The group arrived at the adventurer's association. After turning in their quest report, Bral collected their reward. He shook the pouch theatrically, letting the jingling sound draw the attention of his teammates. "Alright," he said, smirking as he turned to Amukelo, "time to divide the spoils. But I don't know, should we really spread the coins evenly?"
Amukelo blinked, confused by the question. "Why not?" he asked. "Remember the last quest? We split evenly then, so why wouldn't we do it now?"
Bral threw his head back with a hearty laugh. "Come on, rookie, you're supposed to make fun of them a little first. Where's your sense of humor?"
Bao, standing beside him with her arms crossed, narrowed her eyes. Without warning, she kicked Bral sharply in the leg. He yelped, jumping back as he grabbed at his shin.
"Okay, okay!" Bral said, wincing. "I didn't know you were that hungry for money."
Bao's glare deepened, and she stepped forward, delivering another well-placed kick to his other leg. Bral staggered back, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, truce! I'm just joking!"
The others chuckled at the exchange, and Bral, still rubbing his leg, finally began dividing the coins. Once the money was distributed, Bral stuffed the pouch back into his pocket and leaned against the counter.
"Alright," he said, still grinning. "Tomorrow, we're taking the day off. I don't know about you guys, but I still feel the chill from swimming in that river, and I don't want to risk getting sick. Besides," he added, shooting a glance at Bao, "I think someone needs to calm their nerves."
Bao stiffened, turning toward him with a sharp glare. "Are you suggesting something?"
Bral raised his hands innocently, his grin never faltering. "I wouldn't dare."
Idin rolled his eyes, clearly used to their bickering. "If we're taking a day off, let's end the night with something warm and relaxing," he said. "What about the pub?"
"Great idea," Bral said. "Let's eat."
The pub was bustling as usual when they arrived. The group ordered their meals at the counter, then found a quiet table in the corner to settle down.
As they sat, Bral stretched his arms and sighed contentedly. "Ah, now this is a nice, warm place. Just what we need after a day like today."
He leaned back, looking around the table. "So, what are you all planning to do tomorrow?" He gestured toward himself. "Depending on how I feel, I'll either stay in the inn or practice my swordsmanship lightly."
Pao, sitting next to her sister, perked up at the question. "I think I'll study a grimoire," she said, her voice bright. "There's a water spell I'm learning that's really cool. Water spells are my favourite. They don't require as much mana, but with good control they can be as devastating as other elements."
Bral chuckled and said, "Every spell is cool for you." And Pao nodded eagerly to this.
He turned to Bao, who had remained quiet with crossed arms. "What about you?"
Bao didn't answer, her gaze fixed elsewhere. After a long pause, she finally muttered, "Nothing you need to know."
Bral grinned, unfazed by her frosty demeanor. "Alright. Like I thought."
Shaking his head, he turned to Amukelo. "And you, rookie?"
Amukelo, who had been enjoying the warmth of the pub, straightened up. "I think I'll do a quest or two. I want to make enough money to join the training facility and raise my rank a little bit. Aside from that, I think I can improve my communication skills a little bit when doing lesser quests like this."
Bral sighed and said, "You're impossible, rookie. Always thinking of how to improve." Then he grinned, "Can't wait till you join, the facility. You're going to love it there."
Finally, Bral looked at Idin, who was sipping from his mug. "What about you, Idin?"
Idin smiled faintly and reached into his pocket, pulling out a small silver ring. "I'm working on something like this," he said, holding it up for the group to see. "My sister gave me this ring years ago. I'm trying to make a new one that will match it—a gift for her when I see her again."
Amukelo leaned closer, his curiosity piqued. "Can I see it?"
Idin hesitated briefly but handed the ring to him. Amukelo turned it over in his hands, examining it carefully. Inside the band, tiny, neat letters were etched into the metal. He squinted to read the words aloud: "'For the best brother in the world.'"
Amukelo smiled as he handed the ring back. "Wow, that's really nice of you. She must be really important to you."
Idin's smile grew softer as he slipped the ring back into his pocket. "She is. She deserves the best."
Amukelo woke up early the next day. The inn was silent save for the faint creaks of the wooden floorboards as people shifted in their beds. He turned over, catching sight of Bral sprawled across his bed, snoring lightly. Idin, however, was awake, sitting by the window with a small piece of metal in his hands, no doubt working on his ring.
Amukelo sat up, careful not to disturb Bral, and padded over to Idin. "I'm heading out," he whispered.
Idin looked up. "Don't push yourself too hard," he murmured back. "We'll probably be back to questing tomorrow, so save some energy."
Amukelo nodded, appreciating the advice. "I'll be fine."
Idin gave him a small smile. "Alright."
With that, Amukelo grabbed his gear and slipped out of the room as quietly as possible, shutting the door softly behind him. The inn was still dark, the air inside cool and still.
The town was quiet, the streets lit faintly by the first touches of morning light. Amukelo took a deep breath, the crisp air filling his lungs as he set off toward the adventurer's association.
After some time he arrived at the adventurer'sassociation. Amukelo pushed open the door and stepped inside. The hall was quiet, far less busy than it usually was during the peak hours.
Amukelo made his way to the quest board and began scanning the available options. His enthusiasm quickly faltered as he read through the postings.
"Catch a cat," he muttered, his eyebrows knitting together in disappointment. "Clear the road from rubbish. Help an old lady prepare a party." He groaned inwardly, skimming through the rest. None of them involved any action or fighting, the kind of work he'd been looking forward to.
He leaned against the board, sighing as he stared at the options. Eventually, his eyes landed on the "Clear the road from rubbish" quest again. It wasn't what he wanted, but it seemed less tedious than chasing a cat or organizing a party. With a resigned shrug, he grabbed the slip and headed to the counter to accept the quest.
The clerk, a cheerful woman with a bright smile, handed him the details. "It's not far from here," she said. "Good luck, and thank you for helping out!"
Amukelo gave her a polite nod and headed out.
The walk to the site was short, but the closer he got, the more apparent the destruction became. Turning a corner, he saw the aftermath of what must have been a chaotic event. A section of the road was completely blocked with piles of rubble, broken wood, and scattered debris. The side of a nearby building—likely a shop—was badly damaged, its structure sagging precariously.
Amukelo approached cautiously. Near the wreckage stood a middle-aged man with a weathered face, his arms crossed as he surveyed the mess with a frustrated expression. Hearing Amukelo's footsteps, the man turned and nodded in acknowledgment.
"Morning," Amukelo said, stepping closer. "I'm from the association. Here about the clearing the road quest."
The man let out a relieved sigh. "Oh, good. I've been waiting for someone to come. This mess has been driving me crazy."
Amukelo looked at the debris again. "What happened here?" he asked.
The man's expression soured, and he sighed deeply. "Some thief tried to steal something important—don't ask me what, I've no idea. The guards chased him through the area and used magic to try and stop him. Problem is…" He gestured toward the shop with a tired wave. "They missed and hit my shop instead."
Amukelo winced in sympathy. "That's rough."
The man shrugged, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "They'll pay for the reconstruction, at least. But I'm stuck dealing with this garbage. That's where you come in."
Amukelo straightened up, nodding firmly. "Got it. What do you need me to do?"
"I've got a cart on the way," the man explained. "It should be here any minute. Your job is simple: load the rubbish onto the cart, take it to the designated dump site, and unload it there."
As if on cue, the faint sound of horse hooves reached their ears. Moments later, a cart drawn by a sturdy horse appeared at the end of the road, trundling toward them. The man chuckled, shaking his head. "Perfect timing. Like something out of a story, isn't it?"