Asher decided to return to the town the next day and visit the Mercenary guild to acquire confirmation that the job had been completed. As soon as he stepped inside, he was immediately tackled and caught in a bone-breaking bear hug. It was the muscle granny who had caught him so quickly. "Veras, oh honey, I thought you had been killed by those nasty monsters."
"...Can't... Br...ea..t..he.....li-ght....fad-" Asher's eyes were fading out as everything started to go black. Finally, Helen let go as Talan slapped her upside her head. Asher fell to the floor gasping for air. He full thought he was going to die right there.
"Are you trying to kill the poor thing?" Talan turned to Asher. "Sorry about her. When have a lot of people who start and then disappear on their first mission? It's good to see you alive and well." Talan looked over at Asher who was still gasping for air on the floor. "Well alive at least, nya." Asher snapped up. The cat noises were new.
Talan led Asher to the desk. His fluffy cat tail waved from side to side as he walked. Asher could not help but imagine what it must have felt like. Talan walked behind the desk. "So did you complete the quest?"
"Yeah, I really must thank you." Talan looked at him questioningly. "The magic canister helped a lot. I don't think I would have been able to collect as much as I did." Asher handed off the canister of slime to Talan. Talan opened and a silver light formed from the open. Talan's eyes went wide.
"Wow, you got a lot more than necessary." Talan was impressed, to say the least. Asher had filled the canister to the brim. He couldn't imagine the amount of slimes he would have had to go through just to get the same result. "How much do you want to submit for the quest?"
"All of it."
Talan nearly choked 25 L and completed the quest 5 times over since the original quest was only asking for 3 L. "I am afraid I can't do that."
"Any reason not?" Asher was a little shocked. The price for the quest would be great with all the extra price.
"The client has not paid enough for it. The way we operate is that a client comes and pays a fee for a job. From that fee comes the reward after all the processing expenses have been taken out. The particular quest was already paid for in advance 3 times over. So I can only accept the quest completed three times. I would recommend that you go to Cynthia yourself and work out a direct arrangement. I know she has a standing order to buy any slime residue from the merchant guild."
"Then why hire the mercenary guild if she has a standing order." Asher was confused but understood that the guild could not pay the full amount for all the slime residue he had collected.
"Because it is a very basic alchemic ingredient that has a wide range of uses. So the merchant guild can barely keep it in stock."
"Then why doesn't the merchant guild hire the mercenary guild if that is the case."
"They do, it is a more permanent position that collects items from monsters as well as guards, and because of this they don't really hire outside help."
"I see. Can you at least verify that the quest was completed?"
"Of course, Nya." There's that cat noise again. Asher handed his license over to the cat boy. Talan held his own license over like before. After it was done, it was handed back to Asher. "Congratulations on completing your first assignment, NYA," Talan exclaimed and clapped for Asher in a very cute way. A few other employees applauded Asher. The whole situation was a little embarrassing. Once it died down, Asher checked his new license.
Available Mission: 21|
G-grade mission: 21|
Bronze license Mercenary may not accept assignments above G-grade|
5 Successful Mission|
"You set it for 5 missions," Asher questioned Talan.
"Well, you would have succeeded in the mission 5 times so I decided to award you accordingly." He looked around and leaned forward. "Just don't tell anyone." He winks flirtingly.
Asher coughed clearing his throat and discomfort. "Well, I will go talk to Cynthia." He turned on his heel and headed for the door.
"HOHO, Rejoice for I am here." Out of nowhere, William with his entourage showed up blocking Asher's path and annoying him in record time. Light and sparkles showered his form making him look like a very punchable angel. "I have considered and have forgiven the disrespect you gave to me earlier. Surely, you did not understand your position due to your inexperience. Surely you now see your need for a great knight such as myself."
'Mental note: bankrupt his entire family,' Asher thought as he continued to pass by them. "Now if you grovel at my feet, I would be more than happy to let you join my party." This was followed by several comments from his entourage stating how generous he was. "What do you say?" William finally turned his attention to the empty space that Asher once occupied.
Willaim gritted his teeth. It was the second time another person especially a commoner showed him such disrespect. He was even kind enough to forgive his earlier transgression against him and mark it as ignorance that commoners are famed for. But now this was a direct insult to him. He had never been so mad at anyone.
