"I must express my apologies for starting you at level C, as it is standard policy not to assign a higher grade to new members. Nevertheless, I believe your abilities will allow you to progress rapidly. You are now granted access to restricted areas available to those with your level of clearance, and you are encouraged to take advantage of all the amenities offered by the Great Gourmand Guild."
"This will do for now."
Berry yanked out a big brown drawstring bag, the guild emblem proudly displayed on the front. He keyed in 6000 pounds of Elite Giant Boar meat, setting the price at four gold per pound.
"That comes out to two Zio and forty platinum coins. Would you like that directly or would you like some of that in change?"
"Give me some various change and one Zio."
"Absolutely not a problem." He placed copper coins in front of me, silver, green coins, gold coins, platinum coins, and one sparkling coin that looked like it was made of diamond.
"100 copper, 100 silver, 100 electrum, 100 gold, 138 platinum, and 1 zio. We also facilitate exchanges in Guild Credits, which can be utilized for bartering purposes. These Guild Credits are applicable for any missions you wish to request and are accepted in the majority of shops throughout the towns that our guild branches are present in."
I nodded, taking note of his words as he gathered my coins into that big pull string sack. He passed the hefty bag to me, and I discreetly tucked it away in my bracelet storage.
"It has been a pleasure conducting business with you. Welcome to the guild."
"Sure thing," I replied, keeping it short as I made my way to the bulletin board.
It was cluttered with requests for various bizarre creatures, each adorned with images of strange animals, plants, and herbs. Each paper had a reward listed and a bold red stamp indicating its Grade Level. One request caught my eye—a pink toad with dark pink eyes and a tongue to match.
Grade Level: C
Request for 20 Pounds of Giant Pink Lovetoad Jelly.
"Where can I find Lovetoads?"
"In the western region outside of town, you will find a swamp rich in diverse types of Giant Toads, among which are the Giant Pink Lovetoads. If you wish to take on this request, please position your card on the reading square located at the bottom. Provided you qualify for the task, it will be held for you for seventy-two hours. It is important to note that failing to complete reserved jobs on multiple occasions may lead to a ban on reserving jobs in the future, so ensure that you fulfill your commitments."
"That so, in that case I'll come back later when I'm ready to leave."
After leaving the gourmet guild, I felt a sense of satisfaction with the outcome of my trip. I then made my way back to the inn, where I secured a single room for a week. Ascending the stairs with my room key, marked with the number sixty, I proceeded to the end of the hallway where room sixty was located. The door was a simple white, and the key resembled a small, transparent stick. With a hole in the center of the handle, I inserted the key, hoping I was doing it right, as it didn't seem appropriate to ask for assistance. The clear handle briefly emitted a light green glow, followed by a clicking sound that confirmed the room was now unlocked.
As I entered the room, my eyes were immediately drawn to a rectangular object that seemed to float effortlessly, resembling a formation of clouds. Surrounding it were some wooden pieces of furniture that felt familiar. In the center, a small round table was accompanied by two chairs. Nearby, a side table held a gently glowing orb that hovered near the ceiling, seemingly unanchored. There was also a larger marble object like the one Flo had been using to talk through only attached to the table and larger, a dresser, a compact closet, and a large square mirror perched above the dresser. Next to the bed, I noticed a round device with a few buttons.
I surveyed the room with a hint of irritation, still puzzled by the unfamiliar surroundings. Curiosity led me to a floating, fluffy object, which I presumed was my bed. As I reached out to touch it, I was surprised by its extraordinary softness. I pressed my hand down to test its sturdiness before gently lying on it. To my delight, it conformed to my body flawlessly, offering the perfect balance of support and comfort. It felt absolutely divine.
Just as I was about to fall asleep, I heard a ding in my head.
[Ding ding! Look who's all set for a wild ride—Gotcha Gain and the Roulette Wheel! Feeling lucky, or just desperate?]
"Sure, let's try it out."
Out of nowhere, a bright image dominated my sight—a colorful Roulette Wheel spinning like crazy. Thank goodness I was lying down; it was a real jolt to suddenly lose track of my surroundings. The wheel was marked with different numbers, and it finally landed on 10% EXP.
[Wow, user, look at you! You've magically stumbled upon a ten percent experience boost. What a shocker! Now, let's wade into the delightful chaos of Gotcha Gain!]
Next, I noticed something that looked like a giant gumball machine. I concentrated and pushed the button with my mind, causing a metal wheel to whirl inside, and a round pod shot out. I opened the pod, and inside was a scroll. Oh, you got a spell—what's it going to be?
Spell: Rank A
Type: Reusable Attack Spell
Name: Finger Guns
Prerequisite Requirement: So, you want to cast a spell? Well, first, you need to bleed a little—literally. Just drop a drop of your precious blood on the scroll, and don't forget to toss in a mana gem of your choice to kick things off. Oh, and make sure you've got some mana lying around; otherwise, your spell is just a fancy piece of parchment.
Description: Get ready to unleash your inner cowboy! By making finger guns and pretending to shoot, you'll actually fire off projectiles that correspond to the mana gem you used. Go ahead, keep blasting away with your Finger Guns as long as you've got enough mana to fuel your little fantasy.
"Good grief, that's either cringe-worthy or just plain funny. I can't help but think of this eccentric character who's always using finger guns and winking. But if that attack has any real force, it could be lethal!"
[I find it amusing. Spells and gear are graded from F to SSSS so a rank A Grade spell is quite spectacular.]
The scroll that was in my vision materialized on the bed beside me with a small pop sound. [Just unscroll it and drop your blood and an orb into the center of the scroll and push your aura into it.]
"Guess it's time to set this thing up." I've got this big yellow orb I got from a boar, along with two smaller ones I picked up earlier. I think I'll go with the big one. I pulled it out, cut my finger on my nail, and let my blood mix with the orb on the scroll. It erupted in a bright yellow glow, and I felt a strange warmth in my hands. Looking down, I saw two tiny yellow pistols forming on the insides of my wrists.
"Odd, I reckon I'll take this out of town next chance I get. I'm curious to find out what it can actually do."
Coming Next Time: Adventurers Guild and Giant Toad Swamp