The Adventurer's Guild was a typical affair, a long grand hall with a vaunted roof and across the long hall were long tables that held numerous adventurer parties and people obviously interviewing others to see if they would fit into their parties.
On the walls of the long hall were boards and latched onto the boards were countless plaques which were obviously quests or missions. Each board was listed according to a metal which probably meant the guild's internal ranking system as the 'Wood' level quests were all being taken by people not even in armor or who actually looked like they were just simple civilians.
Thankfully... I could read the local language so I saw the receptionist with a sign stating right next to the receptionist. 'Sign Up!' Was a clear indication to join that line. So I joined that line and I saw the receptionist seemed to be a petite elf wearing some ranger leathers. "One silver to register, then take these papers and write down your general information, fill out the questionnaire. And then when completed, hand it in when you accept a mission to get your Wood rank tag. If you have any questions there is a general packet here." She recited in monotone making my lips twitch, and I handed over one of the many gold coins from my inventory.
She raised an eyebrow but without a change in expression, she gave me back nine large silver plates that were worth ninety silver coins.
So I took the papers over and as I looked at the papers and their questions and... "Ok this is weird." I muttered wryly as my eyes twitched at the 'what would you do questionnaire.'
[A terrible lamia who ate a whole farmer's herd of cows is within your sight. Do you?]
[A, Kill the Lamia as soon as you can via an implement of choice.]
[B, Lure the Lamia into a trap, bind it via a familiar spell, and then keep it as a pet.]
[C, Use aphrodisiacs to push the Lamia into an artificial heat and impregnate the monster to make it go into a coma to keep it out of trouble with the race's long gestation period.]
With how this world was... I wasn't sure which was the fucking right answer. I thought with my face twitching as the rest of the questions were also head turners that made no sense like another question asking.
[You accept a quest to capture a werewolf. Do you?]
[A, Use silver studded nets to capture the werewolf.]
[B, Use pheromones to entrap the werewolf.]
[C, Beat the werewolf over the head with a particularly large stick to bring it in.]
My face was twitching as I envisioned all options being used except for the pheromones one. Like was it like using doe spray to lure in a buck or something?
But regardless, I just circled the least weird options, occasionally taking the more violent and final answers for monsters that were clearly harming humans or demi-humans.
Once I filled out information that only included my name and the type of fighting I preferred. I turned in the information packet and the different receptionist only sped read through my reading before muttering. "Alright good, not a total furry and isn't some type of demon or monster sympathizer... Here is your tag, and you can increase your rank by completing missions and gaining guild points that can be used to buy guild services as well as ranking up your tag allowing you to take higher level missions." She quickly explained as she stamped a wooden dog-tag with my information and then handed it over to me.
I nodded and took the tag with a short thanks and then I obviously went over to the mission board to see if I could find some decent missions in the wood rank area.
[Capture, Ten Swamp Striders. Fifty bronze coins for each group of ten captured and turned in]
[New Atha Sewers Patrol. Patrol and clean out any monsters on the sidewalks in the sewer system on the patrol route you take. 5 Silver coins due to irregular monsters appearing rarely.]
Most of the missions were just slightly more dangerous chores but as I scanned through the missions a person muttered. "Excuse me." And a guild employee moved past me to hang up a couple of new plaques and I instinctively peeked at them and I smiled as I recognized one of my Cyoa quests on there.
[Goblin Extermination. Reward five silver coins and material reward.] I took the plaque straight from the wall and after checking the other missions I grabbed another two that looked like I could finish either on the way or on the way back.
[Wind Wolf Material Collection. Collect the fangs of twenty wind wolves. Price varies upon quality and quantity of fangs]
[Harpy Removal. Reward, three silver coins. Kill or drive off a harpy that was abandoned by her flock to stop her from stealing the chickens from local farmers to make her own new flock.]
Honestly... The harpy mission sounded easy enough in driving the harpy off, and the harpy sounded kind of pitiful so I wanted to check out that situation as with my Copper ring I should be able to speak to all animals which includes monsters... 'Actually is a harpy a monster or demi-human?' I thought idly as I registered myself as taking the three missions and put down a small deposit in case I failed or had to cancel the missions.
Once that was complete I asked a guild employee who standing at an empty kiosk where I could go for, to rent a carriage or something to travel in. As I certainly wasn't going to wander the countryside on foot.
"Hmm... For transport, I highly suggest either a mana-powered carriage or a Land Raptor to ride." She explained and after a quick explanation that a Land Raptor was basically a velociraptor who took steriods and had the temper of a particular blue-balled African Elephant...
I quickly said flatly. "Where can I get such a carriage."
She muttered about the raptors not being sold anymore after someone got eaten by one, but regardless she put on a salesman smile as she spoke confidently. "The Guild rents them out for fifteen silver coins per day and the driver or party must provide the mana to fuel the carriage." She explained happily making my eye twitch at that insane price.
I wasn't stupid, a couple of silver pieces would be easily enough for a family of four with the two children being black hole stomach-grade teenagers to eat a hearty stew at any of the local inns. Hell, the average rent here in New Atha for apartments which was at an all-time high with all the trouble out of the safety of the city was only at fifty silvers a month.
To say nothing of how I literally wouldn't actually gain enough silver coins from my missions to pay off the cost of renting the thing.
"Who makes them." I asked waving away the pitch for me to 'rent' the damned thing making the receptionist pout but regardless she pointed me in the direction of the Mages College but gave me a strong warning.