Meanwhile, Asher was more annoyed than angry. In his previous life, He could only describe himself as a pushover. He was despite anyone's validation that he would bend over backward for everyone. Plenty of people just like William took advantage of him and tossed him aside when they were done. Asher swore this time would be different. He would be able to be independent.
Asher finally calm down as he approached the shop front. The store was a small place located towards the town square. There was nothing too special about it. In fact, it could have just been overlooked as it was nestled between two larger buildings. The walls were a greenish color and there were clear signs of age as the paint had faded in some spots.
A small bell chimed as Asher stepped in. The place was cluttered, to say the least. There were rows after rows of books lining the shelves. Several glass bottles containing several colorful liquids were displayed in a disorderly fashion. Asher picked up one of the books and blew on it. A thick layer of dust was kicked up. Asher coughed and hacked as he cleared his lungs of the amount of dust.
He read the title, 'Count Belregard's Poems of Love and Daydreams.' "What the hell is this doing in a magic shop?" Asher put the book back before making his way to the back of the story. "If this was a horror movie, this is the part where the handsome dashing young hero gets ambushed by the hideous monster."
After he finished looking around the room, he found an old wooden staircase leading to the upper floor in the back. He took one step and the board creaked loudly underneath his weight. "That's not a red flag." Asher walked up the stairs to the second floor. It was completely different than the first floor.
Weapons, shields, and other items were lined up along the wall. They were more works of art than they were weapons. Some were made of iron while some were made of gold and silver. There was armor, wands, staffs, quills, and other things that covered the walls.
The room was an the entire armory. Asher pick up one of the spears. It was golden with a white shaft. At first glance, the shaft appeared a first glance solid white metal with a golden dragon motiff, but on a closer inspection, it is revieled to be made of scales overlaying each other. The blade itself was curved like a hook. It was shapened to a gleaming blade like it would cut the very air. As Asher looked it over, the system chimed as if to answer a question before it is thought.
[Ryujari]
Weapon: Spear
Quality: A
Grade: King
Element: Electric
[A spear forged by a master blacksmith and enchanted by a witch from the scales and tooth of a Ryuju, the bless pet of Fulgur, god of lightning. The power of the slain dragon courses through the spear with the might of a thunderstorm.The king core flows with a powerful lightening element.]
Damage: Peircing/Slashing
Skill: Lightening Blade
Covers the blade in Lightening and transfers to anyone hit by the blade. Chance to stun.
Cost: 5% mana per hit
Skill: Chain lightning
Shoots a arc of lightening straight forward at a target. Has a chance to jump to nearby targets. Chance to stun.
Cost: 15%
Skill: Discharge
Releases the Lightening energy in a radius of 5 meter of the user. Will stun all targets. The power outage is determined by the mana size.
Cost: All of the mana
Skill: Lightening rod
Can use lightening or lightening element energies to recharge the mana in the core
Cost: Passive
This was a magic weapon and a powerful one too. His own singing steel was a nowhere near the same level. Not only that it had five abilities it could use with a king core to boot. King was the level above knight. Asher shutter to think what it would take to kill one of those monstrosities since he almost died against a knight slime.
He held the spear with awe before looking around the room. He realized that they all were magical weapons. every last one of them. It looked like the the spear was the highest quality and grade. It is definitely a treasure. Asher was tempted to throw it in his storage and walk out, but he never got a chance as a soft voice spoke.
"That item is already spoken for." Asher snaped his head to the attention of a woman. She was an ideal. Beautiful face with blonde long hair; small waist with long slender legs; a pouty full red lips from which a lovely voice came from. She was dressed in a long green outfit with long sleeve and an intricate gold and silver flower design. She looked Asher up and down sizing him up.
As she approach, she move as the picture of elegance. She stopped inches from Asher allowing him to sell the sweet perfume that she radiated. "As are all the other items in this room. Customers are only allowed on the first floor."
Asher was stunned. Not because of her beauty, but because of the notification his system just gave him.
[Scan complete]
Name: Cynitha van Aphrodite
Species: Alf
Title: Witch of the White Woods, Traitor of Elysium, The Demonic Temptress
Age: 2568
LV: ???
HP: ???
PWR: ???
STR: ???
VIT: ???
AGI: ???
PER: ???
'She is the Witch of the White Woods.' Asher felt like his heart might implode.