggle like those stupid cheer squad girls, actually smirking and trying to contain their laughter from the amount of cringe he just displayed trhoughout the entire guild.
"So, where's the place we heading for boss?" He said, he placed his incredibly shiny leather boots on his table end 'Get your dirty feet out of my sight...' I thought, I lowered my drink for a second "We're going to the Mining town up north, I've got some business to do there..." then I resumed drinking my fill, but the boy then said: "Hey, nothing for us?" He said, but then I responded with "I'm already going to feed you on the road, you can use your own if you want anything from here..." I said with a straight face, the lumpy man next to him, for a split second, grinned. Before his rude buddy turned to try to see if he'd react "Aww c'mon, Just one mug for both of us, y'know, as little advance payment..." I put my drink down once more "No..." He gritted his teeth, but maintained a very spiteful smile. 'Nice try. But I've already experienced this kind of thing before, and you're probably the worst I've ever faced so far...' smugly I thought
"Very well..." he said deeply "Me and Ruben will just have to find other prospective quest opportunities..." He took his buddy's hand, and tried to leave. But then he was stopped by the receptionist girl "And just where do you think you are going Hans?" she said "You do realize you cannot quit a quest once the employer has already agreed to your hire..." But he smiled, devilishly "But he already said no, didn't you he-" But she grabbed his collar and said "I'm sure I've just heard him deny your usual practice of asking for drinks..." then she let go, she then ushered me to speak with her at the desk, away from both of the men. She then whispered: "Sir, are you sure you want these kind of men to be your escorts?" she asked, I nodded in silence.
"V-very well, but please reconsider sir..." she came closer towards me "They aren't very reliable adventurers, last time they did an escort quest, they came back as failed because their client disappeared and couldn't do quests for about 6 months..." she looked at me closely "Please sir, are you really sure about this?" I nodded once more. She sighed, and passed behind the desk went through the door behind the it.
"So boys, when are you both gonna be ready for travel?" I asked, then Hans came forward and said "Whenever you are, boss..." he said joyfully, and he and his buddy made some distance. 'Best better get packing then...' I said as I grabbed my leather bag and headed back for my inn, and I began placing some of the more important stuff in it, again...
It was Dusk when my party and I reached a small forest, I set up camp for all three of us. And prepared them bowls of soup "Why is it soup?" Hans complained "Because a full-course meal only fits in an item box..." I retorted "Haha. Very funny..." He said. A wolf's howl pierced the eerie silence that enveloped around us, and just like before. Something rustled in the bushes.
"What was that?" Hans said, then followed by a low grin. Then I said "Our guests..." then burly men in small pieces of armor jumped out of the bushes "Not so fast..." I waved my left hand. The wind grew stronger, and as it did, it whirled around me and knocked everyone that leaped back to their knees, I looked back at Hans...
"What's wrong, looks like as if you've just seen a ghost..."