"The Mages College will happily sell anything to you, make damn anything as well... But they will charge you ruinous prices in turn for products of possibly dubious quality." She warned making me frown as I realized things weren't that simple which made me sigh but I shook my head.
"Alright, thanks for your time." I said nodding my head to her before leaving the guild and with the map I got within the Guild for the general layout of New Atha, I headed off towards the Mages College to get see if I could get 'horseless carriage'
'Can I con these people into making me a lambo seeing as I couldn't afford one in my past life?' I thought humorously as I knew the magical methods used to drive the carriage wouldn't take up much room in the design of the vehicle.
But as I made my way to the Mages College, I froze as I realized something very fucking important... "I can fucking fly, what the hell is wrong with me?" I muttered with a frown as I shook my head and then I rented a buggy to take me to the edge of the city so I could leave the city by flashing my adventurer tag.
"Alright, but once the sun goes down, you aren't getting back into the city." The guard bluntly told me and I nodded in understanding.
Once I was out of the loud city of New Atha, I took a breath... And the deep forests in the distance past the rolling farmland were beautiful and the air was just so much cleaner compared to my old worlds. To say nothing of the mana that filled the air with a sort of life that I could only imagine had long since died or disappeared from my world as it was impossible to ignore here.
I walked a good mile or so away from the city and got behind some tree cover before I decided to finally tap into my Dragonkin class's blessing that gave me wings. I delved into the bloodline and I felt an itch across my face and across my arms and other parts of my body.
Looking down at my arms, I tilted them around and partially removed my gauntlets to see that I now had stormy grey and golden-yellow scales spotted across my flesh in places. And finally, with a dull thumping noise, my lightning gold wings sprouted from my back.
"Now... How the fuck do I fly?" I asked myself as I realized that my abilities except for my blacksmithing ability didn't come with any damned mental user manual or anything. It was completely up to me to figure out how to do everything.
-
Back in New Atha, within the large palace and sequestered away within a well-warded room Queen Tilda was lounging across a long love seat with a nubile nude serving girl carefully feeding her queen glowing purple grapes that visibly pleased the queen to eat.
A loud groan rang out as the door that was deliberately designed to make a lot of noise when it was opened groaned out like a yawn as the heavy wood and metal were pushed aside. Queen Tilda idly watched her trusted slave and confidant enter the room and once the heavily armored knight stood before her queen, the knight took off her helmet and shook free her long mane of crimson hair.
"My queen, it is done," Dana said demurely as she respectfully stared at Tilda's legs in deference of not meeting her queen's eyes.
Tilda made a soft humm as she looked at the top of her servant's head and then she spoke coldly. "And how many rats needed to be squashed?"
Without a beat missing Dana replied. "fourteen assassins and three spies attempted to track or sabotage Jake's actions within the guild. I dealt with all involved permanently, besides the daughter of the Chancellor of Coin who seems to be... Enamored with him to an unhealthy degree."
Tilda's face went still before she slowly nodded. "Irabel Cloud isn't an issue... Her obsession and fixation on the Chosen One could be useful for Jake in time." Tilda took a breath as she tapped the soft cloud dragon fur that lined her love seat as her servant gently gave her another grape and then a drink as Tilda was considering her options.
"The, Experience System will not allow people to just slit the throat of a crippled dragon so we cannot power level him to the point of him smiting the Demon and Orc armies... So the plan is to continue in all scopes." She said snapping her fingers and the shadow beneath her love seat deepened turning pitch black and silently a kneeling form grew from the pool of darkness.
The figure was clad in all black with patches of armor covering her arms and forearms with a scarf that covered much of her lower face and upper chest. But the scarf couldn't cover up the ample bust she had while her raven black hair was tied in a knot.
"Jing." Tilda spoke with a cool smile. "Your wishes are granted... Go and protect the Chosen One in the shadows just as scions of large families and other clans are protected while leveling up... Don't get caught unless it is to save his life, I need him for my own goals besides dealing with the damned demons and orcs." She finished with annoyance clear in her voice before she took a breath and looked back to Dana.
"Dana, make an example out of them... Hmm, take the Head Slave Master and execute him for felony tax evasion while training a personal army with the hopes of ousting the royal family." Tilda ordered with a cold smile as Dana tilted her head to the side and said with some confusion.
"My queen... Every slave master is training a small army of people loyal to their master? To say nothing of the nobility who seek to suppress your dreams with their own personal armies" Dana said with some humor and Tilda's eyes matched her green eyes who responded shortly.
"I have you for the armies in the light Dana. And as for the dirty actions to be taken in the dark I have the Kage clan, right Jing?" She asked the ninja who nodded silently and with that, Tilda waved her hand elegantly to the assembled ladies beside the servant girl who was now silently massaging the queen's dainty feet.
"Now go, I don't want to hear that Jake Bariss died... Such karma of a hero dying always leads a nation to the edge of death with the divine karma striking the nation's fortunes." She finished with a frown and Jing blurred before seemingly teleporting away as Dana made a clinking noise as she held her fist to her heart bowed her head and then put back on her helmet as she powerfully walked out of the room with clear purpose.
"I can only do so much to clear your path Jake Bariss." Tilda whispered to herself uncaring of the servant who didn't pause her ministrations as she was far too well trained to do something like that. Tilda sighed and relaxed into her love seat as she dearly hoped this gamble in summoning a Chosen One would pan out for her in success...
And not end up just dragging her nation into despair.